Learning Assistance Center

Supplemental Instruction (SI)

Some classes are just tougher than others. Over the years, we have identified a few that give lots of students trouble. Usually, the tough classes are General Education (GE) and other Introductory courses; we call them "target courses." If you are taking one of them, you should know that the withdrawal rate is high and the grades sometimes aren't. Supplemental Instruction can help.

What are SI classes?

SI classes are optional one-unit adjunct courses that support classes that students have found difficult year after year. Students who enroll in SI meet with an SI Leader either before or after the target class to work on learning strategies and critical thinking skills that will help with the material covered in class.

What are SI Groups?

SI Groups have replaced the Group Study program in the Learning Assistance Center and is modeled similarly to the SI class structure. SI Groups are more flexible than SI classes because students do not register and they do not get one unit of credit for participating. The benefit of SI Groups is that students get free help in difficult classes at times that are convenient for the majority of students. The SI Groups are attached to specific sections of high-risk courses meaning that only students enrolled in classes with an SI Group attached may attend Group sessions. There is no enrollment requirement for SI Groups therefore, you must attend and participate regularly to benefit from the program. Students who participate regularly in SI classes and SI Groups can benefit by earning an average of one letter grade higher in the class than non-participating students.

Who are the SI leaders?

SI leaders are upper division or graduate students who have a proven track record in the academic field they are studying. We recruit the best people we can find, and make sure they have good references from professors in the department too. Even though they have successfully completed the target course already, the SI leader sits through the target class with the rest of the students to ensure they are up to date on what the professor is covering on any given day.

Are you interested in becoming an SI Leader? Click Here

Why should I enroll in an SI class?

Students who enroll in the SI section of a course tend to finish the course at a higher rate than those that don't and they typically get a half grade better than the rest of the class. So, if the class average is a high "D"...well you get the picture.

Does SI cost me anything?

SI is covered by your registration fees. Depending on the course, you may need to buy books.

How do I enroll?

You register for an SI section through MyCSULB.edu just like all of your other courses. It's important to remember that SI is only offered for a specific section of a course, and you must enroll in the target course to which SI is attached! Check out the image below to see what an SI section looks like in the course catalog, or click here to see the list of SI courses offered next semester.

SI listing