Welcome to EMU and the world of SPIKE!
The purpose of this leaflet is to introduce you to a new and exciting concept, the SPIKE Program at Eastern Mediterranean University. We have developed the SPIKE program to help you enjoy your learning experience as a university student, make the best use of your time outside classes at EMU, and prepare for your career in this rapidly changing world. Many progressive universities in Europe, the United States, and Turkey already have or are developing programs like SPIKE. Students in these programs have found them stimulating, enjoyable, and useful as a preparation for their lives and careers. Through a series of questions and answers, this leaflet will explain clearly and simply the reasons behind the program, how it works, the Honor Code, why all departments at EMU have made SPIKE a graduation requirement, how to use your SPIKE Card each semester to earn the required credits for graduation, and how certificates are awarded. The SPIKE program is based on the Honor Code: we are entrusting you with the responsibility for your education. Your future is in your hands be smart and don’t waste it!

What is SPIKE?
SPIKE stands for “Socio-cultural, Professional, and Industrial Knowledge and Experience.” In its scientific sense, the word “spike” describes a sharp rise in a graph, or a sudden increase in electricity. Metaphorically, it means a stimulus, or an incentive. The SPIKE program is designed to create sparks of intellectual excitement at EMU, and it provides incentives for students to make full use of the educational opportunities offered outside the classroom. These opportunities appear in the form of organized conferences, certificate seminars, and cultural events such as exhibitions, concerts, and performances. Through participating, students earn credits and receive certificates to enhance their employment and career dossiers, while enjoying a unique learning experience, and broadening their perspective on the world. The SPIKE Program is coordinated throughout the university by the Department of General Education, which is within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and also directly responsible to the Rector’s Office. The Department of General Education is working with all the Faculties and Schools at the university to make the SPIKE Program work for you in the best way possible.

Do I need to join the SPIKE Program?
Yes! The SPIKE Program was established at EMU in the summer of 2004, and all the Faculties and Schools at the university believe it is so valuable that we have made it a graduation requirement for all students registered as freshmen and sophomores at the university beginning in the Fall semester of 2004-2005:

(1) All new students registered as first-semester freshmen in Fall, 2004-2005 are required to participate in the program for six semesters (6 credits). The six courses, each worth one credit, are: GE/GEED 101, 102, 201, 202, 301 and 302.

(2) All students registered as second-semester freshmen in Fall, 2004-2005 are required to participate in the program for six semesters (6 credits). The six courses, each worth one credit, are: GE/GEED 102, 201, 202, 301, 302 and 101.

What’s the point of the SPIKE Program?
Being a university student involves more than just going to classes, doing projects, and taking exams. It involves much more than passing courses and getting a diploma. It means that you are part of a community of young people with many different interests and experiences, and that you have a responsibility to yourself and society to broaden your mind by learning about and questioning the world around you. In actual fact, much of your university education will take place outside the classroom, as you interact with this community socially and intellectually, sharing, exchanging, and discussing new experiences and ideas. Remember: we are living in an information age, and in this age, knowledge is power. The SPIKE Program will bring you into contact with new ideas and people. It will create a new social environment for you, new topics of discussion, and different things to think about. In the SPIKE Program you will be exposed to interesting and controversial ideas, and the latest developments in your study area and other areas. In addition to learning about the most recent research in your field, you will learn about other fields, have the chance to meet and talk with distinguished academics, professionals, politicians, and leaders in business and industry, as well as artists, musicians, and writers. This is your chance to see the connections between your academic studies and life, make useful contacts, and interact with the real world. And through sharing learning experiences with your friends in conferences, seminars, and cultural events, you will broaden your perspective on life and on the world around you.

How does the SPIKE Program work?
This is really simple. There are two parts to the SPIKE Program. The first is participating in SPIKE Events (required of all freshmen in 2004-2005), and the second is participating in SPIKE Certificate Seminars.

A. SPIKE EVENTS
(for GE/GEED 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, and 302)
1) When you register for your courses at the beginning of the semester,  take your student ID from The Registrar. You must attend and register the SPIKE events with your ID.
2) To complete the “Events” section of the SPIKE course you need to attend AT LEAST 4 SPIKE events: conferences, guest lectures, or cultural events such as exhibitions, concerts and shows, during the semester. There is NO INSIDE/OUTSIDE necessity. You can attend any event in any faculty or school.
3) After registration, you should immediately look at the list of “SPIKE Events” on the Internet, at the Department of General Education website, http://geneduc.emu.edu.tr.  Also , you can regularly check your attendance on http://194.27.79.54/spikegrade/student.aspx .You should also check the notice boards in your department for “SPIKE Events.” Make it a habit to check the website and notice-boards every day during the semester, because events may change, and new events will be advertised. Find an event that interests you, note the time and date, and go for it!

4) After you attend an event, check your attendance in website the following week.

5) If you are smart enough to appreciate the value of SPIKE Events  attend   8 SPIKE Events during the semester for each SPIKE course you register to get certificate.

The Honor Code
We are basing the SPIKE Program on the Honor Code because we would like to trust you, our student. We believe that you will grow intellectually and emotionally and develop yourself by participating in our Program, and we know that as time passes you will appreciate its value more and more. We hope you realize that by being dishonest or helping others to be dishonest, you will only cheat yourself and your fellow students, and miss out on one of the most valuable aspects of university life and education. When you sign your name, the sincerity of your signature reflects your honesty, integrity, and quality as a person. Respect yourself and earn the respect of others—respect your name and your signature!

How will SPIKE affect my CGPA, my transcript, and my diploma?
The six SPIKE courses, GE/GEED 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, and 302, will appear on your transcript.  So you will increase your CGPA by participating fully in SPIKE! And when you graduate, you will have something more to show to your prospective employers or graduate schools: if you have been smart enough to attend 8 SPIKE Events per SPIKE course each semester, you will be awarded a certificate of achievement as well!


What if it’s boring?
Another reasonable question! But then you have to ask yourself: why is it boring? Is the presentation itself boring, or are you finding it boring because you don’t understand it? Is the problem your concentration, or your language skills—or is it that your own interests are narrow and limited?
Of course, some speakers and events will be more dynamic and exciting than others. Some subjects are more interesting than others. But try and concentrate—and suddenly, at certain moments, you may find yourself becoming interested in the subject matter.
If you hear words you don’t understand, write down some of them; and look them up in a dictionary afterwards—so at least you will gain something by increasing your vocabulary!
If your concentration drifts away, watch the presenter and the audience for a few minutes: study the body language, listen to how the speaker’s voice changes, look at the eye contact and relation between the speaker and the audience. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the presenter’s speaking technique? Ask yourself—because you will have to give presentations at some time in your own classes and in your life—how you would give a presentation. How could you improve on the speaker’s technique? After thinking about these things, try and focus on listening again—you may surprise yourself!
There is always something to be learned from a SPIKE Event—what you learn depends on what you choose to learn, and how you apply your mind!

Why should I attend events that have nothing to do with my major subject?

There are two very good reasons.

1. Success in today’s world
The first is this: in the modern world, success in any field depends on some knowledge of other fields. All disciplines work together in real life, and whatever field you work in, you will meet and have to socialize and work with people from different areas of specialization. In your life and career, you will need general knowledge of other fields. This is what the SPIKE Program is trying to give you. A specialist in computers today, to take one example, should understand not just programming, but the psychology of computer users, the ergonomics of equipment so people can use it comfortably, the aesthetics of design, so the machine and accessories can be attractive and easy to use, the economic and political issues surrounding computer hardware and software, the legal and philosophical problems of copyright and censorship on the Internet, and so on. And he or she should also be able to deal with computer applications in fields ranging from literature to architecture and engineering. Similarly, a businessperson or lawyer working in our international context may have to deal with satellite communication contracts or other technological issues, economic, trade-related, and political matters, environmental concerns, and intercultural partnerships. Communication in today’s globalizing world depends on education that provides a broad understanding of our own culture and other cultures and societies—through the natural and applied sciences, the social sciences, and the arts and humanities.
2. The real secret of education
The second reason why you should learn about things outside your field is even more important. We are going to share a shocking little secret with you, the secret of all good universities. Here it is: soon after you graduate from a university, you will have forgotten much more than you can remember of the material that was taught in your classes. What, then, is the point of taking classes, doing exams, and completing assignments? The answer is so simple that most students don’t understand it until years after their graduation. The purpose of doing all this work is, in addition to acquiring knowledge, to develop new habits of mind, new ways of thinking and problem-solving, new ways of looking at the world. These habits of thinking are mental tools that will stay with you in your life long after you have forgotten the examples and details of knowledge you were given in your classes. You acquire these habits not only in your classes, but also by participating in conferences, seminars, and cultural events. This is what the SPIKE Program is about, and this is what it means to be an educated person. So don’t lose this chance to enrich your experience of life—be curious about things outside your subject, don’t be a goldfish, and don’t let the world pass you by!

And Respect!
The SPIKE Program is based on honesty and respect. Respect for knowledge and learning, respect for education, respect for other people. By attending a SPIKE Event, you show that you are interested in learning and in developing yourself. Remember that your behavior reflects your personal quality, your intelligence, your culture, and your character. You also represent our Program and our University, and we would like to be proud of you. So please come on time to all events, switch off your mobile phones, and do not disturb the speakers or audience members who are trying to concentrate, by talking to your friends during a presentation. Show that you are a person of quality and culture, and that you yourself deserve respect. Respect!


Department of General Education
Genel Egitim Bölümü
SPIKE 2006-2007