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Academic System
The educational system in your home country is probably very different from the system we use here in the United States. One of the major differences that many students notice is the freedom to choose a course of study and the individual classes within your schedule. This freedom can be unsettling for some; others love the choices available to them. Be sure to work through these issues with your academic advisor (see below).
At UC you will be an "Undergtraduate Student", that means that you will be seeking a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree is usualy completed in four years of full-time study. The bachelor's degree is awarded after completing a specified number of credits in a major field of study. Every course earns a certain number of credits, and each institution has its own requirement for the number of credits needed to graduate (UC requires 128 credit hours). Think about credit hours as the number of hours spent per week in a classroom. Most undergraduate students take 15 credit hours as a full-time student (A full-time student takes between 12 to 16 credit hours).
This graphic represents the different phases of your academic life as an undergraduate student:
Courses within the degree program can be divided into one of four types:
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Core Courses |
Provide the foundation of the degree program and are required of all students seeking that degree. |
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Major Courses |
The student’s field of concentration. Major courses represent 25-50% of the total number of courses required to complete a degree. Most students pursue one major, but some pursue double majors. |
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Minor Courses |
The student’s secondary field of concentration. Students who decide to pursue a minor will usually complete about five courses in this second field of study. |
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Elective Courses |
Courses that may be chosen from any field of study. Electives give students an opportunity to explore other topics or subjects of interest. |
The Academic Advisor
For the duration of your freshman year, you will have an advisor who may be any staff or faculty member on campus. All freshman advisors are trained to work with the needs of first-year students. Towards the end of your second semester here, you are allowed to select a major, although many students choose to wait until their second year to do this. When you declare your major, your advisor will change to a faculty member from the department of your major.
In both cases, this advisor will consider your academic background, your proficiency in English, and your educational/career goals. With your advisor’s help, you will prepare a study plan and select courses for the next semester. You should attempt to design a tentative program plan based on your own needs and desires before you go to see your advisor. At your first meeting with your advisor, you should discuss the long-range professional goals that you have. That is, what you hope to do when you finish your academic studies. This information will be useful as your advisor helps you decide among various elective courses, which are courses you choose rather than those you are required to take.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that you make a strong effort to communicate your needs, interests, and desires to your academic advisor. If you do not speak up, you will not benefit as much as you could from the knowledge and experience of your academic advisor. Many international students seem to think that they should not express their opinions to their advisor because the advisor knows what is best. While this may be accurate in your home country, the American educational system believes that open and honest conversation between students and advisors is important. We view the role of the advisor is one that provides assistance with making your own decisions, not making decisions for you. This idea may require some adjustment on your part. We strongly encourage you to be an active participant in the academic decisions that will affect your future dramatically.
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