Choosing Your Courses

Tips for Planning Your Coursework

Both you and your advisor have planning responsibilities.

While you ultimately make your own decisions about your academic plans and careers, advisors assist you with the decision-making process and exploration of options.

You are encouraged to establish a close working relationship with your academic advisor and meet regularly with him or her to develop a better understanding of their responsibilities and requirements of the curriculum.

The Swenson College of Science and Engineering Academic Advising Office will assign you an advisor. Freshman, transfer students and undeclared students work with professional advising staff. Eventually students have the opportunity to work with a faculty advisor in their field of study.

If your interests or major objectives change, you should request a change of adviser at the Academic Advising Office of the college that offers the desired program or major.

Announcements

  • Permission Numbers:

    • For 1000 level courses email [email protected]

    • For 2000 level courses and higher send an email to the course instructor

    • In all permission number emails the subject should be "Permission number request" and include your name, student ID number, your UMD email address, the course name/number, the section number, and a copy of your APAS report.

  • All registration functions are available until the end of the open registration period: midnight the second day of classes.

  • Petitions should be completed at the SCSE Academic Advising Office in ENGR 140.

  • Other important deadlines can be found on the Registrars site: Academic Dates and Deadlines.

Advising Information

Both students and advisors have advising responsibilities. All email correspondence must come from your official UMD email account. Please include your full name and ID number so that your advisor can easily access your academic information to better assist you.

To check your registration date, check the registration tab under academics in MyU.

If you have any questions, please contact the Biology office at (218) 726-6262 or [email protected]

Advising meeting information

All incoming Department of Biology freshmen must meet with an advisor before registering for classes. The three-week advising period begins one week before the beginning of every registration queue. You should come to your meeting with a copy of your Academic Progress Audit System (APAS). When you meet with your advisor, you should discuss your current courses with emphasis on whether you feel your course load is too heavy or too light. To plan for the future semester you should review your catalog degree requirements which have been individualized to your record as shown on your APAS report. Your APAS may have errors, so make sure you discuss any problems (missing courses or grades) with your advisor or the SCSE Advising Office ([email protected]).

The Graduation Planner is located at plan.umn.edu.

There is a quick start explanation for the Graduation Planner.

To view major program sheets, click the year of the program you are following. The catalog year for your degree requirements defaults to the year you entered UMD unless you tell us otherwise. Forms to change your catalog year are available in the SCSE Advising Office in Montague Hall 107. In general, you may follow any catalog from the semester you enter until the semester you graduate. The catalog link, on the other hand, defaults to the current catalog - ensure that you are following the correct catalog. Your catalog year is listed on the top, left of your APAS report.