Is the school catalog-including course descriptions, degree requirements, academic policies and the semester/term schedule of classes-available on the Web?
One of the first things you should look for as a prospective student (either electronically or in hard copy) is the college catalog and the schedule of classes for the current or upcoming semester/term.
The college catalog is essentially the contract between the campus and the entering student that defines academic requirements and policies. It is usually published annually or biannually by the campus, listing all requirements for general education, degree completion, and so forth. It usually includes descriptions of all courses and their requirements and prerequisite courses.
The college catalog also often includes important policies of the campus that define the expectations of students, procedures for handling disciplinary problems, and so forth. For example, it might include policies on appropriate use of technological resources, grounds for academic dismissal, sexual harassment, or others.
One thing that might make things easier is the ability to quickly search the catalog electronically. Does the online catalog have a search engine that allows for a quick examination of keywords to identify relevant policies, courses, and other important information? For example, you might be interested in studying Mexican history. By using a search engine, you would be able to quickly identify all courses having to do with Mexico, rather than having to search the listings in history, sociology, geography, and so forth.
The schedule of classes for a specific semester/term is an equally important document (in some cases, it is merged with the college catalog) and much more convenient if available online with interactive search features. On some campuses, the online schedule of classes is integrated with the online registration/add/drop function, allowing you to build simulation schedules before actually submitting/committing to one.
Course Catalog Online
The chart below shows what percentage of schools have their course catalog online.
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