Academic Advising in START

Orientation

• Students who attend orientation will be able to navigate Degree Works to review their degree requirements and register for a balanced schedule with minimal assistance.
• Understand the role of the START Advising Office and that it compliments other available campus resources

START Hold Appointment

• A student who has attended their START hold appointment should be able to utilize the University website to find answers to basic questions including degree requirements and registration information
• Students who met with their academic advisor for their START hold appointment should be able to reflect on their progress in the current term and how their progress impacts their degree requirements
• Students who have attended their START hold appointment will have an understanding of the structure of the academic year (registration deadlines, distinctions between fall/winter/summer semesters, etc.)

Early Warning/Probation Appointment

• Students who have met with their academic advisor for an early warning/probation appointment will be able to reflect on and learn from past experiences and accept personal accountability
• Students who have met with their academic advisor for an early warning/probation appointment will be able to co-create an action plan to demonstrate an understanding of campus resources that will aid in the future success and accounts for overcoming obstacles that have prevented prior success.
• Students who have met with their academic advisor for an early warning/probation appointment will be able to understand related policies and expectations.

Transitioning

• Prior to transitioning to the academic unit, students will be able to articulate why they have selected their major and how their major connects to their skills, abilities, and growth areas
• Prior to transitioning to the academic unit, students will be able to express clear academic goals and create a plan to achieve those goals

Academic Success Advising

• By the end of their first semester, students will be able to identify their growth areas for future academic success as well as resources they can utilize to aid in this growth.  

START advises incoming students. Our services include assisting students in:

• Degree planning
• Course scheduling 
• Major selection
• Creating a graduation plan
• Study skills

START advisors also work with students who are on probation to help them identify areas of challenge and opportunity, and find new ways of approaching their education to push them toward reaching their full potential.​

You may see a START advisor any time you have a question related to your academic planning or future career goals. 

START advisors meet with students by appointment, but we also offer drop-in advising. Drop-ins are for quick questions, and you may see any advisor available for drop-in advising. For some advising questions a quick drop-in conversation may not be sufficient and a follow-up appointment may need to be scheduled.​

START recommends that you prepare for an appointment by first creating a list of questions you know you would like to ask. Then, take the time to review your Degree Works audit. If the review of your audit answers some of your questions or creates new ones, modify your list. Most importantly, remember to bring your list of questions with you to your appointment. 

If you are seeing an advisor to get a form completed (SAP Appeal, for example), make sure you are prepared with a copy of the form beforehand and have it with you when you meet with your advisor.

If you are seeing an advisor to discuss choosing a major, take some time to reflect on your interests and explore the options available at UM-Dearborn. Use some of the resources listed in the Selecting a Major on the New Student Advising Basics webpage. Take notes, and bring those notes with you to your appointment.

If you are seeing an advisor to do a probation contract, start to reflect on your last semester. What were the biggest challenges that you faced? What were some successes that you would like to build on in your next semester? Come prepared to have an open and honest discussion with your advisor, and we will work together to find ways to help you get back on track and on your way to academic success.

The College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters, known as CASL (pronounced castle), is home to 38 undergraduate liberal arts majors, ranging from Anthropology to Biology to Women’s and Gender Studies. The College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters Advising and Academic Success office’s website has curriculum information for all majors, minors, and certificates offered through CASL. It also has very detailed information policy and procedure information, which you need to know. Be sure to read through the Summary of Most Commonly Used Policies in its entirety. Yes, it’s long, but it is incredibly important.

The College of Business (COB) offers a Bachelor of Business Business Administration degree program with nine major options.  Visit the Undergraduate Programs website.  COB students must also be aware of policies and procedures and are encouraged to browse the experiential opportunities available in the college.

The College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS-pronounced chess) houses programs for those interested in careers within the K-12 school system and other education-related fields (Elementary and Secondary Certification Programs, Instructional Technology, Children and Families, etc), as well as programs created to serve the health and well-being of our community (Health and Human Services, Health Policy Studies, Addiction Studies Certificate, etc). CEHHS’s website has information on all of their undergraduate programs, policies, and helpful information on frequently used forms.

The College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) houses 11 undergraduate degree programs and two concurrent degree programs. As a CECS student, it is important to take time to get to know the CECS advising website. In here, you will find the CECS policies and procedures, as well as sample sequences and curriculum sheets for all of our majors. You will be held responsible for knowing the policy and procedure information, so look over it carefully and ask questions when you have them.

When a student petitions, they are asking for an exception to a policy or requirement. 

Academic Petitions

A petition may be used to request an exception to some academic rule or policy. This page provides information on the campus-wide Academic Petitions Policy as well as a link to submit academic petitions requests. 

Visit Student Petitions for more information.

Other Petitions

Petitions regarding tuition and fees go through Office of the Registrar.

START students who are unsure how to write an academic petition may meet with their START advisor for assistance.

Choosing a major is a process. For some students, that process is over quickly, but for others it can take several semesters. Many factors play a part in deciding a major: knowing yourself, family expectations, career path, relationships with faculty, etc. A START advisor can help you to examine which factors are going to play a key role in your decision, make sure that you have the tools you need to explore your options, and be a sounding board as you work to design the degree that will be the best fit for you.

Here are some resources that will help:

• Degree Works can be accessed through UM-Dearborn Connect and has a "What If?" function that allows students to see the requirements for a major or minor prior to making an official change.
• Undergraduate Studies has a list of all areas of studies available at UM-Dearborn.
• Career Services provides resources for choosing a major. One such resource, FOCUS, is an online career assessment tool which helps students align interests and careers. After doing the assessment, you should make an appointment with a career counselor to discuss the results.
• Occupational Outlook Handbook is a tool that allows you to explore careers by category and gives you information on entry-level education, median pay, growth potential, etc.

Once you are ready to declare a major, change your major, or add a minor, you must complete a Change of Major/Minor/Degree Form (see link below). You can turn your form in to START, and we will send it out to your college's records office for a decision.

CASL first time college

1. Have completed their first year AND
2. Are in good academic standing (at least a 2.0 GPA or higher) AND
3. Have a major declared

CASL transfers

1. Transfers are advised directly through the CASL Advising (as of Winter 2021).

COB first time college

1. Have completed 15 or more UM-Dearborn credits AND
2. Are in good academic standing (at least 2.0 GPA or higher)

COB transfers

• Transfers are advised directly through the COB Student Services Office.

CECS first-time college

• Declare a major other than Pre-engineering
  1. Have completed Pre-calculus (Math 105) with a C Grade or higher AND
  2. Have completed General Chemistry 1 (CHEM 134 or 144) with a C Grade or higher AND
  3. Are in good academic standing (at least 2.0 GPA or higher) 
• And completed 15 credits at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

CECS transfers (Pre-engineering Only) 

• Declare a major other than Pre-engineering
  1. Have completed Calculus II (Math 116) with a C grade or higher AND
  2. Are in good academic standing (at least 2.0 GPA or higher)

CEHHS first time college

1. Have completed 30 or more UM-Dearborn credits AND
2. Are in good academic standing (at least 2.0 GPA or higher) AND
3. Have a major declared

CEHHS transfers (with less than 24 credits)

1. Have completed 24 or more total credits (combined credits earned at UM-Dearborn and other institutions AND
2. Are in good academic standing (at least 2.0 GPA or higher) AND
3. Have a major declared
4. Transfer students bringing 24 or more credits from their former institution will go directly to CEHHS for advising