ESS 45: New Student Seminar (Fall 2018)

Class Information

Seminars:       Thurs 2-2.50p.m. in Croul Hall 3101

Instructors:    Julie Ferguson, julie.ferguson@uci.edu

Office Hours:  Mon 2-3p.m., Wed 9.30-10.30a.m., Thurs 10-11a.m., Fri 11-12 noon, or by appointment in Croul Hall 3313

Communication:        Please check your UCI e-mail address at least once every day for class announcements. I teach more than one class each quarter so, when sending e-mails, please include ESS 45 in the subject line and make sure to include your name and student number in the e-mail. I will answer e-mails within 48 hours.

Textbook:  No textbook required.

Restriction: New students only – freshman, transfer, and change of major into Earth System Science, Environmental Science, or Environmental Science and Policy.

Course Description

ESS 45 consists of presentations or discussions led by faculty, current UCI students, and staff, to provide information about the Earth System Science/Environmental Science/Environmental Science and Policy majors, campus resources, and special programs/opportunities. The course is designed to provide students who have recently joined these majors with an awareness of the department, school, and campus resources available to help them succeed.

Course Objectives

After completing this course you should:

• Be familiar with and able to utilize department, school, and campus resources.
• Be able to connect with instructors, teaching assistants, peers, and other members of the campus community.
• Understand the difference between the Earth System Science, Environmental Science, and Environmental Science and Policy majors and what career options they lead to
• Be able to connect the study of Earth System Science and Environmental Science and Policy with current events and/or recent scientific discoveries

Student Responsibilities

This is a Pass / No Pass class. The requirements to pass are listed below:

Seminar Attendance:

Students must attend 8 of the 10 sessions and participate fully to pass the class. If a student is more than 10 minutes late to a seminar this will count as an absence.

Assignments:

Completion of at least 6 of the 7 assignments over the quarter, including the group presentation assignment. Assignments will be graded on a 2 point scale and students must earn at least 1 point on each assignment to pass.

Note: There are no midterms or final exam!

Schedule

You can download a copy of the class schedule, including weekly seminar topics, assignments and due dates, from the “Files” section.