Who gets an academic advisor?
Undergraduate, degree-seeking students at UNC Asheville are required to see their academic advisor at least once a semester, and are strongly encouraged to stay in regular contact with them throughout the year. Advisors guide students through course scheduling, major/minor selection, career and graduate school planning, and personal and academic difficulties.
Students seeking a second degree, teacher licensure or certificate of major from UNC Asheville are also required to have an academic advisor.
Graduate students should see the Master's of Liberal Arts staff for advisor assignments.
Dual enrollment, visiting, and non-degree seeking students are not required to have academic advisors, but we strongly recommend that you develop a relationship with a faculty or staff member whom you can go to with questions or concerns.
How do I change my academic advisor?
You can change your advisor at any time, based on your personal and academic needs. You can also have multiple advisors for multiple academic interests (for instance, if you are majoring in Management but also interest in Education, you can have an advisor from each discipline). If you have not officially declared your major, you can change advisors, or add an advisor, by completing the Advisor Change Form and turning it into the Advising & Learning Support Center. If you have declared your major, you can change your major advisor by taking the Major Declaration form to the chair of your major department and having them assign you a new advisor. You can use this same process to change your minor advisor if you have declared a minor.
What is advising all about?
Most people think advising is just about classes, but that's not true. Sure, meeting with your advisor gives you a chance to talk about majors, minors, classes, and graduation, but you should also discuss other questions, concerns, or ideas you have about your time at UNC Asheville with your advisor. Have you thought about undergraduate research? Your advisor can help you find someone to guide and mentor you through your project. Are you considering an internship? Your advisor may know someone in your area of interest who can help you set up an on- or off-campus experience. What about that trouble you're having with study skills or time management? Your advisor is someone who has worked on these skills throughout their time in academia, and they will have plenty of good advice for you.
Take advantage of the advising process--it is a chance to get to know a faculty member in a different, unique, and meaningful way!