So, what's the difference between a faculty and professional advisor?

Both types of advisors can address questions about major/minor and graduation requirements. However, you can think of the difference between these advisors as a difference in perspective and scope.

Faculty advisors are experts in your major field and bring this in-depth understanding into play in addressing your questions and concerns. They know the wide variety of careers available to majors, what specific courses will be best for you, and how to most effectively chose and prepare for specific graduate programs and careers. They can also help you evaluate how well your skills and abilities fit with the field and your goals. In addition, they have extensive contacts in the field and can foster your professional development in your academic area of interest.

Professional advisors, on the other hand, offer a broader perspective on your undergraduate experience. A professional advisors expertise is in how to successfully fulfill major/minor and graduation requirements and navigate through the process of getting an undergraduate degree, and they can clarify for you the steps necessary to prepare for a career and/or graduate study. In the case of the professional advisor, the in-depth knowledge they bring to addressing your questions and concerns is about college and university policies and procedures, your myPath degree evaluation and transcripts, and the wide range of resources and extra- and co-curricular experiences available to students.