Douglas Clayton Smith

126 Grise Hall
Department of Sociology
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd. #11057
Bowling Green, KY 42101-1057
Phone:  (270) 745-3750
Email:  Douglas.Smith@wku.edu
Webpage:  http://people.wku.edu/Douglas.Smith/
Office Hours:   By appointment

The goal of academic advising is to help you shape a meaningful education for yourself. The elements of that education include your classes, your co-curricular activities, your work, and your personal experiences. You need to actively plan your academic life, and discuss those plans with me in a series of conversations that extend over your undergraduate career so that we can work to make sure you get what you want out of WKU.

This syllabus outlines what you can expect from me, and what I expect of you, as well as key issues that are relevant to you as you work your way through the university. Use it as a resource and guide, and refer to it as you and I continue to talk about your life at WKU.

Responsibilities in the Student-Advisor Partnership

You can expect me to:  
Provide accurate, timely, and useful information about the curriculum, resources, opportunities, requirements, policies, and procedures
Provide a safe space for you to share your thoughts, aspirations, concerns, and interests
Listen carefully to your concerns and respect your individual values and choices
Keep anything we talk about confidential
Encourage and support you as you gain the skills and knowledge necessary for success
Help you in making course and major decisions but not to decide for you.
Inform you of the range and scope of experiences available to you
Communicate what decisions you should make at each stage of your academic career.
Help you make connections between your experiences, both within and beyond the curriculum
Be accessible for individual advising appointments requested in advance and for email communication
I expect you to:  
Keep in contact with me by email and regularly scheduled one-on-one advising appointments
Come to appointments prepared with questions and/or topics to discuss after having done some reflection and checking of available resources
Turn off your cell phone while we are meeting.
Reflect on the connections between your experiences, both within and beyond the curriculum
Accept responsibility for your decisions and actions.  Understand that today's decisions may limit possible alternatives later.
Become knowledgeable of college programs, policies, procedures, and opportunities as appropriate
Be courteous and plan ahead (schedule appointments early and cancel or reschedule if necessary).
Regularly check your university email address.  This is the only email account that the University will use to contact you.
When you email faculty or staff, be professional. Be sure to explain questions and requests clearly. Please be sure to sign your name and include your student number.
Learn to read your iCAP report
Develop an academic plan (including your progress and goals) and discuss that plan with me.
Promptly inform me of any changes and/or concerns with your plan
Establish relationships with faculty and other mentors on campus
Initiate a continuing evaluation of the advisor-advisee relationship.  As you develop more clearly defined educational and occupational goals, you may change advisors, perhaps several times. Thus, you and I must assess the extent to which the advising relationship is meeting your needs and goals.

Recommended Advising Resources

WKU Advising and Retention Center:  http://www.wku.edu/advising

WKU Student Handbook:  http://www.wku.edu/handbook/current/

Western Kentucky University Undergraduate Catalog:  http://www.wku.edu/coursecatalog/

The Learning Center: http://www.wku.edu/tlc/

Career Services Center: http://www.wku.edu/career/

Additional Resources You Should Check Out

ALIVE Center:  http://www.alivebg.org/

WKU Study Abroad Programs:  http://www.wku.edu/studyabroad/

Topics and Milestones

As you advance through your degree program, there will be decisions you must make about your goals and objectives. Keep in mind that you may need to adjust your initial plans as you progress through your degree. For some students, those decisions and adjustments come early in the college career, but most students need time to gain perspective and to figure things out. Different students may reach these milestones at different points in their academic career. When you want to talk through your evolving academic plans, I am here to help. Just make an appointment.

Here are some things you probably want to consider as you move from your first year to your last year:

First-Year (0-29 credits)
Progress Toward Degree
Adjust to the College Environment
Figure out why you are in college and what you want to get from your experience here.
Ask questions to find out about services that can help you decide career and personal choices and use the services.
Learn what it means to be a responsible member of an academic community by familiarizing yourself with WKU's policies on plagiarism, cheating, and academic integrity.
Examine Your Skills, Interests and Values
What do you do well?
What do you like to do?
How do you see your self?
What have you accomplished in the past that you can build on?
What is important to you?
What skills or characteristics would you like to develop?
Explore your academic and career interests
Take courses in areas of interest.
Take courses in a variety of areas and disciplines
Take foundation courses upon which to build additional skills
Keep a personal journal of career and job ideas and fantasies and collect career information on those jobs
Once you become comfortable with your work load, go to as many presentations, concerts, plays, gallery openings, movies, speakers and sporting events as you can fit into your schedule.  No other organizations in your life are going to provide these sorts of free opportunities to you.  Use them to expand your horizons.
Look for a summer job that gives you a diverse experience with different kinds of people and ideas
Increase your personal, communication and leadership skills
Be on time to your classes and appointments.  Learn to manage your time.
Work to develop effective study skills.
Plan ahead. Do not let assignments pile up.
Go to your professor's office hours and try to become comfortable asking questions inside and outside the classroom. 
Participate in campus activities, workshops and classes that give you an opportunity to build your communication and leadership skills.
Consider taking part in off campus groups and activities that might also allow you to build these skills (e.g., Toastmasters International)

 

Sophomore Year (30-59 credits)
Progress Toward Degree
Explore Your Options
Begin to focus in a specific academic area of interest.
List majors that sound interesting to you based on your skills, values, interests and goals. Do not eliminate anything because you do not want to take one or two difficult courses.
Meet with advisors in the major(s) that you are considering.
Talk with people in careers that interest you and get a feel for how you would like to be in their positions.
Familiarize yourself with career literature and resources. Visit the Career Services Center.
Experience different job settings for yourself by volunteering, job shadowing, or part-time employment.
Research information regarding job descriptions, educational requirements, entry-level jobs, status of the job market, and future predictions for your interest areas. (If you are interested in Sociology I would look at Careers in Sociology and/or Great Jobs for Sociology Majors. I have copies that you can look at or you can purchase your own copies of both for less than $15!)
Continue assessing your skills, interests, and strengths.
Expand your horizons--start thinking about study abroad.
Decision on and declare your major officially and make sure your decision on the major and minor is based on your career choice.
If you are considering law school, graduate school, an MBA, or any other professional school after graduating, make an appointment with one of these specialty advisors.
Then
Evaluate the information you have gathered.
Evaluate the "fit" of your preliminary career goal.

 

Junior Year (60-89 credits)
Progress Toward Your Degree
Implement Your Decision
Reassess your choice of major. If you begin to suspect that you have wrongly decided about your major or minor, don't grit your teeth and tough it out. Get some help.  Working out a new plan may not be as difficult as you think and the rewards of a satisfying career decision are worth the extra effort.
Review your iCAP--are you taking the courses you need to graduate?
Continue to build a solid set of credentials for entering the job market by seeking practical work experience.
Identify education and/or additional skills you will need so that you can attain employment or training in your field (will you need to go to graduate school for the job you want?).
Revisit the Career Services Center and/or the ALIVE Center for information on co-op information, resume building skills, interview skills, etc.
Discuss the option of an independent study with your major advisor to focus your studies on a particular area in which you are interested.
Articulate what you're studying and why.
Review your academic and activity journals/folders and update them with new material; think about how you can draw on your experience for use in interviews and/or admissions essays.
Approach faculty concerning their willingness to write your letters of recommendation.
If you are thinking about graduate school, find out about requirements and entrance exams.

 

Senior Year (90-128 credits)
Progress Toward Your Degree
Prepare for Life After Graduation
File your application for graduation at the Registrar's Office.
Review your iCAP--are you taking the courses you need to graduate?
Maintain consistent contact with your advisor to discuss your educational or post-graduation plans.
Meet with faculty members and others to secure letters of recommendation.
Prepare for your job search by writing a resume, conducting information interviews, and networking.
Attend workshops to assist you in learning effective job search techniques.
Attend job fairs and recruiting events.
Learn as much as you can about potential employers.
Conduct your job search campaign.
Make application to graduate school programs, if appropriate.
If you have any free hours, take any classes that you always wanted to take.