Choosing Classes

Choosing courses can be daunting, but it should not be so. One of the most common questions new students have is, "What classes should I take?" Remember that you have four years of classes ahead of you. If you are filling requirements and fulfilling your interests, you cannot go wrong. The following question was answered by a peer advisor in The L&S UAS Service. You can always ask questions of current students by emailing them.

 

What classes should I take?

  • You can’t go wrong if you take classes that you think you are genuinely interested in.  When you take classes on topics you enjoy learning about, you will likely be more willing to read and study, and in turn be successful in that class.  If you find out during the semester that you do not like the class as much as you had expected, it is not a waste of time, it is a learning experience for you to find where your interests lie and to find how you learn best.
  • If you have a strong idea of what major you want to pursue, you may want to look into that department’s specific requirements.  Each department has a website online.
  • Do not concern yourself too much with all of the requirements right away your first semester.  You have a long road ahead of you, and will have many semesters to address these requirements. 

 

  • Two requirements that are important to pay attention to:
    • Communication A- Required to be taken within your first year on campus, if you did not test out of it
    • Foreign Language-  You may want to start thinking about foreign language options, if you did not fulfill your requirement with high school classes or the placement exam

 

  • Try to balance your schedule.  As much as you may like one area of study, it may be overwhelming to take one type of class (i.e. all sciences or all literatures), because your workload will not be varied. 
  • Aim to take between 12-15 credits your first semester.  While your high school workload may have been rigorous, you need to realize that 12 to 15 credits is a serious workload in college.  The transition from high school to college work is very important.    Another factor to take into account is that college is more than your time in the classroom.  Your first year here is a wonderful time to explore all of the various opportunities that Madison has to offer.