Getting Your Textbooks
Required and recommended textbooks for School of Nursing courses are available for purchase at The University Store on Fifth, located at 4000 Fifth Avenue in Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh. For information, call 412 648-1455 or email TheUniversityStore@pitt.edu. Please check the University Store on Fifth website for current store hours.
Purchases can also be online with the option to pick-up, deliver to your residence hall, or ship to your home. Many students wait until the first class to see the course syllabus and learn a bit more about the course expectations before purchasing textbooks, but other students prefer to get their materials before the first class. Feel free to make your own decision based on your own needs and comfort level.
Getting Your Pitt ID Card
Every student can get a Pitt Student ID card from Panther Central, located in the main lobby that connects all three Litchfield Towers on Fifth Avenue of the Oakland campus. Your Pitt ID card is used to access various services in the campus libraries, obtain free computer software from the University, get discounted tickets to various sports and cultural events in the city, and ride Pittsburgh Regional Transit for free while you are enrolled.
To obtain a Pitt Student ID card, you must be registered for classes. Visit Panther Central and present valid photo identification such as driver's license or passport. Your first Pitt ID is free, but there is a replacement fee if you lose your Panther Card. For more information, read about Lost Cards or call 412- 648-1100.
Parking at Pitt
Student parking permits are available first-come, first-serve from the Pitt Mobility Parking Office. Evening parking permits are available from the Parking Office located at 127 N. Bellefield Avenue. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Parking permits allow student parking after 2:50 p.m. or 4:50 p.m. at a number of sites around campus. Valid proof of student registration and a vehicle owner's card or registration card are needed to obtain an evening permit. Learn more on the Student Parking page.
There are several university lots that have day parking available for students at a discounted rate (with your ID card). Those lots can be located on the campus map, and are labeled OC, PH, SS, and OH. The SB lot is a student lot only. You must have a valid student parking permit which can be obtained in the Pitt Parking Office. If you park in OC lot, at the top of the hill above Victoria Building, you can ride a shuttle bus to the front door of Victoria (every 20 minutes). The O'Hara lot is 2 blocks away next to Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic.
For alternate parking options, there are UPMC-owned parking garages across the street from Victoria Building on Lothrop Street and Darragh Street, as well as paid street parking nearby. Public parking is available off of Forbes Avenue just 2 blocks down the hill from Victoria Building.
Using Your Computer Account
A computer usage fee is a part of your tuition costs. This fee entitles you to use a Pitt computer account. As soon as you have registered, you will be assigned a computer account user ID and password, and this information will be sent to you. If you register late or right before classes starts, you may need to activate your computer account before you have received this information in the mail. To get your login ID and password, you will need to go to one of the larger computer labs on campus (Cathedral of Learning or David Lawrence Hall), and show your Student ID card. If you have received this information in the mail, you will not need to go in person to activate your account.
Many of the courses have online learning activities. This means that you can access class notes, homework assignments, links to helpful websites, and send e-mails to classmates and instructors via the Internet. The university site is http://courseweb.pitt.edu. To log in, you need to be registered for a course and know your computer account user ID and password. You can access the Internet from home or from any computer at Pitt, including the computer lab on the second floor of Victoria Building. You type in the web address listed above, and when you see the login screen, enter your user ID and password. You will then see a welcome screen, with your name and the course you are registered for. Just double click on that course, and you will enter the CourseWeb materials for that course. There is a help button, if you need it, but many students find that they can navigate around the website after a bit of exploration. Your instructor will also be happy to provide help and answers. The computer help desk phone number is 412-624-HELP if you find you can't get into CourseWeb easily.
Student Affairs
Student Affairs is located at 240 Victoria Building at the top of the escalator on the 2nd floor. Student Affairs staff provide many services and support to nursing students, both degree-seeking and non-degree-seeking. The office is open between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. during the Fall and Spring semesters, and 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. during the Summer semester. If you have questions, feel free to visit us in-person or call 1-888-747-0794.
Important Registration Information
When you have registered for courses at the University of Pittsburgh as of July 2005, all billing will be done by electronic bills (eBills), which will replace all paper bills for students at all University of Pittsburgh campuses. Each month you will be sent an e-mail to your official university e-mail account announcing that your eBill is available. eBills will then be available to view and pay in PittPAY. You must pay the bill by the deadline or make arrangements for payment with the Student Accounts / Payment Center Office (412-624-7520). You must also meet the course requirements during the semester. Your registration will not be cancelled unless you complete the paperwork to do so. There are forms to drop or add a course, which can be done the first two weeks of the term, and there are also forms to withdraw from a class. Forms can be obtained form the Student Affairs, Room 240. If you do not complete one of these forms, and you do not meet the course requirements during the term, you will receive a failing grade for the term. Student Affairs staff can answer questions about these registration processes.
When you are a continuing student (you have registered for a least one term in the past year), you must register for the next term by the registration deadline for continuing students, or you will have to pay a late registration fee. Read about School of Nursing deadlines and other registration information. Check the University Calendar which outlines important dates such as Registration, Add/Drop, and Withdrawal deadlines.
Learn more about eBills and PittPAY.