Teacher in a classroom

What is UNIV 101L3?

UNIV is a course designed to help first-year students transition to the academic rigors of college. Students completing UNIV earn higher grades and persist at higher rates than their peers.  

UNIV 101L3 will be in-person for Fall 2021 and will include some online content to help students adapt and gain familiarity with Canvas, EMU's course management system. Most EMU courses include some content in Canvas.

Students learn how to successfully navigate the university system, what study techniques can enhance their grades, and how to live and learn in a multicultural environment. In addition, the classes are small and allow students to develop individual relationships with the faculty/staff teaching team members and other students in the class. This class prepares students for success at EMU and beyond.

Students in a classroom

What you'll learn in UNIV

  • Time management skills
  • Navigating the University services and departments
  • The power of a Growth Mindset
  • Academic planning
  • Career researching
  • Learning strategies
  • Critical thinking
  • Information literacy
  • Fundamentals of personal finance
  • Motivation and decision-making
  • So much more about yourself!

Why should I take UNIV 101L3?

  • Each student is assigned a personal Success Coach & Peer Academic Coach 
  • Students completing UNIV earn higher grades and persist at higher rates than their peers
  • Small, discussion-based classes give you a community of peers on campus
  • All course materials are included in the course/lab fee -- everything you need for this class!

As part of the curriculum, students will take the ACES inventory. This quick online assessment delivers information students will use throughout the course and provides a starting point for students' skills in Motivation, Memory & Studying, Information Literacy, Communication, Critical Thinking, Goal Setting, Time Management, and more!

Recent Comments from anonymous student evaluations

  • “UNIV is one of the most helpful classes I can say I've ever taken.” 2020
  • “I finally built a steady study schedule and I understand more about what I can offer in and out of the workforce.” 2020
  • “UNIV showed us how to be involved on campus, connect with others, find our interests, discover our personality types, become a strong decision maker, register for the Winter semester, and stay financially stable in the future.” 2020
  • “UNIV gave me advice and help I didn’t think I needed.” 2020
  • "The knowledge I gained in UNIV helped me in other classes as it taught me more effective ways to take notes and retain information." 2018
  • "The part [of the curriculum] that helped me the most was the critical thinking and the goal setting, because I was able to apply these things to all of my other classes. I feel as though it really helped me understand the material more and I also feel more accomplished because I created many goals over the semester that I was able to achieve." 2018
  • "The academic and career planning section in this class really helped me out. If we didn't schedule to go to our advisor in that class I don't think I would have ever figured out that that's what we're supposed to do." 2018
  • "UNIV taught me different ways of learning, note taking, and even studying." 2018
  • "[UNIV] helped me to improve my reading by giving me tips on how to be a better reader and be able to understand the main idea of each paragraph." 2018