Directions: You will be observing several college/university courses of your choice.  Please follow the guidelines below.

1. Learning how to read the Schedule of Courses at a U.S. college/university.

American colleges/universities publish a Schedule of Courses from which students select the courses each semester.  This publication is not easy to read and includes many abbreviations and acronyms.   

NOTES: Although you select three courses, you will only visit one.  Try to visit your top choice, and use the other two as alternates, in case your top choice doesn't work out.  Observations will be during our regular IEP class time.  On one selected day, our regular IEP class will be cancelled, and instead you will be observing at least 1 undergraduate or graduate class on that day.  These classes MUST meet during the regular IEP class time, during the lunch hour, or in the evening.  They MUST NOT CONFLICT with any other IEP class.

2. Completing the Schedule Grid—Learning how to read the Schedule of Courses of a U.S.  college/university

• Write down the courses, the days, the times, the professors' names, and the places where the classes meet.  You will use the SMC web site (Employee Directory) to find the professors’ office location, phone number, and email address.

3.  Contact the professor as soon as possible and ask for his/her permission to visit the class.  Briefly tell him/her the purpose of this assignment. 

   • Contact by email:   Send a formal email to the professor and a cc (carbon copy) to me.

   • Contact by phone:  Call the professor's office number.

   • Contact in person:  Go to the professor's office or the classroom.

            What to say:

• Tell the professor you are taking an Oral Skills course in the Intensive English Program and that you are at SMC to learn about academic courses in the United States.  Tell him/her that one of your assignments is to visit one undergraduate class in your area of interest on one day

•  Ask for permission to visit the professor's class (give the title) on FRIDAY, September 15.  Ask the professor if the class meets in the room indicated on the schedule.

• Thank the professor very much for the opportunity.

•  Ask the professor if he/she knows what the topic of the lecture will be for that day and if there is some way you could prepare for the lecture (i.e. read a chapter in a book).

            NOTE: Please contact the professor today.  If you have difficulties getting in touch with him/her, leave a message with the secretary of the department to have the professor contact you.  Leave your name and phone number.

4. Attend/observe the class.  Be sure to arrive early and sit near the back, or somewhat near the edges of the class (You do not want to interfere with the class, or take someone's regular seat.). 

            Remember that you are representing your country, international students in general, and the Intensive English Program.  Be courteous and attentive.  Don't get involved in the class unless you are asked to.  Don't fall asleep, don't talk during class, keep your cell phone turned off and in your pocket, and don't leave the class to use the restroom!

5. Take lots of notes.  Copy everything from the board or a slide show.  Add additional explanations from the professor's lecture and the students' answers to questions.
    

6. Complete the UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE CLASS OBSERVATION REPORT and submit it at the next class meeting.

© 2005: Christine Bauer-Ramazani; last  updated: September 6, 2017