Academic Advisement

Academic Advisors provide important assistance for students in the purposeful planning of their undergraduate liberal arts education. Advising is a shared decision-making process that helps students reach their maximum education potential. You’ll work together with your advisor to build a relationship that best addresses your needs, values, and goals while you’re a student.

Your advisor can help you in considering how you approach coursework, class scheduling, career planning, and tracking your academic progress and goals. They can also assist you in accessing any necessary campus resources, and offer other types of support for your college experience.

Mission Principles

Academic advising is a student-driven, collaborative partnership. It is a teaching and learning process that focuses on multiple aspects of student growth and development. Advisors guide, support, and empower students to independently learn, self-advocate, and consistently pursue their unique academic, career, and personal goals. The advising relationship fosters an environment in which the dignity and characteristics of each individual are recognized and respected.

Through connection with an academic advisor, you will be better able to:

• Identify clear academic, life and career goals;
• Understand the nature and purpose of your higher education;
• Effectively gain information about educational options, requirements, policies and procedures;
• Access appropriate university resources;
• Select a program of study consistent with your interests and abilities; and,
• Schedule appropriate courses.

Students are responsible for making decisions regarding personal and academic goals and ultimately satisfying all graduation requirements with the assistance of the academic advisor.

Exploratory Students

Exploratory students one of the largest admitted student major every year at Commonwealth University. As an exploratory studies student, you’ll be paired with an advisor who will help you find your path into an academic program by learning about your strengths, passions, and goals. You’ll engage with numerous areas of interest and work with your advisor, Alumni and Professional Engagement services, volunteering, job shadowing, and various programs outside the classroom.

Veterans utilizing the GI Bill to pay tuition may only be classified as ‘undeclared’ for two semesters.

Course Selection

CU’s general education curriculum offers students the flexibility explore academic programs and career possibilities while satisfying degree requirements. General education coursework provides a solid foundation of skills and knowledge valued by employers in all areas of the workforce.

Advisor-Student Partnership — Although the academic advisor assists students with decisions throughout the student's academic career, you are responsible for making decisions regarding personal and educational goals, and ultimately responsible for satisfying all graduation requirements. Your advisor can be of invaluable assistance to the student in defining and evaluating many goals and options for academic planning.

Scheduling and Grades

First-year students are blocked scheduled by the registrar in their first semester. From there, you’ll work with your advisor each semester to schedule your own courses. Students must maintain a 2.0 grade point average.

To maintain good academic standing, students must maintain a 2.0 grade point average or higher. Falling below that GPA can results in academic warning, probation, or dismissal. Federal law stipulates student grades may be provided to the student. Parents wishing to follow their student’s academic progress of their daughter or son must gain the information from their student. Grades are not mailed, however every student can access them using their student portal.

Resources

• Course Search
• General Education Courses
• General Education Requirements
• GPA Computation
• Student Success Specialists

First-Generation Student Testimonials