Transitioning to Four Digit Course Numbers

Before starting this task, talk with your DUS about the numbering schema and develop a plan for how you wish to proceed. You must change all active course numbers.  This is the perfect opportunity to clean up your inventory.

This is a two-step process:

  1. Deactivate all courses that have not been taught in 5 years or were taught by an instructor no longer teaching at Yale.
  2. Change the course number in CIM and send the course through an abbreviated workflow.

4-DIGIT COURSE NUMBER SCHEMA

This is the perfect opportunity to make your course numbers mean something to students. As a best practice, we suggest that introductory courses, including language-skills courses, begin with the number one (1).

Yale College courses

  • Add 0 before first-year seminars; 0xxx
  • Add 1 before introductory courses 1xxx
    • The number 1999 is not available.
  • Add 2 before intermediate (bridge, sophomore) courses
  • Add 3 before intermediate to advanced courses
  • Add 4 before advanced courses and senior-specific courses

Graduate School courses

  • Add 5 before introductory-level courses or as specific to department schema
  • Add 6–8 before all courses as specific to department schema
  • Add 9 before advanced courses, such as directed studies and courses leading to thesis creation

STEP 1: DEACTIVATE OLD NUMBERS

Take care not to deactivate a course offered for Fall 2024.

How to Deactivate Courses Primary in your Department

  1. Log into CIM and pull up your inventory by entering your subject code in the search field.
  2. Scroll to find the first course you want to deactivate.
  3. Click on the red deactivate tab to open a window.
  4. In the window, select Fall 2025. Enter “renumbering” in the justification field. Then “Start Workflow.”
  5. Archive the course the next day by clicking on “Archive.”

How to Deactivate Courses Primary in an Other Department

  1. Log into CIM and type your subject code/course number in the search field.
  2. Click the YES radio button at the top of the CIM form that reads, “Are you renumbering?”
  3. To delete your course number and remove it from the cross-listing group, click on “Remove.”
    1. If you know the new course number, Click Add and add your subject code and the new 4-digit course number. 
  4. Scroll down and click Start Workflow.

STEP 2: CHANGE 3-DIGIT COURSE NUMBERS TO 4-DIGIT COURSE NUMBERS

  1. Log into CIM and pull up your newly cleaned-up inventory by typing your subject code in the search box.
  2. For each remaining course:
    1. Click on Edit Course to open the course record.
    2. When the course record opens, click the radio button at the top of the CIM form that reads, “Are you renumbering?”
    • Select the effective term (Fall 2025).
    • If you are the primary department, change the course number and start workflow.
    • If you are secondary department, go to “Same-school Cross-List” and add the new course number (if you didn’t already add a new number when you archived the old number).
    • The Cross-School cross-list field on the CIM form need not be updated at this time. Cross-listing between Yale College and GSAS will continue to take place directly in WEN.
  3. Scroll down and click Start Workflow.

NOTE: Since many of you will be changing numbers at the same time, some course proposals might be in workflow when you attempt to change your numbers. Note the Status of a particular course proposal form in the far-left column of the inventory window.

If Status reads “Edited,” the CIM form is probably in workflow and you should revisit it the next day.

If Status reads “Deleted,” the CIM form probably needs to be archived.

If Status indicates any steps of standard workflow,” check back until the course shows no status.