All students complete this requirement by completing two, one-credit courses.

Taken during the first year, PRW1 introduces students to the University and explores three sets of issues: (1) the role of personal responsibility in coping with college and life’s other transitional periods; (2) challenges and opportunities—including managing time and stress, benefiting from diversity and autonomy, dealing with pitfalls related to alcohol and drugs, and exploring resources and activities on campus; and (3) personal finance to enable students to make informed decisions about managing their money, using credit cards, and making major purchases, both during their time at SMU and later in life.  

PRW1: Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of principles of effective personal financial management.
2. Students will be able to identify and utilize at least two campus an/or online resources that can provide reliable information for building credit/credit scores, college financing (scholarships, grants, loans), and budgeting.
3. Students will be able to describe how financial decisions made in college may affect their overall financial health in the long term.
4. Students will be able to identify their stressors and their responses to them.
5. Students will be able to describe stress reduction methods.
6. Students will be able to report that participation in Wellness enhanced their stress coping skills.
7. Students will be able to identify academic and personal support services available on campus.
8. Students will be able to describe the relationship between thoughts, behaviors and outcomes.
9. Students will be able to explain the value and significance of integrity.
10. Students will be able to explain how change is a fundamental element of their university experience.
11. Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of salient mental health issues.
12. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between lifestyle choices and health.

In PRW2 (physical fitness courses), students work with instructors to establish personal goals and fitness plans for the term. A variety of individual and group fitness courses will be available, with each course containing core objectives and student-learning outcomes based on health-related fitness components. Grades will be based on attendance, understanding of training/health principles and satisfactory improvement toward the goals that students set for themselves.

PRW2: Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will be able to identify and explain the five components of health-related fitness.
2. Students will be able to develop and implement their personal plan to promote and maintain health-related fitness