Services to Support Academics
Elon University seeks to meet the individual academic needs of all students. In order to accomplish this, the university places emphasis on a variety of academic support services.
Academic Support and Advising Center
Students are assigned academic advisors before they enter Elon University. An important part of the Academic Advising Center’s service is Elon 101, a freshman advising course. Students without clear career goals may be counseled in selecting a major. The center processes advisor assignments for the major departments. Transfer students are assigned an academic advisor in the department of their majors at the time they enter. More information may be found at Academic Support and Advising.
Student Professional Development Center
The Student Professional Development Center offers services and programs to support students and alumni in the lifelong process of defining career goals, learning the skills to attain them and developing employment opportunities. Internships, co-ops and individualized learning are coordinated through the Student Professional Development Center, where students can find assistance in identifying opportunities related to their major and career interests. This can be done individually or in a variety of career classes available to students. On campus employment is coordinated through the Student Professional Development Center.
Career assistance is provided through assessment and advising to identify abilities, interests and values related to career choices, developing a career plan and finding available job or graduate school options. Assistance in navigating the graduate school application process is available from SPDC staff. Center staff also offers individual appointments, workshops and programs that help students develop the skills required for a successful search. Designing effective resumes and job search letters, learning the art of networking, conducting a comprehensive job search and preparing for interviews are examples of skill sets that students can develop at the Student Professional Development Center.
Disability Services
Although Elon has no formal program for students with disabilities, the university does attempt to make reasonable classroom accommodations for students who provide formal documentation from a licensed/certified doctor for health concerns, and a licensed/certified psychologist or learning specialist for learning disabilities. The documentation should be dated within four years of the student’s enrollment at Elon, should explain the limitations resulting from the disability and include specific accommodations needed. Students who wish to discuss their disabilities and appropriate accommodation should contact Susan E. Wise, Coordinator of the Disability Support and Advising Center in Duke 108. The Elon University disabilities policies and procedures may be seen online at Disability Services. Jana Lynn Patterson, located in Ellington Health and Counseling Center, is the Section 504 Coordinator.
Peer Tutoring
Peer tutoring targeting most subject areas is offered to all students through Tutorial Services. Walk-in tutoring is held in Belk Library, Friday daytimes and Sunday through Thursday evenings for high demand subjects. By-appointment tutoring for lower demand subjects is also available. The walk-in tutor schedule and the by-appointment tutor list are located at Tutorial Services. No additional fee is required. The tutoring website also offers links to Internet sites containing useful study guides and study skills building information as well as study skills inventories.
Internships or Co-ops
Elon University strongly supports programs that allow students to relate their classroom learning to work experience. Active cooperative education and internship programs provide opportunities throughout the academic year and during summers for students to explore careers, integrate theory with practice and examine future job possibilities. In each learning experience, the student’s academic or career-related work assignment is supervised and evaluated by Elon faculty. Internships are directly related to majors or minors, may be full or part time and paid or unpaid. Most departments offer internship credits. Co-ops usually offer pay, are full or part time, may be repeated and count toward elective credit.
Eligibility Requirements: Students must be a junior or senior (sophomore for co-op), have a 2.0 minimum GPA, have completed departmental prerequisites and have approval from the faculty sponsor/Internship Director.