Create your path. Stay on track.
Academic advising is essential to your success as an undergraduate student. Your advisor will help you understand policies and procedures, assist you in selecting majors and courses, and encourage you to engage in campus and community activities. These experiences enrich your college experience, while also helping you realize your dreams and reach your goals.
Academic Advising Center
Advising at the University of Iowa is designed to grow with you academically. Your advising team will change as your needs change. First-semester students and those with fewer than 30 semester hours are advised in the campus-wide Academic Advising Center, where the center’s advisors specialize in transitioning students to academic and student life at Iowa.
Departmental advising
As a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences student with a declared major and 30+ semester hours of credit, you will transition to a departmental advisor. CLAS advisors are located within departments and specialize in providing expert guidance tailored to the majors they serve.
Students with multiple programs of study may have multiple advisors. You’ll visit your primary advisor for registration, but we all work together to help you meet your academic and career goals. Find and schedule with your advisor(s) using MyUI.
Advising in the Department of Religious Studies
Every religious studies major is assigned to a faculty adviser in the department who assists in tailoring coursework to the student’s individual interests and career intentions. The adviser guides the student through the course requirements and assists them in identifying specific areas of interest. If you do not have an assigned advisor or are considering becoming a major or minor in religious studies, contact our undergraduate director, Dr. Diana Cates.
Students may count a maximum of three religious studies courses approved to fulfill requirements in the general education program and as a part of the requirements for the major.
With the sponsorship of a faculty member, students may include up to three hours of 32:195 (Individual Study: Undergraduates) in their area of concentration.
Students may transfer a total of 15 semester hours in religious studies from another institution to count toward their religious studies major with the recommendation of the department’s undergraduate committee and approval of the department’s faculty.
Students majoring in one of the natural sciences, social sciences, or humanities may complement their academic programs with a second major in religious studies. Double majors may petition the faculty to have courses from the first major count in the area of concentration in the religious studies major, if there are good academic reasons for doing so.
The career center offers a variety of opportunities for internships. Ask your adviser about participating and receiving academic credit. Additionally, the department offers a career workshop every fall semester to allow students to begin thinking about their career paths.
The following checkpoints list the minimum requirements students must complete in order to stay on the university’s four-year graduation plan.
- Before the third semester begins: at least one-quarter of the semester hours required before graduation.
- Before the fifth semester begins: one or two courses in the major and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation.
- Before the seventh semester begins: three to six courses in the major and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation.
- Before the eighth semester begins: five to seven courses in the major.
- During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining GEs, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate.
Meet your academic advisor
Diana Fritz Cates
Schedule an appointment
Connect with your professional advisor through MyUI. To contact faculty advisors, email them directly to make an appointment.
Getting started with academic advising
Verify your advisor and program
Your advisor may change. Verify your primary advisor and their office location. Your program(s) of study are listed in MyUI and include your majors, minors, certificates, or pre-professional programs. If any of this needs to be updated, contact your advisor.
Review your degree audit
Check your degree audit regularly to ensure you understand your program requirements and how courses will count. Contact your advisor if you have questions.
Prepare for registration
Visit your advisor each semester to discuss courses and registration. Your primary advisor can also assist with schedule changes, including adding and dropping.
Seek academic support
Your advisor can help you work to improve your academic performance whether you are on academic probation or want to improve your GPA. Ask about support for your academic success.
Next steps
Plan for graduation
Collaborate with your advisor to create a plan for graduation that incorporates all your programs. Review this plan with your advisor(s) regularly and ask questions about your progress toward degree completion.
Find student resources
The University of Iowa provides resources for social, health, well-being, financial, and academic support. Your advisor can help you navigate campus services.
Explore engagement opportunities
Learn about student organizations, study abroad, service, research, internships, and honors in your major.
Set your goals
Discuss your interests and future educational and career goals. Your advisor can help you plan for graduate and professional study and can connect you to the Pomerantz Career Center.
More about Academic Advising in CLAS
For more information, or to find an advisor in another department, visit the CLAS Advising Network.