Advising Syllabus

Advising

Academic advising at MSU is a collaborative learning partnership in which advisor and student enter a respectful, dynamic relationship.

Mission

College of Natural Science advising empowers students to achieve their academic and professional goals within a global and diverse community.

Making Appointments

Appointments are made through the online appointment system.

Advising Appointment Attendance Policy

You are expected to be on time for your scheduled appointments. If you are 15 minutes late for your appointment you will be considered a “no-show” for that appointment, which will be recorded in your academic folder.

Preparing for Appointments

• Use the online appointment system to make an appointment with the correct advisor.
• Come to all appointments you have made, or if you are unable to make it, cancel with enough time to allow another student to take your place.
• Familiarize yourself with your degree requirements and prepare a written list of questions to ask your advisor.
• Review the learning goals in the advising syllabus and discuss any questions you have about the syllabus with your advisor.

Email Expectations

• Use MSU email as primary method of communication and check your email daily, this is how your advisor and the university will communicate with you.
• Compose emails in a professional manner (address the advisor properly) and include identifying information (include your name but not your PID) in an email to your advisor. This will aid the advisor in answering your questions in a timely manner.

Student and Advisor Responsibilities

You are expected to:

• Make and keep appointments with your advisor at least once a semester.
• Prepare for your appointment.
• Keep a folder/notebook to organize information gathered at advising appointments and keep personal record of progress toward goals.
• Be knowledgeable of University and College policies and requirements.
• Utilize campus resources as they are necessary and follow through with referrals.
• Keep your contact information up to date.
• Dress and act appropriately.
• Review your degree requirements and research your career goals.
• Be open and willing to consider other perspectives.

You can expect your Advisor to:

• Coach you in skills for academic and professional success.
• Empower you to become a competitive candidate for admission to professional and graduate schools.
• Connect you with enriching opportunities in research, study abroad, internships, and co-curricular activities.
• Increase the success of students served by the College of Natural Science.
• Maintain confidentiality.

Institutional Learning Goals

1. Analytical thinking - The MSU graduate uses ways of knowing from mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and arts to access information and critically analyzes complex material in order to evaluate evidence, construct reasoned arguments, and communicate inferences and conclusions.
2. Cultural understanding - The MSU graduate comprehends global and cultural diversity within historical, artistic, and societal contexts.
3. Effective citizenship - The MSU graduate participates as a member of local, national, and global communities and has the capacity to lead in an increasingly interdependent world.
4. Effective communication - The MSU graduate uses a variety of media to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
5. Integrated reasoning - The MSU graduate integrates discipline-based knowledge to make informed decisions that reflect humane, social, ethical, and aesthetic values.

Advising Objectives

The College of Natural Science has developed the following objectives to assist in meeting the Institutional Learning Goals. The objectives for each year incorporate all the Institutional Learning Goals into the advising experience.

Please read before your advising appointment:

• Year 1 Objectives

• Year 2 Objectives

• Year 3 Objectives

• Year 4+ Objectives

References