As a W.H. Thompson Scholar, you will be required to enroll in W.H. Thompson courses your first four semesters, along with a W.H. Thompson Scholars First-Year Seminar. These courses are similar to your other college courses except that they are reserved exclusively for W. H. Thompson Scholars and are smaller than many of your other classes so you can work more closely with your faculty and get to know other students in your classes. You will choose which courses to take at New Student Enrollment this summer with the assistance of your academic advisor, who will help you choose courses based on your interest and degree requirements. There are a number of benefits to the W.H. Thompson classes:
- Taking courses with other W.H. Thompson Scholars makes it easy for students to form study groups,
- Scholars get to know their faculty,
- Scholars are exposed to well-planned ‘extend the classroom’ opportunities supported by the learning community.
The courses are taught by dedicated faculty and are smaller (usually 20 or 25 students maximum) than many other first and second-year courses at UNL. Most of the designated courses meet the UNL Achievement-Centered (ACE) General Education requirements for all majors across campus. ACE courses are designed to ensure that all UNL graduates meet the ten general education learning outcomes designated by faculty as critical to an undergraduate education. As such, they are not intended to be preparatory courses but rather are the core curriculum (although some of the courses also may serve as introductory courses to a major). Scholars work with their program academic advisors and W.H. Thompson staff to select courses that best meet their curricular needs and personal interests.
The W.H. Thompson First Year Experience Seminar: All W.H. Thompson Scholars must take this seminar during their first semester at UNL and it will count as one of your three W.H. Thompson courses in the fall. The seminar will provide you with a weekly opportunity to strengthen both your academic skills and social network. Weekly topics will address habits and behaviors essential to success in college, including time management, study skills, goal setting, campus resources, and leadership.