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Course Components

A course component indicates different types of courses.

Course components are used to describe specific characteristics of a course that indicate, for example, whether the course is discussion or lecture based. To best describe these differences, the University of Maine System uses Course Component identifiers. 


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  • View the course components and their details in the table below.

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Course Components:

  • Allow students to choose classes that fit their learning goals and their program requirements.

  • Allow faculty and staff to categorize classes into the best suited component.

Course Component Details

University of Maine System Course Components for all Institutions beginning Spring 2023

Component

Component Code

Definition

Applied Music

MUS

Course that requires music lessons and/or musical performance as part of primary learning objectives.

Clinical

CLN

Course that requires a clinical experience; most often a nursing or medical course, but can include other unique clinical experiences.

Field Experience

FEX

Course that requires internships, practicum, student teaching, co-ops, or field experiences.

Independent Study

IND

--Independent study course in which no catalog equivalent is available OR

--Directed study course providing content identical to an existing course that is not available, but is required for timely graduation.

Laboratory

LAB

Course that meets separately from a lecture component; most often used for science, math and nursing courses, but can include other unique lab experiences.

Lecture

LEC

Course that delivers all course material through lecture and lecture activities; default course component.

 PE Activity

PHE

Course that requires physical education as part of primary learning objectives.

Recitation

REC

Additional meeting time required for students to go over material w/instructor or assistant.

Research

RSG

Course that requires academic or field research as part of primary learning objectives.

Seminar

SEM

Course that uses class discussion (instead of lecture) as the primary course format, and often has smaller class sizes.

Simulation

SIM

Course that provides substantial experience in an instructional setting that simulates real-world circumstances and interactions; most often used for law courses, but can include other unique simulation experiences.

Studio

STU

Course that requires hands on art or media as part of primary learning objectives.

Thesis

THS

Independent upper level research course most often designed as a capstone or final project/paper in a student’s academic career.

Travel Course

TRV

Course that requires short term travel as part of primary learning objectives.