UNIV 1210: Academic Success and Personal Development

UNIV 1210-Academic Success and Personal Development  

College rewards students who know how to manage demanding reading, prepare for cumulative exams, organize competing priorities, and use their time with purpose. UNIV 1210 helps students turn effort into results by strengthening the academic habits that support success in any major. By completing the course, students build a practical system for staying on track, meeting higher expectations, and continuing successfully along their chosen path in college.

UNIV 1210 is specifically designed for first-year students at SMU who want to become more strategic, confident, and successful in balancing our academic work with all the opportunities students have in college.  Students who complete UNIV 1210 are more likely to meet their academic goals while participating in extracurricular activities or balancing other responsibilities with their coursework. 

This course helps you level up.

  • A personalized approach to studying that builds on what you already do well
  • Time management skills that help you meet academic goals while protecting time for the rest of college life
  • Strategies for using AI and other tools to improve critical thinking and understanding complex material 
  • Techniques for improving concentration, memory, and follow-through even when you have competing demands
  • A reliable system for taking, organizing, and using class notes so that you are ready for final exams and cumulative research projects
  • Test preparation and test-taking strategies that help you recall and apply what you know under different conditions
  • Organization methods for your desk, notebook, planner, schedule, and priorities
  • A stronger foundation for persisting, performing well, and completing the academic path you chose

Specialized Sections

In addition to the general sections, there is one specialized sections of UNIV 1210 for students with learning differences. This specialized section is taught by the learning specialist who coaches students within the Disability Accommodations and Success Strategies (DASS) office. The course focuses on making the learning strategies taught in UNIV 1210 seamlessly work with each student’s learning needs.