SIS - Combined Sections: Types and Definitions

logo

Combined sections are classes that are connected or "bound" in SIS. This document defines the different types of bonds.

Combined Sections Classifications

There are four different bonds that may exist between sections of courses. Listed below are descriptions and examples. 

Cross-listed: XL

  • A single course exists under two or more subjects; apart from appearing under different subjects, other aspects of the course (e.g., catalog number, title, course description, course-level attributes and designations, learning outcomes, etc.) are the same
  • Must be approved by the University Curriculum Committee
  • Academic governance considers all subjects to be equal partners in owning and maintaining the course, but for scheduling and enrollment purposes one subject must be designated as primary each term; see also: Updating Combined Sections
  • Cross-listed courses are bound in the course catalog, and scheduled class sections will have automatic XL bonds (e.g., Biology 130 section 001 and Botany 130 section 001) 
  • Data for scheduled XL sections is synced when Curricular Services runs a cross-list sync.

Example: The courses SOC 210 and C&E SOC 210 are cross-listed in the course catalog. Each scheduled section is combined with the parallel section of the other course, e.g., SOC 210 section 001 for a given term/session is combined with C&E SOC 210 section 001 in that same term/session. 

Combined Section Details page showing crosslisted course

Meets With: MW

  • All sections of one course meet with the parallel sections of a different course
  • Member courses have their own unique features in the course catalog (e.g., subject and/or catalog number, title, course description, course-level attributes and designations, learning outcomes, etc.)
  • MW class sections share instruction mode, instructor(s), day/time meeting patterns, and facility ID. The section number does not need to match. 
  • University Curriculum Committee approval not required
  • Meets-with bonds can be set up to roll forward with term roll
  • To have a meets-with bond set up you should submit a form to Add or Remove a Meets With Bond to Curricular Services.

Example: MUSIC 346 meets with MUSIC 546; section 016 is shown below.

Combined Section Details page shows Combined Sections ID of Meets With

Section-Level Meets With: SL

  • Similar to Meets With, but does not need to be true for ALL sections of a course; only applies to a specific section that meets with a section of another course. 
  • SL class sections share instruction mode, instructor(s), day/time meeting patterns, and facility ID
  • SL combinations can be within a single course, across different courses from the same subject, or across courses from different subjects

Example: Section 002 of ENVIR ST 360 meets with section 001 of GEOG 475. 

Combined Section Detail page showing a Combined Section ID of Section level meets with class

Cross-listed, Meets With: XM 

  • A cross-listed course that also meets with another course 
  • This is a rare bond and only exists on a small number of courses

Example: ZOOLOGY 153 meets with the cross-listed course BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151. For the term/session shown below, section 001 of each cross-listed course also meets with section 001 of ZOOLOGY 153. 

Combined Section Detail page shows Combined Sections ID of Crosslisted Meets With


Notes

  • On the Combined Section Detail page you can see which section is primary – the primary subject is listed in the description that displays to the right of the Combined Sections ID
  • All members of a bond can access the Combined Sections Detail page in SIS
  • Departments in the College of Letters & Science should consult the L&S "Meets-With" policies and guidelines before submitting a request to create MW, SL, or XM combinations
  • See Also: Updating Combined Sections