Students are advised to prepare long-range plans according to
curricular guidelines for the degree program selected. Attention to
such details as semester credit loads and course sequences are
recommended for optimum experiences.
NDSU operates on a semester system consisting of two 16-week
fall and spring semesters, including final examination weeks. A
12-week summer session is offered, and includes standard 4-week and
8-week courses. Variable-length, short-term courses also are
offered each semester, however, the total contact (class) hours are
the same as the regular semesters.
A credit is a unit used to compute the amount of work required
for graduation. One semester credit is equivalent to one lecture
period (50 minutes) in class per week for one regular semester. In
the case of laboratories, a minimum of two 50-minute periods per
week for one semester is equivalent to one credit. Minimum hours
are prorated accordingly for variable length courses. One credit
for field experience (courses numbered 196-496; 595-795) requires a
minimum of 40 hours of experience/internship, up to 15 credits,
with the number of credits to be determined in consultation with
the student's academic advisor/department. Cooperative Education
credit limits are determined by the Career Center. On average, students should
expect to spend two hours of study or preparation for each hour
spent in class. Preparation time varies for laboratories.
The academic advising program at NDSU is designed to facilitate
the student's intellectual and personal growth, to assist students
in using university resources, and to guide students in making
informed choices regarding academic and career plans. Following
admission to NDSU, each student is assigned an advisor from the
college or department in which the student is majoring. If a major
has not been declared, an assignment is made with an advisor in the
College of University Studies. An advisor assists a student in
selecting courses to ensure a well-balanced education and helps
interpret university and college policies and requirements.
However, students are fully responsible for their academic
decisions including selecting courses, meeting course requisites,
corequisites/prerequisites, and adhering to policies, procedures,
and deadlines. An advising period, known as Advising Week,
typically begins one week prior to registration each
semester.
Students should see their advisor prior to registration. Students
with advisor holds are required to meet with their advisors to have
the hold lifted. Advisor assignments and holds may be viewed on
Campus Connection.
The Office of Registration and Records serves as the centralized support center for academic advising on campus. Each of the colleges on campus has a designated staff member in Registration and Records who serves as a liaison to support and facilitate academic advising activities.
Because of the diverse student population at NDSU, other advisory services are provided to meet special needs. Refer to the sections on Student Programs and Services and Special Instructional Support Programs for descriptions of additional services.
< Back to Academic Information & Policies
The information provided on this page originated from the NDSU
course catalog bulletin and is subject to Reservation of Rights and Disclaimer
statements.