Academic Advising

From your freshman orientation through to graduation, our goal is to help you achieve your academic goals, make smart decisions, and make the most of your college experience. Reach out, we are here to help.
The Team

Career Services

The College of the Arts offers advising in person, on-zoom, and by appointment or drop-in. While schedules vary by advisor, in most cases you can schedule an appointment through Navigate.

Who is my advisor?

To locate the name of your advisor, log onto NEST and click Degree Works. The Advisor assignment will be listed in the top left column of your Degree Audit. If your advisor is not listed, or if you have questions about advising services, contact the advising team member of the Department related to your major. (See Meet our Advising Team Members)

For entering and continuing students

• Entering Freshman will receive their pre-determined semester course schedules during New Student Orientation. (You may discuss this schedule with your advisor.) Towards the middle of the fall semester, freshman will be required to meet with their advisor to plan for registering for the spring.
• Students entering with fewer than 30 credits are required to meet with their advisor prior to registering for courses for the fall semester of their sophomore year.
• In both of the above cases, students will need a registration PIN number to register for classes, which will be provided during advisement. Without the PIN number, students will be unable to register.
• Entering Transfer Students will work with their advisor to create a course schedule for their first semester at Montclair. (See Notes for Transfer Students)
• Continuing upperclassman – While not mandatory in order to register, it is strongly recommended that upperclassman meet with an advisor each semester, prior to registration, to be sure of staying on track.

What to Expect

Your advisor is here to help you clarify your goals, choose the right courses, track your degree progress, and make decisions that will help you graduate on time. Advising services typically include:

• Reviewing your DegreeWorks including how to use it to manage your progress.
• Working with you to create an overall course plan, taking your degree requirements into account and when courses are offered.
• Determining which courses taken at other colleges may count towards your major (for incoming transfers).
• Assistance with choosing courses each semester and/or selecting a concentration or minor.
• Referrals to other college and campus resources, including tutorial services where needed.
• Assistance with processing any necessary academic forms (e.g. credit adjustments, Independent Study requests.)
• Help with registering for classes. (see Registration Information for additional help.)

How to Prepare

Coming prepared to your advising appointment will help you to ask better questions and receive advice that is more attuned to your needs.

Before your appointment:

1. Understand the scope of your academic program, including how General Education fits in with your BA, BFA, or BMus degree. Find your program to review the curriculum requirements, and Road Map example of how you can complete your degree within four years. (Note: Past catalogs are available for curricula still in effect for discontinuing programs.) Refer to these during your advising appointment to consider how the options and recommendations may be best applied to you. (Tip: Ask when the courses you need to take are generally offered (e.g. Fall, winter, spring summer? Offered every year?) so that you can plan ahead and register accordingly.)
2. Review your Degree Works Audit. Degree Works / Degree Audit is a web-based tool through which students and advisors monitor a student’s academic progress toward degree completion. Through the Degree Works Audit, you can examine: (a) courses you’ve already taken; (b) required courses you’ve yet to take; and (c) total credits you’ve earned towards the required needed to graduate. The Degree Works Audit can be accessed via NEST.
3. Learn more about degree-tracking technology through the video help tool: Advising Teach Resources and Tools – A Peer Mentor’s Perspective

Students seeking academic advising regarding internships, resume development, and overall career preparation will find a great deal help through contacting an advisor within the college’s Office of Career Services.

The following self-help resources are excellent for tracking academic progress and achieving success.

• University Catalog/Curriculum Requirements
• General Education Requirements
• Degree Audit / Degree Works Quick Guide
• Academic Retention Standards
• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Regulations
• Language Placement Test
• Student Guide / How-To Guides
• Center for Academic Success & Tutoring
• Academic Grievance Procedure