First year students are expected to enroll in one of the transition courses offered to maximize their opportunities for a successful transition to college. These courses will introduce you to the academic, procedural, and social elements of your new community.
- COUN 140 Study Skills - This course focuses on broad transition-to-college issues with special emphasis on academic and study skills. Class sessions are interactive and focused on personal and academic growth.
- LEAD 140 Introduction to Leadership I - This course, as part of the Freshman Leadership Institute and the Leadership Minor in the Center for Leadership will offer a brief introduction to widely known leadership theories using an inter-disciplinary model. Students will have the opportunity to learn more of themselves and their peers through activities with a focus on topics such as communication, group theory, diversity, team building, technology, individual personalities, conflict management, and many more. Only students that have applied and have been accepted into the Freshman Leadership Institute are eligible to take this class.
*Prerequisite – acceptance into the Freshman Leadership Institute
**Instructor Approval. - LEAD 143 Western PEAKS: Leadership and the Collegiate Experience - Western Carolina PEAKS is a residential living-learning community designed to make your transition from high school to university life as smooth as possible. We will put you in touch with campus resources, help you connect with other first-year students who share your interests, and share the essentials to empower you to be a successful student here in the WHEE! You will have opportunities to integrate your classroom learning with residence hall living and have loads of fun along the way. LEAD 143 is a themed transitions and leadership course developed to build smaller learning communities within the Western PEAKS program.
- USI 101 Honors Forum - Designed to ease Honors students’ transition into university life, the Honors Forum (USI 101) is a one-hour course taught by Honors College staff, including the dean. The course focuses on the Honors Path, The Honors
College, and Western Carolina University. - USI 130 University Experience - This course will cover the same transition issues as the PEAKS courses, but it is a stand-alone course and does not include a residential or learning community component. You will still learn about campus resources, procedures and policies, and learn to negotiate “college life” while avoiding common pitfalls. You will be exposed to opportunities for extra-curricular activities, and learn to appreciate the role of all aspects of college life in your personal development and education. Further, you will explore your awareness of the scope of the world around you and your place in and impact on that world on many levels.
What are the core elements of a Transition Course?
Academic Components
Attendance policies – grading scales – withdrawal and incomplete grades – four-year degree plans – grade point average calculation – majors, minors, electives and concentrations
Academic Success
Offer support to empower your academic success: Catamount Tutoring – Mathematics Tutoring Center – Writing Center – Class TIPS (Technology Instruction for Peer Success)
Advising
Your professional advisor and faculty advisor will help you:
- select appropriate courses, careers and majors,
- understand university academic policies and procedures, and
- cope with the transition to college.
Campus Activities/Passports
Get involved: attend athletic events – join student organizations – participate in cultural events – become a part of the local community through service learning and civic engagement.
Career Counseling
Consider three questions as you go about the process of choosing a career: What are you interested in? What do you do well? What do you value in life?
Education Briefcase (EB)
The briefcase is an electronic portfolio through which you, your advisor, and faculty members can monitor your academic and social progress at WCU.
Engagement
Incorporating in-class and out of class experiences is a core element of first year transition courses. You will be encouraged to be actively involved in your education through curricular and co-curricular opportunities.
Leadership
The Social Change Model for Leadership Development looks specifically at leadership through the lens of consciousness of self, commitment, congruency, collaboration, common purpose, conflict with civility, and citizenship.
Liberal Studies 
Transition courses underscore the importance of a liberal education and intellectual skills such as critical thinking, oral and written communication, and analytical abilities.
Registration
You must meet with your primary advisor before registering for classes each semester. Only after the advisor reviews and approves the plan is a PIN number is issued which allows you access to online registration.
Responsible living and wellness
This element incorporates four major areas:
- Holism
- Personal
- Healthy Lifestyles
- Interdependence
Service Learning
Service Learning ties course concepts and themes with reflection to make your learning experience meaningful and relevant.
Synthesis
Transition courses provide an opportunity to integrate co-curricular experiences with academic activities in meaningful, reflective ways that promote synthesis.
Status check
The “status check” invites a brief discussion of university issues that are of immediate importance to you.
Study skills
The transition course will inform you of proper academic preparation such as successful reading, organization, test taking, note taking, and memorization skills.
Celebration
We will encourage you to celebrate becoming a member of a new community, that values:
- Diversity
- Community Building
- Campus
- The Region
- World View