Registration
Registration is handled through the online Wolverine Access portal. University-wide class schedules are also available online via the Registrar’s Office. Each semester, the Rackham School of Graduate Studies will notify you of a specific time and date when you can begin registering for classes, know as your registration appointment.
In October and February, Ross School students bid for classes for the coming semester via the School’s own online communication system and information database, known as iMpact. This procedure will be explained to you in detail at the Ross School. Please note that you must have a clear student account—otherwise you will lose all your bids. Log in at the beginning of the bidding session to be sure your account is clear and you can bid successfully. DO NOT wait until the last day to sign on and bid because the system has been known to fail and you will lose all your bids. You do not need to bid for Erb Institute-supported courses (CSIB 734-739). Before University-wide registration begins each term, you will already know which Ross School classes you have successfully bid for (and thus for which classes you are already registered).
The importance of
ALWAYS registering
as a Ross School of
Business student
Before you can
begin adding
classes, the system
will ask you if you
are registering as
Business Masters or
Rackham. ALWAYS
register as a
Business Masters
student. This is
important because
most Erb students
take at least one
Business School
class each semester.
If you register as a
Rackham student, you
will be unable to
register for the
Business classes you
are already signed
up for, as only
“Business Masters”
students have access
to Ross School of
Business classes.
You may have to drop
some RSB classes in
order to add Rackham
classes, since you
can only register
for a maximum of 18
hours. Waivers to
take more than 18
hours can be
obtained (at no
additional cost);
talk to the Office
of Academic Programs
at SNRE or Academic
Services at the Ross
School of Business.
If you plan on being
enrolled as a Ross
School of Business
student during the
semester you are
registering for, you
are finished with
registration. In
other words, the
system allows you to
register for Rackham
classes even though
you have identified
yourself as a
Business Masters
student. However,
the reverse is not
true. If you are
planning to enroll
as a Rackham student
that semester yet
still plan to take
at least one
business course,
check with Dona
Kennedy or other
staffers in Academic
Services at the Ross
School of Business.
You may need to go
to the Registrar’s
office (413 E.
Huron) and have a
Registration Officer
manually re-register
you as a Rackham
student. You may
need a waiver form
from the Ross School
of Business Academic
Services staff. The
staffer will “move”
your Ross School of
Business classes
under Rackham
registration. This
ensures you will not
lose the Ross School
of Business classes
for which you
successfully bid.
You MUST change your
registration by the
3rd week of classes.
If you are still
having problems, ask
a third-year Erb
student for help.
Registration
Checklist
If you are a first year Erb student, beginning at the Ross School of Business:
You have already been automatically registered for the Core Curriculum. If you waived out of any Core requirements, you will be able to sign up for other classes. If you waive out of a 14-week course, we recommend taking NRE 562 - Resource Policy and Administration. This course is a requirement for all Resource Policy and Behavior students at SNRE, so taking it now will help you get ahead of the game. In addition, it is a great way to get to know SNRE students and faculty.
All first-year MBA students will also be able to choose one six-week course to take during the Winter A semester. This procedure will be explained to you during the Ross School of Business’s Michigan Leadership Program in August.
During the Winter semester, you should think about which classes to take during your second year. You should bid for a full load of Ross School of Business classes to be taken during the following semester, and also decide on which Rackham courses to take.
If you are a first -year Erb student, beginning at SNRE:
During SNRE/Rackham Orientation, the registration process will be explained to you, and you will sign up for your fall classes.
In addition, consider taking some business courses in order to get acclimated at the Ross School of Business. For example, BIT 512 & 513, Decision Support with Spreadsheets, is offered Fall and Winter. These are excellent six-week courses that teach how to use spreadsheets and the many powerful tricks that will make your life a lot easier (especially at RSB). This class is an absolute must if you do not already have a good working knowledge of spreadsheets. Or, consider taking one of the core courses - like Marketing, Accounting, Finance, etc. - which will help with your internship search.
Obtain a Ross School of Business account so you can use all B-School facilities (especially the computer lab and the library resources). Send an e-mail message to Evonne Plantinga to let her know you need access.
During the winter semester, you will need to confirm that RSB knows you will be a first-year MBA student in the fall, enrolled in the Core Curriculum. Send a message to Academic Services, rossacadservices@umich.edu.
Some More Advice
Registration between the two schools can be confusing. Again, the easiest way to deal with registration is to always first register for Ross School of Business classes. Professors at the Ross School of Business are generally less accommodating than those at SNRE in allowing students to add their classes. Register for a full Ross School of Business schedule (a normal load is 15 hours), even though you will drop some of those classes later. After all, it’s much easier to drop a class than to try and register for a class that is already full. But don’t be discouraged if you cannot register for a certain course. If you didn’t get into a course, show up for the first day of the class. This strategy can be pretty successful, as professors often decide to let more students in, or to forfeit those students’ spots who may be registered for the class, but who failed to show up the first day. You may drop and add courses for the first three weeks after classes have begun. Pay attention to the drop/add deadlines, particularly for the RSB 6-week courses.