A course syllabus is an outline of the subjects in a course of study. It may be in the "Syllabus" page of the course, such as this one, or posted as a file in the first week's introductory module. You may even receive it via email ahead of time.

The syllabus usually includes the following:

• Course name and description, instructor information, and contact preferences
  • May include teaching assistant information and contact preferences
• Required textbooks, materials, and technologies
  • May include optional textbooks, etc.
• Course outcomes: what you can expect to have learned by the end of the course
• Grading and course requirements 
  • Breakdown of what you will be graded on, such as:
    • Participation
    • Discussion posts and/or video responses
    • Quizzes
    • Exams
    • Essays
    • Research papers
  • What percentage of the grade each component is worth
  • May include deadlines and weekly reading expectations
    • Note that the date listed is usually the deadline for COMPLETING the reading assignment, not starting it

Course Information 

This course is managed by Online Student Success Coach Cynthia Negron, available at cynthia.negron@cu.edu. Addison Welsh also manages this course for Psychology students in particular and is available at addison.welsh@cu.edu. They work M - F from 8 am - 5 pm and generally respond to email inquiries within a day or so. 

Orientation Outcomes

Welcome

• Practice the basics of Canvas course navigation
• Learn where to find important dates and deadlines
• Know the key components of a sound financial plan and the most common, costly mistakes in financial planning for a degree
• Locate contact information and FAQ documents from the offices of the Bursar, Registrar, and Financial Aid and Scholarships

Your Support Team

• Can distinguish between the role of an CLAS academic advisor, Faculty Advisor, and Online Student Success Coach
• Understand the College Advising requirement from the CLAS Advising Office and know how to meet this requirement
• Can identify where to get help with each key aspect of being an online student and/or know they can reach out to Online Success Coach to be referred to the right department if confused

Getting Ready to Register

• Identify when they will be able to register for their first term and following terms
• Explain the difference between Core Requirements, CLAS Requirements, Major Requirements and General Graduation requirements and where to find them
• Able to distinguish between "Online" and "Remote" courses and understand the financial implications in choosing one or the other
• Know how to use the University Catalog, Degree Audit, and Class Search filtering criteria to plan for their advising sessions/registration

Technologies at CU Denver 

• Use University credentials successfully to access:
  • Passport
  • Webmail
  • UCDAccess
  • Canvas
  • Application status
• Know where to go for Tech Support if having an account issue vs. Canvas issues 
• Accessed Outlook Email on a mobile device
• Installed Office 365 and linked to student account 
• Installed Zoom Pro and linked to student account 
• Installed the Canvas app for students on a mobile device
• Engaged with in-depth Zoom and Canvas tutorials and know where to find FAQs about these services

Staying Successful as an Online Student

• Unique needs of online learners and working/parenting adults validated
• Feel encouraged to engage with instructors beyond the coursework 
• Destigmatize time management challenges and provide a framework for support on this one-on-one
• Set expectations for personal responsibility and communications expectations 
• Expose students to strategies for common pitfalls
• Learn about the Tivoli Bookstore and policies relevant to eBooks 

Resources Available to you 

• Feel supported by a wide network of university resources aimed at holistic student wellness, inclusivity, and academic support

Grading and Course Requirements 

There are three review quizzes throughout this course and one assignment. This course is NOT formally graded or offered for credit, but for your reference: 

• Getting Ready to Register Review - 10 points = 25%
• Schedule Your Advising Appointment - 20 points = 50%
• Technologies Quiz - 5 points = 12.5%
• Success Strategies Review - 5 points = 12.5%

Total: 40 points = 100% 

The grading breakdown can be very useful in knowing what assignments your instructor has prioritized in the course and which can impact your final grade the most. 

For this orientation, you can see that the "Getting Ready to Register" modules and the corresponding action item of "Schedule Your Advising Appointment" are a high priority for new students!

Deadlines

You are expected to complete each component ASAP!

The dates listed are most relevant to students admitted late in the enrollment cycle, who have only a few weeks to get ready before classes.