University College Advising FAQ
• Why do I need to meet with my academic advisor? Meeting with your academic advisor will help keep you on track toward completing your graduation requirements. Your advisor will make sure that you are taking the right courses and provide information about academic policies and procedures that you will need to know, such as how to register for courses. They will also help you find any support services that you might need.
• Who is my advisor? Most students are assigned a specific academic advisor. In University College, all undecided and conditionally admitted students are assigned a specific academic advisor who is a professional counselor. Other Marshall colleges also assign students to a professional advisor whose primary job is to advise students about their academic progress. Other Marshall colleges assign faculty advisors. While the primary job of faculty members is to teach, they are also available to advise and mentor students in their academic programs. To find your assigned advisor, you can login to myMU and select the “Student” tab. On that page, you will find your academic profile. The name of your academic advisor is listed in your academic profile along with an email link.
• When should I meet with my advisor? Some colleges require multiple advisor meetings each semester. You should check with your advisor to schedule your appointments. In University College, appointments are recommended but not required, however it is generally better to schedule an appointment to make sure your advisor is available to see you at the desired time. All students should plan to meet with their advisors around mid-semester to begin planning course selections for the next semester. For freshman and sophomore students, your advisor will be monitoring your midterm academic progress by reviewing midterm D/F/NC grade reports provided by your instructors. If your name appears on those reports, you will likely be invited in to discuss your options for improving your grades in your reported classes. It is also important to consult with your academic advisor any time you plan to add a course, drop a course, or consider withdrawing from all courses. Please remember that your academic advisor is a key resource to your academic success.
• How do I schedule an appointment with my advisor? In University College, you may call 304-696-3169, or you may contact your advisor at his or her direct telephone number. You may also contact your advisor by email to request an appointment.
• Do I need to meet with an advisor before I register for classes? University College requires that you meet with your academic advisor before registering for classes. An advising hold will be placed on your registration status until you meet with your advisor. After the meeting, in which you will complete an advising contract indicating you will register for the courses that are required and/or recommended by your advisor, the advising hold will be removed. Several other Marshall colleges also utilize advising holds to prohibit registration until you meet with your advisor. Remember, it is your advisor’s job to help you stay on track.
• When do I register for next semester? Currently enrolled students are eligible to register for classes based on a class-level priority. Registration for summer typically begins late March, registration for fall in early April, and registration for spring in early November. Graduate students and seniors register first, then juniors, then sophomores, and then freshmen. For the exact dates for advance registration, you can view the Academic Calendar. Your advisor will know the specific date for your class level. Registration information for each semester is posted on this site.
• How do I register for classes? Once you have met with your academic advisor and your advising hold has been removed, you can register two ways. One way is to register online through your myMU account. Your University College advisor can provide instructions for registering or you may view the Registration Instructions. You may also register for classes by completing an add/drop form and taking it to the Office of the Registrar to complete your registration. You may obtain an add/drop form from your advisor or from the Office of the Registrar.
• What classes should I take next semester? The classes that you will take for next semester should follow an academic plan as noted in the Undergraduate Catalog or 4-Year Plans. As an undecided or conditionally admitted student in University College, you will likely be working toward completion of General Education Requirements. You should always consult with your academic advisor regarding your course choices.
• Where can I find the classes that will be offered next semester? Class schedules can be found here and on the Office of the Registrar website (Click on the Registration tab and select “Schedule of Courses”). You will first select the term for enrollment, then select the course discipline (MTH, ENG, PSY, etc., listed in alphabetical order). Once you select a discipline, you will see a listing of all courses offered in that discipline for the selected term. Open sections will have no highlighted color. Closed sections (all seats are full) will be highlighted in red (or orange, based on your computer).
• Where can I find descriptions of courses? Course description are available in the Index of each Marshall University Undergraduate Catalog. Most course descriptions are also available on the Schedule of Courses available on the Office of the Registrar website under the Registration tab. Once you select a term and then select a course discipline (MTH, ENG, etc.), you can click on a specific course name (ENG 101 Beginning Composition, etc.) and a course description will be available in a pop-up box.
• What is a registration hold and how do I get it removed? A registration hold prevents you from registering for courses online or without a signed add/drop slip from your advisor or dean’s office. In most cases, the hold is an advising hold, meaning you must meet with your academic advisor before you can register for classes. Other registration holds includes athletic holds for student athletes, social holds for students who have violated student conduct policies, or financial holds for students who still owe the university for the current semester tuition and fees or other charges such as housing, room and board, lock change fees, parking tickets, missing admissions requirements such as final transcripts or immunization records, insurance documentation for international students, or library fines. Such holds must be resolved with the department who placed the hold prior to course registration.
Students who are on academic probation are not allowed to register online and my only register with their academic advisor or with a signed add/drop slip taken to the Office of the Registrar. Students on academic suspension or dismissal will also have holds that prohibit registration. To allow time to resolve any issues, students should check their hold records in myMU prior to the day you are scheduled to register for the next semester. Login to myMU, click the “Student” tab and click “Registration Status” on the right side of the page. If you have any active holds, you will see them here.
• What is a pre-requisite? A pre-requisite is a requirement that must be met prior to enrolling in a course. A pre-requisite could be a test score (ACT, SAT, or placement exam) or another course. For example, if you want to enroll in MTH 130 College Algebra, you must have a math ACT score of 21 or math SAT score of 500. If you want to enroll in ENG 201, you must have completed ENG 101 (with a grade of C or better). In some disciplines, such as math and science, it is essential to take classes in a specified order because the content of one class builds on the content of a prior class.
• Can my advisor register me for a class that is closed? Your advisor is not permitted to register you for a course that is closed or full. Students seeking a seat in a closed course section should consult with the chair of the department who can grant an “overload” for the course. Your advisor can help you identify the department chair.
• How do I find online courses or courses offered at a satellite campus such as Mid-Ohio Valley Center (MOVC), Teays Valley Regions Center (TVRC), or South Charleston? To see a list of online or off-campus courses, see the Schedule of Courses or the online course schedule available on the Office of the Registrar website under the Registration tab. Underneath the term selection, there is a “Campus” selection. It defaults to all campuses selected. Under this setting, you can view all courses offered at all campuses. If you look at MTH, you will see all campus math courses, all online math courses, and all off-campus math courses. If you want to see only online courses, go back to the “campus” selection line and de-select all campuses except “electronic.” This will allow you to view only electronic (online) courses. If you want to view only off-campus courses, go to the “campus” selection line and de-select all campuses except “off-campus.” This will allow you to view only courses offered at off-campus locations.
• Where can I find information about Information Technology resources that are available to me? The Office of Information Technology has developed a new comprehensive Student Guide for Information Technology. Please visit for the online guide or download a PDF version here.
• Where can I find academic policies, academic requirements, and the 4-year plans for every degree? Academic policies and academic requirements for each of Marshall’s colleges and academic programs are available in the Marshall University Undergraduate Catalog. Your official catalog year is the year in which you declared your current major, so select the appropriate catalog for your program information. Academic 4-Year Plans are sample course schedules for each program. These plans are available by selecting your college and program.
• What are the policies for academic probation, academic suspension, and academic dismissal? Definitions of these policies are available in the “Academic Information” section of the Marshall University Undergraduate Catalog.
In brief, students whose Marshall or cumulative grade point averages are below a 2.0 at the end of a term will enter the next term on academic probation and will remain on probation until his or her Marshall and cumulative GPA reaches a 2.00 or higher. If a student fails to meet a 2.0 GPA for a term while on probation, he or she will be suspended for one semester. A second suspension is for two semesters and a third suspension is for two years. Students on probation must meet with an advisor to complete an Academic Improvement Plan. It is important to note, however, that a student with an excessive number of deficiency points in one semester may be directly suspended without a semester of probation. For example, a first-semester student who receives a grade of F in all courses enrolled could be directly suspended without a probationary semester. This will depend on the number of credit hours enrolled.
Academic dismissal is the termination of student status. A student may be dismissed from one academic program and eligible to enroll in another program, or a student may be dismissed from the university. Conditionally admitted students who do not meet conditional requirements within three semesters of enrollment are dismissed from the university and prohibited from enrolling in another university academic program. For more details, please see the Academic Information in the catalog as noted above. Conditionally admitted students should also view the University College section of the catalog.
• What majors are available at Marshall University? A list of degree programs offered at Marshall University is available here.
• How long can I be an undeclared student? An undecided student may remain undeclared until the semester in which he or she reaches 45 earned credit hours. At that point, a student will be required to select or declare a major prior to registration for the next semester. Conditionally admitted students are not eligible to declare a major until all conditional requirements have been met.
- What should I do if I want to explore a major? If you are interested in taking a class to explore a major before making your decision, check out this major-exploration-guide.
• How can I tell if courses will count toward my graduation? Marshall University utilizes a degree audit program called Degree Works. Degree Works is available in myMu under the “Student” tab. Select the Degree Works graphic on the Student page. Degree Works allows students to view progress toward their selected degree program. It will review general education requirements, college requirements, and major program requirements. Once you have declared an academic major and reach junior and senior status, your college will require a junior and/or senior evaluation along with a graduation evaluation to make sure you have met all requirements.
• How do I change my major? Undecided students or conditional students who have met their requirements should complete an Intercollege Transfer Form. This process begins with the completion of the top half of the form including the student’s and his or her University College advisor’s signatures. The form is a 4-part form. Once the top part of the form has been completed, a copy (gold) is maintained by University College and the student hand-carries the remaining 3 parts of the form to the new academic college of the major the student plans to study. The new college will complete the remaining part of the form that includes assigning a new academic advisor. The student is provided a copy (pink) of the transfer form, a copy is returned to University College (yellow) and the new college keeps the original part of the form (white). The new college will change the student’s major in our student data base.
• How can I find out what my requirements would be if I change my major? Students considering a change of majors should consult with their academic advisors; however, Marshall University utilizes a degree audit program called Degree Works. Degree works is available in myMu under the “Student” tab. Select the Degree Works graphic on the Student page. Degree Works allows students to view progress toward their selected degree program. It will review general education requirements, college requirements, and major program requirements. The program also offers a “What if…” function that allows students to browse their progress in other selected major programs.
• What is the D/F Repeat Rule? The D/F Repeat Rule allows students to repeat a course in which they first received a grade of D or F and replace the first grade with the grade received the second time. The original grade will still appear on the student’s transcript but the first grade will be excluded from the cumulative GPA calculation. This rule applies only to courses taken within the student’s first 60 hours of enrollment. The course can be repeated at any time prior to graduation for the policy to apply as long as the course was originally taken in the first 60 hours. The rule is explained in detail in the “Academic Information” section of the Marshall University Undergraduate Catalog.
• May I repeat a course if it is not covered under the D/F Repeat Rule? Yes. Students may take a course more than once (when not covered under the D/F Repeat Rule); however, the course will only count once toward the hours required for graduation. Both grades will be included in the cumulative GPA calculation.
• How and when can I add/drop a course? If you want to adjust your schedule, you can add or drop courses without penalty (without a grade of “W” on your transcript) through the first week of the semester. Courses may not be added after the first week of school. Courses can be dropped after the first week, but will result in a grade of “W” on your transcript. Individual courses may be dropped until the end of the 10th week of the semester. After the 10th week, you may not withdraw from a single course; you must do a complete withdrawal from all courses. No withdrawals are allowed during final exam week. The exact dates are available here.
It is in your best interest to consult with your academic advisor before completing any schedule adjustments or withdrawals. Dropping below full-time can affect financial aid, housing, health care coverage (on a parent’s policy), and other student privileges such as athletic tickets.
• How do I withdraw from a course? Students withdrawing from an individual course must complete an add/drop slip and obtain the instructor’s signature. The form must then be submitted to the Office of the Registrar to complete the withdrawal. If a student is on academic probation, a signature from the Dean’s Office (for University College students, the Director of University College) is also required. Student athletes and students in special programs will also require an athletic advisor’s signature or program advisor’s signature. Online students do not need to obtain the instructor’s signature; he or she can submit a request to the Office of the Registrar via email to registrar@marshall.edu. Students wishing to withdraw from all courses are not required to obtain signatures. Notification to the Office of the Registrar in person or via email to registrar@marshall.edu is sufficient to complete the withdrawal.
• Where can I find a sample syllabus for my courses? Students can access a repository of course syllabi in myMU. Login to myMU, select the “Student” tab. On the Student page, click on the “MU-BERT Syllabus Repository.” Select the term for the syllabus you want to view, then select the course discipline (MTH, ENG, etc.). Then, select the specific course section and instructor and click on the “view” button.
• What credit do I get for my AP, IB, or ACT scores? The “Admissions” section of the Marshall University Undergraduate Catalog provides a list of Credit Options including Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations, International Baccalaureate, the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and Military Experience and Training Credit. If you have questions about credit you may or may not have received in any of these programs, you should contact the Office of Admissions by calling 304-696-3160 or emailing admissions@marshall.edu.
• Can I take courses at another institution and receive credit? Marshall University is considered your “home” school. If you choose to take classes at another school (for example, a school closer to your home during summer), you will be considered a visiting or transient student at that school. Typically, you apply for admission at that school as a transient (not a transfer). Applying as a transient student does not require that you submit a transcript from Marshall University; however, you do have to provide a statement of good standing. To do this, you will need to complete a Request for Advanced Standing Form on which you will indicate the courses you plan to take at the other school. The form will need to be signed by your dean’s office (for University College, the Director of University College). The form is then completed and signed by the Office of Admissions to determine the exact course for which you will receive credit at Marshall. The Office of the Registrar completes the certification that you are in good standing and the form is sent to the other school. The process ensures that you will receive the credit you expect to receive when the course is transferred back to Marshall University. You will need to request a transcript from the other school be sent to Marshall’s Office of Admissions upon completion of your course(s).
• If I have taken courses at another institution, will all of the credit hours be accepted? Colleges and universities do not offer the exact same courses. If you take a course at another institution, you must have a transcript from that school sent to Marshall University. Upon receipt of that transcript, the Office of Admissions will review the courses to determine if they match a specific Marshall course.
If a course is determined to match a specific Marshall course, you will receive that course credit on your transcript and it will count toward your academic program just as that same Marshall course would have counted. If the Admissions Office determines that the course is not a match, it will be listed on your transcript as “unclassified” credit in the discipline of the course (MTH, ENG, etc.). You can appeal this decision to the department of the discipline. For example, if you wish to appeal the classification of a math course, you should make arrangements to meet with the chair of the math department and provide a copy of your course syllabus from the other school. The department chair will make the final decision on the conversion credit for the course.
• How many hours are considered full-time? For an undergraduate student, 12 credit hours is considered to be full-time. Fewer than 12 hours is considered part-time.
• How many hours are needed for each level of class standing? Students with 0 – 29 earned credit hours are considered to be freshmen; students with 30 to 59 earned hours are sophomores; students with 60 – 89 earned hours are juniors; and students with 90 or more credit hours are seniors.
• How do I calculate my GPA? Marshall University utilizes a 4.0 grading scale. To calculate your GPA, add the total number of credit-bearing, graded hours and divide this number into the total number of quality points. To determine your total number of quality points, multiply the credit hours for each course by the numerical value of the grade earned for each course (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0). Add these numbers together and you will have your total number of quality points. For example, if you think you have a grade of B in PSY 201 that is a 3-hour course, that would be 9 quality points (B = 3, multiplied by 3 credit hours = 9). If you have taken courses at another institution, you will have a transfer GPA, a Marshall GPA, and a cumulative GPA (calculating your Marshall and transfer grades together). If you have only taken courses at Marshall, your Marshall GPA and your cumulative GPA will be the same. Two different GPA calculators are available here.
• Where do I get proof of enrollment? Information about proof of enrollment may be obtained by contacting the Office of the Registrar by calling 304-696-6410 or emailing registrar@marshall.edu.
• How do I get an official copy of my transcript? Transcripts are available by submitting a request to the Office of the Registrar. Transcript Request forms for electronic or paper delivery can be accessed here. The cost is $10 per request for a paper transcript and $12 for an electronic transcript.
• How do I find out when my final exams are scheduled? Final exam schedules are posted on the Office of the Registrar website.
• What if I am scheduled to take three exams in one day? Students with more than two exams in one day can request that a final exam be rescheduled. A “Final Examination Rescheduling Form” can be obtained from the major department or the college office. The full process is defined in the “Academic Information” section of the Marshall University Undergraduate Catalog. In brief, the student is required to find an instructor who is willing to reschedule an exam. If no instructor is willing, the signed form can be submitted to the Office of the Provost for a final determination on rescheduling. Please note that the Provost will not consider any form submitted less than one week before the first day of finals, or any form that is incomplete. An instructor is not required to reschedule a final exam at the student’s request.
• What can I do if I believe my professor has graded me incorrectly or unfairly? There is a process in place for appealing a course grade. The process is fully defined in the “Academic Information” section of the Marshall University Undergraduate Catalog.
The first step in the process is contacting the instructor. It is best to contact the instructor by email in order to document the date of your contact and any response. If the response from the instructor is not agreeable to the student, the student then appeals to the chair of the department of the course in question. If that response is not agreeable, the next step is the Dean of the college where the course is housed, then the next step is Academic Affairs. The initial inquiry to the instructor must be initiated within 30 days of the beginning of the next semester for a final grade in the previous semester. Your academic advisor can assist you with this process; however, the Assistant Dean of Student Life can also serve as a s student advocate in this process.
• How and where do I find a tutor? University College sponsors the Tutoring Services Center where tutoring is available to all Marshall University students. Tutoring Services is located in the Smith Communications Building Room 211. Students may request a tutor online or submit a “Request a Tutor” form. Students may request a one-time tutoring appointment or a recurring weekly appointment. Appointments are typically scheduled for one hour.
• How and where do I find help with my writing skills? The Writing Center is available to assist students with any stage of the writing process. Assistance is also available to help students with library research skills. For more information and hours of operation, visit the Writing Center site.
• How do I find a major? First, you should talk with your academic advisor about major options. For students still struggling to choose an academic major, your advisor may refer you to the Office of Career Services. Students can schedule an appointment with a career counselor to assess student interests and abilities to assist in determining an appropriate academic path toward a selected career. To schedule an appointment, call 304-696-2370.
• How do I find an internship? The Office of Career Services can assist students in finding internships and other job-related opportunities. To schedule an appointment, call 304-696-2370.
• Where may I talk to a counselor about personal issues? Licensed professional counselors are available on campus to students in need of assistance. There is no charge for their services. Counselors are available for appointments during regular business hours and walk-in hours are also available. View an up-to-date schedule online or call 304-696-3111. For after-hours emergencies, an on-call counselor is available by calling 304-696-3111 or by calling MUPD at 304-696-HELP (4357).
• Where can I find help getting involved on campus? Marshall University provides hundreds of opportunities to students who want to get involved. There are academic student organizations, Greek organizations, other social student organizations, special interest student organizations, intermural sports, opportunities for peer mentoring, community service opportunities, and more. For additional information on student involvement opportunities, contact the Office of Student Activities at 304-696-2290 or student-activities@marshall.edu.
• Where can Veterans go on campus to learn more about campus services available to them? Veteran students seeking assistance in obtaining Veterans Benefits should contact the Office of the Registrar at 304-696-6410 or registrar@marshall.edu. For additional services available to Veteran Students, please contact the Director of Military and Veterans Affairs at 304-696-5278.
