Academic Advising FAQs

At MSU Denver, you’ll be supported by a team of advising professionals throughout your academic journey. Each plays a unique role in helping you succeed:

Professional Academic Advisors
These advisors are your go-to resource from the start. They can help you:

• Explore majors and minors that align with your interests and goals

• Plan your coursework efficiently and stay on track for graduation

• Explain university processes and help you navigate them

• Connect you with the right campus resources to get the support you need

Professional academic advisors are ready to help whenever you have questions. Whether it’s finding the right starting point, navigating higher education, or planning your next steps, we’re here to help.

Faculty Advisors
Faculty advisors are professors within your major, offering in-depth knowledge of your field. They can help with degree planning and navigating higher education but as subject matter experts, they can also support you with:

• Understanding career paths and opportunities within your industry

• Finding internships and building professional connections

• Receiving guidance on career planning and next steps after graduation

Together, professional and faculty advisors provide well-rounded support, from choosing your path to preparing for your future career

An academic advising appointment is a personalized, one-on-one meeting with a professional academic advisor. During your appointment, we can:

• Help plan your classes

• Understand your degree requirements

• Discuss your academic, professional, and personal goals

• Help you navigate university resources
• Answer additional questions or concerns you may have

Your undergraduate experience is a holistic journey, so bring any questions, big or small, to your advising appointments!

You can find professional academic advisors from the College of Aerospace, Computing, Engineering, and Design (CACED) on this website.

Academic advisors are assigned by college or area of study. To find the right advisor for you, visit the advising page for your college or program:

• College of Health and Human Sciences

• College of Business

• College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences

• School of Education

• School of Hospitality

• Exploratory Advising: if you’re unsure about your major or are still exploring

Faculty advisors are professors from each department, contact your home department for information on availability, office hours, and contact details.

It’s recommended that you meet with your professional academic advisor at least once each semester to stay on track for your degree. Many students meet to plan their upcoming semester’s classes, but you can also schedule an appointment, attend drop-in sessions (if available), or send an email anytime you have questions. 
 
As you get closer to graduation, staying in close contact is especially important to ensure there are no surprises regarding your graduation status. 

You can schedule an academic advising appointment in several ways:

• Use Navigate360 in the Student Hub to find your advisor and book a time online.

• You can check the advisor directory on the CACED website to find your academic advisor’s personal availability link.

• Aviation and Aerospace students can set up an appointment by contacting the department’s front office at 303-605-5287 or via email at [email protected]

Appointments are available in-person or virtually, depending on your preference.

Some advisors also offer drop-in hours for quick questions, contact your academic advisor or more information. 

Welcome to MSU Denver, we’re so happy you’re here! Before your appointment, make sure you complete the following steps:

• Sign up for your Orientation + Advising Registration, complete your required orientation and advising registration session to get started at MSU Denver here.
• Send Official Transcripts and Any Previous College Credit through MSU Denver Admissions. Learn more here.
• Send SAT/ACT scores (if taken within the past five years) for placement consideration here.
• Complete Placement Requirements, if needed in English and/or Math. Work with your advisor to determine if testing is required:
  • English Placement Testing (FYW) – MSU Denver
  • Math Placement Testing – MSU Denver
• Explore your department website! Take a few minutes to check out the department you’re interested in, you’ll find helpful info about programs, degrees offered, and what you can expect as a student. It’s a great way to get familiar with your options and start imagining your path at MSU Denver. Explore more here.

Completing these steps ahead of time will help ensure a smoother advising and registration process.

When you schedule an advising appointment, you’ll receive an email from MSU Denver Advising Systems with important details like the appointment location, format (in-person or virtual), and information from your advisor. Be sure to read it carefully.

To make the most of your appointment, here are some helpful tips:

• Review your Degree Progress Report (DPR). This checklist shows which courses and requirements you’ve completed and what’s still needed for your degree. It can help guide your questions or discussion during your appointment. You can check your DPR here

• Come with questions or topics. Appointments are 30 minutes long, so having a list of things you want to discuss helps make the most of your time If you’re not sure what to ask, your advisor can help answer your questions and provide guidance.

• New to MSU Denver? Submit all official transcripts so they can be evaluated. If transfer credits aren’t yet reflected in your DPR, bring unofficial transcripts to your appointment.

• Complete orientation first (if required). Most newly admitted students will have an orientation registration hold, which prevents you from registering for classes until orientation is complete. It’s best to finish orientation before meeting with your advisor. Learn more on the New Student Orientation page.

• Check for registration holds. Holds are blocks on your student account that may prevent you from registering for classes or accessing certain services. Log in to the Student Hub and click “View Holds” under Student Records to see if anything might affect your registration.

Tip: Being prepared helps you get the most out of your advising appointment. Take a few minutes to review your records, jot down questions, and know what you want to discuss.

When we discuss your degree, we talk a lot about credit hours. Credit hours indicate how much time you spend “in class” each week. Many classes are 3 credits, meaning that you’ll usually meet for about three hours per week.

Credit hours also give a sense of the workload. For example, a 4-credit hour class generally requires more time for assignments, studying, and class activities than a 3-credit class.

Tip: If you’re deciding how many credits to take each fall and spring semester, here’s a simple way to estimate your workload:

• 12 credit hours “in class” + 24 hours outside study time = ~ 36 hours on classwork each week
• 15 credit hours “in class” + 30 hours outside study time = ~ 45 hours on classwork each week

A Bachelor’s degree at MSU Denver requires a minimum of 120 credits. These credits are made up of different types of classes, and each major or program has its own specific requirements. Use your Degree Progress Report (DPR) and work with your academic advisor or faculty advisor to review your degree requirements and plan your courses

• Your 120 credits typically include:  

• • General studies classes: These are courses in subjects like English, Math, History, and more that all students must complete, regardless of major or program. There’s a strategy to completing them efficiently, so work with your advisor to plan wisely.  

• • Major-specific classes: Courses required for your chosen program. 

• • Minor or elective courses: Additional classes may be required to reach the 120-credit minimum.  

• •  Upper-division credits: At least 39 of your 120 credits must be upper-division (3000-4000 level). You can take more than this, but 39 is the minimum required. 

You can find degree requirements in the university’s academic catalog and your Degree Progress Report. If using the catalog, make sure you’re looking at the correct catalog year for your program, this is based on the year when you first enrolled at MSU Denver and determines the degree requirements you follow.

A sample Four-Year Academic Plan is a planning tool that outlines how courses within a program are typically sequenced and offers a recommended pathway to help you stay on track to graduate in four years. It serves as a sample four-year degree plan and a helpful roadmap for your academic journey at MSU Denver.

These plans are designed for guidance only and should always be reviewed in consultation with your Professional Academic or Faculty Advisor to ensure your individual needs, transfer credits, and goals are fully considered. The MSU Denver Catalog remains the official source for all degree requirements.

An academic catalog is the university’s official document listing all degree requirements for every major for a given year. Requirements can change year–to–year so it’s important to follow the catalog for your academic catalog year, the year you started at MSU Denver. Don’t rely on friends for this information, since students who started in different semesters may have different requirements! 

Your academic catalog year is listed at the top of your Degree Progress Report. Some new academic policies may be applied retroactively, so always work with your academic advisor when reviewing graduation requirements. While the Degree Progress Report is a helpful tool, it works best when used alongside guidance from your academic or faculty advisor. 

Yes! Changing your academic catalog year is possible and can sometimes be beneficial. If you’re considering this, please work with your academic advisor or faculty advisor to determine whether this is possible and/or beneficial.
Please note: 

• You cannot use different catalog years for your major and minor 
• Some scenarios where it may be beneficial to change your academic catalog year: 
  • You would like to pursue a major or minor that didn’t exist in your original catalog year. 
  • Your program curriculum has changed in a way that may benefit you. (If you have a minor, any change must also align with your minor’s requirements.) 

You can view a list of academic programs and the assigned advisors for each program here. To declare a major or minor, complete the declaration of major/minor form and you’ll work with the advisor for the specific program you’re declaring, not your previously assigned advisor. Your advisor will then submit the form to the Registrar’s Office for processing.

Once your major has been officially declared, you and your academic or faculty advisor will work together to develop a strategic plan for completing your required courses. As you plan your classes, be sure to review your Degree Progress Report regularly.

Maybe. All bachelor’s degrees require a minimum of 120 total credits to graduate. Some majors include a high number of required courses, which may already bring you close to or meet that 120-credit minimum, leaving little or no room for additional electives or a minor.

If you’re considering adding a minor or extra courses, it’s a good idea to review your Degree Progress Report and talk with your academic advisor to see how it would fit into your plan.

The Degree Progress Report (DPR) is your academic roadmap at MSU Denver. Think of it as a checklist of all the requirements for your degree; it’s also the tool the Degree Evaluation Team uses to track your progress toward graduation. 

We recommend making it a habit to review your DPR regularly, so you become familiar with your requirements. If anything is unclear, your professional academic advisor can help explain it. While the DPR is a great tool, it’s most effective when used alongside academic advising. Advisors know the DPR inside and out and may notice things you might miss, helping you stay on track for graduation.
 

You can learn more about the Degree Progress Report here. 

Access your DPR through the Student Hub under Web Services. Its important to check it regularly, especially before class registration or advising appointments.

You can find a list of academic programs offered by the College of Aerospace, Computing, Engineering, and Design (CACED) on our departments and program page. The assigned academic advisor for each program is listed in the advisor directory.

Student enrollment status is based upon the number of credit hours you take each semester, and is tied directly to your individualized financial aid award package.

• Full-time status in a fall or spring semester is 12 credits. Full-time means full-time for financial aid purposes, meaning that you’re eligible to receive your full financial aid package
• Part-time status is 6 credit hours in a fall or spring semester
• Three quarter-time status is 9 credits in a fall or spring semester

Students are eligible to receive financial aid at part-time or three quarter-time, but must be enrolled full-time to receive your full financial aid package. Please work with Financial Aid to see what this means for your individualized financial aid award package.

Students can be successful at any enrollment level, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. If you have questions about how your enrollment status affects your financial aid, contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships. For questions about degree planning or course enrollment, connect with your academic or faculty advisor.

Any bachelor’s degree requires a minimum of 120 credit hours. If your goal is to graduate in four years, you’ll need to complete an average of 30 credits per year. This typically means either:

• Taking about 15 credits (around five classes) each fall and spring semester
  or
• Taking about 12 credits (around four classes) in the fall and spring, plus 6 credits during the summer.

You can view all course descriptions and prerequisites in the university catalog. Keep in mind that prerequisites can sometimes change, so it’s always a good idea to double-check in the registration system before enrolling.  
 
Tip: If you’re ever unsure whether you meet a prerequisite, your academic advisor can help clarify and guide you on the best next steps. 

• Dropping a course means it will not appear on your academic record.
  • If you drop by the 100% or 50% tuition refund deadline, the course will not appear on your academic record and you may be eligible for a full or partial tuition refund. 
  • Exact drop deadlines vary each term, so be sure to check the Academic Calendar or your Student Detail Schedule.

• Withdrawing from a course happens after the drop deadline has passed.
  • If you withdraw, the course will remain on your transcript with a “W” (Withdraw) grade.
  • A “W” does not affect your GPA, but it is not eligible for a refund and may impact financial aid or VA benefits.
    • Financial aid eligibility is based on Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), which requires students to successfully complete at least 67% of all attempted credits. Withdrawals count as attempted credits and  multiple “W” grades can affect your financial aid standing.
    • If you use VA or veteran education benefits, contact Veteran & Military Student Services. Withdrawals may affect your benefits, including your housing allowance

If you’re considering dropping or withdrawing from a class, it’s a good idea to talk with your academic advisor first to understand the impact. For questions about how it may impact your financial aid award, contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.

• An Administrative Withdrawal (AW) may be granted when unexpected or extenuating circumstances beyond a student’s control prevent them from withdrawing from a course or the full semester by the posted deadline.

Before submitting a request, students are encouraged to speak with their academic advisor for guidance and support.

You can learn more about MSU Denver general studies requirements on the General Studies website.

For a list of the most up-to-date general studies options, please see the University Catalog