Advising Resources

The Miami Plan

Miami undergraduate students are required to complete the Miami Plan for graduation. Currently, there are two Miami Plan pathways:

Academic advisors should make sure that they know which plan a student is following and use the links above to refer to the appropriate requirements for a given student.

Advising FAQs for the new Miami Plan

Are there options for the Veterans in the new Miami Plan?

Yes, the Veteran's Portfolio option will remain.

Global Miami Plan Requirement Exceptions

Some Foundation courses will appear in two or more Foundation areas. For example, ARC188 is classified as a course in the Fine Arts as well as one in Humanities; it appears, then in Foundation IIA (fine arts) and Foundation IIB (humanities). Students who take such courses may use them to fulfill one Foundation area requirement only.

Global Miami Plan Requirement Exceptions:

  • 3 credit hours can count in both a GMP Foundation I-V requirement and the Thematic Sequence. This exception does not include a course being used in the Advanced Writing, Experiential Learning, Intercultural Perspectives, or Senior Capstone requirements.
  • In some cases and with LEC permission beforehand, students may fulfill the Experiential Learning requirement as part of their Capstone.

The Honors Plan

Students who were admitted to the University Honors Program prior to fall 2014 must complete the Honors Plan for Liberal Education rather than the Miami Plan. More information about the Honors Plan can be found on the University Honors Program website. Students who were admitted into the University Honors Program beginning fall 2014 and thereafter complete the Global Miami Plan requirements.

Study Abroad

For students who studied abroad through another institution's program, credits may not automatically apply to the Foundation III Study Abroad requirement. This typically happens when credits transfer back to Miami as "T" credits (i.e., ART T01). The credits will still apply, but students need to submit a request in writing to the Office of Liberal Education for credits to be applied on the Degree Audit Report. Please have your advisees send an email to miamiplan@miamioh.edu. They need to include full name, Banner ID#, and the courses they would like to have applied to Foundation III Study Abroad. The courses should be listed as they appear on their Miami University academic records.

Petition to Modify the Miami Plan

In some cases, students may take a course or courses that are aligned with the goals of a particular Global Miami Plan requirement but have not been approved as a Global Miami Plan course (Foundation, Thematic Sequence, etc.), These may be courses transferred from another institution, study abroad experiences, or courses taken at Miami that have not received a Global Miami Plan designation. If you have an advisee who is considering a petition, it will be important to know which Global Miami Plan pathway the student is following and then review the appropriate Miami Plan or Global Miami Plan category descriptions with the student. Please note that for students following the revised Global Miami Plan (initiated in fall 2015), the courses proposed to be counted should incorporate writing assignments.

Students may submit a petition to the Office of Liberal Education in 103 Campus Avenue Building in order to receive the appropriate Global Miami Plan credit for the courses. Petition forms must be signed by the academic advisor, as well as the CDA of the department that houses the course(s). Petitions are reviewed by the University Director of Liberal Education. Please refer to the Petition to Modify the Miami Plan to view and print the petition cover sheet and instructions. All components of the petition must be turned in before it will be reviewed.

Self-Designed Thematic Sequence and Senior Capstone

The purpose of the self-designed Thematic Sequence or Senior Capstone is to provide students with the opportunity to design a specialized Thematic Sequence or Senior Capstone beyond those that are currently offered. Providing this opportunity, the university invites students to create a course of study reflective of requirements and goals represented by the Global Miami Plan and relevant to students' specific academic, professional, social, and political concerns.

Note: Proposals should be submitted prior to the student completing the course or courses that are included in the proposal.

Students may submit self-designed Thematic Sequence and self-designed Senior Capstone proposals to the Office of Liberal Education in 103 Campus Avenue Building. Proposals are reviewed by the University Director of Liberal Education. Please refer to the Self-Designed Thematic Sequence proposal form or the Self-Designed Senior Capstone proposal form to view and print the proposal cover sheet and instructions. All components of the proposal must be turned in before it will be reviewed.