Advising FAQ's
Check out our Student Services blog to find out more about topics not covered here as well as ask questions and suggest topics relevant for all students! http://nucasadvising.blogspot.com/
How do I make an appointment with my Advisor?
What is the MyPaws/DARS Degree Audit?
How do I register for my courses?/ I don't know what courses to select.
How do I change my Major?
How do I change my Minor?
Who do I see to change my Division?
Who do I see to change my Graduation Year?
What is Graduation Clearance, and how do I complete it?
I don't check my MyNeu email, what should I do?
I need to petition the Academic Standing Committee, what do I do?
- Forms
- Program of Study Petition - To change majors or minors
- Student Referral Form - For advisors to give referral info to students
- Registrar's Office Forms
- How do I make an appointment with my Advisor?
As a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, you have multiple advisors. The nature of your question will determine which advisor you should see.
Students in the General Studies Program have a separate set of advisors, for more information, check out the GSP website.- Registration questions should start with your Faculty Advisor (a.k.a. Major or Department Advisor).
- Questions regarding major/department specific requirements and registration should be directed to your Faculty Advisor.
- Questions regarding core requirements, general academic planning, study abroad, outstanding transfer credit issues, registration, or leaves of absence should be directed to your Academic Advisor. (a.k.a. Dean’s Office Advisor)
- Questions regarding Co-op placement and division changes need to be directed to your Co-op Advisor.
- Click here for a list of advisors
- What is the MyPaws/DARS Degree Audit?
The MyPaws (or DARS) Degree Audit is a very useful tool to help you determine your progress in your major. You can find your audit when you log into your MyNeu and click on the “Self-Service” tab. Here are some main points to the audit.- Unless you want to run an audit for a minor or a different major, you will not need to alter any of the default settings, just click on “Submit.”
- Each Major and Core requirement is split into its own section. If there is a “Yes” next to a section, you have completed all of those requirements. If there is a “No” next to a section, there are still requirements that you need to complete.
- If you have requirements still to complete, you will be presented with a list of potential courses that you could take to fulfill that requirement. If you click on a Course Number, you will see the course description for the course.
- Please refer to the Registration Tip Sheet for more information on registration
- How do I register for my courses?/I don't know what courses to select.
- Check out the Registration Tip Sheet.
- How do I change my Major?
- First download and print the Program of Study Petition.
- Students in the General Studies Program have a different process. Please review the GSP website and contact your advisor to find out how to apply for sophomore standing and declare your major.
- Fill out your information in Part 1 and indicate your new major in Part 2.
- If you are declaring or changing your primary major, select the 2nd check box: "Change major to"
- If there is a concentration associated with the new major, you can declare the concentration by selecting the 6th check box: "Pursue a concentration in"
- If you are declaring a dual major, you will select the 2nd check box: "Change major to". Note: Dual majors are not two different majors, but a special "Hybrid" major between two other existing programs.
- If your current major is outside of the College of Arts and Sciences, select the third check box: "Transfer to another college at NU, majoring in" and indicate your new major that is in the College of Arts and Sciences.
- If you are declaring a second major, choose the 4th check box: "Pursue a second major in"
- If you are declaring or changing your primary major, select the 2nd check box: "Change major to"
- Go to the department that offers the major you are declaring. (The location and contact information is listed on the second page of the Program of Study Petition.) Meet with a Faculty Advisor, and when they approve you for the major, have them sign on the second line in Part 3.
- Return your Program of Study Petition to 1 Meserve Hall. We will complete the processing of petition. Once you have the signature from the Faculty Advisor, the major change is official. This last step is only clerical, so the major can be added to your record. You will know that this last process is complete when your MyPaws (DARS) Degree Audit defaults to the new major.
- First download and print the Program of Study Petition.
- How do I declare a Minor?
- First download and print the Program of Study Petition.
- Fill out your information in Part 1 and indicate your new minor in Part 2, by selecting the 5th check box: "Pursue a minor in"
- Go to the department that offers the minor you are declaring. (The location and contact information is listed on the second page of the Program of Study Petition.) Meet with a Faculty Advisor, and when they approve you for the minor, have them sign on the second line in Part 3.
- Return your Program of Study Petition to 1 Meserve Hall. We will complete the processing of petition. Once you have the signature from the Faculty Advisor, the minor declaration is official. This last step is only clerical, so the minor can be added to your record.
- Unfortunately, due to system limitations, you will not see the minor appear anywhere on your MyNeu. It will also not appear on your transcript until after you graduate.
- You can however, always track your progress in your minor by looking at a degree audit of the minor. See "What is the MyPaws/DARS Degree Audit?"
- Who do I see to change my Division?
- Division changes almost always involve changes to when a student is going out on Co-op. That is, division changes are either setting a student's record to go out on a future Co-op or are setting a student's record so that they won't be going out on any further Co-op's. Since roughly 95% of division changes involve Co-op, please contact your Co-op advisor to initiate this change. You can find your Co-op advisor here. You can also call our front desk at 617-373-3980 to speak with someone who can help you determine the right advisor to help you with your division change.
- Who do I see to change my Grad Year?
- Please contact your Academic (Dean's Office) advisor to make changes to your graduation year. Find your Academic advisor here. Please note: Your advisor cannot change your graduation year in your Freshman year, and cannot change your graduation year in your Junior or Senior year until you complete your Graduation Clearance. Please call 617-373-3980 to set up an appointment or to learn about your Academic Advisor's Walk-In hours.
- What is Graduation Clearance, and how do I complete it?
- Graduation Clearance is a process that must be completed by every student that is in their Junior or Senior year. If you fail to complete your Graduation Clearance, you will not be allowed to graduate and will not receive your degree.
- Fortunately, it's easy to complete! Call 617-373-3980 to set up an appointment with your Academic (Dean's Office) Advisor.
- Why is it important?
- First and foremost, it lets our office know when you anticipate graduating. Then you're on our radar, and we'll keep track of your progress towards your degree completion. We'll notify all the appropriate offices when you've completed all requirements and are cleared to graduate and receive your diploma.
- In your meeting, your advisor will map out each and every detail you need to do so you can successfully graduate.
- We'll let you know if there's anything else that you need to do and expect so you don't experience any unpleasant surprises as graduation approaches.
- I don't check my MyNeu email, what should I do?
- Forward it!
- 1)Log into your MyNeu, and then click on the email button at the top.
- 2) Click on the "Options" tab
- 3) Click on "Auto Forward"
- 4) Enter the email address that you want your @neu.edu email to be forwarded to
- 5) Click "OK"
- Now you're all set to never miss an important announcement from your professor, advisor, or any other NEU faculty or staff member.
- This is very important! Your @neu.edu email address is considered an official form of communication. If you don't check your MyNeu email and don't have it forwarded, "I didn't know because I didn't check my MyNeu email." isn’t' an excuse and won't undo missed deadlines.
- Forward it!
- I need to petition the Academic Standing Committee, what do I do?
- The first thing you should do is talk to your Academic Advisor about the details pertaining to your petition.
- Write your petition letter. There is no form to fill out. This is a letter.
- Address it to: Academic Standing Committee
- Your explanation of your current situation comes first.
- Your explanation what you are petitioning for comes next.
- Your explanation of your justification and reasoning for why your petition should be approved comes last.
- Give your petition a lot of thought and make sure it's well written. It's obvious when a student has neglected to take their petition seriously, and it will negatively affect the decision made by the committee.
- Submit it to your Academic Advisor in 1 Meserve. You can hand deliver it or send it via email. Your advisor will serve as a liaison with the committee and will contact you when a decision has been made.
- Do you have a question that's not covered here?
- Check out our blog: http://nucasadvising.blogspot.com/
- Call us at 617-373-3980
- Email us!