Gateway to College Learning (UCOL 1002)

The transition from high school to college requires many adjustments - leaving home, meeting new people, preparing for an intensive study environment, learning to budget time effectively, understanding university procedures, and making life-changing decisions.

What kind of course is Gateway?

Gateway is a letter-graded, two-credit-hour elective course. Students are expected to attend each class. There will be reading and writing homework assignments. Each class is limited to 28 students. Gateway may be somewhat different from other courses in that the format will be primarily discussion rather than lecture. Also, the content will be focused on the process of learning and becoming a student rather than on an academic subject.

How will Gateway help me as a student?

This course is designed to establish foundations for becoming successful and effective college students. Course experiences will provide, among other things, opportunities to accomplish the following:

Develop and refine skills that will help ensure academic excellence. These skills will include training in time management, note-taking, and test-taking strategies.
Investigate the nature of higher education and the University of Oklahoma. Find out what constitutes a university. Enjoy learning about the history, traditions, and culture unique to OU.
Get to know an instructor to whom you can bring questions and problems. Developing a relationship with a teacher in a small class can be extremely helpful in learning to solve problems.
Learn about yourself as a student. Gateway includes activities to encourage the examination of thoughts, feelings, and/or behaviors that affect the performance of students and their acceptance within the campus community. Regular journals provide an outlet for personal expression.
Learn about the many resources at OU. The University of Oklahoma has vast resources: academic, social, cultural, technological, and others. Gateway will help you access these resources.
Practice and improve your ability to communicate your thoughts. In college, students are often expected to study subjects in ways different from high school. In Gateway, you will explore selected topics utilizing frequent class discussions, small group activities, and journals.
Learn about other students and interacting in the community. In Gateway, you will get to know your peers well, both inside and outside the class through experiences such as volunteer service and cultural events.