Tag Archives: Academic Advising

Get To Know A Major: Computer Science

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Computers are all the rage these days, aren’t they? You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t at least heard of Angry Birds, updated their Facebook status on a smart phone, or finished homework on a laptop computer down at the local coffee shop. So what better way to secure a solid career for yourself than to major in a field that won’t be going away any time soon?

According to Weber State University’s Computer Science website, “In 2010, the Wall Street Journal had computer-related careers occupying two of the top three positions in best jobs in America in terms of current demand, stress level and salary. Salaries are consistently in the top-10 ranges with ComputerWorld reporting 2010 base salaries at, for example, over $71,000 for programmer/analyst and over $88,000 for Software Engineer. Computer software engineers are among the occupations projected to grow the fastest and add the most new jobs over the 2008–18 decade, resulting in excellent job prospects. according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.”

A small disclaimer for some: there is a certain amount of math involved. But it looks like there’s also some really cool classes. Check these out: Introduction to Interactive Entertainment, Mobile Development for the iPhone, Computer Graphics, and Game Development. Sounds pretty fun, right?

5 Clues You Might Be A Computer Science Major:

  1. You’d rather deal with a computer bug than a real bug.
  2. You’ve embraced your nerdiness, but insist it’s the “cool” kind of nerd.
  3. You already know that this sentence is a <li> within an <ol>.
  4. You’re more comfortable writing code than you are writing sentences.
  5. 01010011 01101001 01101100 01101100 01111001 00100000 01101000 01110101 01101101 01100001 01101110 00101100 00100000 01100010 01101001 01101110 01100001 01110010 01111001 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01100110 01101111 01110010 00100000 01100011 01101111 01101101 01110000 01110101 01110100 01100101 01110010 01110011 00101110 00100000 01000010 01101100 01100101 01100101 01110000 00101101 01100010 01101100 01101111 01101111 01110000 00101101 01100010 01101100 01100101 01100101 01110000 00101110

Degrees / Programs Available:

  • Bachelor of Science (BS)—choose from one of three emphases:
  1. Software Engineering Emphasis
  2. Network Security and Administration Emphasis
  3. Customized Emphasis
  • Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Computer Science
  • Departmental Honors in Computer Science
  • Minor, Teaching Minor, or Bachelor of Integrated Studies (BIS) in Computer Science
  • Game Development Certificate

Career Opportunities:

From weber.edu/cs: “The computer industry continues to grow at a rapid pace, and currently the job outlook for our graduates is very high. In the spring of 2006, Money Magazine rated occupations across the nation based on job demand, salary and stress level and ‘Software Engineers’ rated as #1. A wonderful resource for learning the current job situation and salary information for any field is http://www.bls.gov/oco/.”

Advising / Contact:

If you are considering a degree in Computer Science, contact Richard Fry, the department advisor. You can self-schedule an appointment at http://WSUComputerScience.clickbook.net, or call 801-626-7929 to make an appointment.

For more information about the Computer Science department, visit weber.edu/cs.

(Don’t know binary code? Convert it here.)

How to: Using the Credit Transfer Guide

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Welcome wayward soul…

So let’s say that before you attended Weber State University you attended another college. Maybe you’re thinking about transferring from a Utah college, or you’re coming from an out of state college, or maybe you’re on the run from the police. Wherever you are coming from, you can help you find out how your credits will transfer.

So of course you’re wondering, “Will they accept PE 1538  Yurt Camping from Utah State University, Zombies in Popular Media from Columbia College Chicago, or PHIL 180 Philosophy and Star Trek from Georgetown University. Rest at ease because we’ll walk you through the process to figure out how your credits will transfer.

Using the Transfer Guide

To make things easier for you Weber State has made the user friendly Transfer Guide (for both students and non students) so you can find out how your courses will transfer to WSU. To use the guide, search for your school (Utah colleges are listed first and then everything else is in alphabetical order). Then after you find your institution, click submit and search by transfer subject. Scroll down to find the class number and the WSU equivalent will be listed to the right of the course. If you see a number followed by three Xs (i.e. 1XXX) for the WSU equivalent. This means we do not teach an equivalent course at WSU. You will receive credit for the course but it will be counted as elective credit. Other courses that do transfer will give you the course title and number. For example, BIOL 101 from UVU will transfer to WSU as ZOOL 1010 LS Animal Biology.

What if my course isn’t on the Transfer Guide?

If you cannot find your course in the Transfer Guide, the course probably has not been reviewed by the department. To have your course reviewed just submit an Equivalency Review Request and the rest will be taken care of.

Still confused?

Call the Admissions Office at 801-626-6743, email them at admissions@weber.edu, or stop by the Student Service Center, 2nd floor room 201. The admissions office will help you, they do this all the time so don’t hesitate to contact them.

 

 

TAKE IT FROM A RECENT GRAD: BEST GEN–EDS

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Registering for classes

Look familiar?

As everyone knows, picking general education courses is somewhat akin to powering through a proverbial box of chocolates—you never really know what you’re going to get. What you expect to be the funnest class ever can sometimes turn out to be about as exciting as Math 1050, or vice versa. As a recent graduate, I feel it is my duty to impart to you some of my favorite* (valuable/interesting) general education classes, along with their credit type, pros/cons, and difficulty level.

 

1800s Soldier

Clint Eastwood, eat your heart out.

 

American Civilization

Course: History 1700
Credit Type: History / American Institutions

I’ve always been somewhat interested in history in general, but American history always seemed to lack the excitement and energy that European history has. However, American Civilization turned out to be a great class. I credit a lot of my positive experience to my professor, Dr. Gene A. Sessions, who always managed to present the history and tell stories in an exciting and unique way. He’s also hilarious, and makes each class wildly exciting and informative. I walked away from the class with a wealth of knowledge and a healthy respect for the history of this country.

Pros: Interesting and relevant subject matter taught by an amazing professor.
Cons: One of the few Breadth requirements, this class is always large and always full (currently, Dr. Sessions’ two History 1700 classes have a capacity of 150 students each)
Difficulty Level:

2.5 out of 5 rating

 

Sagitarius Constellation

That totally looks like a Sagitarius...right?

 

Elementary Astronomy

Course: Physics 1040
Credit Type: Physical Science / Scientific Inquiry

Who doesn’t love staring up at the stars? Well, welcome to Elementary Astronomy! The classroom itself is a state–of–the–art planetarium and has the most comfortable chairs on campus. I really loved this class because it was different in every way from the average classroom setting. It was also a blast to have my mind blown every class learning about stars, galaxies, black holes, relativity, the laws of physics, and anything else to do with outer space. My professor, John Armstrong, was an amazing teacher and a hilarious person. His passion for physics really made the class fun and exciting. Don’t get me wrong though, it is a fairly difficult class. There aren’t any prerequisites listed, but you would definitely be ahead if you have a handle on math and physics.

Pros: High–tech planetarium star shows and very interesting lectures.
Cons: Not a very easy class, especially if you struggle with math.
Difficulty Level:

3.5 out of 5

 

 

For more information on the Physics department, read my other blog article.

 

Delicious Salmon Meal

Omega–3's anyone?

 

Foundations in Nutrition

Course: Nutrition 1020
Credit Type: Life Science

Everyone knows that eating right is vital to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but it’s not always easy to know exactly what to eat, or why. Foundations in Nutrition is a great way to get educated in the complex world of healthy eating. This is one of those classes that I really was not excited about taking, but over the course of the semester I learned to really like it and appreciate everything I was learning. Taking a class like this, you can’t help but apply what you learned to your own life, which is important if you aren’t totally satisfied with your own health. Be aware that the class does involve some minor mathematical calculations (regarding numbers and percentages on a nutrition label) and a good amount of traditional homework and studying.

Pros: Lots of valuable, life–changing information to be learned
Cons: Unless you’re a health nut, it probably won’t be the most exciting class you’ve ever taken.
Difficulty Level:

2.5 out of 5 rating

 

 

 

*Remember that this is all my own opinion and comes directly from my own experiences. You may not feel the same way about these classes and if you’re hesitant, contact an adviser to help you out. Good luck!

 

Step 8—Use support services:
A Step-by-Step Guide for Returning Students

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Step 8: Use support services

First-Year Experience

If you’re new to the whole college thing, be sure to check out the First-Year Experience Program (FYE). This program includes a three-credit class (EDUC 1105-Introduction to the University) designed to help with your transition to the college experience. Improve your academic skills, explore majors and become familiar with campus resources. The class is offered at both WSU Ogden and WSU Davis.

Services for returning students

WSU offers a wide variety of programs and services for our diverse student population. Whether you’re just looking for a quiet place to study or you need a place to drop off the kids while you’re in class, there are dozens of services throughout campus that can help. Take a look at the list below to see what services may  be helpful to you.
Here is a list of important offices sorted by campus location.

WSU Ogden

Bookstore

Shepherd Union Building, Rm. 101
801-626-6352

Testing Center

Student Services Bldg. Rm. 262
801-626-6803

Advising

Student Services Bldg., Rm. 140
Student Success Center
801-626-6752 (option 5)

Financial Aid and Scholarship Office

Student Services Bldg, Rm.120
801-626-7569

Multicultural Student Center

Student Services Bldg, Rm. 150
801-626-7333

Nontraditional Student Center

Shepherd Union Bldg, Rm. 322
801-626-7794

Veteran Services

Student Services Bldg, Rm. 154
801-626-6039

Student Support Services

Student Services Bldg, Rm. 265
801-626-7009

Women’s Center

Shepherd Union Bldg, Rm. 322
801-626-6090

Registration Help—Online

Lampros Hall
Computing Support, Rm. 218
801-626-7777

Registration Help—In person

Student Services Bldg
Registrar’s Solution Center,
Rm. 101
801-626-6100

Parking

Annex 5 (South end of campus)
801-626-6533

Wildcard/ UTA ed pass

Shepherd Union Bldg.
Information Desk
801-626-6367

 

WSU Davis

Testing Center

Rm. 215
801-395-3495

Advising

Enrollment Services: 801-395-3480

Bookstore

Rm. 201
801-395-3487

Services for Nontraditional Students

Rm. 260

(801) 395-3514

Services for Multicultural Students

Rm. 260

(801) 395-3514

Services for Women Students

Rm. 260

(801) 395-3514

Registration—in person

Rm. 241
801-395-3480

Parking

Bookstore, Rm. 201
801-395-3487

Wildcard/UTA ED pass

Student Services (2nd Floor)
801-395-3460

 

WSU West Center

Testing Center

801-689-4007

Advising

Enrollment Advisor: 801-626-7362 or 626-8975

Registration—in person

801-626-8975

You made it! Congratulations! You successfully went through steps one, two, three,  four,  five, six, seven and eight!

Step 6—Register for classes:
A Step-by-Step Guide for Returning Students

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Step 6: Register for classes

From Art to Zoology, WSU has something for everyone. If you’re all set to take classes next semester, you can check out the current course listings. Check out the course catalog to see  what classes you should take for your major and minor. You can also review general education requirements.

Register for classes

  • Log into eWeber at weber.edu
  • Click on the “Student Services” tab
  • Click “Register (Add/Drop)” and then select the term for which you want to register from the drop-down menu.
  • Click on “Class Search” for a search tool to help you find your classes.
  • Follow the prompts to select the classes you want.

Registration start dates are listed under the “Student Services” tab.

BONUS: Guess this movie for a prize. Tell me the trick at the end of this movie for an even better prize.

Now just to make sure, we’ve all read step one, step two, step three, step four, step five, and step six? Ok good, onto step seven.

Step 5—Talk with an advisor:
A Step-by-Step Guide for Returning Students

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Step 5: Talk with an Advisor

Schedule an appointment with an academic advisor to navigate the more than 230 certificate and degree programs that Weber State offers. An advisor can also help you pick out classes that will work with your schedule and tell you about student resources that may be helpful. This listing breaks down the advisors by college and program, so it’s easy to find one for your area of study.

If you have been to college before…

You can log on to our online advising tool, CatTracks, to see how your credits will apply to a degree.

If you already know what you want to study…

Talk to the advisor for your program.

If you are undecided or a general studies student…

You can schedule an appointment with an advisor at Ogden or Davis campus, or at the West Center.

If you are unable to find your major or program advisor online…

Call the Student Success Center to be referred to the appropriate advisor: 801-626-6752 (option 5).

 

If you’re new here, be sure to check out Step 1, Step 2, Step 3 and Step 4…

 

Now onto Step 6.

Step 2—Apply for Admission:
A Step-by-Step Guide for Returning Students

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Step 2: Apply for Admission

Once you’ve familiarized yourself with Weber State University (see Step 1), your next step is to apply for admission.

Your best bet is to apply online, you don’t have to make a special trip to campus for this step. But there are few things you should keep in mind:

If you have not attended WSU before…

You’ll need to submit an admissions application, a $30 fee and official high school transcripts or GED scores.

If you have completed some college…

You’ll also need official transcripts from all colleges you have previously attended. Call the records office at your previous school and have them send your official transcript to:
Weber State University
Admissions Office
1137 University Circle
Ogden, UT 84408-1137

If you have not attended any other school since you last attended WSU…

You can update your student record online and then register for classes. Check out these detailed instructions on how to do it.

 

“But I don’t even know if I can afford to go to school yet!”

Relax, this is a very common concern. The only thing you have to pay at this point is the $30 application fee and once you’re in the system, you’re golden. You’ll be able to get academic and financial aid advising once you’ve been accepted. You’ll also receive updates on approaching deadlines.

…which leads us to Step 3…

Get To Know A Major: Physics

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More than just the study of falling fruit.

When you see an apple falling from the tree, does it make you ponder the wonders of science or do you just feel guilty about not eating any fruit today? For Isaac Newton, it was definitely the former (he was renown for his fruit consumption).

The Physics department at Weber State University is a great place to learn exactly why the apple falls the way it does (hint: it starts with a G). You’ll also learn about astronomy, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, optics, and other brain-boggling fields. Then, in the end, you’ll learn that (SPOILER ALERT) all these seemingly disparate fields are closely related to each other! Wow!

Indoor star gazing.

The best part about the Physics department? They have their own planetarium! (The Ott Planetarium is where the astronomy classes are taught, but they also offer free star shows to the public and make it available for reservations. More about the planetarium here.) Best classroom ever? Yep. So if you’re curious about the physical world around you, get your celestial body into a class and open your mind up to some really nerdy stuff (in a cool way).

5 Clues You Might Be A Physics Major:

 

1)   Raising kids taught you that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
2)   You spend your days trying to conserve energy and power.
3)   You constantly refer to your car as an “object in motion.”
4)   You understand that string theory has nothing to do with clothes.
5)   To you, we are all nothing more than beautifully choreographed dances of electrons and protons, skirting our way through the universe on heavenly beds of mathematics, as surely as Europa orbits Jupiter and ?Fa,b = –?Fa,b .

Degrees / Programs Available:

Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts (BS or BA)

  • Physics
  • Applied Physics
  • Physics Teaching
  • Physical Science Composite Teaching

Minor

  • Physics
  • Physics Teaching

Career Opportunities:

Physics majors can be accepted into industrial and technological fields such as aerospace, electronics, and software design. Plus, starting salaries range from $40,000 to $65,000, depending on the position.

Advising / Contact:

 

1) For the Physics Major/Minor or the Applied Physics Major

  • Advisor:  Dr. Brad Carroll, department chair
  • Contact info:  Room SL 202C, phone (801) 626–7921, e–mail: bcarroll@weber.edu

2) For the Physics Teaching Major/Minor or the Physical Science Composite Teaching Major

  • Advisor:  Dr. Adam Johnston
  • Contact info:  Room SL 207, phone (801) 626–7711, e–mail: ajohnston@weber.edu

For more information, visit the Physics Department website.

Get To Know A Major: Visual Arts

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You know, not all schoolwork involves crunching numbers and pouring through dense textbooks every night. It can be fun, too. In the Department of Visual Arts (DOVA), you are encouraged to express yourself and harness your own creative problem–solving abilities. While in the art department, you’ll experience painting (Picasso never worried about paint on his clothes, why should you?), photography, drawing (but if naked bodies freak you out, stay far away from Figure Drawing), graphic design, art history, ceramics and many other disciplines.

The Department of Visual Arts (DOVA) is housed in a new, state–of–the–art (pun fully intended!) facility, is ran by experienced professors (all of whom are practicing artists), and provides a great opportunity to work hard, get creative, and release some of that pent up energy and frustration (thanks boss!).

5 Clues You Might Be An Art Major:

1)   You are the foremost expert in macaroni art.
2)   Thanks to the kids, your fridge is now an art gallery, and you are its curator.
3)   You reward yourself by watching Bob Ross on TV during the day.
4)   You wish scrap–booking could be a career.
5)   You marvel at the inherit beauty of a perfectly engineered tower of dirty dishes in the kitchen sink, and are moved as warm tap water slowly and elegantly cascades from the crowning Sippy cup, down and around the abundance of mucky utensils, and into the pedestal–like cereal bowl which, though still half–full, glistens a pale pink, colored by the presence of soggy marshmallows… or something like that.

Degrees / Programs Available:

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA):

  • Art Teaching—provides a depth of knowledge for prospective art teachers
  • 2D Media—for artists interested in painting, drawing, or printmaking
  • 3D Media—for artists interested in ceramics, sculpture, or small metals/jewelry
  • Photography—provides technical and artistic expertise in both digital and analog imaging
  • Visual Communication—for artists interested in the graphic design profession

Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts (BS or BA)

  • Art Teaching Composite (requires a teaching minor)—for prospective teachers who feel they might need a greater breadth (as opposed to depth) of knowledge
  • General Art—a generalized education that focuses on foundations and provides more breadth of knowledge

For more information about Visual Arts degrees, visit the DOVA website below.

Career Opportunities:

Depending on your chosen program, visual art majors can be employed as self–sustaining artists, professional photographers, graphic and web designers, arts administrators, teachers, and many more.

Advising / Contact:

For those students interested in studying in the Department of Visual Arts, consult with Outreach Coordinator/Advisor Lydia Gravis at lydiagravis@weber.edu or (801) 626–7689.

Dova.weber.edu
DOVA on Facebook
DOVA on Twitter

“Don’t come to the appointment high on drugs” Tips from an Academic Advisor

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Seth Wilhelmsen is a general studies advisor at the Davis Campus.  He has answered thousands of questions and helped all kinds of students.  He offers a few kernels of wisdom for potential students.

Schedule an appointment

Ok, so you’ve got two options.

If you already know what you want to study: You’ll need to find your specific college advisor and their contact information at this website. Once you find your appropriate advisor, give them a call or send them an email.

If you don’t know exactly what you want to major in: You can meet with a general studies advisor by calling the Student Success Center at 801-626-6752 (Ogden campus) or 801-395-3480 (Davis Campus).

Once you get a hold of an advisor, make sure you have your W# ready and be prepared to schedule an appointment. If you can’t make it to regular advisor hours, special evening appointments are available by request.

Get to know your advisor

An academic advisor is the person who is going to help you pick out classes, and help you get started at Weber State. “We will talk about WSU’s campus resources that are available and if there are concerns or specific resources they need such as, tutoring, non-trad or disability,” says Wilhelmsen.  You should take the time to work with your advisor because they are an invaluable tool for returning students.

Be prepared

Your advisor is going to know the requirements for your degree and major, so don’t be afraid to go into detail about what you want to accomplish and how you want to do it. They can also give you information about different class options so you can come up with a schedule that works best for you.

Don’t show up chemically impaired

Wilhelmsen gets a lot of strange questions as an advisor, and most of the time he’s very helpful. I asked him about some of his strangest experiences and after a long pause he said “Don’t come to the appointment high on drugs.” Which, really, is good advice for all of us.