When you declare your major, you will learn about the undergraduate advising system in your major department or program. This can take different forms: In some cases, the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) handles all major advising; in others, the DUS does some of the advising along with other members of the faculty. Some departments and programs assign students to a specific adviser, while others have a number of advisers available at given times, and students may see whoever best fits their schedule.
Major advisers are valuable resources. They can help you understand what it means to major in a field, pick classes within the major, and check on your progress toward completing requirements. They can help you tailor your work in your major to your interests. They can also be an excellent place to start if you want to learn more about internships, research, career, and graduate school options for students with your interests. You must also see your major adviser a year before graduation to complete an application for a bachelor's degree, also called a Petition to Graduate.
You should feel free to seek out other faculty members in the major too. You can attend your professor's office hours to learn more about comments he or she made in class. You can find a professor who is working on research you'd like to be involved in. The relationships you form with faculty members will enrich your undergraduate experience. They will provide you with good people to give you guidance, people who will stimulate your thinking - people who can write you letters of recommendation as you look forward to the next stage of your life.
Majors and Minors
Advising and Academic Resources
For Freshmen
