Engineering Freshman Orientation

Academic Transition

• Expect: you approach this phase of education with both excitement and concern
• Concerns
  • Will I succeed?
  • Is engineering for me?
• Good news: You have what it takes to succeed in the College of Engineering
  • You have proven your commitment to academic success
  • You have met admissions standards set for success by our faculty

Caution: Transition is Difficult

• New school and campus
• New living environment
• Higher expectations of instructors
• Quarter system
• Performance uncorrelated with high school performance

Persistence to Degree

• Students admitted as engineering freshmen:
  • 76% receive Bachelor's degrees from UC Davis
    • 52% in engineering majors
    • 24% in majors in other colleges
  • 5% are dismissed for poor academic performance
• 92% of engineering graduates find work in their field of choice

Academic Advising Resources

• Peer Advisors
• Departmental Undergraduate Staff Advisors
• Faculty Advisors
• Engineering Undergraduate Office Advisors

Peer Advisors

• Upper Division engineering majors
• Available:
  • Engineering Undergraduate Office, 1050 Kemper Hall
  • Residence Hall Advising Centers
  • Ice Cream Social
    Thursday, October 7, 2:30-4:00pm
    Kemper Hall Courtyard

Departmental UG Staff Advisors

• Provide advice on details of degree requirements
• Annual advising requirement
  • Unique to the College of Engineering
  • Enforced by hold on enrollment
  • Review of one-year academic plan
  • Address not only academic issues but also personal issues impacting academic success

Faculty Advisors

• Choice of major and area of specialization
• Career plans
• Internship sponsorship
• Research opportunities
• Graduate study

Undergraduate Office Advisors

• Supplemental advising services
• Petitions
  • Late drop
  • Simultaneous enrollment
• Transfer credit evaluation
• Certification of degree requirements
• Change of major to another college
• Advice for students in poor academic standing
• Note: College of Engineering policies sometimes differ from those in other colleges
• Location: 1050 Kemper Hall

Succeeding in Engineering Study

• Teamwork approach
  • Study partner or group
  • Upper-class students
  • Teaching assistants and instructor
• Weekly study time
  • 2-3 hours for each hour of lecture
  • 1 hour for each hour of discussion
  • 1 hour for each 2-3 hours of lab
  • 50-60 hours of class and study time
  • Manage your time carefully

Academic Issues

• Academic planning
• General education
• Academic major and minor
• Educational enrichment
• Academic standards
• Official communications
• Finish in four years?

Academic Planning

• Initial course priorities
  • Math
  • English
  • Chemistry
  • Caution on use of Advanced Placement credit
• Recommend expected load of about 15 units each quarter, with at least 45 units in three quarters
• Curriculum rights: meet requirements at time of graduation or requirements of previous academic year

General Education

• Topical Breadth
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Social Science
• Writing and social-cultural diversity
• Six courses, 24 units (33 for Computer Science and Engineering majors)
• Two courses must be upper division
• Some courses deleted from list

Academic Major and Minor

• Change of major:
  • Must have completed at least one quarter
  • Fewer than 125 units
  • Requirements vary by engineering major
• Combined majors: with Materials Science
• Double majors
  • Add a second Engineering major
  • Add a second major from another college
• Minors:
  • Engineering: Computational Applied Science
  • Other colleges: Technology Management, Leadership
• Joint BS/MS program offered by some departments

Educational Enrichment

• Engineering professional society student chapters
• Design competitions
  • Human Powered Vehicle
  • Formula SAE
  • Aerobrick
  • Steel Bridge
  • Micro Mouse
  • Future Truck
  • Concrete Canoe
• Internships: Internship and Career Center
• Davis Honors Challenge
• Education Abroad Program
• Research opportunities

Academic Standards and Dismissal

• Academic probation: quarter GPA 1.5-2.0
• Probation continued: second quarter of GPA 1.5-2.0
• Subject to disqualification (STD)
  • Quarter GPA below 1.5
  • 3rd quarter of GPA 1.5-2.0
• You may be dismissed any time you are subject to disqualification
• You will be promptly dismissed any time you are on probation or subject to disqualification for three consecutive quarters
• Freshman intervention, early Winter quarter

Official Communications

• Through your UC Davis e-mail address
• For some departments: also through your departmental e-mail address
• Check your e-mail daily
• Respond as directed to maintain your academic status

Information Privacy

• Federal Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA) allows only “directory information” to be released, including:
  • Student name, address, phone number, e-mail address
  • Photograph, date and place of birth
  • Major field of study, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status
  • Degrees, honors and awards received
  • Students may declare this information to be confidential

Finish in Four Years?

• Requires normal progress of 15 units/quarter
• Courses must be taken in recommended order
• Difficult to accomplish if you must work to provide financial support

Computer Resources

• Student computing guide - On the web: scg.ucdavis.edu
• UC Davis Internet Tools CD: available from the bookstore
• Instructional labs in engineering departments
• Engineering software
  • Assigned with course textbooks
  • No need to acquire additional software at this time
• Student computer ownership - On the web: computerownership.ucdavis.edu