Major Exploration Student Panel

Monday, March 30, 2009 • 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Goodell • 604

UMass Amherst Campus

Refreshments and door prizes!

The Major Exploration Student Panel provides first year undeclared students with:

- Upper class students from communication, English, economics, ISOM, and psychology majors sharing their experiences in choosing a major.

- Major decision factors.

- Information on the course selection process in different departments.

- Pros and cons of being in a particular major.

- Co-op and internship opportunities.

- Possible jobs for these majors.

Open to students exploring ALL majors!

BDIC Info Sessions

Monday, March 30 at 12:15 pm
and
Tuesday, March 31 at 1:00 pm

In 608 Goodell, BDIC (Bachelor's Degree with Individual Concentration) will be hosting information sessions for students exploring the possibility of designing their own interdisciplinary major.

Why subscribe to this blog?

The why is easy! Subscribing means new information comes to you instead of you continually coming back to us to see when we update. "It's like Netflix compared to the video store"--See this great video called RSS in Plain English for a great explanation.

The how is easy too! You can subscribe to our blog via RSS, e-mail, or follow us on Twitter. Just choose your option on the right-hand side of this page.

Noticing: Or What You Can Do with an English Major

Monday, March 30th, at 4:30 pm in Seelye 106 at Smith College

Sharon Cadman Seelig, the Roe/Straut Professor in the Humanities at Smith College will give a lecture titled "Noticing: Or What You Can Do with an English Major."

The event is free and all are encouraged to attend.

Computer Science Advising Session

Tuesday, April 14th, 4:00 pm, Computer Science Bldg. 151.
The Computer Science department is having an advising session for prospective majors -- all students who want to become majors are invited to attend.

Upcoming Registration Holds?

Did you know that registration for FALL 2009 begins in two weeks? Now's the time to ensure you don't have a registration hold on SPIRE.

Do you have an Advising or Credit Alert? A Dean's Contract? Ready to declare a major?

Check-in with your advising office ASAP!

SOCIOLOGY - Info Session for Prospective Majors

Information Session for new and prospective Sociology Majors
Wednesday, April 1st
4-5:30 pm
Campus Center, Rooms 165-169
Light refreshments will be served
For more information, email ADVISING@soc.umass.edu

The "W" Deadline is tomorrow!
Tuesday, March 24th at 5:00 pm

What do I need to do to get a "W"? To drop a course with a "W", complete a Course Change Request form (including a signature from your instructor) and turn it in to the Registrar’s Office by no later than 5:00 pm. A Dean's signature is NOT required on the form. However, if you can't locate your instructor for a signature, check with the departmental office and/or (if you are undeclared) go to the Dean's Office Drop-in Hours.

What's a "W" mean?
After the add/drop deadline (two weeks into a semester), you can remove a course from your schedule by submitting a course withdrawal (also known as a w-drop). The deadline for the w-drop is the mid-semester point (March 24th for Spring '09). The course will remain listed on your transcript with a “W” for a grade. One or two “W’s” on your transcript is no problem, but a pattern of “W’s” is not recommended.

In what situations should I think about a "W"?
You should talk to an advisor when you're thinking about withdrawing from a course. Some possible reasons to withdraw could be:
a) you anticipate failing a course;
b) one course is impacting your success in other courses;
c) you are overwhelmed by the number of credits you are taking.
Remember: You need to maintain 12 credits to be a full-time student.

What if I miss the deadline (3/24 at 5:00 pm in the Registrar's Office)?
There will be no extension to the deadline. If you want to drop a course after the 3/24/09 and you are an undeclared student, you will need to attend Dean's Office Drop-in Hours and complete a type-written petition that will be reviewed by the Academic Review Committee (within the Dean's Office).

Spring Break is for Networking!

Yes - you're on break, but be aware that you may also be speaking with people who could be invaluable resources in helping you find a summer job, an internship, a job when you graduate, or just some perspective on what they have studied and how they've used their courses and major to get where they are today.

Ask a few questions - you never know where it might lead!

Here is a great handout from the University of Michigan about networking while on spring break.

Clickers anyone?

Have you yet had a class where the professor utilized a Personal Response System (PRS)? A PRS, also known as a clicker, is a wireless keypad that faculty can use to increase interactivity in the classroom. The clicker allows students to give instant feedback to the instructor.

Here is an audio story from National Public Radio entitled, "In Search Of Answers, Teachers Turn To Clickers."

More UMass Blogs

More blogs at UMass that you might want to check-out...


Communication News
Official Blog of the Department of Communication at UMass Amherst

UMass Pre-Law Advising
Official blog of the UMass Pre-Law Advising Office

UMass Amherst Legal Studies Blog

Undergraduate Program in Sociology
What every good soc student should know…

Got suggestions? Let us know!

How to Save a Disastrous Semester

How is your semester going?

Here are some tips on how to save a a disastrous semester.

London/Sydney Internship Information Session

Interested in an internship in London or Sydney? Come to an information session and learn about program details, how study abroad works at UMass Amherst, and how to apply.

Thursday, March 5, 2009 • 12:00 pm
Hills (South) • 455 (Advising Center)
Contact: April H. Stroud, internships@ipo.umass.edu, (413) 545-2710

Learn more about the London and Sydney programs.