Few experiences in your academic career have as much potential for influencing your collegiate experience as academic advising.  Much more than getting your advising code and selecting courses, developing a professional relationship with your academic advisor will help you make informed choices and decisions about your education and career.  Academic advising for undergraduates at UNCG is coordinated within each of the University’s academic units.  You will be advised according to your selected academic major.  Advising centers are located in each of the 4 professional schools, the 3 Colleges, and within the Students First Office.

In the New Student Portal, students will complete the Class Schedule Interest (CSI) survey.  Students must complete this survey in order to sign up for a SOAR orientation session, so they should complete the survey as soon as possible.  Academic advisors will use this information to pre-register students for the Spring term.  Students can expect to be pre-registered for anywhere from 6 to 16 credit hours, depending on major.  While at SOAR, students will have an opportunity to complete and/or finalize their schedule with the assistance of academic advisors.

At UNCG, academic programs are organized under seven areas:

College of Arts and Sciences, Lloyd International Honors College, Bryan School of Business and Economics, School of Education, School of Health and Human Sciences, College of Visual & Performing Arts, and School of Nursing and, for Exploratory Students, the Students First Office will serve as your advising location.

Each academic department provides academic advising to meet the needs of its students.  Advising during the first year is much different from the SOAR advising experience.  Students are assigned to advisors or advising centers based on their majors during the first semester as advising models vary by department:

College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences Advising Center (CASA) advises all first-year majors in the College of Arts and Sciences. When CASA advisees have earned at least 30 credit hours, they are assigned to faculty advisors in their majors.

Lloyd International Honors College

Lloyd International Honors College (LIHC) advises incoming first-year students at SOAR and during a dedicated Honors College orientation prior to the start of classes in August for the Global Honors Program. After SOAR, LIHC has two full-time Academic Advisors available to help students complete the Global and Disciplinary Honors Program. Additionally, LIHC provides advising for major national and international scholarships and fellowships, such as the Fulbright, Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, and Goldwater.

Bryan School of Business and Economics

The Undergraduate Student Services Office coordinates advising for all business majors in the Bryan School. All programs in the Bryan School are advised by advisors in the Bryan Undergraduate Student Services Office.

First Year transitions courses: BUS 115 from BUS 105

School of Education

The School of Education’s Office of Student Success advises all students majoring in IDEAS (formerly professions in deafness), elementary, middle grades, special education, special education: dual majors, and information science majors during SOAR. Students who are education majors in specific content areas (such as English, biology, music, etc.) receive advising from that content area during SOAR.

After SOAR, each student will be assigned an SOE advisor or SOE faculty advisor based on their major. Students work with their advisor each semester to meet degree and licensure requirements, understand academic options and resources available to them, and make educational plans to meet their goals and interests.

School of Health and Human Sciences

A team of faculty members and professional advisors in the School of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) advise undergraduate students during SOAR. Once registered, students are then assigned to the faculty member, professional advisor, or advising center based on their major.

Secondary admission application procedures are required for the Departments of (1) Communication Sciences and Disorders, (2) Human Development and Family Studies, (3) Kinesiology, (4) Public Health Education, and (5) Social Work. In these respective departments, students are prevented from progressing in their advanced curricula until formal acceptance into the department occurs.

College of Visual & Performing Arts

All first year students in the College of Visual & Performing Arts are advised by the CVPA Student Success Team. Once students have finished their first semester and have earned at least 30 hours, they will be advised by faculty members in their area.

School of Nursing

The School of Nursing’s Office of Undergraduate Advising provides academic advising to all freshmen pre-nursing majors during the first year. In the second year, students are assigned a dedicated faculty advisor.

Admission to the upper division Bachelor of Science in Nursing major is by application only (near the end of the sophomore year). Students must maintain minimum academic requirements to progress in this particular major. Admission to the program is academically competitive and students are encouraged to understand the academic requirements to be competitive for admission to the program. For more information please visit http://nursing.uncg.edu/Undergraduate/advising/.

Exploratory (Undecided) Majors

The Students First Office provides academic advising for all Exploratory (Undecided) Majors until they have declared and been officially admitted to a major. In SFO, academic advising is an educational process in which you and your advisor partner together in meeting established learning outcomes, working toward your academic success, and outlining steps you will take in achieving your personal, educational, and career goals. Students meet with their SFO advisor two times each semester, once during the first 6-8 weeks of the term and then again during the traditional advising & registration period. For more information on academic advising for Exploratory Majors, visit the “Exploratory Majors” information page on the Students First website, or call (336) 334-5730.

Students First Office (SFO)

The Students First Office coordinates intervention processes across different academic and administrative units in order to determine the best possible success strategies for students facing academic, social, or financial setbacks. In collaboration with other support services across campus, the office serves as an Academic One-Stop-Shop for assisting students with academic advising, academic appeals, course overload requests, and graduation plan completion. In addition, SFO also serves as the centralized academic advising center for all Exploratory (Undecided) Majors at UNCG. For more information, visit the Students First website or call or call (336) 334-5730.

First-Year Transition Courses

These courses, designed to help ensure a successful transition to UNCG, expose new students to academic tools, campus resources, personal development, and opportunities for campus and community involvement. Research indicates that UNCG students who take these courses achieve higher GPAs and are generally more successful than students who do not take a first-year experience course. While some majors have a dedicated first-year course as part of their curriculum, some courses like FYE 101: Succeed at the G are open to all first-year students and also fulfill the MAC Foundations competency, as part of UNCG’s Minerva’s Academic Curriculum.

Academic Achievement Center

The Academic Achievement Center (AAC) offers four academic support programs for UNCG students: course-based tutoring, Academic Skills mentoring, Supplemental Instruction (SI), and Outreach Workshops on Learning Skills (OWLS).

• Tutoring is offered in many 100- and 200- level courses, on a weekly appointment and drop-in basis (depending on the course). Tutoring helps you address your questions and clarify points you’re confused about in the class.
• Academic Skills peer mentoring assists with goal setting and skill development around areas such as time management, studying, reading, note-taking, and other general study skills.
• Outreach Workshops on Learning Skills (OWLS) are offered in classes, student group meetings, and around campus to give you the chance to learn a new skill or strategy to approach your studies.

All of the academic support services through the AAC are included in the cost of your tuition! More information about the Academic Achievement Center programs can be found at go.uncg.edu/aac. The AAC can be reached at aac@uncg.edu, or call (336) 334-3878.

Office of Accessibility Resources & Services (OARS)

The Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (OARS) supports students with disabilities. Contact OARS if you have a condition that impacts a major life activity for which you may need accommodations. For more information, please visit http://oars.uncg.edu/, or visit OARS in person in Suite 215, Elliott University Center.

University Writing Center

The University Writing Center strives to enhance the confidence and competence of student writers by providing free, individual assistance at any stage of a writing project. Staff consultants are experienced writers and alert readers, prepared to offer feedback and suggestions on drafts of papers, help students find answers to their questions about writing, and provide one-on-one instruction as needed. More information about the University Writing Center is available at http://writingcenter.uncg.edu/.

University Speaking Center

The University Speaking Center provides consultation support and instructional workshop services for UNCG students, faculty, employees, and members of the Greensboro community. Our support is designed to help speakers further develop their own oral communication confidence and competence. We provide peer-to-peer feedback, guidance, and other support in the areas of public speaking preparation and delivery, interpersonal communication, and group or team communication.

The Speaking Center is located along with the Writing Center in 3211 MHRA. We are on the third floor. MHRA is on the corner of Forest and Spring Garden – diagonally across the street from the Mossman Building. http://speakingcenter.uncg.edu/

Career & Professional Development

The Career & Professional Development provides individual and group support to all levels of students in their career development process. Whether it is career and self-exploration, identifying and participating in experiential learning opportunities, the graduate school decision-making and application process, developing and maintaining professional networks, or preparing for the professional employment process, the CPD can equip students with the information and tools needed to make well-informed career decisions. To learn more about the CPD and its services, go tocpd.uncg.edu

Should I register for a first-year experience course?

We encourage all new students to take a first-year experience course such as FYE 101: Succeed at the G to maximize their success while transitioning to a new learning environment. These courses equip and empower new students to develop and achieve their academic and personal goals. Research indicates that UNCG students who take these courses achieve higher GPAs and are generally more successful than students who do not take a first-year experience course. You can register for one of these courses by emailing YFY@uncg.edu today.

Should I register for a MAC Foundations course?

All first-year students are required to take a MAC Foundations course during their first 30 hours on campus. These courses are intended to maximize students’ success as they transition to a new learning environment. These courses provide a structured way for students to connect with campus, learn about the many support resources available, and build the habits they need to make the most of their education. If you want to register for a Foundations course, make sure you talk to your advisor at SOAR.

When does a student need to declare a major?

By University policy, students must declare a major by the time they have earned 60 credit hours. Students are strongly encouraged to make a selection by the time they have earned 45 credit hours, while declaration by 30 credit hours is ideal. These benchmarks are intended to minimize delays to degree completion. Keep in mind, there are several majors at UNCG that require a much earlier commitment to ensure timely degree completion, as outlined in the University Catalog.

Students who have not yet selected a major will work with an academic advisor in the Students First Office until a major is declared. In collaboration with their academic advisor, students will select courses that allow exploration of areas of interest while simultaneously satisfying UNCG’s general education requirements (known as MAC). The Students First Office and Career & Professional Development can assist students with self, major, and career exploration to narrow their search and identify their best fit major.

Do you have any tips for first-year success?

We encourage students to:

• Follow YFY social media, and visit the Your First Year website for tips and resources.
• Attend all the Your First Year Success Series programs and use your YFY Success Planner.
• Create a balanced schedule with a variety of courses planned for every day of the week.
• Register for a first-year experience course such as FYE 101: Succeed at the G by emailing yfy@uncg.edu.
• Maintain balance between academics and employment.
• Get involved on campus through Campus Activities & Programs.
• Go to class.
• Build relationships with faculty, staff, and students.
• Take advantage of campus resources.
• Explore different majors, especially if you are an Exploratory (Undecided) Major.
• Ask for help at any time!