University College consists of the following programs and services:

General Education Program  www.generaleducation.appstate.edu

The basis of an Appalachian education is the General Education Program.  Through its interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning, students learn to adapt to new environments, integrate knowledge from diverse sources and continue learning throughout their lives. The General Education Program draws on nationally identified best educational practices, as well as what employers say they want from today’s graduates.

The General Education Program has four goals: thinking critically and creatively, communicating effectively, making local to global connections, and understanding responsibilities of community membership.

Beginning with the First Year Seminar, the General Education Program accounts for 44 semester hours of a student’s degree program. A total of 29 hours come from the program’s four integrated units called Perspectives – Aesthetic, Historical and Social, Local to Global, and Science Inquiry – with rotating themes from which students select their courses.

The program also includes writing courses at the freshman, sophomore and junior level; quantitative literacy courses to develop reasoning and numerical skills; and a wellness literacy requirement to enhance students’ knowledge and management of their personal health in all its dimensions.  The General Education Program also incorporates an information communication technology literacy requirement as well as a Senior Capstone Experience in a student’s major.

First Year Seminar  www.firstyearseminar.appstate.edu

First Year Seminar is the introductory course in the General Education Program. Required of all new students, these seminars help students integrate knowledge and bridge concepts across academic disciplines through an interdisciplinary approach. These small classes are taught by experienced faculty who are committed to helping freshmen successfully transition from high school to college by developing creative and critical thinking abilities, cultivating effective communication skills, and introducing students to a variety of research tools and methods.

Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)  www.wac.appstate.edu

In support of Appalachian’s writing requirements in the General Education Program, consultants from the Writing Across the Curriculum Program work closely with faculty members and the University Writing Center to incorporate the teaching of writing into course and assignment design. They also help develop effective means for faculty and writing center staff to discuss, respond to, and evaluate student writing in all disciplines.

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Academic Support Services

Orientation www.orientation.appstate.edu

Orientation helps new students explore Appalachian's academic and social opportunities and make a smooth transition to life on campus. During summer orientation, academic advisors assist entering students in choosing courses and planning a program of study. Students also have opportunities to meet professors and get to know other students. All new students – freshmen and transfers – are required to attend.

Advising www.advising.appstate.edu

Academic advisors help students select appropriate classes, understand academic policies, and plan a course of study based on individual interests, skills, and talents.  Each new student is advised by a professional advisor in the University College advising office until he or she enters a major degree program. The advising office provides additional services for students interested in health professions and students in University College degree programs. 

Learning Assistance Program  www.lap.appstate.edu

The Learning Assistance Program (LAP) provides tutoring in introductory level courses, supplemental instruction, and courses and consultations to enhance students learning skills. LAP also works with special populations of students – such as modest-income and/or first generation college students, as well as student-athletes – to provide a comprehensive support system that maximizes academic success.

University Writing Center  www.writingcenter.appstate.edu

The University Writing Center offers free services on a variety of projects: papers for academic courses; master’s and senior thesis chapters; personal essays for job, graduate school, and law school applications; and creative writing projects. The staff works with writers at any stage of the writing process, from inventing topics to editing sentences.

Office of Testing Services  www.testing.appstate.edu

The Office of Testing Services is certified by Educational Testing Service, Pearson VUE, and several private boards to coordinate the administration of more than 15 different standardized testing programs in both computer-based and paper-and-pencil formats. Exams for licensure, certification and academic admissions are administered throughout the year.

University Documentary Services  www.doc.appstate.edu

The mission of the University Documentary Services (UDS) is to encourage students, staff and faculty to engage in short scholarly documentary projects and support their efforts.  Specifically the UDS coordinates existing documentary efforts and resources on campus; provides information and support for producing documentaries; offers classroom instruction and workshops about basic documentary skills; as well as archives and disseminate campus documentary projects.

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Interdisciplinary Degree Programs

University College awards undergraduate degrees in five interdisciplinary areas. They are:

Appalachian Studies, B.A. and M.A.  www.appstudies.appstate.edu

Appalachian Studies provides an interdisciplinary opportunity to study the Appalachian region through social and biological sciences, humanities, aesthetic culture and applied arts.  Students experience local communities, make international connections, and learn theories and methods appropriate to their area of focus.  The Center for Appalachian Studies offers a wide range of outreach and research activities.

Global Studies, B.A.  www.globalstudies.appstate.edu

Students build a foundation for understanding the global aspects of international issues, develop tools for considering such issues from a variety of perspectives, and then focus on one of many possible fields in global studies.  Those fields may include Asian Studies, Latin American Studies, Middle Eastern Studies and German Studies. The program also includes opportunities for advanced language study and study abroad.

Interdisciplinary Studies, B.A.  www.ids.appstate.edu

Students work closely with faculty mentors to design majors that coherently integrate different areas of study, taking one of six concentrations. In the Individually Designed concentration, students work with their advisors to create individual plans that will meet their academic goals. Additional concentrations are available in American Studies, Environmental Policy and Planning, Internet Studies, Labor Studies, and Liberal Studies: Modern Period. A common core of courses helps students connect the history and formation of interdisciplinary fields of knowledge and practice to their own courses of study.

Sustainable Development, B.A. and B.S.   www.susdev.appstate.edu

Through interdisciplinary study in the natural, agricultural and social sciences as well as the arts and humanities, students prepare to promote equitable economic and social development, while conserving natural resources and encouraging cultural diversity. The B.A. offers students broad exposure in a liberal arts context, while the B.S. offers a more concentrated pre-professional focus in three specialized areas. The Goodnight Family Sustainable Development Program also offers outreach and research opportunities to students and faculty and operates a teaching and research farm.

Women’s Studies, B.A. and Graduate Certificate  www.ws.appstate.edu

By means of interdisciplinary and cross-cultural analyses, degrees in women's studies broaden student knowledge about women's and gender issues in history, society, literature, the arts, technology, culture, and the academy itself.  Women's studies employs historic and contemporary materials, and a variety of methodologies – both theoretical and practical.

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Co-Curricular Programming and Support

Service-Learning www.act.appstate.edu

Service-learning is a progressive teaching method used by faculty in many disciplines. It links the educational goals of a course to relevant community service activities, and includes structured reflection within the classroom. This increases students' understanding of both course content as well as its impact on real communities. With social justice at its philosophical root, service-learning naturally combines the life of the mind with habits of the heart.

Office of Student Research  www.osr.appstate.edu

Appalachian values undergraduate research, because students who understand how discoveries are made in their chosen field are well-prepared to address unsolved problems in the future. The Office of Student Research supports research opportunities with a variety of resources, including financial assistance. The quality of research at Appalachian is high, with students frequently presenting their findings at professional meetings across the country.

Summer Reading Program  www.summerreading.appstate.edu

Since 1997, Appalachian’s first-year students have read a common book as part of their orientation to university life. By participating in the Summer Reading Program, you will share a common experience with other new students that contributes to a sense of community in your new environment and introduces you to Appalachian’s academic life.

Forum Lecture Series  www.universityforum.appstate.edu

The University Forum Lecture series brings distinguished speakers to campus to promote the exchange of ideas. Sometimes challenging, sometimes controversial, the speakers enliven campus dialogue. They bring awareness to issues of concern in society and help students think critically about those issues.

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Residential Learning Communities

Heltzer Honors Program  www.honors.appstate.edu

High achieving students who are in the top 5 to 10 percent of their graduating senior class may wish to apply to participate in Appalachian’s Heltzer Honors Program. Its challenging curriculum is designed especially for students who demonstrate a high level of promise and motivation. Honors courses are frequently conducted in small groups to discuss readings, exchange ideas, debate, and share results of individual study and research.

Watauga Global Community  www.wataugaglobal.appstate.edu

This collaborative, residential learning community includes interactive classroom learning, co-curricular activities, residence hall experiences, and multicultural immersion. An atmosphere of discovery leads to an awareness and understanding of local issues and their connections with significant global issues, blending academic accomplishments with an understanding of the responsibilities of community membership.