University 103 
Grand Canyon University
University 103 
Grand Canyon University

Building a community of lifelong learners!

Welcome to UNV 103

Welcome to UNV 103Welcome to UNV 103Welcome to UNV 103

Building a community of lifelong learners!

Welcome to UNV 103

Welcome to UNV 103Welcome to UNV 103Welcome to UNV 103

Welcome Video

 

My Introduction Video!


Hi Class,

My name is Sean Diana, you can call me Sean. I have been teaching at GCU for 10 years!

You can reach me in the Individual Forum 

(Best way to contact me!)

by email, sean.diana@gcu.edu or 

by phone 602-639-7144.

It is nice to meet you. Please watch my welcome video:

Sean

Walk to Class- How to navigate Halo and get Microsoft Word

Learn how to navigate GCU's Online Environment

 

To be successful in this class you have to make time to be in the class and do your assignments. Take out your calendar and plan which days you can be in the class. Please watch these videos. Everyone is getting an A if you complete all the assignments!!

Get Microsoft Word

 

If you are in need of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc. please use the links below for download information depending on whether you use a Mac versus a PC. These links will ask for your GCU email address, so make sure you have that on hand. Should you have any difficulty accessing the links or need further information on how to download them, please contact technical support at 1-877-428-8447 or at 602-639-7200.

Week 1 Video- Dr. Megan Neel

In week one you will be exploring our digital learning platform called Halo, you will become familiar the GCU website, and the academic writing expectations at GCU 


Assignments this week:


  • Participation-Post eight times over the week. Tip-Choose four days, put them on your schedule and post two times each day.
  • DQs- Post on Wednesday and Friday
  • Sunday Assignment- see the template below.

Week 1 Assignment

UNV-103-RS-T1-ResourcesWorksheet-Online (4) (docx)Download

Week 2 Assignment

 

You have two assignments due this Sunday. The first is the GCU Code of Conduct, which must be completed using the attached template. The template is already formatted in APA 7th Edition, so please follow it carefully.

The second assignment is the Library Research Assignment, where you will learn how to search for sources in the GCU Library. See the video below. 


Downloads

GCU Code of Conduct 2025 (docx)Download
Library Research Assignment (docx)Download

Week 3

Files coming soon.

Video

APA Paper Format Setup

At GCU we use APA formatting for all assignments that you will submit as Word documents.  Everything from the title page and header to the abstract, body section, and reference page.  Save this video!  

APA formatting is the official style guide of the American Psychological Association. It’s widely used in academic writing, especially in the social sciences.

  • Font & Spacing: Times New Roman 12 pt, double-spaced, 1-inch margins. 
  • Title Page: Includes paper title, student name, course, instructor, and date. 
  • In-Text Citations: Use narrative (Smith, 2020) or parenthetical (Smith, 2020). 
  • Reference Page: Titled References, double-spaced, hanging indent, alphabetical order.

 

What is an In-Text Citation?

An in-text citation in APA style tells your reader where the information, ideas, or quotations in your writing come from. You should use in-text citations whenever you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote another source.

Basic APA In-Text Citation Formats

There are two main ways to cite sources in APA:

1. Parenthetical Citation
The author’s last name and the year of publication appear in parentheses at the end of the sentence.
Example: (Smith, 2020)

2. Narrative Citation
The author’s name appears in the sentence, followed by the year in parentheses.
Example: Smith (2020) found that…

The Reference page

 

In academic writing, it is essential to list your sources to give credit to the original authors and to support your arguments with credible evidence. Your sources will often include peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations, and books written by experts in the field. For example, if you are writing a paper on early childhood education, you might cite an article from the Journal of Early Childhood Research, a presentation from the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Conference, or a book such as The Montessori Method by Maria Montessori.

When you list your sources, you will use APA (American Psychological Association) format, which provides specific rules for citing and referencing works both in-text and on your reference page. For instance:

  • Journal article example:
    Smith, J. A., & Liu, C. (2023). Bilingual learning in early education: Cognitive and cultural outcomes. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 65(2), 145–158.
    https://doi.org/10.xxxx/ecrq.2023.05.004
     
  • Book example:
    Montessori, M. (1964). The Montessori method. Schocken Books.
     
  • Conference presentation example:
    Johnson, R. (2022, April). Integrating play-based learning in bilingual classrooms. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Washington, DC.

Week 4- Finding your Purpose

 

This week’s assignment, “Finding Your Purpose: Academic, Spiritual, & Career Plan,” helps you connect your education, faith, and career goals into one clear plan for your time at GCU and beyond.

You’ll complete three sections on the template provided below:

  1. Academic Plan – You identify your program of study, explore GCU’s degree programs, and think about which courses you’re most excited or nervous about and why.
     
  2. Spiritual Plan – You explore GCU’s Christian foundation by reading the One Foundation statements and watching the video on how faith integrates with learning and work. You’ll reflect on how GCU’s spiritual life resources (like devotionals and chapel) can strengthen your sense of community and purpose.
     
  3. Career Plan – You take the Career Compass Self-Assessment to learn about your interests, skills, and values, then research three possible careers that fit those results.
     

Finally, you write two short reflection paragraphs about how you’ll manage yourself and what GCU resources you’ll use to achieve your goals.

UNV-103-RS-T4_FindingYourPurpose-Online (docx)Download

Week 5

 Be sure to use APA Style to complete the assignment. Please review the APA formatting tutorial video for assistance using the Microsoft Word APA template attachment. The tutorial reviews how to update the title page, main body, references, and more.  

Week 5- Academic Path Assignment

 This week it is time to reflect.  

Reflect on the prior five weeks in the course. Please write a 250-500-word reflection using APA Style. In four paragraphs, discuss your:

  1. Academic background and your motivation for selecting and attending GCU
  2. Program of study or degree
  3. Future career goals or plans
  4. Although this course may not have necessarily aligned with your field of study, how have the concepts and assignments in this course prepared you for success in your future courses?


This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.  A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.


Please use the template that I created for you formatted in correct APA format!


Academic Path (docx)Download

Week 6 - Exploring Financial Literacy

 Financial Literacy Assignment

In 250-500 words, use the resources in this topic to address the following questions using the attached APA Style template. In four paragraphs, discuss:

  1. Based on the objectives and resources from this week, what do you feel is the main idea you learned about personal finance and financial literacy?
  2. In what ways will the tips you read in the topic articles guide your decisions in the coming months?
  3. What areas do you feel you need to grow?
  4. Taking into account your program of study and potential salary/pay, what impact will that have on your financial security?

Be sure to use APA Style to complete the assignment.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

Personal Finance Reflection (docx)Download

Video- Excel Assignment

  

During your time here at GCU you might be asked to use Microsoft Excel. This assignment will help you to see some of the basic functions of Excel. As you complete the steps in the worksheet, notice the changes within the cells. For further information on Microsoft Excel, go to: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/search/explore?q=excel.

Use the attached Excel file document to complete the assignment. Be sure to download the full Excel file document to see the instructions for completion.


Week 7- Building Your Success Plan


During the past few weeks, you have had the opportunity to develop a plan for success as a student here at GCU and beyond graduation. Use the attached document titled “Reflection” to complete the assignment. This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion. You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

UNV-103-RS-T7-Reflection-Online (docx)Download

Reference Guide: Building your Foundation Assignment

 

This reference guide is designed to be used as a tool for you to keep throughout your time at GCU. At the end of this course you can save this guide and refer back to it throughout your program as needed. Use the attached document titled “Reference Guide” to complete the assignment. You will see that many boxes have been filled in for you. Your job is to fill in the missing information.

UNV-103-T7-ReferenceGuide-Online (docx)Download

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