CAS Advising FAQs
Have a question? Check out our FAQs and How-To Videos.
The information included in these responses is not intended to replace a conversation with your academic advisor.
Need a Hand?
General FAQ
Unless they have instructed you otherwise, we recommend sending them an email. University student/faculty/staff emails can be found in the directory or by using the "Search" box in the top, right corner of any Miami University webpage, including this one. If you don’t receive a response, you can also try calling them at the number listed in the directory.
We would be happy to help. Call our office at 513-529-3031 or email us at casadvising@MiamiOH.edu.
Yes, please call 513-529-3031 during normal business hours (8am-5pm, M-F), and we will do our best to connect you with an academic advisor as soon as we can. Please note, if the advisor determines that more extensive discussion is necessary, he or she may ask you to schedule an appointment.
It depends on the type of hold. BannerWeb should list a contact number for questions.
If it is a hold that requires meeting with an academic advisor, please call our office at 513) 529-3031 and ask to schedule an appointment with an advisor to address an advising hold.
Please email the advising office (CASadvising@MiamiOH.edu).
The email must include the following information and must come from your Miami email account:
- a scanned PDF of the application with the applicant portion completed (if applicable)
- a detailed list of what information we need to provide
- Authorization for release of information must include:
- this release statement: I hereby authorize the release of information relating to my academic and/or disciplinary record by the College of Arts and Science of Miami University.
- Miami Unique ID
- mailing address of applicant
- phone number of applicant
- reason for the release (e.g., transferring courses from another college/university, submitting Common Application)
- instructions on where and how to send the completed form/letter (e.g., email or mailing address)
To find your advisor's name and contact information:
- Log in to myMiami
- Search “who is my academic advisor”
- In the search results, you’ll see the following:
- Click the heart icon to add this to your Favorites
- Click this option to find information about your assigned academic advisor. If you have difficulty, please call us at 513-529-3031.
You may contact the divisional office at the numbers below:
| College or School | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Farmer School of Business | (513) 529-1712 |
| College of Education, Health, & Society | (513) 529-3133 |
| College of Engineering & Computing | (513) 529-0700 |
| College of Creative Arts | (513) 529-2209 |
You should meet with a CAS divisional advisor during drop-in hours. Please contact the office to be added to the drop-in advising queue (513-529-3031).
You should see your assigned academic advisor in preparation for each semester's registration, as well as any other times when you have questions or would like to talk about your academic pursuits.
Majors, Minors, Thematic Sequences, and Capstones FAQ
To change or add a new major/minor/thematic sequence, contact the department which houses your new major/minor/thematic sequence.
Note: Only students entering Miami prior to fall 2023 need to meet the Thematic Sequence requirement
You should meet with a CAS divisional advisor during drop-in hours. Please contact the office to be added to the drop-in advising queue (513-529-3031).
There is no one major for students considering law school. See the Sue J. Henry Center for Pre-Law Education website for more information regarding majors and preparing for law school admission.
There is no one major for students considering medical school, but there are minimum requirements needed to apply to medical schools. We do offer a Premedical and Pre-Health Studies co-major that can be completed with any major at Miami. See the Mallory-Wilson Center for Healthcare Education web page for more information regarding majors and preparing for medical school admission.
Ask your advisor for help. With careful advising, you can often construct a schedule that allows you to pursue multiple directions simultaneously. For example, you can usually take courses that meet the Miami Plan in any of the undergraduate divisions or majors.
You don't have to know what you want to do for a career before choosing a major. Make decisions about your major based on your interests and strengths, rather than on future predictions of what the job market will look like. What is "hot" as a job today may not be when you graduate.
Your divisional advisor and advisors in Center for Career Exploration and Success can help you determine major(s) that might be best for you to consider.
You should decide on a major by the end of the first semester sophomore year. However, some majors are more sequential (i.e., prerequisite driven) than others and may take longer to complete.
You do not need to be accepted in to the FSB in order to declare a minor in business. However, many minors in business have limited enrollment and you should contact the department directly to find out when and how you can declare the minor. Also, courses within the minor will often require a prerequisite(s).
It depends on the sequence and whether the earlier courses are prerequisites for the later courses. You should contact the listed department for the sequence.
Note: Only students entering Miami prior to fall 2023 need to meet the Thematic Sequence requirement.
As a College of Arts and Science student, you may select a thematic sequence in any academic division. However, you may not complete a thematic sequence in the same department as your major. If you have questions please talk with your advisor.
Note: Only students entering Miami prior to fall 2023 need to meet the Thematic Sequence requirement.
No, you do not need to declare a capstone.
To complete the Miami Plan capstone requirement, you must select a course that is specifically designated as a Miami Plan capstone course. These are identified in the course descriptions by the abbreviation MPC. Your major may already prescribe a MPC, if not please visit Liberal Education's website for the up-to-date list of capstones.
Foreign Language FAQ
If you are starting a foreign language for the first time, you do not need to take the foreign language placement test. The exception to this is for French and Spanish, where all students planning on studying these languages must have a placement score on record.
If you have taken a foreign language in high school and plan on continuing that language, you will need to take the placement test. The placement test gives you a score that helps you register for the appropriate level of a foreign language; the placement test does not waive the foreign language requirement, nor does it award academic credit.
The foreign language placement test can be taken at any point online.
A foreign language substitution is only approved for students who have a documented disability that impacts their language learning.
Log back into the language placement testing database with your UniqueID and password. Scroll down and you will see any past tests taken with your raw score and suggested placement.
The Miller Center for Student Disability Services coordinates foreign language course substitution requirements for eligible students with disabilities when reasonable and appropriate. Students should affiliate themselves with the Miller Center to request accommodation. Contact the Miller Center at sds@MiamiOH.edu with questions.
A student must start with their placement. If the course proves to be too difficult or too easy, speak with your course instructor early in the semester about moving to a more appropriate course. The usual course sequence (101→ 102 → 201 → 202 or 111 → 201 → 202) may not be interrupted until completion of 202. Courses in the sequence may not be skipped. Only ‘real’ beginners may start with 101.
Transfer and AP Credit FAQ
Visit Transferology to determine whether there are courses equivalent to Miami's courses. This will help you predict how the courses will apply to your requirements. If the school is not listed on Transferology, or if you are unsure of the equivalency, consult your divisional academic advisor.
Please consult the General Bulletin that corresponds with the year you began attending Miami.
Registration FAQ
- Login to BannerWeb.
- Click on Student Services.
- Click on Registration.
- Click on Check your registration status and your registration dates and times.
You can find your earned credit hours by looking at the Undergraduate Summary to Date section on the last page of your degree audit.
For undergraduate courses: If you take a course as credit/no-credit, a standard letter grade is not posted to your transcript. Effective Fall 2022, credit will show as a “CR1” if a grade of “C” or higher has been earned in the course and “CR2” if a grade of “D-“ through “C-“ has been earned.” No credit will show as "NCR" as an indication that credit was not awarded due to a failing grade of “F”. None of these grade symbols have an impact on your GPA.
Things to take note of:
- You must be in good academic standing to take a course credit/no-credit
- No more than 10 percent of the total credit hours earned at Miami University may be taken as credit/no-credit; courses offered only as credit/no-credit are not factored in.
- Courses in your major, major-related hours, or minor cannot be taken as credit/no-credit.
- Registration in a course on a credit/no-credit basis requires the permission of the instructor and cannot be made via BannerWeb, except in Miami Plan courses.
- Students with freshman standing (anyone with less than 30 earned hours): During the fall or spring semester, you may register for a course on a credit/no-credit basis providing you are concurrently enrolled in 12 hours for standard letter grades; during the summer term, you may take courses on a credit/no-credit basis providing you are concurrently enrolled for 4 semester hours for a standard letter grade. If at any time, you drop below the 12 or 4 hours of graded courses, the credit/no-credit status will be changed back to standard letter grade and an email will be sent to you from the Registrar’s Office informing you of this action.
Additional information, including how to change from standard letter grade to credit/no-credit, can be found on the One Stop webpage
For the full Credit/No-credit policy, please read the Credit/No-Credit Courses section of the Registration (Undergraduate) page (Miami University Policy Library).
If you stop attending a class, it is not the same as dropping it. You must take action to drop the course. Before dropping a course, we recommend that you consult the instructor and your academic advisor to discuss the implications. There are very specific deadlines that dictate the consequences of dropping a course. Dates and deadlines vary between full-semester and sprint courses.
Note: Please consult the academic calendar for official withdraw deadlines.
To officially drop a course you must ask your instructor to delete you from the electronic roster.
You need to get permission for excess academic hours from an advisor in the College of Arts and Science. However, there are specific criteria under which a student would qualify for excess hour permission. Please be aware that excess hour permission is not always granted.
Please read the Undergraduate Course Repeat Policy section of the Undergraduate|Registration page (Miami University Policy Library).
Once a grade is posted on your transcript, it cannot be removed.
You must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours to be considered a full-time student.
You are considered a full-time student when you are registered for 12 or more semester hours.
If your degree program requires 128 hours for graduation:
> 0-29 = Freshman
> 30-63 = Sophomore
> 64-95 = Junior
> 96 and above = Senior
If your degree program requires 124 hours for graduation:
> 0-29 = Freshman
> 30-61 = Sophomore
> 62-92 = Junior
> 93 and above = Senior
See Classification of Students for additional information.
Internships and Careers FAQ
The Center for Career Exploration and Success is an excellent place to learn about internships. Also talk with your major department; they often have a list of available internships/jobs.
Your divisional advisor and advisors in Center for Career Exploration and Success can help you determine major(s) that might be best for you to consider.
Contact CAS Advising
Academic Advising in the College of Arts and Science, Miami University, Oxford, OH, helps students make decisions about majors, minors, and thematic sequences; monitors student academic progress; and provides assistance with course planning.
