Choosing Courses

Before choosing courses

Read the College Catalog, especially for important information about Lewis & Clark policies and requirements. Consult with your Academic Advisor.

Courses offered in the fall

Current course information may always be accessed by checking “Course Schedule” at the link on the right-hand sidebar. Read the Online Registration Instructions. For example, once you have a list of courses, you can click on the course title to see the description and prerequisites.

Prerequisites

Once you have compiled a list of courses, check WebAdvisor to see if there are any prerequisites. (Click on the orange section name to see details of the course.)  You will not be able to register for a course if the Registrar has not received documentation that you have met or are meeting the prerequisite. This includes prerequisites that have been met by AP, IB or college transfer credit. If you have questions, please contact our office at reg@lclark.edu.

Meeting the math or quantitative reasoning prerequisite

The official documents for these criteria must be on file in the Registrar’s Office prior to registration.

  • Quantitative Reasoning Proficiency Examination score of 53 or higher (must be taken online during the summer)
  • Calculus AP score of 4 or 5 or an IB score of 7
  • College course work equivalent to QR-101 or appropriate mathematical prerequisite

Please note that the QR exam is mandatory even if you meet one of the other criteria. This placement exam helps LC work with you to place you in the most appropriate courses. 

ADVANCED PLACEMENT/INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (AP or IB credit)
Check the AP/IB section of the Lewis & Clark College Catalog to determine if AP or IB credit affects your placement in courses. (Official documentation must be on file in the Registrar’s Office before you register.) Note that there is a limit on the number of AP/IB credits that can be applied to your degree.

GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
As a liberal arts college, Lewis & Clark encourages students to “seek knowledge for its own sake.” The pursuit of knowledge in a variety of fields expands students’ perspectives and requires that they develop essential skills, helping them to think, write, and speak clearly and effectively so that they may become thoughtful contributors to and leaders of society. The specific General Education Requirements are found in the College Catalog.

Registering for CORE 120 or 121
Check the First Year Seminar website to see the time specific sections are offered and to find information on how to submit your preferences.

CHOOSING YOUR COURSES

A regular course load is four four-credit courses, plus perhaps a one-credit PE course or one or two one-credit Music Performance courses, for a total of 16-19 credits. Students must have advisor permission and signature in order to take more than 19 credits, but overloading is not allowed for students in their first semester at Lewis & Clark. To graduate, a student must have earned 128 credits—that is 32 credits a year, or an average of 16 credits per semester over 8 semesters.

Class size
Class sizes are small, so you may not be able to take all of your first choice courses every semester. It is essential to have a list of alternates before you begin to register. Consult with your advisor.

Courses to take in the first semester at LC:

Courses in your major
If you are planning to major in a science, be sure to see Getting Started in a Major or Minor or “Prospective Math, Science or Environmental Studies Majors” for a guide to the courses you need to take first semester.

Language requirement
Unless you plan to begin in the beginning level of a world language course, you will need to complete a language placement exam.

Taking a language placement exam by July 1 will allow you the greatest flexibility when planning your schedule. Online placement exams for Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese or Spanish can be accessed online. Instructions and additional information for the other language placement exams (Russian, Latin, and Classical Greek) are also available at that link. Students with test results that suggest placement beyond the 201-level courses will be required to confirm this placement during New Student Orientation.

Theatre
If you are interested in auditioning for the main-stage production, auditions take place in the first week of the semester. Go to Fir Acres Theatre on the first or second day of classes for details. Auditioning is completely open, with no prerequisites, and casting is non-traditional and colorblind.

Check class times to avoid conflicts
Complete class meeting times are visible if you click on the course link in WebAdvisor. It is essential to check them carefully. Some classes meet only on Monday-Wednesday-Friday, others on Tuesday-Thursday, and so forth. Be sure to check on lab/discussion times if you take a science course!  First year students are not allowed to register for courses with time conflicts.