Faculty and Staff - Academic Advising

Resources for advising your students

Of students fewer than 600 first-year University Park students begin their college career in pre-major status in the College of the Liberal Arts. Most of our students come from other University Park colleges, the Division of Undergraduate Studies, or non University Park Penn State locations. Undergraduate students also transfer to University Park from other colleges/universities.

First-year University Park Liberal Arts students are assigned a pre-major academic adviser. Once a student defines his/her academic goals and meets the requirements to enter the intended major, the student then declares a major in a specific department and receives advising help from his/her major adviser. University Park students who have a minimum of a 2.00 cumulative grade point average can officially declare a University Park Liberal Arts major after completion of 27.1 credits. Students who are interested in entering a Psychology degree must also meet additional course requirements.

Here are some resources that will aid you during your advising meetings.

University Faculty Senate Advising Policies

Adviser Responsibilities http://www.psu.edu/dept/ufs/policies/32-00.html#32-10

University Faculty Senate Policies http://www.psu.edu/ufs/policies

University Undergraduate Advising Handbook  http://www.psu.edu/dus/handbook/

University Advising Centers and Councils

Center for Excellence in Academic Advising  http://www.psu.edu/dus/cfe/

The University Advising Council  http://www.psu.edu/dus/uac/

The College of the Liberal Arts College Academic Policies

Academic Integrity http://www.la.psu.edu/CLA-Academic_Integrity/integrity.shtml

BA degree requirements http://bulletins.psu.edu/bulletins/bluebook/ba_requirements.cfm

Liberal Arts Departments and Programs   http://www.la.psu.edu/CLA-Main/departments.shtml

Liberal Arts Undergraduate Studies Resources http://www.la.psu.edu/CLA-LAUS/AdditionalResources.shtml

Undergraduate Degree Programs Bulletin http://bulletins.psu.edu/bulletins/bluebook/college_campus_details.cfm?id=30

Undergraduate Research Opportunitieshttp://www.la.psu.edu/CLA-UCEC/undergraduate_research/undergrad_research_main.shtml

Advising Procedures: How to…

Although the University Faculty Senate designates university advising policies, each college, based on established guidelines, can determine individual college procedures required for processing student information. This is the information that you can provide to your students.

Declaring Majors and Minors, Course Substitutions, Leave of Absence, Withdrawal, Update Address Information  http://www.la3.psu.edu/CLA-LAUS/policies/academic_policies_procedures.shtml

Grade Mediation http://www.psu.edu/oue/aappm/G-10.html

Petitioning the Faculty Senate http://www.la3.psu.edu/CLA-LAUS/policies/FacultySenatePetitions.shtml

Advising tools

Advising at PSU http://www.psu.edu/advising/

eLion  eLion.psu.edu/

Schedule of Courses http://soc.our.psu.edu/soc/

University Offices

You may need to refer a student to an office that specializes in a particular topic or area of concern.

Career Services  http://www.sa.psu.edu/career/

Commission on LGBT Equity  http://www.equity.psu.edu/clgbte/resources.asp

Multicultural Resource Center  http://www.equity.psu.edu/mrc/

Office of Student Aid  http://www.psu.edu/studentaid/

Office of the Bursar   http://www.bursar.psu.edu/

Office of the University Registrar   http://www.registrar.psu.edu/

University Learning Centers  http://php.scripts.psu.edu/dept/ulc/index.php