Many situations arise during your academic experience in which informed academic and career advice is helpful. The objective of the advising system at UT is to help you at each stage of your undergraduate experience define the choices you must make and to provide you any guidance necessary.
This resource is designed to help you make the most of your academic advising experience at UT and to assist you in preparing for your advising appointment at the different stages of your academic career. Please click on your appropriate year to find helpful resources and tips, contact information for academic departments or Colleges, ways to prepare for your advising appointment, and what to do following your advising appointment.
Preparing for Your Advising Appointment
Many situations arise during your academic experience in which informed academic and career advice is helpful. The objective of the advising system at UT is to help you at each stage of your undergraduate experience define the choices you must make and to provide you any guidance necessary.
This resource is designed to help you make the most of your academic advising experience at UT and to assist you in preparing for your advising appointment at the different stages of your academic career. Please click on your appropriate year to find helpful resources and tips, contact information for academic departments or Colleges, ways to prepare for your advising appointment, and what to do following your advising appointment.
What should you expect of your advisor?
- Your advisor will be accessible to you during reasonable hours.
- Your advisor will understand the curriculum, graduation requirements, and university policies.
- Your advisor will provide accurate information.
- Your advisor will discuss specific university, college, and departmental requirements, procedures, and deadlines.
- Your advisor will help you define and develop realistic goals and discuss the linkage between academic preparation and career opportunities.
- Your advisor will assist you in planning programs of study, both short-term and long-term, that are consistent with your abilities and interests; such as course load, academic background, program demands, and employment or personal commitments.
- Your advisor refers you to other services, departments, and specific individuals as special needs are identified.
- Your advisor will help you identify special needs and acquaint you with services and programs provided by the college and the university.
- Your advisor will respect your right to privacy of educational records and discuss confidential information only with appropriate individuals and for the purpose of serving your best interests.
- Your advisor will help you assume responsibility for your decisions and actions.
What are you responsible for?
- You should schedule and attend your advising appointment prior to your registration eligibility date.
- You must monitor your own progress, and seek advice from your advisor, so that you stay on schedule toward graduation in four years.
- You should take an active role in your advising session by being prepared to discuss your goals and educational plans.
- You should complete 30-36 semesters hours of credit hours each year.
- You need to be prepared for each appointment with questions and/or material for discussion.
- You must ask questions if you do not understand an issue or have a specific concern.
- You should understand degree requirements of colleges and majors you are considering.
- You should be aware of drop/add deadlines and additional university requirements.
- You must make and be responsible for your own decisions.
- You should maintain good academic standing as determined by the department and college offering your major.
- You should silence your cell phone prior to advising appointments.
- You should follow-up on referrals and inform your advisor of the outcome of referrals.
Remember that you, and not your advisor, bear the ultimate responsibility for selecting courses, meeting course pre-requisites and graduation requirements, and adhering to University policies and procedures.
Also, be sure to view the academic advising syllabus prior to your advising appointment. This syllabus helps illustrate your responsibility in your academic planning and path towards graduation. It identifies clear goals to assist you in developing and implementing sound educational plans that are consistent with your values and academic and career goals. It further defines your academic advisor’s role in encouraging you to become a self-directed learner and decision maker. Please feel free to use this resource to understand further the purpose and importance of academic advising at UT.
First year
Academic advising is the process where you obtain the critical information you need to make thoughtful decisions about your college career, such as deciding upon your major or solving any roadblocks you may encounter along the way.
Your assigned academic advisor knows that your freshman year is a very exciting time and one of great change. As a result, we want to help ensure your first year is as memorable as possible and assist you in your overall success at UT.
Be sure to use this resource to get the most out of your academic advising experience!
It is our hope that at the conclusion of your four years, you will appreciate the importance of academic planning, that you will understand the importance of enhancing your degree with cocurricular/extracurricular and inter/intracultural experiences, that you will know your responsibilities as an educated citizen of UT and of a democratic, diverse, and global society, and that you will value the educational process and learning across the lifespan.
What is an Academic Advisor?
An academic advisor is a professional staff member who assists students in navigating their educational journey, helping them set and achieve academic and career goals.
In the College of Arts & Sciences, advisors are assigned based on students’ majors or tracks, guiding them through course selection, degree requirements, navigating university resources, and co-curricular opportunities.
Academic Advisors support students in educational planning, teach them to utilize university resources, and encourage responsibility for academic progress.
The Advisor-Student relationship is a partnership designed to foster student success.
What will academic advising look like in the fall and beyond?
You will receive an email from your academic advisor with a link to a schedule an appointment to meet with them. In this appointment you will talk about how your current semester is going, if you have made any changes to the major(s) you are pursuing, and then co-create a plan with your academic advisor. Then, once registration opens you will register for your classes. This is slightly different than what you did over the summer when you registered with your academic advisor.
Preparing for Your Advising Appointment
- Review the Undergraduate Catalog
Scheduling Your Advising Appointment
Click here for instructions on scheduling your advising appointment.
Our office is open Monday – Thursday from 7:30-6:00 and on Friday from 7:30-5:30. We are closed on weekends and holidays.
During Your Advising Appointment
Follow this helpful guide to assist you during your advising appointment:
- Be on time for your appointment!
- Talk to your advisor about your career and personal goals.
- Talk to your advisor about your successes and any challenges you may be facing this semester, such as problems with your adjustment or transition to college, outside responsibilities, or your performance in classes.
- With your advisor, discuss campus resources that will be of particular help to you, such as
- With your advisor, review the Arts & Sciences and General Education curriculum.
- Ask your advisor about using DARSweb (Degree Audit Reporting System) and how it will assist you in following your degree progression. You will access your DARS through MyUTK.
- Be sure to ask your advisor to refer you to appropriate web sites, specifically A&S departments or colleges, to assist you in your major research.
- With your advisor, be sure to check the Undergraduate Catalog for course descriptions and pre-requisite and co-requisite courses.
- Ask your advisor about specific pre-requisites courses for your desired major.
- Be sure to tell your advisor if you completed AP or IB exams in high school. Your advisor can check to ensure the credit is reflected on your academic history. If it is not on your academic history, ask your advisor what you need to do next!
- If you transferred course work from another institution, be sure to ask your advisor about the petition process.
- This link will help you and your advisor prepare appropriate petitions (Arts & Sciences or General Education)
- If you have lingering questions, be sure to contact your advisor, or you can email [email protected], call 865-974-4481, or stop by 313 Ayres Hall for assistance at the counter.
- Be sure to encourage continued communication with your advisor, and ask your advisor about establishing preliminary contact with faculty in your desired major.
Following Your Advising Appointment
Now that you have met with your academic advisor, be sure to:
- Review your academic plan.
- Reflect upon your appointment to ensure your academic and career goals are in line with the plan you and your advisor developed.
- Register for the classes you and your advisor discussed during your appointment.
- Discuss course alternatives with your advisor should you need to adjust your academic plan.
- Follow up with all referrals and recommendations. Your advisor will expect that you have done so and will likely ask you about this the next time you meet, so be prepared!
- Maintain contact with your academic advisor throughout the semester.
- Be sure to email your advisor additional questions or reflections as they arise.
- Schedule a follow up appointment with your advisor should your academic goals change.
- Take the strong interest inventory or another career assessment, such as the TypeFocus, and follow up with an appointment with a career counselor to discuss your results!
- Further explore ways to get involved at UT!
Second Year
Your second year is a year of transition. It is a year of assessing where you have been and where you are going. Your choices are limitless. Thus the decisions you must make may seem that much more daunting.
Your academic advisor understands you may be feeling pressure to make some very big decisions regarding your academic career. It is our goal to assist and empower you in further developing and implementing sound educational plans consistent with your values and academic and career goals and to encourage you to become a self-directed learner and decision-maker.
Thus, the resources on this page are meant to assist you during your second year as you transition into your major and to help you make the most of your academic advising experience. Also, your academic advisor can continue to offer you guidance throughout this year and can assist you in exploring the opportunities available both on and off campus that will make your second year a more rich and meaningful experience.
It is our hope that at the conclusion of your four years, you will appreciate the importance of academic planning, that you will understand the importance of enhancing your degree with cocurricular/extracurricular and inter/intracultural experiences, that you will know your responsibilities as an educated citizen of UT and of a democratic, diverse, and global society, and that you will value the educational process and learning across the lifespan.
Preparing for Your Advising Appointment
- Review your DARS
- Review the Undergraduate Catalog
Scheduling Your Advising Appointment
Click here for information on how to schedule your advising appointment.
During Your Advising Appointment
Follow this helpful guide to assist you during your advising appointment:
- Be on time!
- Discuss career and personal goals with your advisor.
- Ask about resume building in the context of campus involvement, leadership, work and experience.
- Discuss with your advisor the major or majors you are interested in so your advisor can provide you an overview of each.
- Ask about special opportunities available within your major:
- Areas of specialization
- Honors
- Club and/or social activities within the major
- Possible listservs/newsletter
- Research opportunities
- Special Topics and/or seminar courses
- Internship experiences
- Study/work abroad
- Discuss with your advisor what specific interests you have within the major; there may be coursework and/or faculty research in line with your interests.
- With your advisor, check your DARS, and review your degree progress.
- Be prepared for your appointment by having a completed semester plan.
- You and your advisor should plan your coursework for at least two semesters, as there may be a semester gap in your advising.
- Ask your advisor for a four-year graduation plan. This will help you see what requirements remain until you graduate.
- With your advisor, review specific course offerings (course content and availability), and discuss taking upper division course work. It’s time!
- Ask about scholarship or fellowship opportunities.
- Talk with your advisor about continued communication and follow-up.
Following Your Advising Appointment
Now that you have met with your academic advisor, be sure to
- Review your academic plan.
- Reflect upon your appointment to ensure your academic and career goals remain in line with your academic plan.
- Register for the classes you and your advisor discussed during your appointment.
- Follow up with all referrals and advisor recommendations. Your advisor will ask you about this the next time you meet, so be prepared!
- Maintain contact with your academic advisor, and email your advisor additional questions or reflections.
- Discuss course alternatives with your advisor should you need to adjust your academic plan.
- Schedule a follow up advising appointment should your academic goals change.
- Sign up for Handshake so you are aware of possible internship opportunities.
- Schedule a meeting with a career counselor to discuss career opportunities within your major.
- Explore ways you can get involved on campus and in your major.
Junior Year
This year you have the freedom to focus more specifically on your chosen field of study, while you continue to pursue other areas of interest. This year also provides you the wonderful opportunity to deepen your relationships with faculty, to strengthen your leadership skills, and to further enrich your educational experience at UT.
This resource is meant to assist you during your junior year and to help you make the most of your academic advising experience. Your academic advisor can continue to offer you guidance throughout this year and can assist you in exploring the opportunities available both on and off campus that will make your junior year a more rich and meaningful experience..
Preparing for Your Advising Appointment
- Review your DARS
- Review Degree Requirements
- Review the Undergraduate Catalog
Scheduling Your Advising Appointment
Learn more about scheduling your advising appointment.
During Your Advising Appointment
Follow this helpful guide to assist you during your advising appointment:
- Be on time to your appointment!
- Discuss with your advisor your career and personal goals.
- Clarify your academic interests within your major.
- Discuss with your advisor your targeted graduation date.
- Discuss the petition process with your advisor if you have transferred coursework from another institution.
- Go through your DARS report with your advisor. You may want to talk to your advisor about the following graduation requirements:
- 60 credit hours at a four-year institution
- 42 credit hours at the 300 level or above
- Final 30 credit hours in residence at UTK
- Honors qualifications
- Discuss with your advisor your appropriate catalog year for graduation and petitioning purposes. Remember, you can use any catalog in effect starting with the semester you entered the university provided it is no more than six years old. If you were not enrolled at UT in any entire academic year, you may not graduate under that catalog.
- With your advisor, discuss your major course content, and be sure to ask your advisor to help you plan courses through the end of graduation.
- Ask your advisor about special seminars/topic courses in your major, as well as any conferences or workshops you could attend.
- Ask your advisor about available research opportunities within the department.
- Talk about the possibility of studying abroad.
- Ask your advisor to talk about what recent graduates are doing with their degree. You will both want to visit the What Can I Do With This Major? website for additional insight.
- Ask your advisor about Center for Career Development and Academic Exploration and what they can do for you concerning resume building, interviewing tips, upcoming classes, workshops and events that will assist you in your career research and marketing your Arts & Sciences degree.
- Discuss with your advisor your post graduate plans (specifically talk about building your resume, advanced study options and graduate entrance exams).
- With your advisor, review your graduation application and timeline. You will want to apply to graduate at least a year in advance.
Following Your Advising Appointment
Now that you have met with your academic advisor, be sure to
- Review your academic and graduation plans.
- Reflect upon your appointment to ensure your academic and career goals remain in line with your academic and graduation plans.
- Register for the classes you and your advisor discussed during your appointment.
- Follow up with all referrals and advisor recommendations. Your advisor will ask you about this the next time you meet, so be prepared!
- Maintain contact with your academic advisor, and email your advisor additional questions or reflections.
- Discuss course alternatives with your advisor should you need to adjust your academic plan.
- Schedule a follow up advising appointment should your academic goals change.
- Sign up for Handshake so you are aware of possible internship opportunities.
- Schedule a meeting with a career counselor to discuss career opportunities within your major.
- Explore additional ways you can get involved on campus and in your major through the Center for Leadership & Service.
- Further explore your post graduate options/plans. Meet with a career consultant to discuss building your resume and advanced study options. Further, talk with the Graduate School about applying to graduate programs and about graduate entrance exams.
- Maintain contact with your advisor!
- Follow up with an Arts & Sciences advisor for information on these pre-professional programs: pre-health, pre-law and teaching. If you are planning to apply to medical school, be sure to set up a pre-professional file meeting to learn more about the application process.
Senior Year
Your senior year is often your busiest and most exciting year! You are finishing your major, completing your final degree requirements, participating in internships, applying to graduate or pre-professional schools, or looking for your first job. Maybe you are considering taking time off to travel or volunteer. Whatever decision you make, a significant amount of your time this year will be spent on preparing for your life after you graduate from UT.
Your decisions this year may affect which courses you choose or how heavy of a course load you take each semester. Your advisor can continue to offer you guidance throughout this year and help make your senior year that much more meaningful. Use this resource to assist you throughout this year and to help you make the most of your academic advising experience.
It is our hope that at the conclusion of your four years, you will appreciate the importance of academic planning, that you will understand the importance of enhancing your degree with cocurricular/extracurricular and inter/intracultural experiences, that you will know your responsibilities as an educated citizen of UT and of a democratic, diverse, and global society, and that you will value the educational process and learning across the lifespan.
Preparing for Your Advising Appointment
- Review your DARS
- Review Degree Requirements
- Review the Undergraduate Catalog
Scheduling Your Advising Appointment
Click here for information on scheduling your advising appointment.
During Your Advising Appointment
Follow this helpful guide to assist you during your advising appointment:
- Be on time to your appointment!
- Discuss with your advisor your career and personal goals.
- Clarify your academic interests within your major.
- Discuss with your advisor your targeted graduation date.
- Discuss the petition process with your advisor if you have transferred coursework from another institution.
- Go through your DARS report with your advisor. You may want to talk to your advisor about the following graduation requirements:
- 60 credit hours at a four-year institution
- 42 credit hours at the 300 level or above
- Final 30 credit hours in residence at UTK
- Honors qualifications
- 120 credit hours minimum
- Discuss with your advisor your appropriate catalog year for graduation and petitioning purposes. Remember, you can use any catalog in effect starting with the semester you entered the university provided it is no more than six years old. If you were not enrolled at UT in any entire academic year, you may not graduate under that catalog.
- With your advisor, discuss your major course content, and be sure to ask your advisor to help you plan courses through the end of graduation.
- Ask your advisor about special seminars/topic courses in your major, as well as any conferences or workshops you could attend.
- Ask your advisor about available research opportunities within the department.
- Ask your advisor to talk about what recent graduates are doing with their degree. You will both want to visit the What Can I Do With This Major? website for additional insight.
- Ask your advisor about Center for Career Development and Academic Exploration and what they can do for you concerning resume building, interviewing tips, upcoming classes, workshops and events that will assist you in your career research, and marketing your Arts & Sciences degree.
- Discuss with your advisor your post graduate plans (specifically talk about building your resume, advanced study options and graduate entrance exams).
- With your advisor, review your graduation application and timeline. You will want to apply to graduate at least a year in advance.
Following Your Advising Appointment
Now that you have met with your academic advisor, be sure to
- Review your academic and graduation plans.
- Reflect upon your appointment to ensure your academic and career goals remain in line with your academic and graduation plans.
- Register for the classes you and your advisor discussed during your appointment.
- Follow up with all referrals and advisor recommendations. Your advisor will ask you about this the next time you meet, so be prepared!
- Maintain contact with your academic advisor, and email your advisor additional questions or reflections.
- Discuss course alternatives with your advisor should you need to adjust your academic plan.
- Schedule a follow up advising appointment should your academic goals change.
- Sign up for Handshake so you are aware of possible internship and career opportunities and upcoming job fairs.
- Schedule a meeting with a career consultant to discuss career opportunities within your major.
- Explore additional ways you can get involved on campus and in your major through the Center for Leadership & Service.
- Fill out your graduation application. You will need to apply to graduate at least a year in advance.
- Further explore your post graduate options/plans. Meet with a career counselor to discuss building your resume and advanced study options. Further, talk with the Graduate School about applying to graduate programs and about graduate entrance exams.
- Maintain contact with your advisor!
- Follow up with an Arts & Sciences advisor for information on these pre-professional programs: pre-health, pre-law and teaching. If you are planning to apply to medical school, be sure to set up a pre-professional file meeting to learn more about the application process.