Answers to Common Advisee Questions
Academics
Degree Audit – Stellic displays a student’s official degree audit in the Progress tab of the student profile, which is accessible to both students and advisors. If/when curriculum exceptions are appropriate, those are requested by advisors directly in the degree audit. This tool is intended to provide transparency in student degree progress and assist in degree clearance.
Planning – Students and advisors can work collaboratively to drag & drop from remaining degree audit requirements to plan out which courses students are going to take in which terms. It is a tool designed to help students map out their remaining time/courses at UD. With Planner, students can request that their assigned Academic Advisor(s) review their plan to ensure that, in general, their plan looks good to keep them on track for graduation. These requests go to the official assigned advisor as listed in UDSIS.
Appointment Scheduling – No more back and forth over email or returning phone messages! Just set your available dates & times and students can easily schedule an appointment at a time that is convenient for you and them. Sync the Stellic platform with your UD calendar for a seamless scheduling experience.
Taking notes and communicating with students – Keep all of your advising documents, notes, and information in one location for a quick snapshot! Log your advising notes, keep a copy of your emails, and quickly see official documents and forms. Please note, all UD faculty and staff with access to academic grade data can view these advisement details.
Referring students – When you are meeting with a student and they have a question you can’t answer, maybe about financial aid, career needs or housing, you can quickly submit a Referral to that campus partner within the Stellic platform. A staff member who receives the Referral will proactively outreach to the student. This is a great way to connect students to on-campus resources and to give a nudge to those students who aren’t likely to reach out themselves!
Quick searches – Need to quickly determine how many of your advisees are on probation, or how many sophomores are in your major? Use the Student Search function to generate a quick list of actively enrolled students that fit your criteria.
Note: Academic record updates from UDSIS (ex. transfer credit posting, course registration, changes in program and/or catalog year, etc.) will reflect in Stellic the day following the data update in UDSIS.
Each semester, students should track their progress toward graduation by using their official Degree Audit and Planner in Stellic and the online academic catalog for the year they entered UD, not the current catalog. Students should meet with their advisor at least once each semester to review their academic progress and to discuss course selections before registering for courses. You are encouraged to compare the degree audit requirements and the catalog’s four year planning guide when discussing possible courses for the next semester.
Stellic displays a student’s official degree audit in the Progress tab of the student profile, which is accessible to both students and advisors. Degree audits are available for every major and minor and are customized for each individual student to show how the courses they have taken apply to their degree progress and the remaining courses they have for graduation. Along with providing transparent degree progress information, students can also use the tool to explore other areas of study and see how their coursework might apply. For student-facing resources, see: Student Guide | Stellic Help Center.
Typically students need to take the necessary courses required for their degree or consider taking the specific course at an alternative institution, if approved. However, sometimes alternative courses can fulfill degree requirements. Any advisor may request an exception within Stellic, which then routes to the appropriate person for approval before being processed in the student’s degree audit. See Exceptions & Milestones for more information on the curriculum exception process in Stellic.
Do you find yourself doing a reoccuring course sub? It may be time for your department to put through a curricular change! Connect with the Registrar’s Office for more details.
For students who register during the appropriate registration periods, enrollment eligibility into courses is based on numerous things. For instance, have they completed the prerequisite for a course? Is the course restricted to a certain classification like senior and they are only a junior? Does the course require permission from the instructor? If you have thoroughly reviewed all the restrictions and you feel that the student is eligible, refer them to the department that houses the course for registration assistance. Course descriptions listed in the online catalog will specify any and all restrictions as well as the pre- or co-requisites.
Students can “double dip”, but it depends on the major and the requirement. A course can meet more than one requirement, but the credits are only counted once towards overall credit totals towards the degree. Please refer to the online academic catalog for departmental stipulations.
University Breadth Requirements must be selected from the approved list, which can be found by searching the Course Search for any given semester. Just because a course counts this semester does not mean it will count next semester. A minimum of C- or better is required.
If a student would like to take a course overload, they should contact their Assistant Dean’s office for permission. There are strict requirements for an overload. Typically, the student must have a cumulative grade-point index of at least 2.5 and a grade-point index of at least 3.0 from the most recent semester. There is no extra tuition charge for taking a course overload and, as a reminder, students can take up to 18 credits with no additional permission or charge.
All international students have full-time registration requirements that may impact their visa status. International students should be directed to the International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) office for any and all information regarding visa and immigration regulations.
There are various reasons why a student would pursue an Independent Study, such as a shared interest of study with a professor or assisting with a research project under faculty supervision. Students should register for the Independent Study course and then submit the Independent Study/DLE webform in UDSIS. This webform contract outlines what the student and faculty member have agreed to do per the Independent Study. Using an Independent Study to substitute for a required course is rarely, if ever, an option.
It depends. To receive a University of Delaware degree, students must satisfy the residency requirement: completion of either 90 of the first 100 credits or 30 of the last 36 credits at the University of Delaware.
Additionally, students must complete the Transfer Credit Evaluation form and submit it to their Assistant Dean’s office for approval PRIOR to enrolling in a course. Students can check whether a course has already been approved on the UD Transfer Credit Matrix and learn more about transfer credit policies by visiting http://www1.udel.edu/registrar/transfer/.
Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in a college-level course in order for the credits to transfer back to UD; however, only the credits will transfer and not the grade. There will be no impact to a student’s UD GPA.
12. My transfer course is only counting as elective credit. Will that fulfill my major requirements?
This can be tricky so be cautious about what you tell your advisees. For instance, the department is permitted to determine what will complete a major requirement; however, be aware of how that substitution may impact the rest of the student’s curriculum. If the department allows a transfer elective to fulfill a requirement, please be aware that it may hinder your student from registering for any subsequent sequential courses. The best approach for transfer elective credits would be to recommend your advisee pursue the re-evaluation process with the overseeing department to have the transfer course potentially evaluated as a direct UD course number.
Eligible undergraduate students may retake University of Delaware courses and have the lowest of the repeated course grades excluded from the GPA. Through the academic term during which a student attains a total of 28 credits attempted at UD, if a student receives a C- or lower on a UD course, then that course may be retaken later with only the higher grade included in the calculation of GPA and in the calculation of quality point deficit. A student may apply this to a particular course only once.
All course attempts and grades will be recorded on the transcript, with a notation to indicate which courses are not included in the GPA. See the Grade Forgiveness FAQs here: http://www1.udel.edu/registrar/policies-procedures/gradeforgiveness.html
If the course is not eligible for Grade Forgiveness, then both course attempts will be factored into the student’s UD GPA. Please note that not all students or course circumstances are eligible for Grade Forgiveness.
A minimum grade of C- is required for all UD breadth courses. Minimum grade requirements for other courses are outlined in the University Catalog. Students must have a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average or above in order to graduate.
Full-time, matriculated students must earn a minimum of a 3.5 GPA to receive Dean’s List recognition. If a student has a temporary grade on their transcript (i.e. “I”) they are not eligible for inclusion. Please note that there are exceptions to the full-time status requirements for students eligible for the Reduced Course Load Policy and that the minimum GPA requirement to meet Dean’s List increased beginning Fall 2019.
No, mid-term grades are posted solely to show how the student is progressing in the semester and do not remain on official transcripts. If a student is not earning satisfactory grades, it is a great opportunity to discuss tutoring or other applicable resources so that grades may be approved, or potentially change the grading option (pass/fail, withdraw, audit, etc.).
GPA is listed on the unofficial transcript (accessible in UDSIS). There is also a GPA calculator on the Registrar’s website that students can use to calculate their GPA based on the current courses and projected grades: http://www1.udel.edu/registrar/students/gpa-calc.html – or – students and advisors can use the “Simulate GPA” feature on the Courses tab within Stellic.
Students are expected to maintain an overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.0 GPA) to be in Good Standing. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 will be placed on Academic Warning. Depending on performance in subsequent semesters, students may be subject to other academic statuses, including Academic Suspension or Academic Dismissal. Students should review complete details about the different academic standings which may be found in the Undergraduate Catalog and the FAQs on the Registrar’s Office’s site.
Students who are placed in Academic Warning status will receive a notification from their college Assistant Dean’s office. Students who are subject to Academic Suspension or Academic Dismissal will receive a “Suspension Pending” or “Dismissal Pending” notice from the Registrar’s Office. After a review by the Committee on Undergraduate Records and Certification (CURC), students’ academic standing will be confirmed via a final Academic Suspension or Academic Dismissal notification sent by the Registrar’s Office. All communications regarding academic standing will be sent to students’ UD email address.
Students should speak to their professor for clarification of expectations and for extra help. The student should also seek individual and/or group tutoring. See the Academic Coaching and Tutoring (ACT)’s website for more information.
If the last day to change registration for the semester is drawing near and all avenues have been exhausted, students may need to consider withdrawing or changing the grading status of the course. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss grading options with their advisor prior to making any changes to their grading. After the deadline, students are not permitted to drop or change the grading status of a course without having well-documented non-academic extenuating circumstances.
A course can only be taken as Pass/Fail if it will count as a general elective; it may not count toward degree/major requirements unless the course is only offered as Pass/Fail. A student can only take one standard graded course as Pass/Fail each semester; the total number of credits earned on a Pass/Fail basis may not exceed 24 in the baccalaureate program. Pass/Fail courses will count towards your total credits towards graduation. A grade of “P” will not affect a student’s GPA, but a grade of “F” will factor into their GPA.
For a non-medical leave, students must reach out to their Assistant Dean’s office to request a Leave of Absence (LOA) for the semester. This MUST be done prior to the end of drop/add or the student will lose their matriculation and need to apply for readmission when they want to return. Students are only permitted to take 2 consecutive LOA’s. If a student is on an official LOA they can register as normal for the subsequent semester.
For a medical leave, students should be referred to Student Advocacy & Support.
22. I’ve been sick/ I’ve experienced a loss. Can I get an excused absence letter sent to my faculty?
For relatively minor, short-term illnesses (e.g. colds and flu, where attendance in class is undesirable) the University system depends upon reasonable communication between students and faculty. If possible, students should report such illnesses before the affected class, following the directions of the instructor as provided at the beginning of the semester.
For absences due to serious illness of a student (e.g. hospitalization, etc.) or a loss, students must provide documentation to their Assistant Dean’s office, who will connect with the student’s faculty members to provide an official excused absence as appropriate.
Parents will often call academic advisors with or without a student’s knowledge in hopes of gaining information. However, FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) stipulates that students’ information is confidential and cannot be released or discussed with anyone (except another UD official who has a legitimate education need to review the record) without the explicit written permission of the student outlining specific parameters – time frame, names of people to be involved in the discussion, and topic of the discussion – each time the communication is to occur.
Best practice is to talk with the student and parent simultaneously. Talking with both parties at the same time, whether in person or by telephone, allows all parties to hear and respond to the same concerns together, and it can avoid misunderstandings. An advisor is not required to speak to a parent about a student’s academic record even if permission has been granted by the student. However, talking with the student and parent together can contribute to student success. Additional information and regulations available here: http://www1.udel.edu/registrar/policies-procedures/ferpa-summary.html.
Feel free to refer parents to the Assistant Dean’s office to discuss generalities or to the Registrar’s Office to discuss FERPA regulation.
Students can request enrollment verification themselves via UDSIS. Students must click the Grades & Transcripts tile, then the “Enrollment Verification” link, and then follow the prompted instructions. More information can be found here: http://www1.udel.edu/registrar/students/enrl-verif.html.
Student Life
UD Student Wellbeing provides confidential counseling services to help students in need.
26. I am having some personal struggles/stress and would like to talk to someone. Where should I go?
There are a variety of resources that can help students. Two great places to start are the Center for Counseling and Student Development and Student Advocacy & Support.
UD Counseling & Student Development provides students with individual and group therapy. Visit their faculty/staff page to learn more.
Student Advocacy & Support works one on one with students to discuss situations, resources, and steps to move forward. Learn more by visiting their website at https://www.udel.edu/students/support/ or calling 302-831-8939.
All students have access to 24/7 support through TimelyCare.
Connecting with the Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) in order to request reasonable accommodations has several steps and often includes the need for documentation. The student section of the website will walk students through the process, and students should contact the office by phone at 302-831-4643 or email at dssoffice@udel.edu if they would like to discuss their individual situation, and/or have any questions or concerns about the process.
https://sites.udel.edu/dss/students/
If the student lives on campus, they should start by having a conversation with their RA. If they would like to speak with a staff member, they should contact their Residence Hall Coordinator to discuss any conflicts.
http://www1.udel.edu/reslife/about_us/resh_coordinators.html
If the student lives off campus, the student should be referred to UD’s Student Advocacy & Support at studentsupport@udel.edu or 302-831-8939 to speak with a member of their staff.
Acknowledge that this is a difficult situation, it took courage this information, and that you believe them. If you are the first person they are telling, you are vital to helping them move forward.
UD provides 24 hour 7 day a week support through our Sexual Offense Support advocates. Students can call the UD Helpline at 302-831-1001 and press 1 to be connected to an advocate. Advocates support students in various processes including securing academic and personal accommodations, reporting to the university or police, or general advocacy. Advocates are confidential support. They can also access confidential support through the Center for Counseling and Student Development.
Since you are a university mandatory reporter, share with the student that you are required to share this information with the Office of Equity and Inclusion and that they will receive an e-mail with resources, supports, and accountability options. The student can find more information at https://sites.udel.edu/sexualmisconduct/getting-help/.
If a student ever feels unsafe or their is an immediate concern for safety they should dial 911 or contact the University of Delaware Police at 302-831-2222. Let them know they can also contact UDPD to report this as a criminal matter.
If a student ever feels unsafe or their is an immediate concern for safety they should dial 911 or contact the University of Delaware Police at 302-831-2222. They should also reach out to UDPD if the person is not affiliated with UD.
If they are being harassed by another student, they can contact the Community Standards & Conflict Resolution to learn about accountability and resolution options. They can be reached at 302-831-2117 or e-mail at studentconduct@udel.edu.
Major & Career
First-destination career outcomes are available for each UD major through the outcomes website:
https://www.udel.edu/apply/career-outcomes/#year=All
UD’s Linkedin alumni page provides students with the opportunity to view the profiles of and connect with alumni based on what they studied, what they do, where they live, and where they work.
https://www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-delaware/people/
UD Career Center staff provide 1:1 career career coaching and and can help students further explore the pathways for their major and connect with alumni who majored in the same field as them. Appointments can be scheduled by logging into Handshake (https://udel.joinhandshake.com) and choosing “Career Center” > “Appointments”.
Students weigh a number of factors when choosing or changing a major, including an assessment of the subject matter that is meaningful and purposeful to them and ROI considerations such as salary expectations, short and long-term employment outcomes, advanced degree opportunities, and skill development.
The student is comfortable enough with you to ask this question. It’s important to ask why they are considering the change. Is it not what they thought it would be? Have they researched it further and realized their career goals have changed? Or, has someone convinced them it’s just not for them.
If a change of major is truly what is best for the student, have them research other majors of interest and then contact those departments to discuss their specific change of major process, timeline, and requirements. Although most majors are open and non-restricted, there are some restricted majors with specific eligibility requirements and application deadlines.
Students can review the online information regarding internal transfers/changing majors at http://www1.udel.edu/registrar/students/restmajorsinfo.html.
First semester freshmen are not permitted to access the Change of Major webform until the last day to register or add courses, which is 8 weeks into the semester. Once applicable, the student must log into UDSIS, navigate to either the Degrees & Advisement tile or the Forms tile, toggle under Undergraduate Students, and select the Change of Major, Minor, Concentr. Form. Once the form is submitted, students will receive an e-mail when the form is approved or rejected. Students should be certain to read any comments on the form when it is returned.
UD Major Finder
A searchable site with information on all 150_ UD majors
https://www.udel.edu/apply/undergraduate-admissions/major-finder/
Change of Major/Major Exploration Advisement
If the student is uncertain about a potential major, they may be referred to the University Studies Program advisement office for assistance: https://ust.udel.edu/individualized-academic-advising/
Further Assessment of Major & Career Options
The Career Center’s online assessment, PathwayU, helps students think about what’s important to them and explore UD majors and career paths that are mapped to their values, interests, personality, and workplace preferences. Results are available immediately.
UD Career Center staff provide 1:1 career career counseling and coaching and utilize career assessment, resources, and connections with alumni and professionals to help students explore and assess choice of major options and potential career paths. Appointments can be scheduled by logging into Handshake (https://udel.joinhandshake.com) and choosing “Career Center” > “Appointments”.
Departmental Resources
Your department may maintain a listserv or other internship, job or research sharing method for positions that are sent directly to your faculty and staff by employers or alumni.
UD Career Center Resources:
The UD Career Center’s Handshake platform is used by employers to recruit UD students and alumni for internships, jobs and other opportunities. Over 40,000 positions were posted in the past year. All students have access to the site: https://udel.joinhandshake.com
The UD Career Center also maintains lists of industry and career specific job posting sites:
https://www.udel.edu/students/career-center/students/exploremajor/
Online and in-person guidance is also available to help students secure an internship or job. Students can schedule an appointment with a UD Career Center coach by logging into Handshake (https://udel.joinhandshake.com) and choosing “Career Center” > “Appointments”. The career coaches are specialists in specific academic, career and industry areas called “career communities”, and students can select a coach based on their career interests and goals:
- Agriculture & Environment
- Arts, Media & Communications
- Business
- Education & Helping Professions
- Engineering & Technology
- Public Service, Policy & Social Impact
- Health & Science
- Exploring & Deciding
Additional tips and resources on securing an internship or job can be found here:
https://www.udel.edu/students/career-center/students/jobsearch/
Undergraduate Research Program Resources
If students are considering getting involved in research, the Undergraduate Research Program recommends that students set up a time to come in for an advising appointment with one of their staff. During these appointments they will provide your advisee with general information about a variety of available research options, as well as guidance on how to identify and approach a faculty researcher with whom they might like to work.