Welcome to the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science! We are pleased that you have chosen to join our program and look forward to your arrival on campus. Please use this page as a guide to assist you as you select and register for your first semester courses.
Selecting your courses for your first semester at UM will be the first step you take in transitioning into your college career. You may use the following information, as well as the UM Bulletin for your selected major in regards to our degree requirements. Checkout the Curriculum Requirements to see which courses should be taken within your first semester. (A typical full-time academic schedule for a new Rosenstiel student is around 15 to 17 credits). Please read this page in its entirety to ensure proper enrollment.
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PLANNING YOUR COURSE SELECTIONS
Prior to selecting courses for your first semester, all transfer courses relevant to your degree requirements must be evaluated for UM equivalency. The first step in this process will be to send official transcripts along with AP/IB/CLEP exam results to:
University of Miami
Office of Admission
P.O. Box 249117
Coral Gables, FL 33124-9117
Please also send a copy of all relevant transcripts, including current courses, along with AP/IB/CLEP exam results, to the Rosenstiel Undergraduate Office at marsci@miami.edu. (Unofficial transcripts are fine for this purpose) When sending copies of your transcript/current courses to the program office, please make sure to also send any syllabi to assist in the process of UM equivalencies. Please provide your contact information in the email. A Rosenstiel transfer advisor will be in touch with you soon, although please note that during the summer, it may take a few days.
Transfer Credits
Generally, most academic coursework taken at accredited colleges and universities will transfer, provided a grade of “C” or higher is achieved in the courses. Exceptions include credits earned in physical education, technical as well as vocational courses, remedial or college preparatory work. See Transfer of Credits.
Transfer coursework that does not reflect a known UM equivalency (100T) will remain undesignated in Canelink. Individual courses may then be evaluated by the respective UM departments to determine UM equivalency. This requires the student to submit a Transfer Course Equivalency Evaluation form, along with the detailed course syllabi for each course. These detailed syllabi can be obtained from the previous instructor or department.
Most importantly, equivalency evaluation forms for courses to be used as prerequisites for courses at UM need to be completed prior to your registration. Typically, this includes coursework in Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Mathematics and Physics.
AP/IB/CLEP Credits
Note that minimum scores at UM may differ from those at your previous institution. See credit information (and related links) to determine UM minimum scores. AP, IB, and GCE scores must be sent directly to the Office of Admission by the end of your first semester. Exam scores submitted on other university or college transcripts will not be accepted. No credits will be awarded after your first semester. Official test scores and/or transcripts for credits earned from any college/university should be sent to the Office of Admission (see address above).
*Once your official transcript(s) and/or test scores have been processed by the Office of Admission, make sure to check that the correct transfer courses and test scores are reflected correctly on your CaneLink account.*
Cognates
The University General Education requirements will be completed using cognates. A cognate is a group of at least three courses for at least nine credits, related in a topical, thematic, interdisciplinary, sequential, or other fashion, so that completion of a cognate provides coherent depth of knowledge.
You will need to complete one cognate in each of the three Areas of Knowledge: Arts and Humanities, People and Society (Social Sciences), and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). All Rosenstiel students will have their STEM cognate satisfied through their major requirements. You are responsible for completing cognates in Arts & Humanities and People & Society. Majors or minors in these areas will satisfy the cognate requirement.
Individualized Cognates – UM students can fulfill the Areas of Knowledge general education requirement by creating an individualized cognate. Only courses (UM as well as transfer courses) with an Area of Knowledge course attribute in CaneLink can be used in an individualized cognate. To read more about the specifics for individualized cognates and current approved courses, click here.
Students transferring 30 or more credits have the option of completing a transfer individualized cognate in People & Society or Arts & Humanities depending on the courses transferred. These courses do not have to be within the approved course list but should fall within the Areas of Knowledge. Please click here to learn more about cognates.
Written Communication Skills
Students at UM must take two Written Communication Skills courses. Students fulfill this requirement by satisfactorily completing WRS 105 together with ENG 106, WRS 106, WRS 107, or the equivalent. If you are not transferring in with any English Composition courses from your previous institution, you will have to complete the Written Communication Skills requirements at UM. Similarly, if you are transferring in with only one English Composition course, you will have to fulfill the other WRS requirement once you transfer.
Mathematics
For all transfer students, the appropriate level of math course may be determined by AP/IB scores, transfer credit, SAT/ACT scores, or by taking a proctored ALEKS test. If you would like to place in a higher level, you may choose to take the ALEKS Math Placement exam. Click here for more information to help you determine which math course you should begin with to start the math sequence for your major.
Links to Helpful Canelink Video Tutorials
Course descriptions can be found through Canelink. CaneLink is the University of Miami's online portal for students and faculty. You will use your existing CaneID and password to log on. Please use the guide provided on the New Student Registration website to search for courses.
Course Registration
Please click here for step-by-step tip sheets and tutorials on how to register for classes. Below are the typical first semester courses taken for each major. These may differ based on the credits you transfer in with. As you are working on your selections, should questions arise, please email the Rosenstiel Undergraduate Office at marsci@miami.edu.
