UCLA's academic standards are high, and many students find they need some form of academic assistance. Help is available in several forms: staff and student counselors, faculty advisers, services, and special programs. You need only to seek it out. This section introduces you to the many kinds of assistance available to undergraduates. Refer to the section on Student Services in the About UCLA section of this catalog for other helpful programs.
Each college/school and academic department at UCLA has a staff of academic counselors and advisers who are knowledgeable and experienced. They are eager to help you plan your academic program, monitor your progress toward the bachelor's degree, provide information about college and major requirements and requisites, and assist you with academic problems, improving study habits, and program planning. Counseling offices for each undergraduate college and school are listed below.
College of Letters and Science -- College Counseling Offices
Letters and Science Counseling, A316 Murphy Hall, (310) 825-1965
Academic Advancement Program, 1209 Campbell Hall, (310) 825-1481
Honors Programs, A311 Murphy Hall, (310) 825-1553
School of the Arts and Architecture -- 1100 Dickson Art Center, (310) 206-3564
School of Engineering and Applied Science -- 6426 Boelter Hall, (310) 825-2826
School of Nursing -- 2-200 Factor Building, (310) 825-7181
School of Theater, Film, and Television -- 103 East Melnitz Building, (310) 825-5761 or 206-8441
Counseling assistants (CAs) are UCLA graduate students who have been specially trained to help new and lower division students with the transition into University life. Employed by the Division of Honors and Undergraduate Programs in the College of Letters and Science, they represent a number of academic disciplines in the college. CAs help new and lower division students with program planning and course selection and provide assistance in skill building and personal support. You may make an appointment with a CA at the information window at A316 Murphy Hall. CAs are available at the College Counseling Service in Murphy Hall and at Griffin Commons. For additional information, call (310) 206-6681.
The ASK Peer Counseling Program is an extension of the College of Letters and Science Counseling Service. ASK peer counselors are undergraduate students in the college trained to provide counseling and respond to your immediate concerns and questions in convenient walk-up settings. No appointments are required. Counselors can provide most petitions, give directions, make referrals, and bridge the gap between campus life and the college office in Murphy Hall.
You can find ASK counselors weekdays when school is in session at these campus locations: Campbell Hall (southwest corner), science quad, and Schoenberg Hall (vending area) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; next to A316 Murphy Hall from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and adjacent to 1105 Murphy Hall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Orientation at UCLA provides a comprehensive introduction to campus life. During the summer and before the beginning of Winter and Spring Quarters, special programs offer new undergraduates extensive academic counseling and educational planning. During Orientation you work in small groups with peer counselors and gain insight into necessary academic skills, learn how to plan and construct your academic program, and become familiar with the educational opportunities, student services, and facilities available at UCLA. Individual counseling sessions help you adjust to University life and fulfill the advising requirements of your college or school. Sessions for parents are also offered.
During the summer, Orientation offers three-day, two-night dormitory live-in programs for first-year students and one-day programs for transfer students. Prior to Winter and Spring Quarters, a one-day on-campus program is offered. There is a fee for participation. For more information, contact the Orientation Office in 201 Griffin Commons (310-206-6685).
The College Composition Tutoring Lab, in cooperation with the UCLA Writing Programs, offers individual assistance to students enrolled in English A, 2, and 3 and to students writing papers for other UCLA courses. The lab is staffed by trained undergraduate peer tutors who have shown outstanding ability in advanced composition courses and who can help students at any stage of the writing process -- from generating and organizing ideas to polishing final drafts.
The College ESL Tutoring Lab assists nonnative-speaking students with English grammar, idioms, pronunciation, listening comprehension, and composition. Priority is given to students enrolled in English as a Second Language 33A, 33B, and 33C, and other ESL courses. Most of the ESL tutors are graduate students pursuing degrees in teaching English as a second language.
Both the Composition and ESL Labs are located in 228 Griffin Commons and offer free individual tutoring by appointment. For tutoring appointments or further information, call (310) 206-1491.
The College Math/Sciences Tutorials, located in 230 Griffin Commons, provide an organized by-appointment tutorial program for most introductory courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics. Trained tutors meet in small group sessions on a weekly basis, teaching methods to improve problem-solving skills and test-taking strategies. Requests for tutors must be made during the first three weeks of the term; early registration is strongly advised. Drop-in tutoring is also offered. Schedules vary each term. For more information, call (310) 206-6965 or 825-7305.
The College Tutorials for Student Athletes provide tutoring in the evening and on weekends for intercollegiate athletes whose practice and competition schedules prevent them from participating in other tutorial services. Eligible student athletes can receive regular individual or small group assistance in a wide range of courses, provided they request tutoring within the first four weeks of the term. Trained tutors clarify course content, teach study strategies and, in consultation with course instructors, develop problem-solving exercises and practice examinations to build learning and performance skills.
The coordinator is located in 209 Griffin Commons. For tutoring appointments and further information, call (310) 825-8699.
The Academic Advancement Program (AAP), with more than 6,000 students, is the nation's largest undergraduate affirmative action program, a multiracial and multicultural program working to retain and graduate historically underrepresented (African American, Chicano/Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander, and Pilipino), first-generation college, and low-income students. AAP's goals include increasing the number of AAP students who enter graduate and professional schools and developing the academic, political, economic, and community leadership necessary to transform our society in the twenty-first century. AAP encourages and promotes academic excellence by providing its students with support services, academic programs, learning resources, scholarships, and research opportunities.
You are eligible to join AAP, participate in its programs, and use its resources if you are a student who comes from a historically underrepresented population, are the first generation to go to college, or are from a low-income family. All students, except Native Americans, must be California residents. For more information, contact the AAP Office in 1209 Campbell Hall (310-825-1481).
The six-week Freshman and Transfer Summer Programs prepare students to succeed at UCLA by exposing them to the rigor and demands of academic life and the wide range of campus programs, services, and learning resources.
You enroll in two University courses (both meet UCLA's requirements for graduation) and receive close personal attention, in either small groups or individual sessions, from your teaching assistants and tutors. You are encouraged to live on campus so that you can participate in the many cultural and social events, interact with students of diverse backgrounds, build a network of friends, and broaden your life experiences and world outlook.
AAP counselors work with students to plan their academic programs, monitor progress toward the bachelor's degree, provide information about requirements and prerequisites for different majors, discuss graduate school and career options, and provide support and assistance for students' personal problems. One counselor is responsible for scholarships, housing, and financial aid needs. Upper division AAP peer counselors provide a student perspective on courses, study strategies, educational goals, and stress management to entering students.
PLUS provides retention services such as counseling, tutoring, and a variety of specialized developmental programs for first-generation college students. The PLUS team personalizes the educational process and gives students the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to achieve their academic and career goals.
The Tutorial Services unit builds on the premise that critical thinking and intellectual independence are best developed through questioning and active dialogue. Free individual or small group tutoring is offered to all AAP students who wish to improve their critical thinking and analytical reading, composition, quantitative reasoning, and study skills while mastering course materials. AAP provides tutoring for more than 450 courses through its humanities, social sciences, and math/sciences laboratories.
The primary goal of the Graduate Mentor Program is to increase the number of AAP students who enroll in graduate or professional schools through the encouragement, support, guidance, and advocacy of underrepresented graduate student mentors. Services offered include individual mentoring, meetings with faculty at roundtable discussions, workshops and seminars (on such topics as the graduate application process, financing graduate studies, and GRE preparation), summer undergraduate research stipends, letters of recommendation, and a resource library.
The Instructional Media Laboratory provides individual student access to course-related interactive and videotape programs. Students, assigned by faculty to study specific supplementary materials, may learn at their own pace and at times that suit their individual schedules. The laboratory is located in 270 Powell Library (310-206-1211).
The Instructional Media Library is UCLA's central resource for the collection and maintenance of educational and instructional media. Materials from the collection are loaned to regularly scheduled UCLA classes and may be rented by organizations and individuals from the campus community. The library is authorized to monitor compliance with University guidelines and federal copyright law governing the use of video recordings. Reference books from educational and feature film distributors are available. The staff assists in researching media on any subject and obtaining materials from outside sources. The library is located in 46 Powell Library (310-825-0755).
The Language Laboratory is a full-service audio facility for teaching and learning languages. Students enrolled in foreign language classes are assigned by faculty to practice pronunciation, comprehension, and listening skills in the laboratory, 190 Powell Library (310-206-8855). Audiotape programs which accompany specific texts used in classes and listening, recording, and monitoring equipment are available.