Advising Specific Student Populations

Before they matriculate, new students attend Summer Orientation Sessions where they learn about the Core Curriculum, major requirements, how to choose classes and register. 

Faculty advisors should reach out to new students in the fall and winter to introduce themselves and to offer help with choosing classes for winter and spring. First year students generally enroll in Foundation Core courses, such as Critical Thinking and Writing (CTW), Cultures and Ideas (C&I), and Religion, Theology and Culture (RTC) 1 as well as introductory courses in their major or areas of interest. Students interested in STEM majors should pay particular attention to required sequence classes and pre-requisite courses. 

While many students come to SCU with a declared major, students are encouraged to remain undeclared during their first year and explore courses that can help them decide on a major. Undeclared students can the Core Curriculum to sample courses from different academic departments. Faculty advisors play a critical role in supporting undeclared students by discussing student interests, potential majors and possible career paths. Faculty advisors may use major and minor checklists, four-year plan spreadsheets, and first year major course plans (see department advising) to help students plan their first year. 

Students can declare, change or add majors and minors using the Program Petition Form. Students hoping to transfer to the Leavey School of Business or School of Engineering should apply at the end of winter quarter. Students interested in the schools can learn about that school by taking an introductory class, such as BUSN 70 or ENGR 1/1L, available to all students.

First generation college students at SCU often need particular advising support from faculty. Many first-generation students participate in the SCU LEAD program, which offers a strong cohort experience to students, seminars aimed to help students transition to college, specific courses that support vocational and educational goals, and peer mentoring opportunities. Students in LEAD seminars are required to meet their professors and faculty advisor in office hours. 

First generation college students may be unfamiliar with university culture and policies. Faculty advisors should be explicit about how the culture works at SCU, and show students where tools and resources exist and how to use them. First generation students may also struggle to feel like they belong at SCU. Faculty advisors play an important role in helping all students belong to the SCU community, and to navigate the process of becoming a college student. Advising and teaching first generation students includes making the university accessible and welcoming.

SCU Faculty Development offers additional resources for working with first generation students.

Students who transfer to SCU have special advising needs. Often, transfer students come with courses that do not exactly fit the requirements at SCU. Students work with the Office of the Registrar before matriculating to apply their transfer credits to their degree requirements. Faculty advisors can view transfer credits and how they apply to the degree in the students’ academic history on Workday. Transfer credits come to SCU without grades, so transfer credits can be identified in the academic progress report because they have CR in place of a grade. 

Transfer students often have limited time to complete their degree, which means they seek to maximize the courses they take to fill requirements. Creating a course plan is very important for transfer students. It will help them identify what SCU requirements remain, show how their transfer credits fill requirements and to realistically plan how long they will be at SCU. Transfer students who change majors after matriculating to SCU ask the Office of the Registrar to reevaluate their transfer credits to see if elective credits can be applied to the new major.

All students must satisfy the following Core requirements at Santa Clara University: Civic Engagement; Science, Technology & Society; Religion, Theology & Culture courses; Advanced Writing; Experiential Learning for Social Justice; and Pathways. Transfer students who enter SCU with 44 or more transfer units (sophomore standing) have reduced Core requirements: only two religious studies courses (of any level and in any order) and only 3 Pathway classes. 

In addition to the challenges of adapting to SCU’s academic requirements, transfer students may also face challenges finding a sense of belonging. The transfer student Camino page offers suggestions to help students find community and get support at SCU. There is also an active transfer student union on Instagram. Encourage students to join the SCU transfer student Camino page for information on how to find resources and community.

Health Professions and Pre-law advising at SCU is located in the Drahmann Advising Center. Faculty advisors specializing in these fields provide advice on how students can take classes to prepare, explain the graduate school application process and explore careers in these fields. Students can book appointments with these advisors in Workday.

Students struggling academically should seek additional advising support from the Drahmann Advising Center. Students may be placed on academic probation if they fall below a 2.0 cumulative GPA, fail to make progress towards their degree or do not maintain full-time status (12 units per quarter/36 units per year.) The Drahmann Center works with students in academic difficulty to create a plan for success. Academic probation can negatively impact students on financial aid, in athletic or other programs, and in the completion of their degree. Faculty concerned about a student’s academic progress can contact the Drahmann Center and can also complete the CARE report if they are concerned about the student’s well-being.

International Students at SCU work primarily with the Global Engagement office to arrange and maintain their Visa eligibility. International students with questions about changing their course of study, dropping classes, taking a leave of absence or working after graduation should contact the Global Engagement office first. In general, international students must comply with DHS requirements to maintain full time status. The Drahmann Center can provide additional advising support for international students.

Honors students must take some of their core courses through the Honors program, and may have additional program requirements that overlap with their majors. Students interested in joining the SCU Honors program should contact that program to learn about requirements and applications.

Student athletes may have requirements for team eligibility different from other SCU undergraduates. Students and faculty can contact the athletic advising team to answer questions.

Many students study abroad while at SCU. As part of their study abroad application students must declare a major and Pathway, prepare a four-year plan that includes all graduation requirements and select courses from the study abroad program they apply to. Advisors in the Global Engagement support students in selecting study abroad programs and navigating the application process. Faculty advisors help students make their four-year plan and advise students about courses that meet major and core requirements. Global Engagement has a database of study abroad course equivalencies that helps students determine how classes abroad will apply to their degree at SCU. Classes not listed in this course database must be pre-approved to count for requirements by the academic department at SCU.

The Office of Financial Aid follows federal guidelines about funding student education. Students on financial aid should pay attention that they maintain full-time status (12 units) and that at least 12 units meet graduation requirements every quarter. Students in their final quarter at SCU can take a reduced course load and may receive pro-rated financial aid. 

For students working to fulfill their minimum number of units to graduate, all classes will fill requirements because all classes will contribute to the required units. 

Sometimes, students with more than average units will “run out of” requirements before they plan to graduate. If receiving financial aid, these students will either graduate early, pay for elective classes, or declare additional majors or minors that add additional requirements for graduation. 

Faculty advisors should encourage students to plan their required courses so that they have enough courses covered by financial aid to take them to their preferred graduation quarter. Practically, this means students on financial aid should plan to hold some major or core classes until senior year, and use their first two years to take electives that are not required. 

Students can meet with financial aid experts to determine their individual financial aid options. Students can also meet with advisors in the Drahman Center to plan their courses in accordance with financial aid guidelines.

Additional resources:
OAE, the Office of Accessible Education supports students with disabilities
CAPS, the Office of Counselling and Psychological Services support student health, counseling and well-being.
OSF, the Office of Student Fellowships supports students applying to fellowships