Course registration FAQ

Self-Service Banner is a student information system that allows you to: 

• Register for courses 
• Pay fees 
• View your class schedule 
• View your final grades 

• Order official transcripts 
• Print Canadian tax forms 
• Change your personal information 
• Access online resources 

To log in to Self-Service Banner, use your smu.ca email address and password. Click here if you need help accessing your account. 

Registration for each academic year (September – April) typically begins in April. Registration for spring and summer sessions typically begins in March. 

Check our Registration Dates to find out when you are eligible to register. 

If you are trying to register for a full class, check if a waitlist is offered. Visit our Waitlist Registration page to learn about waitlisting and how to use this option.   

Or visit the Common Registration Problems below.  

A pre-requisite is a course you must successfully complete (in a previous year or term) in preparation for a more advanced class. If you do not have the necessary pre-requisites, you cannot register for the course in question. 

Your timetable can be viewed on Self-Service Banner. 

Day abbreviations in Self-Service Banner are: 

• M = Monday 
• T = Tuesday 
• W = Wednesday 

• R = Thursday 
• F = Friday 

See our Campus Map for building names and locations. 

• MM – McNally Main at 923 Robie St. The main section of the McNally building is parallel to Robie St.  
• MM TAUD – McNally Theatre Auditorium. On the first floor of McNally Main, MM113 (in the building lobby). 
• MN – McNally North Wing. At the north end of the McNally Building, next to the Science building. You can find the pedway to the Science building on the MN third floor. 
• MS – McNally South Wing. At the south end of the McNally building. You can find the pedway to the Loyola building on the MS first floor. 

• ME – McNally East Wing. This section of the McNally building faces the quad. You can enter through the quad or near the Campus Security desk on the basement floor of McNally Main. 
• LA – Loyola Academic. This building connects to McNally, the Sobey building and residences. 
• SB – Sobey School of Business at 903 Robie St. This building connects to Loyola Academic. 
• S – Science Building. This building near the corner of Robie & Inglis Street connects to McNally and the Atrium. 
• AT – Atrium. This campus hub connects to the Patrick Power Library, Science and McNally buildings. 

• B – Burke Building. Enter via Inglis St or the quad. Includes Burke Theatres A & B (B TH-A & B TH-B). 

• EGN – Engineering Building. 960 Tower Rd.

View Classroom Codes for classroom and exam names and locations. 

The official descriptions are as follows: 

• In-Person Learning (On Campus): In-Person Learning means all instruction takes place in an in-person setting.  Courses are typically taught in a physical classroom space at a prescribed time located on campus.

• Hybrid Learning: Hybrid Learning means a blend of online and in-person instruction (online instruction is synchronous or asynchronous).  Courses combine face-to-face, campus-based classroom instruction with online learning.  Hybrid courses may include virtual learning activities such as video lectures, online discussions, and other synchronous or asynchronous elements.

• Hyflex Learning (Dual Mode): Hyflex Learning means instruction is available online and in-person, and students can move between online and in-person.

• Synchronous: Synchronous Learning means instruction takes place in real-time and requires student presence.  Courses are delivered entirely online using a variety of online collaboration tools and can therefore be taken by students from remote geographical locations.  The instructor and students meet online as a group, at regularly scheduled times using video-conferencing software.  

• Asynchronous: Asynchronous Learning means instruction is available for students to access at a time that works best for them. Courses take place entirely online by way of various digital teaching and learning tools.  

• Online Learning (Web): Online Learning means all instruction and interaction is fully online (synchronous or asynchronous).

If you decide to drop a course after the deadline, there may be financial and academic consequences. 

• You may not be eligible to register at this time. Check our Registration Dates to see when your category is open. 

• There may be a hold on your account preventing registration. 
• If it’s been over a year since you last registered for a course, you’ll need to reactivate your status. Please contact the Admissions Office. 
• If you’ve applied to graduate, you cannot register in future terms. To register, you must either withdraw your graduation application, or re-apply through the Admissions Office to continue studies in a different term. 

You may be trying to register for a graduate-level course (5000 or 6000 levels) or a program-specific course (i.e. Engineering). You cannot register for this course unless you’ve been accepted into that specific program. 

The class you are trying to add requires a pre-requisite course. If you do not have the necessary pre-requisites, you will not be able to register for your class. 

• The course you are trying to add is full. If a registered student drops the class, a seat will become available. 
• The number of seats remaining in each course can be viewed online through the academic timetable. Please note that some courses are “cross-listed.” Although there may appear to be seats available, you will still receive an error message indicating the course is closed. 

Many courses have mandatory labs or recitations. You cannot register for the course without also registering for the lab/recitation at the same time. 

• You are trying to register for a class offered at the same time as another course you’re taking. The number in the error message indicates the CRN (course reference number) of the other course. 

Note: You cannot register for a course offered at the same time as a lab/recitation, even if that lab/recitation is only scheduled once a week. 

You are trying to register for the same course twice. 

This is a warning. One of two things is preventing your registration. 

• You may be trying to register for a course that you have already passed. If you’d like to upgrade your mark, this error message will not prevent your registration. 
• You may be trying to register for the winter portion (YY) of a full-year course. The system will not allow you to add the course unless you are also registered in the fall portion (XX). 

You cannot register for more than six courses per term (18 credit hours). 

You must declare your major before registering for this course. 

After you have registered for classes, you can view your schedule in Self-Service Banner. 

• Select “Student Information” 

• Select “Registration” 
• Select “Week at a Glance” 

Your Week at a Glance is a weekly schedule of all your classes. The schedule lists the location and time of each course. 

If you aren’t sure where your class is located, check our Classroom Codes – On and Off Campus. 

Tip: The location for your course may change, so make sure you check your schedule the day before class starts.