Idiot's
Guide to Carolina...
ACADEMICS
BEEN TO CLASS LATELY?: ACADEMICS AT CAROLINA
· The Honor Code
· Professors and TAs
· The Undergraduate Bulletin
· Student Central
· The Dean’s List
· Honors Program
· Academic Advising and Registration
· Tutoring
· First-Year Seminars
· The Libraries
The Honor Code
Honor is an important part of the Carolina community that students
and faculty pledge to uphold. Each member of the community needs
to understand what integrity means here.Honor
System
Professors and TAs
This is our opportunity to let each of you know that Carolina has some of the coolest professors and teaching assistants out there. Do not be afraid to get to know them!
If you have a problem with the course, have general questions, or just want to talk, contact your professor or TA. They have scheduled office hours, and you have access to their email. They love it when students talk to them!
Jason says: “While many classes are simply too big for teachers to know everyone, most professors would love to talk to their students one-on-one. Some of the most beneficial conversations of you year will happen with your profs. Take advantage of office hours. Ask about their families and their lives; they will appreciate and remember the extra effort.”
The Undergraduate Bulletin
The Undergraduate Bulletin is a great academic resource as it describes all of the courses offered, has information on all of the departments, and outlines all academic procedures. A paper copy can be purchased from Student Stores, but it is also available online. The Undergraduate Bulletin
Student Central
Student Central is one of the most important websites you will go to. This site has your personal information, grades, registration, financial records, academic progress, Student Telecom information, and financial aid information. It’s even used for campus elections. This site has all the information, with regards to records, you need. Be sure to know your ONYEN and password so you can log in and use it. studentcentral.unc.edu
The Dean’s List
Being placed on the Dean’s List is quite an honor. To get on the list, you need to have a 3.5 GPA or above if you are taking 12 hours, and you need a 3.2 GPA or above and if you are taking 15 or more. You can calculate your GPA and play with a calculator to see what you need to do to get a higher GPA on Student Central. If you make the Dean’s List, your parents are sent a letter, you get a certificage, and a press release is sent to your local newspaper.
The Honors Program
Housed in Graham Memorial, the Honor’s Program provides an excellent opportunity for students to take smaller, more specialized courses. Students are invited to join the program before their freshman year, but students may apply throughout their college career here. Even if you aren’t in the program, you can take honors courses. The Honors Program
Academic Advising and Registration
Academic advisors are your friend! These people are here to help you realize your academic goals here at Carolina. You need to consult them about fulfilling your Perspectives and graduating. If you don’t know what Perspectives are, you REALLY need to set up an appointment ASAP! Check out their website.
Janaka says: “Walking into college as a freshman, I had this great feeling that I was starting out on a clean slate. As a college student, you have a great deal of academic freedom; however, for me one of the best things I did was make full use of academic advising. Located in Steele building and accessible through the web, Academic advising offers a plethora of opportunities to help you start thinking about your major, fulfilling perspectives, and basically to give you a bit of guidance as you figure out academics at UNC. I would highly recommend spending a little extra time with Advising before registration for your second semester. This can be a hectic process but you can be prepared. Know what classes you want, have back-ups, and be informed about proper procedures for registering. Academics at Carolina is first rate and with the resources offered, every student can succeed!”
You will handle or have already handled your fall registration at C-TOPS with the guidance of the advisors. Around October, you will be all on your own as you register for Spring classes. Before you register, you need to meet with your advisor to plan your courses along with the requirements of the University, and you need to make sure you have all of your financial matters straight with the University Cashier. You will NOT be able to register if you owe any money! Here are a few registration tips:
· Choose your courses early.
· Plan your schedule by time.
· Have back-ups.
· Write down the course number, section you wish to enroll in, and the call number. This will speed things along during web registration.
· Check the Directory of Classes to know which classes are still open and how many seats are available on your registration date. That way, you will know which classes to register for first, before they fill up.
· Read the Guide
to Web Registration so you can be familiar with the process
before.
Tutoring
If you feel you need help in your classes, contact Academic Services, which provides subject-based tutoring. Academic Services
Even the best writers need help from time to time. If you have a big paper coming up and you need some input on how to make it better, check out the Writing Center. You can set up an appointment, and they even have a way for you to send your papers to them online.
First-Year Seminars
They are designed specifically for you, so you should take full advantage of them. First-Year Seminars are an awesome way to meet students, enjoy great faculty, learn a lot, and FULFILL PERSPECTIVES. They are great ways to fulfill perspectives. They will be numbered 006 in each department.
Derwin says: "I took GEOG 006E, Local Places in a Globalizing
World, with Prof. Altha Cravey. We met for three hours each
week to discuss how our world, especially North Carolina, changes
with globalization. The best part was a research project in
which we all explored some aspect of the lives of Mexican immigrants
in Carrboro. We took a field trip to meet migrant farm workers
and interviewed community members and leaders in the area. It
was a rewarding experience and a good introduction to research."
Check out the First-Year Seminar website.
The Libraries
The UNC-CH library system is very good. There are 16 libraries to serve you academically; however, the Undergraduate Library and Davis Library are usually the freshman’s best friends. For more information on the libraries and hours, check out their website.
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IDIOT's
GUIDE TO CAROLINA
. The Essentials
. Getting Involved
. Academics
. Discover the Town
. Thinking Long Term
. Jobs and Internships
. Thinking About the Summer
|
