Winter 2010 Advising Notes
Advising Information
Quick Reference
- Registration for the summer 2010 semester begins Monday, March 15th.
- Registration for the fall 2010 semester begins Friday, March 19th.
- Last day to drop a winter 2010 full semester course and receive a "W” grade is March 26th.
- 2010 summer and fall semester course offering listings will be available by March 9th.
- Add/Drop Procedure
- Advising Sheets
- Course Offerings
- Course Substitutions/Waivers
- Double Counting
- GPA Calculator
- Guest Student information
- Liberal Studies Program and Graduation Requirements(2009-2010)
- Math Placement FAQ
- Registrar's Office
- Registration Week Schedule
- Transfer Student reference
- Senior Checklist
- "What to do with a Major in…”
- 2009-2010 Undergraduate Bulletin
- Undergraduate Bulletin (archived years)
Academic and Career Advisement Center
Visit ACAC online at: www.nmu.edu/acac. The ACAC website is a comprehensive web resource for advising information:
Academic Support Services
Free academic support services are available for NMU students. Please visit www.nmu.edu/tutoring for detailed information about these resources, or click below to visit the resource of your choice:
- All Campus Tutoring (ACT)
- Computer Science and Math Labs
- Jacobetti Complex Tutoring
- Language Lab
- Student Support Services (SSS)
- Writing Center
Do any of your advisees experience academic difficulties not addressed by the services listed above? If so, the Academic and Career Advisement Center's Skill Development web page may prove helpful. The web-based resources are meant to be used as a means to facilitate discussion related to academic skill development.
For additional information, or to make a referral, please contact Bill Richards (Coordinator, Academic Support Services) at campus extension 2971.
Career Exploration
Meeting with an advisee that is unsure about their major? Their career path? Their options?
ACAC offers an on-line career assessment for all NMU students. FOCUS V2 is a self-paced career and education planning tool. It enables students to assess their career-relevant personal qualities and explore career fields and major areas of study that are most compatible with their assessment results. Students who use FOCUS make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to self-manage their career selection.
If your advisees are interested in taking the Focus V2 Assessment, please have them schedule an appointment with an ACAC adviser to arrange for a user name & password. Appointments can be scheduled by calling campus extension 2971.
Financial Aid Office
Are you working with a student that wants/needs to repeat a course? How will that course repeat impact their financial aid eligibility? You might be surprised.
Faculty advisers should become familiar with the NMU Financial Aid Repeat Policy. Knowledge of the policy is the best way to avoid potentially adverse financial aid situations related to repeating courses.
Online Degree Evaluation
NMU's on-line Curriculum, Advising, and Program Planning (CAPP) Degree Evaluation program is available to students through mynmu.nmu.edu. Students have the capability of generating an unofficial degree evaluation for the program in which they are currently declared.
Advisers are also able to generate informal degree evaluations for their advisees. Directions are below:
- Log in to mynmu.nmu.edu,
- Once logged in, click the "Advisor Services” tab,
- Refer to the "Advisee Information” section,
- Click the ‘Advisee Degree Evaluation (degree audit)” link,
- Then follow the prompts.
Faculty are reminded that most, but not all, majors are available on CAPP. For a list of those major programs not available on CAPP,
visit: /records/node/41
Additionally, Course Substitutions/Waivers will not be applied until students are eligible to receive an official degree evaluation. Official degree evaluations are generated for baccalaureate students at 87 earned credit hours, associate students at 32 earned credit hours, and certificate students at 16 earned credit hours.
Faculty with questions on how to access online degree evaluations should first talk with their department head. They may also contact the Assistant Registrar, Sara Niemi, at 227-1350. Sara is in charge of the degree audit process and keeps online programs up-to-date. She specifically wants to hear from anyone who believes there is an error with the online evaluation system.
Each October and March, Degree Audit staff review records for undergraduate students eligible for an official degree evaluation: Bachelor candidates with 87 earned credits; Associate candidates with 36 earned credits; and Certificate/Diploma candidates with 16 earned credits. Once an evaluation is generated, students and their major department are notified by email that an official evaluation is available.
Registrar's Office
Important Registration Dates:
- Course registration for the up-coming fall semester takes place from March 19th through March 29th.
- Registration for the summer semester begins on March 15th.
- 2010 summer and fall semester course offering listings will be available by March 9th. The listings can be accessed from the Registrar's website (www.nmu.edu/records), or directly from the NMU homepage (www.nmu.edu).
- Students' specific registration dates and times will be available via my.nmu by March 12th. To view a detailed registration schedule, visit /records/node/37.
Course Substitutions:
When thinking about making a course substitution, please keep in mind that substitutions may only be made if the specified criteria are met. The faculty adviser, with the support of the department head, may substitute a required course in their major or minor with another departmental course when:
- There has been a curriculum revision and the required course listed is no longer offered;
- The student is in the final semester before graduation and one required course is offered at a time that conflicts with another required course, or a required course is not being offered during that final semester;
- The same course is required in the student's minor, second major or minor; or
- The faculty adviser has waived a requirement and has selected another course to complete the required hours.
The use of course substitutions and the waiving of requirements is restricted to 50 percent or less of the stipulated course requirements for each major or minor.
Change to Post-Baccalaureate degree requirements:
The Academic Senate and Provost recently approved a change to post-baccalaureate degree requirements. From this point forward, we will waive liberal studies and graduation requirements (health promotion, world cultures, and laboratory science course) for any student entering NMU as a post-baccalaureate who has earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited University. This means the only requirements post-baccalaureate students will need to complete are those required by the academic program they are pursuing. There are a couple of other things to keep in mind when working with post-baccalaureate students:
- These students do not receive a transfer credit evaluation. Each department is expected to work with the students on an individual basis to review their program requirements and determine what the student is missing.
- Students cannot earn a degree in something similar to what they have already earned a degree in. The requirements for the second degree (major) must be at least 50% different than those courses applied toward a previously earned degree.
Student Athlete Advising
Some tips for advising student athletes:
- Each semester, student athletes MUST be enrolled in at least 12 degree-applicable credits.
- Furthermore, course choices must be filed with the Registrar's Office and submitted as part of the student's Plan of Study. Bottom line: Student athletes cannot enroll in "random” courses. If a student athlete is taking elective courses, those elective courses must be approved by the adviser, and then filed with the Registrar's office.
- In order for student athletes to be eligible for athletic participation and competition, they must be actively pursuing a baccalaureate-level degree.
- The university administration endorses a policy that permits student athletes to be excused from class due to athletics travel or home competition. Faculty members are to provide student athletes with reasonable accommodations to make up missed course work due to the circumstances listed above.
If your student athlete advisee has questions that you cannot answer - please feel free to contact:
- Bridget Beerman (Assistant Director of Athletics). Bridget has extensive knowledge regarding NCAA academic rules and regulations for student athletes. Via phone at 227-2371, or via email at bbeerman@nmu.edu.
- Julie Rochester (Associate Professor and NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative to the NCAA). Julie provides oversight and advice in the administration of the institutional athletics program, including academic oversight of student athletes. Via phone at 227-2026, or via email at jrochest@nmu.edu.
Undergraduate Bulletin: Course Availability and Pre-Requisite Functions
The 2009-2010 Undergraduate Bulletin allows users to query when certain courses are offered. This will be especially helpful if you work with a student who wants to plan out subsequent semesters, and needs to know during which semester(s) a course will be offered.
- Visit www.nmu.edu/bulletin,
- Select the "Courses” tab at the top of the page,
- Click the "Search for courses” link,
- Provide the course information,
- Then select the term in question using the "Offered” tab,
- Finally, make sure to hit the "Search” button at the bottom of the page.
Need to know the pre-requisite or co-requisite for a particular course? Follow these steps:
- Visit www.nmu.edu/bulletin,
- Select the "Courses” tab at the top of the page,
- Click the "Search for courses” link,
- Provide the course information (prefix and exact course number),
- Finally, make sure to hit the "Search” button at the bottom of the page.
Departmental News
Center for Native American Studies
The Center for Native American Studies offers a variety of classes during the summer sessions.
- NAS 295 Special Topics: Native American Beadwork Styles: The three week intensive course will provide students with not only a learning lab for beadwork, but also an overview on techniques from different tribes and regions. Students will work together to create one community project as well as individual projects.
- NAS 295 Special Topics: Anishinaabe Seasonal Exploration: These two week intensive courses are led by Anishinaabe Language instructor Kenn Pitawanakwat who uses the outdoors as a language lab. Students will go on hikes, sit around our fire site in an effort for students to use all of five senses (yes, they even make fry bread on some days) and bring language learning to a different level. Kenn balances technology with a bit of the outdoors.
- NAS 204 Native American Experience
- NAS 288 Politics of Indian Gaming
- NAS 340 Kinomaage: Earth Shows Us the Way
- NAS 485 American Indian Education
Many of the courses listed above fulfill Liberal Studies requirements. Course descriptions are available at www.nmu.edu/bulletin.
For more information about the programs and courses offered by the Center, visit www.nmu.edu/nativeamericans, or feel free to call 906-227-1397 (during business hours).
Chemistry
Advisers should know that students should take either the Math Placement or Math Diagnostic test prior to enrolling in CH 105, CH 107, or CH 111. Students will not be able to register for the above courses until an appropriate math placement result (or pre-requisite course) is in place. Advisers are also encouraged to refer to the course description section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for further clarification of math course prerequisites for the chemistry courses listed above.
CH 108 has been replaced with CH 109.
Questions should be directed to the Chemistry department, at campus extension 2911.
College of Business
The College of Business provides several minor programs that are well-aligned with most non-business major programs. Current College of Business minor offerings are: Accounting, Business Administration, Computer Information Systems, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Management, Marketing, and Office Services.
For more information, please visit www.nmu.edu/bizminors.
Criminal Justice
Students interested in pursuing a Criminal Justice degree should meet with advisers in the Criminal Justice department. Faculty in that department use advising sheets specific to their academic program to advise students. It is best if students are advised using the Criminal Justice department's specific advising sheets.
Economics
Before your advisees register for EC 101, they should consider:
- In order to register for EC 101, a student must have never earned credit for a college-level economics course (particularly EC 201 and/or EC 202), or received advanced placement from a high school experience.
- A student cannot take EC 101 concurrently with any other economics class.
- If a student dropped or failed any economics class (including EC 101, and assuming the student has no other economics credit), he or she may enroll in EC 101.
- If the above conditions are met, EC 101 may be counted toward the economics major or minor.
English
All Secondary Education English majors and minors who are preparing to student teach in the winter 2011 semester should email Professor Tom Hyslop at thyslop@nmu.edu to provide the information requested information below. This information is necessary in order to be enrolled in EN 350 (Teaching of English - Secondary Methods) during the fall 2010 semester. Enrollment for this course is by instructor permission only.
Name
NMU ID #
phone
Major
Minor
Accepted to Methods Yes/No
Taken and passed MTTC Basic Skills Test Yes/No
Planning to student teach Winter 2011 Yes/No
Summer course offering highlights:
- EN 495/595 (ED 595) Habits of Mind: Teaching Writing: This online course - offered at both the undergraduate and gradaute levels- will ask students to examine, discuss, and apply specific psychological theories to the teaching of writing. Examination of issues such as student writing, responding, student-teacher relationships, writer's block/anxiety, personality, cognitive processing, etc. will be the focus. The course is also cross-listed as ED 595.
Three writing workshops will be conducted by visiting writers:
- EN495W/595W Fiction Workshop (Elizabeth Rosner)
- EN495W/595W Nonfiction Workshop (Peter Nichols)
- EN495W/595W Poetry Workshop (Henry Hughes)
Mathematics and Computer Science
All mathematics courses have the prerequisites included with the course descriptions. If your advisees do not have the prerequisites for a course, the Banner system will not permit them to sign up for that particular class. If the student believes he/she has the correct prerequisite for a class and cannot sign up, have him/her contact the Mathematics and Computer Science department office.
There are two placement exams, and it is important that students take the correct test:
- The Mathematics Placement Exam is for freshmen coming straight out of high school.
- The Diagnostic Test is for all other students who have been enrolled at NMU for a semester or more. This includes transfer students, non-traditional students, etc.
Selecting the appropriate Mathematics course:
- If a student has taken a math course at NMU, that information should be available in the student's records.
- If a freshman has not taken a mathematics course yet, review their placement test results and help them make the appropriate course choice. (If those results are not readily available, please contact the Math and Computer Science Department at campus extension 2020 to inquire about the results).
- If a student has taken a mathematics course elsewhere, ask to see NMU's transcript evaluation before enrolling them in any mathematics course.
- If math placement information is not readily available, call the Mathematics and Computer Science department (227-2020) and ask the secretary to provide that information.
- Students who are eligible to enroll in the MA 090 class should be advised that they are unable to register for this class without first visiting the Student Service Center. Students CANNOT register for this courses using mynmu.nmu.edu.
Tutoring Available:
- The Mathematics Department provides mathematics tutoring services each semester. The Math Lab is located in West Science 3810 and is open Monday through Thursday 9:00am - 4:00pm, and Friday 9:00am - 3:00pm. No appointment is necessary.
- Computer Science course tutoring is also available each semester in the Computer Lab, NSF 1207. Hours vary from semester to semester. No appointment is necessary.
Additional information for Elementary Education students:
- As of fall 2009, students choosing a major or minor in Elementary Education Mathematics are required to take MA 231. For Elementary Education Mathematics majors, MA 231 replaces MA 103.
- Elementary Education Mathematics majors who entered NMU prior to fall 2009 (and who have not already completed MA 103) are encouraged to take MA 231 in place of MA 103.
- MA 231 will be offered during fall semesters only.
Modern Languages and Literatures
Proper language course placement is essential to student success and satisfaction with their language course. When advising students about language courses, it is important to follow these guidelines:
- If a student HAS HAD foreign language courses in high school, advisers should encourage them to take the Modern Languages and Literatures department's placement test so that they can be placed in to the appropriate language course at NMU.
- If a student HAS NOT previously taken foreign language courses, they should take NMU's 101 level language course.
- Students desiring to take foreign language courses at NMU should be directed to the Modern Languages and Literatures department so that they can be assisted with planning their language course sequence in a manner that will not delay their anticipated graduation.
New Course Offering:
The Department of Modern Languages will be offering a new course under LG317 World Studies, called "Russian Mysteries.” It is a class on Russian short stories in translation. The selection of the short stories from Chekhov, Gogol, and other well-known Russian authors is based specifically on their unusual nature with bizarre characters like phantoms, spooks, and even a walking nose. The class will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays 4-5:40.
Music
The Music department would like advisers to remind students that choose to MINOR in music that their course curriculum must be approved by Professor Donald Grant (department head). Contact information: (906) 227-1039 or via email at dgrant@nmu.edu.
Office of International Programs
Reminder: International students need to be enrolled in at least 12 credits at the 100 level or higher to stay in good immigration status. Questions can be directed to either Angela Maki at anmaki@nmu.edu or Rehema Clarken at reclarke@nmu.edu. Both at campus extension 2510.
NMU sends students to study abroad in a variety of placement settings: 1:1 exchanges, service learning internships, university direct enroll, and traditional cultural/language immersion centers. Programs range from short-term field experiences, led by NMU faculty members, to a semester or academic year abroad.
The Adviser's Role:
- Encourage your advisees to consider working a study abroad into their academic program. Your influence plants a seed that will grow.
- Start them out early: Even freshmen can begin to plan a study abroad. (In fact - more and more incoming students seek us out during freshman orientation, eager to find out when and how they can study abroad.)
- Send them over to visit with us in the Office of International Programs, 145 Whitman. We are staffed to help students select programs that best suit their needs and interests.
- Better yet - Invite us into your classroom for a brief presentation. (Returnees love to help us spread the message about study abroad.)
- Department Heads usually prefer to sign off on specific study abroad course pre-evaluation, but students will ask for your input as well. They should be prepared to show you contact hours, recommended U.S. credit, and course description and/or syllabus. You can help them fit electives, major/minor credits, and liberal studies requirements into their particular degree program.
Physics
NMU's Physics department would like to remind advisers that students enrolled in major programs that require physics courses (PH 201, PH 202, PH 220, PH 221), should take the required physics course PRIOR to their senior year. This allows for the most flexibility in the case that the course needs to be repeated.
Political Science and Public Administration
For students with either Political Science or Public Administration minors, please be aware that if following an Undergraduate Bulletin that is 2005-2006 or newer and they earn less than a C in a PS course, it will not count towards their minor.
This same policy applies to all Political Science majors as well.
Psychology
New Course Offering:
The Psychology Department is offering PY400 in the summer 2010 semester, online. The course focuses on the development of modern psychology: early work on the nervous system, influence of evolutionary theory on comparative psychology, German and American pioneers of experimental psychology, the application of psychological ideas to mental testing, early middle and later ideas on mental illness and its treatment, the rise of cognitive psychology and a review of modern fields within the discipline. Please feel free to contact Harry Whitaker, hwhitake@nmu.edu if you have questions about the suitability of the course for any of your advisees.
