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Welcome Newly Admitted Undegraduate Students (Fall 2011)

Welcome to the College of Science and Mathematics

You are a College of Science and Math student if your major is one of the following: Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Kinesiology, Liberal Studies, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics, or Statistics.

Students outside the College of Science and Mathematics: If you are a major other than Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Kinesiology, Liberal Studies, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics, or Statistics and are interested in changing into the College of Science and Mathematics, first consult directly with the Advisor for your current major regarding your options at Cal Poly. Because of Cal Poly's "Graduate on Time Initiative" your options for changing your major may be limited.

Fall Quarter Registration Information

  • It is strongly recommended that you consult with an advisor before making any changes to your Fall schedule.
  • If you change your schedule we can’t guarantee that you’ll get courses needed to keep you on track for graduation. DO NOT RELY ON THE WAITLISTING PROCESS TO BE ADDED TO CLASSES! THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL BE ADDED TO THE CLASS!
  • If you do change your schedule, be sure to print a copy of your class schedule for your records every time you adjust your schedule!
  • Good Luck with Fall term!!!

 

What classes should I take in Winter Quarter?

The College of Science and Mathematics Advising Center Staff will be available for academic advising to students during Fall quarter to help prepare them for Winter Quarter registration. Additionally, each student will also be assigned to a faculty advisor from their major department who can assist with future course planning. Visit the College of Science and Math Advising Center in Building 53, Room 219 or your major department in Fall to find out your faculty advisor. Please note that if your major is Liberal Studies, you do not have faculty advisors. Instead, you should work directly with the Advising Center Staff. Course registration for Winter quarter begins around the fifth week of the Fall quarter. Plan accordingly.

  • Check out the Majors page of this website for information on your curriculum requirements and to access four year flowcharts to assist you with planning for future quarters.
  • Review your "Degree Progress Report" (DPR) quarterly to determine how the courses you are taking are being applied to your curriculum/degree. You can access the DPR in your Student Center. Click on "Degree Progress" Once has finished processing, click on "expand all" to see detailed information. Your AP test scores (if they have been sent to Cal Poly) and any previous college level credit will be reflected in your DPR by the end of Fall quarter. More information detailed below:

 

 

Academic Success Prep

Prepare for Academic Success

Don’t get dropped from your classes. Students are required to attend the first class meeting and to be on time. If the class has a lecture and a laboratory (or activity) you must attend the first class meeting for both the lecture and lab. If you do not attend the first class meeting, your enrollment in the class is not guaranteed and you may be dropped by the instructor. You should confirm with the instructor if you intend to remain in the class. Do not assume that you will be dropped automatically because you did not attend the first session, and do not assume your instructor will drop you because they told you they would.

The following suggestions will help with your transition Cal Poly.

  • Plan to spend 25-35 hours/week studying and preparing for class/lab of class.
  • Go to faculty office hours; each faculty member is required to hold 5 office hours/week.
  • Plan ahead. Keep up with your studying and assignments. Cramming is not effective.
  • Do not drop the schedule you have been given. We cannot guarantee you will get other classes.
  • Use Supplemental Workshops for Math and for Science.
  • Get help early when experiencing trouble.
  • Visit your advisor(s) regularly and go prepared with your Academic Portfolio.
  • Utilize tutoring services in your department or other campus resources.

 

Advising Resources

We encourage each student to take responsibility for their academic success. The first way to do this is to take time to learn about the academic and advising resources that Cal Poly has in place to assist you in your path to "graduate on time".

Academic Advising


Faculty Advisors

Students in the College of Science and Math are encouraged to seek academic/career advising from their department faculty. Each student is assigned to a faculty advisor in their department. However, students are usually at liberty to request a different faculty member from their major program, providing it is mutually agreeable between the student and the faculty advisor. Please contact your major department or the CSM Advising Center in Bldg. 53, Room 219 to obtain the name/contact information of your faculty advisor. Please consult with the CSM Advising Center or the Liberal Studies Department for academic advising.


College of Science and Math Advising Center

The College of Science and Mathematics Advising Center has trained and knowledgeable staff who empower all students in the CSM community to achieve their unique educational goals by providing timely and effective support in a professional, welcoming environment. Our center provides academic advising and related services to all students in the college.

Our areas of specialty include:

  • Academic advising and schedule planning
  • Interpretation of college and university policies and procedures
  • Interpretation of articulation agreements, including major, support and general education requirements
  • Academic intervention/probation/disqualification/readmission advising
  • Change of major advising
  • Assistance with student-related procedures and forms such as major/support substitutions, course withdrawal, graduation evaluation/concentration forms, etc.
  • Referral to other campus support services such as tutoring, study sessions, financial aid, study abroad, counseling services, etc.

.Additionally, our office provides the following:

  • Tracking academic progress of each student
  • Special programming to facilitate student success
  • Assists faculty and staff wtihin the college with various student -related issues.
  • Acts as a liasion between campus offices and advising related issues

For more information, please refer to our home page.


Degree Progress Report (DPR)


The Degree Progress Report (DPR) is an interactive advising tool that will provide you with an up-to-date assessment of your academic progress to graduation. It will indicate if you have met specific University degree requirements such as:

  • Units (minimum and upper division) required to earn your degree
  • GPA requirements (excluding major gpa) required
  • Residence unit requirement
  • The United States Cultural Pluralism (USCP) requirement
  • The Graduation Writing Requirement

It will also indicate what courses that you have completed or have yet to complete in the following areas:

  • General Education coursework
  • Major coursework
  • Support coursework (if required)
  • Concentration coursework
  • Minor coursework (if declared)
  • Course credits not used are courses that will count for elective credit or courses that have not yet been applied to any of the above categories*

You can access your DPR through your Student Center via your Cal Poly portal. "Single Click Access" channel. To learn more about the DPR including an access guide and FAQ's, visit: http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/records/Degree_Progress/degree_progress.html

 

To declare your concentration and/or minor:

*Note: The DPR will not reflect information that has not yet been provided to the Office of the Registrar - Academic Records unit.  Once provided to them, allow at least a week for the information to be reflected in your Degree Progress Report.

To declare a concentration, send an email to evaluations@calpoly.edu with a Subject line of "CSM Concentration."  In the body of the email, provide the following information: Name, Empl ID, Major, Catalog Year (i.e., 07-09, 09-11), the concentration you wish to pursue, and any applicable emphasis or track for that concentration. (i.e. Kinesiology -Exercise and Health Promotion -clinical track or Liberal Studies - Child Development Emphasis). Make sure your concentration is available for the catalog you are following by going to http://www.catalog.calpoly.edu/ for the current catalog or to http://www.catalog.calpoly.edu/priorcatalogs.html for previous catalogs.

For a minor, obtain the form and appropriate signatures from your minor department before sending the form to the Office of the Registrar - Academic Records Unit.


Academic Folder

Another way to graduate on time is to maintain an Academic Folder that includes important documents such as advising plans, petitions/forms and other information that is needed to maintain timely progress towards graduation. You can also go to the Cal Poly Advising website for additional information about maintaining an academic folder.