Making your freshman year a success
- Orientation
- Courses
- Computer purchases
- UMass pass
- Car on campus?
- Faculty advisors
- Not sure about your major?
- Finding help
- General education
Orientation
Orientation--two days during the summer and a four-day session right before classes start--provides information and advice about academics and college life. Orientation includes discussions on topics ranging from study skills to living with roommates. Older students, a key part of the orientation staff, can answer your questions from a "been there" perspective.
The orientation session for families provides programs on pertinent subjects such as financial aid and the issues that first-year students typically face.
Courses
The courses you'll take as a freshman depend on your decision about a major. If you've declared a specific major, you will be assigned the appropriate starting courses. Many first-year students take five courses, while others decide to take four.
All students take math and English courses. Placement tests taken before orientation help determine which course level is most appropriate.
Computer purchases
Computing and Information Technology Services (CITS) provides guidelines to assist students who plan to purchase a computer. Some colleges (Business, Visual & Performing Arts) also provide specific recommendations for laptops.
UMass Pass
Your UMass Pass is your all-purpose ID. It gives you access to your residence hall and other places such as the fitness center and the library (where you'll use it to borrow books and other materials). You can also open an account that lets you use the card rather than cash for purchases, and a number of area stores offer discounts to students with the pass.
Car on campus?
You can bring a car to campus as a freshman. All students with cars must register them with the Public Safety Department.
Faculty advisors
Every student has a member of the faculty who acts as his or her assigned advisor. A professor from your college is the ideal person with whom to discuss your choice of courses, career plans, the requirements for your degree, and any difficulties you're facing. You see your advisor before each semester for an okay on your class schedule.
Not sure about your major?
You're not alone. Many freshmen are uncertain about a major, so they enroll in our "social sciences/humanities unspecified" program. Your first-year courses will encompass a range of disciplines, giving you the opportunity and time to decide what field most appeals to you--then you select a specific major by your junior year. Support programs during the first year provide guidance about your plans for the future.
Getting help
There will be moments when you need advice about what--and how--you're studying. For those times, you can call on:
- The Academic Advising Center is one of the most valuable resources on campus. Faculty and staff there can help with all sorts of issues, academic and otherwise. The focus is on the student's overall development, including, but not limited to, academic success.
- The Academic Resource Center is the place for help with writing papers, understanding course material, preparing for exams, improving study skills. At no cost, the center offers peer tutoring, study groups and study partners, workshops, and individualized assessments.
For more information, visit the Admissions student services page and the Student Affairs site.
General education
UMass Dartmouth's general education program offers all students fundamental knowledge in areas such as computer literacy and communication skills. Through "gen ed," you learn how to examine issues thoughtfully, consider different perspectives, and develop ethical, socially responsible attitudes.
