Course Registration for Graduate Students

Your graduate program typically requires some combination of seminar courses, and perhaps other milestone events such as a comprehensive exam, and/or an independent research project such as a major research paper, thesis or dissertation. In order to maintain continuous registration, your student record must include, each term, registration in a (seminar) course, or in some milestone event.

You enrol for courses using Laurier's Web Information System (LORIS). For those new to the university, LORIS might be intimidating at first; however, you can learn how to register for courses through Enrolment Service's Registration Guide. If you have any trouble, contact your graduate program for assistance.

Note: Students who had no registrarial activity in the previous fall, winter or spring terms must indicate their intention to return by emailing the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office at fgps@wlu.ca.

Registration Tips

• We recommend you register for courses for all three semesters when LORIS opens to avoid a late registration fee. Consult the online calendar for significant dates related to course registration, including the final day to add or drop courses for a specific term.
• Your registration in a course may be blocked if you are not eligible to register (contact your program coordinator if you receive any registration errors). This error may occur because the course:
  • Is beyond the requirements for your chosen program;
  • Requires a prerequisite that you have not yet completed; or
  • Requires departmental approval.
• You can register in a course for the winter semester even if you do not have the correct prerequisite. We expect you will select the prerequisite for completion in the fall semester. If you do not register in the prerequisite, you may be eventually removed from the winter course.
• The university may remove you at any time, even after courses have begun, from any course in which you have registered contrary to official regulations. For example, if you register in:
  • More courses than allowed;
  • Courses for which you have exclusions;
  • Courses for which you lack prerequisites; or
  • Courses that are inappropriate due to any other university regulation.

It is your responsibility to select the appropriate courses. The university does not guarantee your errors will be corrected before classes begin.

If you're registering for an elective outside of your program offerings, please fill out Graduate Program Change Request form and return it to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies office. The form must be signed by the course instructor and your program's graduate coordinator. 

Late Registration Fees

Students are expected to maintain continuous registration in each semester (three semesters per year), unless on an approved leave.

The opportunity to register for graduate courses (and degree milestones) begins in summer, for the coming academic year. Early registration is encouraged. Students who register late, or who fail to register by the last date for late registration, are subject to late registration fees.

Registering in a Capstone Course or a Directed Study

If you need to register in capstone course – for example: a comprehensive, major research paper or thesis course – you will require departmental approval. If you attempt to register in these courses prior to receiving department approval, you will receive an error message. You must consult your program's graduate coordinator for approval to register.

Registration in directed studies courses is not available through LORIS. Students wanting to register in directed studies courses must contact the appropriate graduate coordinator and fill out the Directed Studies Request Form/Letter of Agreement. The form must be accompanied by the course syllabus. 

Selecting a Course at Another Ontario University

Depending on your program of study, you may apply to register for a course at other Ontario university. Students in joint programs registering for courses at a partner institution must also complete the Ontario Visiting Graduate Student Form (as only courses in Laurier’s graduate academic calendar are available on LORIS). 

• Complete the Ontario Visiting Graduate Student (OVGS) Form to apply to take a course outside of your program of study, or to take a course at a partner institution within a joint program.  
• Complete the OVGS Withdrawal Form to withdraw from a graduate course taken through the Ontario Visiting Graduate Student (OVGS) program, or at a partner institution within a joint program.