University Studies (UNIV)

UNIV 100. Essential Academic Strategies. 0 Unit.

This non-credit 5-week seminar is available for first-year and second-year students who are seeking to enhance their time management skills and increase the effectiveness of their study strategies. The seminar runs for one hour per week and is conducted two times a semester - typically beginning in weeks two and eight during the fall semester and weeks two and ten during the spring semester. The enrollment is limited to 10 students per class to ensure time for individualized attention and active participation. Students will be encouraged to monitor how they are changing their approaches to their studies and will be invited to one-on-one appointments with their facilitator(s). Academic Support Resources for Students and other interested administrators will facilitate this seminar. Sections will be organized by school if possible to tailor the classroom activities to discipline-specific assignments in their courses.

UNIV 102. Navigating Presentation Skills for Academic Success at the American University/CWRU. 0 Unit.

UNIV 102 is a non-credit, pass/no-pass five-week seminar that will help students develop effective strategies for presenting in American and CWRU classes. The course will allow students to enhance spoken English skills, discussion skills, and vocabulary use for academic presentations. The seminar is designed for non-native English speakers and is facilitated by Academic Support Resources for Students staff.

UNIV 103. Navigating Reading Skills for Academic Success at the American University/CWRU. 0 Unit.

UNIV 103 is a non-credit, pass/no-pass five-week seminar that will help students develop effective strategies for academic reading, vocabulary use, and general fluency in English. The course will also touch on general academic study skills. The seminar is facilitated by Academic Support Resources staff.

UNIV 200. Career Exploration and Professional Connection. 1 Unit.

The purpose of this course is to help students identify and explore meaningful careers through a process of self-discovery, self-care and guided conversations with our alumni speakers. Over the course of this seminar, we will assess ourselves to understand our values, strengths, skills, and interests, and we will also examine what it means and what it takes to launch and sustain a successful career. To aid us on this journey, we will leverage the technological power of LinkedIn and other online resources as well as the lived experiences and perspectives of alumni in order to ultimately envision and chart our own career goals moving forward. This course is as much about wellness as it is about career; for, if you understand both yourself and your options, and feel supported in your journey, then the future isn't daunting -- it's exciting. Counts as a Full-Semester Wellness/Non-movement course.

UNIV 300. Professional Development for Undergraduate Teaching Assistants. 0 Unit.

All undergraduate students with teaching assistant responsibilities (UTAs) are requiredby the Office of the Provost to successfully complete training in the form of UNIV 300: Professional Development for UTAs. This course is designed to provide UTAs with skills and knowledge regarding university policies, campus resources, and best practices in teaching and learning. Course components includean online, self-paced webinar and an orientation seminar scheduled at the beginning of each semester. The UNIV 300 learning community will provide UTAs withopportunities to interact and network with peer colleagues serving as teaching assistants.

UNIV 400. Professional Development for Graduate Teaching Assistants. 0 Unit.

CWRU is committed to ensuring excellence in its academic programs. For this reason, graduate students serving as teaching assistants (GTAs) are of critical importance to the University in fulfilling its educational mission. All graduate and professional school students with teaching assistant responsibilities are, therefore, required by the Office of the Provost to successfully complete training in the form of UNIV 400: Professional Development for GTAs. The training requirement applies to graduate and professional school TAs working with undergraduate or graduate students. UNIV 400 includes an online webinar and an orientation seminar, designed to provide GTAs with skills and knowledge regarding university policies, campus resources, and best practices in teaching and learning. GTAs will also have opportunities to develop peer learning communities in order to network with and support one another.

UNIV 401. Advanced Professional Development for University Teaching. 0 Unit.

Advanced Professional Development for University Teaching is intended to provide participants with the chance to learn innovative, effective, and evidence-based teaching strategies that are useful in University classrooms. Taught by experienced teachers and graduate teaching assistants, this seminar will feature small group discussions about the Science of Teaching and Learning research literature, opportunities to observe experienced university faculty, and micro teaching sessions. On-the-ground and online learning settings will be incorporated into course activities in an effort to prepare students interested in university teaching with a broad background of learning environments. Participants will receive a certificate of completion and will have transcript evidence acknowledging successful completion of this professional development course.

UNIV 402A. ITA Spoken English Pronunciation. 0 Unit.

International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) enrolled in UNIV 402A will increase their ability to speak English clearly and to navigate their informal speaking demands. Specifically, this class focuses on pronunciation skills, including vowels, consonants, syllable stress, word stress, and intonation. Students will also learn vocabulary and idiomatic expressions that are applicable to academic, professional, and daily life contexts. Students will employ many of these pronunciation and language skills in their informal presentation assignments throughout the semester. This course is required of all new ITAs who did not pass the CWRU Spoken English test and received a score that places them in UNIV 402A. Students must be a graduate teaching assistant and require the course based on the CWRU Spoken English Test.

UNIV 402B. ITA Spoken English Fluency. 0 Unit.

International Teaching Assistants enrolled in UNIV 402B will increase their ability to speak English fluently and to listen more acutely within formal and informal contexts. Specifically, this course focuses on skills and strategies needed to function comfortably in the academic community as a Teaching Assistant, as well as a student and colleague. Students will strengthen their skills by exploring scenarios that involve asking and answering questions, conferencing with students, leading lab or classroom discussions, and other skills relevant to their academic, professional, and daily life contexts. Students will practice their formal communication skills in their presentation assignments throughout the semester. This course is required of all new ITAs who did not pass the CWRU Spoken English test and received a score that places then in UNIV 402B. Students must be a graduate teaching assistant and require the course based on the CWRU Spoken English Test.

UNIV 402C. ITA Presentation Skills. 0 Unit.

International Teaching Assistants enrolled in UNIV 402C will increase their ability to speak English fluently with advanced vocabulary in formal settings, with emphasis on presentation and instructional skills. Students in this class will improve their English skills to enhance their teaching assistant responsibilities, including listening attentively, reading critically, and writing e-mails, memos, and reports. Assignments such as these will be applicable to students' academic community and beyond, in their professional and daily life contexts. Students will practice their formal communication skills in their presentation assignments throughout the semester. This course is required of all new ITAs who did not pass the CWRU Spoken English test and received a score that places them in UNIV 402C. Students must be a graduate teaching assistant and require the course based on the CWRU Spoken English Test.

UNIV 410. Teaching/Clinical Practicum. 1 - 9 Units.

This course is designed for graduate students who are either teaching or involved in clinical or other internship practicums and require full-time student status. Permit required.