CURRENT STUDENTS

—enrolled in the Biological Sciences Program are matched with an academic advisor around mid-October or after Spring Break during their first Fall or Spring semester at the University.

Academic Advisors for Biological Sciences

• INSTRUCT the appropriate courses for registration in Biological Sciences (semesterly)

• FACILITATE responsible graduation planning and students attaining academic and professional success goals

• REFER students to essential campus resources and opportunities

Current Students

—may share academic questions with their matched advisor for Biological Sciences, whom they can review on TerpEngage, the University’s central advising portal.

TerpEngage is where students can:

1. REVIEW their matched advisor for Biological Sciences (check under Success Team)

2. READ notes posted by their academic advisor(s) after scheduled meetings

3. SUBMIT a request to switch their BSCI Specialization

   SOME ADVISORS use TerpEngage to schedule appointments, but this is not the case for all academic advisors in the program.

“TerpEngage says my academic advisor is Not Available.”

This means that either:

Your advisor has yet to set up appointment scheduling on TerpEngage.

OR

Your advisor books sessions using another platform that is NOT TerpEngage.

• Refer to any messages delivered by your academic advisor via TerpEngage Advising Note OR TerpMail to learn what to expect for Biological Sciences advising.

» To connect with your academic advisor by email, see the Biological Sciences Directory.

ALL STUDENTS

—who are completing the major’s basic program, students with a GPA below 2.5, university athletes, and students in their first semester assigned to a faculty advisor must meet with their academic advisor for mandatory advising before they can register for upcoming courses.

Students who do not meet this criteria may not be required to meet with their academic advisor, but are encouraged to do so. Students should refer to notes sent by their academic advisor via TerpMail or TerpEngage to confirm whether advising for the semester is mandatory.

After mandatory advising for Biological Sciences has been fulfilled, a registration block is removed from the student’s account on Testudo, allowing them to register for courses during their University-assigned registration appointment.

EXPECTATIONS FOR MANDATORY ADVISING

Students are delivered a list of courses they are expected to register for after mandatory advising is completed.

This list accounts for an appropriately balanced course load and registration that follows University policy, expectations for responsible grad planning, and timely completion of the Biological Sciences LEP-Benchmark Requirements—which are necessary to meet and remain in the Biological Sciences major.

Students MUST read Advising Note(s)

Students shall review any advising note(s) they are delivered after academic advising—found in TerpEngage and TerpMail—whenever they register for their courses in Testudo.

Students are instructed to email their academic advisor to clarify any information that was included in their official advising note OR if an official advising note cannot be found in TerpEngage or TerpMail.

ONLY ON SELECT DATES

—students enrolled in the Biological Sciences Program can meet with an academic advisor for 15-minute drop-in advising during the Fall and Spring Schedule Adjustment Period at…

1210 BIOLOGY LOUNGE in the BIOLOGY-PSYCHOLOGY BUILDING (BPS).

» Drop-in Advising is for ✅

• Informed decision about a course add (for open and unrestricted sections listed in Testudo)

• Informed decision about a course drop

• Discussing a major switch (leaving the Biological Sciences Program)

• Discussing academic policies & expectations for Biological Sciences: LEP-Benchmark Requirements & Course Repeats

• Referral to essential campus resources

» Drop-in Advising is NOT for ❌

• Mandatory, Pre-Registration Advising

• Graduation Planning (see Expectations for Graduation Planning)

• Pre-Health inquiries (refer to HPAO)

• Study abroad inquiries (refer to Maryland Global / Education Abroad)

• Requests for letters of recommendation (refer to a trusted advisor, instructor, or mentor)

Additionally, the College of CMNS offers 15-Minute Drop-In Advising for all CMNS students on select dates. These sessions are not a substitute for mandatory advising with an academic advisor for BSCI.

If you are a current student who has yet to be matched with an academic advisor and cannot attend a drop-in session, please email your question to bscique@umd.edu.

What is Academic Advising?

—An academic advisor supports students in these key areas.

Information on academic requirements needed for graduation

Academic advisors assist students with proofreading their academic and career plans, monitor students in the major, and discuss how a course of study fits a particular academic or career interest. Advisors answer questions concerning a specific academic concern, such as problems with a particular class, and guide students through the registration process, including providing information on various registration blocks and what needs to be done to remove them.

Support planning of future graduate study or career

Advisors discuss how an academic major can prepare a student for a career and what career options are available. Advisors refer students to the Career Center, which provides career counseling and help with writing resumes and preparing for job interviews. They provide information about internship opportunities and about study abroad programs that might enrich a student's academic experience and resume. Advisors inform students about graduate school opportunities and application procedures.

Serve as a campus resource

Advisors assist students in obtaining support from other offices at the University. This includes informing students about possible scholarships or fellowships and referring students to academic support units that provide tutoring or workshops on study skills, time management, and stress management. They may recommend that students seek counseling for stress, addictions, or trauma that may be affecting their academic work. Advisors inform students with physical and learning disabilities of the support available to them. They also encourage students to enrich their experiences by becoming involved on campus via social, political, academic, ethnic/cultural, sport, and/or recreational student organizations and activities. Some advisors are able to provide information on all of the above. Others specialize in a particular topic or area of concern. For example, a college/department may have a specific career advisor or study abroad coordinator. Students in upper-level courses are often advised by faculty members who can assist with graduate school and career issues.

LEARN MORE @ https://studentsuccess.umd.edu/academic-advising

Dates & Deadlines

—all Biological Sciences students are responsible for knowing the University’s dates and deadlines for course registration.

This information is updated annually by the Office of the Registrar, which determines the start of classes, the schedule adjustment period (course add/drop), and the window for final exams.

Students are advised to review these steps for course registration before meeting with their assigned advisor.

Who is my academic advisor?

—Current students enrolled in the Biological Sciences Program are matched with an academic advisor around mid-October or after Spring Break during their first Fall or Spring semester at the University.

Students may log in to TerpEngage—Maryland’s central advising portal—to review their assigned advisor under Success Team.

If no advisor is listed under Success Team by the times listed, then students may email the central office for Biological Sciences at bscique@umd.edu for next steps.

Students are matched with a staff advisor while working on the major’s basic program (typically first-years and sophomores), and are later reassigned to a faculty advisor based on their declared major specialization and as they begin to register for upper-level courses in the advanced program.

Do I have to attend mandatory advising?

—All students who are completing the major’s basic program, students with a GPA below 2.5, university athletes, and students in their first semester assigned to a faculty advisor must meet with their academic advisor for mandatory advising before they can register for upcoming courses.

Students who do not meet this criteria may not be required to meet with their academic advisor, but are encouraged to do so. Students should refer to any notes sent by their academic advisor via TerpMail or TerpEngage to confirm whether advising for the semester is mandatory.

After mandatory advising for Biological Sciences has been fulfilled, a registration block is removed from the student’s account on Testudo, allowing them to register for courses during their University-assigned registration appointment.