2016-2017 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Undergraduate Information
Undergraduate Policies and Regulations
Refer to the General and Undergraduate sections of the Academic Policies and Regulations section of this catalog for Undergraduate Policies and Regulations.
Academic Advising and Student Instructional Support Information
Academic Advising Mission
Academic advising engages students in the process of exploring and defining their academic and career goals and in creating effective strategies to achieve these goals.
" Through collaborative relationships with academic advisors, students are encouraged and supported as they develop the skills necessary to take responsibility for their own development and success.
" Academic advisors educate students by providing accessible, accurate, and timely information regarding academic requirements, university resources, and opportunities to develop critical thinking skills and enrich the college experience and their personal lives.
Definition of Academic Advising
Academic advising is an integral part of a college education, establishing a collaborative relationship between a student and his or her advisor/s to map out a meaningful and successful educational experience and help guide the student's path to graduation and a career. Academic advising centers and offices are listed as follows.
College Academic Advising Centers/Offices
Contact information for academic advising centers and offices for each college are listed as follows and on the website at www.gvsu.edu/advising/. Students interested in programs in a particular college can contact the advising center or office to learn more about specific programs or courses.
Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies - Office of Integrative Learning and Advising
133 LMH, (616) 331-8200, [email protected]
College of Community and Public Service Undergraduate Advising Center
321C DEV, (616) 331-6890, [email protected]
College of Education Student Information and Services Center
401C DEV, (616) 331-6650, [email protected]
College of Health Professions - Student Services Office
113 CHS, (616) 331-5900, [email protected]
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Academic Advising Center
C-1-140 MAK, (616) 331-8585, [email protected]
Kirkhof College of Nursing Office of Student Services
326 CHS, (616) 331-7160 or (800) 480-0406,[email protected]
Seidman College of Business - Seidman Undergraduate Programs
1041 SCB, (616) 331-7500, [email protected]
B3-226 MAK, (616) 331-7500
Seymour and Esther Padnos College of Engineering and Computing
Declared Major Advising (prior to secondary admission):
Advising Center
315 KEN and C-2-218 MAK, (616) 331-6025, [email protected]
Admitted Major Advising (after secondary admission)should contact their respective school.
Faculty Advising
School of Engineering: 136 KEN, (616) 331-6750, [email protected]
School of Computing and Information Systems: C-2-100 MAK, (616) 331-2060, [email protected]
Department of Occupational Safety and Health: 618 EC, (616) 331-6300, www.gvsu.edu/osh
Student Academic Success Center (SASC)
200 Student Services Building, (616) 331-3588, www.gvsu.edu/sasc
The SASC supports student learning by providing a wide range of services to students in one central location: general tutoring services, structured learning assistance course support, math and science tutoring, learning and study skills development services, academic advising for students who have not decided on a specific major or minor, and advising for student athletes through the LAKER Academic Success Center. Advising is also available for those students who are nondegree-seeking students taking courses at Grand Valley. SASC is the location for McNair Scholars and SSS federal grant TRiO programs to support student success.
The SASC is open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday. Appointments can be made online at our website, by calling (616) 331-3588, or by coming into the office.
Academic Support Resources Through Student Academic Success Center
Main office: 200 Student Services Building, (616) 331-3451, www.gvsu.edu/tc
The Tutoring Center at Grand Valley provides small group, peer-to-peer tutoring free of charge for all Grand Valley students. Subject specific tutoring is provided for most 100- and 200-level courses and upper level courses. These weekly scheduled sessions encourage student success by providing a collaborative learning environment in which students can ask questions, clarify material, and learn course appropriate learning strategies from students who have successfully completed the course. Students are encouraged to request tutors online through the tutoring website early in the semester to maximize academic outcomes.
LAKER Academic Success Center
152 Fieldhouse, (616) 331-3328, www.gvsu.edu/lakeracademiccenter
The LAKER Academic Success Center academic advisors provide one-on-one academic advising and support to student athletes. Students maintain a regular schedule of appointments to help with academic success and ensure athletic eligibility.
Learning and Study Skills Development Services
200 Student Services Building, (616) 331-3588
Learning and Study Skills Development Services offer individual academic coaching and group presentations to help students improve their academic performance and confidence. Coaching topics include: general study strategies, test taking, time management, note taking, motivation, and goal setting. Academic coaches can assist students in identifying their academic challenges and develop a plan for improvement using campus resources for support.
Premajor Advising
200 Student Services Building, (616) 331-3588
Premajor advisors are available to advise students who have not yet declared a major. Advisors assist students with the process of choosing a major, monitor students' academic progress, and discuss other academically related concerns with students. Once students declare their major, they are referred to their major department for advising.
Science Success Center, Chemistry Success Center, and Math and Stats Centers
399 Padnos Hall, (616) 331-3695
These subject area centers provide both peer-to-peer and faculty-to-student support for science and math related courses. Successful upper-level students in biology, chemistry, biomedical sciences, physics, math, and stats assist students by providing problem-solving assistance, peer support, and connecting students to other appropriate support services on campus.
Structured Learning Assistance (SLA), Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS)
200 Student Services Building, (616) 331-3588, www.gvsu.edu/sla-pass
SLA and PASS offer an embedded tutoring approach to typically challenging courses. Students who select an SLA section of a course will be provided with additional weekly study and practice workshops lead by upper-level students who have been successful in the course. These student facilitators work closely with faculty members to provide direct assistance with course content and practice.
Student Transfer Enrollment Partnership (STEP)
Grand Rapids Community College, (616) 331-3588, www.gvsu.edu/grccstep
A collaborative transfer assistance project between Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) and Grand Valley State University, STEP reaches out to GRCC students to help them ultimately achieve a bachelor's degree through Grand Valley.
TRiO Student Support Services (SSS)
200 Student Services Building, (616) 331-3401, www.gvsu.edu/sss
TRiO Student Support Services provide academic advising, study skills instruction, and career planning to first-generation, financially eligible college students at Grand Valley.
TRiO Student Support Services/STEM
200 Student Services Building, (616) 331-3588
STEM advisors provide specialized services geared toward support for first-generation, financially eligible college students in science, technology, engineering, health sciences, and mathematics.
Additional Resources
Disability Support Resources
Grand Valley is committed to providing access to programs and facilities for all students, faculty members, and staff members. Grand Valley promotes the full inclusion of individuals with disabilities as part of our commitment to creating a diverse, intercultural community. It is the policy of Grand Valley to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. Grand Valley will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The office is in 4015 James H. Zumberge Hall and can be reached by calling (616) 331-2490.
Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors
The Writing Center offers free peer consulting services in writing for students enrolled in classes. The center provides weekly small group activities for Writing 098 students, assistance to Writing 150 students in computerized classrooms, occasional workshops as requested by faculty members, and a walk-in center available for students with papers in all Grand Valley classes, particularly Supplemental Writing Skills courses. Students who are writing papers for any course can stop by for a walk-in session to get detailed feedback on their work at any stage in the writing process. Writing Center services are provided at the Allendale Campus, Pew Grand Rapids Campus, and Meijer Campus in Holland. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/GVWritingCenter.
McNair Scholars Program/TRiO
230 Student Services Building, (616) 331-3441
The Ronald E. McNair postbaccalaureate scholars program provides research opportunities and academic advising to talented (3.0 grade point average or higher) sophomores and juniors who are interested in pursuing an education beyond a baccalaureate degree. The goal of the program is to provide assistance to financially eligible, first-generation college students and underrepresented minorities who wish to obtain a doctoral degree.
Academic Standards and Other Services
200 Student Services Building, (616) 331-3588
Course Evaluations and Substitutions
Responsible for course evaluations and substitutions for general education Foundations/Cultures requirements.
Credit Overload Appeals
Review appeals to enroll in more than 20 credits in a semester.
Residency Waiver Requests
Review appeals to take a course or courses at another institution during the final 30 semester hours of a student's degree program.
Emergency Notification
It is the responsibility of the student to notify their professors of attendance issues. The SASC will email students' professors in cases of extended illness, death, or family emergencies, etc. This process does not excuse students from classes, but serves as an official notification to professors. Students are responsible for making arrangements with professors about missed work.
Academic Review Committee
Review appeals of the withdrawal deadline and the Petition to Return process.
Undergraduate Academic Programs
Grand Valley State University has more than 200 areas of study, 87 undergraduate degrees, and 37 graduate degrees. Use the following links to find the programs that apply to you! Refer to the All Academic Programs A-H and All Academic Programs I-Z of the online catalog for a list of these programs.
All Academic Programs A-H
All Academic Programs I-Z