Frequently Asked Questions
When should I meet with an adviser?
You should meet with an adviser at least once a year to plan your schedule for the following academic year. Enrollment usually begins in early April, so it is recommended that you schedule an appointment early in Spring Semester. It is often a good idea to meet with an adviser to discuss dropping or adding classes, study abroad programs, graduate school or law school, internships and career options. You are required to meet with your adviser when you reach senior level (88 credits) to be certain that you will meet all the graduation requirements for the university, college, and department.
How do I make an appointment?
Log onto the online advising appointment system . You'll need your MSUNetID and password to log in. Be sure to write down the time and date for which you've scheduled your appointment. If you know in advance you will be unable to make it to an appointment you've scheduled, please log back into the system and cancel it, or call 353-7225 to cancel. This allows us to give all of our students the best possible service.
How do I drop a course?
Anytime prior to the start of classes, through the middle of the semester you can drop your own classes on the Student Enrollment System. After the middle of the semester, students are only able to drop courses to correct errors in enrollment or because of events of catastrophic impact, such as serious personal illness. To make such a request, you will need to pick up a late drop form in room 201 Berkey Hall, complete it and schedule an appointment (517-355-6676) with a Director in the Student Affairs Office.
How do I get an override?
Sometimes, courses you want to add to your schedule are full or restricted for other reasons. In this case, you might try to obtain an override. Overrides are granted at the discretion of the instructor or department offering the specific course. For Political Science classes, you must contact the instructor directly and ask if they are willing to grant the override. Once you have instructor approval, you need to fill out an override request form. For other subjects, you may want to contact the department directly to inquire about their override policy.
What is a late add and how do I get one?
The term late add applies to adding any course after 5pm on the 5th day of class. At this time you need a note from the instructor giving you permission to add the class. You take this note to the Department Office that teaches the course and they will add you to the class.
What are the prerequisites for a class?
Check out the Schedule of Courses or the Description of Courses for information on classes, including prerequisites, restrictions, descriptions, and semester offerings.
How do I apply to the College of Social Science?
You don't need to apply to the College of Social Science . Once you have declared a major within the college, you will be automatically considered for acceptance. Everyone currently in good academic standing is normally admitted to the College of Social Science.
How can I tell who is teaching a specific course?
Use the Schedule of Courses to find the professor for a class (be sure to logon). If no professor is shown, you can contact the department to see if more information is available. The department location and phone number is indicated in the top right corner.
Can I get a minor?
No , only teaching majors have official minors. However, MSU does offer a number of ways to enhance your academic experience. You can add an academic specialization to your major. You can also complete an additional major (in most cases, you will still only need 120 credits to graduate) or a second degree (150 credits to graduate in most cases). It is a good idea to visit an academic adviser in the major you are considering adding to determine what courses you would need to complete a specialization, additional major, or second degree.
How do I change my major?
If you are a freshman or sophomore (0-55 credits), you need to go to a Undergraduate University Division (UUD) office to change your major. Students are designated to UUD offices based on where they live. If you are a junior or senior (56 credits or more), you need to go to the office of your current college to change your major.
Should I complete an internship?
Absolutely! Now, not all programs of study require internship experience to graduate, but this can be an invaluable opportunity to network, gain experience, and check out different career paths. Internship credits can also sometimes be used to meet other requirements within your major (like a 300-level PLS course, for example!). Check out the Political Science internship website for the course syllabus, expectations, and past internship sites.
How and when do I apply for graduation?
There is an online graduation application on the Registrar's website. Fall Semester graduates need to apply to graduate by the end of the first week of Fall Semester, and Spring and Summer graduates need to apply to graduate by the end of the first week of Spring Semester.
Can I take classes at another school to meet my MSU requirements?
Yes! Check out the Transfer Credit Equivalency System to see how courses from different schools transfer back to Michigan State. Be careful though— once you have earned 60 credits (at MSU or anywhere else) you can no longer transfer credit from a community college— it must come from an accredited, 4-year institution!