2023-2024 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Undergraduate Information
- Academic Advising Centers/Offices
- Academic Success Resources
- Academic Standards and Other Services
- Undergraduate Academic Programs
Undergraduate Policies and Regulations
Refer to the General and Undergraduate sections of the Academic Policies and Regulations section of this catalog for Undergraduate Policies and Regulations.
Academic Advising and Student Instructional Support Information
Academic Advising Mission
Academic advising engages students in the process of exploring and defining their academic and career goals and in creating effective strategies to achieve these goals.
Through collaborative relationships with academic advisors, students are encouraged and supported as they develop the skills necessary to take responsibility for their own development and success.
Academic advisors educate students by providing accessible, accurate, and timely information regarding academic requirements, university resources, and opportunities to develop critical thinking skills and enrich the college experience and their personal lives.
Definition of Academic Advising
Academic advising is an integral part of a college education, establishing a collaborative relationship between students and their advisors to map out a meaningful and successful educational experience and help guide the students' paths to graduation and a career. Academic advising centers and offices are listed as follows.
Academic Advising Centers/Offices
Exploratory Study (Undecided) Advising
C-1-140 MAK, (616) 331-8585, [email protected], gvsu.edu/exploratory
Exploratory advisors are available to help students who have not yet declared a major or are transitioning from one major to another. Advisors assist students with the process of choosing a major, monitor students' academic progress, and discuss other academically related concerns with students. Once students declare their major, they are referred to their major department for advising.
Contact information for academic advising centers and offices for each college are listed as follows and on the website at gvsu.edu/advising. Students interested in programs in a particular college can contact the advising center or office to learn more about specific programs or courses.
Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies - Brooks College Advising Center
260 LMH, (616) 331-8200, [email protected], gvsu.edu/integrativelearning
College of Education and Community Innovation - Office of Certification and Accreditation
401C DEV, (616) 331-6650, [email protected]
College of Education and Community Innovation - Undergraduate Advising Center
321C DEV, (616) 331-6890, [email protected]u, gvsu.edu/ceciadvising
College of Health Professions - Student Services Office
113 CHS, (616) 331-5900, [email protected], gvsu.edu/chpss
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences - Academic Advising Center
C-1-140 MAK and C-1-120 MAK, (616) 331-8585, [email protected], gvsu.edu/clasadvising
Kirkhof College of Nursing - Office of Student Services
326 CHS, (616) 331-7160 or (800) 480-0406, [email protected]
B-3-259 MAK, (616) 331-7160, gvsu.edu/kcon/oss
Seidman College of Business - Seidman Undergraduate Programs
1041 SCB, (616) 331-7500, [email protected]
gvsu.edu/seidman/undergraduateprograms
Seymour and Esther Padnos College of Engineering and Computing
Declared Major Advising (prior to secondary admission)
Advising Center
101 EC and B-3-241 MAK, (616) 331-6025, [email protected], gvsu.edu/pcec/advising
Admitted Major Advising (after secondary admission)
Students should contact their respective school.
Faculty Advising
School of Engineering
136 KEN, (616) 331-6750, [email protected]
School of Computing
C-2-100 MAK, (616) 331-2060, [email protected]
Department of Occupational Safety and Health
618 EC, (616) 331-6300, [email protected]
Academic Success Resources
Support Services and Programs
Academic Coaching
200 Lubbers Student Services Center, (616) 331-3588, gvsu.edu/sasc
Individual academic coaching is available from both professional and peer coaches. Academic coaching sessions focus on topics, including general college learning strategies, test preparation and post-test reflection, organization and time management, note-taking, motivation, and goal setting. Academic coaches can assist students in identifying their academic challenges and develop a plan for improvement using campus resources for support. Group presentations about academic success topics are also available to help students improve their academic performance and confidence.
Disability Support Resources
215 The Blue Connection, (616) 331-2490, [email protected], gvsu.edu/dsr
Disability Support Resources (DSR) provides support services and accommodations that enhance the environment for persons with disabilities and helps educate the university community on disability issues. The office also provides access to programs and facilities for faculty members, staff members, and students. Grand Valley promotes the full inclusion of individuals with varying abilities as part of our commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive community. It is the policy of Grand Valley to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended by the ADA Amendment Act (2008), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. Grand Valley will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with a documented disability upon request.
Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors
For locations, please visit gvsu.edu/wc.
The Writing Center offers one-to-one peer feedback on writing in Allendale, downtown, and online. This free service is for all Grand Valley graduate and undergraduate students. The center is an integral part of WRT 150, and it provides weekly small group activities, embedded consultants in computerized classrooms, and peer review workshops as requested by faculty members. Students can work with a consultant on any kind of writing, including creative, professional, and academic work, and receive detailed feedback and revision suggestions at any stage of the writing process. Every hour of operation offers appointments and drop-in consultations.
GVSU McNair Scholars Program
230 Mary Idema Pew Library, (616) 331-8100, gvsu.edu/ours/mcnair
The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement program's goal is to increase the number of minoritized students in Ph.D. programs and careers across the country. That is first-generation students with significant financial need (Pell Grant-eligible), or members of racial and ethnic groups that are traditionally underrepresented in careers that require a Ph.D. The program accepts students from all disciplines. Scholars participate in a 15-month program that includes academic and career counseling, tutoring, GRE preparation, graduate school application preparation, and academic writing preparation, as well as a stipend and subsidized housing during an intensive summer research program. Scholars will also have access to funding for conference travel and graduate school visits.
Laker Academic Success Center
152 Fieldhouse, (616) 331-5272, gvsu.edu/lakeracademiccenter
The Laker Academic Success Center academic advisors provide one-on-one academic advising and support to student athletes. Students maintain a regular schedule of appointments to help with academic success and ensure athletic eligibility.
Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship
230 Mary Idema Pew Library, (616) 331-8100, gvsu.edu/ours
The Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS) offers a variety of opportunities and resources for undergraduates to pursue creative practice, scholarship, and research in various disciplines under the direction of a faculty mentor. These intensive opportunities enrich students' academic experiences and challenge them to strengthen their critical thinking, problem-solving, analytical, and writing skills. OURS provides support to undergraduate students and faculty through programs such as the Academic Conference Fund, the GVSU McNair Scholars program, the Student Summer Scholars program, and Student Scholars Day, to name a few. More information about OURS programs can be found on our websites: gvsu.edu/ours/mcnair, gvsu.edu/ours/ssp, and gvsu.edu/ours/ssd.
Oliver Wilson Scholars Program
4000 James H. Zumberge Hall (JHZ), (616) 331-5200, [email protected]
The Oliver Wilson Scholars Program, formerly known as the Freshman Academy, is a comprehensive academic support program for students who have demonstrated a strong potential to be successful at Grand Valley. The program provides multidimensional student support that can be broken down into two components: academic support and personal development.
Student Academic Success Center (SASC)
200 Lubbers Student Services Center, (616) 331-3588, gvsu.edu/sasc
The Student Academic Success Center is committed to helping students reach their academic and personal goals. We foster student development and academic success by providing support resources for students to assist them in achieving their educational goals. Programs include academic coaching, academic skills workshops, Academic Success Camp, Laker Strategies for Success, Oliver Wilson Freshman Academy, TRIO Student Support Services, and TRIO Student Support Services STEM - Health Sciences, McNair Scholars Program, Student Ombuds, and EAB Navigate.
EAB Navigate
200 Lubbers Student Services Center, [email protected], gvsu.edu/navigate
Grand Valley State University has partnered with the Educational Advisory Board (EAB) to bring you Navigate, a student success software that assists with appointment making and access to services on campus.
McNair Scholar Program
200 Lubbers Student Services Center, (616) 331-2668, gvsu.edu/mcnair
The GVSU McNair Scholars Program provides support to first-generation students with significant financial need or members of racial and ethnic groups that are traditionally underrepresented in careers that require a Ph.D.
Student Ombuds
[email protected], gvsu.edu/ombuds
The Student Ombuds strives to promote fairness and foster a positive campus environment by assisting students with conflict resolution and problem-solving related to their university working, learning, or living experiences.
TRIO Student Support Services (SSS)
200 Lubbers Student Services Center, (616) 331-3401, gvsu.edu/sss
TRIO Student Support Services provide academic advising, study skills instruction, and career planning to first-generation, financially eligible college students at Grand Valley.
TRIO Student Support Services STEM - Health Sciences
200 Lubbers Student Services Center, (616) 331-5430, gvsu.edu/triostem
TRIO STEM advisors provide specialized services developed to support first-generation, financially eligible college students in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and health sciences.
Tutoring
Tutoring and Reading Center
Henry Hall 112, phone: (616) 331-3451, [email protected], gvsu.edu/trc
The Tutoring and Reading Center at Grand Valley State University provides individual and small group peer tutoring free of charge. Subject-specific, in-depth tutoring is provided for many 100- and 200-level courses and a select number of upper-level courses. Tutoring sessions are 50-minutes in length and encourage student success by providing a collaborative learning environment in which students can ask questions, clarify material, and benefit from course-appropriate learning strategies shared by students who have successfully completed the course and undergone extensive training in tutoring best-practices. Students can make a tutoring appointment in Navigate by calling or emailing the center or by coming to the center.
The Reading Center, a component of the Tutoring and Reading Center, offers drop-in and appointment sessions to assist students in building and strengthening reading comprehension, introduces students to reading strategies to help them become more effective readers. The Reading Center also offers support for English-language learners and for those whom English is not their first language. Peer tutors in the Reading Center have been trained in comprehensive reading strategies, tutoring best practices, and support for ELL/ESL students.
Drop-in Tutoring
Unscheduled drop-in tutoring is offered in discipline-specific centers across GVSU campuses. Drop-in centers provide peer and faculty support for students in a model that is best suited for homework assistance and quick help. For up-to-date hours and locations, check each center's website.
Anatomy Tutoring Lab at gvsu.edu/bms/facilities-195.htm
BIO and BMS Drop-in Tutoring at gvsu.edu/trc/biobms-drop-in-tutoring-center-35.htm
Chemistry Success Center at gvsu.edu/chem/chemistry-success-center-119.htm
CIS Student Success Center at gvsu.edu/computing/student-success-center-13.htm
Engineering Student Success Center at gvsu.edu/engineering/welcome-to-the-school-of-engineering-student-success-161.htm
Math Tutoring Center at gvsu.edu/tutoring/math
Physics Help Corner at gvsu.edu/physics/physics-help-corner-86.htm
Seidman College of Business Tutoring Lab at gvsu.edu/seidman/tutoring-hours-133.htm
Statistics Tutoring Center at gvsu.edu/tutoring/stats
Structured Learning Assistance (SLA) and Peer-assisted Study Sessions (PASS)
SLA and PASS are forms of peer-led supplemental instruction available in some high-risk courses at GVSU. Supplemental instruction is a format of peer-lead instruction and tutoring that focuses on collaboration, group learning, and interaction to help students succeed in historically difficult courses with high rates of poor grades or withdrawals. In their SLA and PASS sessions, students are provided with course-specific learning and study strategies like notetaking, test-taking, reading skills, and more, while also engaging in structured review and study time with a group of their peers.
Students who enroll in SLA courses will also enroll in a required additional weekly study session with their classmates lead by a peer facilitator; there is no additional charge for this session. Students who enroll in PASS courses have the option to attend weekly additional sessions led by peer facilitators, but they are not required to attend. The goal of our SLA and PASS programs is to help students build foundational knowledge and skills that will improve their course performance and help retain them through graduation.
Assistance can be found within the Tutoring and Reading Center. For more information and a list of SLA and PASS courses, visit gvsu.edu/sla-pass.
Academic Standards and Other Services
200 Lubbers Student Services Center, (616) 331-3588
Academic Review Committee
Review appeals of the withdrawal deadline, Petition to Return, and Academic Forgiveness process.
Course Evaluations and Substitutions
Responsible for course evaluations and substitutions for general education Foundations/Cultures requirements.
Credit Overload Appeals
Review appeals to enroll in more than 20 credits in a semester.
Academic Forgiveness
Review appeals for Academic Forgiveness from undergraduate students who wish to change or have already changed to a different major.
Emergency Notification
It is the responsibility of students to notify their professors of attendance issues. The SASC will email students' professors in cases of extended illness, death, or family emergencies, etc. This process does not excuse students from classes, but serves as an official notification to professors. Students are responsible for making arrangements with professors about missed work.
Residency Waiver Requests
Review appeals to take a course or courses at another institution during the final 30 semester hours of a student's degree program.
Undergraduate Academic Programs
Grand Valley State University has more than 300 areas of study, 100 undergraduate degrees, and 45 graduate degrees.