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HCDE Intranet

Course Management FAQs

Frequently asked questions about managing courses in the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering.

How do I know what classes I am teaching?

  • The HCDE Curriculum Committee usually finalizes teaching assignments for the following year during Winter quarter.

  • If you are not sure about your teaching assignments, contact the program director to confirm your assigned courses for the upcoming year.

Where do I see what classroom I have been assigned?

Who do I contact if I want to make changes to my teaching schedule/room assignment?

  • Start with your program director first. Reach out to Brock Craft for the BS Program, Mark Zachry for the MS Program, and Kate Starbird for the PhD Program.
  • Depending on the nature and timing of your request, we may or may not be able to accommodate it. Please refer to the Time Schedule Room and Time Change Guidelines.

Where should I direct students with questions about registering for HCDE courses?

  • WIth the exception of research/independent study courses, registration for HCDE courses is managed by our advising team rather than by instructors.
  • Because HCDE has strict departmental policies around registration for our courses, if you are contacted by a student who is interested in registering for a course you teach, please refer them to HCDE Student Services so that our advisers can determine whether they are eligible to register (Meghan Oxley for BS courses, Alex Llapitan for MS/UCD courses, Kathleen Rascon for PhD).

I’m interested in teaching a Directed Research Group (DRG). What do I need to know to get this set up?

  • Please refer to the HCDE Directed Research Group Policy, making particular note of the DRG posting template and key dates for posting your DRG on the HCDE website and notifying students of the outcome of their application.

What is a faculty code and how do I get one?

  • If you will be supervising a research or independent study course, you must provide students with your faculty code so that they can register for the course.
  • Faculty codes are assigned once every academic year (Autumn Quarter through Summer Quarter) by the program coordinator and posted in the HCDE Intranet on the teaching resources page.
  • Note that a faculty code is not the same as an add code; faculty codes can only be used for research and independent study courses.
  • One note is that they are assigned before Autumn registration opens in May but you will still use the previous years code for Summer courses.

Who is eligible for a faculty code?

Generally speaking all full-time faculty that are affiliated with HCDE are eligible for a faculty code. If you are not and you would like to request one please contact the program coordinator Alanna Robins Daniels.

Which courses require a faculty code?

  • DRGs must be supervised by a faculty member with a primary or adjunct appointment in HCDE. Affiliate faculty, PhD students, and potentially others may co-lead a DRG under the supervision of a faculty member. The frequency and depth of supervision may depend on the co-instructor’s previous experience, but, at a minimum, shall consist of reviewing the description for the DRG before it is posted, consulting on which students are accepted, reviewing the plan for the DRG before the beginning of the quarter, a mid-quarter check-in, and responsibility for submitting grades for DRG participants. When PhD students co-offer a DRG with faculty, and that DRG is related to a student’s employment (e.g., RAship), the PhD student should either not register for credit or the student and the faculty mentor / supervisor should develop a plan for distinguishing between their for-credit and for-pay effort.
  • PhD students, staff, or non-HCDE faculty members, contact the Time Schedule Coordinator to request a faculty code. 

I have a Husky Card but can’t get into my classroom. What should I do?

  • General assignment rooms should unlock 15 minutes before the scheduled class/meeting time.
  • If you are assigned a general use classroom, please contact Classroom Technology & Support at 206-221-5000.
  • If you are assigned to a department owned classroom in Sieg, please get in touch with Jane Skau our building manager. You will need to provide your husky card and UW NetID so they can key you into the system. (If you are reaching out via email, you will need to provide your employee ID number printed on your Husky Card.

Who do I talk to if I want to order textbooks for my course?

  • You can contact the Program Coordinator Alanna Robins Daniels for help.
  • Alternatively you can also place an order on your own through the UBookstore Portal.
  • The bookstore has specific deadlines as outlined below:
    • Spring: Jan. 25
    • Summer: Apr. 25
    • Autumn: May 25
    • Winter: Oct. 25
  • If you will be asking the coordinator to place the order for you please submit that request via email at least two weeks prior to the deadlines outlined above.The early adoption process takes longer than you’d expect so it's best to get this in early.

What options do I have for providing access to course materials to students?

How do I get an instructor/desk copy of the textbook I want to use for my class?

Those are ordered directly through the publisher’s website. You may order them yourself if you’d like or you can send the request to the program coordinator Alanna Robins Daniels.

Who sets up Course Evaluations?

  • Course Evaluations Defaults are set up through the program coordinator around 6 weeks before the end of the quarter. You will get an email around week 5 outlining defaults of what will be ordered on your behalf. If you need to make changes, respond to that email directly.
  • Alternatively you can order your own evaluations through the link at the bottom of this page.

When can I see my course on canvas?

  • One month prior to the first day of classes. 
  • If the one month deadline has passed and you are not finding your Canvas course, check if your contract has been completed by Workday. Contact the Admin to the Chair for questions about the process and timeline. Once the contract is complete, your name will be added as an instructor in the Time Schedule and you will gain access to the course within 24 hours in Canvas. 

Can I be added to my Canvas course prior to my contract being completed on the workday?

  • In special circumstances, yes, requires approval from the Program Director. 

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