Supporting Student Success
College Writing Center
The writing center at each campus offers tutoring on all levels of writing, from students' first compositions to advanced research papers, and in all aspects of the writing process, from topic development to the teaching of editing techniques. Professional tutors act as advisers; the work remains the student's own. Students schedule half-hour appointments or walk in during the center's hours, which are posted. The services are free to students.
Mathematics Help Room
The Mathematics Help Center offers tutoring services designed to assist students who have weak math skills or "math anxiety." This service is free to students.
Periodic Workshops
The Office of the Dean at each campus offers periodic workshops which include topics on study skills, test taking, and time management.
Student Services
Students should consult the Student Services section of this bulletin for information on health services, campus ministry, counseling centers, disability services, and career services.
Academic Enhancement Courses
The following three-credit courses, open only to students in PCS or the Gabelli School of Business–Evening Program, are especially recommended for new students with no prior college experience or who are returning after an extended absence from the classroom:
ENGL 1101. Composition I. (3 Credits)
Instruction in sentence and paragraph construction, reading comprehension skills and analysis, the basic principles of grammar with an emphasis on diagnosing and solving persistent problems, and principles of argumentation and evidence. Weekly assignments and regular grammar exercises to build confidences and competence in college writing.
IDIS 1010. Critical Reading in the Disciplines. (3 Credits)
This course will provide students with the critical skills necessary to read successfully and use reference materials at the college level. Selections from disciplines such as literature, psychology, history, and natural sciences will be analyzed for information, main and subordinate ideas, logical structure, inference, tone, and irony. Written exercises and reports will measure students’ comprehension.
IDIS 1100. The Adult Learner: Identity, Change, and Development. (3 Credits)
This seminar has been designed to encourage each student to study his or her own unique identity development in adulthood. Each adult learner will be assisted in examining their skills, values, goals, experience, educational background, learning style and personality. Students can use this information for both short and long term career, educational and life planning. This new self-discovery will be developed through assessment testing, occupational research, informational interviewing and consultations with career development and educational specialists. The course utilizes a combination of readings, lecture, class discussions, presentations, exercises, guest speakers and video material.
PHIL 1010. Introduction to Critical Thinking. (3 Credits)
The course is intended to sharpen a student's ability to think clearly, consistently, critically, and creatively. The course objective considers principles of sound judgment and helps students learn how to recognize and analyze arguments present in ordinary spoken and written language, how to distinguish correct reasoning from incorrect reasoning, and how to construct valid, sound arguments.