Academic Support Services

Academic Support Services • Engineering Advising • Student Employment • The Sheridan Libraries • Faculty/Staff Interaction Program • Tutoring Services • Writing Center • Study Skills & Time Mgmt. • Baldridge Reading and Study Skills Program • Grad School Advising • Law School Advising • Health Professsions Advising • Public Health Advising • Career Center • Disability Services

Academic Support Services

Office of Academic Advising [Top]
Overall responsibility for undergraduate academic affairs in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences rests with the dean for undergraduate education and in the Whiting School of Engineering with the associate dean for academic affairs. The Office of Academic Advising, located in Garland, Suite 3A, assists undergraduate Arts and Sciences students with a variety of academic services and, similarly, an Office of Engineering Advising, 126 Engineering, addresses the academic concerns of undergraduate engineering students. The offices coordinate faculty advising, maintain appropriate academic records, monitor students’ academic progress and deal with academic problems that lie beyond the scope of individual faculty advisers, instructors or departments.

The staff of each office are familiar with all of their school’s programs and regulations. The two offices work closely together, and some of the offices’ services are offered to all undergraduate students, regardless of their school.

The Office of Academic Advising deals with a wide variety of matters of interest to all undergraduates, including study abroad, tutoring and study skills training, fellowships and scholarships for upperclass students, advice on graduate school applications, and a reference library of graduate and professional school publications.

Office of Engineering Advising [Top]
The Office of Engineering Advising has general responsibilities for all engineering majors in the Whiting School of Engineering. The director and her staff coordinate faculty advising, maintain student records, and handle academic problems that fall outside the scope of the faculty adviser. The office also provides support for non- departmental student organizations such as the Society of Women Engineers and the Hopkins Organization for Minority Engineers and Scientists. In addition, the office maintains and distributes undergraduate advising manuals for each of the engineering majors. Students are encouraged to contact the office to discuss problems or obtain information by visiting 126 New Engineering, by phoning 410-516-7395, or by e-mailing wseadvising@jhu.edu.

Student Employment [Top]
Student Employment offers more than a paycheck. The Student Employment Office, better known as the SEO, plays an intricate role in the student’s career development and academic achievements while helping to ease their financial demands. According to a survey conducted by the National Student Employment Association, working while attending college is among the most universal experiences of college students. It enriches the college experience, defrays educational expenses, serves as a means to explore civic responsibilities, and helps to prepare students for a meaningful career. By applying their academic lessons and developing their skills in real work settings, students acquire well-rounded preparation for life after college.

Located in Garland, the Student Employment Office offers students a multitude of work and career experiences from research assistant in the Department of Oncology to Web manager in the MSE Library to lifeguard at the Athletic Center. The office works with the entire Hopkins community to develop student jobs in a variety of fields offering a multitude of academic and career experiences. Hopkins’ commitment to student development and the student employment program is evident in the number of campus jobs available, the variety of job opportunities offered, and the vast number of services offered through the student employment program.

Through the Student Employment Web site, students can search for a job, get answers to frequently asked questions, download tax forms, sign-up for the temp-job quick cash program, link to Student Financial Services, search for volunteer and community service opportunities, and learn where to look for internships. They can also find the date and location of the annual Student Job Fair and even see a picture of the current JHU Student Employee of the Year. In addition to the Web site, the SEO maintains numerous computers with printers in its main office where students can search for jobs, a fax machine for sending resumes, and individual job-searching assistance. And, as the human resources specialist for student employees, the SEO ensures that all student employee personnel needs are promptly and appropriately addressed.
The annual Student Job Fair, held each September, offers students a one-stop job shopping opportunity. Employers from each of the Hopkins campuses and surrounding community are on hand to meet with and hire students on the spot. Service departments such as Student Financial Services, the JHU Tax Office, and the Career Center are also on hand to answer questions and accept applications. The entire event is a festive occasion where students are invited to grab a bag of popcorn, spin the prize wheel, and become familiar with the student employment program.

We encourage all students to explore the many possibilities student employment has to offer, visit our Web site at www.jhu.edu/~stujob or stop by the office in Garland, 410-516-5411.

The Sheridan Libraries [Top]
The Sheridan Libraries encompass the Milton S. Eisenhower Library and its collections at the John Work Garrett Library, the Albert D. Hutlzer Reading Room and the George Peabody Library at Mt. Vernon Place.
The Milton S. Eisenhower Library is the university’s principal research library and the largest in a network of libraries at Johns Hopkins. Collection strengths in the humanities include German and Romance languages, philosophy and the ancient Near East. In science and engineering, holdings are strong in biomedical engineering, chemistry, and environmental engineering. The library also offers an extensive array of electronic resources, including full-text books, over 3,000 journals, specialized databases, and statistical and cartographic data. Electronic course reserve materials (e-reserves) are available for over 50 percent of the courses requiring reserve reading. A Web-based catalog provides access to the resources of all the Johns Hopkins University libraries.

The Eisenhower Library collection includes over 2.5 million printed volumes, 17,000 serial subscriptions, 3.8 million microforms, over 200,000 maps, and numerous audio-visual, manuscript, and archival resources. Rare books, archives, and sheet music are located in the Eisenhower Library Special Collections Department. Other special collections locations include the Garrett Library at Evergreen House and the George Peabody Library at Mt. Vernon Place.

The Albert D. Hutlzer Undergraduate Reading Room, known as the “HUT,” is located on the second floor of Gilman Hall. The HUT features a small collection of newspapers and popular magazines and a special science fiction and fantasy collection that circulates for one-month periods. Conducive to group study, the HUT is open on a 24-hour basis during the academic year.

The Faculty/Student Interaction Program [Top]
The Faculty/Student Interaction Program (FSI) is sponsored by the Office of Residential Life. The program coordinates activities that give undergraduates and faculty opportunities for informal interaction. All activities, including transportation and meals, are offered without charge.

Last spring, Steven David, professor of political science, led a lively discussion about humanitarian interventions and the role of morality in international relations. This year, FSI will sponsor more informal conversations with faculty and will offer small group dinners hosted by faculty.

Students may send their e-mail addresses to fsimail@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu to receive e-mail notification about FSI programs. They may also visit http://www.jhu.edu/~progcomm for FSI program updates.
Questions about the program should be directed to Ms. Patrice Mason in the Office of Residential Life, McCoy Hall, 410-516-3948.

Tutoring Services [Top]
The following tutoring and study skill services are open to students in the School of Arts and Sciences and students in the School of Engineering.

The Office of Academic Advising, Garland, Suite 3A, 410-516-8216, provides drop-in group tutoring rooms for the most requested courses. Tutors are available at regularly scheduled times and locations to meet with students who need help. Other drop-in tutoring centers are offered by the Mathematics Department and the Writing Center. A list of all drop-in tutoring subjects, times and locations is available in the Office of Academic Advising and the Office of Engineering Advising, 126 New Engineering, 410-516-7395. Individual tutoring is also available for courses across the curriculum through the Office of Academic Advising. There is such a heavy demand for tutors in certain courses that priority for individual tutoring is given to students who have documented learning disabilities, who are on academic probation, or who have earned a grade of C or below in a prerequisite or related course. Students who do not meet these criteria can also receive individual tutoring if the course instructor makes a written request on behalf of a student who he or she believes is in danger of failing the instructor’s course.

There is a $20 fee per tutor per semester for individual tutoring. This entitles students to as many hours of individual tutoring each week as the number of credits offered for the course.

All tutors are qualified graduate students or undergraduates who have earned a grade of A in the course(s) that they tutor.

The Writing Center [Top]
Sponsored by the English Department, the Writing Center is a place where students can come for help with their writing. Students can bring in any work including papers, creative writing, applications, or ideas to discuss one-on-one with a tutor. Rather than rewrite the paper, the tutor will try to help the student invent, organize, argue, or revise as necessary. The Writing Center is located in the greenhouse annex, beside the President’s garden. Make an appointment at 410-516-4258, or call for operating hours and drop in.

Study Skills and Time Management [Top]
The Study Consultant and Accountability Program (SCAP) is available to help students to develop better study techniques and time management skills. Students participating in the program are matched with a graduate student or senior from the same area of study. They meet for one hour per week to work on time management and/or study skills, according to the students’ needs. Contact the Office of Academic Advising, Garland, Suite 3A, 410-516-8216.

Baldridge Reading and Study Skills Program [Top]
Each October and February, the Baldridge Reading and Study Skills Program offers classes at JHU on reading techniques and study tips. This is not a remedial class. Speed and comprehension classes meet for one hour daily for two weeks, or more intensively for one weekend. The fee for the program is $120 for the three-week course; $69 for a weekend course. Interested students should contact Ms. Angela Ruddle, Office of Academic Advising, Garland, Suite 3A, 410-516-5506.

Preprofessional Advising

Graduate School Advising [Top]
Students who are interested in graduate study should discuss this with faculty members in their field. The faculty can best advise on academic careers, just as they can judge which graduate programs would be most appropriate. The Office of Academic Advising can assist students in winning scholarships like the Beinecke, Javits and Cooke to pay for graduate training.

Law School Advising [Top]
Mary Catherine Savage, Esquire, and Kristin McJankins are the pre-law advisers for undergraduate and graduate students and alumni in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering. Each semester the pre-law advisers conduct information meetings for students. Several program opportunities are available for interested students, including the annual Law Fair in September and visits by law school admissions deans. An e-mail list serve for pre-law students keeps students advised of campus activities. Students can register for the e-mail service in the Pre-professions Office, Garland, Suite 300. Advisers are available by appointment and during walk-in hours in Garland, Suite 300. For appointments call 410-516-4140 or visit the office.

Students applying to law school will benefit from utilizing the very highly regarded Johns Hopkins Law School Recommendation Committee process, a process that supplements traditional faculty recommendations. Planning for the application process should begin during the spring of the junior year or senior year. The application process itself starts early in the fall When a student’s file is complete, he or she is assigned to a member of the Law School Recommendation Committee, who reviews the student’s file, interviews the student, and writes a committee letter that summarizes the applicant’s academic and extracurricular achievements, and highlights the positive comments of the applicant’s referees.

Medical School and Other Health Professions Advising [Top]
Mary Catherine Savage, Esquire, Jean Kan, M.D., and Kristin McJunkins are the pre-health advisers for undergraduate and graduate students and alumni in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering. Each semester the pre-medical advisers conduct information meetings for students who are in their first two years of their undergraduate program, and for juniors and seniors who are ready to begin the application process. In addition a full calendar of programs from medical professionals is conducted throughout the year. Advisers are available by appointment and during walk-in hours in Garland, Suite 300. For appointments call 410-516-4140 or visit the Pre-professions Office in Garland, Suite 300.

The pre-health professions advising service is available to students who are interested in any of the health professions, including allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, podiatric medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, pharmacy, and others. More than 100 medical tutorials and preceptorships at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions are available, on a space- available basis, to sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are pre-medical students with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0. All tutorials are taken on a Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory basis for 2 credits. To register, students should consult the Pre-professions Office in Garland, Suite 3A, 410-516-4140.

In their junior and senior years (as well as after graduation), pre-medical students and other pre-health professions students are encouraged to work with the preprofessional advisers and the Health Professions Committee during the application period. The committee process complements individual letters of recommendation and is highly valued by schools in the health professions and other graduate schools. The competitive nature of the health professions admissions process makes the use of the committee a strong support system. In the fall of their junior year, pre-health students who hope to begin their health professions program immediately following graduation attend the Preprofessional Advising meetings to begin developing a file of recommendations, and other required paperwork. When a student’s file is complete, he or she is assigned to a member of the Health Professions Committee, who reviews the student’s application file, interviews the student, and writes a committee letter that summarizes the applicant’s academic and extracurricular achievements, and highlights the positive comments of the applicant’s referees. At the student’s request, the committee letter and other letters of recommendation are sent to medical schools that have asked the student to send secondary information. Applicants are also encouraged to participate in essay writing and interview workshops.

For students who wish to take a break from their studies following graduation, or who are planning to take time for a post-baccalaureate, research, service or employment opportunity, the recommendations may be solicited anytime during the junior or senior years or thereafter, keeping in mind that a timely application dictates that the recommendation committee process be initiated by May in the year prior to matriculation (i.e., May 2005 for matriculation in September 2006).

Public Health Advising [Top]
Students who are interested in applying to graduate programs at schools of public health should contact Dr. James D. Goodyear, associate director of the Public Health Studies Program. Appointments are strongly encouraged. Resources on hand include viewbooks and catalogs from most public health schools and some individual programs as well as general career information.

To gain ready access to online information about schools of public health, go to www.jhu.edu/phsf/ and click on Public Health Graduate Schools. At the bottom of the screen, click on ASHP Member Schools and Programs. Also students should be alert to the opportunity to meet with representatives of most schools of public health at the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association held each November.
Public health schools will expect applicants to identify their chosen area of interest or discipline as part of the application process. Most applications require two or three recommendations and are due between mid-December and late February. Prospective applicants will need to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) in the fall semester prior to applying, and submit their general test scores as part of the application. The general exam is given by computer at various sites. Call 1-800-GRE- CALL for detailed information. Certain programs allow applicants to substitute MCAT scores for GREs, so check with the individual schools.

Each applicant is responsible for all facets of her or his application. There is no separate recommendation committee process for students applying to graduate programs in public health. Students who do work with the Health Professions Committee may have their committee letter mailed to public health schools if it seems appropriate for the intended program.

Career Center

Career Advising [Top]
Whether helping students create an individualized job search or prepare to contend successfully in today’s competitive job market, the Career Center in Garland is an active partner in students’ career development. To this end, a variety of resources are offered to help students get where they want to go.

Individual guidance is offered to all students to help them explore their career options, seek non-credit internships, or pursue a full-time job search. Training sessions throughout the year teach students how to market themselves through résumés and cover letters, provide coaching on interview skills, and teach effective networking and search strategies for internships and employment. The office maintains a library rich in information about an array of career fields, jobs, and paid internship opportunities.

An on-campus recruiting program brings representatives from business, industry, government agencies, and non-profit organizations to campus. A résumé referral service offers students another opportunity to link with internship sponsors and full-time employers. An online job posting program allows students to view listings 24 hours a day via computer. In addition, Johns Hopkins is a member of an internship consortium which shares internships among prestigious geographically diverse institutions, including Dartmouth, Tufts, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, and Washington University.

The Career Center co-sponsors several job fairs each year. These events put students in touch with employers offering full-time, summer, and internship opportunities.

Through the Career Center Web site, students can access the Alumni Career Network, a database of nationwide graduates who are available to speak with students and offer career information. Collaborative programs with the Alumni and Development offices of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering connect students with alumni. The office also offers a variety of career panels and educational programs that bring Hopkins graduates back to campus to discuss career opportunities and trends in a broad range of fields.

Students who register with the Career Center will receive newsletters and announcements of internship and full-time job opportunities, workshops, field trips, and alumni events.

For information and appointments, call 410-516-8056 or stop by the office in Garland Hall.

Disability Services and Accommodations

Provisions for Students with Disabilities [Top]
The university provides reasonable academic accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Accommodations may include tutors, notetakers, permission to tape-record lectures, computer technology, testing accommodations, and study skills assistance. Students who would like to request these services should contact Dr. Richard Sanders in the Office of Academic Advising, Garland, Suite 3A, 410-516-8216 and visit our Web site at www.jhu.edu/disabilityservices. Information about these disabilities will remain confidential unless a student chooses to release this information. Students may also contact the University Disability Services Director, Peggy Hayeslip, at 410-516-8075.