Orientation Instructions

Important Orientation Information

  • If you have already declared a major offered within Wellstar College, an Academic Advisor from our team will email your KSU account 24-48 hours before your orientation day with a list of recommended courses for your first semester only. You must review your Degreeworks (DW) page in addition to reviewing the email because DW lists all the courses required for your major, not just the first semester. 

  • On orientation day, there is a designated time to register for courses. Our goal is to help you find a Starting Block that suits your needs. A Starting Block is a pre-made schedule of courses that all first-year students are required to participate in to ease their transition to college. 

  • Starting Blocks ensure first-year students start their academic pursuit on the right foot. Rather than selecting individual classes, students choose a block of courses relative to their major or interests, allowing them to take courses with other students with similar long-term interests and goals.

  • If you have Dual Enrollment, AP, IB, or transfer credit for prerequisite coursework that has neither been received nor evaluated, these classes may make it more difficult to find a suitable block. You do not need to retake them; however, you will not be able to register for the next course requiring that prerequisite. (Example: You must have credit for ENGL 1101 before the registration system allows you to add ENGL 1102 to your schedule). In any case, be sure to reach out to us on your orientation day or schedule an appointment after to discuss block options. 

  • For more information on Starting Blocks, view the following video instructions:

First Steps

  1. Login to your Owl Express.
  2. Click on the Registration tab.
  3. Click on Class Registration (Add or Drop Classes) in the menu.
    • Or click on Class Schedule Builder Registration Cart if you pre-selected classes in Class Schedule Builder. If you have not used Class Schedule Builder yet, do NOT use it now.
Registration Instructions (PDF)

How many classes should you take?

12 credit hours is the minimum required to be considered a full-time student. Taking 15 credit hours, typically 5 courses, a semester keeps a student more on track to graduate in 4 years.

  • We encourage you to try 15 hours, if:

    • You live on campus or close to campus
    • Work less than 20 hours a week
    • Do not have a lot of other outside commitments such as family demands, community
      involvement, etc.

    We encourage students to try 12 hours, if:

    • Have a commute to campus greater than 30 minutes
    • Work more than 20 hours a week
    • Have a lot of outside demands
    • Will be taking challenging courses

    Attending part-time (taking less than 12hrs) may be a better fit for some students. Check with Financial Aid to discuss implications of attending part-time.

    • Spread your classes out over the week. Taking all your classes on just 2 days makes for a long day. You also increase the likelihood of having several tests or major assignments due on the same day.
    • Schedule classes at times you know you can be up and alert. There is no reason to take a class at 8am if you like to sleep in until 11am.
    • You can make it anywhere on campus in about 15 minutes. It’s okay to have a class or two back-to-back. Do give yourself breaks to grab food or study in between classes.
      Students can take classes on both the Kennesaw and Marietta campus. Be sure to check the location when registering.
    • If you are taking classes at both campuses, give yourself at least an hour to get to the other campus. The B.O.B. shuttles runs between campuses.
    • Do not complete all your general education courses before starting major courses. You may get to a point where you do not have enough classes to create a schedule.
    • Degree requirements can change from year-to-year and vary between schools. A class a friend took last year may not be offered or count for the same thing.

Registration FAQ

  • Consider a class like ENGL 1101. When you are going through the Class Schedule Search you are probably seeing dozens of unique class offerings for ENGL 1101. As you are choosing the best day and time that works for you, make sure you are paying attention to the second set of numbers that follow "ENGL 1101". This is the Section Code, and can become very important as you are registering.

    The numbers and letters in bold refer to the Section Code:

    • ENGL 1101/01
    • ENGL 1101/C01
    • ENGL 1101/N01
    • ENGL 1101/W01

    Some sections are open to all students, but others may be reserved for students in special populations. Those attempting to register for a special section that they were not accepted into will receive a registration error.

    Section Code and Type of Course:

    • AB- Summer Study Abroad Programs, University System of Georgia
    • C- Learning Community
      • You must register for the entire Learning Community at the same time to avoid a registration error. 
      • Some Learning Communities are open to all new students, but others you must apply and be accepted into.
    • G- eCore
      • You must have completed the to register for these courses.
    • H- Honors 
      • You must have applied and been admitted to the  to register for these classes.
    • M- Advanced Majors Program, College of Science and Mathematics
      • You must have applied and been admitted to the  to register for these classes.
    • N- Reserved for Students Attending Fall Orientation
      • These courses are open to all new students who are attending an orientation. 
    • S- Study Abroad
    • W- KSU Online
      • The courses are open to all students and are 100% online.
  • Below are all the possible registration errors you can receive and brief description of each error.

    CAMPUS RESTRICTION
    The Campus Restriction error will occur for Online Learner students. To resolve this error, students must register only for courses taught fully online.

    Example: An online learner attempting to register for a main campus course. Students who have signed up for an online learner program are not eligible to register for main campus courses.

    CLASS RESTRICTION
    The CLASS RESTRICTION error refers to a course that is restricted by student classification.

    To resolve this error, students must select a different course or seek override permission from the academic department offering the course.

    Example: KSU 1101 and KSU 2290 is restricted to freshman students.

    CLOSED SECTION
    The CLOSED SECTION error occurs when students attempt to register for a class that is full.

    To resolve this error, students should register for another section of the course or select a different course. If the course section offers a waitlist, consider waitlisting for the course.

    Closed course overrides are available only during the drop/add period. Students may inquire to the academic department and/or the college/school website responsible for the course that is closed. If approved, the department will enter the approval code in the Student Information System. The student must then register for the course.

    Please Note: Some Departments may have a "No Closed Class Override Policy."

    CONNECTED COURSE DROP CONFIRMATION
    The Connected Course Drop Confirmation notice will appear when students attempt to drop a course that has a connected or linked course, i.e., co-requisite or concurrent prerequisite course. 

    Drop both courses by clicking the DROP button on this page.

    CORQ_Course XXXX REQ
    The CORQ (Co-requisite) error occurs when students do not register for a group of courses that are linked together. 
    To resolve this error, students must register for all co-requisite courses (CRNs) at the same time.

    Example: This registration error will most likely occur when Freshmen are attempting to register for courses within a Learning Community. Students must register for all Learning Community courses (CRNs) at the same time.

    Important Notes: 
    When registering for a science course that requires a lab, both the lecture and lab courses must be registered for successfully at the same time.  You will receive a course PREQ & TEST SCORE or CORQ Course XXXX REQ ERROR until registration for both courses (lecture and lab) are successful.

    CRN DOES NOT EXIST #####

    The CRN DOES NOT EXIST error occurs as a result of not using the correct CRN for a specific semester.

    To resolve this error, either enter in the correct CRN grouping (as indicated below) or select a different term.
    Semester CRN

    1. Fall Semester Begins with 8####
    2. Spring Semester Begins with 1####
    3. Summer Term Begins with 5####

    DEPARTMENTAL APPROVAL
    The DEPARTMENTAL APPROVAL error occurs when students attempt to register for courses that are reserved for specific groups of students.

    To resolve this error, students will need to contact the academic department teaching the course in order to obtain permission to enroll into this course. Once permitted, the student must login to Owl Express and register.

    DUPL CRSE WITH SEC-XXXXX
    The DUPL CRSE, Duplicate Course, error occurs when students attempt to register for the same subject and course number twice. Students needing to register for more than one special topics course may contact the academic department of the discipline for assistance with a repeat override.

    LEVEL RESTRICTION
    The LEVEL RESTRICTION error occurs when undergraduate students attempt to register for graduate level courses.

    To resolve this error, students should only select undergraduate level courses.

    MAJOR RESTRICTION
    The MAJOR RESTRICTION error occurs when students attempt to register for courses that are reserved for a specific degree/major or groups of majors.

    To resolve this error, students should register for another course or seek override permission from the academic department offering the course.

    MAXIMUM HOURS EXCEEDED
    Maximum Course Load - During the Fall and Spring semesters, a student may register for up to 18 hours.  The Registrar may approve up to 21 hours for students with an institutional GPA of 3.5 or higher.  Course loads above 21 hours must also have a recommendation from the student’s department chair.

    During the Summer term, a student may register for up to 13 hours.  The Registrar may approve up to 15 hours for students with an institutional GPA of 3.5 or higher. Students not in good academic standing will be limited to 13 hours during any term. Course loads above 13 hours must have a recommendation from an academic advisor or department chair that is made to the Registrar.

    MUTUAL EXCLUSIVE
    The MUTUAL EXCLUSION with MATH XXXX error occurs when a student who has previously enrolled or received credit for MATH 1111 or 1112 attempts to register for MATH 1113 and vis versa. Questions may be addresses with the Mathematics department.

    PREQ & TEST SCORE-ERROR
    The PREQ & TEST SCORE-ERROR occurs when students attempt to register for courses in which they do not meet the course prerequisites. Course prerequisites are checked during the registration process.

    To resolve this error, students should register for a different course in which they meet course prerequisites.

    A list of course prerequisites can be found by returning to the Registration Worksheet and clicking on Class Search at the bottom of the page. Click on the CRN and then on the Course Title. The course prerequisites are listed at the bottom of the page.

    When registering for a science course that requires a lab, both the lecture and lab courses must be registered for successfully at the same time. You will receive a course PREQ & TEST SCORE or CORQ Course XXXX REQ ERROR until registration for both courses (lecture and lab) are successful.Concurrent Prerequisites: a set of courses that must be taken simultaneously. 

    Labs and Lectures
    When registering for a science course that requires a lab, both the lecture and lab courses must be registered for successfully at the same time. You will receive a course PREQ & TEST SCORE until registration for both courses (lecture and lab) are successful.

    REPEAT COUNT EXCEEDS 1
    The REPEAT COUNT EXCEEDS 1 error occurs when a student has exceeded the number of attempts allowed to repeat a course. Effective spring 2012, a student may repeat a course once. 

    Receiving this error means that the student has exceeded the attempts more than one additional time. 

    To resolve this error, the student may consult the academic department of that discipline to be considered for an override.

    STUDENT ATTRIBUTE
    Reserved for students in a particular cohort. Examples are Honors College (H sections), Advanced Major Program (M sections), eCore Orientation, required for classes that are offered by eCore. New Students at Orientation (N sections).  N course sections will open to the general population after the last orientation session.

    TIME CONFLICT WITH XXXXX
    The TIME CONFLICT error occurs when students attempt to register for courses that conflict or overlap by date and time. To resolve this error, students should register for courses on a different date and time.

  • To access an easy-to-view summary of your current registration, visit Owl Express then follow these instructions:

    • Click on the Registration tab.
    • Click on "Display Your Class Registration and Grades".
    • Refresh this page often if you are making multiple changes to your schedule.

    If a class you thought you signed up for is not listed here, it means you are currently not registered or waitlisted for it. Go back to the Class Registration page and try again while paying close attention to any registration errors or waitlist prompts.

  • Check your DegreeWorks in your Owl Express account!

    DegreeWorks will automatically update as you register for classes. Courses that are satisfying an area of your degree will appear in blue. Courses that are not counting towards the degree you have declared will populate under "Unused Courses" at the bottom on the page.

    Recently submitted a major change?

    If you have entered in a major change that has not yet updated on your transcript, you can still check to see if the courses you registered for will count towards your new major by clicking on "What-If" in the left-hand menu.

  • Which MATH can you start at?

    When you applied to KSU, you were placed into your starting MATH course based on
    a combination of your high school GPA and the math portion of your SAT or ACT,
    whichever you took or whichever was higher.

    • MATH 1111 COLLEGE ALGEBRA: Anyone can start here.
    • MATH 1113 PRECALCULUS: You can start here if you have a SAT MATH score of 570 or above (ACT MATH 23 or above) AND a high school GPA of 2.8 or above.
    • MATH 1190 CALCULUS I: You can start here if you have a SAT MATH score of 620 or above (ACT MATH 26 or above) AND a high school GPA of 3.2 or above

    Please ensure that you register for the appropriate math class for your major. This is not
    the only way that you can get into a specific Math course. You might have a college credit
    from dual enrollment or AP scores. Please consult your major’s advisor on enrolling in the
    next appropriate math course for your major if you already have a math credit.

    Please visit for information on ALEKS if you did not place directly into your desired math and feel you can go higher. This is an intensive combination at-home module/proctored exam.

  • AP Scores are generally released around mid to late July.

    Generally we advise students who are awaiting AP scores to register based on possibly not receiving credit for any exams, and then making necessary adjustments to their schedule later in the Summer.

    Students can also choose to register for other courses that are not dependent on their scores. For example, if a student believes they may be getting credit for ENGL 1101, they may register for a different general education class like POLS 1101 until ther scores come in. At that point, if they did get credit for ENGL 1101 they could drop POLS 1101 and register for ENGL 1102 in its place.

    Regardless, be sure you have requested your scores be sent to KSU from College Board. KSU will not award any credit otherwise.

  • We are here to help! There are a few ways you can contact us on Orientation day:

    • You can privately send a Microsoft Teams message to your individual advisor by searching for their name in Teams.
    • You can email your advisor for more in-depth questions.
    • Finally, you are always welcome to schedule a follow-up advising appoinment.

Helpful Tips for Dual Enrollment Students

Get ahead on your math and science courses!  The sooner you complete these courses the better. Not taking sciences could potentially hinder progression once a student is officially enrolled at ºÚÁÏÍø.  Taking all of your general education courses prior to KSU can also impact your ability to be full-time once you become a KSU student. 

Be sure to check the specific program requirements for your intended major by visiting our website. Below is a list of recommended courses based upon your intended major as a KSU student.

    • MATH 1111 – College Algebra
    • STAT 1401 – Elementary Statistics

    Pick one science sequence from the four below:

    • CHEM 1151/L and 1152/L – Survey of Chemistry I and II with Labs
    • CHEM 1211/L and 1212/L – General Chemistry I and II with Labs
    • BIOL 1107/L and 1108/L – Biological Principles I and II with Labs
    • PHYS 1111/L and 1112/L – Intro Physics I and II with Labs

    (If you plan on attending graduate school, you will want to take MATH 1113 and CHEM 1211/L and 1212/L)

  • Pick one math course from the three below:

    • MATH 1001 - Quantitative Reasoning
    • MATH 1101 – Mathematical Modeling (*no longer offered after Summer 2022)
    • MATH 1111 – College Algebra

    AND

    • STAT 1401 – Elementary Statistics

    Pick one science sequence from the four below:

    • CHEM 1151/L and 1152/L – Survey of Chemistry I and II with Labs
    • CHEM 1211/L and 1212/L – General Chemistry I and II with Labs
    • BIOL 1107/L and 1108/L – Biological Principles I and II with Labs
    • PHYS 1111/L and 1112/L – Intro Physics I and II with Labs
    • MATH 1111 – College Algebra
    • STAT 1401 – Elementary Statistics

    Pick one science sequence from the four below:

    • CHEM 1151/L and 1152/L – Survey of Chemistry I and II with Labs
    • CHEM 1211/L and 1212/L – General Chemistry I and II with Labs
    • BIOL 1107/L and 1108/L – Biological Principles I and II with Labs
    • PHYS 1111/L and 1112/L – Intro Physics I and II with Labs
  • Pick one math course from the three below:

    • MATH 1001 - Quantitative Reasoning
    • MATH 1101 – Mathematical Modeling (*no longer offered after Summer 2022)
    • MATH 1111 – College Algebra

    AND

    • STAT 1401 – Elementary Statistics

    Pick one science sequence from the two below:

    • SCI 1101 and 1102 – Science, Society, and the Environment I and II
    • GEOG 1112 and 1113 – Weather and Climate/ Intro to Landforms

See how your courses will transfer

Questions about Dual Enrollment