College of Letters and Science

Office of the Deans/Undergraduate
Education and Advising Office
200 Social Sciences and Humanities Building
(530) 752-0392; http://www.ls.ucdavis.edu/Students

The deans and staff in the Undergraduate Education and Advising Office can help you with issues relating to your academic goals and experiences. You can consult the Advising Office on matters such as program planning, selection of a major, exceptions to regulations and academic enrichment opportunities. The office also provides a number of additional services:

• Determines how your transfer credits from other institutions apply towards completion of breadth and unit requirements for the bachelor’s degree. Applicability of transfer credit toward the major is determined by your major faculty adviser.
• Provides degree checks to identify remaining college requirements and certifies graduation.
• Acts on petitions requiring the dean’s approval.
• Reviews the records of students who are subject to disqualification and determines whether such students may continue at UC Davis.

Faculty Advisers. New students are assigned to a faculty adviser during their first term of enrollment. If you indicated an interest in a particular program on your application, your adviser will be a faculty member associated with that major. If you change your major, you will be reassigned.

New students are encouraged to see their faculty adviser at least once every quarter during their first year on campus to discuss their educational goals, course program and progress.

Continuing students who have completed three quarters in residence in the college should consult with an adviser at certain important checkpoint stages in their academic careers. You are urged, however, to maintain regular contact with an adviser in your major to avoid program errors that may delay graduation. Seniors should maintain close contact with their advisers to ensure that they are meeting the major requirements.

Academic Options Program. If you did not indicate an initial commitment to a particular major program on your application, you will participate in the Academic Options Program, which provides academic advising to lower division students. You will be assisted by an advising team available at sites in each of the university residence hall complexes. Students living off campus may contact the Letters and Science Advising Office for advising assistance prior to declaring a major.

Advising Checkpoints. You should consult with your faculty adviser at two, possibly three, critical stages in your academic career:

• Before you complete 90 units of degree credit, including transfer work, you must develop in consultation with your faculty adviser, a proposal for a quarter-by-quarter program of courses showing how you will meet your educational goals and graduation requirements. You must also have declared a major by this time. Filing this plan with your adviser does not preclude subsequent modifications of the plan or a change of major.
• When you complete 135 units of degree credit, including transfer work, you may pick up Degree Check materials from the Letters and Science Advising Office and consult your adviser concerning course selection and satisfaction of requirements in the major.
• Before you complete 195 units of degree credit, including transfer work, you must develop in consultation with your faculty adviser, a firm study plan in the form of a quarter-by-quarter program that will satisfy all remaining degree requirements as expeditiously as possible. This plan will be filed with your adviser. If the plan indicates that you will have to register beyond the 225-unit limit in order to meet degree requirements, you must contact the Undergraduate Education and Advising Office immediately. Exceptions to the 225-unit limit are granted by the dean only rarely. Typically, approval is granted only to allow completion of minimum degree requirements.

If you have not met with your faculty adviser before these established checkpoints, a hold may be placed on your registration as a reminder.

Peer Advisers. Student-to-student advising is an important part of the university advising services. The College of Letters and Science deans’ office peer advisers are available in the Undergraduate Education and Advising office, in 200 Social Sciences and Humanities Building, and on a weekly basis in the campus residence halls to talk with students about their academic concerns.