Waitlist Policy & Signup | Department of Communication

Waitlist Policy and Sign-Up

Policy Overview

Students enrolled in upper division or lower division communication classes: If you do not attend class the first day, you will likely be dropped from the class! Note for remote instruction: be sure to login to GauchoSpace and complete any required activities, if you do not, you will likely be dropped from the class.

Online waitlists are activated when courses are completely full, and are available through your GOLD account. Please read the waitlist policy carefully!

If a space opens up (that corresponds with your indicated section availability for lower division communication courses), and your priority on the waitlist is high enough, the waitlist system will automatically add you to the course. This feature is turned off several days prior to the first class meeting. If you are still on the waitlist after it has been deactivated and would like to get a spot in the course, you must attend the first day of the class! Students that have added their name to the formal waitlist system through GOLD will have priority over any student that merely shows up to "crash" the class on the first day, regardless of number of units.

Note for remote instruction: since crashing is not possible, you must be on the waitlist in order to be enrolled in a course if space opens up.

Using the Online Waitlist

The Department of Communication participates in the official UCSB waitlist both for lower and upper division communication courses. The waitlist is now coordinated with the GOLD system. It is important to note that because the waitlist is now coordinated with GOLD, the units of waitlisted coursework WILL count toward the student's maximum for the current registration pass UNLESS you link it with another course. In addition, you can only add yourself to a waitlist during a pass time.

The Waitlist button will become available on the Course Search Screen once the following criteria are met:

The course is full.
You are registered for at least 12 other units
The department or instructor has enabled the waitlist for the course.
All lectures and sections of the course are full.
- For example, if there is still a seat available in an 8AM section, you will not be able to waitlist a 10AM section.

When signing up for a waitlist for lower division communication courses, students will be prompted to select which of the sections would be acceptable as well as the grading option, repeat values, and units if appropriate for the course.
The signup screen will also display the number of students currently on the waitlist as well as any notes from the department so that the student may make an educated decision as to whether they would like to join the waitlist.
The waitlist will remain open until a few days before the start of the quarter - your name must be on the waitlist before it closes in order for it to be prioritized accordingly.
Spaces that open after the waitlist has enrolled students are not available for students to directly add the course. They must register for the waitlist first.
The waitlist has an Auto Add feature that may be enabled by the department or instructor. Only UD Comm majors will be able to be auto-added to an UD Comm course from the waitlist.

Waitlist Auto-Add Feature

For Pre-Communication classes - The auto-add feature will be enabled as soon as the waitlist becomes active. At that time, if space becomes available in a class, the waitlist system will automatically add students based on major and unit standing. Students will not be auto-added on a first come first serve basis. *Note*: Pre-Comm students WILL be given priority on pre-major course waitlists as of Winter 2019.

For Communication classes - The auto-add feature will be enabled as soon as the waitlist becomes active. At that time, if space becomes available in a class and you are already declared a full Communication major, the waitlist system will automatically add students based on unit standing. Students will not be added on a first come first serve basis. If you are in your last Pre-Comm class and your official status has not yet changed to Communication, you will not be auto-added, you will need to attend the first day of lecture to receive an add code (if space permits).

For all students - If you are not auto-added to a class before the start of the quarter, you will need to attend the first day of lecture to receive an add code (if space permits). Students still remaining on the waitlist once the quarter starts will be given add codes in class, based on major and unit standing.

Note for remote instruction: since you cannot attend in person, you won't be able to crash or enroll in the course if it is completely full. If there is a course with seats available however, email your instructor on the first day of instruction. We cannot provide approval codes prior to the first day of instruction to any student.

Attending the First Day

All students, whether you were auto-added to the course or are still trying to crash MUST attend lecture on the first day that the class meets. If you do not attend on the first day, the instructor has the option to remove your name from the waitlist or drop you from the class. The waitlist will be prioritized right before the first class meets, and the instructor (or TA) will give approval codes based on students’ priority and spaces available.

If you do not have high enough priority to be added to a class the first day, you might still be able to add if space opens up and/or if the newly added students do not end up using their approval codes. Your instructor will tell you if you should continue attending class in that case.

Note for remote instruction: instructors can provide access to a course in GauchoSpace to students on the waitlist so that they can keep up with assignments. Your instructor will reach out to you if they feel there is a good chance you may get in the course.

Using "Approval" Codes to Add a Class

Once courses are closed, the only way GOLD will allow you to add a class is to enter in an “approval” code. This is a unique 4-digit code that your instructor gives only to YOU.

For our upper division courses, if there is space, the instructor will email you an approval code. Unless otherwise noted, you will be given 24 hours to use the approval code or else you will lose the space!

For our lower division courses, the procedure may vary depending on the instructor, so listen carefully for announcements in lecture on the first day. Typically, once you have gone through the waitlist/crashing process, if the instructor is able to add you to the class, your name and section assignment will be posted at the next lecture. Your TA will then likely be the one to give you your approval code, either during discussion section or via email.

To use an approval code:

1. Drop yourself from the waitlist if you are on the waitlist for the course. You CANNOT use an approval code if you are on the waitlist

2. Search for the course either by typing in the 5-digit enrollment code or using the Course Search function

3. Click "Add" for the course you are trying to add.

4. Enter the four-digit approval code into the "Approval Code" field

Tips:

Do not type your add code into the "enrollment code" field. You will get an error message.