Academic Advising
The goal of advising in the College of Engineering is to ensure close contact between all students and their faculty advisors.
Our academic advising procedures are specifically aimed at early intervention for students in academic trouble through increased monitoring of student performance and welfare. Through these efforts, we aim to enhance retention of undergraduate students in the College of Engineering.
Who is my faculty academic advisor?
Each department with the college has its own method of assigning faculty advisors that best suits the needs of its students.
You can find the name of your faculty advisor by logging in to your COIN account via myUMassD. You can email your advisor directly from COIN or obtain your advisor's contact information from the department office or website.
If you're in Engineering Undecided, you'll be advised by CoE's academic advisor in ES3. Once you declare your major, you will be assigned a faculty advisor.
Early intervention
The College of Engineering uses mid-semester indicators, via COIN, for early intervention. While these are aimed at 100- and 200-level courses, faculty are also encouraged to participate at the 300 and 400 course levels.
Once mid-semester indicators are posted for courses, ES3 reaches out to any student who received a caution or failing indicator.
Students needing extra help will be advised to contact the STEM Learning Lab (SENG 217), the Multiliteracy Communication Center (LART 219), or the Counseling or Health Centers, as needed. Some students may also be advised to spend less time on off-campus jobs.
Course registration
All students must meet with their advisors each semester to discuss academic plans and progress towards graduation.
At the start of registration (October and March), the Registrar's Office places an advising hold in COIN which prevents you from enrolling in courses without first meeting with your faculty advisor.
Be sure that you've met all the university obligations before your registration date. For example, any outstanding university debts ("holds") will preclude you from registering for the next semester.
Most courses have specific prerequisite requirements. You will be allowed to register for a course with a prerequisite of one of the courses you're currently taking. However, if you fail the prerequisite, you will have to drop the subsequent course.
Any time that you wish to add/drop/withdraw from a course, you should first meet with your faculty advisor or the CoE academic advisor to discuss your reasons for the withdrawal and the possible impacts of withdrawing from the course.