What is Advising?

Academic Advising is the primary function of University College. Professional academic advisors are available throughout the year to help students decide on majors, select appropriate courses, and become acquainted with university policies and resources. Our goal is to provide students with the support they need to succeed at the University of Oklahoma.

Preparing to be Advised

Students are encouraged to prepare for their advising sessions. We recommend doing a number of things to get the most out of your advising appointment.

First, be familiar with the General Education requirements. These are courses that are common to every degree program at the university. For example, every student must take at least 6 semester hours in English composition, 3 hours in American History, 3 hours in American Federal Government, etc. To see the complete list of General Education Requirements, go here.

Second, many students in University College have not yet chosen a major, and at least half of the students who have declared a major will change their minds during the first year. Therefore, we recommend taking career assessments that might assist in giving some direction and clarity for general aptitudes, talents, skills, values, etc. We have several that you can do prior to being advised; here.

Thirdly, make a trial schedule. All students can practice making a mock schedule at enroll.ou.edu before they even see an advisor. So, if you want to look at specific courses that might count for your General Education requirements or perhaps find a free elective, feel free. When you meet with your advisor, you will discuss how those courses may or may not fit into your degree plan.

Lastly, check out degree sheets. You can go online to: checksheets.ou.edu and look at all of our degree programs and their requirements. Interested in a minor? Check out a list of these here. For other minors, please check with the appropriate degree-granting college.