Advising is a form of teaching. Faculty advising of students involves formal matters such as approving course schedules prior to registration, helping students devise plans for their majors and other academic programs, and prompting students to monitor their own academic progress toward the degree. Faculty advising also includes conversation about students’ developing academic life and aspirations for the future. As students move toward graduation, faculty advisors, together with the career center staff, can offer guidance about employment and about graduate and professional school. Students should cultivate this advising relationship and draw on it throughout their time at Mount St. Mary’s.

Assignment of Faculty Advisors to Students

During freshman year, freshman seminar instructors advise first-year students. This ensures that students will see their advisors regularly and that the advisor will know the academic progress of his or her seminar students. Beginning in the sophomore year, students who have chosen a major are assigned a faculty advisor from their major department(s). The dean for academic affairs makes this assignment. For various reasons, a student may decide to change to a new major from the one originally declared; if so, the dean will assign the student a new advisor. Through the dean for academic affairs' office, students may also request a change of advisors within their major department. Students who elect a second major should request that the dean's office assign them an advisor in that second department, but their first advisor will remain the advisor of record. Students who elect a minor are encouraged to cultivate an informal advising relationship with a faculty member in that program.