Theatre and Dance

SELF ADVISING

Easier Than You Might Think

^{The following Self Advising Packet is designed to allow you—the student—to formulate a degree plan and keep track of your University Business effectively. It has three sections:}

^INTRODUCTION

^{Advising Folder}

^{First, if you have not already done so begin NOW to make yourself an Advising Folder. Your Advising Folder will safely contain everything relative to your education plan in an easy to access format.}

^{Advising Website Theatre Website Dance Website}

^{[www.uaa.alaska.edu/advising] [www.uaa.alaska.edu/theatre] [www.uaa.alaska.edu/ensemble]}

^{ITEMS FOR YOUR ADVISING FOLDER}

^{[and where to find these items]}

^{The University will send mail to your official mailing address. It is important to keep your address information up to date. If you list your parent’s address, make sure they send these important advising documents to you at school. (The Change (of address) Form is in Fine Arts Office 302.)}

^{a. Certificate of Admission —OR— Approved Change of Major/Degree Form}

^{[Mailed to you by the University]}

This shows your declared degree and Catalog Year. The Catalog Year refers to the University Catalog that has all the information about the requirements for your declared degree.

^{b. University Catalog for your catalog year}

^{[UAA Bookstore or www.curric.uaa.alaska.edu]}

^{This will tell you degree requirements to fulfill for graduation.}

^{1. Bookstore: You were sent a coupon for a free catalog when you were admitted into the University. You can redeem the coupon for a catalog at the University Bookstore.}

^{2. On-line: www.uaa.alaska.edu — click on [Admissions] under the far right column. Then click on the link for [UAA Catalogs and Schedules] in the upper right of the screen. Make sure you go to the catalog for your catalog year.}

^{c. Transcripts}

^{[http://uaonline.alaska.edu/ or at the University Center]}

^{This will show your declared degree, catalog year and all classes taken at UAA up to the current semester. If you have transferred courses from another school this will also tell you the ones that have been accepted at UAA. If you have transferred courses the Transfer Equivalency Form will give you more information on transfer credits.}

^{1. Unofficial Transcripts can be found at http://uaonline.alaska.edu/ (have your Student ID)}

^{Click on [Entry to Secured Area] and follow the directions for Login. Then click on [Student Services, Financial Aid & Account Information], [Student Records],}

^{[Academic Transcript], choose level and type and click [Submit]}

^{2. Official Transcript Request Forms are at www.uaa.alaska.edu/admissions/forms.cfm}

^{d. Transfer Equivalency Form – transfer students only}

^{[University Center or Fine Arts Office 302]}

^{This will tell you the specific courses you took at your previous school and how they transferred to UAA. The form is a horizontally formatted page with two columns. At the top of the page is the name of the school you previously attended. Generally there is only one school per page. In the left column are the course numbers, names, grades, and number of credits of the course you took at your previous school. In the right column is how the course has transferred to UAA. There are several decisions that UAA transcript evaluators could make about transfer courses.}

^{1. The course transfers as a specific UAA course - the course name and number will be listed.}

^{2. The course transfers and satisfies a University GER category - the category will be listed.}

^{3. The course transfers as a departmental elective.}

^{e. Check Sheets: Degree}

^{[www.curric.uaa.alaska.edu or Your Advisor or Fine Arts Office 302]}

^{Obtain the sheets designed specifically for your declared degree and major for your catalog year.}

^{f. Check Sheets: General Education & College Requirement}

^{[Your Advisor or Fine Arts Office 302]}

^{Obtain the sheets designed specifically for your declared degree, major and catalog year.}

^{g. Department of Theatre and Dance Student Handbook}

^{[Fine Arts Office 302]}

^{This will tell you the degree requirements. It will help you put courses in the correct place on the check sheets. This Handbook is NOT specific to a particular catalog year and you must still obtain the degree check sheets for your catalog year. This Handbook does not address the General Education Requirements.}

SELF ADVISING SESSION

^{a. Degree Check Sheet—Use in conjunction with the University Catalog or the Advising Handbook.}

^{1. UAA transcripts—Using your transcript check off the courses you have completed.}

^{2. Academic Petition—If you have transfer courses listed as Departmental Electives you may consider filing an Academic Petition. If you and your advisor think that the course is a strong candidate to satisfy UAA requirements you will need:}

^{a. An Academic Petition Form—from your Academic Advisor or Fine Arts Office 302}

^{b. Course Description—from your previous school’s catalog in effect at the time you took the course.}

^{c. UAA Transfer Equivalency Form—listing transfer credits from the non-UAA school—available in Fine Arts Office 302 or the University Center.}

^{d. signatures—from yourself and your Academic Advisor.}

^{e. Submit—to Fine Arts Office 302.}

^{b. Plan Your Future Semesters—plan your course sequence for each semester until graduation (when all degree requirements are fulfilled). There is a suggested sequence in the Advising Handbook for this purpose.}

^{c. Theatre or Dance Minor—If you have declared a Minor using the Minor Declaration Form, you should also obtain a list of requirements from your catalog or Fine Arts Office 302.}

^{d. petitions – It may prove necessary or prudent at some time in your academic career for you to petition to have a requirement waived, a class substituted, or a credit from another institution accepted. Petition forms may be picked up from Enrollment Services, the CAS Dean’s Office, or the Department of Theatre & Dance main office. Samples of petitions can be found in the Student Advising Manual for CAS Faculty Advisors, so ask your advisor to show them to you. Be sure to have all of your backup documentation attached when you submit a petition.}

^{e. Academic Probation/Academic Success Review – If for some reason you have been placed on academic probation and need to reinstate your financial aid, you will need to see your advisor and fill out a UAA Academic Success Review outlining the method(s) you will use to improve your academic performance. This may be attending study groups, peer mentoring, preparatory courses, mandatory advising sessions, etc. You will need to submit a letter of explanation from YOU accompanying the review explaining why your grades were low and how you intend to improve them. Make sure to complete this letter prior to seeing your academic advisor to fill out the Academic Success Review so your advisor knows what you intend to say.}

^{f. Loose Ends—you will undoubtedly discover many things missing from your degree requirements, a transfer credit that needs petitioning, an incorrect grade, or maybe an incorrect major or minor on your transcript. These loose ends should be tied up as soon as possible, so that you can graduate in the semester of your choice. Many students do not notice these loose ends until they apply for graduation and are denied permission to graduate.}

^{g. Application for Graduation—Deadlines are as follows:}

^{1. Summer 2005 (August Ceremony) March 1, 2005 Deadline}

^{2. Fall 2005 (December Ceremony) May 1, 2005 Deadline}

^{3. Spring 2006 (May Ceremony) September 15, 2005 Deadline}

^{h. Official Degree Audit—After receiving this notice from Enrollment Services (as a direct result of your Graduation Application) you will be granted permission to graduate, or asked to reapply after finishing any credits missing from your degree plan.}

^{i. After receiving permission to graduate from the Official Degree Audit, you can then GRADUATE!}