Tag: Common Curriculum

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Office of General Education SMU in Four Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Success & Retention University Advising Center

Forging Ahead: Summer Forge Launches Third Year of Student Success

  

Summer Forge has officially launched its third summer of support with a cohort of 30 undergraduate students. Designed to accelerate students’ paths to on-time graduation, Summer Forge offers financial, academic, and social resources to help participants thrive.   

This summer, invited students received funding for up to 11 semester credit hours across May, Summer I, and/or Summer II terms. To enhance accessibility, room and board were provided for non-local students. Collectively, the Summer 2025 cohort is attempting over 180 credit hours, with most students enrolling in an average of 6 hours that fulfill major, minor, or Common Curriculum requirements.   

Summer Forge is a collaboration between the Office of Student Success and Retention, SMU in Four, Student Financial Services, Student Advising, and Academic Skill Development that reflects the university’s commitment to improving retention and graduation rates. Program Co-Directors Brittaney Wilson, General Education and Academic Appeals Coordinator, and Lisa Miller, Director of the Office of Student Success and Retention, identified eligible students based on key academic criteria and their intent to enroll at SMU in Fall 2025.  

To foster community among participants, Summer Forge hosted a June Social at Another Round, where students connected over mini golf, pickleball, and more.  

Special thanks to Becca Umobong from Academic Skill Development for leading a powerful Academic Skills Workshop to help students build a foundation for summer academic success. In addition to the workshop, students are receiving one-on-one academic counseling sessions provided by Sarah Cartwright, Gracy Herrera, Chris Meyers, Makenzie Moriarty, and Rebecca Umobong. Students are also encouraged to visit the  Altshuler Learning Enhancement Center (A-LEC) for tutoring across a wide range of course topics.  

A heartfelt thank you goes to the advisors who recommended students and supported outreach efforts—your partnership is invaluable to this program’s success. 

For questions or more information, please email summerforge@smu.edu 

  

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Office of General Education

The Office of General Education issues Warnings, Probation, and Suspension Notifications for the Fall 2025 Semester

 

The Office of General Education (OGE) has completed their Fall 2025 review and notification process for students who have not met University-wide requirements, as outlined in the undergraduate catalog.  

This semester OGE sent out 5 suspension notifications, 38 probation notifications and 42 alerts to student who had not satisfied their University-Wide Common Curriculum Foundations requirements within the specified units based on their catalog earned as SMU credit. Of the students initially flagged for suspension, 4 students successfully appealed their suspension and received extended probation. One student was able to petition prior credit to fulfill Quantitative Reasoning. Notifications were sent to students, academic advisors, and Records Offices via DocuSign. These documents have also been imaged to the student’s record. 

General Education Alerts
Students who received a General Education Alert have not yet met the credit-hour threshold for probation but are at risk of probation. These students are strongly encouraged to complete their outstanding Foundations requirement(s) in the next semester to avoid placement on General Education Probation. 

Academic Probation Criteria
In accordance with SMU’s General Education policy, students are required to complete their Academic Writing (WRTR 1312 or equivalent), Critical Reasoning (WRTR 1313 or equivalent), and/or Quantitative Reasoning requirement before obtaining: 

  • 60 credit hours at SMU for students entering SMU directly from high school or with fewer than 24 transfer credit hours. 
  • 30 credit hours at SMU for transfer students or those entering with 24 or more transfer credit hours. 

Suspension Criteria
Students who received a probation notification and do not satisfy the missing Foundation requirement(s) by December 2025 will be subject to General Education Suspension.  

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor or degree counselor to develop a plan for timely completion. General Education Alerts were first issued during the Fall 2024 semester by the Office of General Education. This policy can be found online in the SMU catalog as far back as 2017-2018 academic year.  

If you have any questions regarding General Education Probation or the specific requirements, please contact Brittaney Wilson, brittaneyw@smu.edu  

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education completes the first year of the Common Curriculum Reading and looks toward 2025-2026

In the 2024-2025 academic year, the Office of General Education launched the Common Curriculum Reading (CCR). The CCR is a pre-approved activity done in the co-curricular that allows students to obtain their Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE) Proficiency and Experience (P&E), a Common Curriculum (CC) requirement.

Students who join the CCR are required to attend seven reading group meetings, during which they discuss assigned readings with SMU staff/faculty facilitators and complete two assessments. This year, students read Meredith Broussard’s Artificial Unintelligence, in which she discusses the ethics of AI and the growing belief that it can solve societal issues.

77 students completed the program in the 2024-2025 academic year and received their CIE P&E. Students provided positive feedback about the program, stating they appreciated the following:

  • That it was a program offered at no cost to students
  • The flexibility of meeting bi-weekly as opposed to weekly
  • Building friendships with peers they wouldn’t have met otherwise

The Office of General Education will continue the CCR in the 2025-2026 academic year. The book selection is Chris Anderson’s Infectious Generosity, which encourages society to engage in their community and discusses the ethics behind being selfless.

The CCR has also built partnerships with the following:

Students can sign-up for the program via Qualtrics. The Office of General Education is also seeking SAES staff or faculty facilitators for the upcoming Fall 2025 semester.

Facilitators who complete their commitment will be offered two days of extra comp time, which they will be responsible for coordinating with their direct supervisor. Prospective facilitators can learn more about the commitment and sign-up via Qualtrics.

The Office of General Education is excited to expand and continue the CCR as we move into the 2025-2025 academic year.

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Student Academic Engagement & Success University Foundations

Course Spotlight: UNIV 3305 – Personal Responsibility and Community

Students and their professor standing around a large wooden desk for a group picture.
Students in the fall 2024 section of UNIV 3305 visiting the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

SMU’s University Foundations Program (UNIV) provides enriching coursework focused on students’ personal, academic and leadership development as they transition to the SMU community. UNIV coursework often satisfies Common Curriculum requirements and prepares students to fully engage in SMU’s intellectually rich community, all while building meaningful connections with faculty and classmates.

UNIV 3305 – Personal Responsibility and Community provides students with the opportunity to think critically about their values, beliefs and identities, and examine how these elements influence the ways in which they serve their communities. Through a semester-long community engagement project, reflective journaling, case studies, and cultural immersion experiences, the course prioritizes experiential learning and immerses students in both the course subject matter and the greater Dallas community. Through this engaging coursework, students satisfy three Common Curriculum Proficiencies and Experiences: community engagement, civic and individual ethics, and oral communication.

During the fall 2024 term, Dr. Abby Pruitt, teaching professor in University Foundations, and her UNIV 3305 students visited the George W. Bush Presidential Library, located on SMU’s campus, and in small groups explored the museum with the guiding concept of what makes a good society. Students sought terms such as justice, freedom, fairness and privacy, found examples of these terms represented in the library, and reflected on how those terms were portrayed. Students were able to apply class readings and discussions to the world beyond the classroom, which made the lessons, reflections and conclusions much more impactful.

UNIV courses are offered with a specific target audience of first-year and transfer students but are often open to all students interested in the course. Students find that UNIV coursework benefits their academic success and deepens their responsible engagement within the SMU and the greater Dallas metroplex communities. A complete list of UNIV courses can be found in the University course catalog and more information about the UNIV program can be found on their website.

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Office of General Education

CE/CIE seats held for select undergraduate students to assist with CC student progress this Fall

Students sitting at table with notebooks.

Thanks to the Department of University Foundations, the Office of General Education will be able to hold seats in UNIV 3305 courses for Fall 2025 for students who were identified as not having satisfied both Community Engagement (CE) and Civic and Individual Ethics (CIE) graduation requirements and are expected to graduate on or before May 2026.

Therefore, 163 students will be invited to enroll in UNIV 3305 to satisfy both graduation requirements and Oral Communications in a single course. The email below will be sent to students on or before March 10.

Questions or concerns can be directed to the Office of General Education at gened@smu.edu.

—

To: CE/CIE Students (n = 163)   

From: General Education   

Title: We’ve saved you a seat! Complete your CC Community Engagement & Civic and Individual Ethics requirements with UNIV 3305 this fall! 

March 10, 2025  

Dear Mustang –    

As of March 1, your Degree Progress Report (DPR) indicated you had not satisfied your Community Engagement (CE) and Civic and Individual Ethics (CIE) requirements. The Office of General Education wants to inform you that we have saved you a seat this Fall in a UNIV 3305 Personal Responsibility and Community course thanks to the Department of University Foundations. This course is a popular solution to fulfilling these Common Curriculum (CC) requirements.

We have held a limited number of seats in the Fall for you in UNIV 3305. The course conveys three tags: CIE, CE, and Oral Communication. Given the demand for seats in this course, these seats will only be reserved until May 15th. After May 15th, these seats will be released to other interested students.

Can’t fit in a CE and CIE course this Fall? Consider other options such as SMU Intersessions, participating in a pre-approved activity, or enrolling in a CE and CIE-tagged course this spring.

We know enrollment can be stressful, especially when managing graduation requirements. We hope this saved seat can help you as you close out your academic career at SMU.

Sincerely,     

Dustin K. Grabsch, Ph.D.  
Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education & Academic Success   

 

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

Help Students Explore Pre-Approved Co-Curricular Opportunities to Fulfill Common Curriculum Proficiencies & Experiences

The Office of General Education is excited to share various co-curricular initiatives designed to help undergraduate students complete their Common Curriculum Proficiencies & Experiences outside the classroom. These programs provide unique opportunities for engagement, learning, and skill development. 

All students on the Common Curriculum must complete each of the graduation requirements, known as Proficiencies & Experiences, in addition to the General Education  Foundation and Breadth requirements. However, unlike Foundations and Breadth requirements, you have the option of using either coursework or activities to fulfill Proficiencies & Experiences. 

 Unconscious Bias Training for Human Diversity 

The Franklin Covey Unconscious Bias Training Course, based on The Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias, is designed for seniors who have not yet completed their Human Diversity Proficiency & Experience requirement. This online program comprises five asynchronous learning modules, each requiring 3-4 hours of engagement. Interested students can complete the Unconscious Bias Interest Form. 

Engage Dallas for Community Engagement and/or Civic and Individual Ethics 

Engage Dallas is a place-based community engagement initiative, that enables students to serve communities in South and West Dallas. Engage Dallas is housed within SMU’s Residential Commons, but is open to all students. This initiative provides an accessible way for undergraduates to fulfill their Community Engagement Proficiency & Experience and Civics & Individual Ethics Proficiency and Experience requirements, both of which are necessary for graduation.  

Engage Dallas is a free program that welcomes new participants at any time. Students can choose to serve in small groups or independently, depending on their availability. To learn more and get started, visit smu.edu/engagedallas or access the Engage Dallas course via Canvas.  

Common Curriculum Reading for Civic and Individual Ethics 

Open to all undergraduates, this program targets juniors and seniors needing their Civics & Individual Ethics Proficiency. Participants will join eight reading discussions on Artificial Unintelligence by Meredith Broussard, exploring AI’s ethical and social limits. Spring Sign-ups have closed, but will open for Fall 2025 later this semester.  

Additional Opportunities 

Beyond the initiatives mentioned above, the Office of General Education collaborates with various campus offices to market pre-approved activities and organizations that fulfill specific Proficiencies & Experiences. Students can visit the Proficiencies & Experiences page to review graduation requirements, learn more about pre-approved activities, or schedule a meeting with Brittaney Wilson for personalized guidance. 

 

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Office of General Education

The Office of General Education facilitators for Spring 2025 Common Curriculum Reading

The Office of General Education is seeking facilitators for the Spring 2025 Common Curriculum Reading program. This exciting opportunity is open to anyone eager to engage in meaningful discussions about thought-provoking texts.

Participants will explore this book, which discusses the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and the growing belief that AI will solve all of society’s problems. However, Broussard argues that there are certain ethical issues that AI can’t address. In Fall 2024, thirty-three students completed the program and obtained their Civic and Individual Ethics (CIE) Proficiency & Experience. Both students and facilitators will play key roles in fostering a collaborative learning environment. Join a community dedicated to enriching the SMU experience through dialogue and reflection.

Staff or faculty interested in serving as facilitators for Spring 2025 must-read Artificial Unintelligence and attend eight reading group meetings throughout the semester. Meetings are scheduled from 4:00pm to 5:30pm on select Wednesdays dates. Facilitators can also earn extra compensation provided they fulfill the commitment requirements.

Applications are due Friday, January 17th, 2025.

For more details and to apply, email Jay Guillory (jguillory@smu.edu)

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Student Academic Engagement & Success

General Education offers faculty and staff spring trainings

The Office of General Education has multiple training sessions available to all faculty and staff this spring.

Register for any of these trainings on SMU360. By registering, you will receive reminder emails leading up to the event, a calendar invite, and any resources used or distributed during the training. All workshops will take place on the first floor of the Laura Lee Blanton building.

 

Trainings Offered:

Common Curriculum – Learn more about the general education and graduation requirements that make up the Common Curriculum. Ideal for new faculty and staff; refresher for current employees with academic advising functions.

Thursday, Jan. 30th 12:30-1:30PM

Wednesday, Feb. 26th 12-1PM (for advisors)

Thursday, Mar. 27th 12:30-1:30PM  

                                                                

Course and Experience Proposal – Learn more about the process and timeline of submitting a course or experience proposal for Common Curriculum tags. Course and experience proposal deadlines are available for spring 2025 on our website. Ideal for faculty interested in tagging existing or proposing new courses or staff who lead co-curricular experiences seeking to become a pre-approved activity.

Thursday, Feb. 6th  12:30-1:30PM

Wednesday, Mar. 12th 12-1PM

 

Departmental Responsibilities – Learn more about what is required of departments and organizations that have Common Curriculum-tagged courses and experiences. Ideal for department chairs, directors of undergraduate students, and employees with course scheduling functions.

Wednesday, April 9th 3:30-4:30PM

 

Looking to plan a training session for your department and/or organization? Complete and submit this form to schedule a personalized group training.

 

Any questions, comments, or concerns can be directed to gened@smu.edu. We look forward to supporting you this semester!

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education seeks students and facilitators for Spring 2025 Common Curriculum Reading

The Office of General Education is seeking students to join the Spring 2025 Common Curriculum Reading and staff or faculty members to participate as facilitators.

The Common Curriculum Reading is a co-curricular, pre-approved activity that allows students to obtain a Proficiency & Experience credit by joining a reading group, engaging in discussions led by SMU staff and faculty, and interacting with students from various majors. The program requires students to attend eight meetings throughout the semester and complete mid- and end-of-semester assessments.

In Fall 2024, students read Artificial Unintelligence by Meredith Broussard. This book discusses the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the growing belief that AI will solve all of society’s problems. However, Broussard argues that there are certain ethical issues that AI can’t address. 33 students completed the program this fall and obtained their Civic and Individual Ethics (CIE) Proficiency & Experience.

Staff or faculty who are interested in serving as facilitators in Spring 2025 are required to read Artificial Unintelligence and attend eight reading group meetings throughout the semester. The meetings take place from 4pm-5:30pm on select Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Facilitators also have the ability to earn extra compensation pending they meet the commitment requirements.

Students missing their CIE Proficiency & Experience are encouraged to sign up for the program via Qualtrics. Priority consideration is given to undergraduate juniors and seniors who have not obtained their CIE Proficiency & Experience, but the program is open to all students.

For more information about joining the Common Curriculum Reading as a student or facilitator, please contact the program coordinators Melina Padron (mpadron@smu.edu) or Jay Guillory (jguillory@smu.edu).

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education warns select students of unmet university-wide academic requirements

As we approach the end of the Fall 2024 semester, the Office of General Education will proactively warn undergraduate students and their academic advisors about unmet University-Wide Academic requirements, as outlined in the catalog.  

Students who receive the General Education Alert and fail to register for missing Foundations requirements during Spring 2025 registration will be placed on General Education Probation.  

Academic Probation Criteria  

Per SMU’s University-Wide academic requirements, a student will be placed on General Education Probation if they fail to meet the following foundational requirements:  

  • For students entering SMU directly from high school or with fewer than 24 hours of transfer credit:  
    • Students must complete both the Academic Writing (WRTR 1312 or equivalent) and Critical Reasoning (WRTR 1313 or equivalent) Foundation requirements, as well as the Quantitative Reasoning Foundation requirement of the Common Curriculum, by the time they have earned 60 credit hours at SMU.  
  • For transfer students or those entering SMU with 24 or more transfer credit hours:  
    • Students must complete the Academic Writing (WRTR 1312 or equivalent), Critical Reasoning (WRTR 1313 or equivalent), and Quantitative Reasoning requirements within their first 30 credit hours at SMU.  

 Brittaney Wilson, General Education & Academic Appeals Coordinator, began sending General Education Alerts to students on November 13 and will notify their assigned academic advisors on Monday, November 25.   

If you have any questions regarding General Education Probation or the specific requirements, please contact Brittaney Wilson, brittaneyw@smu.edu