SOE Course Selection Guidelines

There are a wide variety of introductory courses for SOE students to choose from. In order to be most successful, however, please keep the following in mind when deciding which class(es) to take:

1. These are regular undergraduate courses.
2. Other colleges and universities generally accept these courses for transfer credit.
3. You will receive a letter grade, not pass/fail or audit.
4. Choose course(s) for which you have sufficient background and preparation or in which you have a strong interest.
5. A 3-unit summer session course may have 2-3 hours of homework per day.
6. If you are considering taking a math, chemistry, or physics class, or Philosophy 110, you MUST take a math placement examination at the U of A. This exam is offered only on campus; you may take the exam on the first day of classes if you are unable to come to campus prior to the program's start.
7. You may not take Chemistry or Physics without first contacting the department and obtaining consent.
8. You may not take any English course other than English 197A - Honors.
9. You may not take classes for which you have not satisfied the prerequisite course work.
10. If you seek to complete a high school graduation requirement by taking an SOE class, you should consult with your high school administration first.
    

Here are some useful facts about SOE to help guide you in your course selection efforts:

1. The most popular courses for SOE students are: English 197A, Individuals and Society 101, Sociology 101, Theater Arts 100, Traditions and Cultures 101, Art 101, and Math.
2. Most (about 80%) of the grades earned by SOE 2007 students are A's or B's.
3. About 1 in 5 SOE students take more than one course; the average GPA for students taking one course is slightly better than for students taking two courses.
   

2008 Courses

Summer 2008 courses are available here:

To review course availability and course descriptions, visit http://garnet.ccit.arizona.edu/schedule.cgi. Please note that courses listed under TRAD 101-104, INDV 101-104, and NATS 101-104 have multiple sections under each course number. These courses, which satisfy UA's "Tier One" requirements in the General Education curriculum, introduce new students to fundamental issues and concepts pertinent to three study areas: Traditions and Cultures, Individuals and Societies, and Natural Sciences. If you choose to enroll at UA for your undergraduate degree after you graduate from high school, you will be be required to take two courses in each segment of Tier One, for a total of six courses. Taking them in SOE gives you a head start!

• When viewing the schedule of classes, be sure to select the correct term (Pre/Sum I 06 = Session 1 and Summer II 06 = Session 2) and document the lecture number. (SOE is not offered during pre-session, so be sure to choose courses in Session 1 or 2).
• Make sure the course(s) you've selected fit the parameters outlined above.
• SOE does not guarantee that you will be registered for the class you request; at the discretion of the Director, you may be asked to select a different course. The reasons why you may not get your first choice class include: the class is not be offered after all, the course is offered at a time that conflicts with another that you plan to take, you do not have the sufficient preparation/background to take the course, you are requesting 2 courses that exceed the 6 credit hour limit.

Sophomore course list

Sophomores must choose courses from the list below. The courses listed below are have typically been offered over the last 1-4 years and are shown here as a guide; however, the list will be updated in February 2008 to reflect the most current courses. It is generally preferable for sophomores (rising juniors) to take just one class; however, some students may prefer to take two courses and may be able to handle this work load. Indicate on your application to the program if you would prefer to take two courses; the courses you request, high school transcript, and letters of recommendation will be taken into consideration by the Director.

• American Indian Studies 200
• Art 101
• Dance 152C
• Dance 175
• English 197A - Honors
• French Language (any course level you place into via UA placement process)
• German Language (any course level you place into via UA placement process)
• Individuals and Societies 101
• Individuals and Societies 102
• Individuals and Societies 103
• Italian Language (any course level you place into via UA placement process)
• Math (any course you place into via the math exam)
• Music 100
• Music 101A
• Music 109
• Natural Sciences 101
• Natural Sciences 102
• Natural Sciences 104
• Philosophy 110
• Russian Language (any course you place into via UA placement process)
• Sociology 101
• Spanish Language (any course you place into via UA placement process)
• Theater Arts 100
• Traditions and Cultures 101
• Traditions and Cultures 102 (not offered in session II)
• Traditions and Cultures 103
• Traditions and Cultures 104

Junior course list

Juniors may choose from the list above or identify other courses from the schedule of classes (http://garnet.ccit.arizona.edu/schedule.cgi) that meet the guidelines specified above. You may take up to two classes per session, but not more than 6 units per session. If you choose a course(s) not listed above, be sure to specify on your application to the program the name of the department offering the course, the course number, and the course title. EX: W S 240 - Gender Transnatl World

Here is a description of the most popular course offered in 2007.

English 197A - Honors

We strongly encourage students to consider taking English 197A - Thinking and Writing -- an undergraduate honors course that was created just for SOE by UA's renowned English Department. There are separate sections of this course for sophomores and juniors.

Past SOE students have been very pleased with the course and with the instructor, Patrick Baliani, who has this to say about the course:

Welcome to the University of Arizona! We are going to accomplish a variety of in-class and out-of-class essays - expressive, analytical, expository, self-reflective - as we prepare for University placement exams, explore academic inquiry, and complete our own Portfolios of Writing. In doing so, we will draw upon the UA's cultural and technological resources, such as the Museum of Art, Center for Creative Photography, Center for Instructional Technology, and Main Library. We will also attend the Distinguished Lecturer/ Multicultural Series and tap the best of what the Honors College and the English Department have to offer. As this is an Honors class at the University level, standards and expectations are high.

Patrick Baliani