Students are assigned an academic advisor prior to the start of classes their first semester on campus, and that advisor is a resource for the student throughout and often beyond their Belmont career. Academic advising is intended to support the learning process of students by helping them understand the value and benefit of their entire academic program, including BELL Core (Belmont’s general education curriculum) and the major, and by helping students make responsible choices within the framework of a degree program.

Your Responsibilities

Students are ultimately responsible for knowing academic policies and for completing their selected degree programs. Your responsibilities in the advising partnership include

• Schedule meetings with your advisor(s) prior to registration.
• Prepare for your session through a careful review of your major, minor and BELL Core requirements on DegreeWorks
• Bring to your advising appointment a proposed course schedule, including backup options, built from the current Classfinder listings
• Confirm your plan for completing WELL Core credit hours
• Consult with your advisor when requirements are unclear or you have questions
• Talk with your advisor about any academic issues you are encountering
• Be prepared to discuss academic enrichment opportunities as well as career goals
• Follow up with your advisor on their recommendations as well as any questions you may have

You are required to schedule an appointment to meet with your academic advisor at least once a semester before you can register for the next semester of courses.  All holds must be lifted from your account before registering.  You can check your holds in your MyBelmont account.

You will be notified via email from the Office of the Registrar regarding the date and time in which your registration period will open.  Have questions? Visit our FAQ page for more information. 

What You Can Expect

While your advising appointment is required prior to class registration, it is not intended to be a tactical hurdle to your next semester. Rather, meeting your academic advisor is an opportunity to work in partnership to help you:

• Select appropriate courses and discuss educational experiences, like study abroad and internships.
• Review progress toward degree and WELL Core requirements.
• Interpret requirements for your major(s), minor(s) and BELL Core courses.
• Evaluate your progress toward graduation.
• Form connections at Belmont that can assist you in your career goals.
• Clarify career and life goals.
• Develop decision-making skills for academic success and well-being.
• Become an independent learner.

• Understand your expectations and responsibilities.
• Sign Up to meet with your advisor.  To find out who your advisor is, login to your Degree Works audit.  Your advisor name and email can be found in the top box under your BUID and name.  
• Prepare for your appointment!
  • Review your DegreeWorks through MyBelmont to ensure accuracy and to determine what courses you need.
  • Search for class options in Classfinder.
  • Create a list of courses—and back up options— you would like to take.
  • Review plan for completing WELL Core credits.
  • Think about other questions you may have—academic advising is a great time to discuss study away/abroad, internships, networking, career goals and more with an expert in your field.
• Be on time for your appointment.
• Inform your advisor of any courses you are taking or planning to take at another institution. Students must receive approval by submission of a concurrent enrollment form to the Office of the Registrar prior to taking courses at another institution.
• Listen and communicate during your advising session.

Advisors are helpful and resourceful when assisting students with their degree planning. However, students are primarily responsible for being knowledgeable and satisfying all degree requirements.

The name and contact information for your academic advisor will be emailed to you by your college/department prior to the start of classes for your first semester. Please be sure to check your Belmont emails daily, as they hold valuable information critical to your success in college. Your academic advisor is also listed on your DegreeWorks account.

Academic advising holds are placed on all undergraduate degree seeking student accounts each semester prior to registration. The hold is released by the advisor or academic department upon completion of the advising session. Students are required to meet with their assigned academic advisor each semester and active advisor holds prohibits registration.

You must contact the department listed (ex. Student Financial Services) to have the hold removed before you will be able to register for classes.

The academic advising and registration schedule can be found on the Office of the Registrar website.

A pre-requisite is a class you must take prior to taking a higher level course. Many classes have pre-requisites in place to better prepare you for upper level coursework.

Individual departments and faculty members use a variety of methods to schedule appointments. When in doubt, call or email your advisor to request instructions.

DegreeWorks is an electronic audit of your progress toward a specific degree. It will record and track the courses and credit hours you’ve already earned, your degree requirements, transfer credits and the courses you are currently taking that are in progress (IP). It will also track your elective courses as well.

It is critical to integrate what you learn in one class with what you learn in another, no matter how different their disciplines may appear. In your first year at Belmont, you will take two courses linked by the same topic or issue. In Classfinder, select the “BELL Core/Alternate Locations” tab, choose the semester and then select “Interdisciplinary Learning Communities” to see that session’s offerings. Only the courses and sections listed on that site will count for ILC credit. Also, in order to receive credit for the ILC requirement, you must pass both of the courses.

Minors can be found in the University Catalog.  Scroll to the bottom of the page to see available minors.