Art History Waitlist
The Department of Art History does not utilize the waitlist functionality found in Caesar. Instead, we handle waitlist requests internally. After a course fills, if any seats open up, we use our internal waitlists to contact students in the order they signed up, providing them with a permission number to register. Please note that not all classes choose to have a waitlist, and for most courses you will be able to enroll yourself when a spot opens in a class.
Waitlist Process
After your regular registration date has arrived, if the course you’d like to take has no available seats, do not contact course instructors. Instead, sign up for the waitlist for that course using the link below. If you sign up for the waitlist before your registration appointment time, your submission will be disregarded.
Waitlist and Registration FAQ
When and how will I be notified when I'm added to a course from the waitlist?
An administrator will reach out to you from art-history-registration@northwestern.edu at any time between registration week and the beginning of the quarter. You will be given a short window of time to use a permission number to enroll in the course.
I have a very special circumstance and really need to take the course. Then can I contact the instructor directly?
Please do not contact course instructors to request access to an Art History course. They will simply refer you to this page; all waitlist requests for undergraduate courses are handled centrally by the department. You are welcome to explain your special circumstances in the "Comments" section on the waitlist form.
Can I sign up for the waitlist before my registration date arrives if I see the course is closed already?
Some courses use staggered registration, that is, we hold back seats for each registration group to ensure the course is accessible to students from every year. For this reason, do not submit waitlist requests until after your regular registration date has arrived.
What if I need to sign up for the waitlist for more than one course?
If you are requesting to be waitlisted for more than one course, you must submit a separate request for each.
What if I need to change a previously submitted request?
If you need to change a previously submitted request, please submit a new request, and indicate in the "Comments" box that you are editing a previously submitted request.
Wait, the course was closed, but now I see an open seat? Why won’t CAESAR let me sign up for it directly?
Once a class has been filled the system blocks any enrollment except by permission number. This is why we have an internal waitlist. If a student withdraws from the course, making it appear as if a seat is available, this means we are in the process of filling that seat from the waitlist.
What if I need to switch my current Discussion Section to a new one that I see now has an open seat?
Do not drop the class and attempt to re-enroll – use the Edit function on CAESAR.
If the class is closed, you will not be allowed to add the class again without permission. It will be at the department’s discretion whether to give you a permission number to get back in the class.
- To change your discussion/lab for a class, select 'Enrollment: Edit' from the Student Homepage.
- Choose the class you would like to edit on the ‘Classes you are allowed to edit’ page and click 'Proceed to Step 2 of 3.'
- The ‘Edit Class Enrollment Options’ page will appear listing all classes you are allowed to edit. Choose the class you would like to edit to see available sections.
- Proceed to Step 2 of 3. Select the appropriate section on the Related Class Sections page.
- Confirm the changes you have made and click 'Next' and ‘Finish Editing’ to complete the process.
And if I have any other questions not addressed here?
Please contact the department at our registration specific email address: art-history-registration@northwestern.edu.
Important Dates for winter 2026
- Pre-registration begins on Monday, November 3.
- Regular registration begins on Monday, November 10. Your appointment time can be found on the registrar's website.
- Winter classes begin Monday, January 5.
- The last day to add a class or change a class for Winter 2026 is Friday, January 9.