Georgia Tech EXCEL Course Catalog

EXCEL courses are taught by EXCEL faculty and staff. A small assortment of these courses is offered each semester to meet our students' interests. Each course is 3 credit hours. One career course is required each semester and is taken in a sequential order as shown in the 4-year grid.

INTD 3003P Financial Literacy I Financial literacy I is a one-semester course designed to teach the basics of banking and money management. Students will develop techniques in counting money, keeping track of expenses, and budgeting. The course will be supplemented with hands-on experiences to practice real-world banking and money tracking. Students will reinforce their math skills while keeping a running balance in a checkbook and comparing it to their online statement. This course uses a combination of lecture and lab style classes.
INTD 3006P Financial Literacy II Financial Literacy II is a one-semester course where students will review the concepts of a budget and the importance of saving money and work toward mastering the more intricate concepts of credit, savings, and financing. Students will use online tools to help keep track of their day-to-day expenses and categorize where their money is going in order to help them make better financial decisions in the future. Students will start exploring the concept of a credit card and financing when it comes to large purchases such as a house or car. Toward the end of the class, students will make long term goals and start thinking about different vocations that will allow them to live the lifestyle of their choice in the future. This course consists of lecture style classes.
INTD 3007P Independent Study Independent Study is a one-semester course where students choose a course they are interested in that focuses on their education and career goals. Students will attend a course from the Georgia Tech course catalog with the permission of the course instructor. Students are responsible for all assignments for the course and will be evaluated on their individually modified curriculum. Curriculum will be modified by either their mentor, their academic coordinator, or the instructor of the course.
INTD 3008P EXCEL 1000 EXCEL 1000 is the name given to GT1000, that is modified for EXCEL students. EXCEL students will attend this course alongside their undergraduate peers, but complete modified assignments. The course consists of a discussion of topics related to academic, social and professional success including learning styles, time management, major and career exploration, leadership and teamwork.
INTD 3009P Technology Technology is a one-semester class where students will learn the basics of technology. They will work with a variety of platforms including windows, OSX, iOS, and Android. Students will move forward through the curriculum based on functioning level and will progress through the curriculum at their own pace. Students will also investigate several aspects of the assistive technologies and further their understanding of universal design in the technology field. This course will include a combination of lecture and lab-based classes.
INTD 3010P Career Explorations Career Explorations is a one-semester course which introduces students to a variety of career fields. Using the discovery process students will explore their interests, aptitudes, and skills and individual learning styles as they develop their own career plan. A variety of post-college opportunities will be discussed to help them find a career path. Students will also discuss the process of marketing themselves to potential employers, the importance of commitment in the work-place, and determining why they should work. This course will include a combination of lecture and experiential learning opportunities in the community.
INTD 3011P Current Events Current Events is a one-semester course aimed at better familiarizing students with the world around them. They will attain a better understanding of local, national and international issues and how those issues directly impact them. Through readings and discussions, students will learn how to develop reasoned opinions grounded by factual information. The course aims to better prepare students to actively participate in their community and society. The course will include a combination of lecture classes and guest speaker opportunities.
INTD 3012P Self-Awareness Self-Awareness is a one-semester course divided into 3 units, each focusing on a different aspect of adult life. The first unit will primarily focus on forming friendships, functioning in various social environments, and identifying resources available on campus. The second unit focuses on internet safety, an overview of human sexuality, and campus safety. The final unit will require students to create a healthy lifestyle plan with specific goals for staying active and eating nutritiously. The course will include a combination of lecture and inclusive experiential learning opportunities in the community.
INTD 3014P Storytelling in Multimedia Storytelling in Multimedia is a one-semester course aimed at introducing students to photo and video editing software while enhancing their photography and videography skills. Students will participate in a variety of outings around the Georgia Tech and Metro Atlanta area where they will use their personal devices to obtain images and video and then will use software to manipulate their media in a variety of ways, directed by their instructor. This course will contain both lab-style classes and outside of the classroom experiences, both with directed instruction.
INTD 3015P Values and Reflection Values and Reflections is a one-semester course where students will observe values through a variety of platforms including, but not limited to literary works, podcasts, and video content. This course is taught in the style of a learning community and focuses on learning as a social process where students not only reflect on a personal level, but also collaboratively. Students will have choices to reflect in multiple modalities to allow engagement in ways that are the most meaningful to individual strengths.
INTD 3016P Career Success I Career Success I is a one-semester course where students start to develop employment skills by participating in their first internship with the EXCEL program. In addition to their internship, students will attend a weekly class meeting where a variety of class formats will be utilized to help problem solve and share successes on the job as well as develop strategies for communication and reinforce workplace etiquette. This courses will be a combination of lecture style and lab classes.
INTD 3017P Communication and Self-Advocacy Communication and Self-Advocacy is a one-semester course where students will develop their conflict resolution skills and practice the action of expressing and representing their views and interests. This course will employ a variety of methods including improvisation, group discussion, and the traditional classroom setting to explore a variety of situations in relation to problem solving and conflict resolution. Several self-discovery techniques will be explored to help guide students to their preferred method of self-advocacy as not only views and interests, but also laws and rights. This course will include a combination of lecture and lab-based classes.
INTD 3018P Cooking for Life Cooking for Life is a one-semester course that focuses on experiential learning of the process of preparing a meal independently. In a small group, students will plan a menu for one meal per week, create a shopping list for the items needed, estimate a budget for the items, prepare the meal, and eat the meal while practicing common etiquette. Individually, students will each have responsibility to shop for the items needed at the grocery store. The course will include brief lectures, some exploration of career paths, and opportunities to visit locations outside of class.
INTD 3019P Practical Teamwork in Sciences and Engineering Practical Teamwork in Sciences and Engineering is a one-semester course that focuses on the soft skills learning in a lab setting. The team-building aspect will be reinforced as students work their way through basic science experiments in several fields including chemistry, physics, and biology. Students will also enhance their design and critical thinking skills during engineering labs. This course will consist of lecture and lab classes.
INTD 3020P Collaborative Design Collaborative Design is a one-semester course focused on inquiry-based learning in a project-based environment. Student teams will learn to work together creatively, in a hands-on environment, with emerging technologies to design innovative products or services. The course aims to teach design thinking as an approach that can be used to consider issues and resolve problems more broadly, and promote self-directed learning that can be applied inside and outside the classroom. Students will have opportunities to present their designs and products throughout the semester.
INTD 3021P Social Diversity Social Diversity is a one-semester course in which students will learn about the value of diversity and respect for others as they explore a variety of resources and case studies that will inform their understanding of multiple aspects of diversity within their own community and around the world. The course combines the concept of anti-bias social justice with the rigor of awareness and understanding of others. Students will learn to make a connection between themselves and the larger community in which they live and work as they learn how to welcome difference into their communities. This course will be taught in lecture style classes.
INTD 3022P Business Ethics and Policies Business Ethics and Policies is a one-semester course designed to provide a basic understanding of workplace social rules and policies. Students will increase their awareness and understanding of ethical situations in business and will gain knowledge of tools to guide decision-making toward ethical choices through case study and group discussion with added perspective from guest lecturers. Through a variety of teaching strategies, students will be able to identify, think critically about, and resolve issues that might be encountered in working life at the individual, organizational, and societal levels. This course will use a combination of lecture and lab classes.
INTD 3024P Career Success II Career Success II is a one-semester course where students continue to develop employment skills. A variety of class formats will be utilized including presentations, break-out groups, classroom discussions, videos, and other electronic media in combination with volunteer/internship/work experiences. These together will further develop and reinforce the learning of on-the-job communication skills and workplace etiquette. Students will also develop strategies and effectively use tools and techniques to resolve real-time conflicts and problems that are occurring at their worksites. This course will be a combination of lecture style and lab classes.
INTD 3025P Career Success III Career Success III is a one-semester course where students continue to develop employment skills. Students will rely on the skills learned in their previous career courses to complete an internship, apprenticeship, or job opportunity coordinated and monitored by EXCEL staff. The course will also include a breakout session with peers where students can discuss and explore job-related topics in variety of learning methods. This courses will be a combination of lecture style and lab classes.
INTD 3026P Career Seminar Career Seminar is a one-semester course where students develop employment skills. A variety of class formats will be utilized including presentations, break-out groups, classroom discussions, videos, and other electronic media in combination with volunteer/internship/work experiences. These together will further develop and reinforce the learning of on-the-job communication skills and workplace etiquette. Students will also develop strategies and effectively use tools and techniques to resolve real-time conflicts and problems that are occurring at their worksites. This course will be a combination of lecture style and lab classes.
INTD 3027P Career Development Experiences Career Development Experiences is a one-semester course where students will participate in a facilitated internship, apprenticeship, or job opportunity. Students will have one-on-one meetings with their career counselor to review their experience and work on areas for improvement as well as celebrate areas of success. This is a lab-style course.
INTD 3029P Introduction to Programming Introduction to programing is a one-semester course intended for students with little or no programming experience. This course provides students with a basic foundation of a variety of computer languages including HTML/CSS, Python, JavaScript, Java, SQL, Bash/Shell, and Ruby. Students will work through modules provided through codeacademy.com with additional guidance from their instructor. Students will work at their own pace through each module with the expectation that they will complete at a minimum one complete Language course.
INTD 3032P Individual Transition Planning Individual Transition Planning is a one-semester course that builds on their senior capstone course (INTD 3035P). This course facilitates student implementation of post-graduation goals and clarifies the remaining steps needed to successfully plan and implement transition to adult life after participation in the EXCEL program.
INTD 3035P Senior Capstone This course will use experiential learning to integrate principles and practice behind work, leadership, and independent living for students preparing to graduate from the EXCEL program. Using academic skills acquired or enhanced during their previous three years, students will create individualized plans intended to help them successfully transition from school to community.
INTD _____ Leadership EXCEL Leadership is a one-semester course where students explore different ways of expressing leadership. In this course, students will reflect on their strengths and weaknesses as a leader through self-assessments and hands-on experiential activities to discover their personal leadership style. This course offers a comprehensive review of leadership styles, theories, and approaches focusing on topics such as values and ethics, power and group dynamics, conflict resolution, and multi-cultural awareness.
INTD _____ PEERs PEERs is a one-semester course that teaches young adults skills in developing and maintaining close meaningful friendships and relationships.