Advising Syllabus

2 men studying together in the library.
2 female students talking to their professor during class
A professor working with a student on how to use a microscope.
2 female students studying at a table in between classes in the Jack Rhodes study.
Students walking through the quad on the Middletown campus.

Mission Statement 

The Miami Regionals Office of Academic Advising is staffed by professional advisors who provide guidance on the Global Miami Plan for Liberal Education, divisional and major requirements, choosing a major, petitioning academic actions, and career planning. When appropriate, we also make referrals to campus support offices and to Regional and Oxford-based faculty advisors.

Contact Information

The Regional Academic Advising Office has locations on the Hamilton campus in Rentschler Hall and on the Middletown campus in Johnston Hall. We offer appointments, both in-person and remotely, and have weekly drop-in hours in the Fall and Spring semesters. Often, we have an advisor “on-call” who can answer questions and refer for an appointment, if necessary. Call or email us during regular business hours for assistance; we offer remote appointments outside of regular business hours, too. 

Regional Academic Advising uses the phone, email, Zoom, and Google Meet to communicate with Miami students, faculty, and staff. You must use your Miami email account to communicate with Regional Academic Advising about your academic record. 

Learning Outcomes

The Regional Academic Advising Office will help you: 

  • Identify and access appropriate university and campus resources 
  • Describe Miami University curriculum, including majors and minors and the Miami Global Plan 
  • Discover and utilize co-curricular opportunities 
  • Select appropriate areas of study (majors, minors, etc.) for your goals and aspirations
  • Plan your course selection each semester and register for classes
  • Complete all requirements to have your degree awarded in a timely manner
  • Manage your academic record and be aware of deadlines and policies that impact your graduation timeline
  • Develop a life-long appreciation for learning, curiosity, and intellectual risk-taking
  • Demonstrate a high level of honesty and integrity, especially academically
  • Appreciate and respect your peers, instructors, and staff in the Miami University community

Resources, Tools, and Materials

Website

The Regional Academic Advising website houses contact information for Regional Academic Advisors, a comprehensive list of services offered to students, a GPA calculator, information about degree programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Applied Sciences, resources for students who have not yet chosen a major and reminders about upcoming opportunities, deadlines, and dates.

BannerWeb

BannerWeb, accessed through myMiami, is where students can run a degree audit (including a ‘what-if’ degree audit to see how credits might apply to a different major), search and sign up for classes, manage their academic record, and apply for graduation.

Courselist

The Miami University Courselist shows the schedule for classes in each semester on all Miami campuses. It also includes the course description and any registration restrictions or pre-requisites required for a course. While students must use BannerWeb to sign up for classes, Advisors will use Courselist to help students find out information about classes.

General Bulletin

The Miami University General Bulletin is published every academic year and contains the academic requirements for admission, program and graduation requirements, fees, financial aid, and information about degrees and majors. The General Bulletin governs the rules for the academic year you began at Miami University, called your ‘catalog year.’

Academic Calendar

The Academic Calendar is available for each academic year. All the important dates are listed, including dates for dropping without a grade and withdrawing with a W.  It’s important to know that the Academic Calendar only deals with academic deadlines, not financial deadlines, which are available in the current year Policy Library or at the One Stop.

Navigate

Regional Academic Advisors use Navigate for scheduling appointments and reviewing student records.  You can log into Navigate and self-schedule appointments with Academic Advising and both tutors and peer mentors in the Tutoring and Learning Center (TLC). Some faculty advisors use Navigate for scheduling appointments as well.

Canvas

Miami’s course management system is Canvas, accessible through myMiami. All online courses happen in Canvas and many face-to-face instructors use it too. Regional Academic Advising uses Canvas to prepare students to submit petitions for academic actions.

Zoom

The default for remote advising appointments is Zoom, though we can also meet with other platforms. You must log into Zoom with your Miami credentials; please call our office if you have trouble connecting.

Four-Year Plans

Regional Academic Advising keeps sample four-year plans for CLAAS degrees on our website. These plans show how a student would progress through a degree in a four-year time frame.  We also have information to help you stay on track to finish your degree in a time frame that works for you.  

myMajors

In fifteen minutes, the myMajors quiz will recommend your ten best-fit majors that match your academic achievement, aptitude, unique interests, and preferences. You likely completed this quiz as part of your orientation, and advisors may review it with you in an appointment.

Expectations of Students and Advisors

Student Expectations

You should expect to: 

  • Keep your scheduled academic advising appointments. You will receive email reminders and are able to self-cancel and/or reschedule any appointment using the link in the email.
  • Prepare for your academic advising appointments. You may have ‘assignments’ before an academic advising appointment such as completing myMajors or a Canvas site. It’s also a good idea to run your degree audit and prepare any questions.
  • Be open and honest; if you’re having a problem that’s interfering with school, please don’t be afraid to share. We’re here to help!
  • Know that the final decisions rest with you. Advisors won’t pick your major or tell you what classes to take as electives. Instead, we’ll empower you to make these decisions for yourself.  

Advisor Expectations 

You can expect me to: 

  • Help you discover your strengths, skills, and abilities to make the most of your college experience. Your advisor is a sounding board. I will be a good listener and give you candid, honest feedback. 
  • Encourage you to dream big about the future and then identify Miami curricular and co-curricular opportunities and options to help you achieve your dreams. 
  • Instruct you on the process of selecting and registering for classes.
  • Connect you with university offices and resources as needed—if I’m not the person who can help you, I will help figure out who can. 
  • Explain academic procedures and policies and help you to understand how they might affect your academic record.
  • Treat you with respect and dignity. 

Attendance/Appointment Policies 

Regional advisors strive to be accommodating in offering student appointments.  You can choose to meet in person on either Regional campus, or, choose to attend a remote advising appointment using Zoom (our default), Google Meet or telephone. We use Navigate to schedule appointments, and we sometimes create appointment campaigns to invite you to schedule an appointment to discuss a specific issue, such as registration for a future term or academic probation. If you are invited to an advising campaign, you’ll get an email with a link to schedule an appointment. Students can usually self-schedule for any reason by logging into Navigate, or calling or stopping by our office. 

When an appointment is scheduled in Navigate, you’ll receive an email to your Miami account with the details of the appointment and a link to join the advisor’s Zoom meeting room, if applicable. You’ll also receive a reminder email the night before your scheduled appointment, and you can cancel (and reschedule) an appointment using the link in that email. 

Please be mindful that both your time and your advisor’s time are important resources. Missed appointments are logged in Navigate and repeat missed appointments are often a red flag that a student is struggling. Be mindful of appointments you schedule and cancel those you cannot attend. And, always call our office if you can’t get Zoom to work or there is a problem accessing the appointment. We’re happy to help you connect, or give you a call back if there are computer or network problems. 

When you use Zoom or another video-conferencing platform to meet with an advisor, please be professional and aware of your surroundings. 

Preferred Names and Pronouns

Miami students may use a preferred name to be displayed in Miami systems. You may be known by a shortened name, a middle name, or another alternative from the legal name you provided Miami (some systems must use your legal name for federal requirements). To change the name you’ll be addressed by in our system, follow the instructions “How do I change my first name display in the Miami directory?” at the One Stop page for Personal Information. 

Miami Regionals advisors will use your preferred pronoun. 

Academic Integrity Statement 

Miami University is a scholarly community whose members believe that excellence in education is grounded in the qualities of character as well as of intellect. Academic advisors expect you to hold to the academic integrity policy in the current year Policy Library at https:/miamioh.edu/policy-library/students/undergraduate/academic-regulations/academic-integrity.html 

Timeline of Student Involvement with Regional Academic Advising

Welcome to Miami Regionals! Your first contact with Advising is in your pre-orientation course (for new students) or your online orientation (for transfer students) in Canvas. In these Advising Canvas modules, you will learn about: 

  • University and campus resources
  • Policies and procedures that can impact your academic record
  • Areas of study available to you at Miami 
  • Recommended classes for your major
  • Choosing a group of courses in common with other students in your degree area

After you complete your online orientation or pre-orientation, you’ll meet one-on-one with an academic advisor. During this meeting, you will:

  • Learn more about your chosen major and discuss its requirements
  • Plan your courses for your first semester
  • Review any courses you have been pre-registered for
  • Discuss your preferred timeline for your degree (four or five years)
  • Ask any questions about campus/university resources, co-curricular opportunities, etc. 

During your first semester at Miami Regionals, you should be enrolled in UNV101 (or a departmental equivalent).  In this one-credit-hour course, you learn about:

  • University and campus resources
  • The general education curriculum at Miami 
  • How to plan your course selection for the next semester and beyond
  • Deadlines and policies that can affect your academic record
  • The importance of academic integrity
  • How to manage the stress of being a college student
  • Co- and extra-curricular opportunities
  • Your peers at Miami 

Midway through your first semester, the Regional Advising Office will help you figure out what classes to take next semester. You’ll be invited/instructed to schedule an appointment with your assigned academic advisor where you will:

  • Confirm your major or explore alternative majors
  • Discuss Thematic Sequences or minors
  • Reflect on your experience as a new college student and what you want to get out of your education
  • Discuss how your classes are going and if any university or campus resources would help you succeed 
  • Go over registration processes, procedures, time tickets, etc. 
  • Check your degree audit/academic record 
  • Make a plan to register 

Periodically, your advisor may want to schedule an appointment with you to address something specific. You should expect to be invited by email to schedule advising appointments if you:

  • Need to schedule for the next semester
  • Are on academic probation
  • Are exploring majors and haven’t decided on one yet
  • Are reenrolling at Miami after a semester or more away
  • Need  to address something on your degree audit or academic record (such as petitioning transfer credit) 

You are also welcome to schedule an appointment with an academic advisor if you want to:

  • Change your major or explore major options
  • Get questions answered about your degree audit
  • Petition transfer credit to be used in the Miami Plan
  • Discuss which campus or university resources might help you solve a problem
  • Get a referral to another office, such as Global Initiatives for study abroad opportunities or to Career Services for internship information
  • Declare a minor, co-major, or Thematic Sequence
  • Change your campus to Oxford, either fully or in part
  • Discuss future plans such as transferring or applying to graduate schools