Academic Advising is a part of every student’s journey. USF cultivates a personal relationship with all students through intentional academic advising, helping students set and achieve academic, professional and personal goals. Students take an active leadership role in setting and achieving their goals.
Academic advisors help navigate academic requirements, policies and procedures so that students can reach their goals in a timely way. Every USF student is assigned an academic advisor. Undergraduate, first year students with fewer than 30 transfer credits are part of the First Year Advising program and assigned a professional advisor according to their major. First Year Advisors guide, challenge, and support first year students in their transition to college. As rising sophomores, students transition to a faculty advisor in their majors. Students with declared majors will have a faculty member from their program serve as their academic advisor. General advising and support to students considering a change of major is offered by the Academic and Career Development Center.
Those students who are not yet decided on their major are a part of the Academic Exploration (AE) program and are advised through the Academic and Career Development Center (ACDC). The university offers support in helping students find a major and discover their purpose. Personalized, professional advising, collaboration with our Career Team, and career and personality assessments, are a part of that support. Students are guided through looking at their strengths and interest in order to align with academic major and career options. Students advised through ACDC can study as an Exploration student up to three semesters and still be on pace to graduate in four years.