Academics

You will register for fall semester classes during Summer Orientation, held in day-and-a-half sessions during June. This is a time when you and your family members get a general introduction to the university and its programs. You will have the opportunity to stay overnight in a residence hall, eat in a dining hall, attend sessions on academic and special-interest programs, meet current Miami students, and have plenty of time to ask questions. You'll get more information on Summer Orientation after you confirm your enrollment.

You can register for fall semester classes before school starts during the August Orientation program. But if it's at all possible, come to Summer Orientation. It's worthwhile.

There will be plenty of people at Orientation to help you choose your classes. These advisers will help you understand your requirements and talk with you about what you want to take. The General Bulletin (course catalog) and the Guidebook for New Students, which you'll get at Orientation, also explain requirements and describe all the courses the university offers.

No, not at all. When you come to Orientation, all you have to do is attend the academic advising session for the new major. Be aware that most majors in the School of Creative Arts (architecture, studio art, interior design, music, music performance, theatre, and art and music education) require an audition or portfolio review. You may speak to an adviser from that division for complete details at Orientation. Some beginning classes in these majors are open to all non-majors. The Farmer School of Business also has additional admission requirements.

Our programs cannot always accommodate all of the students who want to enter them. With some programs, you enter as a "pre-major" during your first year. With most of them, after you complete certain courses with a certain grade point average, you can enter the program as a full major, usually in your sophomore year. Majors in early, middle, or adolescent education must also apply for and be admitted to a cohort before becoming a full major.

Don't worry. A lot of people aren't sure of their majors when they come to school, and more than half of our students end up changing majors before they graduate.

Most student who are undecided are admitted to the College of Arts and Science as a University Studies major, where academic advising is available to help you select a major.

Signing up for classes that fulfill the Global Miami Plan, which you must take regardless of major, will give you a chance to see what interests you. When you register for classes during Orientation, faculty advisers will be available to help you.

During the academic year, you can visit Career Services for help with career decision-making. This office offers career counseling with trained career counselors and computer and library resources related to careers and majors. You can also enroll in EDL 100: Career Development and the College Student, a two-credit course designed to help you in the career decision-making process.

It's certainly possible to complete a second major or minor, but this could extend your study at Miami. Obviously, it's easier to do this with some majors than with others. It will take careful planning, but your advisers can help you. You must have approval from each academic department and get advisers for both majors or minors so that you can be sure to meet the requirements for both. To make it official, you must also inform the Office of the Registrar by submitting the proper form.

Catalog Year is your entrance date as a degree candidate. If you enter Miami University in the first semester (Fall) of 2013–2014, your catalog year is 2014.

Your Catalog Year determines the set of degree requirements that you need to complete for graduation. Degree requirements described in General Bulletin (course catalog) can change from year to year, but you will only have to complete the requirements set in your Catalog Year. In some cases, your Catalog Year can be moved forward to a later year, but you can't use degree requirements for Catalog Years before your actual date of entrance as a degree candidate. The Catalog Year is automatically recorded on your academic record and is reflected on degree audits (DARS) you receive before registration for fall and spring semesters.

Possibly. Check with your guidance counselor about Advanced Placement (AP) tests offered at your high school. Miami accepts AP scores ranging from 3 to 5 in a variety of subjects. If you passed a course taken through an accredited college or university while you were in high school, you may qualify for credit at Miami. You also may earn credit if you have taken the higher level subject examinations within the International Baccalaureate Program, depending on your test scores.

Yes, Miami encourages you to submit a writing portfolio, which consists of three examples of writing and a reflective letter. You may submit anytime between May 1 and June 24, 2013. You will learn by July 15, 2013 if you have been awarded credit toward the two-semester composition requirement. To talk with someone about the Portfolio Writing Program, you can contact the Department of English at 513-529-5221.

The Bernard B. Rinella, Jr. Learning Center has a variety of programs and services to provide academic support for students. You can get a tutor for a specific class or a reading, writing, or math tutor, get a study skills peer mentor, or take a college study skills course. You may just want to come in and discuss your academic difficulties with a learning specialist to determine the best course of action. Your first-year adviser and your professors can also help you.

Miami consistently ranks among the top universities in the nation in the number of students who study abroad. Miami is ranked #1 for the number of students studying abroad among public doctoral institutions. We offer full-year and semester programs at our Dolibois European Center in Luxembourg, summer programs in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, and student exchanges all over the world. Many other programs are also available to Miami students. Living with a family is an important feature of many of these programs, as it allows you to truly experience the culture and language. Miami students with a 2.5 g.p.a. or better are eligible to apply for most overseas study programs. Some require a 3.0 g.p.a. Visit the Office of International Education for information on all study abroad opportunities.

It's never too soon to start thinking about these things, so we'll begin working with you long before you graduate. Miami has a variety of resources and services to help you in career decision-making and the job search process. You may want to take advantage of information available to you in your academic department as well as information from Career Services.

Career exploration and testing can help you assess your skills, interests, and values, and explore academic and career options that are a good fit. You can take advantage of computerized career planning programs, a resource library, career counseling appointments, and workshops and programs for residence halls and student organizations. A two-credit course, EDL 100: Career Development and the College Student, leads students through the career decision-making process.

Career Services also boasts one of the country's largest on-campus recruiting programs in the country, with 300-350 employers visiting Miami annually to interview selected students for internships and full-time jobs. They can help you practice interviewing, write resumes and cover letters, as well as provide information about internships, graduate schools, prospective employers, and job-search methods and resources. Individual assistance is available to all students by appointment.

Over the last 4 years, the overall pre-med acceptance rates for Miami students was 64 percent, compared to 46 percent nationally. The figure rises to 86 percent for Miami students who maintained at least a 3.4 GPA and average MCAT scores. However, no college or university can guarantee that any student will be placed into medical school. For more information on pre-professional study in medicine (as well as other healthcare fields), see Pre-Professional Study.

Miami students consistently do well here also. Miami seniors applying to law schools for the 2012–2013 school year were accepted at a rate of 95 percent, compared to a national average of 80 percent. In recent years, Miami students have been accepted to the nation's top law schools, including Harvard and Columbia. For more information on pre-professional study in law, see Pre-Law Programs.