Considering Courses
When semester planning, step back and take a broad look at the combination of courses you plan to enroll in. Competing requirements between your General Education Curriculum, major and minor directions can all add up to varying degrees of difficulty. By paying attention and thinking about your course load, you can understand why you’re enrolling in what classes and have an idea of what to expect of the overall semester. Here are a few helpful suggestions when considering your course load:
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To complete your degree in four years, you should plan to take at least 15 academic hours each semester
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Try to balance each semester’s load between major requirements, General Education Curriculum requirements, and minor or elective hours
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Consider the different coursework and the requirements of each class—don’t overload on heavy reading, writing, experimental, or quantitative courses. Seek balance between these different types of work
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READ the course descriptions in the catalog! Know what you’re getting into
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If the course descriptions are too vague, seek out the instructor via email, telephone or in person and ask for a syllabus or an informal explanation of the course and his or her expectations
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Schedule courses appropriately. Avoid blocking more than two to three courses in a row.
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Think seriously about how your schedule lays out across the week
