Online Orientation Tutorial

Transcription

1 Online Orientation Tutorial Welcome to the online Orientation tutorial! We are Jason and Jena, your virtual Orientation Assistants. When you come to Orientation this summer, you ll have a real student to guide you through the process of registering for classes. But before that, we d like to explain some things that ll make your Orientation day go more smoothly.

2 First, we are going to look at the anatomy of a degree --- what your whole degree will look like. Then we ll break it down into smaller pieces to make it easier to understand. Remember, not all degrees are alike. While you can do some preparation ahead of time, you ll have to talk with your adviser about specific courses required for your major.

3 Requirements are designed to fulfill the Liberal Education goals established for UW-Eau Claire students: Knowledge of human cultures and the natural world Creative and critical thinking Effective communication Individual and social responsibility Respect for diversity among people Integrative Learning

4 Your Degree = 120 Credits University Requirements: English Math Foreign Language or Foreign Culture Cultural Diversity Service Learning Wellness General Education: GE I Communication GE II Natural Science GE III Social Science GE IV Humanities GE V University Wide Electives Standard Major (36 credits) and a Minor (24 credits) OR Comprehensive Major 60 credits

5 All of this can seem a bit overwhelming, so let s break it down a bit. In your first year you ll be taking many General Education courses and other university wide requirements, so let s start there.

6 University requirements, including General Education, provide a common set of requirements that all undergraduates must fulfill, regardless of their major....but General Education is so much more than extra classes:

7 An educated person--- which is what we know you want to be-- must know how to do research, know how to speak and write coherently and have skills working with and leading other people. We really believe that our General Education courses have helped us develop these skills and given us a better understanding of people and our environment. They will encourage you to engage in life long learning and public service. They will provide an introduction to different disciplines. They will build a broad framework to understand courses in your major. Really, my G.E. courses did all this and I m still taking more!

8 We have to admit, the way UW-Eau Claire s requirements are laid out can seem a bit confusing, because in addition to General Education requirements, we have other requirements that complement G.E. : English Competency Math competency Foreign Language/foreign culture Cultural diversity Wellness They all work together to make you a wellrounded person who is ready to become a productive citizen.

9 So on to the specifics---let s take a look at university requirements first, but remember, requirements vary by major and degree. UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS

10 First, University Writing Requirement: Most students need to earn a C in a college level writing course. Which course a student takes depends on their placement test scores and other factors such as advanced placement (AP) credit. At Orientation, your adviser will work with you to determine which course is best for you or you could even submit a portfolio. Everyone needs to know how to write effectively--- and if you are anything like me, you may need some help learning how to do research papers at the college level. UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS

11 Math Competency Everyone needs to show they can use numbers effectively---and believe me in this complicated world, we ll need to be mathematically literate. Important decisions we ll make about medical treatment, home buying, voting, etc., will depend on our math skills. This requirement (like many others) depends on your major and the type of degree you want to complete. The math course you begin with depends on your placement test--- so it is best to wait until Orientation to speak with an adviser and decide which one to take. UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS

12 SPECIAL NOTE *Even if you took AP tests, it is best that you take the university placement tests. They help your adviser get a better measure of your abilities and ultimately the better of the two scores will be used to determine your placement. Students take placement tests in: English Mathematics Spanish, French or German* *only required if two years or more of that language were taken in high school UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS

13 Cultural Diversity Everyone is required to include the equivalent of three credit hours of courses that study African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, or Southeast Asian Americans. An educated person should be aware of and appreciate the wide range of cultural diversity that exists in the United States. Employers really want students who can work effectively with people from different backgrounds. These classes not only identify differences but also teach us how to respect others and their culture. UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS

14 Foreign Language/Foreign Culture In today s globalizing world, we also believe that understanding the cultures outside of the U.S. is absolutely crucial to being an educated person and a productive citizen. All students are required to do one of the following: A. Complete the second semester of a foreign language or the third semester of American Sign Language with a C. (Can also meet the requirement by high placement tests or CLEP scores) B. Earn 9 credits of foreign culture courses or 6 credits of foreign culture courses and one semester of a foreign language or American Sign Language C. Complete at least one semester of study abroad or an approved internship abroad. This requirement is tricky and depends on your major --- so check with your adviser. My friend studied in Australia, I learned sign language, and there are many other options! UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS

15 Wellness Theory Everyone is required to take one credit of wellness theory. These courses are on healthful topics such as nutrition, environmental health or public health. Physical Activity The physical activity requirement is fulfilled with one of several one credit courses including weightlifting, racquetball, tennis, power walking and a number of other activities. UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS

16 Eau Claire students are really active--- 70% participated in high school sports, so you should know how important it is to continue taking care of yourself. There is also a popular twocredit class which fulfills both the Wellness Theory and Physical Activity requirements, so never forget to talk to your adviser about your options. UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS

17 Service Learning UW-Eau Claire is known for its commitment to serving our community and the world beyond Eau Claire. All students complete at least 30 hours of service that has a learning component. There are all sorts of great ways to get involved. Check out the Service-Learning web-site. For example--jena worked at the local Food Bank and I helped a non-profit set up their web-page. UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS

18 O.K., we ve covered University Requirements. that took a while! Now we re ready to discuss General Education (GE). Your G.E. requirements vary depending on your degree. While everyone needs to meet the minimum requirement, sometimes you need to take more or need to take a specific course. I think we said that already, but we just wanted to make sure you re understanding everything. GENERAL EDUCATION

19 As you go through the next few slides you can link to a course catalogue that will give descriptions of courses freshmen can take in each category. Not all of them will be open when you come to Orientation, but they can give you a good sense of what types of courses are included in each category. You can use this worksheet to make a long list of courses that sound interesting and bring it to Orientation with you. You may not be able to take them your first semester, but they ll give you ideas for your second semester. GENERAL EDUCATION

20 . These are the General Education categories: GE I Communication GEIA Language Skills GEIB Analytical Skills GE II Natural Science GE III Social Science GE IV Humanities GE V University Wide We ll go through them one by one. GENERAL EDUCATION

21 General Education Category I is Communications, also known as GE I. You re required to take a minimum of six credits from this category. Within GE I there are three subcategories: GEIA Language skills GEIB Analytical skills GEIC Interdisciplinary studies-communications However, almost everyone takes their courses from GE IA and IB. So let s look at these first two subcategories in more detail.. GENERAL EDUCATION

22 Sub-category GEIA is Language skills; it includes: Communication and Journalism English Foreign languages Remember that a foreign language course taken for the Foreign Language/Foreign Culture requirement will count towards this GE. Good writing and speaking skills are necessary for success in almost any field. Almost all alumni wish they had taken more communication courses. GENERAL EDUCATION

23 Quantitative analysis and analytical thinking are crucial for us to understand the ordinary as well as the technical problems in life. GENERAL EDUCATION

24 The second GE category is Natural Sciences - GE II We need to take 9-15 credits with at least one lab course from at least two of the following sub-categories (that means subjects) Biology Chemistry; Geography (physical); Geology; Physics Interdisciplinary Studies - Natural Sciences I really like this quote--- Today, the race goes not just to the swift, but to the inventive, the resourceful, the curious. Natural Sciences help us understand the principles governing the physical universe. GENERAL EDUCATION

25 The next GE category is Social Sciences - GEIII We take 9-12 credits from at least two of the following sub-categories: Anthropology, Economics, Geography (cultural), Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Interdisciplinary Studies - Social Sciences Throughout my life I hope to meet people from lots of different backgrounds. Courses in the social sciences help me understand and appreciate both individual differences and differences among groups of people. We can also learn how institutions can and do change. GENERAL EDUCATION

26 The fourth GE category is Humanities - GE IV We need to take 9-15 credits from at least two to four of the following sub-categories: Fine Arts (Art, Art History, Music, Theatre Arts) Philosophy or Religious Studies (excluding logic) History Literature (English literature, Foreign Language literature, and civilization) Interdisciplinary Studies (Humanities, International Studies, and Women's Studies) Humanities allow us to learn about human creativity in all its forms and about the richness of human experience, past and contemporary. I learned about Asian religions, took a Film class and discovered I liked Jazz when I took a music course. GENERAL EDUCATION

27 0-6 credits The last category is University-Wide GEV University-wide courses either involve multiple GE areas or incorporate a professional school perspective to courses in the liberal arts. You don t have to take any courses in this category, but if you do, it helps you earn the total GE credits for graduation. GENERAL EDUCATION

28 Yahoo! You ve made it through the university requirements, including G.E. Remember the other half of the pie chart? Majors and minors? We ll give you some resources to get started, but these requirements will be the focus of your group advising session at Orientation. University Requirements General Education Electives Standard Major (36 credits) and a Minor (24 credits) OR Comprehensive Major 60 credits MAJORS & MINORS

29 Majors and Minors There are lots of majors to choose from. I m a Communication Sciences and Disorders major; Jason is a History major...but I started out as undeclared - what we call students who aren t sure what they want to major in. It s OK to be undeclared - about 30% of freshmen are undecided. There are group advising sessions for undeclared students at Orientation, and my adviser there helped me choose the right courses so I could explore. MAJORS & MINORS

30 Whether you think you know what you want to major in, or you just want to explore some majors, you should check out the Majors Page under Academic Advising. Using the individual links, you can explore the requirements for any major offered at UW-Eau Claire. Jason will get you started. MAJORS & MINORS

31 Here s the link! Once there, you can see the majors and their emphases (if applicable). For each major this page provides links to the department s website, an introductory advising sheet, a degree plan to help you graduate in four years, and the major s page in the catalog. MAJORS & MINORS

32 These resources are great, but never forget that you have knowledgeable advisers ready to assist you at Orientation. They will help explain all of these requirements and answer your questions. Even if you re unsure, our trained students and advisers can help you explore, so as we said before, it s OK to be undeclared! MAJORS & MINORS

33 Feel free to look over this powerpoint and our other resources as much as you like, but once your done, move on to STEP 3. It s another powerpoint where you to take the quiz and have a chance to win prizes (plus see how much you ve learned and if you re ready for Orientation).