Students should assume the initiative for preparing a semester schedule of classes. The academic advisor is available to offer suggestions and to verify the accuracy of course choice in meeting curricular patterns, but the primary responsibility for knowing the requirements of the academic program and proceeding to satisfy those requirements in an orderly and sequential manner remains with the student.
Faculty Academic Advising
Students who have decided on and declared a major are assigned a faculty advisor from the academic college which houses that major. Undecided students, as well as those who are conditionally admitted, are assigned an advisor from the Center for Exploring Majors. Advisors in the Center for Exploring Majors will help students choose a major, usually during the first four semesters. Bachelor of Professional Studies majors are advised through the College of Liberal Arts.
The University of Southern Indiana recognizes academic advising to be a critical component of the educational experience of its students. Through individual, collaborative relationships with academic advisors, students are best able to define and implement sound educational and vocational plans that are consistent with their personal values, goals and career plans. Academic advisors represent and interpret University policies and procedures to the student and help the student navigate the academic and organizational paths of the institution. The University acknowledges its obligation to provide students with accurate and timely academic advising, delivered through its academic departments and colleges, as well as through additional units and offices devoted to specific student populations such as undecided and conditionally admitted students.
Advising Centers
Advising Centers are located within the following colleges and are available to current and prospective students considering a major within the college:
College of Liberal Arts Advising Center
College of Nursing and Health Professions Advising Center
Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education Advising Center
Romain College of Business Advising Center
Degree Audit
A degree audit (sometimes called degree evaluation) outlines a student’s specific degree requirements and tracks their progress toward the fulfillment of those requirements. It incorporates a student's USI classes as well as an evaluation of any transfer coursework, and also indicates whether categories in the program are satisfied or unsatisfied. Unsatisfied categories list the acceptable courses from which to select. Students can view their degree audit online through myUSI. A degree audit can either be run for the student's currently declared major/program, or as a “what-if” audit for another major the student might be interested in. Students should routinely run and review their audit (before/after registering for classes, after any schedule revision, if changing programs, and at the end of the semester when grades are official). Academic advisors can also access their advisee’s degree audit and can help explain degree requirements for your major, answer questions about the Core/Core 39, and recommend the most appropriate courses when selecting a class schedule.
NOTE: The University is in the process of updating our degree audit system from DARS to DegreeWorks. At this time, students whose academic program is from the Spring 2013 bulletin or earlier will still use the DARS audit; review the Degree Audit Tutorial for details about how to run/read a DARS audit. Students whose academic program is from the Fall 2013 bulletin or later will use the DegreeWorks audit; review the DegreeWorks FAQs and Tutorials for information about the DegreeWorks audit.
Student Participation in Program Planning
Students enrolled in the University are expected to read carefully and to understand the contents of the USI Bulletin. This includes awareness of the University's general policies and regulations for academic achievement necessary for continued enrollment, as well as social and campus conduct. Students also are responsible for knowing the requirements of the University Core Curriculum and any requirements special to their chosen program, enabling the student to qualify for graduation.
