Academic Advising FAQs

CASA is staffed by several phenomenal Academic Advisors. You can read more about them by visiting the CASA staff page, and current students can set up an appointment with one of them by following these instructions.

Your faculty advisor is the best person to answer specific questions about your major, the Hamline Plan, career information, and general college policies. But if you are thinking of switching to a different major, or if you are undecided about your major, CASA can help you consider your options. CASA is also a good resource if you are looking to strengthen academic performance and study skills, if you have a complicated question about graduation requirements, or if you are considering taking time off from school. If you are not sure where to go with a question, CASA is always a good place to start.

During Advising Weeks (the two weeks prior to registration), you should meet with your faculty advisor to discuss your plans for the upcoming term. Prepare for this meeting by reviewing your academic plan in Workday. You can develop a schedule that you will want to review with your faculty advisor.

If you are undecided, you should take classes from a variety of departments. Your goal should be to explore areas you may not know much about but could be potential majors.

When you take a course P/N, you will receive a "P" if you earned a grade of C- or better. You will receive an "N" if you earned a grade below C-, and you will not be granted credit for the course. Whether you receive a P or N, the grade for the course is not computed into your grade point average. However, some graduate and professional schools do not look favorably on a large number of P-graded courses, or they may rank each as a C.

Yes. A single course may fulfill multiple requirements. For example, a course that counts in your major might also fulfill one or more Hamline Plan requirements. If you are pursuing multiple majors or minors, it is a good idea to meet with an advisor to ensure you are on track to complete your requirements on schedule.

If you fail a course, you will not receive any credit for it. Courses for which you earn a D-, D, or D+ can be used to fulfill Hamline Plan, residency, and/or breadth of study requirements, but will not count in a major or minor. A course in which you earn a D+ or below may be repeated for credit. Only the credits and grade earned the second time are counted toward graduation and in the grade point average.

All students should establish strong relationships with advisors and other faculty/staff members. You are required to meet with your advisor to review your schedule before you will be eligible to register. However, we recommend you meet with your advisor more than just once a semester. Choosing classes or determining your degree status is only part of advising. Your advisor is also there to talk about other topics, including research, internships, volunteer experiences, long-term career goals, or graduate school.

To change advisors, you will need to fill out a Change of Advisor form (Word Doc). This is to be filled out if you are only changing your advisor and staying in your current major. If you are adding or changing a major or minor you will need to complete an Undergraduate Declaration of Major/Minor/Certificate form (Google Doc) available on the Registration and Records website.

You can request an official transcript in Workday, for yourself or third parties.

Registration and Records reviews transfer courses to determine whether they fulfill Hamline Plan requirements. Your major advisor or department chair will determine how transfer work applies to your major. You should submit a syllabus for each course you wish to have evaluated. Contact the transfer articulation coordinator (651-523-2127 or transferarticulation@hamline.edu) for more information about transferring in credits.

New first-year student class registration occurs on campus at Summer Orientation and Registration (SOAR).

Check  Hamline's academic calendar for the add/drop/withdrawal deadlines. You may add classes with an Add/Drop/Withdrawal form during the first ten days of class. You may drop a class through Workday during that same time frame. If you withdraw from a class after the drop deadline (the tenth day of classes in fall/spring), you will receive a grade of "W." You must make sure that dropping or withdrawing from a course will not jeopardize your eligibility for insurance, scholarships, or international student status. When you are sure that you want to withdraw, speak with the instructor to determine the appropriate course of action. Obtain an Add/Drop/Withdrawal form from the Center for Academic Success and Achievement (CASA) or Student Administrative Services, complete it (including appropriate signatures), and return it to Student Administrative Services (East Hall 113).

If you are a first-year student, Hamline will accept up to 64 credits for accredited college-level coursework taken while concurrently enrolled as a high school student. This includes coursework from AP, IB, PSEO, CIS, and CLEP. For more information, visit the Undergraduate Admissions Transfer Credits page.