Understanding the Course Reader at UCLA: A Comprehensive Guide

The course reader is an integral part of the academic experience at UCLA. It encompasses a wide range of resources and support systems designed to enhance student learning and academic success. This article delves into the various aspects of the course reader, including definitions, resources, and opportunities available to students.

Defining Key Terms and Codes

Navigating the academic landscape at UCLA requires familiarity with specific codes and terms used in the Student Records System (SRS).

Department Code: This is the official SRS code for a specific department. For example, the Department of French and Francophone Studies has the department code "FRNCH."
Subject Area Code: This is the official SRS code for a particular subject area within a department. The Department of Classics, for instance, has several subject areas, including Classics, Greek, and Latin. The Subject Area code for Electrical and Computer Engineering is EC ENGR (not ECE).
Course Numbering: Lower-division courses are numbered 1-99, while upper-division courses are numbered 100-199. The prefix "M" indicates courses that are multiple-listed among departments or units.

Course Types and Formats

UCLA offers a diverse array of courses with varying formats and grading options to cater to different learning needs and preferences.

Seminars

Seminars are a common format, often limited to a small number of students to facilitate in-depth discussion and engagement.

Fiat Lux Freshman Seminars (19): These seminars are graded on a Pass/No Pass (P/NP) basis, limited to 20 students, and taught by faculty in their areas of scholarship.
Sophomore Seminars (88): These seminars can be graded P/NP or with a letter grade, limited to a maximum of 20 lower-division students. They introduce students to current research in the discipline through readings and discussions.
Honors Seminars (89): Graded with a letter grade and limited to 20 students, these seminars are adjunct to a lower-division lecture course and explore topics in greater depth through supplemental readings, papers, or other activities. They are led by the instructor of the lecture course and apply toward honors credit for eligible students.
Professional School Seminars (98): These seminars are graded P/NP or with a letter grade, limited to 20 students, and taught by professional school faculty. They introduce students to the nature of professional work and the role of professionals in society.
Collegium of University Teaching Fellows (98T): Graded with a letter grade, these seminars are taught by advanced graduate students in their field of specialization. They are one-time-only offerings that introduce students to the cutting edge of a discipline in a small seminar environment.
Advanced Honors Seminars (189): Similar to Honors Seminars, these are adjunct to a lower- or upper-division lecture course, exploring topics in greater depth and applying toward honors credit.
Research Colloquia (190): Graded P/NP only, these seminars bring students doing supervised tutorial research together to discuss their own work or related work in a discipline.
Variable Topics Seminars (97, 191, 191H): Topics vary by instructor, and the grading option is determined by the department.

Tutorial and Individual Study

These formats offer personalized learning experiences under the guidance of a faculty member.

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Honors Contracts (89HC, 189HC): Graded with a letter grade, these involve individual study with an instructor of a lower- or upper-division lecture course to explore topics in greater depth. An individual honors contract is required.
Student Research Program (99): Graded P/NP, this is entry-level research for lower-division students under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Enrollment is by contract, and students must be in good academic standing and enrolled in a minimum of 12 units (excluding this course).
Community or Corporate Internship (195): Limited to juniors/seniors and graded P/NP or with a letter grade, this involves an internship in a supervised setting in a community agency or business. A contract with a supervising faculty member is required.
Research Apprenticeship (196): Graded P/NP and limited to juniors/seniors, this is an entry-level research apprenticeship for upper-division students under the guidance of a faculty mentor. A contract is required.
Individual Studies (197): Limited to juniors/seniors and graded P/NP or with a letter grade, these involve individual tutorials between a faculty member and a student. A contract is required, and no original project or research is expected.
Honors Research (198): Limited to juniors/seniors and graded with a letter grade, this requires a contract.
Directed Research or Senior Project (199): Limited to juniors/seniors and graded P/NP or with a letter grade, this involves research under the guidance of a faculty mentor. A contract is required, and a culminating paper or project is required.

Other Course Formats

Special Studies (188): Departmentally sponsored experimental or temporary courses, such as courses taught by visiting faculty. Grading is determined by the department. Approved for one term or one year only.
Undergraduate Teaching Practicum (192): Limited to juniors/seniors and graded P/NP or with a letter grade, this involves training and supervised practicum for advanced undergraduates in teaching courses.
Journal Club Seminars (193): Limited to undergraduates and graded P/NP only.
Research Group or Internship Seminars (194): Designed for undergraduates who are part of a research group or internship. Graded P/NP only.

Grading Options

Undergraduate courses offer various grading options, including letter grades, Pass/No Pass (P/NP), and In Progress. Graduate courses have similar options. Specific reasons for In Progress grading must be provided in the justification section.

Course Components and Contact Hours

Courses may include lecture, discussion, laboratory, and seminar components. The number of class contact hours required each week should be indicated for each component.

Lecture: A formal presentation by an instructor.
Discussion (DIS): A subsection of a course focusing on topics presented in the main section of the course (usually a lecture).
Laboratory: A hands-on session for practical experimentation and application of concepts.
Seminar (SEM): Students meet with an instructor in a small classroom setting to exchange ideas through discussion, research papers, and reports.
Tutorial (TUT): Students are supervised by an instructor on a one-on-one basis to pursue an agreed-upon individual course of study.
Clinic (CLI): A group meeting devoted to the analysis and solution of concrete problems or to the acquiring of specific skills or knowledge.
Fieldwork (FLD): Work done in the field to gain practical hands-on experience and knowledge through firsthand observation; work done to gather data through interviewing or observing subjects in the field.

Multiple Listings and Concurrent Scheduling

Multiple Listings: Courses jointly offered by two or more departments are designated as "multiple listings" and are identified by the prefix "M." All elements of the course except the course numbers must be identical for all sponsoring units.
Concurrent Scheduling: Pairs of courses, within a single department or program, which are offered at the same time and place, with the same instructor, but for which credit is given at two levels-graduate and undergraduate. Each concurrently scheduled course is listed in the general catalog under the appropriate level with a "C" prefix.

AAP Peer Learning: Enhancing Academic Skills

The Academic Advancement Program (AAP) at UCLA offers Peer Learning sessions designed to enhance students' academic skills and foster intellectual independence.

Free Peer Learning: Offered to all AAP students to strengthen their abilities to think critically and independently, read analytically, write well, engage in interdisciplinary reasoning, and study effectively.
Peer Learning Facilitators (PLFs): Upper-division AAP students who have successfully completed courses in various disciplines. They facilitate sessions in small groups, fostering discussion and helping students develop the tools necessary for scholarly inquiry.
Small Group Sessions: Most sessions take place in small groups of three to twelve students, fostering discussion and collaboration.
One-on-One Writing Drop-In Sessions: Designed to help AAP students strengthen their essays, papers, resumes, cover letters, and scholarship essays. These sessions are 30 minutes each and offered virtually via Zoom.
Non-Remedial Focus: AAP Peer Learning sessions are designed to enhance learning, not just provide remediation. They aim to enrich learning through social interaction and diverse perspectives.
Student-Centered Approach: Peer Learning Facilitators encourage students to engage actively with course materials and supplement instruction by getting students to engage course materials actively, critically, and independently through questioning, dialogue, and debate.
Accessing Peer Learning: Students can sign up for Peer Learning sessions through MyUCLA following the Peer Learning pass system protocol. Enrollment pass times become available by Wednesday morning of Week 1.

Opportunities for Students

UCLA offers various opportunities for students to enhance their academic and professional development.

Peer Learning Facilitator (PLF) Positions: AAP students can apply to become PLFs, gaining experience in facilitating learning and supporting their peers.
Research Opportunities: UCLA provides resources and guidance for students seeking research opportunities.
Student Academic Employment: Graduate students have access to various employment positions, including Graduate Student Researcher, Associate In, Teaching Assistant, Reader, and Tutor.

Student Academic Employment Positions

Student Academic Employment positions provide one of the largest sources for graduate student support and constitute an important aspect of graduate training under faculty guidance.

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Graduate Student Researcher (GSR): A full-time registered UC Davis graduate student appointed to assist in performing research under the direction of a ladder-rank faculty member or authorized Principal Investigator.
Associate In (AI): A graduate student of excellent scholarship and teaching promise, who is temporarily employed as the instructor of an entire lower division course or group of students in a lower division course.
Teaching Assistant (TA): A full-time registered graduate student, chosen for excellent scholarship and teaching promise, serving an apprenticeship under the active tutelage and supervision of a regular faculty member.
Reader: A graduate or undergraduate student appointed for the ability to render diverse services as a "course assistant," which will normally include the grading of student papers and examinations.
Tutor: Works with individual students or small groups of students to assist them in their learning.

Course Subtitles and Unit Value

Course Subtitles: Some courses, such as variable topics courses, have subtitles that provide specific information about the section. These subtitles can be displayed on the transcript in SRS (Student Record System).
Unit Value: The workload credit given for a course. Senate Regulation 760 provides that credit be reckoned at the rate of one unit per three hours of work per week, per term, or the equivalent.

Resources for Academic Success

UCLA offers a wealth of resources to support students in their academic journey.

UCLA Undergraduate Writing Center: Provides writing support and guidance to students.
Online Tutorials: Interactive tutorials on various topics, including primary source analysis, film analysis, thesis statement writing, and data literacy.
Workshops and Events: Workshops and events focused on developing academic and professional skills.

Personal Insight Questions

As part of the application process, prospective students are asked to answer personal insight questions. These questions provide an opportunity for students to share their experiences, talents, and perspectives.

Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem-solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

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