Finding Classes

Use these resources to search for classes, review course descriptions and prerequisites, and plan future semesters prior to enrolling in classes through PAWS.

The schedule displays classes in the Associates, Bachelors, and Graduate curricular tracks.

Requesting Accommodations for Classes – Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Accessibility Resource Center to request academic accommodations.

Associates (Undergraduate)

Courses in the Associates track are offered through the College of General Studies, which is housed at our Waukesha and Washington County locations — or online through UW College Courses Online. For scheduling and enrollment purposes, all associates-level courses will begin with “CGS,” as in CGS MAT 105 or CGS ENG 102.  Associates track students may enroll in other academic areas only with permission from the College of General Studies.

Class sections in CGS carry a four-digit section number, with the first digit coded to indicate whether CGS sections are held in Waukesha (3000-3999), Washington County (5000-5999), or through UW College Courses Online (7000-7999).  For example, CGS MAT 105-3001 would be held on the Waukesha County campus, while CGS MATH 105-5001 would be held at Washington County.  The campus location for all courses is clarified in various places in the schedule of classes, but we wanted to assure that both students and staff could rely on section coding to convey location information “at a glance.”

Bachelors (Undergraduate)

Classes numbered 299 and lower in academic areas other than CGS are open to students in the Bachelors curricular track only.

Students in the Bachelors track can take classes numbered up to 699, but some of these may require special permission.  Contact your Academic Advisor for more information.

Bachelors track students may take Associates or Graduate track courses only with permission from their School or College and the particular course’s academic department.

Graduate

Classes numbered 700-999 are open to graduate students only.  Classes numbered 300-699 that have a “G” appended to the course number (e.g., Physics 450G) are open to either graduate students or undergraduate students who have arranged to enroll in the course for graduate credit.  When a course has both a “G” section and a section without the “G” designation, graduate students should always enroll in the designated “G” or graduate section.

Overview of UWM Curricular Tracks

Courses at UWM are offered through one of the following curricular tracks, each of which cover specific academic areas and carry particular indicators in the UWM catalog and schedules.
Associate (Undergraduate)Bachelor (Undergraduate)Graduate
Overview:Courses in the College of General Studies, all of which carry a CGS course code prefix.Courses with catalog numbers up to 699 in curricular areas other than those offered through the College of General Studies.Courses with catalog numbers above 699 or those between 300 and 699 that end in a "G" indicator
Locations:Waukesha and Washington County campuses; online offerings through UW College Courses Online.Bachelors and Graduate track classes will indicate a location of On Campus (Milwaukee, Waukesha, or Washington County campuses) Online, or Off-Campus. Specific location and classrooms are indicated in the schedule of classes.
Example Courses:CGS MAT 110; CGS PSY 101MATH 105; PSYCH 101ARCH 760; BMS 427G

Other Course Options

Online Classes

In addition to “brick and mortar” or in-person classes, UWM has offerings available either entirely online or in a “hybrid” fashion that combines online and in-person instruction.

Online courses in the Associates track are offered through the UW College Courses Online exchange.  Associate track students will enroll in CGS courses with an “E” section code within PAWS.

Online classes often have additional or alternative fees, which will be noted on our Course Fees by Term site.

Off-Campus Classes

The location of “Off-Campus” classes are noted in course notes on the schedule, and typically mention the distance from the main Milwaukee campus. Transportation to and from off-campus courses are solely the responsibility of the student.

Late Starting Classes

Some classes begin later than the first day of the semester. These courses have different add/drop deadlines and may be an option for students who need to add a course after the semester’s traditional add deadline.

Study Abroad

Studying abroad gives you the opportunity to travel internationally as a part of a for-credit educational experience.  Contact the Center for International Education for information and applications.