What is Academic Advising?
Academic Advising is a collaborative relationship between you and your advisor. Your advisor will assist you with your educational, career, and personal goals by helping you understand University policies and procedures, major requirements, and campus resources. Your advisor will guide and support you as you make your own decisions about majors, course selection, campus involvement, and preparation for graduation. Connecting with your academic advisor regularly is important to your success in college!
Advising Appointments
Click Here to Request an Advising AppointmentNon-Biology Majors looking to change their major to Biology, Non-Degree Seeking Students, or Biology Minors, please use the above to request an advising appointment. Urgent questions can be directed to Biosasst@ucf.edu.
Click Here to Schedule an Advising AppointmentCurrent Biology Student Appointment Scheduling, please use the above to schedule an appointment with an Academic Advisor. For students planning to graduate within the next two or three semesters, please schedule a Graduation Review appointment with Sandra Tabert.
Student’s Responsibilities
Advising staff will do their best to assist students in a timely manner, but rude or disparaging behavior will not be tolerated. Any students being disruptive will be asked to leave our office and will be reported to Student Conduct if necessary.
Expectations of Students
- Know who your advisor is and how to contact them.
- Become knowledgeable about policies, procedures, and requirements of the university (review catalog, academic handbooks, department checklists)
- Accept responsibility for your own academic and personal growth and success as well as for decisions and consequences.
- Take initiative in seeking advisement each semester.
- Be an active participant in the academic advising experience and educational experience at UCF. Be sure to check your degree audit regularly.
- Schedule an advising appointment regularly, and arrive at the appointment on time.
- Come to advising appointment prepared to openly and honestly discuss major requirements, academic policies and procedures, course selection, and any issues that may impact academic success.
- Access planning tools (myKnight Audit) before making important academic decisions.
- Ask for clarification if advisors use language or terms that are unfamiliar, or if you have specific concerns.
- Update your information, including student email address, phone number, and mailing address in your myUCF portal.
- Consult with an advisor about schedule changes, late add/drop, changing major, withdrawing from college, and changing catalogs.
- Use the resources available on campus to enhance your college experience.
- File an “Intent to Graduate Form” on your myUCF account by the end of the term prior to the term in which graduation will occur.
Appointments
with our Undergraduate Advising Coordinator are scheduled Monday-Friday and are 30 minutes long. These are reserved only for students who need to complete a graduation review, are on academic probation, or have to complete a SAP appeal. To schedule an appointment, please go to MyKnights STAR to schedule an appointment with an advisor.
Peer advising
is available during various times throughout the week and appointments are 30 minutes long. Our peer advisors are highly-trained current Biology students that can help with schedule planning and general advice on course selection. To schedule an appointment, please request an advising appointment here.
Are you interested in becoming a Peer Advisor? A Federal Work Study Award is required and it is a minimum 1 year commitment. Submit your resume to biosasst@ucf.edu.
FAQS:
- Can a peer advisor help me?
- Yes. Our peer advisors are trained in all advising except specialized forms and final semester graduation checks. Please complete the Qualtrics Advising Appointment Request form here.
- I would like advising on my pre-professional application, can this office help?
- Please contact Office of Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising (407-823-3033, TCH 205). They specialized in this type of advising.
- What kind of jobs can I get after graduation with my biology degree?
- Career Services (407-823-2361) will gladly help you make a plan for your future and edit your resume.
- How many credits can I take each semester?
- 14 credits in the Summer and 17 credits in the Fall and Spring is the maximum amount of credits students can enroll in.
- I need Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal form filled out, what should I do?
- Please complete the Qualtrics Advising Appointment Request form here: https://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3qMBaxM9f8nJazI and note that you have a SAP appeal to complete.
- I need a Sciences Academic Plan form filled out, what should I do?
- Please complete the Qualtrics Advising Appointment Request form here and not that you are on probation.
- I am a high school student, a student at a different college/university, or a UCF student within a different major considering switching my major to Biology, who can I talk to about this?
- We are the department you should talk to! Please complete the Qualtrics Advising Appointment Request form here.
- I am a current Biology major and wish to talk to someone about switching my major to something OTHER than Biology. Should I make an appointment?
- Contact the department of the major you are interested in; we are only able to advise on the requirements of our own department.
- How do I know if I can earn course credit for an internship I’ve been accepted to?
- Please submit your information here. Please provide detailed information/description of the work you’ll be doing, including the date range, and hours/week. We’ll also need the name, title, and email address for your internship supervisor. Keep in mind that you cannot get internship credit for a job you are already doing. It must be completely separate.
- What should I know about withdrawing from a class?
- A “W” will appear on your transcript for the attempt of the course in this semester, but your GPA will not be affected. There is no refund of tuition when a student opts to withdraw from a course. A withdrawal is completed on myUCF through the Student Self Service Center. If you are receiving financial aid, you should review the Office of Student Financial Assistance website at https://finaid.ucf.edu/general-info/withdrawals/ to see how your aid will be affected. If you have any questions on your aid, please contact Financial Aid at (407) 823-2827 or FINAID@UCF.EDU.
- I’m receiving a pre-requisite error for BSC 2010C and/or STA 2023, but I have the pre-requisites. What is happening?
- You are most likely attempting to register for a section that takes place at the UCF Downtown campus. Only students who’s major and/or minor is located at UCF Downtown (not Biology) are permitted to register for these courses. We suggest choosing “Main Campus (Orlando)” when searching for classes to avoid this.
- I’m receiving a pre-requisite error for BSC 2011C, but I have the pre-requisites. What is happening?
- Biology majors, along with a handful of other majors require BSC2011C for their major and Biology students especially cannot take any classes within their major until they complete BSC2011C. That is why students at UCF with majors that require Bio 2 must take precedence; they need it to graduate from UCF.Non-Degree seeking students and students with declared majors that do not require BSC2011C – Biology II as part of their major will be able to get an override into an open class or override onto the waitlist for a closed class beginning one week prior to the beginning of the semester you are requesting an override for.
- I’m receiving a pre-requisite error for a College of Sciences class, but I am taking/took the pre-requisites at a different institution and my transcripts haven’t been received yet. What can I do?
- You can request an online override here: https://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ebd7M1iWAOittop by attaching proof that you are currently enrolled in or have already completed the pre-requisites.
- I received an email notifying me that I will be dropped from a course that I enrolled in, why did this happen?
- It is most likely because you met the prerequisites for the course when you originally enrolled but no longer meet those requirements. You will have to find a new course, provide proof of the prerequisites being met, or acquire consent from the instructor to remain enrolled in the course.