BMS Advising Practices

Why do you have a faculty advisor?

Your faculty advisor has the most up-to-date information about course offerings and requirements for graduate programs or careers.

For an optimum advising experience:

Expectations for advisors 

• Understand and communicate degree requirements.
• Provide information about or refer advisees to university resources.
• Assist in course and academic program decisions.
• Encourage student responsibility for educational and career goals.
• Provide information and requirements for named careers, professions, and graduate programs.
• Be accessible to meetings through scheduled appointments during normal University hours and/or when classes are in session.
• Respond to emails in a timely manner.
• Submit forms for approval of any course exceptions, substitutions, or electives within BMS. degrees/minors/certificates to the BMS program director. These must be approved by a BMS program director to apply to the student’s degree program.
• Request temporary DG/DX hold removal for advisee.
• Document advising meetings and decisions in Advising Notes.

Expectations for students

• Make advising appointments with your assigned advisor at least once a semester. Advising meetings are most useful at least 1 week before registration date.
• Come to appointments prepared with topics and discussion points.
• Outline goals and steps to achieve those goals each semester.
• Understand and check your degree audit.
• Check email regularly.
• Create and follow a graduation plan by registering for the appropriate classes.
• Seek an advisor’s help when academic problems first arise.
• Accept responsibility for the decisions, actions, or inactions that affect your educational progress. Understand that you have the ultimate responsibility for fulfilling requirements and meeting deadlines.
• Confirm accuracy of advice or information from friends, classmates, and family members with your advisor.
• Use the university website to read the undergraduate catalog and research academic programs and opportunities.

Fulfilling your degree requirements

Two semesters prior to graduation it is highly recommended that students and advisors review the degree audit carefully, especially for these items:

1. 120 credit hour requirement.
2. 40 hours of upper-level courses.
3. Number of elective courses with BMS prefix meets the minimum.
4. Completion of all major, minor, and certificate requirements.
5. Any course exceptions, substitutions, or electives within BMS/CLS majors/minors/certificates must be approved by a BMS program director to apply to the student’s degree program. Advisors submit a Degree Audit Change form to start this process.