2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Advising Guide

2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Advising Guide 1 2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Guide

The Center for Academic Success and Advising (CASA) What to expect at orientation At orientation you will: Learn about academic support resources at the Center for Academic Success and Advising Review Framingham State University s general curriculum and major-specific requirements Learn how your transfer courses fit into your FSU academic record Meet with faculty in your department and learn about department opportunities Learn how to navigate myframingham effectively Register for classes Get your questions answered! 2 2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Guide

The big picture A Framingham State University degree is made up of three parts: Domain General Education requirements, major courses and free, or open, electives. Minimum number of FSU courses (or course equivalents) required to graduate Domain General Education courses Major courses required Free, or open, electives 32 10-11 (outside your major) 10-20 (depending upon major) 0-12 (depending upon major) General Education ( Gen. Ed. ) courses All students need a minimum of 32 courses to graduate. Since most FSU courses carry four hours of credit, this is the equivalent of 128 credit hours. However, we express your progress in terms of FSU course credits, not credit hours. Therefore, after we establish the amount of transfer credit we have accepted, we address your progress as having earned, for instance, 10 of the 32 FSU courses you will need to graduate. Of those 32 courses, 10 or 11 must be General Education courses, depending upon one s major. The Domain General Education Program at Framingham State University is designed to broaden knowledge and to expose you to a wide range of analytical styles. General Education courses may complement what you learn in your major courses; lead to declaring a minor; or simply stimulate interest in areas you might otherwise have overlooked. Competence in these key areas is an integral part of being an intellectually mature person. A list of courses satisfying General Education requirements may be found in the General Education section of the University catalog at www.framingham.edu/undergraduate-catalogs/ 3 2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Guide

Domain General Education All students must satisfy 11 Domain General Education courses in 10* courses, depending upon the major. Typically this requires one course in each category below, except for natural sciences: COMMON CORE: DOMAIN I: DOMAIN II: DOMAIN III: A. ENGL 110 Expository Writing B. MATH XXX (credit-bearing) A. Creative Arts B. Humanities C. Language A. Analysis, Modeling, Problem Solving B. Natural Sciences (two courses; one must be a lab science) A. Perspectives on the Past B. Perspectives on the Contemporary World C. Global Competency, Ethical Reasoning, Human Diversity * Except for the Liberal Studies general major, which requires 11 Domain General Education courses, all majors have one subdomain that will be fulfilled through the major, leaving ten Domain General Education courses to complete. 4 2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Guide

Select General Education courses from outside your major. Domain General Education courses must be taken from departments outside your major. For instance, English majors might wish to take ENGL 243, The American Short Story, because it satisfies Domain I, Subdomain B ( I. B Humanities ). However, as students cannot take a Domain General Education course in their major, English majors must choose a I. B Humanities course that is non-english, such as an art history, music, or a philosophy course. English courses will, of course, count toward English major requirements. For all majors except Liberal Studies General, one subdomain is fulfilled through the major. For example, business administration majors are not required to take a course from Domain II. A, Analysis, Modeling, Problem Solving. Rather, II. A is fulfilled through the major as business administration majors will be taking several courses in analysis, modeling and problem solving. For those majors with a subdomain fulfilled, the online Degree Audit on myframingham (click on Academics followed by DegreeWorks log in ) will note the subdomain fulfilled as Satisfied through Major. Some majors require specific Domain General Education courses, or major related courses. For instance, the Psychology Department specifies that its majors take MATH 117, Introduction to Statistics, to satisfy math in the common core. Students fulfill a Domain General Education course and a requirement for their major in one course. Courses to fulfill a minor may be drawn from both Domain Gen. Ed. courses and from free electives. For instance, if you have taken SOCI 101, Introduction to Sociology, to satisfy Domain III. B and SOCI 220, Sport in Society, to satisfy Domain III. C, you have completed two courses that will count toward the sociology minor. If you change your major, Domain General Education categories that you had satisfied previously may become unfulfilled again. Remember that the Degree Audit on myframingham is a dynamic document that may change as you make changes to your major status. Please monitor your audit and contact the Advising Center at advising@framingham.edu with questions! Frequently Asked Questions (and answers) What kinds of classes are required in addition to Domain General Education courses? Students must complete 10-20 major courses, depending on their major. Major requirements are listed in the University catalog; major worksheets and four-year plans are available from the Advising Center in CASA (Center for Academic Success and Advising) or online at: www.framingham.edu/center-for-academic-success-and-advising/advising/choosing-major.html. What are free or open electives? Free electives are chosen from any courses offered by the University; they may be used to help fulfill a minor or to position a student in the job market, or simply to enjoy. Students will take anywhere from one to eleven free electives depending upon their major. Does the University require foreign language competency? Yes. Students are required to take a foreign language course or to prove competency in another way. Additional information about foreign language coursework appears later in this booklet. 5 2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Guide

Frequently Asked Questions (and answers) continued: Are placement tests required? That depends. Some students must pass math and writing placement tests prior to enrolling in math or writing courses at FSU. However: Some students have already taken placement tests. Some were excused from taking the tests because they have a transfer math or writing course. Some have taken a transfer course covering material roughly equivalent to that on the tests. Some are currently enrolled in such a course. (If a student is enrolled in an acceptable non-credit course and earns a grade of C- or higher, he or she may see Ben Trapanick, placement coordinator, in Dwight Hall 116, or email him at btrapanick@framingham.edu to update the placement code in our system.) Does a waiver from Domain I. C Language or a successful placement test score reduce the number of courses I must take to fulfill the 11-course Domain General Education requirement? No. If you are eligible for a waiver, you have several options. You may take a foreign language course at any level in a language other than the one for which you earned the waiver. You may take a course in the language that earned you the waiver, though you must choose the course level based on your placement score. You may also take another Domain I. A or I. B course to satisfy the Domain. Regardless, earning a foreign language waiver does not reduce the number of courses you must complete What are residence requirements? Students must take at least eight credit-bearing FSU courses after matriculation. Of these, students must complete a minimum of five credit-bearing courses offered by their major department. If students want to complete a minor, at least three courses must be taken here. If students want to be eligible for graduation honors, they must have completed at least 16 courses at FSU. Once I declare a major, may I change it? Yes. However, keep in mind that the later in one s academic career one makes this decision, the more likely it is that it will take additional time or courses to complete the degree requirements of the new major. Majors have varying application processes and requirements. For example, the Communication Arts Department requires a specific grade point average and letters of recommendation. Although we encourage exploration, we also expect that students will stay abreast of the applicable requirements and deadlines. Department chairs, faculty members and CASA staff can serve as resources during this transition. For more information, go to: www.framingham.edu/center-for-academic-success-and-advising/advising/majrqmts1015.pdf. Who is responsible for ensuring that I take the correct courses? Ultimately, you are. Many resources abound to assist you in charting your progress. Chief among them is the personalized Degree Audit on myframingham. Four-year plans are just one asset available on the CASA website. In addition, your faculty advisor will help you select courses and answer questions about academics. The advisor also can offer strategies to maximize your academic success. CASA academic advisors are available to all students. Finally, your catalog is a vital source of information that details academic policies and requirements. You are responsible for knowing its contents. Take some time to become familiar with the undergraduate catalog. 6 2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Guide

Reading the Degree Audit The Degree Audit, a sample of which is on the previous pages 8 and 9, is your progress report toward your degree. The audit details the courses FSU has accepted from your previous institution(s) and how those courses fit in the FSU curriculum. It also illustrates remaining requirements and helps you participate actively in understanding degree requirements. Using the information on the sample Degree Audit, let s review the sections of the audit. Student view This section provides an overview of the student record; including the specific catalog requirements the student is to follow (2013-2014). This student has earned 21 FSU course credits toward the 32 required, and 18 of those were transferred into the institution from a number of schools listed. The student s cumulative GPA is 3.67, which reflects only courses completed at FSU. On the right is the student s academic advisor, and the name is hyperlinked to his email. Finally, placement information, also hyperlinked for explanation, is included. Degree requirements overview This section includes the catalog year and cumulative GPA. Note that 32 course credits are required to graduate. Course credits applied are 25, a number that includes course credits earned (21) as well as the four courses the student has registered for the following semester. The upcoming four courses are listed as in progress at the bottom of the audit. Domain General Education requirements Domain Gen Ed consists of eleven courses all students must complete. One is fulfilled through the major a science lab she is taking as a nutrition major so this student has 10 classes required and 10 classes applied. Applied includes the winter 2014 and spring 2014 courses in progress; both in-progress courses are denoted by the blue shaded background. The green check box denotes a completed requirement. Grades are listed at right, with transferred courses noted with TR. Remember, while FSU accepts transferred courses, we do not count those transferred courses in the overall FSU GPA. Major requirements This section provides major and major concentration requirements, including the GPA. This student has a 3.70 GPA among FSU major courses. Note courses with a yellow background are completed; in-progress courses are shaded in blue; and outstanding courses are shaded in peach. Open electives In this section, which we have condensed, the student has 8.5 courses earned. These are courses that do not transfer in to the general education or major requirements, but the university has accepted them as free electives Final notes Note that some of the courses are followed by a 0.5 in parenthesis. If a Domain General Education course is listed as satisfying a subdomain whether with a full- or half-credit-- that subdomain is fulfilled. Finally, courses that appear as transferring into the University as major courses may have to be reviewed for approval by the chair of your major department here at FSU. You must meet with the major department chair to determine which transfer courses will substitute for FSU major requirements. You will meet the chair (or the chair s designee) as part of orientation day. 7 2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Guide

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Five ways to fulfill the foreign language requirement (Domain I.C) 1. Request a waiver from the Office of the Registrar (registrarsoffice@framingham.edu) if you have reached a level four in a single language in high school and we have not noted it on your Degree Audit. 2. Request a waiver from the Chair of World Languages if you speak a language other than English fluently, or if your high school academic language was other than English. 3. Take one semester of a language at Framingham State University. Courses are offered in American Sign Language, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. 4. Transfer in a foreign language course. 5. Pass a foreign-language placement test. Questions may be directed to placement@framingham.edu. SCORE CODE PLACEMENT TESTING CODE INTERPRETATION 0 1 in the Avant Placement test, must take Elementary I 1 2 in the Avant Placement test, must take Elementary II if choosing the language option 2 3 in the Avant Placement Test, must take Intermediate I if choosing the language option 3 4 in the Avant Placement Test, must take Intermediate II if choosing the language option 4 5 or above in the Avant Placement test, must take any 300 level course if choosing the language option 5 Completed Level IV in high school. May take 300-level and above. 6 Waiver received from World Language Department Chair. May take any language course, though not required to do so. This waiver does not include ones made for disability reasons. 10 2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Guide

Bachelor s Degrees available at Framingham State University Bachelor of Arts American Sign Language Art History Communication Arts Criminology Economics English Geography Global Studies History Liberal Studies Liberal Studies Interdisciplinary* Political Science Psychology Sociology Studio Art World Languages Bachelor of Science in Education Early Childhood Education Elementary Education *Students interested in pursuing a Coordinate Major in either Early Childhood or Elementary Education must also declare and successfully complete a primary liberal arts or interdisciplinary major. Bachelor of Science Accounting Biology Business and Information Technology Chemistry Computer Science Environmental Science Fashion Design and Retailing Finance Food and Nutrition Food Science Management Marketing Mathematics Nursing (R.N. s only) 11 2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Guide

Add a minor to your major Adding a minor, typically five courses, allows students to complement their major, explore new areas of interest and enhance their marketability. 2015-2016 minors To fulfill the requirements of a minor, students must complete a minimum of three FSU course credits in the minor department. Below is a list of minors offered at Framingham State University. Details about minor requirements may be found in the undergraduate catalog. Accounting American Studies Anthropology Apparel Design Art History Art Studio Biochemistry Biology Business Administration Chemistry Chinese Communication Arts Computer Science Criminology Diversity Studies Earth System Science Economics English Entrepreneurship Film Production Finance Food Science French Gender Studies Geography History Information Systems Information Technology Journalism Latin American Studies Law and Politics Marketing Mathematics Middle School Education Museum Studies Music Neuroscience Nutrition Philosophy Photography Political Science Professional Writing Psychology Public Administration Secondary Education Sociology Spanish Sports Management Statistics Theatre Performance Writing 12 2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Guide

Indispensable advice for the transfer student College is equivalent to a full-time job. Therefore, we recommend working no more than 20-25 hours part-time. If you must work longer hours, seriously consider reducing your course load from four to three courses. Plan a realistic path to success. Instructors expect you to complete two to three hours of homework for every hour spent in class. Time is not found it is made so thank you for managing your time. Even though you have attended another community college, college or university, you are new to Framingham State University. Familiarize yourself with our faculty, staff and students, campus resources and events all the things that make us unique and beneficial to you. Attend all classes. Your attention, your good notes, your level of participation and your commitment to the class will help determine your earned grade and the quality of your learning. Get to know one faculty member each semester. Students who take the time to know a Professor and allow the professor to know them will have a meaningful, rich college experience. Many faculty members are interesting people who have ideas and experiences that will expand your own. Faculty also will write important letters of recommendation, but they must know you well to write well of you. Read syllabi distributed in each class. Know course requirements and attendance policies and note exam and paper due dates and plan your work to meet them. Reinforce class material by forming study groups and exchanging phone numbers and email addresses with classmates. Take advantage of University services such as CASA. CASA offers a computer lab, tutoring in many subjects, and academic accommodations; it also is a quiet place to study. Take our advice above and you will certainly join these hard-working folks below! Here at FSU, many people are available to help you succeed. 13 2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Guide

Academic Advising Stop by CASA (the Center for Academic Success and Advising) located in Peirce Hall to make an appointment with one of our three advisors (schedules are posted on their office doors); call 508-626-4540; or email CASA at advising@framingham.edu. The CASA website features links to all the University s major worksheets; four-year plans to help you chart your sequential progress; requirements for declaring a major; and information on prelaw and pre-health professions advising. Log on to: www.framingham.edu/center-for-academic-success-and-advising/advising/choosing-major.html. The undergraduate catalog is the essential guide for all students. You are bound by the catalog under which you are admitted. For instance, if you begin with us in the fall 2015 semester, you must follow the requirements set forth in the 2015-2016 catalog. Catalogs are online at: www.framingham.edu/undergraduate-catalogs/. Career Services and Employer Relations Bring your questions about career paths, internships and what you can do with a major or minor to the Office of Career Services and Employer Relations. Learn more at: www.framingham.edu/career-services/, call them at 508-626-4625 or stop by the office in the McCarthy Center, Room 412. Placement Testing and Orientation Review the site at www.framingham.edu/first-year-programs/placement-testing/, call the office at 508-626-4905 or get in touch by email at placement@framingham.edu. Orientation questions may be answered by going to: www.framingham.edu/first-year-programs/orientation/. You also are welcome to call the office at 508-626-4637 or email staff at orientation@framingham.edu. 14 2015-2016 Transfer Student Academic Guide

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