First-Year Essentials

4WARD: Career Pathways Program is an exclusive, high-impact, multi-year experience designed to assist first-year undergraduate student participants in reaching post-graduation success.

First-year students will clarify their career goals, have access to unique recruiting resources to unlock internship experiences, and engage in opportunities designed to make them more competitive in their future career pursuits.

The world of work is complex, but the on-ramp to success doesn't have to be through the Road to Industry Program.

Attendance is essential for academic engagement and learning. The course syllabus outlines requirements for attendance, deadlines for submission of assignments, and dates of exams. Missing class or the submission of required work can impact your grade, regardless of the circumstances. If you are absent due to an accident, medical, or private matter, you are encouraged to first notify the faculty member or teaching assistant (TA) at the time of the absence or immediately thereafter, as the situation allows.

For a one or two-day absence, use the Student Self-Reporting Absence Application.

For multi-day absences, or when a major course requirement is missed during the one or two-day absence, instructors may request students obtain an Absence and Verification Notice (AVN) from the Dean of Students–Advocacy, Outreach, and Support. Documentation is required for an AVN.

Reporting an absence does not excuse missed work, and even with verification for absences, it is up to each instructor to determine if there are options for allowing the submission of missing or late work.

The Academic Calendar provides important dates and deadlines associated with the semester: the first day of classes, the last day to add or drop a class, the start of course registration for the following semester, exam periods, and changes to class designations due to holidays.

The three-year academic calendar provides general dates for the first and last day of classes, exam periods, and holiday breaks. The majority of schools in New Brunswick follow these calendars, but certain academic units at the university follow their own academic calendars due to the nature of their program.

All students at Rutgers University are expected to maintain the highest levels of academic integrity. The definitions and examples of cheating or plagiarism may be understood, but it is also important to understand the meaning of fabrication, academic sabotage, facilitation of dishonesty, and how to prevent violations of the Academic Integrity Policy. Violations can result in educational and academic sanctions, which can be costly, both in terms of time, money, and future opportunities.

To maximize academic and post-graduate success, all students are expected to complete the academic integrity module available on Canvas. Once logged into Canvas, the course can be found in the list of Published Courses.

Find Tips and Tutorials on Academic Integrity and other resources.

Byrne Seminars are small, one-credit courses taught by Rutgers’ world-renowned faculty who come from departments and professional schools across the university. Limited to 20 students per section, each unique seminar introduces students to the professor’s area of expertise and their latest research. The Byrne program is open to all first-year students during the fall and spring semesters. Students who take a Byrne often find that studying with a professor in a small seminar has a profound impact on their collegiate experience, including connecting them to campus resources, peers with similar interests, and new opportunities for majors or fields of research. For a full listing of seminars, check out Byrne Seminars.

The official learning management system for teaching and learning at Rutgers.

Canvas: https://canvas.rutgers.edu/

Getting Started in Canvas for Students: https://canvas.rutgers.edu/students/getting-started-in-canvas-students/

Find Tips and Tutorials on how to use Canvas and other resources.