Your Classroom is designed around your course syllabus and has everything you’ll need to be a successful student, including more ways to learn and connect with your instructor and classmates.

Within the Classroom, you can:

• View messages from your instructor and classmates, and see what readings and assignments are due.
• Stay organized, track your progress through the course and check week by week to see what’s coming.
• View instructions, submit files and get regular feedback from your instructor.
• See who your classmates are, stay in touch with them and even see who is online and when.

Unlike most colleges where you’re expected to take several classes at once – you’ll find that here, taking only one class at a time means your busy life doesn’t have to be put on hold just so you can go to school.

• As a student earning your bachelor’s degree, you’ll typically take just one 5 week course at a time.
• As a student earning your master’s degree, you’ll take just one 6 week course at a time.
• As a student earning your practitioner doctorate degree, you’ll take just one 8 week course at a time – as well as a required 3 to 8 day residency in one of a few cities. 

Earning a degree is a big adventure, and every great adventure needs an equally great start. When you register as a new student, your path toward a bachelor’s degree is clear – and it begins with the Phoenix Success Series.

This first handful of classes are designed to acclimate you to university life, while helping you develop the academic skills (like writing papers or finding successful study habits) that you’ll need to succeed in your core classes. These introductory courses are only 5 weeks long and help lay the foundation for your educational success, so you’re confident and headed in the right direction.

Your courses

The Phoenix Success Series is currently made up of 6 courses that are part of your General Studies. This list of classes is subject to change. Consult with an Enrollment Representative to learn more.

• GEN201 – Foundations for University Success
• PSY110 – Psychology of Learning
• ENG100 – Critical Reading and Composition
• HUM115 – Critical Thinking in Everyday Life
• FP100 – Everyday Economics and Personal Finance
• ENG200 – Rhetoric and Research

What you’ll learn

You’ll learn a practical foundation of skills and knowledge in critical reading, writing, and math, logic, and academic ethics. The skills you’ll learn are scaffolded seamlessly across the series – meaning you’ll gain foundational academic and behavioral skill building in every class. These skills include:

• Critical reading, writing & thinking 
• Time management
• Effective communication
• Successful study habits
• Resourcefulness through library use & research
• Use of technology & computers
• Career planning & exploration
• Life change management

You’ll also gain resilience through GRIT: Growth, Resilience, Instinct & Tenacity – all crucial skills that could be key to successfully completing your degree. 

• To be considered in attendance, you must post at least one message to the classroom each week.

• To be considered in attendance each week, you must physically attend the local campus during the scheduled class hours and sign the attendance roster.
• To earn full participation for the week, you must be actively and substantially engaged in the weekly classroom activities and discussion.

A substantive post adds to the discussion and encourages a response from your fellow students. Here are some guidelines to help you earn credit for your discussion posts:

Do:

• Explain why you agree or disagree, and add some examples to support your belief.
• Relate your personal or work experiences to the topic at hand.
• Ask additional questions of your classmates.
• Make connections between the topics and the readings in the text.
• Add ways you can apply lessons from the class to your work and educational life.
• Write responses to your classmates that meet word count requirements for the class.

Don't:

• Offer a two-word response like “I agree.”
• Talk about something unrelated to the coursework, like what you ate for dinner last night.

Insult or mock classmates for their opinions. If you disagree, explain why in a constructive manner.

Your instructor is one of the most valuable resources available to you, so don’t be afraid to ask them questions. Here are some tips to help you get the answers you need:

• Be positive. When you ask a question, set the right tone by being formal and polite.
• Be specific. General details make it difficult for your instructor to respond to your needs.
• Be prepared. Look at your syllabus at the beginning of the week and ask questions long before an assignment’s due date.

Above all else, remember that your instructor is on your side.

The tone of your writing—how you come across to the reader—is important. When drafting any discussion post, remember the acronym WRITE:

• Warmth: Always consider intent. If you think a post sounds rude, your reader probably will too.
• Responsiveness: Your classmates all log in to class at different times. By responding to a question from another student as soon as you see it, you can build positive relationships with your peers.
• Inquisitiveness: Seek to learn from classmates and your instructor. By asking questions, you show that you care about what they think.
• Tentativeness: When you express an opinion, use phrases like “from my point of view” or “my understanding is” to show other students that the opinion is yours and not the final word on the topic.
• Empathy: Remember the golden rule—treat classmates the way you would like to be treated.

Whenever you write an email, consider the following:

• If you find yourself in a heated class debate, only respond when you’re calm and collected.
• Say what you really mean—sarcasm doesn’t translate to the computer screen.
• Type in sentence case—using all capital letters makes it seem as if you’re yelling.
• Keep subject lines short—long ones get cut off on mobile devices.
• Stick to two paragraphs, keeping the most important information in the first.
• Forward email messages only when they relate to coursework. Don’t spam your recipients.

If you prefer in-person interaction with faculty and learning alongside peers in a traditional classroom setting, the campus learning format may be ideal for you. You’ll work with your classmates in smaller groups, while completing the majority of your coursework online independently. Participation for campus students is graded based upon weekly attendance.

Find a campus near you.

If you learn better independently, or you need to find the time to balance school with life’s other responsibilities—attending class online may work best for you. Log in to the classroom to complete assignments, access course materials and resources, and to interact with faculty and students. Participation is graded based upon your contributions to online discussions. Online students can also take advantage of tutoring and other services at any campus location.

Currently available at select locations and for certain programs, blended styles of learning offer the best benefits of both the campus and online formats: the face-to-face interaction with faculty and students, combined with the convenience of web-based learning delivery.

Talk to your Enrollment Representative to see if this format is available to you.

Each campus is equipped with all kinds of services to match your needs. You can sign up for 1-on-1 math and writing tutoring online or in-person. Our staff can train you on basic tasks in Microsoft Office applications like Word, PowerPoint and Excel, so you can complete your coursework efficiently. And we also provide proctoring for CLEP and DSST credit-by-examination tests. Just call and make an appointment. We’ll set you up.

As a student, our computer labs are at your service. You can use our computers for homework, printing and more. If you’re having trouble navigating eCampus, your online student portal, we’ll gladly provide in-person training so you can succeed from the get-go. And if you need a private space to study or meet with team members for assignments, our high-tech spaces allow you to interact collaboratively.

Join us for events designed to help you connect with our community of 1 million+ alumni. And career fairs with local businesses for future opportunities. Check out your campus page for the latest events. Or come in and see what’s going on for yourself. If you’d like to get more involved, speak to a Campus Representative and they’ll point you toward the right direction — and the right people.