Advising: Frequently Asked Questions

To look up your faculty advisor’s name, log onto The Nest:

• Click on the Students Tab in the top right section of the page
• Under the Advising Resources section, select Access Student Profile
• Your advisor(s) will be listed
• Your advisor is also listed in Degreeworks. 

You can find email and office location information by pulling up the advisor's contact card in the Student Profile.

First-year students are required to meet with their faculty advisors two times each semester to review mid-term grades and to complete pre-registration advising.

Upperclass students must meet at least one time per semester for pre-registration advising. Students are welcome to visit with their faculty advisor at any time during the semester to ask questions and/or discuss any aspect of their experience at Saint Joseph's (e.g., academic progress, transition to college, academic interests, etc.).

All students are encouraged to develop an ongoing relationship with their advisor and to meet with them regularly during the school year.

In the first year, each student who has declared a major will be assigned a faculty advisor from the department or program in which s/he is majoring. Each undeclared student will be assigned to a faculty advisor who may or may not share specific academic interests with the student, but who is prepared to help each student explore options and make decisions about a major.

Students may request a particular advisor when they discuss their declaration of major with the department chair. Students who have not declared a major by the end of their first year usually remain with their first-year advisor until they do so.

For questions about first-year advising, contact your Advising Center. For questions about major advisors, consult the appropriate Department Chair.

All students must complete the General Education Program (GEP) requirements.

A minimum of 120 credits and a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 are required for graduation. Students must complete:

• General Education Program (GEP) Courses
• All courses required by the major
• All courses required by a student's minor and/or secondary major (if applicable)
• Free electives (Minimum of 6 courses)

Please see the Academic Catalog for specific information on majors that are of interest to you.

Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and transfer course credits may be counted toward a student's degree requirements. Audit (non-credit) courses do not fulfill any requirement.

Undergraduate day students who have entered the University as undeclared are strongly encouraged to declare their major no later than the first semester of sophomore year. Before making this selection, students are encouraged to take advantage of programs and resources available through the Advising Center and the Career Center designed to help you in your exploration. Thoroughly research majors that are of interest to you prior to making a decision.

• Submit your online Primary Major Request Form.
• Advisor approval is not required, but you are encouraged to discuss your decision with your advisor prior to submitting your request.
• Your form will be forwarded to the Chair of your intended new major. The Chair may request a meeting with you (phone or zoom) to discuss the major requirements and your interest in the major.
• You will receive an email receipt confirming that the major declaration/change was approved. Please retain this email for your records.
• Forms will be forwarded to the Registrar's Office for processing.
• Please check your Student Profile in the Nest for updates to your curriculum.
• Please note that this process may take up to two weeks to complete.
• If you have questions, please contact your Advising Center.

• Submit your online Primary Major Request Form.
• Advisor approval is not required, but you are encouraged to discuss your decision with your advisor prior to submitting your request.
• Your form will be forwarded to the Chair of your intended new major. The Chair may request a meeting with you (phone or Zoom) to discuss the major requirements and your interest in the major.
• You will receive an email receipt confirming that the major declaration/change was approved. Please retain this email for your records.
• Forms will be forwarded to the Registrar's Office for processing.
• Please check your Student Profile in the Nest for updates to your curriculum.
• Please note that this process may take up to two weeks to complete.
• If you have questions, please contact your Advising Center.

Yes, students may request permission to pursue a second major. Students are encouraged to discuss the decision to declare a second major with their faculty advisor in the primary major prior to declaring. The final transcript will record the completion of the second major. The degree granted will be the degree in the primary major.

• Submit your online Secondary Major Request.
• Advisor approval is not required, but you are encouraged to discuss your decision with your advisor prior to submitting your request to ensure that you have sufficient elective space in your curriculum to accommodate requirements for the secondary major.
• Your request will be forwarded to the Chair of your intended secondary major. The Chair may request a meeting with you (phone or Zoom) to discuss the major requirements and your interest in the major.
• You will receive an email receipt confirming that the secondary major declaration was approved. Please retain this email for your records.
• Forms will be forwarded to the Registrar's Office for processing.
• Please check your Student Profile in the Nest for updates to your curriculum.
• Please note that this process may take up to two weeks to complete.
• If you have questions, please contact your Advising Center.

The Advising Centers for all colleges maintain updated curriculum worksheets and typical course sequence sheets for each major. You also should consult with the department in which you are interested in majoring.

Students may declare a minor in areas where the department has approved one. For a minor, at least 18 credits (six courses) in the specified area must be completed. Students choosing a minor must seek the approval of the chair in the department of the minor no later than the last day of the add/drop period of their seventh semester. Students should also be aware that their choice of a minor may be restricted based on their major or primary area of study.

The Minor/Certificate Request form is used to declare a minor in the CAS, SHP or HSB.

If you are considering a major change and/or adding a minor or secondary major, take time to research your options in advance of registration. The Exploring Majors Guide offers advice and tips. Some resources and actions to consider: Talk with your advisor, faculty who teach in your area of interest, and/or the Advising Center about your interests and goals. Explore programs and requirements, review the major/career exploration resources available through the Career Center or consider taking a course in your field of interest in an upcoming semester.

There are many resources available to help you achieve your goals in college. Your professor and your advisor are primary resources. If you are having difficulty in a class, talk with your professor. S/he may be able to suggest strategies for approaching the course material and course assignments. Your advisor is also a good resource for guidance and referrals to academic support resources, if needed.

Academic Support Resources include:

• The Office of Learning Resources. The Office of Learning Resources offers individual tutoring and supplemental instruction for various courses and the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a learning skills specialist to discuss your individual questions and concerns.
• Services for Students with Learning Differences and Physical Disabilities. The Office of Student Disability Services work with students who have documented disabilities to ensure that they have the resources, accommodations, and services needed for academic success.

Drop
You may drop a course during Add/Drop week (i.e., the first week of the semester). When you “drop” a course it is removed from your transcript. If you are a first-year student, you must meet with your advisor to add and/or drop a course. You will need to obtain a PIN. All others can use their registration PIN to make the changes through the Nest.

Withdrawal
After the end of the Add/Drop period, you may withdraw from a class until the designated date as the “last day to withdraw.” When you withdraw from a course, the course is listed on your transcript with a W. Please see the University’s academic calendar for the last day to withdrawal date for this semester. Students withdraw form a course for a number of reasons, including the possibility of failing the course. You are encouraged to talk with your advisor at the first sign of difficulty in order to discuss your options and to weigh your decision to withdraw from a course. You will need to complete the Withdrawal form. 

All students receive midterm grades. Grades are typically available approximately one week before the last day to withdraw from a class. First-year students must meet with the advisor to review and discuss midterm grades. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors may view their midterm grades through the Nest. Midterm grades do not remain as part of a student’s permanent record but serve as an indication of academic progress.

Grades are available through the Nest. After logging onto the Nest, click on:

• School Services
• Student
• Student records and payments
• Transcript

If you fail a required course, you have to make it up in the summer, during intersession or as a sixth course (with permission). If you fail a course that is not required, you may make it up with another course. In either case, the original “F” grade remains on your transcript.

Students who fail to maintain the required grade point average or an acceptable level of progress toward the degree are placed on probation by the Dean, acting on the recommendation of the Board on Student Academic Review. A student on probation is required to meet with the Associate Dean, who may prescribe appropriate remedial measures. Students on probation are not permitted to register for more than five courses a semester (If circumstances warrant, the Dean may require a student on probation to limit his/her course load to four with no reduction in tuition).

Ordinarily, the period of probation will extend one semester, during which time the student must show sufficient improvement to raise his/her GPA above the minimum level. In extraordinary cases, one additional semester of probation may be allowed by the Board on Student Academic Review if the improvement during the first probationary semester indicates that the student will probably reach the necessary level by the end of the second probationary semester. A student may be permitted as many as three semesters of probation, provided that no more than two are consecutive.

A student on academic probation is ineligible to participate in major extracurricular activities, including intercollegiate athletics, or to serve as officer or director of any student activity.

A student who fails to make sufficient improvement in his/her level of performance or rate of progress during this period of probation is subject to academic dismissal by the Dean, acting on the recommendation of the Board on Student Academic Review. While a student is normally granted at least one academic probation, the Board on Student Academic Review may recommend academic dismissal without any probation where the student’s cumulative grade point average is so low that an academic probation would not be in the student’s best interest. A student may also be dismissed or suspended from the University, i.e., prohibited from enrolling in and/or attending classes for a specified period of time, under the provisions of the Academic Honesty Policy.

Merit Scholarships are contingent upon full time enrollment 12 credits a semester) and the annual required GPA as stipulated in the student’s scholarship letter. A student’s merit award can be reduced or revoked at the discretion of the Scholarship Committee if the student does not achieve the required cumulative grade point average as stipulated by his/her award. The review process will take place at the end of each academic year. If, in the subsequent academic year, the required cumulative grade point average is not achieved, the scholarship can be revoked or further reduced. The Scholarship Committee will reinstate the award to its original annual amount should a student achieve the required cumulative point average at the time of the review process. For additional information, please contact the Office of Student Success.

If you are interested in study abroad opportunities, you are encouraged to meet with one of the staff in the Center for International Programs. Saint Joseph’s University currently maintains a list of 29 approved programs in 17 different countries. If a student wishes to attend a university or study abroad program that is not currently affiliated with Saint Joseph’s or is currently not an approved program and therefore not recognized for academic credit, s/he must petition the Center for International Programs.

Most study abroad students spend one or both semesters of their junior year overseas, though it is possible to study abroad during the second semester of the sophomore year or even the first semester of the senior year. It very much depends upon their major requirements and particular circumstances. Whenever they choose to study abroad, serious consideration should begin at least one year in advance of their target semester or year. In this way, they can better plan their course of study in the semesters preceding their study abroad experience.

All students must apply through the CIP office for permission to study abroad. Application requirements vary by program, but all applicants will need to have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (although many programs have a higher GPA requirement) and be in good academic and disciplinary standing to be considered by the CIP.

While overseas, students are expected to maintain full-time enrollment, attend class regularly and comply with all program regulations and individual course requirements to receive credit for their work. Students are required to get approval for classes before they leave so that upon return they will count towards their graduation requirements. For most of our pre-approved programs, you can find the course offerings on the program’s website. And for many of the programs, CIP has a list of “pre-approved” courses that have St. Joe's equivalencies. All grades count and are factored into their final GPA. Students cannot take a course pass/fail while abroad.

Study Tours are St. Joe's campus-based classes that have a required travel component generally lasting 1-3 weeks in length. Students in any year of study at the University may participate, provided that they:

1. Are not on academic or disciplinary probation status
2. Have received prior academic advisor approval to enroll
3. Have met all necessary course pre-requisites.

Saint Joseph's also offers month-long faculty-led “Summer Programs” to the following locations that repeat annually: China, Greece and Rome.

Saint Joseph’s University does not maintain an approved list of programs for summer study abroad, thus giving students flexibility in program choice. Credits earned through an external summer abroad program will be considered transfer credits and the grades earned will not be posted on the SJU transcript. Credit is granted for courses completed in overseas programs only when the student has secured in advance written permission from the appropriate Associate Dean and has completed the Approval to Transfer Summer Study Abroad Credit form. Students must receive a grade of C or better in order to get credit for the abroad course.