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VIKING ADVISOR2020-2021Registration and Planning Guidefor New StudentsACADEMIC ADVISING CENTERwwu.edu/advising 360-650-3850 Old Main 380 advising@wwu.edu

WELCOME TO WESTERN!We are so very glad you’ve joined the Western family! As you beginyour college journey here, there’s a lot to take in. This booklet, theViking Advisor, is designed to make some of your first decisionseasier—like how to choose your classes and get registered. It alsoincludes important information about requirements, declaring amajor, and our degree evaluation system, which will help you keeptrack of your academic progress.The Viking Advisor is created by the Academic Advising Centerin partnership with the Career Services Center—two offices wehope you’ll connect with early and often in your time at Western.The dedicated staff in those offices are here to help you planan academic experience which supports a great career aftergraduation.All of us in the Division of Enrollment and Student Services arehere to support your success. Now, more than ever, we are herefor you—although that looks a little different now than it has inyears past. No matter how or where we connect, though, our goalis always to support you. Don’t hesitate to reach out for helpwith whatever you need to succeed. I wish you an amazing yearof discovery!Melynda HuskeyVice President, Enrollment and Student Services

MAKE WAVES.VIKINGADVISORCONTENTSPlanning Your Western Experience. 2Academic Advising at Western. 4Graduation Requirements. 5Why GURs? . 6General University RequirementsCommunication. 7Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning . 10Natural Sciences . 14Humanities . 21Social Sciences . 30Comparative, Gender, andMulticultural Studies . 37Registration and Academic PlanningDeclaring a Major. 52Tips for Developing a Balanced Schedule. 53Online Academic Planning Resources . 54Registration Timeline . 56Late Course Withdrawal . 56ClassFinder . 57Web4U. 57Registration Step-by-Step . 57Registration Waitlist . 58Transfer Equivalency Report . 58Degree Works . 59Guide to Campus Resources . 60General UniversityRequirements Checklist . back coverCOVER/THIS PAGE:South Campus Rhys LoganWESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY1

PL A NNING YOU R WESTER N E XPER IENCEFIRSTEXPLORE.SECONDCONNECT.Campus ResourcesWith Advising Attend every class and complete allassignments to maintain a good GPA. Develop relationships with academicadvisors, professors, and career counselors.Seek advising by 60 completed credits tostay on track with GUR progress and majordeclaration. Connect with the Tutoring Center (WL 280)to improve study skills and succeed in GURcourses.Talk with advisors and professors indepartments that interest you to buildrelationships and declare pre-major/Phase I status. Investigate possible minors. Meet with pre-professional and prehealthcare advisors if considering graduateor professional school.With Academic Events If undecided about a major, take a varietyof courses and attend Choosing andDeclaring a Major workshops. Attend a Western Abroad 101 session andvisit Education Abroad (MH 208) to explorestudy-abroad opportunities. Attend Career Services Center (OM 280)events including fairs showcasing careers,internships, graduate school and volunteeropportunities to develop professionalconnections and interests.Academics Begin to identify your interests, abilities,and values to explore majors and careers. Review Programs of Study in the onlineUniversity Catalog to learn aboutmajors, pre-requisites, and declarationrequirements. Connect with academic departmentsto explore majors and minors. Contactinformation available in the Programs ofStudy. Update your Academic Interest in Web4Uto reflect your current intended major(s),if not yet declared.Campus2 Identify ways to get involved in campuslife, like Residence Hall Council, studentclubs, and intramural sports. Look for the latest information aboutevents and student groups through theWestern Involvement Network (WIN).VIKING ADVISORWith Online and CareerResources Use Degree Works, an online degreeprogress tool found on MyWestern, tomonitor GUR completion and progress inmajor requirements. Take career assessments available throughthe Career Services Center to guideacademic and career decisions. Visit the Scholarship Center (OM 285) toresearch scholarship opportunities.

While students enter and leave Western at different times, here are recommendations to integrateacademic and career planning throughout your WWU student experience.THIRDENGAGE.FOURTHPREPARE.With AcademicsFor Graduation Declare your major by or before 90 credits,if possible. Maintain a good GPA, especially ifconsidering graduate school.Continue to use the online degree progresstool, Degree Works, and meet with advisorsto stay on track for graduation. Continue to build relationships withadvisors and professors to identify sourcesfor future letters of recommendation.Apply for graduation using the degreeapplication on the Registrar’s Officewebsite and Degree Works. Research and start graduate/professionalschool applications. Study for and takegraduate/professional school entranceexams.With Campus and CommunityFor Life after College Gain career-related experience throughinternships, volunteering and doingresearch projects with faculty. Maintain contact with professors andadvisors, particularly those who couldwrite letters of recommendation. Take on leadership roles in campus andcommunity organizations. Gain career-related experience anddevelop skills through internships andvolunteering.Continue to update your resume orportfolio to showcase your experience andqualifications. Connect with potential employers at careerfairs and networking events. Identify job search strategies and jobopportunities by using Career ServicesCenter resources and meeting with careercounselors. Take a career preparation class, such asMGMT 315. Learn one new practical skill that you canuse throughout your life, such as publicspeaking or Excel fluency. This can be donethrough a minor, class, club, or job and candiversify your skillset for future employers. Apply early to jobs and graduate/professional schools.With Career Preparation Connect with the Career Services Centerfor help with resume writing and interviewskills. Begin building a professional network bycreating a LinkedIn profile and connectingwith alumni through departmental networks. Attend quarterly career fairs and careerworkshops. Start planning early to make good useof the summer between your third andfourth year. Be aware of internship andjob deadlines.Created by Elizabeth Lopezfrom the Noun ProjectWESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY3

ACADEMIC ADVISING AT WESTERNThe best way to maintain academic success is to meet with an advisor.What does “A Shared Responsibility” Mean?Advising at WesternAcademic advising at Western Washington Universityis a shared responsibility. The Academic AdvisingCenter’s professional academic advisors, in collaboration with advisorsin Student Outreach Services, Western faculty, and departmental advisorshelp students develop meaningful educational experiences. Advisinginvolves students working closely with advising staff and faculty toestablish and complete academic goals. Advising provides opportunitiesto explore the intellectual side of your life, choose among educationaloptions, and develop plans to support academic and life objectives.Students are not assigned an advisor until they declare their major.Until then, the Academic Advising Center and Student OutreachServices are the primary sources for general advising. Students arestrongly encouraged to meet with their department of interest beforethey declare in order to find answers to major-related questions, declarea pre-major/Phase I major and establish relationships with their futuredepartment and faculty advisors.Advising Terms KeyAAC – Academic Advising CenterAS-T – Associate of ScienceCSC – Career Services CenterDTA – Direct TransferAgreementGUR – General UniversityRequirementsMPA – Math PlacementAssessmentSOS – Student OutreachServicesTER – Transfer EquivalencyReportWestern’s expectations of students may differ from other schools you’veattended. At Western, academic advisors and faculty are well preparedto assist you but rely on you to initiate advising conversations. Werecommend that students meet with an advisor at least once perquarter.Student ResponsibilitiesIt is your responsibility to take the initiative in makingadvising appointments. Meet with an advisor earlyand often to stay on track toward declaring a major andgraduating. You are responsible for becoming familiar with Western’sacademic policies which can be found in the University Catalog. Preparefor each advising appointment by reviewing advising resources such asthe University Catalog’s Programs of Study and academic departmentwebsites, and writing down your questions beforehand. As a reminder,email is an official form of WWU communication and you areresponsible for monitoring your student email account.Advisor ResponsibilitiesAcademic advisors have the responsibility of providingcurrent and accurate information about Western’s academicprograms and degree requirements. They also have theresponsibility of guiding you to become confident navigating Western’sprograms, resources, and policies.Where to go for Academic AdvisingThe Academic Advising Center (Old Main 380) and Student Outreach Services (Old Main 387) are resources for general ongoing advising throughout your time at Western. You can also seek advising concerning majors and minors from academic departmentsat any time, regardless of class standing or declaration status. Remember it is your responsibility as a student to make advisingappointments. Western recommends that you meet with an advisor at least once per quarter.ORIENTATIONAdvising Begins What classes should Iregister for? What can I major in? What are GURs and whydo I need them? What resources can I usefor academic planning? What is my next step inmath? (See pg. 48)ACADEMIC ADVISINGCENTER/STUDENTOUTREACH SERVICESGeneral Advising afterOrientation What classes should I takenext? How am I doing on myGURs? How do I choose/declare amajor? How can I raise my GPA?ACADEMICDEPARTMENTSAdvising for Majors andMinors Will my transfer coursesapply to my major? What are therequirements to declaremy major? How can I stay on track tofinish my major? Is internship/study abroadan option in my major?4VIKING ADVISORACADEMIC ADVISINGCENTER/STUDENTOUTREACH SERVICESYour Resource for OngoingAdvising I've declared my major butam I on track to graduate? How do I add a minor? Do I have time to doublemajor? Can I drop a class?