Course Works Student and Family FAQs

Opting out—done through Canvas—means that a student declines access to some or all materials in the Course Works program before the opt-out deadline (see Important Dates page above). 

Eligible undergraduate students are enrolled in Course Works Complete automatically. They can choose to opt out of Complete, which will enroll them in Course Works Select—where they can select individual items—or opt out of Course Works entirely.

Students who are not eligible for Course Works Complete may be enrolled and have materials in Course Works Select. These include graduate and professional students, as well as non-degree undergraduates. Opting decisions within Course Works Select are made on an item-by-item basis, and students can also opt out entirely.

Opting out of Complete will result in a fee refund to your student account. Opting in or out of individual items in Select will create charges or refunds to your student account.

You will see the flat-rate Course Works Complete charge on your first University bill of the semester. The charge is billed then, but you have until the end of the opting period to switch to Course Works Select or opt-out of the program entirely. The flat-rate charge would then be reversed, and you will be billed for the individual items you selected. 

You may opt out using the link provided in the email you will receive at the start of the term or in the Course Works tab in Canvas. It is important to note that the materials and pricing you see on your Shelf may change as items are added or or removed by faculty/instructors. It is recommended that you wait to make your opting decision until closer to the deadline.

If you opt out of Course Works Complete, you may move into Course Works Select. You may designate which materials you would like to purchase by opting out of the materials you do not wish to have access to. Within Select, you may retain access to all, some, or none of the individual materials, depending on which opting decisions you make, at an item-by-item level.

You may also choose the Global Opt Out option, which removes you from both Course Works Complete and Select. Even if you opt out of everything, certain materials are still available to you on the Shelf (like U of M Libraries ebooks and open educational resources).

If you opt out of Course Works Complete, you may move into Course Works Select, where you can make individual, item by item opting decisions. You may also choose the global opt-out option if you don't want to participate in Course Works.

Please make an informed decision before opting out as your access to publisher materials will immediately end (library and OER materials are always available, regardless of participation). This could include digital ebooks and publisher courseware provided in Canvas, such as McGraw-Hill Connect or Pearson MyLab. The Course Works Complete fee will be reversed in your MyU account within 48 hours after opting out.

*Any printed materials that were included in the program and picked up by the student need to be returned to the campus store by the applicable deadline (see Important Dates above). Materials need to be returned in the original condition in which they were received. If print materials are not yet in your possession (e.g., you received an email to pick up your print items but have not yet picked them up from the campus store), those items will be removed from your account and returned to the program. After all print items have been returned to the campus store (where applicable), the Course Works fee posted to your student account will be reversed.

If you choose to opt out of the Course Works Complete program, you can select which materials you wish to purchase on a material-by-material basis through the Course Works Select program. 

For each material you choose to opt out of in the Course Works Select program, access will be removed for that material. Library and OER materials are always available, regardless of participation.

Please note: if faculty/instructors are using the homework tool within courseware, opting out of that courseware may cause you to lose the ability to submit your homework via your class’s Canvas page. You are encouraged to consult your faculty/instructor before opting out of courseware.

Yes. Prior to the opt out deadline, you can opt back into the Course Works Complete program using the link provided in the email you received when you opted out or via the "Course Works" tab on Canvas. After the opt out deadline, you can only opt in to Course Works Select and choose individual materials at a per-item price; a charge will be submitted to your Student Account.

Yes. Part-time degree-seeking undergraduate students are opted in to Course Works Complete automatically like full-time degree-seeking undergraduates. Both have the opportunity to opt out and move into Course Works Select, or to opt out entirely.

Part-time students who are not eligible for Complete—that is, part-time students who are not degree-seeking undergraduates—will start in Select and can choose to participate in that level of the program, or choose to opt out entirely.

No. If you are in this situation, you should opt out of Course Works entirely. Library and OER materials are always available, regardless of participation.

Following the opt-out deadline, Course Works staff will review all student enrollments and remove any charges for students who have only library and OER materials in their registered courses.

No, Course Works Complete only includes degree-seeking undergraduate students.

Graduate and professional students may be enrolled and have materials in Course Works Select. Opting decisions within Course Works Select are made on an item-by-item basis, and students can also opt out entirely through the Course Works tab within the Canvas navigation.

Yes. PSEO students are automatically enrolled in Course Works Select. You will not be responsible for the cost of your materials, those are paid by the PSEO program.

No. CIS students should contact their faculty/instructor for information about how to access their course materials.

Course Works Complete includes course materials required by the instructor teaching the course. This can include library materials, open educational resources, journal articles, textbooks, and courseware. Optional course materials are not included.

As a general rule of thumb, materials with ISBNs are included in Course Works (some exceptions apply).

Required course materials (whether digital or printed) include:

• Books
• Course packets from Printing Services and Libraries
• Library materials like e-books, journal articles, and streaming media

• Homework access

   

The followings items are not included at this time and will need to be purchased separately:

• Course supplies: lab coats, art supplies, calculators, goggles, etc.
• Art and science kits: architecture, design, electronics, horticulture, etc.
• Items with access or availability issues
• Many software applications
• Optional materials

To access digital content/textbooks for any given course, students simply log in to Canvas and click the Course Works tab located on the left hand navigation bar.

Students can click “Read Now” to launch the e-reader and begin studying!

If you experience any issues viewing or launching your textbooks, please reach out to [email protected] for assistance or contact RedShelf at https://solve.redshelf.com.

All students will receive access to digital course materials until the opt-out deadline, and will retain access to library and OER materials regardless of participation. Those who wish to opt-out of Course Works Complete can choose which materials they want to pay for and use on a course-by-course and material-by-material basis through Course Works Select. Regardless of whether or not you are opted in to the program, most materials are digital and accessible through the Course Works tab on the left hand navigation bar in Canvas.

If you choose to opt out of Course Works entirely, you will be responsible for acquiring course materials on your own.

No. Traditional print textbooks will be supplied when a digital option is not available, a specific request is made by a faculty member or instructor, or a student requires print due to a disability accommodation. In some cases the campus store may have a print upgrade available at a discount for students who stay opted in to the digital program; but there is an additional cost and is subject to availability on a title by title basis. Eligible lab manuals and other course materials that are traditionally printed may remain in print as part of the program. If you have questions about accessibility and using digital content or need accommodation, please contact your campus Disability Resource Center for assistance (see navigation for links to campus-specific resources).

Please email [email protected] for assistance.

All required textbooks, coursepacks, and homework access are included in the program. If you are an undergraduate student who is in Course Works Complete, you should not have to purchase those materials separately. 

If there are required materials listed in your syllabus that you don’t see on your Course Works Shelf in Canvas, please let us know and we’ll work to get them added ASAP (once verified). Email a screenshot or copy of your syllabus showing the materials to [email protected]. This will help ensure that all required materials for eligible students get included in the cost of the program.

Students with questions about accessibility, using digital content, or accommodations should contact their campus Disability Resource Center for assistance (see navigation for links to campus-specific resources).

Lab manuals and coursepacks will be distributed to participating students through the campus store during the start of the semester. Students will receive an email when their materials are ready to be picked up or this information can be found on their Course Works tab in Canvas.

Students who have opted out of the Course Works program and need to obtain a lab manual or coursepack may place an order at their campus store.

No. Only required materials are included as part of the Course Works program.

Optional materials suggested by your faculty or instructor may be ordered from the campus store.

Students who need assistance acquiring optional course materials may contact [email protected].

Digital access varies by publisher and title. Typically 50% or more of ebooks at the university have between 5-year and perpetual access. 6-month ebook access is also common among publishers. Access to our Libraries ebooks should be available throughout the student’s academic career. When publisher courseware is assigned (e.g., Connect, MyLab, WileyPlus, MindTap), access is typically limited to the length of the class.

Students who are participating in Course Works Complete and who drop a course for which they have already picked up printed materials are required to return those materials no later than the opt-out deadline (see Important Dates page).

Students who opt-out of Course Works Complete entirely, but have already picked up printed materials, are required to return those materials no later than the opt-out deadline (see Important Dates page).

Non-returned print materials will be charged to your student account at the publisher’s listed new book price.

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions about returning printed materials.

The e-reader is fully device agnostic, scalable, and allows simultaneous usage across multiple devices. Further, content downloaded to the ereader app can be accessed in offline situations if it was downloaded prior to loss of internet connection. As for saving as a file, copyright laws can restrict licensed content from taking form as redistributable files. Allowing content to only be downloaded within the ereader puts the onus on the provider to protect copyright and relieves the University of associated risks.

You will receive an email at your umn.edu address when you have physical materials ready for pick up.

Physical books and their status are also located in Canvas. Log into Canvas and click on the Course Works tab on the left-hand navigation. If physical materials are listed, they will display a running person symbol if they are ready for pick up; a pause symbol or hourglass if they aren't ready; and a checkmark if they have been picked up.

When adding a course, the course materials will become available on Canvas if you are participating in Course Works Complete. Course enrollment changes can take up to 48 hours to be processed, though most times materials will appear within a matter of hours. If printed materials are required for your new course, you will receive an email from the campus store at your umn.edu address when it's time to pick up any required materials.

When dropping a course, any digital course materials access will be removed in tandem with your enrollment drop (except library and OER materials which are always available, regardless of participation). If you drop and have printed course materials that were provided to you by the Course Works program, you must return those print materials to the campus store no later than the opt-out deadline. Non-returned print materials will be charged to your student account at the publisher’s listed new book price.

Waitlisted classes will still appear in the Course Works tab.

Generally, no.  As long as the materials are already available and delivered through Course Works, then it doesn't matter that it's a graduate-level class.

If you are a degree-seeking undergraduate in Course Works Complete, and the materials show up on your Shelf, then the materials are included in the flat-rate price.