Professional Studies Program > Academic Advising

INTRODUCTION
RESPONSIBILTIES OF ADVISOR
RESPONSIBILTIES OF ADVISEE
SELF-SCHEDULING
MAJOR ADVISING ISSUES
ADVISING FOR MINORS

INTRODUCTION

Academic Advising is a critical component in the successful completion of any degree program. The Professional Studies - Liberal Studies program of study is as unique and varied as the individual students in the major. As a result, regular consultation with your academic advisor becomes essential.

The academic advisor’s role is to make certain that the requirements for the major are clearly explained to the student. However, the academic advisor’s role goes beyond this simple function.

Your advisor

• serves as a sounding board for the student as they prepare and execute their academic plan;
• serves as a source of information about university academic policies and procedures; and
• Serves as a resource to discuss and investigate options available to the students after graduation.

As a result of good academic advising and the student’s active involvement in the process, the student is empowered to make informed decisions about their program of study and their academic plan. In essence, the student takes ownership of their educational experience. Ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all requirements for the degree are met in order to graduate.

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RESPONSIBLITIES OF ADVISOR

• Assisting the student as they develop their academic program of study by:
• Exploring with students their individual interests, abilities and goals;
• Aiding students in the creation of an academic plan;
• Counseling students in the selection and sequencing of courses that meet the various degree requirements;
• Identifying university resources that may be of value to the student making appropriate referrals; and
• Being aware of university academic policies and procedures as they relate to the needs of the student.

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RESPONSIBLITIES OF ADVISEE

• Meeting with your advisor at appropriate times during the semester;
• Being aware of important, relevant deadlines and then meet them;
• Obtaining needed signatures on forms
• Reviewing university policies and procedures as needed
• Developing and clarifying the values and goals that impact your academic decisions;
• Creating an academic plan for your remaining semesters;
• Understanding the requirements for the major and minors;
• Understanding the general education requirement;
• Having knowledge of the undergraduate catalog and the information in the Undergraduate Course Schedule;
• Examining your academic record for accuracy on a regular basis;
• Saving all academic advising and course registration related documents;
• Being aware of prerequisites for the course you plan to take;
• Providing official transcripts for courses taken at other institutions; and
• Recognizing the need for student resources and services on campus and use them.

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SELF-SCHEDULING

	STEP ONE: Log on.
	Go to http://my.wcupa.edu Enter your username and password according to the directions on this screen.
	STEP TWO:
	Determine the date you can schedule by clicking on (in the center of the screen) ENROLLMENT APPOINTMENT. Be sure you have consulted with your academic advisor to discuss your schedule (and have your scheduling flag removed in order to schedule).
	STEP THREE:
	Begin scheduling by clicking on ENROLL IN A CLASS (from the same menu as ENROLLMENT APPOINTMENT). A window will open that says VIEW MY SCHEDULE, click on ADD CLASSES.
	STEP FOUR: Select your enrollment term.
	Choose the term for which you want to schedule classes.
	STEP FIVE: Select Status
	Indicate whether you will be a full or part time student in the appropriate box at the top of the screen.
	STEP SIX: Add Classes
	Quick Option - Enter the Class Number for a course if you know what you want to take. The course number may be located in the printed Undergraduate Course Schedule directly before the name of the course. Search Option – In the ADD CLASSES screen, there is a column labeled CLASS NBR. In that column are little blocks and next to the blank blocks are smaller blocks with a magnifying glass on them. Click on the magnifying class to search courses. Please remember that the Class Number is not the Course Number. You will get an error message if you try to directly type the course number into the blank box. You may now input the criteria for the course you seek. Once searched, you may select the course by clicking on the checkmark located in the upper left corner of the selected course box. Continue selecting courses in this manner until you have found all the courses you want to schedule.
	STEP SEVEN: Submit Classes.
	Once you have selected all the courses you wish to schedule in this session (you can come back and edit later), click on the SUBMIT button. If you have successfully chosen your courses, the column ADD STATUS will read SUCCESS.
	Common Scheduling Errors
	If the add status block does not read SUCCESS, several things may be insufficiently entered into the scheduling program. The following checklist contains the most commonly made mistakes when entering data into PeopleSoft’s myWCU. Check to see that you have selected your student status (full or part time). Check to see that you are not attempting to schedule a course that is full. To check, return to the search screen. Check to see that the course you are attempting to schedule does not have prerequisites. You can do this by selecting the DETAILS option for any course in the course box that appears after you have searched (but before you have submitted your selection). If you have met the PREREQ’s and are still not able to schedule, please see your advisor or the department chair offering the course. Some courses are limited to students within the major subject area. If your attempts to self-schedule are still unsuccessful, please consult with your advisor or visit the Academic Computing Center (ACC) in Anderson for assistance with the scheduling program.

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MAJOR ADVISING ISSUES

Academic advising for the Liberal Studies: Professional Studies student begins at the initial meeting between the student and the Program Director. At that time, the program will be explained and the courses taken by the student will be incorporated into the program advising sheet. There will be a discussion about the need for two academic minors and options for choosing these will be explored. The advisor and student will also discuss the student’s short-term and long-term goals. Change of Major and Minor Application forms will be issued at that time.

Students are expected to use the information they receive at this initial meeting to develop an academic plan. The plan should include the minors they wish to pursue, the courses they want to take and a tentative timeline to degree completion.

The student should then plan to meet with their advisor at least once a semester. Ideally, that meeting should take place before the student’s enrollment appointment for the upcoming semester. At that meeting, the student’s progress toward degree completion is evaluated, the student’s academic plan is reviewed and modified as needed and his or her proposed course selection is examined.

Students are encouraged to consult their advisor at any time they have a question or want to address an issue of concern. That consultation may take place via telephone, email or office visit. Please note that email communications should not be considered as confidential. Please exercise appropriate levels of caution. Do not include information such as identifying numbers (social security #, etc.), grades, GPA, etc.

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ADVISING FOR MINORS

Students in the Liberal Studies - Professional Studies major are required to earn two academic minors as part of the degree requirements. Students must submit an application to each minor they wish to pursue. Upon acceptance to the minor, the student is assigned a minor advisor. Often, the department chair will serve in this capacity. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with the minor advisors. At that meeting, the requirements to the minor are explained and courses options are listed. The student is responsible for completing all minor requirements. Students who fail to consult their minor advisors are accountable for any mistakes made in pursuing that minor.

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