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General Advising Guides for Department Advisors


Guide for departmental advisors (download PDF checklist)


Guide for departmental advisors (download PDF checklist)

  • Refer student to department for major declaration and faculty advisor assignment.
  • Discuss student’s career and personal goals.
  • Discuss resume building in context of campus involvement, leadership, work experience.
  • Provide overview of major.
  • Discuss opportunities within the major.
    • Areas of specialization
    • Honors concentration
    • Club and/or social activities within the major
    • List servs/newsletter
    • Research opportunities
    • Special Topics and/or seminar courses
    • Intern experiences
    • Study/work abroad (refer student to institutions offering major coursework or other experiences)
  • Based on student’s interest within the major, discuss faculty research and classes student may be specifically interested in taking.
  • Review DARS.
  • Check progress in the major, and create initial graduation plan.
  • Discuss the petition process if student has transferred course work from another institution.
  • Review Online Catalog for course descriptions and pre-requisite and co-requisite classes.
  • Plan classes for at least two semesters as there may be a semester gap in advising.
  • Discuss specifics about course offerings (i.e., course content and availability).
  • Look for advanced courses
  • Encourage student to meet with Arts & Sciences advisor if questions about General Education.
  • Encourage continued communication.
  • Please refer students to Arts & Sciences Advising for information on these pre-professional programs: pre-health, pre-law and teaching.
  • Please discuss scholarship and fellowship opportunities and refer students to the Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships.


Guide for departmental advisors (download PDF checklist)

  • Discuss student’s career and personal goals.
  • Discuss student’s continued progression in the major.
  • Clarify specific academic interests within the major.
  • Ensure student is on target with desired graduation date.
  • Discuss the petition process if student has transferred course work from another institution.
  • Discuss DARS.
    • Check for 60 credit hours at four-year institution.
      The catalog states students must complete 60 credit hours offered for the bachelor’s degree at an accredited senior college.
    • Check for 42 credit hours at 300 level or above.
      Students must complete at least 42 credit hours in courses numbered 300 or above.
    • Check for final 30 credit hours in residence.
      Students must complete the last 30 credit hours of credit offered for the bachelor’s degree in residence at UT’s Knoxville campus. Special arrangements to allow study abroad courses, work taken at other UT campuses, and all other requests for waiving this requirement must be approved by the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled.
    • Point out honors qualifications.
      Honors are conferred upon graduating undergraduate students who have displayed a high level of achievement during their university career. Recipients of honors receive their degrees with

      • cum laude: 3.5 through 3.64.
      • magna cum laude: 3.65 through 3.79.
      • summa cum laude: 3.8 through 4.0.

      These honors categories are based on a student’s cumulative average at the end of the semester preceding the graduation semester. Students must have earned at least 60 credit hours at UT in order to qualify for honors categories. If, at graduation, a student’s grade point average would allow a higher honors category than that determined at the end of the semester preceding the graduation semester, the student will receive a substitute diploma indicating the higher category. Chancellor’s Honors are conferred upon graduating students who have completed the Chancellor’s Honors Program.

  • Confirm eligible catalog year.
    Undergraduate students can graduate under any catalog in effect starting with the semester they entered the university provided it is no more than six years old. If the student was not enrolled at UT in any entire academic year, they may not graduate under that catalog. They may select a catalog even if they were enrolled for only one term during the catalog year. A catalog year is the fall-spring-summer terms, i.e., fall semester 2011, spring semester 2012, and summer 2012. For whichever catalog is selected by the student, all the degree requirements, including University General Education of the catalog selected. General education requirements must be met. A DARS report is needed to confirm meeting general education and all other degree requirements.
  • Discuss major course content, and plan courses through end of graduation.
  • Discuss special seminars/topic courses as well as conferences or workshops student can attend.
  • Discuss available research opportunities.
  • Talk about what recent graduates are doing with their degrees.
  • Refer to career services for What can I do with this major?”
  • Send student to Arts and Sciences liaison in the Career Services office for one-on-one appointment.
  • Discuss student’s post graduate plans.
  • Discuss study abroad.
  • Review graduation application and timeline.
  • Discuss summer employment or intern opportunities.
  • Highlight Counselor Education 404, Marketing Your A&S Degree (offered each fall and spring).
    In this one credit course, students will learn how to identify and explore career options, write a resume and prepare for job interviews, and apply for graduate schools or perform a successful job search.
  • Refer student to Arts & Sciences Advising for clarification of A&S degree requirements and/or DARS check.
  • Encourage continued communication.
  • Please refer students to Arts & Sciences Advising for information on these pre-professional programs: pre-health, pre-law and teaching.


Guide for departmental advisors (download PDF checklist)

  • Discuss student’s career and personal goals.
  • Discuss student’s completion of major, and ensure student is on target with desired graduation date.
  • Discuss the petition process if student has transferred course work from another institution.
  • Discuss DARS.
    • Check for 60 credit hours at four-year institution.
      The catalog states students must complete 60 credit hours offered for the bachelor’s degree at an accredited senior college.
    • Check for 42 credit hours at 300 level or above.
      Students must complete at least 42 credit hours in courses numbered 300 or above.
    • Check for final 30 credit hours in residence.
      Students must complete the last 30 credit hours offered for the bachelor’s degree in residence at UT’s Knoxville campus. Special arrangements to allow study abroad courses, work taken at other UT campuses, and all other requests for waiving this requirement must be approved by the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled.

      • Check for honors qualifications.
        Honors are conferred upon graduating undergraduate students who have displayed a high level of achievement during their university career. Recipients of honors receive their degrees with:

        • cum laude: 3.5 through 3.64.
        • magna cum laude: 3.65 through 3.79.
        • summa cum laude: 3.8 through 4.0.

        These honors categories are based on a student’s cumulative average at the end of the semester preceding the graduation semester. Students must have earned at least 60 credit hours at UT in order to qualify for honors categories. If, at graduation, a student’s grade point average would allow a higher honors category than that determined at the end of the semester preceding the graduation semester, the student will receive a substitute diploma indicating the higher category. Chancellor’s Honors are conferred upon graduating students who have completed the Chancellor’s Honors Program.

      • Confirm eligible catalog year. Undergraduate students can graduate under any catalog in effect starting with the semester they entered the university provided it is no more than six years old. If the student was not enrolled at UT in any entire academic year, they may not graduate under that catalog. They may select a catalog even if they were enrolled for only one term during the catalog year. A catalog year is the fall-spring-summer terms, i.e., fall semester 2011, spring semester 2012, and summer 2012. For whichever catalog is selected by the student, all the degree requirements, including University General Education of the catalog selected. General education requirements must be met. A DARS report is needed to confirm meeting general education and all other degree requirements.
      • Clarify student’s post graduate plans.
      • If student is in process of or planning to apply to graduate school, discuss status.
      • Refer to Career Services for job fairs, Hire-A-Vol and professional organizations web site.
      • Confirm that student has applied to graduate.
      • Refer to Arts and Science Advising Services for DARSweb check.


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