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Academic Policies
Success Courses: Definition, Policies and Guidelines
Success Course Definition
Success
courses are designed to help undergraduate students make successful
transitions from a previous level of education, or experience (e.g., the
military), into the University, from undeclared status into a major, and/or
from undergraduate studies to graduate studies or careers. Some courses teach
general skills for college success, while others focus on what is needed in a
specific discipline or college, or on the exploration of possible majors or
careers. Success courses are
usually designed for a specific population that is identified in the course
description. Excluded from this category are courses required in the major.
Success courses are distinguished from other courses by the fact that
their content, based on contact hours or learning outcomes, includes at least
50% of one or more of the following topics:
1)
Self-exploration and development
-
Processes of
self-evaluation and self-assessment as underpinnings for individual personal
development and lifelong learning.
-
Making
connections with key resources (people, units, and services) that contribute to
persistence and resiliency.
-
A variety of
learning strategies and how to enact them (e.g., time management, note-taking,
exam preparation).
-
Development
of the oral, written, and group communication skills necessary to be successful
at the university level generally and/or in specific disciplines.
-
Development
of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
2)
Major-exploration
-
Initiation
into the culture of the University and/or a particular college or discipline.
-
Exploration
of academic programs to help undeclared students or students in transition
select an appropriate major.
3)
Preparation
for careers or graduate school
-
Development
of the oral, written, and group communication skills necessary to be successful
at the graduate level or in specific careers.
-
Evaluation
and exploration of students’ interests, values, aptitudes/skills and lifestyle
preferences in relation to their career plans.
4)
Tools that
can help students succeed in their major
-
Making
connections with key resources in the unit (people, services, and materials)
that contribute to persistence and success in the degree program.
-
A variety of
learning strategies specific to the major and how to enact them.
Policies for Success Courses
-
No more than
3 units will apply toward a student’s graduation requirements.
-
Success
courses cannot be
repeated,
with or without the
Grade
Replacement Opportunity(GRO).
Guidelines for Success Courses
-
Success
courses may be offered by a college or department. The instructor, department or
college offering a course should limit enrollment to students for whom the
course is designed.
-
Instructors
should have a graduate degree or be enrolled in a graduate degree program and
should be approved by the department head or dean. If the course relates to
success in a specific major, the instructor’s graduate degree should be in that
discipline. Instructors are expected to have substantial understanding of the teaching and learning process.
- Grading
System: Success courses may be
offered for
Pass/Fail
or for
Regular Gradesso
long as the grading system is made clear to students in the class and grading is
carried out in a manner that is consistent with other courses. The grading
system is determined by the offering college and
applied consistently to all sections of that course, regardless of when it is
offered.
-
The
instructor, department, and/or college offering a course may choose the delivery
venue. Courses may be offered
online, in the classroom, or with other formats.
-
Some students may be required to take a success course as long as the reasons
(such as requiring it for students on probation to give them a better chance for
academic success) are specified in writing and the requirement is approved by
the appropriate head, dean, and the Assistant Vice Provost for Instruction and
Assessment.
Related Topics
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