USD New Student Orientation
Welcome to the College Meeting
for the University Studies
Division!
We’re glad you’re here!
During this presentation, please follow
along in your USD Orientation Handbook
Please stop me at any time
during this presentation if you
have any questions!
Arthur L. “Larry” Lawrence,
USD advisor
I am one of several full-time
advisors in the University Studies
Division/Academic Advising
Center. We see students on a
walk-in basis in room 320Student Service Center (713-7438982) No appointment is
necessary.
We think that you made an
excellent decision in choosing to
come to Orientation.
In getting to know the university,
its policies & procedures,
advisors, the campus, and
services offered, you’ll be much
more prepared to begin your
college career
by August 21st . . .
“I wish they’d all come
to Orientation!”
And ...welcome to the
University Studies Division!
You’ll often hear us referred to as “USD”.
Students are USD majors if their major is undecided
Although we’re not a degree-granting
“college”, we are the primary resource and
support for:
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Students who have not yet declared a major
Students on Academic Notice
Pre-health professional students
Prospective students
Adult Admission Option students
TASP screening and advising
University of Houston
Academic Regulations
 Classification
Freshman
0-29 semester hours
Sophomore
30-59 semester hours
Junior
60-89 semester hours
Senior
90 or more semester hours
 Maximum Course Load
Freshman
16 semester hours
Sophomore, Junior,
Senior, or Postbaccalaureate
18 semester hours
Student on Academic Notice
or Probation
12 semester hours
Recommended Course Load
Unlike high school, the vast majority of work done in your
college courses will be done outside of class.
This requires a significant time commitment on your part--you’ll
need to plan to spend 2 to 3 hours studying outside class
for every hour in class. That means if you’re taking 13
semester hours, you’re going to be in class about 13 hours a
week. Add 26 to that [13 x 2] and your time commitment
ends up being about 39 hours a week, or about the same
number of hours per week as needed for a full-time job.
Our very strong recommendation for a maximum full-time
course load for any first-time-in-college freshman is 13
semester hours. See the guidelines for maximum course
load on p. 6 of your Orientation Guide (item #2).
Ways to help maintain academic
success
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Budget your time
Balance work and school hours
Get to know your advisors
Get to know your instructors
Get off to a good start from the 1st class day
Use the facilities on campus for academic help
Read the catalog and class schedule
Check course prerequisites
If you want to be dropped from a course, it is your
responsibility to do so
Keep everything you get from the university!
Do not depend on satisfying degree requirements in the
summer
Getting help..….
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Counseling and Testing, 200 Student Service Center,
offers personal counseling and academic workshops in
study skills,
time management,
making the adjustment from high school to college, etc..
Learning Support Services, 321 Social Work, offers
tutoring in most subjects.
Math Lab, 272 PGH, provides help for lower level math
courses.
Career Planning and Placement, 100 Student Service
Center, offers Gayle’s Career Guide., a computer based
career search tool.
60- hour rule
By the time you have 60 semester hours, you must
declare a major. Begin thinking seriously about what
discipline you plan to major in by your third semester
(beginning of sophomore year, or when you have
earned approximately 30 hours).
To declare a major, you need to go to the department in
which your proposed major lies. That department will
then become your “home base” for advising, although
you are always welcome to come to the Academic
Advising Center for general advising questions. The
advisor in the department of your major will also do
your official degree plan for graduation.
Choosing a Major
You may already have a particular major in mind, or
you may be working toward pre-business or prehealth. But if you’re REALLY undecided about your
major, don’t panic! You have at least 2 semesters in
which to explore different majors, visit the various
colleges on campus, talk to advisors in colleges and
departments about their programs, to visit Career
Planning and Placement and, of course, the
University Studies Division/Academic Advising
Center, to help narrow your choices. Come talk to
an advisor in USD at least once per semester.
Graduation Requirements
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You will need at least 122 semester hours to receive a
baccalaureate degree. (Many majors and colleges require
more than this; check the catalog for your specific college
and major requirements.)
You must have a degree plan on file before you can
graduate. The degree plan is done by the advisor in the
department of your major no later than your junior year.
You must satisfy all requirements of the core curriculum in
addition to the requirements of your college and major.
You must satisfy the Writing Proficiency Requirement (see
p. 8 of the Orientation Guide)
You must apply for graduation through the Registrar’s
office by the stated deadline.
Do you plan to major in a
pre-health professions area?
Be sure to attend the Allied Health and
Pre-Health Professions Seminar
which will be held on Friday morning
from 8-9 a.m. Check your Orientation
Itinerary for the exact room location
in the University Center. You will be
given specific information about which
courses to take relative your particular
pre-health professions area.
A Reminder of the Minimum Grade Point
Average [GPA] Requirement:
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Students of all classifications must
maintain a cumulative (overall) GPA of
at least 2.00 to remain in good academic
standing.
Freshmen students who earn less than a
2.00 GPA in their 1st semester at UH are
placed on Academic Notice.
Grading: See p. 4 of your Orientation
Guide for an explanation of grades and
how to calculate the cumulative GPA
The Core Curriculum Path Sheet
The Core Curriculum is
required of students of all
majors and consists of 3 levels,
plus State-mandated and
University requirements.
Your Summer/Fall Class
Schedule has a complete list
of approved courses for the
Core Curriculum, starting on
p. 13
Total Core Curriculum hours: 56-64
semester hours
Please follow along on your Core Path Sheet and
p. 13 of Class Schedule.
Typical 1st-semester-freshman course
schedule for undeclared majors:
ENGL 1303
Composition I
--3 hours
 MATH 1310
College Algebra --3 hours
 PSYC 1300, SOC 2300, or other approved Social
Science core course
--3 hours
 HIST 1377 or 1378 (U.S. History), or
POLS 1336 or 1337 (Government) --3 hours
 PEB 1100 or PEB 11__ (activity)
--1 hour
TOTAL: 13 semester hours
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NOTE: if you have received advanced placement, dual
credit, etc., your schedule will vary from the above. Talk
to an advisor about your individual situation.
CORE 1201: A Gateway to the
Core Curriculum and Core Study
USD advisors teach this two-hour graded course that
will help you:
 define your educational goals,
 understand how the Core contributes to the
realization of these goals,
 become aware of campus resources to promote
your academic success, and
 learn strategies for academic success through
classroom exercises and assignments from Dave
Ellis’s excellent textbook Becoming a Master
Student.
Next Semester:
Looking Ahead
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Register early for next semester
Meet with your advisor before registration
Be prepared for your advising session
Be responsible for your academic future--you have
the primary responsibility for planning each
semester’s schedule and meeting graduation
requirements
If you find that you are in academic notice or
probation status after your first semester, take
immediate action. See your advisor right away to
discuss your academic difficulties
USD is on the World Wide
Web!
Next time you’re surfing the ‘Net,
visit the University Studies
Division’s Home Page at
http://www.uh.edu/academics/usd
The site contains lots of useful
information; check it out.
Advising Locations for Friday
All USD [undeclared] majors will meet
for advising tomorrow morning as a
group in the Fort Worth Room (2nd
floor, University Center) beginning at
10:00 a.m. We will begin with a brief
group overview, then see students
for individual advising. No appointment is necessary.
“True Colors” Workshop
From 11-12 tomorrow, Mr. Robert Winter
from Career Services will be presenting
the True Colors Workshop in the Bayou
City Room in the University Center. We
strongly encourage you to attend this
very useful workshop immediately after
you’ve been advised tomorrow morning.
It’s the first step in helping you choose a
major!
If you are in the Honors College-Go to the Honors College office (room
16-Library) at 5:00 p.m. today to sign
up for an advising appointment.
Advising for honors college students
will take place in room 16-L
tomorrow.
If you are in the Scholars
Community-Go to the Scholars Community office at 5
p.m. this afternoon to set up an advising
appointment for tomorrow morning. The
Scholars Community is located in
room 130-Law Hall; phone--743-0720.
Thanks for your attention!
OK . . . Do YOU have a question?
PLEASE feel free to ask it now!
We’re glad you came to Orientation. Come
visit us in room 320 of the Student
Service Center building (320-SSC) if
you ever have any questions or concerns
about academic issues. Our phone
number is 713-743-8982.
Level 1: English/Writing - 12 hours
(Prerequisite: TSWE score of 40+, ACTE
score of 19+, or TASP writing score of
240+)
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ENGL 1303 (Composition I)
ENGL 1304 (Composition ll)
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6 hours of 2000-Level Literature
(Choose courses from ENGL 23012311; see p. 15 of your Class
Schedule for more information)
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Level 1: Math/Reasoning - 6 hours
(prerequisite: SATT 900 (before 4/1/95) OR SATM 530 (after
41/195) OR ACTC 21 OR placement)
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MATH 1310 (College Algebra)
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Non-Sci Major
 Math 1313 or
 MATH 1314 or
 MATH 2311 or
 PHIL 1321
Sci/Engr Major
 Math 1330 then
 MATH 1431
(Note: Some degrees require additional and
specific Math courses; see your major advisor)
and………………...
Take the math placement exam if you want
to take a math course higher than MATH
1310 (College Algebra) but lack the
prerequisite course(s).
Level 2: Natural Sciences - 6 hours
Suggested Courses
Minimum Prerequisite: MATH 1310 Concurrent. SEE THE CLASS
SCHEDULE FOR ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES.
Non-Sci Major
 BIOL 1310; 1320
 CHEM 1301;1302
 GEOL 1330; 1376
 PHAR 2362
 PHYS 1305: 1306
Sci/Engr Major
 CHEM 1331-1332
 BIOL 1431; 1432
 PHYS 1301; 1302
 PHYS 1311; 1312
(calculus based)
(Note: Some degrees require additional and specific
Science courses; see your major advisor.)
Level 2: Social Sciences - 6 hours
Suggested Courses
(Minimum Prerequisite : Concurrent enrollment in ENGL 1303)
ANTH 1300 (INTRO)
 ANTH 2305 (CULTURAL)
 PSYC 1300 (INTRO)
 SOC 2300 (INTRO)
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----------------------------------------------------------------------(Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in MATH 1310)
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ECON 2304:2305 (MICRO: MACRO)
Level 2: Cultural Heritage - 6 hours
Suggested Courses
(Minimum Prerequisite: ENGL 1303. SEE THE CLASS
SCHEDULE FOR ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES. )
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ARTH 1380:1381 (Art History)
HIST 2351:2353 (Hist of Western Civ)
PHIL 1301 (Intro. to Philosophy)
PHIL 1305 (Intro. to Ethics)
THEA 1331 (Intro to the Theatre)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------(Prerequisites: ENGL 1304/MATH 1310)
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MUSI 3300:3301 (Music Masterworks; World Music)
THEA 3335:3336 (History of Theatre)
Level 2 Prerequisites
(Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Cultural Heritage)
You must have successfully
completed or be enrolled in
 ENGL 1303 (Composition I) or
 MATH 1310 (College Algebra)
to enroll in any Level 2 course of
the Core Curriculum.
(See the class schedule for
additional prerequisites.)
State Mandated: 12 hours
AMERICAN HISTORY
 HIST 1377 (BFR CIV WAR
 HIST 1378 (AFT CIV WAR)
GOVERNMENT
 POLS 1336 (TX GOVT)
 POLS 1337 (NATL GOVT)
(Enroll in one course per semester until
requirement is complete)
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University Requirement: Phys Ed - 2 hours
PEB 1101 plus PEB activity (your choice)
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Core Level 3: Knowledge Integration
6 sh selected from Level 3 courses or
Approved Minor (Note: See your major advisor.)
Advanced Course
Prerequisites
You must have completed
 ENGL 1304 and
 MATH 1310
to enroll in any 3000-4000 (I.e., junior senior) level course at the university.
(See the class schedule and the catalog
for additional prerequisites.)
Building a strong foundation...
English 1300
 Math 1300
 Reading 1300
Enroll in this courses if you do not
have placement scores or to build
your skills.
Hours earned in these courses are
counted in determining classification
but not in determining grade point
average.
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COURSE NUMBERING SYSTEM
Course Numbering: ENGL 1 3 0 3
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The first digit of the course number
indicates the level of the course (this is a
freshman-level course). Lower level =
1000 and 2000. Advanced coureswork =
3000 and 4000.
The second digit of the course number
indicates the number of semester credit
hours given for that course (this course
is worth 3 semester hours).
Looking ahead...
At the end of the fall semester, review your work-your study habits, note-taking skills, test-taking
skills, time management, etc. Did you
accomplish your academic goals for the
semester? Were your goals realistic? What
areas need improving? If the results of your
semester were below your expectations,
seriously consider utilizing the academic support
facilities on campus: