about this guide
Sessions are designated periods of instructional time during any given term. All classes are scheduled within a session aligned to the dates of the class. Based on program design and to support student success, session lengths have become more varied over time. Sessions may be specific based on term and can vary by career (e.g., 7A and 7B available during fall, spring, and summer terms are only eligible for the GRAD career).
Ideally class setup takes place during Open Scheduling, but if changes to class setup are needed outside of Open Scheduling, then Closed Scheduling Section Request processes should be followed
How to IDENTIFY THE SESSION
As a descriptor, sessions are labeled with a short 1, 2, or 3-digit code in UAccess Student (e.g., Regular Session code is 1 and 7 Week 1 code is 7W1). Courses may be taught in sessions of various lengths. Session dates vary by term in alignment with the Academic Calendar. Available sessions based on term are detailed in the table below:
Using standard sessions ensures a uniform experience across different majors and fosters a predictable understanding of dates and deadlines. Standard sessions also facilitate the efficient and consistent management of the Schedule of Classes.
SETTING THE SESSION
Step 1: In UAccess Student, navigate to the Maintain Schedule of Classes Tile, Basic Data tab.
Step 2: The default UAccess session is the Regular Session (1). To change the session, use the magnifying glass icon to select from the options of available sessions based on the term and career.
Step 3: A box will pop up where you will confirm your Academic Career and Term, then select the session from the available sessions that will populate based on the selected term.
Note: The Session field aligns the section start and end dates. If during the section set-up process, the session is changed, first note the non-standard start and end dates on the Basic Data and Meeting Pattern tab as changing the session will default the start and end dates to the selected standard sessions' start and end dates.
non-standard SESSIONS
Non-standard sessions such as Carry Over Course (COC) or Dynamic Dated (DYN) are created only to accommodate academic experiences that cannot fit within a standard session and require pre-approval for use each term. The university has a priority to limit non-standard session dates to reduce inconsistencies in the student enrollment experience. Please consider whether a standard session can meet the course requirements before requesting a unique session.
To align with a more student-centered approach — class sections requesting DYN will be evaluated for inclusion in a standard session whenever possible. Class sections beginning within 7 days of a standard session start date and concluding within 7 days of the standard session end date will be adjusted to align with the nearest standard session (example provided below). However, DYN sessions shorter than 7 weeks (such as Pre, 5-week sessions, and 6-week sessions) will maintain their DYN-adjusted dates and deadlines.
In accordance with the Unit of Credit definition, a course must cover at least a one-week period for every unit of credit given. If proceeding with a request for a unique session, please provide exceptional reasoning as to how the requested session supports student success to meet the criteria for the review and approval process. Class sections beginning within 7 days of a standard session start date and concluding within 7 days of the standard session end date will be adjusted to align with the nearest corresponding standard session: Regular (1), 13 Week (13W -summer only), 10 Week (10W -summer only), 7 Week 1 (7W1), or 7 Week 2 (7W2).
warning message
Note: If the entered class section set-up data requires approval, a logic-based rule will activate and request further action from the department. A pop-up warning message will provide directions for the next steps to resolve the issue.
Related processes and additional resources
Open Scheduling period is the time when department schedulers complete class section set-up. Below is a link to other resource guides that may be helpful to this process, and other class section set-up data entry.
More information on system updates can be found at RCS Reimagine: Updates to Managing the Schedule of Classes.
Need Help? Contact Us!
For additional questions on selecting and setting sessions, you can reach the RCS team via email: rcshelp@arizona.edu or phone: 520-621-3313.
created 05/2024