Wayfinders Work Readiness and Life Skills Certificate

In this Area, students will take University 1 with the goal of increasing their academic stamina while learning the skills necessary to succeed in university-level courses. Students are required to complete this Area during their first semester. No substitutions will be permitted for this area. 

Required Course:

University 1: An Introduction to Learning and the University (3 units)

Course Description: Assists students to acquire attitudes and skills needed to be effective lifelong learners. Individual and group activities focus on adaptation to change, study skills, goal setting, time management, career planning, information competence, community engagement, health and wellness. Exposure to campus resources.

To satisfy this Area, students must take a total of 3 units of coursework that have a focus on interpersonal communication skills. “Interpersonal communication skills” may include oral or written communication. While any class offered by the Department of Communication will satisfy this requirement, students may also elect to substitute for any courses on campus with an emphasis in communication as referenced by the course description. This includes, but is not limited to: subject-specific writing courses, courses with a focus on the sharing/relaying of academic theories, courses on public education, courses with a focus on argumentation and/or persuasion, and/or courses with an emphasis on community engagement. 

Possible Courses:

• Communication 3: Fundamentals of Public Speaking  (3 units)
  Course Description: Theories of human communication and their function in contemporary public settings; experiences designed to enhance fundamental communication skills – research, organization, reasoning, listening, and problem solving – through a series of oral presentations.
• Communication 5: Argumentation (3 units)
  Course Description: Logical analysis, evidence, reasoning, and proof used in arriving at rational decisions as demonstrated through the presentation of public speeches and debates.
• Communication 7: Persuasion (3 units)
  Course Description: Analysis and practice of the use of persuasion as a social tool for resolving controversy and forming opinions from the perspectives of both the persuader and the persuaded.
• Communications  8: Group Discussion (3 units)
  Course Description: Communication in group thinking and problem solving through preparation and presentation of panels and symposia on public issues. 

To satisfy this area, students must take a total of 3 units of coursework that emphasize the attainment of skills and/or strategies that further develop their intrapersonal skillset. “Intrapersonal skills” refers to abilities related to self-awareness and self-management (e.g., understanding and regulating emotions, identifying and developing motivational strategies, and/or other forms of personal growth and expression). While any course offered through the School of Art, Design, and Art History will satisfy this Area, students may elect to substitute for any courses with an emphasis on self-expression, development of healthy living, and/or acquisition of independent living skills (e.g., food preparation, personal finance, etc.)

Possible Courses:

• ART 1: Art Forms (3 units) 
  Course Description: Slide lecture-discussion. An introduction to art/seeing and appreciating the visual world around us.
• Art 13: Design (3 units)
  Course Description: Exploration of basic art concepts through two- and three-dimensional design problems.
• ART 20: Drawing (3 units)
  Course Description: Introductory experiences in drawing using observation, imagination, and expressive means. Fundamentals of form, space, techniques, and composition will be studied. 
• ART 50: Beginning Sculpture (3 units)
  Course Description: Introductory course in the experiential application of the methods and materials of sculpture. Creative expression and exploration of sculptural form through ideas and aesthetic concepts. Studio safety.
• Art 60: Beginning Ceramics (3 units)
  Course Description: A survey of ceramic materials and their functions in the arts. Basic studio practices in the handbuilding processes, glazing, and throwing on the potter’s wheel.
• Drama 10: The Art of Theatre (3 units)
  Course Description: Fundamental knowledge and skills required for study in the Theatre Arts Program which includes the literary basis, technique, visual impact, and presentation of drama.
• Drama 34: Theatre Crafts (3 units)
  Course Description: Introduction to the crafts in technical theatre scene construction, scene painting, property selection, stage lighting, sound production, costume construction, and makeup; laboratory experience in preparing major plays for public performance.
• Finance  30: Personal Financial Planning (3 units) 
  Course Description: Personal financial analysis, planning, and management for lifelong decision making. Topics include financial planning strategies; money and credit management; home ownership; home, health, and auto insurance needs; savings and investment strategies; and retirement and estate planning. 
• Nutrition 53: Nutrition and Health: Realities and Controversies (3 units) 
  Course Description: Optimal nutrition to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, allergies, obesity, and other diseases. Social, psychological, and cultural dictates that affect food selection and health. Personal strategies to develop a nutrition plan for better health.