Forms & FAQ's

Questions about the resources below? Contact Swenson College Advising and Academic Services office, Montague Hall 107, 218-726-7585

Advising Worksheets  

GPA Calculators 

Predictive GPA Calculator using UM Login to auto-populate
One-Stop GPA Calculator

Major, Minors or Advisor Requests

Declare, Change, or Drop SCSE MajorUse if you are a: 

  • Swenson student declaring or changing a SCSE major
  • Swenson student adding a second Swenson major of the same degree type (B.S. and B.S.). 
  • Swenson student who is already a dual degree and adding another major of the same degree type (BIOL B.S, Criminology B.A. adding a Chem B.A.)
  • Student in CAHSS, CEHSP or LSBE adding a second major of the same degree type (ex. B.S. Linguistics and B.S. Computer Science)
     

Dual Degree Program Application - UndergraduateUse to request two different degree types
Dual degree request must be submitted no less than 1 term prior to the graduating term

  • Example: B.S. Biochemistry and  B.A. Chemistry (two different degrees in the same college)
  • Example: B.S. Computer Science and B.A. Music (two different degrees in two different colleges)
  • Example: B.S.I.E and B.S.M.E (two different engineering degrees)
  • Example: B.S.E.P and Physics BS (Any Engineering major and major with degree of either BS or BA)

     

Declare or Change SCSE MinorAny UMD student declaring or changing a SCSE minor

Minor Declaration Forms (other UMD Colleges)

Certificates

Application for UMD CertificateView certificates options in the UMD catalog 

UMD Biology BS or BA Medical Laboratory Science Certificate  (MLS Affiliate Certificate) 
Meet with an advisor in the Biology dept. or SCSE Advising

Advisor Change

Advisor Change Request

  • For current students remaining in their major, but requesting a change of advisor.

SCSE Academic Record update Request

APAS Catalog Year Update: Refer to the UMD Catalog for more information on catalog year policies. Current students follow the catalog requirement year of the year they entered UMD. 

  • Students may elect to follow a different catalog years for a major or minor. 

  • Students may elect to request an "update" to a current catalog year with updated requirements or new courses that have been added/removed.  

  • Current students who entered UMD prior to Fall 2023, may update their major to a current requirement year, but retain their lib Ed program Fall 2022 or prior.

APAS report amendments: How do I request an update or substitution?

Reach out to a SCSE professional advisor with your questions: 
Location MontH 107 or email [email protected]

SCSE professional advisors can assist with the following:

  • Catalog Year Specification - students may choose to fulfill degree requirements identified in any combination of UMD catalogs in effect since entering a college or university.
  • Transfer credit waiver (example: the transfer course is 5 credits and ours is 4)
  • Transfer Course Substitution - a transfer course from another college/university to substitute for a required course within the major at UMD that is already approved. 

Department head or designee approval will be needed for:
  • Course Substitution - an elective course within the major to substitute for a required course within the major
  • Course Waiver - waiver of a required course

Please be aware that the processing time frame can range from immediate at visit to a timeframe of 7-14 days depending on time of year. 

UMD One Stop Forms

  • Academic Status
  • Admissions, Transfer, and Re-enrollment
  • Appeals and UMD Academic Petitions
  • Change of College application form
  • Financial Aid
  • Graduation
  • Loans
  • Registration
  • Student Account
  • Student Records and Personal Information

Frequently Asked Questions

If you can't find answers to your questions below, contact Swenson College Advising and Academic Services office for more details.

Academic Policies

Academic Right and Responsibilities. Understanding academic policies and registration guidelines is an important part of undergraduate education.

  • The Academic Affairs Policy Library contains information ranging from Academic standing, credit, grading and transcripts, academic holds and more. Review the link to explore all policies.
  • Registration Guidelines details information such as the "first day of the class attendance policy," Multi-Institutional or Cross Institution registration, repeating courses and more. 

Advisor Info

  • Who is my advisor? The assigned advisor is typically a faculty member in the declared major or a professional advisor in the Swenson College advising office. Your advisor’s name is found in MyU within the academics tab. It is also found at the top of the APAS (Academic Progress Audit System) report, transcript, Enrollment Summary and more.
  • Can I change my advisor? To request a change of advisor in the same department, go to Swenson College Advising and Academic Services office located in MontH 107. Or complete the request using the Advisor Change Request link on this page. 
  • How do I contact my advisor? A link to your advisor's contact information is in MyU. Or use the UMD People Search to find phone numbers, office locations, and email addresses.
  • How do I schedule an appointment with my advisor? Advisors can be reached by phone, email, or during their office hours. UMD email is the official means of online communication. Just prior to course registration each semester, advisors post sign-up sheets outside their offices or provide an electronic calendar for appointments just prior to course registration each semester.
  • How do I remove an Advising Hold? Swenson College students are required to meet with their assigned advisors each semester prior to registration. The Advising Hold prevents online registration and will be released after the advising meeting. Check the “effective date” of any hold, which may be a future date that will not prevent your registration for the current semester.

What is APAS?

APAS (Academic Progress Audit System) report is the official student tool used to verify how degree requirements are being met. Students can explore undergraduate majors and minors using the “What if” function in APAS. APAS also generates a Transfer Course Evaluation report. The APAS report should be reviewed by students before and after course registration. 

How to apply for financial aid

To be considered for financial aid at UMD, complete a FAFSA for the current year, either online (FAFSA on the Web) or by using a paper application available at the Student Assistance Center. UMD encourages all students to apply and complete the FAFSA early. Some financial aid programs have limited funding and deadline requirements. Late application may lose eligibility for some awards. View the UMD Financial Aid application website for guidelines.

How to apply for graduation

Check your APAS report to ensure that the major(s) and minor(s) you are completing are declared on the system. After completion of 90 credits, complete the online Application for Degree. Earning more than one degree? Complete a separate application for each degree.  Apply for the term in which you expect to complete all your degree requirements (i.e., last term of enrollment). Apply up to one year before you expect to complete all degree requirements. You must apply no later than the deadline for each term. Go to "Commence! UMD Commencement Manager" to verify name, address, and sign up to participate in commencement. For more information, see the Application for Undergraduate Degree FAQ.

How to change your expected graduation term

If you have previously applied to graduate and need to change your Expected Graduation Term, complete the Request to Change Graduation Term. The request should be for the term in which degree requirements will be met.

Graduating with Honors

At UMD, 15 percent of the graduating class of each college can graduate with Latin honors. The top 3% of the class graduates summa cum laude; the next 5% of graduates magna cum laude; and the next 7% graduate cum laude. To be eligible for honors, students must earn at least 45 credits from UMD.

How to apply for a scholarship

The general UMD Scholarship Application, available from the UMD Office of Admissions, is used for most freshman scholarships. Check scholarships criteria. Some scholarships may require a student to show financial need or meet demographic criteria; demonstrate interests, talents or abilities. Freshmen and current UMD students can find scholarships on the UMD Financial Aid office’s Scholarship web page. Additionally, each department within Swenson College offer some scholarship awards. See the Swenson College Scholarships page for a complete listing, and stop in at each department’s home office for applications.

How to apply for Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Students have the opportunity to do undergraduate research through three Swenson College Programs:

  • UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program)
  • SURP (Summer Undergraduate Research Program)
  • BURST (Biological Undergraduate Research in Science and Technology)

These programs encourage students to conduct research and pursue academic interests outside of their regular courses by employing them to work on special research projects. Applications and more information are available here: Research.

What is the University Catalog?

The UMD Academic Catalog contains information about academic programs, degree requirements, course information, Academic Policies. Both current and archived catalogs are available online.

  • All students should get to know the information in the catalog and use it during academic planning.
  • Returning and transfer students should review  “About Catalog Use”.

Joining a club/organization

Swenson College sponsors several of the 150 UMD registered clubs and student organizations. Some organizations are limited to students within a particular major, but many are open to the entire student population. The Kirby Student Center maintains a complete listing of opportunities to explore interests and gain experience beyond the classroom.

Returning to Swenson College? We welcome you to submit the following:

How to withdraw from a course/courses or from the University

Refer to UMD Calendar for withdrawal information and Cancel/Add & Refund Deadlines.

Medical withdrawals from one course or all courses require completion of a Petition for Academic Policy or Tuition Refund for UMD Students. A Medical Condition Verification by a medical professional is also required.

Make informed decisions and talk with professionals before withdrawal from the University. There is a range of reasons students change registration status. Please follow the steps for Leave of Absence, Transfer Credits and Return. If only out for two semesters, a student can simply register. Beyond two semesters a student will need to submit a Readmission/Return From Leave of Absence Request.