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Undergraduate Advising Responsibilities
Kansas State University is committed to providing effective advising services to students as an essential component of their educational experience.
Term advising generally is required as a condition for enrollment. Electronic permission for reentered enrollment must be obtained from the advisor. Students are encouraged to seek academic advising regularly throughout their academic careers. Students are responsible for initiating advising contact and preparing for advising sessions. The advising relationship between the academic advisor and the student is protected by confidentiality.
In accordance with the Kansas Board of Regents academic advising policy, department and college-based advising systems are available to all students to assist in and provide for the following:
- Goal setting. Help students set both short-term and long-term educational goals.
- Information. Inform students of the graduation requirements of their department, help with strategic course selections so as to minimize the number of semesters required for graduation, and inform students of career opportunities in their field of study.
- Transitions. Inform students how to change colleges and/or departments and provide information to explain the process students follow to enroll in their curriculum and to drop or add courses during the semester.
- Accessibility. Have reasonable hours and methods of availability for students. Students should be able to set up appointments for an adequate amount of time to make curricular selections and career choices.
- Referral to campus resources. Be able to refer students to various campus resources: Academic Assistance Center, University Counseling Services, Career and Employment Services, Academic and Career Information Center, and degree audit (DARS).
Students are ultimately responsible for fulfilling all the requirements of the curriculum in which they are enrolled. Students share responsibility for a successful university experience and are expected to contribute to effective advising sessions by:
- Participating in orientation programs, providing standardized test scores, as required by Kansas Board of Regents policy, and providing an academic history that aids in course selection decisions.
- Working with an advisor to develop and implement both short- and long-term educational and career goals.
- Knowing academic policies and procedures, academic calendar deadlines, and degree or program requirements.
- Consulting with an advisor when necessary and following through on recommendations.
- Scheduling and keeping appointments with an advisor. Coming prepared for appointments by bringing appropriate materials, identifying course choices from requirements of the preferred program or major, and identifying questions to address.
- Informing an academic advisor of any special needs, deficiencies, or barriers that might affect academic success.
- Remaining informed of progress in meeting academic requirements, carefully maintaining academic records, and seeking assistance to resolve any errors or questions.
Open Option Advising
Open Option is chosen by students who are in the process of deciding on a major. With over 200 programs and majors at K-State, many students initially declare Open Option while deciding which program best fits their talents and interests. Students work closely with Open Option advisors to explore academic interests and majors and to develop a sound program of study. Open Option advisors help students with the active decision-making process required to choose a major. These advisors are housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, although they advise for majors and programs throughout the university.
The Open Option program is available to all students who have fewer than 60 hours; students must declare a major before the completion of 60 credit hours. It is strongly recommended that students with more than 45 cumulative hours not enter the Open Option. However, transfer students and those facing exceptional circumstances may enter the Open Option with more than 45 hours on the recommendation of an open option advisor. Such students may remain in the open option for one semester.
See the College of Arts and Sciences Open Option section for details.
Office of Pre-Law Advising
Students considering law school come to the Pre-Law office for advising beginning in their freshman year or as soon as they identify an interest in law. The advisor meets with Pre-Law students in individual conferences each semester and together they plan a curriculum that takes into account the unique strengths and interests of each individual and their future goals. Students work closely with the advisor in selecting courses that will enable them to develop the competencies necessary for the study of law.
Students also confer with the advisor individually to select the schools to which they wish to apply or to identify alternatives to a law career. The advisor assists the student individually with the personal statement and other documentation that are integral parts of the application to law school.
The Pre-Law advisor also holds practice Law School Admission Tests and other workshops to assist in the preparation for taking the LSAT and for the law school application process. The Pre-Law Office is a resource center providing information about the accredited law schools in the country as well as a library available to Pre-Law students.
Additional information about Pre-Law can be found on the Office of Pre-Law Advising website.
Pre-Health Advising
Students interested in the health professions listed below are advised through either the College of Arts and Sciences’ Health Professions Advising Office or the College of Health and Human Sciences Health Professions Advising office based on their academic major. Health professions advisors help students become competitive applicants to professional schools that will prepare them for the following health careers:
- Pre-chiropractic medicine
- Pre-clinical laboratory science (medical technology BA/BS)
- Pre-dentistry
- Pre-health information management
- Pre-medicine
- Pre-nursing
- Pre-occupational therapy
- Pre-optometry
- Pre-pharmacy
- Pre-physical therapy
- Pre-physician assistant
- Pre-respiratory care
- Pre-veterinary medicine
(Students interested in Veterinary Medicine may be advised through the College of Arts and Sciences or the College of Agriculture. See the Pre-Health section for a detailed explanation.)
Among these pre-health areas, an undergraduate major is offered only in clinical laboratory science. The other pre-health areas are not majors.
Some professional schools require a bachelor’s degree before matriculation. Even if a degree is not required, some students may wish to earn a bachelor’s degree from K-State before going on to professional school.
Students who require or wish to complete a bachelor’s degree before going on to professional school must declare a major. No specific major is preferred over another by professional schools, so students should choose a major based on their academic interests. A major may be chosen from any undergraduate college at Kansas State University. Pre-health students who declare a major will have a pre-health advisor and an advisor for their undergraduate major.
Students majoring in Athletic Training, Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Dietetics receive comprehensive advising through their major advisor and do not require an additional health profession advisor.
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