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Undergraduate Academic Advising

General Information


Purpose

Advising is a process that includes collection of information, interpretation of data, and dissemination of facts regarding educational programs, courses of instruction, resources, policies, procedures, and career options. The University takes academic advising seriously and provides both in-person and online resources to support student progression and success. Together, the advisor and the student can discuss educational goals and map out an academic program that will achieve the student's long-range goals.


Orientation Advising

Incoming first-year students may change previously provided information concerning their major prior to the start of orientation under guidance provided by the University.

The first academic advising experience for all students occurs during orientation. Due to time constraints, this session usually consists of brief general information and course selection. Students are strongly urged to contact their advisors early in their first semester for an individualized advising appointment.

Post-Orientation Advising


All students are expected to see their academic advisors prior to registration each semester. Most freshmen will be required to meet with an advisor their first term. Additionally, some departments may prevent students from registering in any term if they have not met with their respective advisors. Contact information for advisors is available at https://advisor.undergrad.fsu.edu/advisors/advisor-display.php or by calling either the dean's office for the college or school or the academic department of the intended major. For more general advising information, please visit the University Advising website at advising.fsu.edu.

University Policy on Advising


General Statement on Advising

To progress satisfactorily through a degree program, each student must have accessible academic advisement, tailored to individual educational needs. Florida State University is committed to a strong program of effective academic advising for all of its students. Florida State University understands academic advisement to be a function considerably broader than assistance with course registration. Academic advising is a process that helps students interpret the values and benefits of higher education, assists students in their choice of educational and career objectives commensurate with interests and abilities, and examines the consequences of possible short- and long-range goals.

The faculty and staff of the University affirm their responsibility to make available to every student information about academic policies and requirements, timely notification of changes either in the University's policies and curricula or in the student's academic standing, assistance in evaluating course options and in planning successful completion of educational goals, guidance in developing decision-making skills, and referral to the various academic and student support services on campus available to help the student make the most of educational opportunities. Furthermore, the faculty and staff affirm their responsibility to inform students clearly about their own responsibilities in the advising process.

The Student's Role in Advisement

Florida State University expects students to assume an ever-increasing responsibility for their own academic progress as they move through the University. To accomplish this goal, each student will:

  1. Assume responsibility for knowing the rules, regulations, and policies of the University and the requirements pertaining to the student's degree program and will consult the University General Bulletin and Registration Guide for up-to-date information;

  2. Furnish a current address and immediately inform the Office of the University Registrar of any changes of address;

  3. Know the student's advisor, make timely contact with the advisor upon arrival on campus and during the first semester, and continue to see the advisor at least once a term until graduation;

  4. See the student's advisor or academic dean immediately after being placed on probation;

  5. Notify the appropriate dean's office of any change in intended major or any problems the student is experiencing with advisement; and

  6. Recognize that the matriculation catalog (i.e., the General Bulletin) governs each student's graduation requirements—this catalog remains in effect for six years for the bachelor's degree unless the student elects to meet the requirements of any subsequent General Bulletin published during the period of enrollment.

The Faculty's Role in Advisement

Each college or department will formulate its own plan to meet undergraduate advising needs and problems. The plan shall include attention to appropriate advising loads and to the method of recognizing and rewarding individual advisors' work in advisement for purposes of annual evaluation, promotion, and tenure. The plan, agreed upon by the appropriate unit, shall be filed with the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and updated whenever the unit makes significant changes in advisement policies.

Each unit shall designate one member of the faculty or administration as director, coordinator, or undergraduate advisor for the unit. This individual will serve as the unit's liaison with the Division of Undergraduate Studies to ensure that the advisors within the unit are kept abreast of changes in academic policies and procedures and to work with the Division of Undergraduate Studies to solve special advising problems. Units shall also monitor closely the quality of their advising and ensure that it meets the goals of the University.

The unit will not assign a first semester faculty member to advising unless there is ample evidence of prior college-level advising experience. Each advisor shall attend a workshop before beginning advising duties for the first time and at least every two years thereafter.

Recognizing that sound advisement and a successful undergraduate experience should begin even before the student arrives on campus, units shall communicate with students accepted as freshmen or transfer students who indicate an intended major, outlining requirements and preparatory work expected for specific degree programs. Such contact with admitted students shall be coordinated with the Office of Admissions.

Each unit will provide a planning guide for lower-division students working toward their majors—designed to help students understand course requirements, prerequisites, and sequences—to enable them to move into the major as efficiently and as well prepared as possible. A similar planning guide will be available for junior and senior students in the major. Both guides will be filed and updated annually with the Division of Undergraduate Studies.

Advisors should be aware that students transferring to Florida State University after the freshman year have as great a need for detailed information as do freshmen. Extra care should be taken to inform these students of Florida State University's rules and regulations, which may differ from their previous college-level experience.

Advisors should also be aware of the special needs of the exploratory/undecided majors they advise. Directors or coordinators of advising in each unit should take care to inform advisors of Advising First, the Career Center, and other services on campus available to such students.

Advisors should inform students who may have other special needs (e.g., part-time students, disabled students, returning students, minority students, etc.) of the student support services available to them. Directors or coordinators of advising in each unit will ensure that advisors are aware of these student support services.

Advisors should take a role in identifying students who are working toward certain majors that may be inappropriate (e.g., a student with low math test scores and/or poor math preparation seeking a major in computer science or engineering). Such students may be referred to the Advising First Center for Academic Planning in A3200 University Center for information about their academic options and to the Career Advising and Counseling (CAC) unit of the Career Center for help in clarifying their interests and abilities; career.fsu.eduDunlap Student Success Center(850) 644-6431.

Units should identify students who have declared a specialized admissions major but who, it appears, are unlikely to be able to meet the special admission requirements of that major. Such students should be made aware as early as possible of the strong likelihood that their intended major will be closed to them. Advisors may wish to refer these students to the Advising First Center for Academic Planning, A3200 University Center.