Academic Advising
University Policies: Academic Advising
Each undergraduate unit at the university has full-time academic advisors available to assist students in planning the completion of their degree program and in navigating UofL resources. Some of the units at the University offer faculty advising and mentoring as well.
While academic advisors will make every effort to guide students throughout their education, students are ultimately responsible for developing a familiarity with and adhering to university, unit, and departmental policies and procedures. Students are expected to meet regularly with an advisor who will assist them with staying on their Flight Plan for graduation.
More information about academic advising and resources, including links to the unit advising centers, can be found at the Undergraduate Advising website.
Academic advising assists students with, among other things, the following:
- Choosing a major and developing a plan and timeline for graduation.
- Selecting appropriate courses and making schedule changes.
- Navigating course repeats and withdrawals.
- Addressing academic difficulties in coursework and issues related to academic standing.
- Making referrals to campus resources.
- Navigating university policies and procedures.
- Processing transfer credit evaluations and degree audits.
Some students may not register for classes until their advising requirement has been satisfied. The following categories of students are required to meet with an advisor each semester in order to register for courses:
- Students with less than 30 earned credit hours applicable to the degree.
- Transfer students (external and internal) upon initial admission and in their first semester.
- Students who earn a cumulative GPA below their unit's good standing GPA.
- Students who have a break in enrollment of two or more consecutive years.
- Students who are undecided.
- Students who are seeking admission into another enrollment unit.
- Students who are required to be advised by individual academic units.
Visiting and post-baccalaureate students are not required to meet with an advisor in order to register for courses in the subsequent semester.
Unit-Specific Policies: Academic Advising
In addition to the university-wide policies regarding Academic Advising, students may be subject to the unit-specific requirements listed below.
More information about academic advising and resources, including links to the unit advising centers, can be found at the Undergraduate Advising website.
College of Arts & Sciences
In addition to the university requirements, academic advising is required for the following students enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences:
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Returning students who have sat out for a period of one semester or longer, and
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Students with 45 or more earned hours who have not formally applied for and been accepted into a major program.
Students who have been accepted to a major are highly encouraged to meet with faculty in their field of study. The College of Arts & Sciences also provides pre-professional advising for students interested in careers in law and in health-related fields.
College of Business
All business students are recommended to schedule an appointment with their advisor at the Reinhardt Academic Center periodically; Equine majors must contact the advisor within that discipline.
College of Education and Human Development
All students entering degree and/or teacher certification programs must schedule an appointment to meet with an academic counselor in Education Advising and Student Services to have an official program sheet prepared. This includes both internal and external transfer students who have been admitted to the College of Education and Human Development as well as new freshmen.
School of Music
Advising is required for all music students until they have completed all prerequisites for Upper Division courses. (See the Upper Division statement in the School of Music Unit Section and in the music degrees outlined in the undergraduate catalog.)
School of Nursing
Freshmen and transfer students with less than 28 hours are required to be advised prior to registration. All new students are required to be advised regardless of credit hours.
Students who are out of sequence in their upper division program of study must meet with their advisor to revise their program of study and submit a School of Nursing space available form.
School of Public Health and Information Sciences
A student is assigned an academic advisor on matriculation and is required to meet with that advisor every semester. The student is responsible for scheduling these required advisory meetings.
Speed School of Engineering
All BS and MEng students are required to be advised by their academic counselor each semester.
