Category Archives: Courses

Thatcher Language & Culture House accepting applications for 2017-18

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The Thatcher Language & Culture House is an immersive living & learning community with both academic and social components. Being part of this diverse and vibrant community helps students increase their cultural and language competency while building strong and meaningful connections with their peers and instructors. Applications are now being accepted for the 2017-18 academic year, and the application deadline is Sunday, February 19.

  • Thatcher residents are passionate about cultural and language competency. Residents may be: native speakers, heritage speakers, language learners, as well as students who have studied abroad, or who are planning to go abroad.
  • Language proficient students should apply to one of the Language Based Programs (i.e. Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, German, and French). Students in the Language Based Programs are expected to speak and interact in their target language whenever possible in Thatcher.
  • Students who are not proficient in one of the languages should apply to the Global Culture Program.
  • Course Requirements: In support of the academic component of the program, each semester, all students MUST enroll in the designated weekly, two-credit course associated with their specific program. more…

Econ Undergrad Research Assistantships – Deadline approaching!

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The deadline for Spring 2017 Econ Ugrad Research Assistantship (EURA) applications is Wednesday, February 1, so if you are interested in working with an Economics faculty member on cutting edge research this fall, get your application in soon! And if you’re not sure what a research assistantship is, or how it can benefit you, check out our website at umass.edu/economics/undergraduate/opportunities/eura.

Election results got you down? Earn a CEPS Certificate and get involved!

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Earn a Civic Engagement & Public Service Certificate

The CEPS Certificate combines theory and practical experiences in a coherent framework for students who want to learn how to be effective in building a more just and peaceful world. Here at UMass, a certificate is similar to a minor. A minor is usually in a single department. A certificate explores a complex topic using courses from several departments.

  • Learn how to create positive social change
  • Develop the skills needed for a life of active and engaged citizenship
  • Get hands-on experience connecting ideas and action
  • Explore a path to a career in the civic sphere, non-profit sector, or politics
  • Receive recognition for public service done while at UMass
  • Learn how to connect such work to your major

There are two Tracks through the Certificate–the Service-Learning Track and the Community-Engaged Research Track.  Within the Service-Learning track are a number of different Pathways which organize some of the courses in ways that support students’ development.

Students must complete a minimum of 6 courses (each three credits or more) for a minimum of 18 credits to complete the CEPS Certificate. Applications are accepted at any time during the year, so apply now! (NOTE:  application can only be accessed using Adobe Reader.)

Calmate por favor! Tips to survive enrollment angst.

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Spring enrollment begins Monday and the angst levels on campus are already through the roof!  We have been inundated with emails, phone calls, and drop-ins from students who are POSITIVE they will not get into the classes they need and they want somebody to guarantee that they’ll get in to every one of their top choices.  We cannot do that.  What we can do is ask you to calm down, take a few deep breaths, and think logically. We would also like you to know that we understand your fears and frustrations and we will help you whenever we can.  Here are a few bits of helpful information to assist you in navigating these sometimes choppy waters:

  • Please understand that most departments have to restrict enrollments for awhile to ensure that their PRIMARY majors can get seats in required courses.  If you are pursuing a secondary major or minor, you MUST WAIT until primary majors enroll. Trust me, you would not appreciate it if you had to compete with secondary majors and minors for a seat in YOUR primary major.
  • Have a backup plan.  There are almost always other classes you can take if you cannot get into the ones you want.  Keep in mind, however, that if you are hoping for an override into a class you must keep your credit load low enough to allow the new class to be added and you must not have a time conflict with the new class. If you don’t eliminate conflicts, you might not get that override you’re waiting for.
  • Don’t panic before you give the system a chance to work. If a preferred class fills up, go to your backup plan but keep an eye on SPIRE because people drop as they rearrange their schedules right up until the end of add/drop. If something opens up, do not drop the backup class before you try to enroll in the new class.  Use your SWAP tab to switch into the other class. SPIRE will hold onto the backup until it knows for sure you can get into the new one.
  • If you need to swap discussion sections, use the Edit tab in your SPIRE enrollment screen.  DO NOT DROP the lecture and try to re-enroll or you will likely lose your spot in the class.
  • Most importantly, stay calm.  Arguing with an advisor, complaining to the department Chair, contacting the Dean of the college, or threatening to sue the university will not only NOT get you into a class, it may alienate you from the very people from whom you need help. The law of supply and demand does not always work in your favor, and this may turn out to be a valuable life lesson that was aptly summed up by the Rolling Stones in 1969.

READ THIS if you plan to enroll in Economics courses for Spring 2017!

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The Economics major has grown explosively over the past few semesters and we are working feverishly to add classes and seats to accommodate our majors. In order to ensure that our PRIMARY majors get seats in all of the classes they need for their requirements, we will now be restricting our intermediate and upper-level courses for the first few days of enrollment to PRIMARY MAJORS ONLY.  This means that if you are working toward a secondary major or minor, you will have to wait until primary majors have had an opportunity to enroll.
  • Enrollment in ECON IE courses (ECON 306, 367, 394CI, 394FI, 394IO, and 494MI) will be managed by the department, and students will be contacted by Lori Sadler if they are eligible for a seat.  Students will NOT be able to self-enroll, and only those students who have not yet satisfied the Econ IE requirement will be added.
  • ECON 365 (Jr Yr Writing) will be open to Econ primary major juniors and seniors ONLY. There will be no change in this restriction at any point and students will be able to enroll themselves
  • ECON 203 & 204 will be open to ECON/RESEC/STPEC primary majors only until after Sophomores enroll.
    • On November 16th, ECON 203 and 204 will be opened to secondary majors in ECON/RESEC/STPEC.
    • On January 23rd (first day of class), ECON 203 and 204 will be opened to all majors.
    • There will not be waitlists, and students will be able to self-enroll until the end of add/drop.
  • ECON 300 and 400-level courses that are not IE or JYW will be available to ECON/RESEC/STPEC primary majors only until after Juniors enroll.
    • On November 14th, these courses will be opened to ECON/RESEC/STPEC secondary majors.
    • On November 16th, these courses will be opened to all other majors.
    • There will not be waitlists, and students will be able to self-enroll until the end of add/drop.
If you are a primary Economics major who is unable to enroll in an Econ course that should be open to you, please contact your primary advisor for help.   (students A-K – Leah Dodson  |  students L-Z – Lori Sadler)

Oxford Summer Program applications are now open!

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The Oxford Summer Seminar, a 6-week program of study in Oxford, England, has just opened its application page for Summer 2017. Students who go on the program can earn up to 10 credits, some of it in honors coursework that will satisfy the requirements for your major.  This summer, for the first time, they have added a course in Economics:

Global Origins of Capitalism and Modernity
This 4-credit course will be taught by our very own Mwangi wa G?th?nji.
You may find out more about this and other Oxford Summer Seminar courses at umass.edu/oxford.

Info Sessions:
–Wednesday, Nov 16, 7:00 p.m. Integrated Learning Center (ILC) room N345
–Thursday, November 17, noon, Bartlett room 316

We encourage you to go to one of these sessions, but you are not required to attend an information session in order to apply.  Find out more at umass.edu/oxford.

What to do if you can’t get into a class

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Sometimes, despite all your careful planning, or because you DIDN’T plan well, you cannot get into a class that you want or need during your SPIRE enrollment appointment.  If that has happened to you, here are some strategies that may help you get into that class:
  1. Open the course page and check the pre-requisites and eligibility restrictions.
    • If you have previously completed all pre-reqs and you meet the eligibility requirements, email the advisor for the department in which that course is located and ask if it is possible to get an override into the class.  (Only email Economics advisors to ask about ECONOMICS classes.  We cannot override you into any class outside of our department.)
    • If you have not yet completed a pre-req course or you don’t meet the eligibility restrictions (e.g. you’re not a primary major), you should not try to enroll now and you should definitely not email the instructor or an advisor asking to be put into the class. You should first complete the pre-requisite course(s) and, if it is an eligibility issue, just keep checking SPIRE to see if the course does not fill because it may open to you if it doesn’t fill.
  2. If you see discussion sections but you don’t see the lecture, it is probably a technical glitch that the department is working to resolve. Keep checking SPIRE for the lecture to open so you can enroll.
  3. If you don’t see classes that you know are supposed to be offered next semester, click off the check box that says “Show Open Classes Only” so you can see all classes, including those that are showing as closed.  If you find the class you’re looking for and open the course page, you can see the capacity and the total enrollment.  If it has a capacity of, say 25, but 0 students are enrolled, then there is a problem that the department is trying to work out.  If the class is cancelled, it will disappear from SPIRE, but if it is a scheduling problem, the course will show as closed until the problem is resolved, and then the blue square will turn into a green circle and you will be able to enroll.
  4. If the class you want fills up before you can enroll, KEEP CHECKING SPIRE from now until the first day of class.  Students play with their schedules constantly and you never know when someone will drop.  If you put the class in your shopping cart and keep checking SPIRE, you may see that beautiful green circle, and if you are quick enough you may just get that open seat!
  5. If you don’t get into an Economics class before the first week of school, go to the first class and sign up on the in-class waitlist.  Then attend the class like you are enrolled because there is a good chance that someone will drop within the first two weeks and if you get in you will not be behind.  Your instructor should be able to tell you what your chances are of getting in, depending on where you are on the waitlist.
  Got more questions?

Master of Arts in Applied Economics at UMB

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UMass Boston offers a Master’s in Applied Economics designed for people currently working in a policy setting or for those desiring jobs as economists in a variety of settings in which policy analysis is relevant, ranging from private business to government to nonprofit organizations. Although primarily directed at people engaged in areas that intersect with urban public policy issues, the program would also appeal to those teaching in high school or community colleges.

The curriculum provides foundational courses in orthodox and heterodox economic theory, methodology and courses focusing on the analysis of urban issues in a global context. The design of the program strongly emphasizes the set of skills necessary to do applied economic research. Students will be required to complete 32 credits with courses offered in late afternoons and evenings. Click here to see the fact sheet detailing requirements and application process.

Everything you ever wanted to know about taking summer courses

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Summer courses at UMass Amherst:

  • Summer courses at UMass Amherst are almost always online through Continuing and Professional Ed (CPE). These courses give students the chance to get ahead on credits or retake a class that they did not do well in the first time around.
  • Before you can enroll in a summer course at UMass Amherst, you must log into SPIRE and request a summer enrollment appointment.  (Click here for instructions.)
  • Summer CPE courses are billed separately from your regular tuition and may not be covered by some financial aid, so be sure to check with the Financial Aid office to find out if you’re covered.
  • Check the CPE website to find out about costs and who to contact if you have questions or problems with a summer online course.
  • Summer 2016 enrollment begins on March 14 and summer courses are already viewable in SPIRE.
  • There are two 2016 summer sessions: Session 1 runs May 16-June 24,  Session 2 runs July 11-August 19, but there are some courses with non-standard dates, so be sure to check the start and end dates in SPIRE.
  • Undergrads are allowed to take a total of 14 credits for the summer, limited to no more than 8 credits per session.
  • Grades for online classes at UMass Amherst are automatically added to your transcript and factored into your UMass GPA.
  • If you are a senior by credit (87 or more credits completed), you must fill out the Senior Year in Absentia form to indicate to the Registrar’s office that you are completing part of your senior year with online summer classes. The form must be signed by both your major advisor and the college advising office.

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Summer courses OUTSIDE OF UMass Amherst:

  • If you’d rather take an in-person class at a community college or another university, you can do that, too, but there are some things you need to do to ensure that the class will transfer in.
  • If you opt to take courses at another institution over the summer, whether in person or online, it is important to get the transfer credits pre-approved to ensure that they will count properly when the transcripts come in.
  • If you are a senior by credit (87 or more credits completed), you must fill out the Senior Year in Absentia form to indicate to the Registrar’s office that you are completing part of your senior year outside of UMass.  The form must be signed by both your major advisor and the college advising office.
  • If you want to use a course toward a specific requirement (major, minor, Global Ed, Gen Ed, etc) you must get either form listed above signed by the appropriate advisor to ensure that the course will count toward that requirement.  For example, if you are taking an Economics class somewhere other than UMass, you must make an appointment with Kevin Crocker and bring him a copy of the course description or syllabus so he can review the course and indicate that it will satisfy an Econ major requirement.
  • In order to get credit for courses taken outside of UMass Amherst, you must have an official transcript mailed to the Registrar’s office, or deliver a sealed official copy by hand. The Registrar’s office will not accepted a copy of your transcript unless it is in a sealed envelope with the registrar’s stamp of the other institution over the sealed flap.

Join the Citizen Scholars Program!

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Applications are now being accepted for the Citizen Scholars Program (CSP), designed for students with a passion for community engagement, public policy, organizing, and social justice advocacy who want to learn and grow as change-makers.  This two-year, 4-course, service-learning and leadership program builds students’ capacity to work for a more just society.  Application deadline is March 4, 2016.

CSP is just one of the programs offered by the office of Civic Engagement & Service-Learning.
UMass Amherst Civic Engagement and Service-Learning
611 Goodell Building
University of Massachusetts
140 Hicks Way
Amherst, MA  01003-9272

Office: 413-545-2015
Fax: 413-577-4000
Email: cesl@umass.edu
www.cesl.umass.edu