What teaching degrees are offered through the College of Education?
- Elementary Education (Kindergarten - 8th grade all subjects)
- DUAL Special Education (K - 12th grade) AND Elementary Education (K - 8)
- Special Education (K - 12th grade)
- Early Childhood Education (K - 2nd grade)
- Secondary Education (7 - 12th grade specializing in one or more subjects)
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What is my major in the College of Education?
Everyone who starts any of the above programs is a "pre-major in education" until approximately the end of their sophomore year when they apply to be admitted into a specific program. Back to top
What if I'm not certain that I want to be a teacher?
You may begin as a pre-major, explore a variety of classes for the first semester or two, and then adjust your major depending upon your experience. Speak with an advisor for more information. We also recommend visiting the Advising Center for Undecided & Exploratory Students (http://www.unr.edu/acaff/advising/) and the Academic and Career Services (http://www.unr.edu/career/, 775-784-4678, Thompson Building suite 200) for help in deciding on a major and a career. Back to top
How do college classes differ from high school classes?
College classes last only one semester, and may be worth anywhere from 1-5 credits or "credit hours." The number of credits for a class depends on how many hours per week that you will meet for that class. If a class is worth three credits, for example, you will meet three hours per week for that class. Be aware: you will then be expected to spend two hours preparing for each hour in class. That's how 12 credit hours of courses is considered a full load - you should be scheduling 24 more hours for homework or a total of at least 36 hours per week on school! Back to top
What classes should I take?
All new Freshman must talk with their asvisor before enrolling in classes. Your advising hold will be removed following your advisement appointment. Please call 775-784-4298 or 1-877-344-8078 to schedule an appointment.
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How many credits should I take?
12 credits is the minimum number needed to be a full-time student, but you will need to average at least 15 credits per semester in order to graduate in 4 years. For your first semester, however, it may be worthwhile to enroll in only 12 credits so as not to overwhelm yourself. Often students initially register for 15 credits for their first semester and then attend the first day of class and decide then if they need to drop a class. Be aware – you must formally drop a class (tell the computer you are no longer going to attend) in order to avoid getting an F grade! Check the class schedule (http://www.ss.unr.edu/records/sched.asp) for drop deadlines. Back to top
How do I register for classes?
View the class times and locations in the class schedule (http://www.ss.unr.edu/records/sched.asp) and pick out classes that fit your schedule and do not overlap. Classes in the schedule are printed like this:
A class like English 101 may have over 50 sections, but here we see just sections 6 and 7. Section 6 meets 9:00-9:50 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in Frandsen Humanities building (FH) room 207. Section 7 meets 2:30-3:45 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays (TR) in Mack Social Science (MSS) room 242. If one of these classes fits your schedule, write down the 5-digit call number (18647 or 23340) and log on to "ePAWS" (http://www.unr.edu/epaws/). You will need your Social Security Number to log on. Follow the on-screen instructions until the menu screen appears, where you will click the button "Add / Drop Classes." The prompts will tell you where to enter the call number and how to add the class. Tuition may also be paid over ePAWS, but it is usually not due until almost the first day of class. Check the class schedule for exact dates. Back to top.
Are there classes that I am not allowed to take?
Placement into some classes such as math and English will depend upon your ACT or SAT scores. Read the class schedule carefully under the English or math department sections to determine which class you should take. Back to top.
What's the difference between the class schedule and the course catalog?
The class schedule, which contains meeting times and deadlines for only one semester, is not to be confused with the course catalog, which is a much longer book containing detailed information about every class and degree offered at UNR. Both the schedule and catalog are on the "Students" page of the UNR website (http://www.unr.edu/content/students.asp).
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What should I do if I'm transferring in credits?
Official records of AP exams and/or transcripts from other colleges should be sent to Admissions & Records. For questions about transferring in credits, contact the Transfer Center (http://www.unr.edu/stsv/trcenter/ 775-784-4700 x2088). For transfer students, meeting with an Education Advisor is best done after your transfer credits have been evaluated by the Transfer Center for meeting core and general courses. Courses that deal with Education, however, will not be evaluated by the Transfer Center, but will be evaluated by the College of Education faculty based upon course descriptions provided by the student. Bring your course descriptions and your evaluation of transfer credits from the Transfer Center as shown on the DARS to the Education Advisement Center. We recommend calling first for an appointment (775-784-4298 or 1-877-344-8078). Back to top.
What is my DARS and how can I view a copy of it?
Your Degree Audit Report (DARS) contains your current grades, classes, and degree requirements completed at UNR, plus the official breakdown of all credits transferred to UNR. All students may access their DARS through ePAWS (http://www.unr.edu/epaws/). New transfer students will be able to access their DARS only after they have been admitted to UNR and after they have completed the Web CT orientation as explained in their acceptance letter. The DARS may take about three weeks to be posted. If possible, we recommend new transfer students wait until they have accessed their DARS to meet with an Education advisor. For more information, visit the transfer center website: http://www.unr.edu/stsv/trcenter/.
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