Introduction to

Academics at FGCU

Office of New Student Programs

Florida Gulf Coast University

This presentation will cover:

• The organization of the university;

• The basics of the Bachelor’s degree;

• The structure of the General Education Program

• Some important graduation requirements;

• Policies you (and your student) should know;

• The basics of academic advising;

• The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

First Year Advising (FYA)

College of Arts and Science (CAS)

Lutgert College of Business (LCOB)

College of Education (COE)

U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering (WCE)

Marieb College of Health & Human Services (MCHHS)

Academic Organization at FGCU

The Semester System

Two main academic semesters and three summer sessions per year:

Summer A

May 11 – June 21

6 weeks

Summer C

May 11 – July 20

10 weeks

Summer B

June 22 – August 3

6 weeks

Spring 2018 Semester

January 8 – April 28

Final Exams: 4/30 – 5/4

16 weeks

Fall 2017 Semester

August 21 – December 9

Final Exams: 12/11 – 15

16 weeks

Enrollment Status

Full-Time Status

• 12-18 credits• Four or more classes

Part-Time Status

• 1-11 credits• One to three classes

Considerations:

• Part Time Job• Health/Car Insurance• Financial Aid

12 credits across ALL summer sessions = full time status(Students must enroll in 6 credits to be eligible to

receive Financial Aid during summer sessions)

The Bachelor’s Degree

All degree programs and degree requirements are

approved by the State of Florida.

• Include a minimum of 120 credit hours

A number of degree programs require MORE than 120

credit hours:

• For example: Engineering, Education, Nursing

The Components of a Degree

General Education

(30%)

Major/College(50-70%)

Electives(0-20%)

Lower and Upper Division

Lower Division Program – 60 credit hours• Freshman and Sophomore Years

• 1000 and 2000-level courses

• General Education, Common Prerequisites, Electives to

explore…

Upper Division Program – 60 credit hours• Junior and Senior Years

• 3000 and 4000-level courses

• Major/Minor coursework, Required Electives

The General Education Program

Communication

6 credit hours

Humanities

9 credit hours

Social Sciences

6-9 credit hours

Natural Sciences

6-9 credit hours

Mathematics

6 credit hours

Total = 36 credit hours

*15 hours must be completed between social sciences and

natural sciences, with at least 6 credit hours in each area.

College-Level Skills (CLWS)

Must receive grades of “C” or better (“C-” or below will not meet the state requirement )

4 courses – 12 credit hours

ENC 1101; ENC 1102 – GEP IDS 3920 – Colloquium 4th course that is Writing Intensive

Writing Intensive Courses

6,000+ graded words in course for semester

Not recommended to take multiple

Writing Intensive courses per semester

9 credit hours total

At LEAST one course must be from the STATE CORE

Refer to Gen Ed Checklist for options

Many are College Level Writing Skills (CLWS) and/or Intercultural Knowledge (INKN)!

Humanities

• Science majors = 6 credit hours (two courses)

• Non-science majors = 9 credit hours (three courses)

6 – 9 credit hours total – depends upon major

At LEAST one course must be from the STATE CORE

Refer to Gen Ed Checklist for options

Many are College Level Writing Skills (CLWS) and/or Intercultural Knowledge (INKN)!

Social Sciences

Intercultural Knowledge: (INKN)

Complete two (2) courses approved to meet this competency (6 credits)

• Social Sciences and Humanities

• Students can “double dip”

Many are also Writing Intensive courses (that’s a triple dip!)

• Non-science majors = 6 credit hours (two courses)

• Science majors = 9 credit hours (three courses)

6 – 9 credit hours total – depends on major

At LEAST one course from the STATE CORE

• Non-science majors can select from either set of courses

• Natural science majors need to be aware of their COMMON PREREQUISITES

Refer to Gen Ed Checklist – note the separation of courses:

• Marked with a “C” (combined lecture/lab) or “L” (lab) after course number

At least one course MUST include a lab or field experience

Natural Sciences

At LEAST one course from the STATE CORE

STA 2023 (Statistical Methods) OR

STA 2037 (Statistics w/Calculus)

All majors require at least one additional MATH course. Some majors require more…

All grades must be C or better

Mathematics

Math Course PlacementA “Default” Placement into Math courses is determined by ACT/SAT scores and the major

of the student:

• Intermediate Algebra (MAT 1033)

• General Ed Math (MAC 1105; MGF 1106; MGF 1107)

• Pre-Calculus/Elementary Calculus (MAC 1147; MAC 2233)

• Calculus I (MAC 2311)

Some students will place into (or beyond) the course needed for their major, while others

may not, and will need to take additional courses.

Students will be given the OPTION to take a Math Placement Test on Day Two…to

attempt to place into a higher math course.

• When deciding to test, students should take into consideration their major and the

amount of math required.

• Do they need to take math beyond the GEP?

(still) More about Math

You may want them to try to place out of a course, but don’t be surprised if they don’t want to take the MPT!

Students will be charged $20 if they choose to test.

Intermediate Algebra DOES count as (elective) credit toward graduation!

It’s important for your students to build a strong foundation of knowledge…even if it feels like they are backtracking.

Fall Semester Sample ScheduleComposition I or II 3 credits

Mathematics or Statistics 3-4 credits

GEP Social Science or Natural Science 3-4 credits

GEP Humanities 3 credits

Elective (SLS 1101) or Major pre-requisite 3 credits

Total: 14-17 credits

Reminder! Full-time status = 12-18 credit hours

Academic Standing

Academic Notice

• Cumulative GPA of 2.0 to 2.25

• Contacted by CAA

Academic Warning

• Cumulative GPA of 1.99 or lower for the first time

Academic Probation

• Cumulative GPA of 1.99 or lower for the second time

FTIC Students on Academic Warning are required to enroll in Effective

Learning (SLS 1501) offered by the Center for Academic Achievement (CAA) LIB 103, (239) 590-7906

Grade Forgiveness Policy

Original and repeat course must both be taken at FGCU

• Original grade must be “C-” or lower

• Repeat course grade must be HIGHER than original grade

Application must be completed by the last day of the repeat semester for immediate GPA recalculation

Grade Forgiveness may only be applied to two courses during a student’s FGCU career (including DE)

3/2 Course Withdrawal Policy

Policy will begin with courses taken fall 2017 and later;

Students are allowed to withdraw without academic penalty (W grade) from 3

lower division courses and 2 upper division courses during their academic

careers;

Course Withdrawals in excess of either of these two totals will automatically

become WF grades that impact the GPA as an F grade;

These two totals are mutually exclusive – students cannot withdraw from 5 upper

division courses if they never withdrew from a lower division course, or “borrow”

from the upper division total to withdraw from more lower division courses!

Graduation Requirement: Foreign Language

Admission Requirement: Two sequential years of same language in high school

• i.e. Spanish I and Spanish II, etc.

OR completing a foreign language college course at the ELEMENTARY 2 level

• SPN 1120/1120L and SPN 1121/1121L

• Several majors require Foreign Language (e.g.: English)

Graduation Requirement: Service Learning

FTIC (freshmen) students are required to complete a minimum of 80 hours of service learning at one or more approved (not-for-profit) agencies in the community

• Service Learning applies what they are learning in the classroom to gain real world experience…

• Many courses incorporate Service Learning!

Students will learn about this requirement tomorrow!

Eagles Connect: http://www.fgcu.edu/connect/

Graduation Requirement: Summer Hour Requirement

9 credit hours (of the total needed to graduate) must be earned during one or more summer terms

• These 3 courses do NOT need to be completed in the same summer session…or even in the same summer!

Can be taken at any State University System (SUS) institution OR at a State College

• FSW, Broward, Hillsborough, Palm Beach, etc.

Required of all students entering a university in the State University System with LESS THAN 60 earned credit hours

Repeat Course Surcharge

Florida State Board of Education Rule

Occurs on the third attempt of same course when all three attempts are taken at FGCU

• Attempts = Grades of “W”, “I”, and C- or lower in pre-requisite courses

Will pay $177.57 PER CREDIT HOUR

in addition to full tuition for the course!

Excess Hours Surcharge

For students enrolling in a State University (or State College) for the first time in or after the fall 2012 semester:

All attempted credit hours that exceed 110% of the total required for the degree are considered excess.

• For a program requiring 120 credit hours, all attempted hours beyond 132 are excess.

This surcharge is 100% of the cost per credit hour.

Excess Hours Surcharge

Attempted Hours include courses that are: failed, repeated, dropped after the Drop/Add period and all transfer credit applied to the degree program at FGCU.

There are exceptions to the excess hours surcharge:• Students who began out of state or at a private college• Articulated accelerated credit (AP, IB, DE, CLEP, AICE)• Dual major credits, internship credits, etc.• Semester withdrawal due to medical reasons• Credits taken by active-duty military personnel

(See University Catalog online for details)

Accelerated Credit Mechanisms

Advanced Placement (AP)

• AP Test scores of 3 or higher

International Baccalaureate (IB)

• IB Test scores of 4 or higher

College Level Exam Placement (CLEP)

• Qualifying scores of ~ 50 or higher (see catalog)

• Fluency in foreign languages?? (CLEP can meet graduation requirement)

Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE)

Dual enrollment credit from other institutions (DE)

Need OFFICIAL test

scores sent from

College Board or

official transcripts sent

from other public FL

institutions to get

credit!

SOAR in 4

An FGCU initiative to encourage timely graduation and employment

of FTIC students.

If students:

• Declare a major by the end of their first year;

• Meet with student services personnel at least once a year to

discuss issues related to their major and possible career

options;

• Complete an approved internship or co-op experience prior to

graduation;

More about SOAR in 4

If students:

• Graduate in four years;

• Are employed within 6 months of graduation with a yearly salary of at least $25,000;

The University will rebate the “out of pocket” cost of tuition for credits earned at FGCU during their first three terms:

• Summer 2017/Fall 2017/Spring 2018

• Fall 2017/Spring 2018/Summer 2018

Want more information? Look in your Guidebook app

or contact the University Bursar at 239-590-1213

Advising at Orientation

Consists of three main elements:• Introduction to Academics• Preliminary Schedule Building – using Gulfline• Course Registration

Professional Advisors from First Year Advising are facilitating all of these elements

• Orientation Leaders are there to assist your students

Encourage them to be assertive and ASK QUESTIONS!

Early Transition During EVO

Most students will transition to college advising at the end of their first year.

Students who have earned a minimum of 24 credits AND who have met the additional academic criteria established by their college…will EARLY TRANSITION.

• College Advisors will advise these students today to prepare them for course registration tomorrow.

• FYA will assist them with the course registration process tomorrow afternoon.

• The college provides advising until graduation…

Advising in the First Year

FTIC students will be REQUIRED to have two meetings with an Academic Counselor during the FALL semester:

• New Student Meeting – early September

A small group discussion (led by the counselor who worked with them during EVO) to discuss the transition to college.

• Preregistration Advising - prior to second semester

A one-on-one appointment to check in on academic progress and plan the course schedule.

Advising in the First Year

FTIC students will be REQUIRED to have two meetings with advisors during the SPRING semester:

• Check Point Meeting – February

A small group discussion (co-facilitated by FYA and College Advisors) to review academic expectations and share outcomes for not meeting academic progress milestones.

• Preregistration Advising - prior to second semester

A one-on-one appointment to check in on academic progress and plan the course schedule for the summer/fall.

Transition to College AdvisingAt the end of the first year (including summer), each student’s academic progress will be evaluated based upon academic criteria established by their academic college:

• 24 credit hours earned

• GPA – often this is higher than a 2.0

• Critical courses and course grades

Students who meet the criteria for their major will transition to college advising until the point of graduation.

Students who do NOT meet these criteria will be advised by Undergraduate Studies…to get additional support.

Does your student need help?

Encourage him or her to follow up

with an Advisor

http://www.fgcu.edu/Info/Advising.asp

Find it on the FYA Website

Choosing a Major

Advising and University Resources

Student Hold Key

The Advising Process

Advising Transition FAQs

http://enrollment.fgcu.edu/advising

www.fgcu.edu from A-Z

Here are some web pages you (and your student) should bookmark:

• Office of the Registrar – Academic Calendar,

Academic Catalog;

• Office of the Bursar – fee payment, deadlines; surcharges

• Financial Aid & Scholarships

• Student Health Services – immunization, insurance, basic services

• Academic College – degree requirements, policies and procedures, advising;

The Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)

FERPA is a United States federal law that protects the privacy of student records and includes provisions for the rights of students to review and disclose their records.

• Grades and academic transcripts are confidential and will not be released to anyone without the prior written consent of the student.

FERPA release form must be completed, signed, and submitted BY THE STUDENT (showing a valid Driver’s License) to the Office of the Registrar on the 1st floor of McTarnaghan Hall.

• Students can submit and rescind official release at will.

http://www.fgcu.edu/Registrar/ferpa.html

Welcome to Florida Gulf Coast University!

Go Eagles!