PASSPORT TO SUCCESS Your Quick Guide to the Integrative Core Curriculum and Preparing Your Fall Class Schedule

Transcription

1 PASSPORT TO SUCCESS Your Quick Guide to the Integrative Core Curriculum and Preparing Your Fall Class Schedule Integrative Core Curriculum (ICC) - ithaca.edu/icc Academic Advising Center - ithaca.edu/advising First-Year Experience - ithaca.edu/fye

2 OVERVIEW OF THE INTEGRATIVE CORE CURRICULUM (ICC): THEMES, ITHACA SEMINAR, AND PERSPECTIVES THEMES The ICC includes the following six themes. You will explore these themes during the theme exploration program (see pages 4 5): Identities Inquiry, Imagination, and Innovation Mind, Body, Spirit Power and Justice Quest for a Sustainable Future World of Systems ITHACA SEMINAR You will take one Ithaca Seminar (ICSM) during the fall semester. This four-credit course includes three class hours per week devoted to the course topic and one class hour per week devoted to the transition to college. Use the schedule preparation worksheet on page 6 to write down your top 10 seminars. Most of the seminars you choose should be in your preferred theme. See the Writing Competency section for more information about Ithaca Seminars with a writing designation (ICSM 108xx and ICSM 118xx). PERSPECTIVES Perspective courses allow you to learn more about your theme by considering it from different areas of study. The theme you choose will determine which perspective courses will count toward your ICC requirement. Depending on your program, major, and schedule, you may take a perspective course during your first semester or during a later semester! Before you graduate, you must pass one course in each of the four perspectives: Social Sciences (SO) Humanities (HM) Natural Sciences (SC) Creative Arts (CA) COMPETENCIES Quantitative Literacy (QL) Readiness You should have already completed the QL Readiness and Mathematics Placement Exam (online through myithaca and Sakai). If your score is 9 or greater, you are QL ready and can take a QL course either in your first semester or later. If your score is 8 or less, you have the option of retaking the QL exam. If you retake the exam and score a 9 or greater, you are QL ready. If your QL score remains below 9, you must take a 100-level math course before you may take a quantitative literacy (QL) course. 2

3 Writing Competency You can demonstrate writing competency in any of the following ways: Earning a passing grade in WRTG (Academic Writing) OR Successfully completing an Ithaca Seminar (ICSM) with a 108xx or 118xx designation OR Scoring a 4 or 5 on the AP English Language and Composition Exam or the AP English Literature and Composition Exam OR Transferring credit for a college-level academic writing course DO NOT register for WRTG (Academic Writing) if you are taking an Ithaca Seminar whose course number begins with 108 or 118 OR if you expect to transfer AP or college credit for writing. ATTRIBUTES Quantitative Literacy (QL) Courses QL courses teach you to apply quantitative skills. You must pass one QL course before you graduate. AP courses or previously earned college credit for statistics and some economics courses may count toward your QL requirement. Note that you may be required to take a QL course as part of your major. Writing Intensive (WI) Course This course will expand on the writing skills you develop in WRTG (Academic Writing). Most of you will take a WI course in your sophomore, junior, or senior year. Some majors recommend or require a certain writing intensive course; others do not. Diversity (DV) Courses This course will introduce you to ideas and viewpoints about the world that might differ from your own. You are required to take one diversity course; however, if you are a student in the School of Humanities and Sciences (H&S), you are required to take two diversity courses. You are not required to take a diversity course during your first semester, but you may if your schedule permits. Complementary Liberal Arts (CLA) Courses You will need to take a minimum of 12 credits as determined by your program, major, or school. If you are a student in H&S, you may fulfill the CLA requirement by completing a minor, a second major, a foreign language sequence, or a selfdesigned suite of courses. 3

4 PRE-THEME EXPLORATION ACTIVITY I would like to learn more about THEME SUMMARIES AND NOTES IDENTITIES Students explore the origin of values, beliefs, and behaviors including race, religion, class, and more by studying how the identities of individuals, small groups, and social collectives form and change. INQUIRY, IMAGINATION, AND INNOVATION Students are challenged to examine what they think they know and don t know and to transform these new insights into innovative ideas. They also explore how the quest for understanding drives the creative process. MIND, BODY, SPIRIT Students explore various roles that mind, body, and spirit play individually and collectively in human development. 4

5 POWER AND JUSTICE Students examine power structures, conflict and resolution, and issues of social and political justice, and they are challenged to imagine alternative scenarios where the balance of power shifts to those who were without it. QUEST FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE Students consider the various aspects of sustainability and debate how to meet the demands of the present without compromising the needs of the future. WORLD OF SYSTEMS Students identify interconnected systems and networks that impact everyday life, including political, technological, social, and creative, and learn to recognize which systems affect society s values and purpose. THEME INTEREST After attending the theme exploration program, place a check mark beside up to three themes that interest you the most. Identities Inquiry, Imagination, and Innovation Mind, Body, Spirit Power and Justice Quest for a Sustainable Future World of Systems 5

6 SCHEDULE PREPARATION IMPORTANT INFORMATION If you have taken the AP English Language and Composition Exam, the AP English Literature and Composition Exam, or a college-level course that may meet the academic writing requirement, DO NOT choose a seminar that is writing focused (the course prefixes for this type of seminar are ICSM 108xx and ICSM 118xx). Also, if you register for an Ithaca Seminar that begins with ICSM 118, DO NOT also register for WRTG 106 (Academic Writing) because the seminar fulfills the writing requirement. ITHACA SEMINARS In the space below, write the titles of 10 Ithaca Seminars that interest you. This will ensure that you have options in case you cannot register for your first few choices. Be sure that the seminars you choose do not meet at the same time as other courses you are required to take Seminar Name Meeting Days and Times Course Reference Number STEPS TO FINDING YOUR PLACEMENT EXAM SCORES 1. Log on to HomerConnect. 2. Click on Student, Financial Aid, and Residential. 3. Click on Student Records and Billing. 4. Click on Test Scores. Write your QL Readiness and Mathematics Placement Exam score here: Write your Math Placement Exam group number here: Write your Language Placement Exam score here: 6

7 NOTES 7

8 FIVE STEPS TO HELP YOU PREPARE YOUR COURSE SCHEDULE 1 ACADEMIC RESOURCES OVERVIEW Day 2 Morning Emerson Suites Get introduced to the Integrative Core Curriculum (ICC) and receive useful tips about the advising process. Learn about HomerConnect, the college s online registration system. 3 THEME EXPLORATION PROGRAM Day 2 Afternoon Hill Center Explore the six themes that are part of the ICC. - Take part in themed activities. - Watch relevant film clips. - Review course titles from each theme. Take notes about the themes that interest you the most. Get help from professional academic advisors from the Academic Advising Center who will be available to answer your questions about planning. 5 REGISTER FOR CLASSES Day 3 Morning Various Locations by School Complete your fall schedule, register for classes, and declare your theme with the help of faculty advisors. 2 SCHOOL MEETINGS Day 2 Midday Various Locations by School Get the scoop on what you need to know about your major or program of study during these important overview sessions. Meet in groups or individually with faculty advisors. Learn more about which courses you have already been registered to take in the fall semester. 4 EXPLORE FALL SEMESTER COURSES Day 2 Evening Various Locations by School Read the Ithaca Seminar course descriptions and write down your top 10. Be sure the seminars you list fit into your schedule. ithaca.edu/icc Use HomerConnect to find other courses you might want to take during the fall semester, so you are prepared to register for a minimum of credits. These could include other ICC classes, major requirements, and electives. Complete your tentative course schedule using resources provided by your school. Be sure to write down the course reference number (CRN) for each course you might want to take. This will make registration much easier.