Progress In The Major
Meeting with the major advisor
Once you have chosen a major, you should meet with an advisor in your major department at least once a year.
Faculty advisors are a valuable resource because they can help you confirm, and on some occasion reject, the selection of a particular major field. They can recommend supporting minors or elective courses.
If you are undecided about majoring in particular area, you can also benefit by meeting with an advisor in the prospective department. The advisor can help you to understand the skills needed to be successful in that area and what opportunities exist for individuals who graduate with that major.
By meeting with your major advisor at least once a year to review the courses you have taken in the major and related areas you will be able to plan the courses for the next year. At the beginning of your junior and senior years, you should meet with both your major advisor and an LAS academic advisor to be sure that you are on track to graduate on schedule.
YOU AND YOUR MAJOR ADVISOR
- Ask your advisor to recommend the order for taking required and collateral courses.
- Discuss your interests in the major. All majors have required courses as well as elective courses. Your advisor can assist you in selecting optional elective courses.
- Discuss your career goals—this may influence your course selections
- Discuss whether you plan to apply to a professional school or a graduate program. This may influence your course selections within the major as well as your electives outside the major. To strengthen your major field and maximize your opportunities after graduation, you have want to choose specific elective courses.
- Discuss how to research professional and graduate schools and when and how you should prepare to take admission tests such as the GRE or GMAT.
The Grade Point Average in the Major
A student must earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 (A=4.0) in all work taken at UIC. In addition, the combined average of a student's transfer work and work taken at UIC must be at least 2.00. A minimum grade point average of 2.00 is required for all courses in the major field taken at UIC.
The combined average of transfer work and work taken at UIC in all courses in the major field must also be at least 2.00. Some majors require a higher GPA in major field courses; some majors require minimum grades of C in all major required courses. Consult the department or Undergraduate Catalog for specific details.
Credit Hours to Complete the Major
A student must complete at least one-half of the course work required for the major field in residence at UIC. The major
course work completed in residence must include at least 12 semester hours at the advanced level (those courses numbered at
the 200-level and above at UIC).
This requirement is referred to as the RESIDENCE requirement in the major