Undergraduates at UMBC are responsible for making their
own decisions about their academic career. However, because
UMBC recognizes that students often need some guidance while
making these kinds of decisions, all degree-seeking undergraduates
are required to meet with an academic advisor at least once
per semester.
In the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, faculty members and a full-time
academic advisor share the responsibilities of advising students.
They encourage students to monitor their own academic progress,
provide advice on internship, research, and career opportunities,
and refer students to other campus resources when appropriate.
In order to best serve the needs of students during different
phases of their undergraduate education, there are two levels
of advising.
At the first level, students are advised by the full-time
Undergraduate Academic Advisor. For Biological Sciences,
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and Chemistry majors,
students assigned to this advisor generally have 30 or fewer
credits. Because some first-year students are uncertain as
to which Life Sciences major they would ultimately like to
pursue, having centralized advising for all first-year students
in Life Sciences helps ease the transition from one of these
majors to another. The Undergraduate Academic Advisor also
works with students who need some assistance identifying
their academic strengths and weaknesses, referring them to
on-campus resources when necessary.
Once Biological Sciences, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology,
and Chemistry majors have successfully progressed beyond
the 30-credit threshold, faculty members take up the responsibility
of acting as advisors for the students. Students are assigned
to a faculty advisor from either the Department of Biological
Sciences or the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry,
according to the major that the student is pursuing.
For the Bioinformatics & Computational Biology program,
a student’s progress toward completing the gateway
requirements determines the student’s advising level.
Students are advised by the Undergraduate Academic Advisor
for Life Sciences until they have successfully fulfilled
the program’s gateway requirements . When these requirements
have been met, the student is assigned to a faculty advisor
from the Bioinformatics & Computational Biology program.
Students’ advising assignment information is posted
outside the main offices for the Department of Biological
Sciences and the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
(BS 480 and MEYR 100, respectively). This information is
updated each semester, usually near mid-term.
Special advising arrangements are made for students who
are pursuing a minor in either Biological Sciences or Chemistry,
and for those who are pursuing Biological Sciences, Biochemistry & Molecular
Biology, Chemistry, or Bioinformatics & Computational
Biology as a second major.
Please see the department’s
main office or contact the Undergraduate
Academic Advisors for Life Sciences for more information. |
