Advisement and Course Selection (Course Level Rule)
Academic advisement is considered an important element in a student's program of study, and West Georgia makes every effort to provide the service; however, students must ultimately be responsible for their own choices, their own course and program selections, and their own deadlines. Each student is responsible for completion of all requirements of his or her program. Advisors simply provide guidance. Any exception to a published program of study is not valid unless specifically authorized in writing by the dean of the college or department chair in which the major is housed.
Advisee records are compiled from admissions documents, grades and quality points, and test results. All students who have declared a major within the colleges of Arts and Humanities, Science and Mathematics, Social Sciences or Business are assigned to the department of the major and are advised by faculty and/or professional staff in that department. Students who have declared a major in Education are advised by an advisor in the College of Education Academic Advisement Center. Other students are advised as follows: students with Learning Support requirements and/or College Preparatory Curriculum Deficiencies are advised by members of the Learning Support Department; students who have not declared a major are advised by professional staff and faculty volunteers in the EXCEL Center for Academic Success; joint-enrolled high school students and students enrolled in The Advanced Academy of Georgia are advised by the Coordinator of the Academy; and students in the Honors Program may be advised by the Director of Special Programs or a member of the Honors Program Committee.
Every undergraduate student must officially declare a major at or before the completion of 60 semester hours (this includes transfer credits). A hold will be placed on registration until a major is declared.
It is important that students see their advisors prior to registration each semester. Each student is responsible for contacting his or her individual department to determine specific advisement procedures for that department. Freshmen and sophomores are required to consult with their advisors in order to register.
Students are advised to select courses appropriate for their classification, i.e., stepping up or down no more than one level of course numbers. For example, a freshman may step up to a 2000-level course or a junior may step down to a 2000-level course.
