Course Match Pre-Enrolment: 400-Level Courses

What is Course Match?

There is excess demand for spaces in 400-level economics courses, and given explicit program requirements, there are often no good substitutes for them. In order to allocate scarce spaces in the courses as fairly and optimally as possible, we use Course Match. Course Match employs an algorithm to assign students - before the standard enrolment period - to 400-level courses on the basis of their preferences..

Who is eligible to participate in Course Match?

A primary goal of implementing course match is to make sure that every student enrolled in an economics program who is in their final year of studies can enroll in the number of 400 -level courses needed to satisfy their program’s requirement. In particular, these are students who -if they complete the courses in which they are enrolled - will satisfy the following criteria: i) have accepted an invitation to an Economics program; ii) will have completed at least 14.0 credits by the end of the Summer; and iii) will not have satisfied their program's 400-level course requirement by the end of the Summer.

Course Match will assign two courses to Specialists who, as of the end of Summer, will not have completed any 400-level courses. It will assign one course to Specialists who will have completed one 400-level course and to Majors who will have completed none by the end of the Summer. Those who are expected to have completed their program's requirement for 400-level courses by the end of the Summer are not eligible to participate.

I think I am eligible to participate but I did not receive an email invitation to participate. What should I do?

By June 2, we will send an email invitation to participate in Course Match to all students who qualify according to our records. If you believe you qualify but did not receive an invitation, as soon as possible and by June 12 email the department’s Undergraduate Administrator (ugadministrator.economics@utoronto.ca) subject Course Match.

How does Course Match work?

The Course Match algorithm allocates scarce spaces in 400-level courses as optimally as possible. Students submit a ranked list of most-preferred courses, and the algorithm uses these preferences to figure out how to allocate space in these courses as optimally as possible. While Course Match does not guarantee you a spot in your most preferred course - for the most popular courses, luck plays a big role in determining who gets a slot - it gives you a better chance of gaining access to one of your top choices than the usual enrolment process. Participating also guarantees enrolment in the minimum number of 400-level courses you currently need to complete your program's requirements for a June 2026 graduation.

From June 2-22, you can submit and update your rankings on the Course Match website: https://app.cognomos.com/rank/toronto-ECO-25. Before the regular enrolment period, you find out in which 400-level courses you are pre-enrolled.

You can find additional guidance on submitting your preferences here and a description of the underlying algorithm here.

What courses should I list and in what order?

List, in the order of your preferences, at least five courses you are willing to take. That's it. The algorithm is strategy proof, meaning listing the courses from most preferred to less preferred is a best response. Trying to game the system cannot improve your outcome. In particular

• For any particular course, the higher you rank it, the more likely you will get a space in it.

• Ranking fewer courses does not increase the chance you get into the courses you list. It only increases the chance that you are do not get any courses through Course Match. In particular, in order for us to guarantee that you will receive the number of 400-level courses you need, you must submit a list with at least five courses.

• If your most-preferred course is likely to have excess demand, there is no cost to taking a chance and listing it first. If you do not list it first and there truly is excess demand, you almost certainly will not get a place. If you list it first and are unlucky and do not get a place, then the algorithm effectively treats your second-ranked course as your highest-ranked course.

Note that when you go to the Course Match website, you will be asked to place one course in a bucket labeled Favorite and additional courses in buckets labeled Great, Good, and Acceptable. Courses in different buckets are ordered as expected, and the order you rank courses within a bucket matters as well. For our purposes, however, only the overall order matters.

What do you mean only the overall order matters?

Let us say your top five classes, in preference order, are 495 > 494 > 493 > 492 > 491. In this case, you clearly put 495 in the Favorite bucket. After that, all of the following express the same preference rankings and would result in the exact same outcome.

• Putting all of remaining classes on your list in the Great bucket in the order of 494, 493, 492 and 491.

• Putting 494 followed by 493 in the Great bucket and 492 followed by 491 in the Good bucket.

• Putting 494 in the Great bucket and then putting in the Acceptable bucket 493 followed by 492 followed by 491.

Do I need to participate in Course Match?

Of course, if you are not planning on taking any 400-level economics courses in the upcoming academic year, you do not need to participate.

If you want to take 400-level economics courses in the upcoming academic year, participation is highly encouraged.Participation increases the likelihood of getting the courses you want, and may be the only route to enrolment in certain courses. Furthermore, only by participating are you guaranteed next-year enrolment in the number of 400-level courses your program requires. In other words, if you do not participate in Course Match, the Dean's Promise (as it relates to 400-level courses) does not apply.

• If there are multiple sections of one of your preferred courses, rank only *one* section. Otherwise, you may be automatically enrolled in multiple sections of the same course and will be forfeiting this opportunity to gain early access to a second course.
• This process gives you access to Economics courses for which you have choice when completing your program of study.
• Follow the instructions carefully, you should rank all courses that you are willing to take. In other words, exclude only those courses that you are not qualified to take (do not have the prerequisites) and those you do not want to take.

Will I be able to register for 400-level economics courses during the University's normal registration process?

Students who participated in Course Match and desire to register for additional 400-level courses - as well as those who did not participate in Course Match - will have the opportunity to enroll in additional courses during the University's normal registration process. Note, however, that we use Course Match to allocate the vast majority of 400-level spaces. Some sections will be completely filled by Course Match.

Important Dates

Some important dates for this process

• June 2 to June 22: Access Course Match at https://app.cognomos.com/rank/toronto-ECO-25 and rank your preferred courses. After submitting, you can modify your rankings at any point during the period from June 2 through 22.

• July 4: Log into ACORN to see in which course you have been pre-enrolled.

• July 7: Priority Enrolment begins.

Notes:

• When ranking your desired courses, do not choose any course for which you do not have the prerequisites. At the beginning of the term, when we check your prerequisites, you will be removed from that course. Course Match does not block you from choosing courses if you don't have the prerequisites, so make sure you have the prerequisites (see Calendar).

• If there are multiple sections of one of your preferred courses, rank only *one* section. Otherwise, you may be automatically enrolled in multiple sections of the same course and will be forfeiting this opportunity to gain early access to a second course.

• This process gives you access to Economics courses for which you have choice when completing your program of study, not mandatory 400-level courses (if you have a mandatory course, you have priority enrolment access to the course).

• Follow the instructions carefully, you should rank all courses that you are willing to take. In other words, exclude only those courses that you are not qualified to take (do not have the prerequisites) and those you do not want to take.

Course Restrictions on Course Match

Enrollment controls continue to apply during the course match process. Students will not be enrolled in the course selected if enrollment controls are not met.

• ECO461H1S has a priority enrollment control for Financial Economics Specialist students
• ECO462H1F has a priority enrollment control for Financial Economics Specialist students
• ECO499H1Y is not available for pre-enrollment, please enroll during open enrollment.

See Timetable Builder for information on how to submit a supplemental application.

Notes for Students in a Data Analytics Focus

In order to meet the Major and Focus requirements, you must complete one of the following courses: ECO403H1F, ECO403H1S, ECO404H1F, ECO404H1S, ECO418H1F, ECO439H1F, ECO439H1S, ECO446H1F, ECO475H1F, ECO475H1S, ECO481H1F, ECO481H1S, ECO482H1F, ECO482H1S, and ECO483H1S.

*ECO499H1Y is not available for pre-enrollment, please enroll during open enrollment. See Timetable Builder for information on how to submit a supplemental application.

In order to meet the Specialist and Focus requirements, you must complete two of the following courses: ECO403H1F, ECO403H1S, ECO404H1F, ECO404H1S, ECO418H1F, ECO439H1F, ECO439H1S, , ECO446H1F, ECO481H1F, ECO481H1S ECO482H1F, ECO482H1S, ECO483H1S.

You should use Course Match for ECO475H1F or ECO475H1S as this is a required course for the Data Analytics focus, but an option within the Economics Specialist.

*ECO499H1Y is not available for pre-enrollment, please enroll during open enrollment. See Timetable Builder for information on how to submit a supplemental application.

Questions? Email ugadministrator.economics@utoronto.ca subject Course Match.