General Information
How can I get in touch with my advisor?
Students advised by a member of the Academic Advising Center staff can call 617/824-7876 to set up an appointment. Students advised by a faculty member contact their advisor directly to schedule a meeting. Students unsure of who their academic advisor is or how to contact him/her may access this information through Interactive Services.
What do I need to do to graduate from Emerson?
All baccalaureate degree candidates must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 128 semester credit hours with a minimum GPA of 2.0. In so doing, students must complete the General Education Curriculum and the specific requirements for a major. BA, BS, and BSSp degree candidates complete between 9 to 11 courses in the major; BFA students complete between 14 and 16 courses in their major. Students must satisfactorily complete one full year at Emerson (32 credits) and they must complete their final 16 credits at Emerson or at an Emerson External program, such as the Los Angeles Center. Students submit a Graduation Application with the Registrar and must make an appointment for a senior credit evaluation before the last semester of attendance in order to be cleared for graduation.
How do all the credits and required classes break down? I don't get it....
While each student has a slightly different case due to many different factors (what your major is, if you had Math or World Language waivers, if you brought in AP credit, etc.), some overall generalizations can be made:
- All student must earn at least 128 credits to graduate. Students entering Emerson as first-year students will automatically reach this goal by taking a full, normal load each semester (16 credits) and staying a full four years (8 semesters). 8 semesters x 16 credits a semester = 128 credits.
- Of the courses taken to reach 128 credits, some will be required for the General Education curriculum, some will be required for major requirements, and the remaining credits will be free elective credits. A 'free elective' means you are free to elect to take any course you want (and are eligible for) to fulfill the remaining credits. The number of free elective credits a student has varies widely according to such factors as the number of credits required to fulfill the major, if any waivers or AP scored fulfilled Gen Ed requirements, etc. For the average student seeking a BA or BS degree, a safe generalization is that 1/3 of the credits will go towards Gen Eds, 1/3 toward the major, and 1/3 toward free electives.
How can I find out if I'm taking the right courses?
Students have a variety of ways to check their academic progress:
- Review a copy of your degree audit, available with a student ID at the Student Service Center or online through Interactive Services. This document lists your degree requirements and keeps track of which requirements you have fulfilled and those that remain. Courses you are currently registered for are indicated with an IP (In Progress) allowing you to easily check if they are the "right courses" and fulfilling your degree requirements in the way you planned.
- Familiarize yourself with the degree requirements as listed in the Undergraduate Catalogue. Be sure to follow the catalogue you received upon entering Emerson. Rules and requirements change from year-to-year, but you are held to the requirements in place when you entered the College.
- While students are encouraged to take ownership of their education by utilizing the degree audit and Undergraduate Catalogue when a question arises, you may always consult with an academic advisor for support. Contact information for your assigned academic advisor is available through Interactive Services. All students, regardless of their assigned advisor, are also welcome to contact the Academic Advising Center for help.
