Before you have declared a major:

If you are considering one of the CLAS majors or minors, you can make an appointment to discuss the requirements of the majors/minors and learn about associated careers and opportunities for graduate study. Call our front desk at 616.331.8585 and ask to schedule with an advisor for the major you are interested in. If you're not sure what you want to major in, GVSU's Exploratory Advising Center is here to help you decide! You can make an appointment with them by calling 616.331.8855.

Once you have declared a major in CLAS:

• You will be officially assigned a faculty mentor in the department that offers your major. Your faculty mentor can help you:
  • learn about what areas within the field mesh well with your skills, abilities and interests
  • further develop your field-related knowledge and skills
  • plan coursework (especially electives)
  • learn about the high-impact co-curricular experiences (research, volunteer experience, internships, study abroad, etc.) offered in your major
  • plan and prepare for graduate study or a career within your field.

Learn more about what a faculty mentor does by clicking here!

• In addition, the professional advisors in the CLAS Academic Advising Center support your work with your faculty mentor by helping you to:
  • Develop an achievable academic plan and select courses
  • Understand GVSU policies and procedures as they relate to the completion of your degree in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Prepare for pre-professional programs such as pre-medical, pre-dental, pre-pharmacy studies, graduate study, or teacher certification in a CLAS-related area of study

Learn more about what a professional advisor does by clicking here!

Across your entire college experience:

GVSU expects that you take the initiative to make your academic experience the best it can be!

We urge you to actively engage in your education by:

• Choosing courses that are interesting and meaningful to you while meeting the requirements for your major and/or minor and graduation
• Getting to know faculty members and making use of their expertise and experience
• Participating in extra-curricular and co-curricular activities offered by the university
• Seeking advising once a semester to ensure that you know the requirements for your degree and program and to help you stay on-track for timely graduation

Additionally, we strongly encourage students to: 

• Consider both their professional advisor and their faculty mentor as knowledgeable partners in their educational journey and key members of their academic success team. 
• Initiate contact and meet at least once a year with a faculty mentor or professional advisor. 
• Be proactive about scheduling meetings at high-demand times of year (such as prior to registration). 
• Plan ahead for meetings with professional advisors and faculty mentors. Students are encouraged to review academic requirements and prepare a written list of questions regarding issues like course planning, academic support resources, and graduation requirements. 
• Reflect an awareness of time to graduation by registering for courses to meet degree requirements and educational goals. 
• Develop an awareness of key advising and student success resources available. 

Remember: we're here to help!

Professional advisors are your partners in academic success and your guides through the University's sometimes confusing policies and procedures. You can always schedule an appointment with your professional advisor by following these steps. If you have a problem your advisor can't help with themselves, they will refer you to the right person to support you. You are the captain of your Voyage, but we are the navigators who help ensure you don't get lost along the way!