It is equally important, however, to have a plan for completing the general education requirements outside your major discipline. Careful planning can mean the difference between an incoherent set of unrelated courses and an integrated, complementary set that enables you to view related issues from a variety of perspectives. Planning ahead can also mean the difference between earning the University Honors Citation or failing to make steady progress within the allotted time. During your last class session, we will discuss the final readings that are intended to synthesize many of the colloquium's themes and complete a course evaluation. One of the most valuable experiences during your college years is the opportunity to become personally acquainted with faculty members.
Many professors enjoy getting to know and mentoring undergraduate students.
We strongly encourage you to visit your professors during their office hours, to ask questions about course content, discuss class assignments, or to just get to know them better. With advice from your section leader, your group may select a UM faculty member to visit with your section. The faculty member may be chosen because he or she is from a specific discipline the majority of the class is interested in, or is doing fascinating research, or has the reputation for being a fine teacher. This should be an informal session with opportunities for you to ask questions and get to know the faculty member. The campus is reading two great books, Frankenstein by Mary Shelly and Control of Nature by John McPhee.