Fall Gen Ed Courses: RLST104: Asian Mythology and RLST283: Jewish Sacred Literature

It's been brought to my attention that these two Religious Studies courses are both still available for the fall. Both are gen eds:

• RLST 104: Asian Mythology - fulfills a Historical and Philosophical Perspective as well as a Non-Western
• RLST 283: Jewish Sacred Literature - fulfills a Literature and the Arts

Fall Course Option: AGED100 Intro to Ag and Leadership Ed

This is an interesting course for a number of reasons. Check it out if you're:

• Looking for a course on leadership
• Looking for an opportunity to learn about education
• Interested in the Agricultural and Environmental Education major
• Looking for a 2-hour course to round out your schedule

You can read more about this course here: https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/dmurph/www/index_files/Fall%202011%20Courses/AGED%20100%20Fall%2011Flyer.pdf

Research Opportunity

Here's a way to get involved in some research on childhood obesity. This could be a valuable experience for those interested in: Scientific research, childhood obesity, careers in healthcare.


STRONG Kids:  Fall 2011-Spring 2012
2011
 The STRONG Kids research program is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to the study of childhood obesity and health.  The program is currently recruiting 
students to assist with data collection during the Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 semester!
This opportunity will provide students with a first-hand experience working as part of a research team as well as to help them develop a working knowledge of the theory and applications of trans-disciplinary research used to guide the STRONG Kids research program.  
Students will also attend class once a week and earn course credit!!!
 You are eligible to participate if you :
• Have Soph., Junior or Senior standing for Fall 2011; 
• Are available at least one morning per week from 8:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.; 
• Are able to attend a lab meeting every other week on Tuesdays from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. 
For an application please visit: 
http://familyresiliency.illinois.edu/SKUnderResearch.htm
Visit http://go.illinois.edu/frcstudents to learn more about:
• The STRONG Kids research program
• STRONG Kids research sub-projects
• A list of project investigators and their affiliation(s)
• FRC Undergraduate Research Program
• Examples of research activities

Math Gen Ed Options

One of the math advisors was nice enough to pass along these blurbs about two math gen ed (quantitative reasoning) options available for the fall. If you are preparing for a major that does NOT have specific math requirements (email me to confirm) then you could consider:

• Math 181, A Mathematical World, is a Quant 1 course that is suitable for students who will not need to take calculus. The recommended ALEKS Math Placement score for the course is 30%; there are many seats available and more will likely be opened throughout the summer
• Math 124, Finite Mathematics, is another Quant 1  course that will be opened to students outside of ACES next week. The recommended ALEKS Math Placement score for the course is 50%. The available seats are in a blended format: half in lecture and half on-line, which can help fit the course into a busy schedule.

Psychology Study

Participants needed for psychology study
Young adult participants (ages 18-30) are needed for a computer-based study. Participation will involve four one-hour sessions over one to three weeks. You will be paid $10/hour upon completion of eachsession (about $40 total). For more information, contact Anya atknecht2 -at- illinois.edu.
http://www.beckman.illinois.edu/index.aspx

New Law-Related Course for Fall

I just got word about a new law-related course for the fall. Here's the blurb I received:

LER 290 “Introduction to Employment Law.”   You can find the syllabus at:  http://www.ler.illinois.edu/labor/LEPcourse_listings.html 
Planning on going to law school? 
Or maybe working in a human resources department? 
Or working for the Department of Labor or for a union? 
Or running your own business? 
Then you really need to know the information taught in this course. There are no prerequisites for taking LER 290, although it is recommended that students first take LER 100 “Introduction to Labor Studies.” 
The course is taught by Prof. Maggie Cohen, who has both a law degree and a Ph.D., and is a labor activist, labor scholar, law professor, and labor studies professor. 
Like all GLS courses, it is taught as an online seminar. Here is the formal course description: 
This course addresses and critiques the content, interpretation, and applications of the laws that govern employer-employee relations in the American workplace.  It will explore the historical sources, underlying ideology, and current content of anti-discrimination and civil rights laws, of laws that seek to guarantee a safe and healthy workplace for all Americans, of laws that guarantee minimum wages and overtime pay, of legal protections of privacy on the job, of unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation laws, and of laws that guarantee workers the right to collective action and collective bargaining.

DGS College Welcome Event

I just received word that our first-ever DGS College Welcome event has been scheduled! It will be held from 2-5PM on August 19, 2011, in Foellinger Hall. More details to follow! Welcome to DGS!

Career Center Updates

The Career Center (http://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/) continues to offer services to students even through the summer. Here's an update they just sent out:

Drop-in Cancellations
General and Pre-Health Drop-ins are cancelled for Wednesday, June 8, Thursday, June 9, and Friday, June 17. Resume Reviews will still be available on these days. 


The Career Center Summer Services
The following services will be available over the summer (May 16 through August 19):
• Career Resource Center Hours: M-F 8:30-5pm
• Career Counseling or Pre-health Advising Appointments: M-F 9am-4pm (call or stop by to schedule an appointment)
• Career Consultant on Call (drop in for quick questions on job search, career/major exploration, resume/cover letters, grad school application): M-F 12-5pm
• Pre-health Drop-In Advising (drop in for quick questions on professional school application process, pre-requisite classes, preparation tips, and all things pre-health related): T, W, F 2:30-5pm
• Resume/Cover Letter Reviews: M-F 12-5pm
* Please note that The Career Center will be closed on Monday, May 30 and Monday, July 4 in observance of the holidays.

New Spanish Minor Requirements

The Spanish Minor has recently changed, the new requirements can be found at: https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/dmurph/www/index_files/spanishminor.pdf
If you haven't yet started the minor and want to learn more, you are highly encouraged to attend one of the Spanish informational sessions which will be held in the fall. Dates for these will be posted to the Spanish advisor's website in the near future: http://www.sip.illinois.edu/spanish/advising/

New Fall Gen Ed Option: AAS 258 Muslims in America

AAS285 Muslims in America has just been added to the fall schedule. This course fulfills a social science (SS) and US minority cultures (US) gen ed.

SOC396: Cyberspace and Social Relations

This special topics course has seats available for the fall. Should be interesting - I've never seen the word "panopticism" used in a course description before. Here's the blurb I received:

We will be studying the networks that constitute "cyberspace" and the ways that they are embedded in the older worlds of "meatspace." We will address such topics as social networking, virtual reality,  panopticism, anonymity and accountability, identity construction, intellectual property regimes, electronic  democracy, telecommuting, digital divides, distributed knowledge, and online learning. Most of our  texts/materials will themselves be available online, though interested students may want to get paper copies of Lessig's _Code_v2.0_ and Rheingold's _Virtual_Community_. 

GLBL100 for Summer & Fall: Now a Gen Ed!

The Global Studies program coordinator wanted me to pass along these two exciting facts about GLBL100 Intro to Global Studies:

1. Seats are still available for both the summer and fall
2. GLBL100 is now a social science (SS) gen ed!

Here's the blurb they sent me:

This course is great for any student interested in developing a strong foundation in global issues as well as learning to navigate information and resources related to these issues. Topics of the course include: processes of globalization, indicators of economic and social development, sustainable development issues, global and geo-politics, cultural integration/coherence and diversity.

PSYC100 to be Offered Online this Fall

PSYC100 Intro Psych will be offered in an online format this fall. The department specifically does NOT recommend that first-time freshmen take this section. This course fulfills a behavioral science (BS) gen ed. Here's an additional blurb about this section that the psyc department wants prospective students to know:

All course content is delivered online, but a few components in the fall semester will be on-campus:

 -       Students will be required to attend a one-hour orientation meeting

on either Sunday, August 21 or Monday, August 22

 -       The midterm exam and the final exam will be taken in person

 -       Students will participate in 6 hours of subject pool experiments

(same as other sections of PSYC 100)

Summer Gen Ed Course: AAS100 Intro Asian American Studies

This course still had seats available as of Wednesday morning in its "2A" summer section. It fulfills social science and US minority cultures requirements. I didn't get a blurb, so you'll have to check the catalog description here: http://courses.illinois.edu/cis/2011/summer/schedule/all/AAS/100.html?skinId=2169

Fall Gen Ed Course: MCB180 Human Reproduction & Society

I was recently notified that this course still has some seats available for the fall. It's a life science (LS) gen ed. This course might be a good option for those interested in a healthcare career - although of course you'll most likely fulfill this gen ed category with other, required, coursework. Here's the blurb I was sent:

MCB 180, Human Reproduction & Society

Credit: 3 hours.

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for a Life Sciences course.

Lectures and discussions on topics in human reproduction where technological and clinical advances are having economic, social, and ethical consequences.

Past students have given the course good feedback and the instructor is very enthusiastic.

Internship Opportunity in Cinema Marketing

I received a flyer regarding an internship opportunity. I don't know anything about it other than what I received: https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/dmurph/www/index_files/facetsinternship.pdf
As usual, I don't personally endorse opportunities like this which are outside the university - it's up to you to investigate and determine whether this is a good choice for you. Since this is a career-related matter, you could consult with our Career Center to get another opinion!

Majors and Minors Fair

The Majors and Minors Fair is an opportunity for students to meet with representatives from many of the majors from across campus. Talk with advisors and faculty about what their program can offer you, and how you can prepare to transfer. Here are the details:

Majors and Minors Fair 2011

Wednesday, September 28^th

2 – 4pm

Illini Union Rooms ABC

Proficiency Exam Subjects & Dates for Fall

Dates, locations, subjects: A synopsis of each proficiency exam for the fall is now available at: https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/dmurph/www/index_files/Proficiencyexams2011.pdf
Exams are available in the following subjects:

• Calculus
• Chemistry
• Languages other than English
• ESL (English as a Second Language) for international students
• Psychology
• Physics

Note that not all exams are available to all students. And even when available, not all exams are even a good idea for all students. If you plan on going on to higher-level courses in a given subject, testing out of the intro course might leave you struggling later on. More rules and info on exams is at http://cte.illinois.edu/testing/placprof/main.html

Questions about whether a proficiency exam is a good idea for you? Ask your advisor (me)!

New Fall Gen Ed Option: AIS 285 Indigenous Thinkers

Here's the blurb I just got about a new course that was just added to the fall schedule. It's a gen ed (HP, NW).

AIS 285: Indigenous Thinkers. MW 4-5:15

This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for a Hist&Philosoph Perspect, and Non-Western Cultures course.

An introduction to the English-language traditions of indigenous intellectuals. Specific topics vary. May be repeated in the same term to a maximum of 6 hours. May be repeated in subsequent terms to a maximum of 9 hours. 

Summer course for those interested in working with children: CI260 Serving the Child and Family in Urban Schools/Community

I just received word about this summer course opportunity for those exploring a possible career working with children. It's not just for those interested in education - if you see working with children in your future in any capacity, such as counseling, pediatric care, etc., then this might be a good opportunity. Here's the blurb they sent me:

C&I 260:  Serving the Child and Family in Urban Schools/Community

Credit: 2 Hours; 4 Hours of Graduate Credit Upon Arrangement

Dates:  June 13-August 4

Time:   9:00–10:50 a.m., Monday & Wednesday

This community engagement course is designed for students interested in working with children (birth through high school), careers serving children, and/or parenthood. The focus for this course will be families and communities in the urban environment.  A minimum of 30 hours will be spent as part of an approved community activity in a partnering neighborhood in Chicago. Class content focuses on relating to children, motivating and engaging children in learning, community institutions and agencies serving children, and social issues affecting the lives of American children today. Particular focus of the community placement will be on diverse, immigrant families and children, understanding assets, risks and resilience.  Graduate level credit will require an additional assignment or extended research focus in the community activity and will need to be discussed with the instructors.

College of Education Summer Transfer Period

The College of Education just announced that they've opened up a summer transfer period, now through June 17th. This is a new development - previously, it was only possible to transfer to Education in the spring semester. To learn more, or to apply, go to: http://education.illinois.edu/programs/ed_major_appl.html