Academic Advisement Policy
Choosing General Education Courses and Electives
Advisement in the Major
College Advisement Offices
Academic Advisement Center
Undeclared Majors
Planning a Major Program
Change of Major, Degree or Credential Objective
Departmental Academic Advisement
Preprofessional Programs
Health Professions
Teaching Careers
Immigration Requirements for Licensure
Answers to Your Questions

Academic Advisement Policy

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CSUF Academic Policy (UPS 300.002) states that:

• the responsibility for ensuring the availability of academic advisement rests with each college dean
• every student should declare a major or college of interest as soon as possible after admission to the university; and
• all students shall confer with an academic adviser on a regular basis.
• all first-time freshmen must receive academic advisement prior to registration for their first semester.

Choosing General Education Courses and Electives

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In keeping with the liberal arts tradition, the university requires its graduates to have sampled a variety of disciplines as part of their general education. The broad categories of general education courses are presented in the catalog section on "General Education."

All students are strongly encouraged to consult the Academic Advisement Center about selection of general education and elective courses.

Advisement in the Major

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Students who have declared a major should consult their departmental adviser on a regular basis for academic advisement.

Students who wish to explore the majors offered by a specific college should contact either the college advisement office or the college dean's office for referral to the department.

College Advisement Offices

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Students who wish to explore the majors offered by a specific college should contact the appropriate college advisement office:

Academic Advisement Center

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University Hall 123
(714) 278-3606
www.fullerton.edu/aac

The Academic Advisement Center provides academic counseling to matriculated students with respect to the General Education Program and the policies/procedures associated with that program. The Academic Advisement Center is the academic home department for undeclared students, providing services normally given through the student's declared major department. Additionally, the center provides programs and services to assist students in the selection of a major. Students seeking information about the implications of academic probation and disqualification are encouraged to visit the Academic Advisement Center for a personal consultation. Please consult the Academic Advisement Center website for useful information about the General Education program, graduation requirements, university policies and procedures. The center provides walk-in advising, no appointment necessary.

Undeclared Majors

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Students who have not selected a major are "undeclared." The Academic Advisement Center provides a variety of resources and services to assist students in choosing an appropriate major. Information about the various majors at Cal State Fullerton is available in the "Undeclared Room" in the center (UH-124). The Academic Advisement Center, in collaboration with the Career Planning and Placement Center and the Pollak Library, offers a program designed specifically for the undeclared student to explore the range of majors available.

Planning a Major Program

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When students have selected a major field, they should familiarize themselves with all the requirements that are specified in this catalog under their chosen degree program. They should make a tentative semester-by-semester plan for completing the requirements, including prerequisites, and discuss this plan with an adviser in the major. In addition to courses in the major department, related courses in other fields and supporting courses in basic skills may also be required. These should be included in the tentative semester-by-semester plan.

Some departments require placement tests prior to enrolling in some classes (e.g., foreign languages, music and computer science). The times and places for such placement tests are given in the class schedule. Students should purchase a copy of the class schedule at the Titan Bookstore prior to the start of registration.

Change of Major, Degree or Credential Objective

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To change a major, degree objective, or credential objective, obtain the required form in the Office of Admissions and Records (LH-114) and take it to the appropriate office(s) for signature(s). Such a change is not official until the form has been signed and filed in the Registrar's Office.

Departmental Academic Advisement

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An adviser in the major can provide information and suggestions and can assist the student to find the most desirable ways to meet the requirements for graduation and for the major or credential. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain the assistance of an academic adviser. The final choice of courses and the responsibility for the program lies with the student. Undergraduate students who have not yet decided upon a major (undeclared students) or who are not seeking a degree will be advised in the Academic Advisement Center.

If students have transferred to Cal State Fullerton, the academic department advisers are able to offer better advice if students provide lists of courses they have taken and their own copies of transcripts from colleges previously attended.

Preprofessional Programs

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The academic programs of the university provide appropriate preparation for graduate work in a variety of fields. Students who have made tentative decisions about the institutions at which they may wish to pursue graduate work should consult the catalogs of those graduate colleges as they plan their undergraduate course work. Students planning to pursue graduate work should supplement their undergraduate plan of study by completing course requirements at major graduate colleges.

The university offers a number of professional programs through the master's degree. These include programs in the fine arts, business administration, communications, education, engineering, health education and kinesiology and recreation, public administration, speech pathology-audiology and others. Students interested in preparing for professional careers in these areas, either here or at other educational institutions, are encouraged to seek assistance and guidance from CSUF faculty members in these fields.

Prelaw Preparation
It is recommended that prospective law students prepare themselves in such fields as English, American history, economics, philosophy, political science (particularly the history and development of English and American political institutions) and such undergraduate courses as judicial process, administrative law, constitutional law and international law, philosophy (particularly ethics and logic), business administration, anthropology, psychology and sociology.

A distribution of course sequences among the social sciences, the natural sciences and the humanities is desirable. Students interested in becoming lawyers should contact the Prelaw Adviser in the Division of Political Science and Criminal Justice. Some faculty members in the College of Business and Economics and the Departments of American Studies and History also can provide advice and assistance.

Pretheological
Students who might be interested in pursuing careers in the ministry, the teaching of religion, and associated fields should take some courses in comparative religion, psychology, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, history, English, speech communication and a foreign language. Students desiring assistance and counseling regarding advanced work in religious studies/comparative religion or professional careers in the ministry or rabbinate may seek help from the faculty in the Department of Comparative Religion.

Human Services
Students who plan to seek employment in social work or human services should prepare themselves in the fields of human services, child and adolescent development, psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, economics and research methods in the social sciences.

Students who intend to enter a professional college following undergraduate training should learn about the specific prerequisites for admission to the graduate college of their choice. Ordinarily a major in one of the social sciences and some additional work in at least several other social sciences are recommended. Students with interests in pursuing careers in the field of social welfare should contact the Departments of Sociology, Child and Adolescent Studies or Human Services for advice and assistance.

Health Professions

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Langsdorf Hall 223
(714) 278-3980
All health professions programs are seeking the best qualified applicants with a good command of communications skills, rigorous basic science preparation, a broad general education base, and outside clinical experience. The Health Professions Advising Office provides information and advisement for prospective applicants. It is strongly recommended that students who wish to pursue careers in the health professions contact this office.

Teaching Careers

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Students who plan to enter the teaching profession must prepare themselves by developing depth of knowledge in the subject areas they plan to teach. Teachers of elementary school-children must have a solid foundation of knowledge in all subjects taught in the elementary classroom. High school teachers must develop expertise in the subject named on their single subject credentials. Students are encouraged to seek advice early in their academic careers to most efficiently plan a program of study that effectively blends general education, major and subject matter preparation requirements. The Center for Careers in Teaching provides information and advisement for prospective teachers. Visit the Center for Careers in Teaching website (www.fullerton.edu/cct) or call (714) 278-7130.

Immigration Requirements for Licensure

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Students who will require a professional or commercial license provided by a local, state or federal government agency in order to engage in an occupation for which the CSU may be training them must meet the immigration requirements of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act to achieve licensure. Information concerning the regulation is available from Robert Ericksen, Office of International Education and Exchange, University Hall 244, at (714) 278-2787.

Answers To Your Questions

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