School of Education and Social Policy
Welcome to SESP! We’re looking forward to connecting with you this summer and welcoming you in the fall. In the meantime, explore the resources and information below.
The SESP advising team will reach out to you in mid- to late July to introduce themselves, get to know you, start discussing the information you will provide in your survey, and help you prepare for course registration on August 8.
If you would like to meet earlier to discuss how your credits can count, we would be happy to set you up with an appointment. Email SESPSAO@northwestern.edu to get started.
Academic Advisers
The SESP advising team:
- Kelvin Boddie, senior academic adviser
- Vanessa Champagne, SESP Leadership Institute program coordinator
- Gaby Langendorf, academic advisor and manager of teaching certification and licensure
- Allison Ledwon, program coordinator
- Funmi Ojikutu, associate director of academic advising and practicum director
- Susan Olson, associate dean for student affairs
- Ken Powers, senior academic adviser
- Ian Williams, associate director of advising
Fall Quarter Course Registration
You will register for fall courses before arriving on campus. Your academic adviser will assist you in understanding degree requirements and guide you in determining which classes to take in your first quarter. Your peer adviser will provide advice from a student lens.
Your academic adviser will reach out to you in late July to schedule a remote meeting. During this summer advising meeting, your adviser will help you determine which of the following SESP classes to take during the fall quarter.
- SESP 200: Understanding Knowledge
- SESP 201: Childhood and Adolescence
- SESP 203: Adulthood and Aging
- SOC POL 312: Social Policy Making and Implementation
- LOC 211: Seminar on Organization Theory and Practice
- SESP 218 and LOC 214BR: SESP Leadership Institute
- SESP 272: Field Research Methods
- SESP 195: Civic Engagement
Placement Exams and Global Engagement Requirement
See the Placement Exams webpage for an overview of the online placement exams and assessments offered during the summer.
We encourage you to take placement exams because they will help determine the course level appropriate for you as you start planning your fall course schedule. Your courses will include math, language, and science if you are planning to pursue a second major or a premed track.
As your adviser will explain, students are encouraged to study abroad during their undergraduate career via the SESP global engagement requirement. If you believe that studying abroad may not be right for you, another way to meet the SESP global engagement requirement is by taking/testing out of one year of college-level study in a language other than English.
If you anticipate taking language courses or studying abroad, we recommend taking the language placement exam for any language you have previously studied.
SESP Leadership Institute
The SESP Leadership Institute is a fall quarter program that helps prepare new first-year and rising second- year undergraduates to thrive at Northwestern. First-generation college students and students from lower-income backgrounds are especially encouraged to participate. See Academic Year Opportunities or the SLI website for details.