During Academic Advising, Registration, and Orientation (AARO) week, students are assigned an academic advisor who will help plan out their upcoming year at SMU. The University Advising Center works with all incoming first-year and transfer students, regardless of intended major.

The Daily Campus editorial staff did research about classes and teachers first-year and transfer students need to know about. We have broken it down into the five schools that a student will be placed in based on major but also included research about classes current SMU students say first-years and transfers can not miss.

First-year students who wish to be in the Cox School of Business are recommended to take DISC 1312, ECO 1311, and MATH 1303, 1309, 1304 or 1337. Depending on credits from high school or prior courses taken, students may be able to test out of certain math classes.

Assistant Director at SMU’s Advising Center, Barbara Mohrle, says there are two factors she cannot stress strongly enough for potential Cox majors.

“If you want to get into Cox, remember all your grades count, so keep your eye on the prize,” Mohrle said. “Make academic and social decisions based on what you want in the future, not what looks most fun or easiest in the present.”

Students are urged to work with their pre-major advisor. Do not add, drop or swap courses without first talking over the consequences with your advisor.

The three most popular majors in the Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences are Economics, Sociology (including Markets and Culture), and Psychology. Recommended classes for first-years who will be in the Dedman school should look into taking ECO 1311, PSYC 1300 or any other introductory courses that may pertain to your major.

“It is recommended that first-years take a balanced mix of courses for the University Curriculum that will aid with major exploration,” Ellen Richmond, Director of the University Advising Center said.

If students are interested in going to graduate school in the Perkins School of Theology, they offer religious courses through Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences that all first-year students can take.

Dedman provides a bevy of classes in all different sections that allow students to experience great teachers and interesting classes. These are the ones you cannot miss: Contemporary Moral Problems with Ken Daley, Intro to Psychology with Susan Hornstein, Making History with Tom Stone, World of Shakespeare with Jasper Neel and Cultural Anthropology with Caroline Brettell.

The Bobby B. Lyle School of Engineering has many different avenues students are able to explore. Lyle advisors recommend that first-years take ENGR 1101: Engineering and Beyond and KNOW 2300: Introduction to Engineering Design. These courses are an opportunity for students to explore different majors within the Lyle school.

“Engineering pre-majors typically have one course to add to their first semester that is not dictated by their intended major,” Betsey Willis, Director of Undergraduate Advising in Lyle, said. “The engineering pre-major advisors suggest University Curriculum pillars or other University Curriculum components from which to choose.”

The University Curriculum components include courses in DISC and MATH that are appropriate for their college preparation. As with Cox students, first-years may be able to test out of certain math classes based on prior credits earned.

Every student at SMU will tell you to try and take Electrical Engineering. Yes, it sounds daunting but Professor William Gosney makes the course interesting and fun. Another favorite for Lyle students are courses taught by Professor Mark Fontenot.

The Meadows School of the Arts offers a wide range of variety in major exploration from Art History to Journalism. Advisors from the Meadows school recommends that first-year students should take Discernment and Discourse, Quantitative Foundation, and a course or two in the intended major field.

Advisor for Pre-Arts Majors, Timothy Norris, says that students should strategically choose classes (in the first semester) that will open them up for multiple possibilities even if they have an identified primary major.

“That random STAT or ANTH class may not seem that interesting to them at the onset, but they may gain writing, oral communication, team work, humanitarian perspective, quantitative, or philosophical skills that will payoff in the future,” Norris said. “Our SMU curriculum is crafted to encourage students to explore and find a passion for gaining knowledge.”

The best classes to take in Meadows are Acting with Blake Hackler, Ethics of Convergent Media with Tony Pederson and Introduction to Architecture with Randall Griffin. These classes are the most popular for first-years to take. And you cannot miss these professors either: Pam Hackett and Craig Flournoy.

Students interested in pursuing a teacher certification while earning a separate degree at SMU will take classes in the Simmons School of Education and Human Development. The Simmons School offers a minor in education and students should take the prerequisite for the Teacher Education program EDU 2350: Educational Psychology.

The education minor is 24 credit hours meaning students are encouraged to start early. A field experience class can be taken during freshman year to help discover if teaching is a good fit or not.

“We encourage students to trust themselves and evaluate the courses and number of credit hours taken during the first year based on that trust,” Kathy Barrett, the Teacher Education Advisor, said. “It is wise to err on the side of caution, and through experience of their first year of collegiate life, determine the best plan for the next year.”

Prospective Law students should look into political science classes taught by Professor Joseph Kobylka and Sociology courses with Richard Hawkins.

If you talk with any SMU student they will tell you that the hardest classes to get into are interesting Cultural Formations. If you get a chance, these are the professors and classes you need to take when the time comes to fulfill the CF requirements: Rick Halperin teaches Human Rights, Josephine Ryan teaches Human Sexuality and any classes with Charles Curran.

All students are required to take a Wellness II course. Power Yoga, Spinning, Scuba Diving and Jogging reign first choices for any students signing up. But do not forget that you can take classes such as Ping Pong, Walking, and Fencing.

It is important to research professors and classes through your peers experiences and ratemyprofessor.com to see if it is a good fit. Fulfill the University Curriculum Foundation and Pillar requirements first in order to find the perfect major.

Visit http://www.smu.edu/advising for additional information.