Seek a balance in your schedule. Select a combination of courses that meets different needs and promotes different skills (writing, quantitative learning, reading).
Leave time for breaks between classes. Grouping all of your classes into a few days or toward the end of the day may be tempting, but you should give yourself time in between classes to study, review for a quiz, or eat.
Remember you are planning only for your first semester, not for your entire four years. Use the first year to meet prerequisites and Miami Plan Perspectives Area courses, as well as courses of potential interest.
Instructions
For most majors you should plan on taking approximately 15-18 credit hours your first semester.
Try to take courses from different areas of the Miami Plan Perspectives Areas and/or Signature Inquiries.
Remember that not all courses will have available seats. Be sure to have a first, second, and third choice for all of your course selections.
Take into account your foreign language, math, and other placement recommendations in making choices.
If you anticipate receiving AP or transfer credit, check with your advisor at orientation to see where those credits may apply.
If you are in a Living Learning Community that includes a course, this will automatically be added to your schedule.
Online courses are offered in two ways:
asynchronous courses are offered completely online and do not require you to attend a regular class meeting.
synchronous courses are offered completely online, but have required class meeting times.
Online courses are typically offered through a password-protected collaborative learning environment called Canvas. Course content is typically available 24 hours a day and communication takes place in a variety of ways. The advantages of online courses include flexibility, mobility, and accessibility. Keep in mind that these courses can be very time-consuming and require discipline and time management skills to complete successfully. Online courses are designated in the Course List with an attribute of Online Asynchronous (no designated meeting times) or Online Synchronous (designated meeting times).
Information about Divisions and Sample First-Year Schedules
