Advising

Each major is assigned an academic advisor. If you don’t know who your advisor is, check with our departmental secretary, the fabulous Beth Koschel; she keeps a current list. This advisor can help you prepare a plan of study, help set your schedule, and help you to make sure that you have met the necessary requirements for graduation.

See your advisor early!  Each semester the Department sets aside time for you to meet with your advisor to plan your schedule for the next term. This happens just before the registration period. The official start date of registration is printed in the schedule book. You can access campus-wide Registration Information online.

Tips

1. Get your program sheet! Each student and his/her major department should maintain a program sheet which is a checklist of the requirements needed to earn a degree in one’s major. Every semester, you and your advisor should update the program sheet based on the work you successfully completed in the previous semester. This will allow you to keep track of what courses you have yet to take to earn your degree, and help your advisor to assist you in scheduling sequenced or irregularly offered major courses.
2. Know what to do in your advising meeting! Set up an appointment to meet with your advisor. Coming prepared to this meeting will make it easy and painless; not coming prepared will make things difficult for everyone (you may even have to come back at another time when you are more prepared).
3. Get your pin, after you’ve met with your advisor. Then, you’ll be able to register directly online. In your meeting with your advisor, you can also obtain any necessary permission slips for classes.
4. Once in classes, get help when you need it!

General Education Requirements Explained

“Why do I have to take that class?” Study at the University level is all about understanding the world around us. Different disciplines go about explaining and exploring the natural and social world in different ways. For example, some fields explore human behavior scientifically while others explore human creativity. The faculty believe that a well-educated individual should be well grounded in the ways that various fields understand the world and go about posing and solving problems in the world. We also believe that there are certain skills that college graduates should have: writing, speaking, various types of logical reasoning, etc. As a result, each student must take a variety of classes from different disciplines.

Good Academic Standing

See the Undergraduate Catalog or your Academic Advisor for lists of all specific requirements. Students must maintain an overall GPA of 2.0, and a 2.5 G.P.A. in courses used to satisfy major requirements. Courses with grades lower than “C” will not be accepted as meeting the requirements for the major. That means grades of C- or lower must be repeated to count for the major. Get the help you need to succeed!

Applying for Graduation

A semester before your anticipated graduation, you must file an Application for Degree form at the Registrar’s Office. An auditor will evaluate your records and let you know what you will have to do in your final semester to earn your degree. Applications for Degree should be filed by November 1 for the following May graduation, February 1 for August, and April 1 for January graduation.