Department of University Studies

The Department of University Studies is within the Division of Academic Affairs and offers the First Year Experience Program, Tutoring and Academic Success Center, Retention Services, and the General Education Program. The Department of University Studies assist students with their transition to academia through academic accountability, support, and opportunities.

The First-Year Experience Program

As an integral part of the Department of University Studies, The First Year Experience program assists all students in their transition to the university. The First Year Experience is an intentional and dynamic program designed to promote student success, persistence, progression, and foster a sense of community.

While the First Year Experience begins at the New Student Orientation, first year students participate in the following First Year Experience components during your freshman year at Elizabeth City State University: First Year Advising, Freshman Seminar, Freshman Convocation and Pinning Ceremony, and Service Learning.

First Year Academic Advising

Students entering the University as new freshmen are advised by a University Studies academic advisor, regardless of their major. Freshmen transition to a faculty advisor in their academic department during their first semester sophomore year. University Studies advisors are responsible for assisting students in transitioning from high school to college, major and career exploration, course registration and other transitional issues that may come up during the first year.

Specific responsibilities of the Academic Advising Program include the following: Providing guidance and support for understanding graduation requirements, delivering individual guidance to students to prepare their course schedules, maintaining accurate advising files and records of each student in E4U and supporting student success initiatives that help promote persistence and retention for freshmen.

Freshman Seminar

Freshman Seminars I and II are required courses for first year students. Freshman Seminar I and II expose students to the rich history and culture of the University and provide students with college essentials such as critical thinking skills, writing, time management, test-taking strategies, academic rules and regulations, and a variety of other skills and activities designed to support the transition from high school to college. Freshman Seminar I and II includes opportunities for students to participate in a service-learning project, university events, student success workshops, peer mentoring, capstone and e-Portfolio projects.

Freshman Year Convocation and Pinning Ceremony

Freshman Pinning Ceremony is a university tradition for first-year students. The ceremony serves as a charge to freshman students to pursue academic excellence and timely degree completion. It is a time-honored tradition that welcomes our newest Vikings to our Viking Family.

Service Learning

All freshman students will participate in service learning project through Freshmen Seminar I to reinforce the value of serving the community and gain a deeper understanding of themselves. Through service, learning students enhance employability skills and prepare for other experiential learning opportunities. Students engage in an evaluative process for skills development.

The Tutorial and Academic Success Program

Tutorial and Academic Success Program is a peer-tutorial program designed to help support students in their academic studies. The program employs successful students as peer tutors based on their academic expertise and their understanding of the University Studies experience. The program is committed to promoting independent, active learning among the students it assists. Peer tutoring has a direct and positive effect on improving the academic performance of students enrolled in GE courses, as well as promoting a strong community among students, peer tutors, and faculty. The program works with individual students and with groups of students. The program works in conjunction with major departments to support students in critical courses that they need to be successful in the major. Online Tutoring services are available from Tutor.com and can be accessed in Blackboard.

The Department of University Studies provides a continuum of program initiatives and services to promote a successful college transition, student development and self-efficacy, academic and personal success, engagement, timely graduation, and lifelong learning from the first year to graduation.

University Studies works collaboratively with university and community stakeholders to implement program initiatives, services, and activities in support of increasing the freshman student retention rate; increasing learning opportunities and academic support for freshmen and upperclassmen students; implementing strategies to improve persistence and progression; enhancing the university wide engagement in the student success culture; and preparing students for service learning, experiential learning, internships, and careers.

The department provides services which support retention, persistence, and the continuum of student success from the first-year experience to graduation.

Gear Up Success Coach Program

GEAR UP North Carolina (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs in North Carolina) is a college access initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education and designed to increase the number of first-generation, low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

The GEAR UP Success Coach works to support first-year experiences at Elizabeth City State University. The students are from target high schools covering twenty-five counties within North Carolina. This is done through high-quality, high-touch coaching, providing accountability, and facilitating successful personal development. The GEAR UP Success Coach also strives to encourage interest in postsecondary education and build support for student success.

The Office of Retention

The Office of Retention provides intervention and academic recovery services for targeted and at-risk students (Partway Home, readmitted students, and students on warning, probation, and suspension). The Office of Retention conducts prevention activities, targeted interventions, coordinates academic recovery, and tracks and reports the academic progress of students.

The Office of Retention supports students by promoting the growth and development of our students and collaborating with faculty and staff are central to all of our efforts is also dedicated to helping students overcome obstacles that may challenge student success (academic, social, financial, or personal).

General Education Program

The General Education Program, called University Studies, is a collection of coordinated and interrelated courses, which contain a broad body of knowledge focused across all liberal arts areas. The University maintains that all students, regardless of academic major, must include in their individual curriculum specific general education courses designed to provide fundamental knowledge and skills and a broad-based cultural education.

The Department of University Studies was established to assist all students in their transition to the University; to provide effective advisement to students; to offer strong programs of academic support in reading, writing, mathematics, and the natural sciences; and to work with other academic departments to ensure that students develop the fundamental skills and knowledge necessary for success in all academic majors.

The General Education Curriculum provides the academic foundation for all undergraduate degree programs at Elizabeth City State University. The general education curriculum enables students to develop the general knowledge and the skills that are essential to success in their respective major programs and careers after graduation while promoting positive human values and encouraging an appreciation for learning in all students. All students are encouraged to complete the General Education requirements during the freshman and sophomore years. After completing the required courses, students take electives and courses in their major fields.

The General Education Advisory Board

The General Education Advisory Board (GEAB) functions as an advisory committee to the chair of the Department of University Studies. The primary purpose of the GEAB is to assist the chair in planning, implementing, communicating, and assessing general education programs and the curriculum. Proposed curriculum changes are advanced to the University Curriculum Committee.

The Board’s membership includes faculty representatives from the degree granting programs and a representative from the following areas: Honors Program, Library, Institutional Effectiveness, Registrar’s Office, and the Office of Retention.

Freshman Course Placement

University Studies advisors evaluate first-time freshmen based on their SAT/ ACT test scores. Freshmen are automatically placed into ENGL 102 (unless dual enrollment, Early College credits have been determined).

Students are placed in the college level mathematics courses based on the math score on the SAT/ ACT.

Course Placement	SAT	ACT
MATH 114 MATH 115 MATH 121	Math Score of 470 or Below	Math Score of 17 or Below
MATH 118	Math Score of 480-520	Math Score of 18-20
MATH 165	Math Score of 530 or higher	Math Score of 21 or higher
	Score of 3 or higher on the AP Calculus AB Exam

College Learning Assessment

The Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA+) provides a standardized assessment that complements course-based evaluation of student progress. It is a performance-based assessment that measures critical thinking, problem solving, scientific and quantitative reasoning, writing, and the ability to critique and make arguments. The assessment is administered to freshmen during the fall and to seniors during the spring semester.

Academic Catalog