Effective academic advising is central to the educational mission of the Board of Regents. To ensure that all students have access to high quality advising, each Regents university shall establish an Academic Advising System which shall provide the following:

• Goal Setting: Help students to set both short-term and long-term educational goals.
• Information: Accurately inform students of graduation requirement of their department; be sensitive to the importance of strategic course selections so as to minimize the number of semesters required for graduation; inform students of career opportunities in their field of study.
• Transitions:  Inform students how to change colleges and/or departments; provide information to explain the process student follow to enroll in their curriculum and to drop or add courses during the semester.
• Accessibility: Have reasonable hours and methods of availability for students; students should be able to set up appointments for an adequate amount of time to make curricular selections and career choices.
• Referral: Be able to refer students to various campus resources including, but not limited to: university counseling services, student activities, and career and employment services.

1. Post appropriate office hours and always make time for students a priority during these hours and at other times as you are available.
2. Assist students in understanding all degree requirements including institutional, departmental, course sequencing and other pertinent information.
3. Never give out an advisement number without adequate contact with, and advisement of, each individual student.
4. Be proactive throughout the advisement process by initiating contact with advisees to communicate requirements and deadlines and to discuss their educational plan.
5. Learn to access and use enrollment information on the Gorilla User System (GUS).
6. Project that you genuinely care about students by serving as a resource to help them clarify life, career and academic goals.
7. Know about and make referrals to support services as appropriate.
8. Be aware of policies, requirements, resources and materials necessary for student's academic progress and achievement.

Advisors provide advice and information regarding:

• Major and minor choice
• Course schedule and sequence
• General education completion
• Referrals                            
• Understanding the degree audit
• Learning opportunities
• Study abroad
• Academic success goals
• Problem solving and decision making
• Career choice and graduate school

Advisors are most often faculty in the department of the student's major. If a student is undeclared, he/she may be advised through the Freshman Experience or Transitions course instructor or a volunteer undeclared advisor from across campus.

Students can locate their assigned advisor by accessing their Degree Audit or under Degree Information using the Gorilla User System (GUS).

1.    Make, keep and be on time for appointments with academic advisor at least one time each semester.

2.    Review the on-line course schedule, program guides and course catalog to prepare a tentative schedule to discuss with your advisor prior to initiating contact.

3.    Have alternative courses in mind, after all some courses do close.

4.    Learn to access and use enrollment information on the Gorilla User System (GUS).

5.    Ask questions when you do not know and follow through on referrals made by your advisor.

6.    Get to know your advisor and let him/her get to know you. This person is a valuable resource and can be of benefit to you not only while you are at PSU, but also afterwards once you enter the job market or graduate school.

7.    Remember that it is also your responsibility to be aware of graduation and degree requirements. Do your very best and accept responsibility for your academic decisions.

8.    Be aware of policies, requirements, resources and materials necessary for you academic progress and achievement.

• Review information in GUS under "advise an individual student" in GUS 
  
  • Writing to Learn met (if required)
  • Prerequisites for major courses
  • Major course requirements
  • Minor course requirements (if any)
  • General education requirements
  • Summary of hours and grade points
• Do any courses need to be repeated?
• Is the student considering summer coursework?

• Teaching and expecting the role of the advisee in the advisor/advisee relationship
• Determining issues that impact course scheduling (family obligations, work, activities, life style)
• Discussing potential for internships, study abroad, or other experiences that would benefit the students pursuit of his/her academic and professional goals
• Establishing/Updating the four year plan (worksheet located at end of this guide)
• Identifying appropriate courses for upcoming term

Utilize GUS to determine who your advisees are.

Click on either "advise an individual student" or "advisement menu," then, after noting FERPA notification, click on "LIST." This will provide you with a significant amount of information about each of your advisees. You may also go to their individual page by putting in a student's name or PSU ID number from the page where you could select list.

2. Advising meetings outside of enrollment period

Consider an introductory email, letter or meeting for new advisees each semester as well as a contact with continuing advisees to discuss your role and your expectations.

3. Email your advisees using GUS.

Mr Bulk-e Options--Mr Bulk-e Advisees

4. Group advising sessions

Invite all of your advisees together at specific times to cover general information and then set up individual meetings to discuss individual issues.

5. Information sheet (sample included in this packet)

Ask students to complete an information sheet that includes the following information: goals, expectations of advisor, academic experiences, concerns or challenges.

6. Documentation of meetings, conversations, and emails

Keep brief notes of the advising meetings and other communications. Focus on the content of the meeting; questions, decisions and recommendations should be the focus of the notes.

7. Correspondence

When information is critical, consider sending an email or letter you can keep in your records. You may also want to keep important correspondence from advisees for future reference.

8. Advising Assignments

Consider giving your advisees assignments. These might include:

• Student to contact another office (e.g. Career Services) and report back to you on their findings
• Student brings a draft schedule to appointment
• Student completes a writing assignment on his/her academic progress and goals

9. Recognize student achievements and challenges.

Contact the student when congratulations (e.g. Dean's List) or encouragement (e.g. academic warning) are needed.

1. Describe the goals and services of the referred service. (Don't assume that the student already knows its purpose or function.)
2. Personalize the referral: Refer the student to a person (a name)-rather than an office.
3. Reassure the student of the qualifications and capability of the person to whom he/she is being referred.
4. Help the student identify what questions to ask and how to approach the resource person.
5. Make explicitly sure that the student knows where to go and how to get there.
6. Phone for an appointment while the student is in your presence.
7. Walk with the student to the referred person's office.
8. Follow-up the initial referral by asking the student if the contact occurred, how it went, and whether there will be future contact.
9. Praise the student for making the effort to seek support and taking a step toward self-improvement.

Advisement Number - This is a system generated password that each student must get from his/her advisor in order to access the online enrollment system. The advisement number changes each semester. Each advisor determines whether to provide this number to an advisee or to enter the enrollment him/herself.

Degree Audit - Available in GUS, this is an unofficial list of the coursework and degree requirements to be completed.

Drop/Add - Changes to a student's schedule of classes can be done in three ways: 1) by the student who is in possession of a valid advisement number, 2) by the academic advisor, or 3) by the Registrar's office. The student and the advisor will lose this capability one week after the beginning of the semester; at that point all add/drops must be processed through the Registrar's office.

Early Enrollment (pre-enrollment) - This is the enrollment period for currently enrolled PSU students who are planning to continue their enrollment the next semester. Early enrollment for the fall semester is held in April and for the spring semester in November.

Gorilla User System (GUS) - This is the portal through which enrollment is completed. During the actual real time online enrollment, the system will check for:

• Pre-requisite and co-requisite requirements
• Time conflicts
• Whether a course is required for the degree

Official Degree Audit - This is the degree audit that students should request after hours passed plus current enrollment total 85 or more credit hours. Completed by the degree checking within the Registrar's office, the official degree audit lists the classes and graduation requirements the student must complete to receive the specified degree. The official audit is tied to a specific catalog; changes in the catalog year may change requirements.

Open Enrollment - This is the time from immediately after Transfer student enrollment until the end of the enrollment period. Enrollment is available during this time; however, departmental advisors are not always available. (Students needing assistance who are unable to contact their academic advisor are encouraged to contact the First Year Programs Office in 213 Russ Hall or at 235-4265). NOTE: During the three week time period immediately preceding the start of the fall semester, academic advisors are available in the Admission Office to enroll any major.

Transfer Enrollment - Two days in November and April following Early Enrollment during which transfer students are given their first opportunity to enroll.

A transfer student with an Associate Degree has not automatically completed the PSU general education requirements, but must also meet the requirements of the Kansas Board of Regents articulation agreement. Transfer transcripts may be found in the GUS advisement screen under Advise Individual Student-unofficial transcripts (change default to View Transfer Transcript).

Course Equivalencies

For course equivalencies for many community colleges as well as several four-year institutions in our region:

• Go to: Transfer Equivalency Guide
• Transfer Equivalency Guides are listed at the bottom of the screen
• Select the appropriate institution

Transfer Credits and Grades

• GPA is based on all course work completed at accredited institutions of higher education
• Remedial or developmental coursework transferred from an accredited institution will count in GPA and total credit hours, but will not count toward degree program
• Initial determination of transferability will be made by the transcript analyst in the Registrar's Office; reconsideration of an equivalency determination or request for substitution is made through the transcript analyst in the Registrar's Office, who will then contact the dean of the appropriate college
• Transfer courses for international colleges and universities are assigned "P" for equivalent letter grades of A, B, C or D

Questions regarding transfer of courses should be directed to the Assistant Registrar for Transcript Analysis (ext. 4253).

Once admitted, for a student to enroll for courses, he/she will need the following:

• GUS PIN - the password that allows the student to access the student portal
• Gusmail account - every student is required to have an official PSU email account; this account is selected at the point of initial enrollment if not before
• Advisement number - the password received from the academic advisor following consultation that allows access to the enrollment system

Continuing students must see an academic advisor to enroll and/or obtain an advisement number for each semester. Advising sessions may be held in person, by telephone, or electronically. Advisors should not provide an advisement number to a student without fulfilling the responsibilities of an advisor as identified by the Kansas Board of Regents and PSU.

The Gorilla User System (GUS) provides significant assistance to both the student and the advisor for tracking the progress toward degree. However, it is not an infallible system. Advisors are encouraged to remain diligent in learning about changes to general education, major and minor requirements approved by the Faculty Senate.

New Freshmen

Students enrolling at PSU immediately after graduating from high school are required to attend a Pitt CARES (Campus Advisement, Registration and Enrollment Services) session in order to enroll in classes. Additionally, new students under the age of 21 who are admitted as freshmen are highly encouraged to participate in Pitt CARES. Sessions are held in June for May graduates and in January for December or January graduates. Registration is required.

NOTE: New freshmen coming to PSU immediately following high school graduation (August or January) are required to take UGS 100 Freshman Experience in their first semester at PSU. Other new freshmen under the age of 21 are encouraged to take this course. Other new students (freshmen over 21 and transfer students) are encouraged to take UGS 101 Transitions in their first semester at PSU.

New Transfer Students

Students transferring to PSU are invited to participate in a Transfer Pitt CARES session generally held the Monday and Tuesday immediately following the week of early enrollment for current PSU students (April for a fall or summer semester start and November for a spring semester start). Once those Pitt CARES sessions have occurred, transfer students are encouraged to make contact with the academic department where their major is located to schedule an advising and enrollment appointment before coming to campus; transfer students may enroll at any time following the Transfer Pitt CARES sessions through the first week of classes. Transfer students who are participating in the Exploratory Studies Program (undeclared) are required to take UGS 101 Transitions in their first semester at PSU.

Re-admitted Students

Students who have been re-admitted for PSU after being away for a year or more may enroll, by appointment, at anytime following the conclusion of the Transfer Pitt CARES sessions held in April or November as appropriate.

Continuing Students

Students who are continuously enrolled may enroll for the upcoming semester(s) based on a schedule set by the Registrar's Office. Summer and fall semesters enrollment occurs in April and spring semester enrollment occurs in November. The dates are available on the registrar's website at: Enrollment Instructions (see Enrollment Instructions at top of page and select the appropriate term). The typical order is as follows:

Monday - Graduate Students and Seniors (90 hours passed)
Tuesday - Juniors (60 hours passed)
Wednesday - Sophomores (30 hours passed)
Thursday - Freshmen (rotates each term either A-M by last or N-Z by last)
Friday - Freshmen (rotates each term either A-M by last or N-Z by last)

Enrollment Holds

If a "hold" has been placed on a student, that student will not be allowed to enroll for courses for an upcoming semester until the hold has been removed. Most holds will be due to one (or more) of the following reasons:

• Incomplete Admission file (typically a missing transcript)
• Parking Tickets Unpaid
• Library Fines
• Housing Fines
• Transcript Fees
• Tuition Unpaid
• Other department holds for money owed

Advisors and advisees have access to an online degree audit through GUS.

• Select Advise an Individual Student or Advisement Menu
• Enter student's name or PSU ID number
• Select Degree Audit (either with current degree or modified depending on your needs)

The degree audit is a useful tool in selecting coursework appropriate to the degree the student is seeking. It is not guaranteed to be correct, although is accurate for most students. (When a student has successfully completed 85 credit hours, he/she should apply for an "official degree audit" through the degree checking office in 102 Russ Hall or online at a link provided in the student's degree audit on GUS.)

Information available in the online degree audit:

• Advisor's name
• Catalog assigned
• Degree
• Major
• Minor
• Current enrollment (if any)
• Writing to Learn status
• Summary of hours and grade points (completed and needed)
• Grade point average (cumulative and in major)
• Course work to be completed (assumes that student will successfully complete courses currently enrolled in at PSU)
• Hours needed to complete upper division requirements
• Total hours needed to graduate

Modified Degree Audit - The "What If" Option

The modified degree audit allows the advisor and advisee to determine how previously completed coursework would fit into a different major, change in emphasis area, or addition or deletion of a minor.

The online PSU course catalog is the best (and most current) source of information regarding specific requirements for each major: Catalog.

Below is a review of the basics of degree completion.

An official degree audit is required for students who have completed 85 credit hours. Completed by the degree checking office, this final degree audit locks in a student's intended degree and provides an accurate list of remaining coursework needed to complete the degree. For questions about an official degree audit, please contact the degree checking office at extension 4211.

Degree Elements

• General Education
• Major
• Minor (if applicable)
• GPA requirements 
  
  • 2.0 minimum GPA for all major and minor course work (with exceptions below)
  • BSEd - Secondary Education 2.75 in major and 2.5 minimum cumulative
  • BSEd - Elementary Education 3.0 in major & 2.8 minimum cumulative
  • Art Majors - 3.0 minimum in major coursework and no letter grade below a "B" in upper division coursework
• Minimum 60 credit hours must be earned from an accredited four-year university or college
• Minimum 45 credit hours upper division credit (300 - 799) earned from a four year institution
• Minimum 30 credit hours earned in residence (from PSU) with 2.0 GPA in all resident hours earned and must include at least 8 hours of credit in the major department
• Maximum 6 credit hours completed at another college or university may be applied on the last 30 hours prior to graduation

General Education

All PSU students complete a general education program as outlined in the Catalog assigned. (See pages 48-50 for an overview of the 2009-2011 Catalog general education options.) The purpose of general education is "to provide an environment in which students can acquire the basic knowledge and skills common to educated people in our global society."

General Education Goals:

• Student should be able to communicate effectively
• Students should be able to think critically
• Students should be able to function responsibly in the world in which they live

Major specific requirements should be considered when choosing general education courses. Some major programs specify courses within the general education needed for that degree program (e.g. Nursing requires a Nutrition course thereby eliminating the Lifetime Fitness course under Health and Well-being). Other degree programs eliminate general education electives courses and replace them with courses in the major (e.g. Engineering Technology has students select one course from the areas of Fine Art & Aesthetic and Cultural Studies rather than one from each area).

Degree Program

A degree usually consists of 124-127 credit hours within a specific field of study with certain requirements (remedial/developmental course work are not counted toward hours completed).

Major

PSU offers more than 130 majors. It is important to note that each major may require certain course requirements along with courses in the actual department (e.g. requiring specific general education course selection).

Emphasis Areas/Concentrations

Concentrations are focused studies within a major or in conjunction with a specific major. Information on concentrations is available in the Catalog along with relevant major information.

Minor

A minor involves a specific subset of courses within a field of study. Minors usually require 21 or more credits and allow a student to gain more in-depth knowledge of a discipline without completing a second major. All Bachelor of Arts and many other majors require completion of a minor.

100-199

Courses generally designed for freshmen, but may be appropriate for sophomores; also an introductory or first course taught in a sequence with in a specific discipline.

200-299

Courses generally designed for sophomores, but which may be appropriate for freshmen; also with in a department sequencing, advancing in a progression as a second course which may require previous knowledge or training.

300-399

Courses generally designed for juniors and seniors, but may be appropriate for sophomores; prerequisites are often required for this level of course.

400-699

Courses generally designed for juniors and seniors advancing well into upper division work with prerequisite knowledge base required.

700-999

Courses for graduate students; some upper level undergraduates can enroll in 700-799 courses.

Look at our tutoring page for more information about courses.

*Departments without specific tutoring programs encourage students to speak with the individual instructor for additional assistance.

Additional tutoring offered through Student Success - call 620-235-6578 for specific courses, times and locations.

The Writing Across the Curriculum program at PSU requires degree seeking students to complete two courses designated as Writing to Learn (WL) courses. Typically, these courses are part of the general education curriculum, so a student is meeting both a general education requirement and the writing to learn requirement at the same time. However, a small number of writing to learn courses are offered within some academic majors.

Writing to Learn courses are meant to maintain writing skills developed in English Composition as well as develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, increase interaction with instructors, and prepare students for junior-senior level courses.

Writing to Learn Sequence

For the general student:

1st  semester:  Engl 101
2nd semester: WL course
3rd semester: WL course
4th semester: Engl 299

For students with an English sub-score of 27 on the ACT exam:

1st semester: WL course and Engl 101-40 (phantom course)
2nd semester: WL course
3rd semester: Engl 299
4th semester

For students with an English sub-score of 28 and higher on the ACT exam:

1st semester: WL course and Engl 101-40 (phantom course)
2nd semester: Engl 190
3rd semester: WL course
4th semester

For students transferring in either one or two composition courses, two writing to learn courses must be completed.

Students transferring 55 or more credits to PSU are exempt from the writing to learn requirement.

For questions regarding the Writing to Learn program, please contact Don Judd (djudd@pittstate.edu or ext. 4697) or Janet Zepernick (jzeperni@pittstate.edu or ext. 4689).

The department of Mathematics recommends using the guidelines below for determining placement in a mathematics course. Using the student's mathematics ACT sub-score and high school mathematics background, select the appropriate course from the cell identified. Students who did well in high school mathematics might select the higher numbered courses, while students who did not do as well or who lack confidence in their mathematics skills should select lower numbered courses.

Please note that the proper sequence for a student placed into MATH 019 - Intermediate Algebra is MATH 019 and then MATH 110 - College Algebra with Review.

10 things advisors should know about Study Abroad:

1. Students do not have to know another language to study abroad. Even in many non-English speaking countries, universities teach classes in English.
2. Students do not have to delay graduation. If a student starts planning a year or so in advance, he/she can often find a combination of general education courses and courses which will count for his/her major during a semester abroad. Or students can participate in summer or short term study abroad opportunities.
3. There are programs that offer courses in almost every major, (including Construction Engineering and Automotive Technology) please ask the student to contact the Study Abroad Coordinator to discuss options. Faculty interested in learning more about study abroad options for particular majors are also welcome to contact the Study Abroad Coordinator.
4. There are 4 different types of programs, ranging from a few weeks to an academic year:
   a. Faculty led programs, where the student enrolls and gets PSU credit. PSU students may also enroll in faculty led programs at other US universities including KU and K-State. These tend to be 2-4 weeks in length and during the summer.
   b. PSU in Paraguay, where the student travels independently, enrolls at PSU and takes courses with a PSU professor in English in Paraguay, and completes Gen Ed requirements.
   c. Exchanges, where a student pays PSU tuition, but enrolls and takes classes at a university in Finland, Korea, Malta, Thailand or one of 10 other countries.
   d. Programs run by providers who make study abroad their business- like Semester at Sea, ISA, Australearn - through these providers, students can study in countries not covered by faculty led or exchange programs - England, Ireland, Australia, etc.
5. Students should meet with the Study Abroad Coordinator as soon as they know they are interested.
6. All students need to apply for approval from the faculty Study Abroad Committee. They will need 2 letters of recommendation for that, one of which should be from you. The Committee has $45,000 of travel stipends to award to students annually.
7. Study Abroad may earn students credit towards their major, but sometimes they are interested in it for personal enrichment. Either way, if they are not enrolling at PSU, there is a Course Credit Transfer Agreement that they must fill out.
8. FAFSA Financial Assistance goes with the student as long as they take a fulltime load of credits (6 in summer, 12 in fall and spring.)
9. There are generous government scholarships available for US students who are under-represented in study abroad - this includes Science, Technology, Engineering and Math majors, this includes ethnic minorities and students with disabilities. Scholarships are more readily available to students wanting to study abroad outside of Australia and Western Europe.
10. Let the student know about PSU's Study Abroad website: 
    http://www.pittstate.edu/office/study_abroad/

And about the Study Abroad Expo, which will be held each fall (contact the International Programs Office date and location). Let the student know that he/she is welcome to Whitesitt 118 for more information about Study Abroad opportunities on campus.

PSU is in the process of affiliating with specific programs and providers, who will then offer our students discounts. If you are aware of a study abroad opportunity that would be a good fit for students in your department and with whom you think an affiliation might make sense, please pass the information on to the Study Abroad Coordinator.

Also, if you are interested in leading a faculty-led study abroad program, there are resources on campus to help you with that - you can apply for funding from the Internationalization Council to travel to the proposed destination, make contacts, and start the planning process. The Study Abroad Coordinator can help you find an organization that will customize a program for you, help you promote your program, and help with the mechanics of student applications, waivers, and international insurance. Past study abroad faculty leaders can talk to you about what to expect. The Health Center can meet with your students to talk about immunizations.   90% of PSU students who study abroad go on faculty-led programs, and students are always asking about other faculty led options.

5 things advisors should know about the IKE Certificate

1.    Students need to complete 2 out of 3 components:

• Study Abroad
• Academic Component
• Co-curricular activities

2.    International students get credit for Study Abroad for being here at PSU and for the language courses for their English competency. So they only need 3 content courses-one of which may be about the US and 2 of which should be international.

3.    For the Academic Component:

• US students must pass 2 semesters of the same language with a grade of C or better, or can place into second semester of a language and complete it with a grade of C or better
• Students must pass 3 courses with international content in 3 different disciplines with a grade of C or better, from a list maintained in the Office of International Programs - http://www.pittstate.edu/department/ike/international-knowledge-and-experience/ike-academic-component-course-list.dot.
• Students will get a notation on their official PSU transcript

4.    Some of the approved courses are General Education courses, and as an advisor, you can help students make decisions early in their academic career which could enable them to earn this certificate more easily:

• For the Political Studies Gen Ed - POLS 324 counts while POLS 101 does not.
• For the Producing and Consuming Gen Ed- GT 105 Technology and Civilization counts
• For the Fine Arts Gen Ed - ART 178, ART 288 and 289, and MUSIC 120 if it's World Music count.
• For the Cultural Studies Gen Ed - this would be where the language courses would fit in, though GEOG 106, GEOG 304 and WOMEN 399 also count.
• For the Human Heritage Gen Ed - HIST 102 World History from 1500 counts, and PHIL 231 World Religions counts.

5.    Enrollment is not automatic - students must be enrolled through Angel, which is free. They can send an e-mail asking to be enrolled to ike@pittstate.edu. They can enroll any time, and any courses they have already completed will still count. Courses transferred in from other institutions count too.

The study abroad coordinator maintains a calendar in Angel of IKE co-curricular events. If your department will host an event with an international focus, it would be great if you could include "counts for IKE" in the general announcement and please let us know so we can add it to our calendar. Please send information to ike@pittstate.edu.

According to the National Society of Experiential Education, an internship is any carefully monitored work or service experience in which an individual has intentional learning goals and reflects actively on what he or she is learning throughout the experience. 

Goals may be: 
Academic Learning: Apply knowledge learned in the classroom to the workplace

• Career Development: Gain knowledge of qualifications and duties of a position and can explore their interest in a field
• Skill Development: Gain an understanding of the skills and knowledge required in the workplace
• Personal Development: Gain decision making skills, critical thinking skills, increased confidence and self-esteem

The Office of Career Service is available to work with faculty in all departments to discuss internship possibilities or assist in developing relationships with employers. Representatives are also eager to assist students in finding internships and willing to provide classroom presentations on internship job searches, resume development, and other areas of interest. 

For additional information, contact Career Services at 620-235-4140.

Biology

BIOL 111, 112
5 hrs Pass for scores of 4 or 5 only

Chemistry

CHEM 215
3 hrs Pass for score of 3 (no lab)

CHEM 215, 225
6 hrs Pass for scores of 4 or 5 (no lab)

Computer Science

CSIS 240
3 hrs Pass for scores of 3, 4, or 5

Economics

ECON 200 & 201
6 hrs Pass for scores of 4 or 5

ECON 200/201
3 hrs Pass for scores of 3

English

Language/Composition

ENGL 101
3 hrs Pass for scores of 3, 4, or 5

Literature/Composition

ENGL 113
3 hrs Pass for scores of 3, 4, or 5

Foreign Language

French (Level 3)

French Language

Gen Elective
3 hrs Pass for scores of 3, 4, or 5

French Literature

Gen Elective
3 hrs Pass for scores of 3, 4, or 5

German (Level 3)

Gen Elective
3 hrs Pass for scores of 3, 4, or 5 (No equiv for 3^rd course)

Spanish (Level 3)

Spanish Language

Gen Elective
3 hrs Pass for scores of 3, 4, or 5

Spanish Literature

Gen Elective
3 hrs Pass for scores of 3, 4, or 5

Geography

GEOG 304
3 hrs Pass for scores of 3, 4, or 5

History

American History

HIST 201
3 hrs Pass for scores of 3 or 4

HIST 201, 202
6 hrs Pass for score of 5

European History

HIST xxx elective
3 hrs Pass for scores 3 or 4 6 hrs Pass for score of 5

World History

HIST 101
3 hrs Pass for 3

HIST 101, 102
6 hrs Pass for 4 or 5

Mathematics

Calculus AB

MATH 150
5 hrs Pass for scores of 3, 4, or 5

Calculus BC

MATH 150 & 155
10 hrs Pass for scores of 3, 4, or 5

Statistics

MATH 143
3 hrs Pass for scores of 3, 4, or 5

Music Theory

MUSIC xxx

Music Dept gives placement tests for credit

Physics

PHYS 104 (no lab)
4 hrs Pass for 4 or 5

PHYS 171, 172
4 hrs Pass for 3

Social Science

U.S. Govt & Politics

POLS 101
3 hrs Pass for 3, 4, or 5

Comparative Govt & Politics

POLS 324
3 hrs Pass for 3, 4, or 5

IB Course                                Required Score                        PSU Credit

Economics (HL)                          5                                              ECON 201

English (HL)                               5-7                                           ENGL 101

History (SL)                               4                                              HIST XXX (elective, 3 hours)

History (Europe) (HL)                 4                                              HIST XXX (elective, 3 hours)

Math (SL)                                  5                                              MATH 150

Physics (SL)                               5                                              PHYS 171, 172

Physics (HL)                               5                                              PHYS 100, 130

Psychology (SL)                         5                                              PSYCH 155

Psychology (SL)                         4                                              PSYCH 155

Any department may allow a student to receive credit by exam. The student will need to initiate contact with the department to sit for the exam.

Departments who typically award the most credit by exam include Mathematics, Modern Language and Literatures, English, and Military Science.

A student's course schedule including credit hours and progress toward degree impact the student's eligibility for federal and state financial aid as well as institutional scholarships. What follows is important information for academic advisors concerning the student financial assistance process and the impact of decisions made regarding coursework for which aid has been (or will be) received.

1. Students may receive full-time financial aid for 12 or more credit hours. Students may receive part-time financial aid for 6 to 11 credit hours.
2. All correspondence from the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) will come via email through the students GUS mail account - once this has been established.  Please make sure that this address is set-up and reviewed weekly to stay current on office requests and shared information.
3. If a student is awarded loan funds, and declines these funds, they may be able to add them back to their aid package, later, if they are needed.  Encourage students to borrow ONLY the amount that they need to pay their educational expenses...loans can add up very quickly, and they will have to repay them upon graduation or when they drop below 6 hours of enrollment (not including summers).
4. Each semester, a student is required to maintain SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS.  If they are enrolled in 12 + hours - they MUST pass at least 9 hours each semester to avoid going into a Warning status.  Aid is available only one additional semester at Warning status.  If they are enrolled in 9-11 hours, they must pass at least 7 hours to avoid Warning status.  If they are enrolled in 6-8 hours, they must pass at least 6 hours.
5. Any full-time student who passes 5 or fewer hours each semester is AUTOMATICALLY placed on Financial Aid Suspension status.  The first time they are put on this status, they are eligible to appeal their Suspension through a Mentoring process.  They should contact the OSFA to get more detail regarding this process.
6. If a student receives a grade of "D" or better, they cannot receive funds for that repeated course - unless that grade is from a Nursing course, in which case they can repeat it ONE additional time using financial aid funds.  If a student receives a grade of "NC" in Eng 101, 190 or 299 or Comm 207, they are not allowed to graduate with their Bachelors Degree, so these courses may be repeated ONE additional time using financial aid funds.  The same "NC" rule applies to College Algebra for students earning their Bachelor of Science in Education degree.
7. The most times a student can retake a course receiving financial assistance is twice. If a course must be repeated a third time, then the full-time student must be enrolled in 12 credit hours or more in addition to the repeated in order to receive full-time aid.
8. Financial assistance will not be paid toward audited courses or CLEP hours.
9. Students often misunderstand the Return to Title IV (R2T4) process.  This process is described as follows: students receiving any type of federal funds (i.e. Pell Grant/Student Loans/SEOG Grants/etc.), who do not complete at least 60% of the semester, WILL be required to repay a portion of their funds back to the federal programs if they will withdraw from the university.  Typically, these dates fall during the semester as follows:  Fall semester (mid-to-late October); Spring semester (mid-to-late March); Summer session (too variable to calculate due to the many options available). 
10. Students also get the university repayment back to R2T4 for the student (in which case, the student has a balance due to PSU) and the student's responsibility for repayment back to R2T4 confused.  In many cases, both the university and the student must make payments back to the federal programs.  They also get confused how the university refund (during the first few weeks of the semester) applies to this refund.  They can come into the OSFA for additional explanation.
11. Any student who receives all "F" or "W" grades during a semester will have their financial aid recalculated with a 50% R2T4 refund unless they can prove that they attended past 60% of the semester.  All students who fit this category will be notified of the appeal process immediately following the semester end.
12. Students who received Federal Pell Grant funding during the Fall and Spring semesters may have additional eligibility funds available for the Summer session, beginning Summer 2010.  Please see OSFA for additional details.
13. Students who are not doing well in a course are encouraged to withdraw from that course, if they feel that they will earn an "F" grade.  Financial status is calculated on "earned" hours, and the grades of "F" and "W" do not have any earned hours associated with them.  We encourage the student to take the "W", to salvage their GPA.
14. Students do not qualify for loans at enrollment less than 6 hours.
15. Students who drop below 6 hours of enrollment should visit OSFA for a counseling session.  They are at risk of losing their eligibility for the next semester, and may begin the grace period for student loan repayment.
16. A minimum of 12 enrolled hours must be applicable toward the full-time student's degree to receive full-time federal aid funds.
17. Previous terms must be paid in full prior to enrollment or enrollment changes.
18. If a student has a university hold, they can still accept financial awards online - they just won't roll into the student's account until those holds are lifted.
19. A student must verify their enrollment status during the "window" to sweep funds to their student account.  This window is open approximately one week prior to the beginning of the semester.

For more detailed information about this process, please or contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance in 103 Horace Mann, at extension 4240 or visit our web site at Financial Aid Office.

Commonly called FERPA and sometimes referred to as the Buckley amendment, this Act was passed by Congress in 1974 and grants rights to adult students.

• The right to see the information that the institution is keeping on the student
• The right to seek amendment to those records, and in certain cases append a statement to the record
• The right to consent to disclosure of his/her records
• The right to file a complaint with the FERPA office in Washington, D.C.

Maintaining confidentiality of student records is and must be a top priority for all academic advisors, as well as others with access to protected student information.

What is a Student Record?

• Any information provided by a student to the university for use in the educational process
  • Personal information
  • Grades
  • Enrollment records
  • Schedules
• The storage media in which this information is found does not matter
  • Document in the Registrar's office
  • Class list on your desktop
  • Notes taken during an advisement session
  • Computer printout in your office
  • Computer display screen

The Basic Rules of FERPA

• Student educational records are confidential and may not be released without consent of the student.
• As a member of this educational community, advisors have the responsibility to protect educational records in your possession.
• Advisors have access to information only for legitimate use in completion of job responsibilities.
• If you are ever in doubt, do not release any information until you talk to the Registrar or the staff in the Registrar's office or refer the request to that office.

The key to FERPA is to never discuss or disseminate a student's academic progress or situation with anyone other than the student without consent of the student. (Special note: a student's parents do not have a right to the student's educational records without the student providing PSU with consent to release this information.)

To assist students in providing consent, PSU has eProxy. eProxy allows information that is protected by FERPA be accessed by a third party with the consent of the student. Using eProxy (Authorized Release of University Records) in the GUS system allows a student to provide a third party with online access to the following information:

• Class schedule
• Grades
• Tuition and fee information
• Financial aid information

The student indicates what information may be shared and designates who may access this information. All of this is done electronically. eProxy does not allow advisors to discuss with a third party anything about a student's educational record or progress.

Services for students with physical or learning disabilities are available. Students seeking these services should contact one of two offices for assistance.

Physical Disabilities

Jamie Jones
Director of Equal Opportunity
218 Russ Hall
620-235-4189
Email: jbrooksh@pittstate.edu
Website: Disability Support Services

Learning Disabilities

Allison Adams
Center for Student Accommodations
Bryant Student Health Center
620-235-6584
Email: disabilityservices@pittstate.edu
Website: Center for Student Accomodations

The Honors College Program is a very important aspect to the overall academic climate at PSU.  The students selected for the Honors College are among the brightest and most high achieving students within the undergraduate population.  In order to ensure that Honors College students meet the specific requirements of the program, here are some details all academic advisors who advise Honors College students need to be familiar with.

Requirements:

1.    Take a minimum of four general education courses designated as honors courses (It is recommended that the student enroll in one honors general education course each of the first four semesters at PSU.)

2.    Grade Point Average needed to continue in the Honors College:

• Freshmen must maintain a 3.2 cumulative grade point average
• Sophomores must maintain a 3.4 cumulative grade point average.
• Juniors and Seniors must maintain a 3.5 cumulative grade point average.

3.    Participate in the PSU Departmental Honors Program Academic Honors (It is recommended that students review the coursework in the major area of study to determine which classes are eligible  for departmental academic honors and plan ahead. The maximum departmental honors courses allowed in one semester are two. Departmental academic honors coursework may not be taken during the semester of student teaching for education majors.)

For additional information, please contact the Director of the Honors College, Dr. Craig Fuchs at extension 4176.

First and foremost, all international students must be in a minimum of 12 hours for undergraduate students and 9 hours for graduate students in spring and fall semesters to maintain their legal immigration status in the U.S.A.

A minimum of 9 credit hours for undergraduate students and 6 credit hours for graduate students must be in face-to-face courses. Hybrid courses meet the face-to-face requirement.

Understanding immigration requirements and limitations:

Legal Program Completion Deadline

Every degree seeking international student has a legal deadline date for program completion. This is determined by the International Programs and Services office. Generally, a Bachelors degree student is given 4 years or 8 continuous spring and fall semesters to finish the coursework for a program.

Extension of Legal Date of Program Completion

The legal program end date can be extended for extenuating circumstances. A form to request an extension is available online at  F1 Extension Form and must be completed by the student and must include the recommendation of the academic advisor. A valid reason for extension might include research problems, change of major, adding an emphasis, schedule issues (such as a course only being offered during the spring), or health/personal problems. Flunking coursework is not a valid reason for extension. All extensions are approved by International Programs and Services office.

Deviation from Full Time Course of Study

In limited circumstances, immigration regulations allow for a deviation from a full course of study. A student may request approval for a reduced course load by having the appropriate university personnel complete this form and then submitting it for review by an international advisor. Reduced course loads based on financial need OR to protect a GPA are NOT qualifying reasons. The Deviation Request form is available at Deviation Request Form.

Work Authorizations

Generally, international students who wish to work must be employed by the University. Off campus employment is not an option unless a student has received authorization from International Programs and Services. Employment off campus must be closely related to the student's major area of study.

Off-campus employment request forms are available online at CPT Form.

Intercultural Communication Challenges

At the initial enrollment at PSU for an international student, it is extremely important that the advisor provides extensive explanation to the student. Advising an international student who has just arrived in the U.S. will typically take more time than advising a traditional domestic student. This initial meeting sets the tone for this student's first semester. Please be sure to provide more information and resources, including referring the student to resources on campus that will be helpful, marking the campus map when sending the student to another location on campus, and introducing the student to important people to know in the department, such as the administrative assistant and chairperson.

This level of care will make a difference in the retention of these students and to their satisfaction with their PSU experience overall.

Tips

1. Speak slowly and use simple and direct language when discussing advising issues, course work, terminology, and referrals. One example of a consistently misunderstood term is prerequisite.
2. When possible, provide information in written form. For example, give each student a program guide outlining the coursework in their degree; identify the courses they have transferred (if any) and the coursework the student has enrolled in for the upcoming semester on the guide.
3. GUS is important to all our work regarding enrollment; be sure to show the student what you are doing in GUS as most students will be seeing the enrollment portion of this for the first time.
4. GUSmail is required for all international students. Please reinforce that GUSmail is the only way PSU, and you as their advisor, will communicate with them.

Cultural Issues

Advisors need to be prepared to repeat information. International students may indicate understanding by replying "yes" to the inquiry from the advisor of "do you understand." The answer of "yes" is a polite response, but may be inaccurate.

Personal relationships and time are valued differently in other cultures. It is important for advisors to be aware of these cultural differences and relate to students accordingly. For example, advisors may want to take time to inquire about the student, their experience at PSU, and their family. This is good advice for all students, but particularly for international students who need advisors and mentors who are caring and are valued by the student as a role model.

Cultural norms vary by culture. Behavior typical of a domestic student may not be known by international students. As a role model and mentor, advisors should take every opportunity to help international students to become familiar with appropriate interaction in American culture. Every moment an advisor has with a student is a teaching moment. A discussion with the student would be helpful to that student as well as to the advisor's colleagues who will interact with that student in the future. Some issues may be particularly challenging. For example, in some cultures it is appropriate to make the same request again and again after receiving an answer that the student believes is incorrect or is negotiable.

Student-athletes have unique academic requirements that can present different challenges as an advisor.  It is essential to understand that there are rules that apply to all student-athletes and then rules and requirements that are different depending upon the number of semesters they have completed.

Requirements that apply to all student athletes:

• Student-athletes must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 new hours per semester. Repeated courses where the student athlete earned a C or D will not count as new hours and can not be used towards the 12 hour requirement.
• Generally, student athletes may not take remedial courses during the academic year. Please do not enroll student athletes in remedial classes such as Intermediate Algebra unless the student is also enrolled (and understands that he/she must remain enrolled) in a minimum of 12 credit hours directly from the degree audit and the student is in his/her freshman year. Remedial coursework does not meet a degree requirement, and it will not apply toward the NCAA 12 credit hour minimum requirement.
• If at any point a student athlete drops below 12 hours, they will not be able to practice, compete, or receive athletic aid and could jeopardize their federal financial assistance.
• Student-athletes are recommended to take a minimum of 15 hours per semester in case they need to drop a class. A 15 credit hour schedule allows the student-athlete to drop a class later in the semester without jeopardizing their eligibility.
• Student-athletes usually will try to get their classes scheduled in a certain time frame to accommodate practice, conditioning, and competitions.
• Prior to the 5^th semester of school, student-athletes must declare a major if they have not already done so.

Student-athletes in their first four semesters: These student athletes may take any degree credit course towards the 12 hour requirement per semester. 

Student-athletes in 5^th semester & there after: At this point the student athlete must enroll in and pass 12 or more hours towards their declared major, minor, or emphasis. Any course a student-athlete takes that does not apply toward their major, minor, or emphasis can not be applied to the NCAA minimum 12 hour per semester requirement. 

If you have any questions about enrolling a student-athlete or other questions or concerns please contact the Academic & Compliance Office at 235-4067.

A student receiving veteran's benefits is subject to specific rules that impact the student's ability to receive the benefits. Please be aware of the following when advising a student who is receiving veteran's benefits:

• Watch out for short courses. A student may be enrolled in 12 hours, but if one of those is a short course, the student is only full time for the duration of those 12 hours. Once the short course is over, the student will be less than a full time student.
• ONLY courses on the student's degree audit can be counted for GI Bill. A course may be very helpful for a student, but if it is not required for graduation it cannot be counted.
• If you are substituting a course, make sure the paper work is completed as quickly as possible. A course that is not on a student's degree audit cannot be certified unless a substitution form has been received by the degree checking office.
• If a student is not attending class, then the student should be dropped from the course. The GI Bill pays a student for school attendance. If the student is not attending, then he/she is not entitled to receive federal money.
• A student who has completed basic training and submits a military transcript to the Registrar's office may receive credit for military training, specifically lifetime fitness will be waived upon receipt of the military transcript.

1.    What do you hope to do with your life?

2.    Why did you choose to come to Pitt State?

3.    What major or majors are you considering?

4.    Why have you chosen (or why are you considering) this majors - simply to prepare for a career?

• Do you really like that area of study?
• Do you think it will lead to a high paying job/prestigious job?

5.    Are there any special situations that we need to consider in planning your educational program?

• Do you have a job?
• Are you responsible for your family?
• Do you have a disability?
• Do you have military obligations?

6.    What questions do you have about:

• Pitt State?
• your major?
• requirements?
• scheduling?

7.    Where will you be living? What kinds of outside activities do you like (sports, music, theater, student government, literary, etc)?

8.    Are you aware of the resources available to you (tutoring, counseling, career planning, study abroad, honors, financial)?

9.    What, if anything, worries you about your college career? Do you have concerns about adjusting to the university?

10. How can I as you advisor help you most?

• PSU policies
• scheduling
• career guidance
• problems - personal, academic
• information

Download Student Information Sheet

Student Information Sheet                                                       Date: __________________

Student Name: _____________________________  PSU ID #: __________________________

Major & Emphasis: __________________________________ Minor: ______________________

Please provide your goal(s) for your educational experience at PSU.

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Please list your expectations of your academic advisor.

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Please provide any information about your academic preparation and experiences you believe would be helpful to me as your advisor.

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Please identify any concerns or challenges you have that might impact your success at PSU.

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Downlaod 4 Year Planning Sheet

Student Name: _____________________________  PSU ID #: __________________________

Major & Emphasis: __________________________________ Minor: ______________________

Freshman Year

Fall Semester                    Spring Semester               Summer Semester

_________________        _________________        _________________

_________________        _________________        _________________

_________________        _________________        _________________

_________________        _________________       

_________________        _________________       

_________________        _________________       

_________________        _________________       

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester                    Spring Semester               Summer Semester

_________________        _________________        _________________

_________________        _________________        _________________

_________________        _________________        _________________

_________________        _________________       

_________________        _________________       

_________________        _________________       

_________________        _________________       

Junior Year

Fall Semester                    Spring Semester               Summer Semester

_________________        _________________        _________________

_________________        _________________        _________________

_________________        _________________        _________________

_________________        _________________       

_________________        _________________       

_________________        _________________       

_________________        _________________       

Senior Year

Fall Semester                    Spring Semester               Summer Semester

_________________        _________________        _________________

_________________        _________________        _________________

_________________        _________________        _________________

_________________        _________________       

_________________        _________________       

_________________        _________________       

_________________        _________________

_____ Student is planning to study abroad. When? ____________________________

_____ Student is planning to have at least one internship. When? ________________

These are “Need” categories that are listed on a student’s audit. Reviewing these categories each semester will prevent deficiencies from becoming stumbling blocks to graduation.

You can find most of this information under the heading “Summary of Hours and Grade Points” below the current enrollment class schedule at the top of the audit. If any of these categories do not appear on the audit, then the student has met all the requirements for that “Need.”

Student name ___________________________________________ Date__________________

Reminder: Students can transfer only 6 semester hours of nonresident credit (distance courses or on-campus courses taken at another college or university) in their last 30 hours prior to graduation.

Download Overview Sheet

Download Student Information Sheet

Downlaod 4 Year Planning Sheet