Academic Advising
Academic advising at UC Santa Cruz aims to partner with students to identify and pursue paths to graduation that support their educational goals and post graduation plans, and thereby make meaningful change for themselves, their families, and communities. The core of UCSC’s advising system is housed in the colleges and academic programs and is supplemented by advising and support services throughout the campus.
College academic advisors (and also college assistant directors) are generalist professional advisors who help students understand campuswide requirements such as general education, academic progress, and time-to-degree policies. They can also help students identify majors that may be a good fit for them. Each college has an advising team that can provide students with individual and group advising and can refer you to resources and educational opportunities. You remain affiliated with your college advisors throughout your undergraduate career.
Program, major, or department advisors focus on a specific program. These professional advisors can help you understand major qualification and graduation requirements, and academic planning for the major (or minor). They help students identify appropriate faculty mentors, who can recommend courses and help you refine your educational goals, and enrichment opportunities within and related to the program. For transfer students and for students in many majors (such as those in the physical and biological sciences, engineering, and the arts), it is important to review information provided by major advisors prior to your first quarter on campus.
For help in assessing career interests and exploring and choosing career options, contact Career Success. The staff also can assist you with résumé preparation, interviewing skills, applying for an internship, and job-search strategies.
If you plan to go on to graduate school, consult with faculty in your major. Faculty advisors are the best people to ask about the quality of graduate programs in your field of interest. In addition, Career Success offers guidance and workshops on applying to graduate school.
If you intend to pursue graduate study in a field not offered as a major at UCSC, you can often prepare for your intended program through one of the campus’s regular majors. You must plan your studies carefully, however, and advising will be especially important. The Career Center has information that will help prepare you for graduate and professional programs. The following are some fields in which UCSC alumni have pursued graduate study and successful careers:
- Business
- Conservation
- Film
- Finance
- Guidance and counseling
- Health fields
- High-tech industry
- Human resources
- Industrial and labor relations
- International relations
- Law
- Marketing
- Museum administration
- Public administration
- Urban planning
Career Success includes staff with specialized expertise in preparing for careers in medicine or another health-related field (including dentistry, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacology, physical therapy, public health, and veterinary medicine), and in preparing for careers in law.
A number of programs provide additional academic and comprehensive support services to students with specific needs. Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP), Services for Transfer, Re-Entry and Resilient Scholars (STARRS), and the Disability Resource Center are described below. Counseling on personal and family issues is available through Counseling and Psychological Services. If you need assistance that is not listed in this section, check with your college advisors.
Your first step in accessing advising at UCSC is to complete the online Slug Orientation courses.