Forms & FAQs

Questions about the resources below? Contact the Swenson College Advising and Academic Services office at:
Montague Hall 107
(218) 726-7585
[email protected]

Academic Resources

Advising Worksheets

GPA Calculators

Major, Minor, Certificate or Advisor Requests

Major Forms

Declare, Change, or Drop SCSE Major

Use 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 - Undergraduate

Use 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)

Minor Forms

Declare, Change, or Drop SCSE Minor
For any UMD student declaring or changing a SCSE minor

CAHSS Minor Add or Drop

CEHSP Minor Add or Drop

LSBE Minor Add or Drop

Certificates

Application for UMD Certificate

View certificates options in the UMD catalog

For the 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 Request

SCSE Advisor Change Request

For current SCSE 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 different catalog years for majors and minors.
  • 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 catalog at 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:
Visit us in Montague Hall 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 - substitute a transfer course from another college/university for a required course within the major at UMD that is already approved.
Department head or designee approval will be needed for:
  • Course Substitution - substitute an elective course within the major 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 immediately at your visit, to a timeframe of 7-14 days depending on the time of year.

UMD One-Stop Forms

You can find the following forms on the UMD One-Stop Forms page

All 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 Rights 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.
  • The Registration Guidelines detail 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? Your 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 in the "Academics" tab under "My Advisor(s)" It is also found at the top of your APAS (Academic Progress Audit System) report, transcript, 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 Montague Hall 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. You can also 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. Advisors also post sign-up sheets outside their offices or provide an electronic calendar for appointments shortly before 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 necessarily prevent your registration for the current semester.

What is APAS?

The 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. You can do the FAFSA online (preferred for faster processing) or complete 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 applications may lose eligibility for some awards. View the UMD Financial Aid page 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 Graduation. 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 your name, address, and sign up to participate in commencement (only available after you have applied to graduate). For more information, see the Undergraduate Graduation Steps page

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 form. 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% graduate 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. Make sure to check each scholarship's criteria. Some scholarships may require a student to show financial need or meet demographic criteria, or demonstrate interests, talents, or abilities. Freshmen and current UMD students can find scholarships on the UMD Onestop Scholarships page. Additionally, each department within Swenson College offers some scholarship awards. See the Swenson College Scholarships & Awards page for a complete listing, and stop in at each department's 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 on the SCSE Research home page.

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 the Catalog User Guide.

Joining a club/organization

Swenson College sponsors several of the 200+ UMD registered clubs and student organizations. Some organizations are limited to students within a particular major, but most 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 Onestop for course withdrawal information Be sure to check the Drop & 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 withdrawing from the University. There is a range of reasons why students may change registration status. Please follow the steps for taking a Leave of Absence or Withdrawal. If only out for one or two semesters, a student can simply register. Beyond two semesters, a student will need to submit a Readmission/Return From Leave of Absence Request.