Academic Advising

Navigating through your academic life may, at times, seem challenging. It definitely can be! Fortunately, Ball State University has prepared for your arrival in advance whether you are a first-year student, upper-division student, transfer student, non-traditional student, honors student, or student-athlete. Academic advisors at Ball State are personal, professional, and prepared to give you the advice and resources you need to successfully map a journey that leads to your graduation.

WHO IS MY ADVISOR?

Accessibility

Our goal is to make all of our materials and services accessible. Please inform staff of accessibility barriers you encounter and request accommodations that will make activities and information resources accessible to you.

First Year

First Year Advising

During your first semesters on campus, you will likely find that your first year is one marked by transitions. As you step into this time of transition from high school to college, from home to residence hall, from limited freedom to individual responsibility, you will be assigned an academic advisor who will offer personalized, one-on-one support in areas such as course selection, choice of major, and understanding the University Core Curriculum. Additionally, your academic advisor will introduce you to your living-learning community during course selection and serve as a referral to other campus resources.

PRE-REGISTRATION ADVISING MEETING

All first-year students are required to attend a Pre-Registration Advising Meeting before scheduling an appointment to discuss spring registration with their academic advisors.  These Pre-Registration Advising Meetings provide students with valuable resources on scheduling classes, tracking academic progress until graduation, and accessing online tools and on-campus resources.  All first-year students will receive an advising registration worksheet (PDF) and a registration instruction handout (PDF).  Attendance is mandatory and will be tracked.

Working With Your Advisor

As a first-year student, you are assigned an academic advisor through the Center for Student Success located on the third floor of North Quad in room 339. Upon completion of 30 credits, you will be assigned to a departmental advisor in your declared major.

To schedule an appointment with your academic advisor, go to MyBSU and click on Navigate. Advisors conduct appointments in person, through Zoom, by phone, and by email. You can also call or visit the Center for Student Success in North Quad 339 at (765) 285-1161 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.) to schedule an appointment.

Academic Basics

Figuring out how to do all the required stuff at Ball State can be pretty overwhelming, and you may have some basic questions about credits, scheduling classes, grades, or how to navigate academic warning. Learn about these topics and more.

Exploring Programs

Not sure what you want to major in? Explore all the programs Ball State offers and the departments they're in to find your perfect academic fit. Start looking.

Questions?

Your advisor is your go-to resource for all questions. Find out how to get ahold of them.

Academic Advising

Students who have completed 30 credit hours or more (i.e. sophomore, junior, and senior students) and have declared a major are assigned a departmental advisor in their chosen area of study. Students with 30 or more credit hours who have not declared a major will continue working with their assigned first year academic advisor.

Once assigned an Academic advisor, you will receive an e-mail notifying you of available services. Your new advisor may also contact you, but you're encouraged to take responsibility and establish communication yourself.

Among other things, your advisor will assist you in understanding your chosen major's requirements, monitoring your academic progress, preparing long-range plans for the completion of degree requirements, and planning for graduate school and/or careers.

Working With Your Advisor

Once you have completed 30 credits and have a declared major, you will be assigned to an academic departmental advisor based on your current major, and their offices are located across campus within the academic departments. The name and contact information for your Upper Division advisor will be listed on your DegreeWorks audit and can also be found by selecting "Current Degree and Advisor" under the "Student Records" link in Self-Service Banner (SSB).

As a student, you will need to work more closely with your Academic departmental advisor and the Center for Student Success. The emphasis on service is an emphasis on making your degree program the best preparation for your individual goal by discussing requirements, choosing electives, thinking about internships or immersive learning experiences, tracking progress, and following deadlines and procedures.

To schedule an appointment with your academic advisor, go to MyBSU and click on Navigate. Advisors conduct appointments in person, through Zoom, by phone, and by email. You can also call or visit the Center for Student Success in North Quad 339 at (765) 285-1161 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. in the summer) for assistance.

Academic Basics

Figuring out how to do all the required stuff at Ball State can be pretty overwhelming, and you may have some basic questions about credits, scheduling classes, grades, or how to navigate academic warning. Learn about these topics and more.

Apply to Graduate

Nearing completion of your degree requirements? You'll need to submit a graduation application to participate in Commencement and receive your diploma. Learn more.

Questions?

For answers to common advising questions, check out our FAQs. If you can't find an answer, contact your advisor for assistance.

Non-Traditional Advising

Adult, or nontraditional students, are defined by Ball State as individuals entering college for the first time at age 23 or older. A wider definition of the population served, however, includes anyone whose primary roles and responsibilities are focused outside the university. Experience has taught us that many students younger than 23 also delay college because of such factors as marriage, children, and military service. As a non-traditional student, you may find that starting college later in life often presents special challenges

Ball State offers several programs and services to non-traditional students to help with the transition to college life including:

To get more information, contact the Center for Student Success in North Quad (NQ) 339, 765-285-1161.

Transfer Advising

Transferring in?

Every year hundreds of undergraduate students transfer credits to Ball State from other colleges and universities. Some undergraduate students start out somewhere else and then find that their academic journey leads them to come to Ball State after taking a semester or two (or more) of classes at another school. If you are transferring from another school, you will want to make sure that the first thing you do is apply to Ball State. Perhaps you have always been a Ball State student but just want to try to take a few classes close to home over the summer and then transfer them back. Whether you have lots of classes to transfer to or just a few, the process is the same.

  • Once you have taken and passed (earned a C grade or higher) a class at another school, you will want to request that your official transcripts be sent directly to the Office of Admissions, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, 47306.
  • When your transcripts have been received, the Office of Admissions will enter them into your current academic record at Ball State. You can find out if this information has been entered by contacting your academic advisor.
  • Your academic advisor can tell you how your transfer credits apply at Ball State. For example, if you take a speech class at a local community college, you probably would like to know if that will “count” as your required core curriculum public communications course. Besides your academic advisor, another resource for finding this information is the Transfer Indiana website.

Students planning to take courses at any school other than Ball State University will need to meet with an Academic Advising Center Coordinator and map out courses that will transfer back to BSU. Prior to registration, be sure to schedule an appointment and have the "Course Catalog" for the school you wish to attend to obtain transfer equivalencies. Contact the Admissions Office (765-285-8300) if you need to make sure Ball State will accept credit from the school. Once the course is complete, you will need to request a transcript to be sent to the Ball State Admissions Office, Muncie, IN, 47306. Students must earn a "C" grade or higher for transfer acceptance.

 Advisor Meeting

If you are transferring in less than 30 credit hours, you will meet with a first year academic advisor in North Quad 339 (765-285-1161) to schedule classes.  You will then be assigned to a first year academic advisor who offers personalized, one-on-one support in areas such as course selection, choice of major, tracking progress in meeting requirements, college transition issues, and referral to other support services. Upon completion of 30 credits, you will be assigned to a faculty advisor in your declared major.

If you are transferring in more than 30 credit hours, you will meet with an Advising Center Coordinator in one of our seven Academic Advising Centers located throughout the campus.  The coordinator will assist you in creating a schedule for your first semester on campus.  You will then be assigned to a faculty advisor who will assist you in monitoring your academic progress, understanding your remaining University Core Curriculum requirements, planning for graduate school and/or careers, and understanding your major requirements and the proper course sequencing and selection of major classes.

Transferring out?

All questions about courses transferring from Ball State to another college or university should be answered by academic advisors at that school. You can begin the process by getting an application from the intended school, filling it out, and then having Ball State send a transcript of your records if it is required by the target school. Transcripts may be obtained online or in the Office of the Registrar, Lucina Hall B43. Contacting the Housing Office at Ball State (765-285-8000) and the transfer of financial aid and scholarships (765-285-5600) are other considerations if relevant to your situation.

Honors Advising

If you have been accepted into the Honors College, you are assigned to a freshman academic advisor who specializes in the Honors curriculum. Honors Advising is housed within the Honors College in the Ball Honors House. After completing 30 credit hours, you will be assigned to a faculty advisor in your major area, but will continue to have easy access to the Dean, Associate Dean, Honors Advisors, and other Honors College staff.

Student-Athletes Advising

If you are a freshman student-athlete (less than 30 credit hours completed), you are assigned an academic advisor who specializes in the rules and regulations of intercollegiate athletics. Student-athletes are required to meet with their advisor at least once each semester to plan class schedules, review majors and minors, and discuss academic progress. Student-athletes in the Honors College are assigned an honors advisor.

All upper-class student-athletes (30 or more credit hours completed) are required to meet with the Coordinator of the Athlete Advising Center each semester. While decisions regarding programs, courses, and class times are ultimately the responsibility of the student-athlete, the Coordinator of the Athlete Advising Center should be involved in all aspects of the advising process. The Coordinator helps insure that student-athletes are in compliance with the academic rules and regulations of the Mid-American Conference and the NCAA.

The Academic Support Services for Student Athletes program in University College is committed to the academic success of student-athletes at Ball State University. Staff members provide individual monitoring and academic counseling, study table activities, workshops, enrichment of study skills, coordination with tutoring, and other services.