Meeting with your Advisor

Meeting with your Advisor

UNCSA helps students successfully identify and achieve their unique artistic, educational and professional goals through a partnership between the student, advisor(s), and mentor(s). The student has responsibilities as does the advisor.

Definition of Terms and Clarification of Roles
Division of Liberal Arts (DLA) Advisor. One who assists students with their General Education (Gen Ed) course preparation towards timely graduation.

Arts Advisor. One who assists students with their career preparation, which may include guiding the students with their particular arts curriculum.

Mentor. One who guides students in the area of their professional life. 

Advising Point Person (APP). One who oversees a particular school’s advising component in collaboration with Arts Advisors, DLA Advisors, and Mentors.

Students are assigned an advisor in the Division of Liberal Arts (DLA) who will guide them in their first few semesters of registration, in collaboration with an Arts Advisor in their respective school. After that time, the Advising Point Person (APP) in DLA will take over the advising duties for upperclassmen. Some schools may only use one person (APP) to oversee all arts courses, while other schools assign an Arts Advisor in a particular discipline. There will be close communication between the student, the Arts Advisor and/or APP and the DLA Advisor. Each school has a system of advising adapted in such a way that it will aid the student in achieving success in their course of study. The APPs for each school are:

Who to contact for FAQs

Student's Responsibilities

General Responsibilities

  • Understand your role in your success
  • Understand the role of advisors and mentors
  • Know how to contact your advisors
  • Be proactive; seek help and advice early and often!
  • Know that all advisors are helpful and available as a resource
  • Update your student record when necessary (e.g. change of address, phone number)

Staying informed and aware: what you always need to be familiar with

  • Requirements for major, DLA and graduation
  • Your current grade point average, enrolled credits and earned credit hours (information available on Degree Works, accessible through E-Z Arts)
  • Your course syllabi
  • Dates and deadlines on the academic calendar
  • Official communications sent to your uncsa.edu email

Degree Works Student Tutorial

Meeting your Advisors: how to prepare and what to bring

  • Schedule appointments in advance and arrive on time
  • Review the requirements for major, DLA and graduation
  • Make notes on progress toward degree with Degree Works
  • If you are meeting to plan future classes, be familiar with the offerings and times
  • Bring or email copy of your Degree Works spreadsheet (accessible through E-Z Arts) along with questions
  • Make notes on advising sessions

See Advisor's responsibilities.