diff --git a/application/controllers/CourseadminController.php b/application/controllers/CourseadminController.php
index cb4b948b259b593480ebf64ee2cc3aa162f144cf..f860adbad0df1f9f298530540869a7e01c2de733 100644
--- a/application/controllers/CourseadminController.php
+++ b/application/controllers/CourseadminController.php
@@ -143,20 +143,7 @@ class CourseAdminController extends Nmc_Controller_Action
                     //echo '$course->gradTieIn->' . $key2 . ' = ' . $val2 . "\n";
                 }
             } else if ($key == 'essentialStudies') {
-                //
-                foreach ($val as $collegeName => $areas) {
-                    $college = Colleges::getInstance()->fetchWithName($collegeName);
-                    foreach ($course->crosslistings as $crosslisting) {
-                        $courseCodeId = $crosslisting->courseCode;
-                        $courseCode = CourseCodes::getInstance()->findOne($courseCodeId);
-                        CourseEsDesignations::getInstance()->setEssentialStudiesAreas(
-                            $courseCode,
-                            $college,
-                            $areas
-                        );
-                    }
-                }
-                //
+                // handle this after we save the course.
             } else if (is_array($val)) {
                 $array = $course->$key;
                 foreach($array as $key2 => $row) {
@@ -192,6 +179,22 @@ class CourseAdminController extends Nmc_Controller_Action
 
         $course->save();
 
+
+        if (is_array($_POST['essentialStudies'])) {
+        foreach ($_POST['essentialStudies'] as $collegeName => $areas) {
+            $college = Colleges::getInstance()->fetchWithName($collegeName);
+            foreach ($course->crosslistings as $crosslisting) {
+                $courseCodeId = $crosslisting->courseCode;
+                $courseCode = CourseCodes::getInstance()->findOne($courseCodeId);
+                CourseEsDesignations::getInstance()->setEssentialStudiesAreas(
+                    $courseCode,
+                    $college,
+                    $areas
+                );
+            }
+        } }
+
+
         $out = new Nmc_View();
         $out->refresh = '/courseadmin/index/' . $course->getPrimaryKey();
         echo $out->render('unl_index.xhtml');