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Frequently Asked Questions about Advising
Good advising is vital
to your choice of major, which classes to take, and your path to
graduation. Below are some of the questions students ask most
frequently.
How do I know who my
advisor is?
If you have already declared a major and don't
know who your advisor is, it will be listed on your Degree Audit in My
UNIverse. If the advisor field is blank on your degree audit, you will
need to visit the departmental office to fill out a Declaration of
Curriculum form. An advisor will be assigned to you at that time
if you don't already have an advisor in mind.
Keep in mind that
registering for classes without first talking to an advisor is not the
best choice. Advisors are here to help ensure you don't make big
mistakes that could delay your graduation.
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Can I change my
advisor?
When you declare a major, you are able to
request a particular advisor. If you already have an advisor but
find that another faculty member may be able to more adequately meet
your needs, you may request from the departmental office that you be
assigned another faculty advisor.
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How can I find out more
about graduate school?
UNI's
Career Services
can help you search for graduate programs and help you prepare
for the process. You can also talk to your advisor and your instructors
about their knowledge of graduate programs as well as their personal
experiences with grad school. For more information about UNI's graduate
programs, contact the
Graduate College or the department that
offers the degree.
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Where can I find work
related to my major?
Whether you need a job
while you're still taking classes, you want to look for an internship, or
you're worried about where you'll be able to find a job after
graduation, UNI's
Career Services has the resources to
help you. You can also ask your instructors or advisor if they are
aware of any opportunities in your particular field of interest.
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What is an advisor hold, and how do I get rid of it so I can register?
If an advisor hold appears on your
registration, it means you need to talk to your advisor before you are
allowed to register. Your advisor will then be able to remove the
hold, but you should be seeing your advisor before you register regardless
of whether a hold appears on your registration. If you don't know
who your advisor is or think you want to have a different one, see the
questions above. It is always wise to check for any holds long
before your registration time. You can do this by going to the Personal
Record link in My UNIverse. That way you will have time to speak to an
advisor and have any holds removed before trying to register,
particularly for those classes that fill up quickly.
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Where can I go for
general advising?
Advising and Career Services is an
excellent place to start if you have questions about how to select
majors, minors, and certificate programs. They can also help you with
selecting your courses, scheduling, and other questions about your basic
academic requirements. You can contact the departmental offices if
you have more specific questions about the programs and courses they
offer.
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Can I use higher
level classes to satisfy the Liberal Arts Core (LAC) requirements?
Generally not.
The
Liberal Arts Core (LAC) was designed to
expose students to a broad range of disciplines and provide them with a
solid foundation for learning, and the requirements for each category
were thoughtfully established. An exception exists for
Category 4, the Natural Sciences. A student may be able satisfy
the Life or Physical Science requirements with substitutions (such as
General Biology) and should consult the UNI catalog or the Registrar for
specifics.
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How can I find out if
classes I've taken elsewhere will transfer to UNI?
If you have taken classes at a community college in Iowa, the
equivalencies are listed
here. For classes taken at other
institutions, it is best to contact the
Office of Admissions to see how your
courses will transfer.
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Do I need a minor?
How do I declare one?
Declaring a minor is optional, though
certain BA programs may require you to declare one. You declare a minor
by completing a Declaration of Curriculum form, which is available in
the Registrar's Office. The departmental offices should also have
these forms. A list of CSBS minors and other programs is available
here.
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How do I change my
major or minor?
You can change your major and minor by completing a Declaration
of Curriculum form. Keep in mind that if you change your major
after the beginning of the first semester of your junior year, there is
no guarantee that you will graduate within the four-year time frame. A
list of CSBS majors and minors is available
here.
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What can I do to
supplement my major?
Students have the option of completing minors and program certificates.
The requirements vary according to the department and area of study, but
CSBS minors generally require 18 to 25 credits (teaching minors require
a few more) while our certificates require anywhere from 12 to 23 credit hours.
These are good options if you have more than one area of interest or if
you are looking to make yourself more marketable when you apply for
jobs. Most options for these programs are not limited to your major
department; students are generally able to pursue minors and certificates in any
program or department they wish, regardless of their major. Exceptions are the Social Work
Certificate and Substance Abuse Certificate, which require a major in
Social Work. See our complete lists of
CSBS minors and
certificate programs.
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How do I get involved
in research?
Participating in research not only augments what you're learning in the classroom; it helps
prepare you for graduate school and is a good addition to your résumé.
You may be able to assist your instructors with research, and
opportunities such as the
Undergraduate Research Award exist to
help you with your own independent research.
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I thought that
this class would count for my major (or LAC requirement, minor, etc.),
so why doesn't it?
Your advisor and the
departmental offices are here to help you determine the classes you need in order to complete your course of study. If you feel the content of
a class you have taken is similar to that of a required class and
might possibly substitute, you can try filling out a Student Request form. This form is available
from the Registrar or the departmental offices and will need to be
signed by your advisor, your department head, and the Dean's office.
Students should also be aware of the difference between advice from
university faculty and staff and advice solicited from other students.
While your peers can provide important information about much of the
university experience, matters regarding advising and program
requirements should always be confirmed by your advisor, the department,
or the Registrar's office.
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I've taken
enough classes for this minor/certificate, so why doesn't it show up on
my transcript or degree audit?
You must first declare the minor, which is done by completing a
Declaration of Curriculum form, for the Registrar's
office to be aware that you are pursuing a minor. If the minor does not
appear on your degree audit, a new declaration will need to be submitted
to the Registrar. Fulfillment of program certificates, however, does not
appear on your degree audit or transcript. Coordination of
certificates is done at the departmental level. The certificate will be
issued to you by the Registrar's office upon notification from the
department that you have successfully fulfilled the program
requirements.
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I need to
take a certain class for my major in order to graduate this semester,
but I can't get in. What do I do?
If a particular course is required for you to graduate, contact the
instructor. In some cases--not all--he or she may be able to make
special arrangements for you to be added to the class. To avoid
frustrating situations like this, careful planning with a faculty or
academic advisor is suggested.
Students who have 30 or fewer credit hours remaining before graduation should contact the Registrar's Office to ensure all graduation
requirements are being met. This 30-hour point is typically one year/two
semesters before graduation. The meeting will help identify any
remaining details that you will need to resolve before your coursework
for your degree is complete.
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I dropped a class, but now it appears on my transcript with an
F. What happened?
In order to drop a class, you must complete a Change of Registration
form, often called an add/drop slip, and submit it to the Registrar's
office. You don't need a signature on your form if you are just
dropping a course, but you will need a signature if you intend to add a
course. You do
not drop a class simply by no
longer attending the class. Even if you never attended a single
day of class, you are still enrolled in it until you submit a Change of
Registration form.
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Answers to other general advising questions are available via the
Advising page of UNI's Academic
Advising and Career Services. Specific questions about coursework and
program requirements can be
directed to the departmental offices.
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