Students are advised by scheduled appointments and email. The office is busy, so students must plan ahead and keep their scheduled appointments. Students who wait until the last minute risk not having issues addressed before deadlines.
Appointments
Appointments are made via MU Connect, not via phone or email. Appointment slots are 30 minutes; sometimes we use all of the allotted time, and sometimes we use more or less than the allotted time. Appointments are often booked a week in advance; same day appointments are not typically available. The academic advisor’s schedule is tightly booked, so students who are 10 minutes late and/or unprepared will need to reschedule. Please cancel through MU Connect or email the advisor if you are unable to attend a scheduled appointment.
The advisor and the University communicate with students by MU email. Students may send routine questions to the academic advisor by email and responses will typically be sent within 24-72 hours, unless it is a high traffic time of the year. Emails to advisors are professional communications, so please include first name, last name, and student ID. Communicate your questions and/or concerns clearly and concisely.
Course Scheduling
After a student has met with the advisor and reviewed the degree requirements, it is the student’s responsibility to use the degree requirements and graduation plan to select appropriate courses for enrollment. AFTER students have created a tentative schedule, they may email it to the academic advisor for review. It is strongly recommended that students prepare a tentative schedule before Early Registration begins.
Graduation Plan
Students meet with the advisor during a scheduled appointment to create a graduation plan AFTER:
- Earning 60 credit hours
- Completing Math 1100 or an equivalent course with a C- or higher
- Completing English 1000 with a C- or higher
- Maintaining a 2.0 cumulative GPA
If the graduation plan is not filed by the time the student has earned 60 credit hours, a registration hold, which prevents enrollment, will be placed on the student’s myZou account.
First, meet with the advisor to complete the graduation plan and discuss your remaining requirements for graduation. Then call the A&S Advising Center in 107 Lowry Hall (573) 882-6411 and make an appointment to file the graduation plan with Megan Merrill. The graduation plan is not official until it is filed with Megan. Students should file the graduation plan within two weeks of meeting with the academic advisor.
Graduation Check
The semester BEFORE the semester of graduation, call the A&S Advising Support Center in 107 Lowry Hall (573) 882-6411 and make an appointment to complete a graduation check with Eric Carter. He is the final authority on remaining requirements for graduation and will provide students with information about graduation during this meeting.