Transfer Student Newsletter: March 2020

Transfer Student Newsletter: March 2020

On this page:

Transfer Association News

This newsletter provides you with some important information to help you succeed in the College of Arts & Sciences. We hope that you will read it, bookmark it, and refer to it as you need. We know that successful students are well informed about opportunities and policies in the College, that they are in frequent touch with their advisors and their Association Dean, and that they both formulate and keep to an academic plan.

Upcoming Deadlines 

Course Withdrawals: If you wish to withdraw from a class, you must complete the electronic withdrawal form available in SIS. 

REMEMBER: THE LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW FROM A CLASS IS MONDAY, MARCH 16.

If you wish to withdraw below 12 credits, you will incur Academic Probation. You can read more about this College rule on the College's website https://college.as.virginia.edu/academic-standing. Requests to withdraw after March 16 will NOT be approved.

Upcoming Academic Workshops

The following academic workshops are being offered to undergraduate students by Ms. Christy Rotman, the College Life Skills coach. Her workshops will help you reflect on your midterm exams, advance your study skills, and better prepare for future assessments:

STEM Assessment Autopsy: Get More Out of Exams with Professor Krista Varanyak

Thurs 3/19, 1:30pm

204 Clemons

RSVP: bit.ly/InsightsSP20

Hoos Calm, Cool & Collected Series:

Stress Management: Thurs 3/19, 3pm OR Fri 3/20, 12n

Motivation: Thurs 3/26, 3pm OR Fri 3/27, 12n

Procrastination: Thurs 4/2, 3pm OR Fri 4/3, 12n

204 Clemons

RSVP: bit.ly/HoosCalmSP20

Graduate School

Congratulations to our Transfer Students who are being accepted to graduate programs throughout the nation. Please keep us updated about your graduate school plans so that we may celebrate your successes.

If you are considering graduate school or a post-bac program, then this is certainly a topic to discuss with your faculty advisor during your academic advising meeting this month. Graduate school requires careful academic planning, so you must be upfront with your faculty advisor about your plans. Dean Ozment suggests that you ask your faculty advisors and graduate TAs to share their stories about the graduate school application process.

Summer Session

Each summer the University of Virginia offers a rich selection of courses to over four thousand students through its Summer Session. Many of these courses are not available during the academic year. Summer Session is a great way to accelerate your completion of major prerequisites, general education, or simply explore topics that you did not have time to learn about during the regular academic year. Dates for the main sessions of Summer Session 2020 are:

Session 1 – May 18 - June 13

Session 2 – June 15 - July 11

Session 3 – July 13 - August 7

Students register for courses through SIS, just as they do for fall and spring semesters. The Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs is located on the second floor of Minor Hall, and may be reached by calling 434-924-3371, or by email at [email protected]. See the summer schedule of classes and registration dates here: https://summer.virginia.edu/

Transferring Summer Session Credit from Other Universities

All transfer students are required to complete a minimum of 60.00 degree credits in-residence at the University of Virginia; many students will exceed this minimum. Students in Good Academic Standing (https://college.as.virginia.edu/academic-standing), may be permitted to transfer elective summer coursework to the University of Virginia, provided that they do not exceed the College’s 60.00 credit transfer limit: http://college.as.virginia.edu/transfer-credit. All post-matriculation credit must be pre-approved by Ms. Erin O’Donnell in Monroe Hall. 

Appointments with Ms. Erin O’Donnell may be requested online: https://erinodonnell.youcanbook.me/

Major Declarations

Second-year transfer students are required to declare or defer a major before the conclusion of the spring semester. Please confer soon with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the department you are considering as a major https://college.as.virginia.edu/ugrad-directors. Do not procrastinate initiating this process. If you are having difficulty deciding which way to turn, let me know and I will be glad to work with you to help you make your decision. Majors within the College of Arts & Sciences are listed here: https://college.as.virginia.edu/degreeprograms

Fall 2020 Schedule of Classes

The schedule of Fall 2020 classes will be visible to students in SIS beginning Friday, March 13. Many departments will provide amplified course descriptions for the next semester. Check departmental web sites for these helpful guides https://as.virginia.edu/departments. Please bookmark your major department's website, if you have not done so already.

As you consider courses for the spring, be sure to attend to any remaining area requirements, especially the foreign language requirement. For more information, watch for course enrollment news at http://college.as.virginia.edu/updates. While you must meet with your faculty advisor to have your advising hold lifted, you should also feel free to follow-up with me. I will be available for extended office hours during the weeks of fall course selection. Please call (434) 924-3350 should you wish to schedule an appointment.

How to Participate in Fall Course Selection

Since conferring with a faculty advisor is central to your course selection, students who consult with their faculty advisor will be rewarded with earlier enrollment appointments. Please remember that Dean Ozment cannot remove faculty advisor holds.

To locate your faculty advisor’s email address, type her/his name into the UVA People Search https://search.people.virginia.edu/. Most departments utilize the College’s Advising Calendar to schedule academic advising appointments with faculty. To log into the advising calendar, please visit the following website: https://college.as.virginia.edu/what-advising.

If you are a second-year student and have not yet declared a major, then you need to schedule an appointment to meet with your faculty advisor between March 25 and April 8 to discuss your academic plans and progress. After that meeting your advisor will release your advising hold for fall course selection. If you are a second-year student and have a declared major, then you should follow the instructions provided by your major department. In general, students need to make an appointment to see their major faculty advisor between March 13 and April 1.

If you are a third-year student who has not yet declared a major or completed a major deferral form, you should do so promptly. If you are unable to do so, please make an appointment to see me soon.

Before your advising appointment, check your "academic requirements" page in SIS to review your degree progress. 

Resources for Transfer Students

Interactive Study Spaces Map: a fun interactive map of the most popular study spaces at UVA. The map can be configured to show group study spaces and quiet spaces. See if you can find a new study space. http://uvalibrary.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Shortlist/index.html?appid=e6cb8c4cde61410f873bc780c38bd958

Real-Time Reference: Chat online with a librarian during the evening hours. This service is available anywhere, on or off grounds; just look for the green "Questions" button on Library pages, or connect directly at http://www2.lib.virginia.edu/askalibrarian/.

Research Tutorials: Get personalized, in-depth help with a research project. Schedule a one-on-one meeting with a research librarian at http://www2.lib.virginia.edu/askalibrarian/tutorial.html

Digital Resources: The U.Va. Library has some of the finest digital resources available anywhere. Search databases and retrieve full-text articles from the comfort of your apartment. Read a book online. Locate images of manuscripts, maps, and rare documents. https://guides.lib.virginia.edu/az.php

Camera, Lighting, Video, and 3D Printing Training: Students who complete this training are permitted to check out professional video cameras and lighting kits, and use free 3D Printers.  https://cal.lib.virginia.edu/calendar/events

Scanning, Printing, and Photocopying Stations: Information about locations and costs (if any) is available here: https://www.library.virginia.edu/print-copy-scan-computing/

How to Make an Appointment with the Writing Center: UVa boasts one of the best undergraduate writing programs in the nation, and you are encouraged to take advantage of their resources. To schedule an appointment to workshop one of your writing assignments, click on the following link and follow the instructions: https://virginia.mywconline.com/

Calculus Placement Exam: There is no requirement that all students in the College of Arts & Sciences take a calculus class, but some departments require this skill for the major. If you are planning to enroll in Calculus I or II during the Fall or Summer Session, please remember to take this brief calculus placement exam on the Math Department’s website https://math.virginia.edu/content/math-placement/. Remember that MATH 1190 is the university’s calculus course for students with no prior exposure to calculus, MATH 1210 is the most popular calculus course among social science students, and MATH 1310 is intended for students who are planning to major in the quantitative fields, complete a BS program, or apply to certain graduate programs. 

UVa College of Arts and Sciences Transfer Student News and Info Facebook Site: Dean Ozment oversees the "UVa College of Arts and Sciences Transfer Student News and Info," Facebook site. This site is where Dean Ozment posts academic opportunities, announcements, and remainders in-between our monthly newsletters. Please note that this Facebook site differs from several student-run sites that contain the word “transfer.”

 

Please feel free to call 924-3350 or visit 101 Monroe Hall to arrange for a convenient time to discuss any questions you have with Ms. Ozment. Alternatively, you may contact Ms. Ozment by e-mail at [email protected]. Her office is located in Monroe Hall, 204. We hope to see you soon. Best of luck for the semester.