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Academic Support Programs and Services
Academic Advising
Academic advising is an important and integral part of the educational program at Albright. The advising process helps students plan and complete an academic program that satisfies their individual needs and goals. Advisers assist students not only in selecting courses and meeting degree requirements but also in understanding the value of a liberal arts education and in exploring the relationship between academic coursework and career preparation.
At entrance, students are assigned faculty advisers. When a student changes or declares an area of concentration, the student selects a faculty adviser from the appropriate academic department.
Academic advisers provide assistance and support to students in planning their academic programs; however, each student is responsible for ensuring that his or her academic program complies with the degree requirements of the College.
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The Albright Alpha Program
(For Undecided / Undeclared Students)
Some students enter college knowing exactly what they want to major in and exactly what career field they want to enter upon graduation. For many, however, things are a little less certain – they may need to explore different possibilities to find the right fit. If the second profile describes you, then Alpha Program at Albright College is designed specifically for you. Through a structured package of academic guidance, peer support, special events and career counseling, the Alpha Program will help you to choose the appropriate major, as well as assist you in finding a fulfilling career.
What is the Alpha Program?
The Albright Alpha Program is available to all first-year and sophomore students who have not declared a concentration (major). Each Alpha student is assigned a faculty adviser specially chosen to counsel undeclared students. The Alpha Program provides academic guidance, activities, peer support, and career counseling to help students learn about the programs of study the College offers, the careers these may lead to, and their own interests and goals. Alpha’s goal is to help students explore the world of knowledge and themselves in order to make better informed choices among academic concentrations.
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What Does It Mean to Be “Undeclared”?
Alpha, the first letter in the Greek alphabet, symbolizes a beginning. First-year college students experience one of the most exciting and, at the same time, potentially bewildering "beginnings" of their lives. The Alpha Program is meant to serve the needs of the many students who have yet to settle on a concentration, for whatever reason – perhaps you have a difficult time choosing among many interests; or you want to explore some options before deciding on a program; or maybe you feel pressured to choose a concentration but don’t feel ready.
Albright wants to emphasize that it’s fine for students to enter college without a clear idea of which academic program they wish to pursue and what their ultimate career will be. Even those who enter with certainties often find themselves in transition between majors more than once as their studies progress. Nationally, about 70% of students end up changing their major. Being undeclared and/or undecided isn’t a cause for panic, for you or your parents! The opportunity for academic exploration is a unique life opportunity, and it is central to the educational experience at a liberal arts college like Albright.
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What Can You Expect as an Alpha Student?
Gradually Alpha students define their academic interests more clearly and select an area of concentration that will provide learning in depth to complement the learning in breadth which comes with a liberal arts program’s general education courses. The Alpha Program provides tools and strategies to facilitate this process.
One tool is regular meetings with your Alpha adviser, who together with the Registrar and others can work with you to select a program which provides broad exposure to many different fields and keeps curricular options as open as possible. Alpha students take courses in a wide variety of academic disciplines, meet a diverse group of faculty who present new knowledge and new perspectives, and may talk endlessly with new friends about all aspects of their college experience.
The Career Development Center also plays an important role in this process, helping students identify their strengths and interests, learn about potential careers, and even undertake internships that help them define their goals. The Career Center welcomes one-on-one contact with students, sponsors events like the ones described below, and also supports an academic course, SPI 125, Career Decision Making, designed especially for Alpha students.
Alpha students are also invited to events that are both social occasions for meeting one another and exchanging ideas and also substantive opportunities to learn about declaring a concentration. Events may include things like the following:
- workshops on choosing a concentration
- a panel of formerly undecided students who relate their experiences and offer advice
- a “fair” that brings together faculty from many different academic departments for conversation about their discipline and the careers they often lead to
- a small panel of faculty might discuss particular academic programs at Albright
- sessions to take an interest-defining survey instrument and discuss the results
- life-planning workshops focused on defining interests, values, abilities and goals.
- speakers or films especially pertinent to the interests and needs of undecided students
The Alpha Program cultivates self-direction and responsibility in its students as well providing assistance and opportunities. Another important tool is the “Alpha Advising Syllabus,” which sets some expectations for you to meet in using the help made available to you as an Alpha student – for example attending meetings with your advisor and Career Center events. This will be co-signed by you and your advisor at your first meeting.
Individual counseling is always available from the director of the Albright Alpha Program and the Career Development Center, as well as from the Counseling Center and Academic Learning Center. Once you have declared a concentration, you will be assigned an advisor from that academic department. However, many Alpha students find that their Alpha advisor remains a welcome resource for them throughout their career at Albright.
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Listen to our graduates
“When I started at Albright, I was clueless. The Alpha Program really came through for me. With my advisor’s help, I put together a diverse academic program that gave me a broad background and a push in the right direction. I gained a liberal arts foundation that I depend on every day in my business, and in my life.”
Steve Topp
Major: Business Management;
President, Marchon Eyewear - On Top Corp.
“The Alpha Program helped me explore Albright’s academic possibilities and let me try a little bit of everything before I picked my major. I ended up taking courses I wouldn’t have tried otherwise. One in particular, an interdisciplinary study in the Bahamas in biology and chemistry, shaped my decision to become a biology major. Alpha is something that is unique to Albright, and it certainly weighed in my decision to come here.”
Andrew Coviello
Major: Biology/History
“I owe a lot to Albright and its Alpha Program. I had a strong interest in political science when I started there, but I also like psychology. The Alpha Program enabled me to thoroughly explore the curriculum to decide which major best suited me. Of course, there’s much more to Alpha. My advisor and I had a lengthy discussion about the law and political science which inspired me to go on to law school. Alpha really takes you where you want to go.”
Alison Carrigan, J.D.
Major: Political Science, Summa Cum Laude
Judicial Clerk, State of NJ
“I didn’t want to pick a major that I might later change, so Alpha was perfect for me. I knew I was interested in art, but I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to be only an art major or to add another major. Through Alpha, I hooked up with a professor in communications who told me his field would work well with my art focus. My advisor was fabulous and always there for me.”
Andrea Verdone
Major: Art/Communications
Production Coordinator, Soap Opera Digest, New York
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Alpha Events – Fall 2009
August 28: Meet with your advisor during Orientation (10-12 a.m.)
September 15: Reception for Alpha Students and Advisors, Campus Center – CFA Mezzanine (6-7 p.m., immediately before the Strong Interest Inventory)
Events and Resources from the Career Development Center
Strong Interest Inventory: based on Holland’s RIASEC theory of personality types and work environments; provides a framework for matching college students with satisfying majors, for exploring career fields and occupations, for addressing job search and career adjustment concerns, and for determining career development issues.
Tuesday September 15 7:00 pm Location to be announced
Wednesday September 30 7:00 pm North Hall
Thursday October 8 4:00 pm Career Development Center
How to Choose your Concentration: workshop for small to medium groups reviewing decision making strategies, self-assessments, Albright’s concentrations, factors to consider when making decisions, etc.
Tuesday September 22 4 & 7 pm Career Dev. Ctr. (4 pm); North Hall (7 pm)
Wednesday October 14 4:00 pm Career Development Center
Tuesday November 17 4& 7 pm Career Dev. Ctr. (4 pm); Location to be
announced (7 pm)
Concentration Fair: Departments will rotate faculty members and upper class students to talk to undecided/Alpha students about what the concentration is like and requirements, etc., prior to advising and registration for the Spring semester.
Tuesday October 27 11:30- 2:30 Campus Center Main Lounge
What Can I Do With a Concentration In…? Panel Discussions
Music Business: Wednesday, October 14th, 6:30 pm, Campus Center South Lounge
Marketing: Tuesday, October 27th, 6:30 pm, Campus Center South Lounge
Resource: “What Can I Do With a Concentration In…?” Handouts
Found under each department’s website page, or: http://www.albright.edu/academics/wcidwam/index.html
This is a handout that describes the Albright College concentration (from the catalog), and provides various career options, information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, ways to enter the career(s), and career, job, and internship resources available on campus and on the web.
Resource: SPI 125, Career Decision Making
This course is offered to assist first and second year students in their concentration and career decision-making process. Students who enroll in this highly participatory seminar will engage in a variety of activities and assessments designed to bring decisions regarding their concentration and career into sharper focus. It is a full course that counts for elective credit. Consult with the Career Center about scheduling.
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Academic Assistance
The Academic Learning Center provides a comprehensive program of academic support services including individual student tutors, study group sessions, instructional interns and academic progress sessions.
The Writing Center is available to students of all disciplines who need assistance with their written work. The Writing Center is supported by the English Department.
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Special Needs Students
Albright does not have a formal, separate program for students with learning or other disabilities. However, the College does attempt to make reasonable accommodations for students with documented learning disabilities. Students with such needs should contact the director of the academic learning center for additional information and documentation standards.
A student who disagrees with the appropriateness of an accommodation should speak directly with the director of the Academic Learning Center. If a satisfactory compromise cannot be achieved, the student should request an appointment with the affirmative action coordinator (who also serves as the director of human resources).
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Career Development Center
The Career Development Center is dedicated to assisting students with self-assessment, career exploration, and job searching skill development that will be of use beyond the college years. All students, including Accelerated Degree Program students, are encouraged to utilize these services. Services are also available to Albright College alumni.
Through individual career counseling, students have an opportunity to integrate selfknowledge with career information in order to plan an appropriate academic experience. A career planning course, "SPI 125 Career Decision Making," helps Alpha students and other first and second-year students identify appropriate concentrations based upon their interests and skills.
The center provides a variety of workshops, from resume and cover letter writing to writing your personal statement for graduate school. Each semester, career panels are offered that help students explore career options for a variety of concentrations.
Each year the center hosts a graduate school fair and a job/internship fair. Recruiting efforts include an on-campus recruiting program, three regional job and internship fairs, anonline resume referral and job posting system and other opportunities for job seekers to meet with potential employers.
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