Curriculum and Advising
Curriculum and Advising
Welcome to the Curriculum and Advising site for Berea College. Here you will find information about Independent Majors, academic advising and basic Degree Works information. Resources, helpful on-campus links, and more are included in this page.
Berea College Statement on Institutional Advising
Within the context of the Institutional Statement on Academic Advising, the Academic Advising Program supports the mission of the College and its holistic development of students. Moreover, the Advising Program promotes the development and effective communication of accurate information about all aspects of the College with a particular emphasis on General Education, degree programs (majors and minors), numerous learning opportunities, and campus resources supporting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
Academic advising is central to the educational mission of Berea College. Such advising is a deliberate activity grounded in teaching and learning, foundational in fostering student engagement in Berea’s continuous learning environment, and provides each student with guidance for developing and achieving meaningful educational, professional, and personal goals. Advisors engage students in learning, labor, and service; promote students’ academic success; and foster students’ personal, ethical, and intellectual growth. Academic advising is a shared responsibility between students and their faculty advisors.
Guidelines for Advising (for Students and Advisors)
Academic advising at Berea College is designed to provide support for students as they take on increasing responsibility for their learning and development. The advising program has three primary stages.
- In the first year, each student’s academic advisor is their instructor in GSTR 110: Writing Seminar I. In combination with the course objectives, first-year advisors focus on helping students make the transition to fully engaged college students. Advisors also introduce students to the various campus resources that are available to assist the transition and prepare students for academic, personal, and professional success.
- In the second term, some students will be relatively certain regarding their area of academic and professional interest and will select an academic area for further exploration. For the second year, these students will be placed with advisors who have academic training in those areas. Students who remain uncertain regarding career and academic pursuits will be assigned a second-year advisor who will focus on helping students evaluate their skills, interests, and aspirations and help them identify an area of academic pursuit.
- Once students have declared and been accepted into majors (often in the spring term of the second year), they will be assigned advisors who contribute extensively in the teaching for that major. These major advisors work to help students identify and take advantage of learning opportunities within the major and beyond and ensure that students continue to make progress towards graduation.
If a student wishes to change a second-year or major advisor, it is the student’s responsibility to complete the appropriate section of the Change of Advisor/Major/Minor/Concentration form, which requires the signatures of both the previous and the new advisors. The Change of Advisor/Major/Minor/Concentration form may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar webpage or from its office on the first floor of Lincoln Hall. Completed forms must be turned in to the office in Lincoln Hall. Click here for more information.
Resources
Academic advising is key to student success at Berea College. Here you will find helpful resources for academic advisors, including a calendar of important dates, helpful documents, forms, and more.
- COVID Revised Bingham Fund: The purpose of the Bingham Entertainment Fund is to encourage faculty and staff to entertain students at their homes in an effort to extend hospitality beyond the campus. To assist in doing so, reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses for food purchased to entertain students in faculty or staff homes is available through an endowed fund and will be processed upon receipt of appropriate documentation (see form) as long as the funds last. This form has been updated for use during the pandemic. For more information, contact Sarah Broomfield.
- Mentor Request for Student Conference Funds (for both faculty & staff): The Office of Academic Affairs is proud to offer student conference travel funds that either faculty or staff mentors can request on behalf of students they would like to take to specific conferences. This DocuSign form can be used to request funding up to $1500.oo for 2-4 students. For more information, please contact Nicole Ingold.
- Change of Advisor, Major, Minor, or Concentration Form
- Curriculum Proposal & Course Proposal Forms
- Independent Major Information & Forms: Independent majors information is available here for students who wish to major in an area where degree programs are not already offered at Berea College. Recent degree examples include Film & Media Production, Neuroscience, Health Science, and Anthropology/Archeology. Here you can find forms, policies, checklists, example documents, and more. For more information please contact Sam Cole.
- Advising Registration Agreement Form
- Career Development Continuum Intake Form for Faculty Advisors
- Other Forms from the Office of the Registrar
Contact Us
Berea College | Lincoln Hall 320/330 | CPO 2204 | Berea, KY 40404 | 859-985-3181