Academic Advising

The liberal arts curriculum affords students the opportunity to explore a variety of academic disciplines in addition to the major, and earning a degree involves much more than simply amassing credits. Sound academic advising is essential.

Although members of the faculty and staff are available to provide advisement, students are responsible for understanding the academic regulations and for ensuring completion of the coursework necessary for fulfillment of the degree requirements. Detailed explanations of SAS policies and degree requirements can be found on the SAS Academic Services website.

Students have access to a number of special resources throughout their undergraduate career:

General Education Advising. All students admitted to the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) receive academic advising and select their first-semester courses during special academic orientation sessions. Students who are transferring from another institution will receive a curriculum summary that shows the courses accepted for transfer credit. For many of the courses on this summary the awarded credit will be indicated, but the specific Rutgers SAS equivalency, if needed, must be determined later by the appropriate academic department.

During the first year, students are urged to select their program in consultation with an academic adviser based on interest and the results of required writing, mathematics, and foreign language placement exams. Students are advised by members of the university staff and by faculty members from various disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and science/mathematics areas. The deans and advisers in the Office of Academic Services serve students with undeclared majors and students with questions regarding the SAS liberal arts distribution requirements. See http://sasundergrad.rutgers.edu for further information.

Major Advisers. Students should develop an academic plan and are ordinarily expected to declare their major and minor by the end of their fourth college semester. Students should seek advice from their major department on a regular basis to obtain guidance for research and internship opportunities, special awards, career goals, graduate school applications, and other professional matters.

Specialty Advisers. Students may seek specialty advice from a variety of sources, including the Health Professions Office, Career Services, Pre-Law Advising, a variety of certificate programs, and others.

Degree Navigator. Students should routinely consult the Degree Navigator system (http://dn.rutgers.edu) throughout their course of study at SAS. This program provides useful information for monitoring progress in the major, the minor, and liberal arts distribution requirements. It is meant only to be a tool and not a substitute for consultation with an academic adviser.