uog-2011

8/4/2019 UOG-2011wwwCh5Academics

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If you opened a course catalogue, closedyour eyes, and randomly put your fin-

ger on any class, chances are youd find agood one. Youve got a wide array of aca-demic options at Stanford. It often feelslike too many options, especially right af-ter you find out about an amazing classthat you had no idea existed or whenyour list of possible classes for a quarter

totals 63 units. We strongly advise nottaking 63 units per quarter, so heres our advice on how to pick the best classes that aregoing to make $50,000 a year feel like its worthwhile.

Dates (The Boring Kind)

AUTUMN QUARTERAugust 1 (Mon) Axess opens for course enrollment.

August 29 (Mon) M.D. first-year students, first day of instruction.

September 1 (Thu) M.D. second-year students, first day of instruction.

September 6 (Tue) Law School instruction begins for 1st-year J.D. students

September 16 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) At-status enrollment deadline in order to receivestipend or financial aid refund by first day of term.

September 19 (Mon) MBA first-year instruction begins.

September 20 (Tue) New undergraduates arrive; Convocation.

September 26 (Mon) First day of quarter; instruction begins; Law School instructionbegins for 2nd/3rd-year J.D. and advanced degree students

September 26 (Mon, 5:00 p.m.) Preliminary Study List deadline. Students must beat status; i.e., students must have a study list with sufficient units to meetrequirements for their status, whether full-time, 8-9-10 units (graduate studentsonly), or approved Special Registration Status. The late study list fee is $200.

September 26 (Mon, 5:00 p.m.) Deadline to submit Leave of Absence for full refund.See Tuition and Refund Schedule: 2011-12 for a full refund schedule.

Academics

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September 29 (Thu) Conferral of degrees, Summer Quarter 2010-11.

October 14 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Final Study List deadline. Last day to add or drop a class;last day to adjust units on a variable-unit course. Last day for tuition reassessmentfor dropped courses or units. Students may withdraw from a course until theCourse Withdrawal deadline and a 'W' notation will appear on the transcript.

November 14 (Mon, 5:00 p.m.) Term withdrawal deadline; last day to submit Leave ofAbsence to withdraw from the University with a partial refund. See Tuition andRefund Schedule: 2011-12 for a full refund schedule.

November 18 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Change of grading basis deadline.

November 18 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Course withdrawal deadline.

November 18 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Application deadline for Autumn Quarter degreeconferral.

November 21-25 (Mon-Fri) Thanksgiving Recess (no classes).

December 5-11 (Mon-Sun) End-Quarter Period.December 9 (Fri) Last day of classes (unless class meets on Sat.)

December 9 (Fri) Last opportunity to arrange Incomplete in a course, at last class.

December 9 (Fri, noon) University thesis, D.M.A. final project, or Ph.D. dissertation,last day to submit.

December 9 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Late application deadline for Autumn Quarter degreeconferral ($50 fee).

December 12-16 (Mon-Fri) End-Quarter examinations.

December 9-16 (Fri-Fri) Law School examinations

December 20 (Tue, 11:59 p.m.) Grades due.

January 12 (Thu) Conferral of degrees, Autumn Quarter.

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Language Pacifica

SERVICE. DIVERSITY. EXCELLENCE.

Since 1979 thousands of students from every corner of the world have journeyedto Northern Californias Silicon Valley to study English at Language Pacifica. At

our institute students can choose Intensive English Programs, TOEFL Preparation

(PBT and iBT), as well as Topics in American Culture. We have full-time courses

for students on the F-1 Student Visa needing the SEVIS Form I-20 and part-time

classes for individuals on the F2, B1/B2 Tourist Visa or Visa Waiver.

For those international students who plan to study in the United States, Lan-

guage Pacifica maintains partnership with a number of San Francisco Bay Area

colleges and universities, including Foothill College, De Anza College, Menlo Col-lege, College of San Mateo, Caada College, Skyline College, and Notre Dame de

Namur University.

Language Pacifica is located in Menlo Park in between San Jose and San Fran-

cisco, a short distance from Stanford University.

Please visit us at www.languagepacifica.com


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WINTER QUARTEROctober 30 (Sun) Axess opens for course enrollment.

December 30 (Fri) At-status enrollment deadline in order to receive stipend orfinancial aid refund by first day of term.

January 9 (Mon) First day of quarter; instruction begins for all students.

January 9 (Mon, 5:00 p.m.) Preliminary Study List deadline. Students must be atstatus; i.e., students must have a study list with sufficient units to meetrequirements for their status, whether full-time, 8-9-10 units (graduate studentsonly), or approved Special Registration Status. The late study list fee is $200.

January 9 (Mon, 5:00 p.m.) Deadline to submit Leave of Absence for full refund. SeeTuition and Refund Schedule: 2011-12 for a full refund schedule.

January 16 (Mon) Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (holiday, no classes).

January 27 Fri (5:00 p.m.) Final Study List deadline. Final day to add or drop a class;

last day to adjust units on a variable-unit course. Last day for tuition reassessmentfor dropped courses or units. Students may withdraw from a course until theCourse Withdrawal deadline and a 'W' notation will appear on the transcript.

February 20 (Mon) Presidents Day (holiday, no classes; Law does hold classes).

February 22 (Wed, 5:00 p.m.) Term withdrawal deadline; last day to submit Leave ofAbsence to withdraw from the University with a partial refund. See Tuition andRefund Schedule: 2011-12 for a full refund schedule.

March 2 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Change of grading basis deadline.

March 2 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Course withdrawal deadline.

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March 2 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Application deadline for Winter Quarter degree conferral.

March 12-16 (Mon-Sun) End-Quarter Period.

March 16 (Fri) Last day of classes (unless class meets on Sat.)

March 16 (Fri) Last opportunity to arrange Incomplete in a course, at last class.

March 16 (Fri, noon) University thesis, D.M.A. final project, Ph.D. dissertation, lastday to submit.

March 16 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Late application deadline for Winter Quarter degreeconferral ($50 fee).

March 16-23 (Fri-Fri) Law School examinations

March 19-23 (Mon-Fri) End-Quarter examinations.

March 27 (Tue, 11:59 p.m.) Grades due.

April 5 (Thu) Conferral of degrees, Winter Quarter.

SPRING QUARTERFebruary 12 (Sun) Axess opens for course enrollment.

March 23 (Fri) At-status enrollment deadline in order to receive stipend or financialaid refund by first day of term.

April 2 (Mon) First day of quarter; instruction begins for all students.

April 2 (Mon, 5:00 p.m.) Preliminary Study List deadline. Students must be at status;i.e., students must have a study list with sufficient units to meet requirements fortheir status, whether full-time, 8-9-10 units (graduate students only), or approved

Special Registration Status. The late study list fee is $200.

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April 2 (Mon, 5:00 p.m.) Deadline to submit Leave of Absence for full refund. SeeTuition and Refund Schedule: 2011-12 for a full refund schedule.

April 5 (Thu) MBA first-year instruction begins.

April 13 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Applicationdeadline for Spring Quarter degree

conferral.April 20 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Final Study List

deadline. Last day to add or drop a class;last day to adjust units on a variable-unitcourse. Last day for tuition reassessmentfor dropped courses or units. Studentsmay withdraw from a course until theCourse Withdrawal deadline and a Wnotation will appear on the transcript.

May 15 (Tue, 5:00 p.m.) Term withdrawaldeadline; last day to submit Leave of

Absence to withdraw from theUniversity with a partial refund. SeeTuition and Refund Schedule: 2011-12for a full refund schedule.

May 25 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Change of gradingbasis deadline.

May 25 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Course withdrawal deadline


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May 28 (Mon) Memorial Day (holiday, no classes).

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June 1-7 (Fri-Thu) End-Quarter Period.

June 4-8 (Mon-Fri) Law School examinations.

June 6 (Wed) Last day of classes.

June 6 (Wed) Last opportunity to arrange Incomplete in a course, at last class.

June 6 (Wed, noon) University thesis, D.M.A. final project, or Ph.D. dissertation, lastday to submit.

June 6 (Wed, 5:00 p.m.) Late application deadline for Spring Quarter degree conferral($50 fee).

June 7 (Thu) Day before finals, no classes.

June 8-13 (Fri-Wed) End-Quarter examinations.

June 14 (Thu, noon) Grades for graduating students due.

June 16 (Sat) Senior Class Day.

June 16 (Sat) Baccalaureate Saturday.June 17 (Sun) Commencement. Conferral of degrees, Spring Quarter.

June 19 (Tue, 11:59 p.m.) Grades for non-graduating students due.

SUMMER QUARTER 2011-12April 15 (Sun) Axess opens for course enrollment.

June 15 (Fri) At-status enrollment deadline in order to receive stipend or financialaid refund by first day of term.

June 25 (Mon) First day of quarter; instruction begins.June 25 (Mon, 5:00 p.m.) Preliminary Study List deadline.

June 25 (Mon) Deadline to submit Leave of Absence for full refund. See Tuition andRefund Schedule: 2011-12 for a full refund schedule.

July 4 (Wed) Independence Day (holiday, no classes).

July 6 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Final Study List deadline. Final day to add or drop a class; lastday to adjust units on a variable-unit course. Last day for tuition reassessment for

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Stanford University Summer Session

For several decades, Stanford University Summer Session has provided programs for

Stanford students as well as visiting students from all over the U.S. and the world.

It continues to do so by nurturing and supporting students to discover their capa-

bilities and grow into emerging scholars of our future.

One of the major programs directed by Summer Session is the Undergraduate &

Graduate Summer Programs. This program enables Stanford students to register for

Summer Quarter courses directly via Axess. Students elect from over 175 courses of-

fered in over 35 departments from schools such as the Humanities and Sciences, Earth

Sciences, and Engineering.

Students can attend as residential or commuter students.

Summer Session 2012 begins June 23 through August 19.

Learn more about Stanford University Summer Session at: summer.stanford.edu


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dropped courses or units. Students may withdraw from a course until the CourseWithdrawal deadline and a 'W' notation will appear on the transcript.

July 27 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Term withdrawal deadline; last day to submit Leave ofAbsence to withdraw from the University with a partial refund. See Tuition andRefund Schedule: 2011-12 for a full refund schedule.

Aug 3 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Change of grading basis deadline.Aug 3 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Course withdrawal deadline.

Aug 3 (Fri, 5:00 p.m.) Application deadline for Summer Quarter degree conferral.

August 11-16 (Sat-Thu) End-Quarter Period.

August 16 (Thu) Last day of classes.

August 16 (Thu) Last opportunity to arrange Incomplete in a course, at last class.

August 16 (Thu, 5:00 p.m.) Late application deadline for Summer Quarter degree

conferral ($50 fee).


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August 17-18 (Fri-Sat) End-Quarter examinations.

August 21 (Tue, 11:59 p.m.) Grades due.

August 31 (Fri, noon) University thesis, D.M.A. final project, or Ph.D. dissertation, lastday to submit.

September 27 (Thu) Conferral of degrees, Summer Quarter. Choosing Classes

Choosing Classes Cleverly Checklist

Ask upperclassmen for advice. Read The Unofficial Stanford Blogs CoursePreview every quarter, showcasing the most interesting-sounding and highlyrecommended classes available.

Visit one of the following helpful web sites:

CourseRank (courserank.stanford.edu): Like many successful websites,CourseRank was created and developed at Stanford. Now it is integrated with

Axess and even spawned imitation CourseRanks at other universities. You canrate any class youve taken, comment on classes/teachers, ask questions aboutclasses, and plan your schedule.

Stanford Courses (stanfordcourses.com): Not the greatest interface youll eversee, but Stanford Courseswhich predates CourseRankoffers a comprehensiveclass search and a great tool for seeing when your finals are if you take certainclasses.

Explore Courses (explorecourses.stanford.edu): This is the official Stanford classsearch. It used to be this thing called the Bulletin, printed on paper (whatever

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that is) and sitting in your dorm room when you arrived as a freshman. Now itsonlineand really easy to search and browse.

Take advantage of Introductory Seminars and Freshman/SophomoreSeminars. These classes are GREAT ways to meet professors and other studentsin a small class, get involved in research, boost your GPA, and find an advisor.

The applications are simple, and these courses are some of the best academicexperiences of students Stanford careers. Dont be deterred if youre not the yearspecified for the coursemany frosh take sophomore seminars, and even juniorsand seniors are admitted if theres space.

Take Athletics classes for units. A total of eight activities units will count towardgraduation. You can learn invaluable skills like how to tighten your abs andglutes, how to golf, or how to be a gymnast.

Explore Student Initiated Courses, also taught by fellow students. This programallows students to design and lead a one to two unit class on an area of interest.

Participate in Sophomore College (SoCo) prior to sophomore year, an intensive3-week residential program where students live on campus with other students intheir course. Testimonial: I took one. It was awesome. Three weeks on campus +limited schoolwork + small seminars + interesting people = a good combination.

Departments and Majors

For a comprehensive view of academic programs available to you, visit

www.stanford.edu/home/academics/index.html.


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Wise words for froshies:

Most people have no idea what they want to do with their lives. They also haveno idea what classes to take, what to major in, or even what to eat for lunch.Those people who look like they have their life in perfect order are either reallylame or eat tacos every day for lunch.

If you arent sure of your major, you can always stop in its department office andtalk with a professor or students pursuing the major. Professors are always happyto nudge you in the right direction. And on that note, I highly suggest attendingoffice hours, even if you do sosimply to talk to a professorabout life. Try to talk withyour advisor regularly and getinvolved in what your majorhas to offer to see if its reallywhere you want to be. Inaddition to Majors andMinors, various departmentsoffer undergraduate honors ormaster degrees in areas thatdont fit into any onedepartment, like Latin

American Studies and Ethics

in Society, for example. If you happen to be someone who knows exactly what you want to do,congratulations. Go ahead and declare early. In some cases, declaring opens a lotof doors within departments and can even make you applicable for certaingrants, fellowships, and research opportunities.

Dont feel like you need to have a useful major. No matter what your aggressive,overbearing parents tell you, being a pre-med or majoring in Econ is uselessunless you are actually interested in the field.

There is no such thing as a useless class. People seem to be under the impression

that a class isnt worthwhile if it doesnt count for something like a major, minor,or GER. Thats a very negative way of thinkingunless you explore classes andactually take chances outside of your comfort zone, youll never be able to fullyexperience the breadth of Stanford, or to be more cliche, life. Yeah, we just wentthere.

Libraries

Stanfords libraries are top-notch. We have libraries for art history, medicine, engineer-

ing, and more. If you need a quiet environment without food, music, or roommate dis-tractions, then the libraries can also be great places to study.

The Stanford library website, library.stanford.edu allows you to search library holdings,arrange an interlibrary loan, and manage your account. If youre looking to work withspecial departments, like the Media Microtext Center or the Special Collections Depart-ment, check their hours, which differ from standard library hours.

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Green Library, the biggest, most general, and most popular one, has enclosed rooms forgroup meetings, a Media Microtext Center with a huge collection of DVDs to borrowovernight, and lockers to store books.

Late Night Studying

Green Library

On the Friday and Saturday nights between Dead Week and Finals Week ONLY, theGreen Library remains open for study later than normal.

Meyer Library (if 2am studying outside of your dorm floats your boat)

1st Floor Lobby Group Study Area

Hours: 24 hours a day, every day

Study Area and Leland UNIX Cluster (aka the 24 hour study room)

1st Floor, Room 160


Sweet Hall Computer Cluster

Sweet Hall, 2nd Floor


Tresidder Union Computer Cluster (LAIR)

2nd Floor


Top Study Spots

1. Bender Room. Take theelevator to the 5th floor ofGreen Library and find acomfy, well-lit room. Not tooshabby other areas include the

Lane Reading Room (remindspeople of big public libraries),and the West stacks (remindspeople of 19th centuryindustrial factories).

2. Outside. Warning: studyingusually devolves intonapping.

3. Rodin Sculpture Garden.

Picnic tables. Famous art. Inspiring, though it is outside (see previous warning).4. Old Union. Go here if you want to be distracted by friends and a warm chocolate

chip cookie from the Axe and Palm while feeling slightly uncomfortable with theextremely sterile, mental-health-institution-y feeling inside the building. Thereare tons of rooms if you need to have a study group meeting, and you can reserverooms online.

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5. Coupa cafe downtown in Palo Alto. Getting off-campus is nice and sometimesmakes you productive. Other times, it doesnt.

6. The Law Library. When you look around and see everyone else workingextremely intently, its either inspiring or demoralizing. Either way, the LawLibrary has comfy chairsand thats inspiring.

Research and Opportunities

You can find out about grants and fellowships through individual academic departments,Undergraduate Advising and Research, and the Haas Center (haas.stanford.edu). If yougo to ual.stanford.edu under Options and Opportunities you can join an e-mail list tobe notified about scholarship opportunities. Applications for summer research scholar-ships can be due up to six months prior to the summer, so plan ahead!

If that isnt enough, dont forget to look into studying abroad, available through the Over-

seas Study Program (at osp.stanford.edu). Stanford has programs on every continent ex-cept Antarctica. If these opportunities dont float your boat, you can always do a programfrom another school if theres one youd prefer or just take a quarter off and do somethingon your own time.

You may also want to considerAlternative Spring Break, if youreinterested in using your SpringBreak to address social and cul-tural issues. ASB is student-run

and centers on taking a trip dur-ing Spring Break with other Stan-ford students to focus closely ona particular issue, such as immi-gration, human rights, or the en-vironment. Locations for tripshave included such diverse desti-nations as Hawaii, South Dakota,and Guatemala.

If you need extra advising guid-ance, you can always go to Undergraduate Advising and Research, located in Sweet Hall.The advisors there are always kind and helpful. Or you can ask upperclassmenor anyof your professors. Most people at Stanford, you will find, are willing to help you out.

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