Types and Effects of Permission

Permits and authorization are both called "permission" in SRS. However, as far as courses are concerned, they differ in several important ways.

Issuing a permit guarantees a student a seat in the course, if the student requests enrollment. That is, even if the student is a freshman and the course section is set up for seniors only, the student with a permit will be enrolled in the section if he or she requests it, even if the section is at maximum enrollment.

Issuing an authorization does not guarantee a student a seat in the course. Unlike permits, authorizations will not override maximum enrollment limits. The student's authorization overrides the registration controls set on the section, but the student's request is still subject to the priority scheduling rule established for the section during Advance Registration.

An authorization only allows the student to compete for a space in the course.

For example, a course section is set up with a registration control limiting enrollment to majors only. The instructor issues an authorization to a non-major student for that course section. If the course section has been set up with a priority scheduling rule that places senior majors first, other seniors, junior majors, other juniors, and so on, and the student with an authorization is a sophomore, he/she will be able to compete for a seat, within the priority rule. He/she will have a higher priority than a freshman major. Authorizations satisfy both the quotas placed on a course and the "permission of instructor" requirement.

When course sections require a permit or authorization, the published message only designates that permission be obtained, not what kind of permission. Either will satisfy the requirement, but a permit will override the enrollment maximum.

Here are the types of permission requirements that may be placed on a course section (established on the Course Term File, Screen 131, Section Registration Controls):

CODE	TRANSLATION
PAD	Permission needed from Advisor
PAU	Auditors need permission
PCG	Permission needed from the LPS Office
PCN	Non-LPS students need permission from the LPS office
PCW	Writing Program Permission Needed
PDP	Permission needed from the department
PIN	Permission needed from instructor
PLC	PENN Language Center permission needed
PNM	Non-Majors need permission from department
PUN	Undergraduates need permission
PGH	Non-honors students need permission

The "PGH" requirement is automatically generated by the system when the course section is flagged on Screen 129 as either a General honors or Wharton honors section. You cannot place this requirement manually.

See the Course Term File, Establishing Course Sections that Require Permission, for more information on establishing registration controls.

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