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Academic Advising Centre

ADVICE Newsletter - March 2013

|     ADVICE - THE MARCH EDITION      |    GETTING READY FOR FINAL EXAMS      |    DROPPING A COURSE     |
|      TIME TO DECLARE YOUR MAJOR     |  UNDERSTANDING YOUR GRADES |    WHAT IS AN ACADEMIC WARNING? |
|   PLANNING FOR SUMMER JOBS |       GIVING & GETTING BACK THROUGH VOLUNTEERING

ADVICE - THE MARCH EDITION Welcome to the March edition of ADVICE - a newsletter for first-year students. At this point in the semester, you are likely to be busy with essays, assignments, labs or exams. We hope that it's all going well for you. As always, if you need any academic advice or support, feel free to contact the Academic Advising Centre, sooner rather than later. [back to top]		KEEP IN CONTACT TEL: 709-864-8801 EMAIL: advice@mun.ca WEB: www.mun.ca/advice APPOINTMENTS: my.mun.ca
GETTING READY FOR YOUR FINAL EXAMS Your personalized final examination schedule is available through the Academic Information Menu in Memorial Self-Service. The entire schedule is posted on the Registrar’s Office website. St. John's and Distance (Undergraduate) - Winter 2013 Grenfell Campus (Undergraduate) - Winter 2013 Students enrolled in Distance Education courses should select View Distance Exam Schedule in the Distance Education menu to find out where to write the examinations for those courses. If you are scheduled to write three final exams within a 24-hour period, you may request to write a deferred exam. The second or middle exam in the 24-hour period is the one which you must request to have deferred. You must make requests for deferrals directly to the department in question. As you prepare for your exams, you may have questions about content in some of your courses or need help honing your study skills. Check out these on-campus resources: Visit the Help Centres for your subject area and other academic resources on campus. You can find the complete list on our website. Drop by the Study Skills clinics offered each week at the University Counselling Centre. Check out these online resources for great advice on taking tests and exams: The multiple choice exam Cracking the code for essay exams Dealing with exam anxiety [back to top]		OFFICE HOURS Academic Advising Centre Science (SN) 4053: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. NEW! QEII Library 2028B: Monday to Friday, 2 - 4:30 p.m QEII Library 2028B: Wednesday evenings, 5 p.m. - 8:p.m. IMPORTANT DATES It is always a good idea to consult with the University Diary for a full list of relevant dates. You may also wish to refer to the Office of the Registrar's Relevant Dates section for information about registration dates and times.
DROPPING A COURSE LATE IN THE SEMESTER The deadline for dropping courses without academic prejudice has passed. But a student who is experiencing difficulties still has the option of dropping a course or withdrawing from the university. If you are unable to complete a course this term due to illness, a death or other exceptional circumstances, speak with your instructor to discuss available options. If you need to discuss the possibility of dropping all of your courses, contact the Academic Advising Centre to learn more about the process.
TIME TO DECLARE YOUR MAJOR IN ARTS AND SCIENCE If you are a student in the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Science, this is a good time to think about declaring a major and a minor. Here's why: Some second-year courses are restricted to majors or minors. That means other students (including students who have chosen but have not declared their major) may need to go on a waitlist for available space in a class. Declaring your major may also help you qualify for scholarship opportunities and inclusion on the Dean's List in your faculty. Faculties and departments keep in touch with their declared majors and minors and let them know about upcoming events, funding opportunities and special programs (eg. internships or study abroad programs). ARTS For a Bachelor of Arts degree, a student needs to complete two areas of study. They can take the form of a major (12-15 courses) and a minor (8 courses), or a double major. The major(s) must be chosen from within the arts; the minor may be chosen from another arts discipline, a discipline in the sciences, business, music history or music and culture. To declare a major/minor, fill in a Declaration/Change of Academic Program form and submit it to the Registrar’s Office. Consult the University Calendar and the department for more information about the regulations for your specific program. Get the details from the Faculty of Arts website: http://www.mun.ca/arts/undergraduate/degree.php SCIENCE For a Bachelor of Science degree, you must choose a major (12-15 courses) from within the Faculty of Science. You have the option of declaring a minor (8 courses), but it is not required. The major must be chosen from a discipline within the sciences; the minor may be chosen from a discipline within the sciences, a discipline within the arts, business, music history or music and culture. Some departments, such as biochemistry, biology, psychology and earth sciences, have specific admission requirements and/or application deadlines. To declare a non-competitive major or a minor in the Faculty of Science, complete a Declaration/Change of Academic Program form, submit it to the undergraduate program officer of the relevant science department for approval, then forward it to the Office of the Registrar (A 2003) for processing. To apply for a competitive-entry program in the Faculty of Science, complete the departmental application form for the program you wish to pursue found on the department's website. You can declare a major without declaring a minor and declare a minor without declaring a major. [back to top]
UNDERSTANDING YOUR ACADEMIC REPORT When you look at your grades at the end of each semester, you will notice that your academic progress is noted as both an "average" and a "GPA". The current average is based on the final grades you received in each course in a particular semester (eg. 72.3%).The cumulative average is based on every course you have completed at Memorial over a number of semesters.The Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated using the points a student earned per credit hour (eg. 3.1). You can find detailed information on the grading process in the relevant section of the University Calendar. Grades will be officially released through Memorial Self-Service beginning at 5 p.m. on April 24th for Winter semester courses. If you have questions or concerns about your grades, please contact the Academic Advising Centre. [back to top]
WHAT DOES AN ACADEMIC WARNING MEAN TO ME? In order to continue your studies at Memorial each semester, you must: obtain a current average of 50% in the courses for which you are registered on the last day for dropping courses without academic prejudice, or have a cumulative average of at least 55%. Any student who, for the first time, fails to meet the requirements will be given an academic warning and certain conditions may apply. These conditions could include restrictions on course load, participation in study skills or time management workshops or regular meetings with a faculty advisor. If you receive an academic warning, talk to an advisor at the Academic Advising Centre to find out what you should do next. [back to top]
START PLANNING FOR SUMMER JOB SEASON You’ve learned a lot during your time as a university student so now it’s time to put that knowledge to work by finding a great summer job! You can start by updating your resumé to reflect the latest knowledge and skills you’ve acquired in your first year at university. Academic experiences: Consider the transferable skills you’ve gained, such as: research, time management, communication, and team-work. Extra-curricular activities: Think about the clubs and societies you’ve been involved with, in which you may have held leadership roles or demonstrated your creativity, innovation or organizational skills. Volunteer work: Highlight your volunteer activities to demonstrate your community involvement and commitment to helping others. Visit Career Development and Experiential Learning (CDEL) to find out how to improve your resumé and cover letter (University Centre Room 4002). CDEL can also offer advice on job search strategies, marketing your strengths and targeting the best opportunities for summer work. Career Development and Experiential Learning is located on the fourth floor of the University Centre in UC4002 and is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. [back to top]
GIVING AND GETTING BACK -THROUGH VOLUNTEERING Work does not have to be paid to make it a satisfying and valuable experience. The team at the Student Volunteer Bureau at Memorial can offer you many reasons for volunteering with an on-campus or community group. Here are some of them: *Personally: Because it...* Makes you feel helpful and needed Broadens your social network of friends Builds character Assists with skill development (leadership, communication, team building etc.) Gives you a greater understanding of civic responsibility Builds self-esteem and confidence Makes you appreciate community diversity Is a great learning experience Professionally: Because it... Offers excellent job experience Looks great on a resume Provides professional reference options Broadens your employment contacts Gives you experience for your career portfolio Helps you learn about how boards and committees work Teaches you about career opportunities in the non-profit sector [back to top]

Last Updated: March 5th, 2013