Academic Advising & Exploration Center

FAQs

Advisor Assignments

Course Information

Grades

Selecting a Major

Transfer

How do I transfer college coursework from a different higher education institution to UW-Whitewater?
Can I take classes at a different institution and have those credits transfer to UW-Whitewater?

When, where, and how do I register for classes?

Graduation Requirements

Still have questions?

Advisor Assignments

Who is my academic advisor?
The AAEC advises students with fewer than 24 units and all undeclared students.
You can find who is currently assigned as your advisor on WINS.
- Log into the WINS System
- Click AAR – BASED ON COURSE UNITS > ADVISORS.
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Why do I need to see an advisor?
Advising is most effective when it is viewed as an ongoing process in which the students and the advisors work as partners. Students must continuously work with their advisors in order to develop comprehensive academic plans that lead to successful career planning.

UW-Whitewater's advising policy is that all students must meet for their advise appointment before they are able to register. Students advised in the AAEC are required to meet with their advisor every semester for a pre-advise and an advise appointment. Clientele of the AAEC have holds placed on their records on the WINS System. Holds are released only after completing the advise appointment.

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How should I prepare for meetings with my advisor?
You should first refer to your Advising Report and prepare a list of specific questions.
Important items to bring to your appointments:
- Your planner or calendar
- An updated printout of your Advising Report (AAR) which can be printed from WINS
- A list of potential classes for the following semester (for course planning appointment)
- Questions!
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Can I see an advisor even if it's not my advisement appointment?
The AAEC offers drop-in services to all students from 8am to 4:00pm Monday-Friday to answer any questions that may arise.

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I have declared a major and I have 24 units or more; can I still come to the AAEC?
The AAEC offers drop-in services to all students from 8am to 4:00pm Monday-Friday to answer any questions that may arise. AAEC advisors may refer non-clientele students to the appropriate department or assigned student advisor for major specific questions.

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Course Information

Where can I find the Schedule of Classes?
The Schedule of Classes can be found on the bottom of the UW-W home page. Simply click on " Schedule of Classes". Choose the specific term and a PDF document will appear.

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Does UW - Whitewater have an Honors Program?
Yes, entering students must meet one of the following high school graduation criteria:
- Top 10% of high school class and an ACT composite score of 24 or greater, or
- Top 25% of high school class and an ACT score of 28 or greater, or
- Highly recommended with letters of nomination by high school counselor and at least one instructor
Enrolled students may apply for admission when they have completed at least twelve credits of academic work at the UW-Whitewater with a minimum of a 3.40 cumulative grade point average. For more information, visit the Honors website or contact the director at honors@uww.edu.

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How often do I need to attend class?
Students need to attend every class in order to be successful. Students need to maintain a 2.0 grade point average to remain in good academic standing.

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What is the average course load?
Students need to be enrolled in a minimum of 12 units to be considered full-time. Most students enroll in 15-16 units per semester. Students cannot exceed 18 units per semester unless they receive permission from the dean of their college. Students will need 120 units minimum to graduate.

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What should I do if I have to miss a class?
If a student absolutely needs to miss a class, he/she/they should contact the instructor right away. For long-term absences, students should notify the Dean of Students Office at 262-472-1533.

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I'm struggling in a class. What should I do?
If students are struggling in a class, they should utilize campus resources such as the instructor, an advisor or the tutoring services.

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How do I decide whether to drop a class?
Since each student situation is unique, a student may want to contact his/her advisor before dropping a course. Students need to be aware of all deadlines found on the Registrar's website.

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How do I order a copy of my transcripts?
Students who need a transcript should stop by the Registrar's Office located on the 2nd floor of the Roseman Building. Visit Registrar's website for more information.

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Grades

Can I take a class over for a better grade?
Undergraduate Students: Students may repeat a limited number of courses in which they earned a grade of D, F, or NC in order to have those grades replaced. Students may not repeat for credit or grade replacement any course in which they earned a grade of C, S or higher. For further information on the repeat policy, check the most recent published Schedule of Classes, the on-line Schedule of Classes or the Undergraduate Catalog.
Can I take a course on a pass/fail basis?
If you wish to change the grading basis for a class in which you are enrolled, you can do so on WINS through the tenth day of the semester for full term courses, or the fifth day for shorter courses. You can find the specific date in the schedule of classes or the academic calendar.

A tutorial on how to adjust your course units is available online.
How do I calculate my GPA?
Your UWW GPA is calculated by dividing your total number of honor points by the total number of graded units you attempted.

If you feel there is an error in the calculation of your GPA, please contact the Registrar's Office. Be sure to include your name, phone number and UWW student ID number in any correspondence with the Registrar's Office.
What is the W grade?
It means a "Withdrawal" from a class, thus earning 0 units for the class. It indicates that you were enrolled in the class through the first ten days of the semester or the first five days in an eight week course or summer session. A "W" does not affect your grade point average in any way. It simply means you dropped the course.

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Selecting a Major

How do I declare or change my major?
The process of declaring or changing a major begins in the department/college/center where you are currently being advised. For example, if you are an undeclared freshman (under 24 units), you would meet with your academic advisor to officially change your major. Changing majors/minors may extend your time for graduation, or the major may have special restrictions or requirements. Be sure to consult your academic advisor when making this decision to change.

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Can I major in Pre-med or Pre-law?
The pre-professional programs at UW-Whitewater are not majors. Basically, your major fulfills bachelor's degree requirements, while a pre-professional program of study fulfills general admission requirements for a professional school. These will often overlap, but they are not the same. Entry into a professional school usually requires a bachelor's degree. Although there are exceptions (e.g. chiropractic), you should plan to earn your bachelor of arts or science degree first. Professional schools do not care what major you have in college as long as you have completed the pre-requisite courses required for admission. In the case of Pre-med, most students will major in biology or chemistry. In contrast, those students focusing on Pre-law can and pursue a major in a wide variety of programs in the Colleges of Arts & Communications, Business & Economics, Letters & Sciences (less commonly from the School of Education). A Legal Studies major is available from the College of Letters & Sciences.

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What major is recommended for students who want to go to medical school or law school in the future?
Students that intend to apply to a professional school are not required to pursue a specific major. Entrance standards to a particular professional school (e.g. UW-Madison's School of Medicine) can vary from one university to another. It is the student's responsibility to research the school and its program requirements. However there are undergraduate degrees typical of students that apply to medical school and law school. A major in the field of biology is common for students looking to apply to medical school. Undergraduates that wish to go on to law school should consider the Legal Studies major.

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Are there advantages to being in a declared major?
It is not mandatory for new students to declare a major early in their academic career. That being said, if you are fairly confident that you would like to pursue a degree in a particular field, there are several advantages to declaring a major. Many degree programs only open courses to declared majors within their program (such as art). In addition, declaring a major allows students access to departmental advising, student organizations, and other services/experiences unique to their respective department.

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Will I graduate on time if I'm an Undeclared student?
All students, regardless of major, must earn 120 units to graduate from UW-Whitewater. Major degree requirements typically range anywhere from 24 to 60 credits. Incoming first year students are required to complete 32 to 44 general education credits to graduate (or appropriate waivers). This credit structure allows undecided students to explore majors while simultaneously fulfilling general education and graduation requirements. Therefore, if a student chooses to concentrate mainly on their general education credits while exploring major options during their first few years, it is possible to remain undeclared for some time and still graduate within four years.

Despite this fact, it is recommended that students declare a major relatively early in their academic career as some courses are only open to declared majors within that department and some majors entail unique pre-requisite courses. Students are encouraged to meet with an academic advisor to explore major options.

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How do I find out the requirements for being accepted into a major?
Some programs, such as those in the College of Education and College of Business & Economics, have unique requirements. Full details and checklists for being accepted into such a major can be found on the college's website.

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Transfer

How do I transfer college coursework from a different higher education institution to UW-Whitewater?
- Send all official transcript(s) to UW-Whitewater (Admissions Office). UW-Whitewater’s Admissions Office must receive an official transcript(s) in order for students to receive transfer credits. The University encourages students to send ALL college-level coursework to UW-Whitewater.
- Shy away from enrolling in similar coursework at UW-Whitewater until the official transcript is received by UW-Whitewater
- Determine whether the course(s) is equivalent to a course at UW-Whitewater by referring to Transferology.
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Can I take classes at a different institution and have those credits transfer to UW-Whitewater?
Make sure you understand how courses transfer. Will they just count toward graduation OR will they meet a UW-Whitewater course requirement? Students may receive credits from a different institution, we call these transfer credits (those credits would go toward graduation). If you are looking to have a course meet a certain UW-Whitewater requirement, make sure that the course you are looking to take is equivalent to the course required at UW-Whitewater.

Check to make sure you will meet UW-Whitewater’s course requirements before you enroll.

Go to Transferology.com to look up UW-Whitewater courses and see the equivalencies at various schools.Transferology not only includes all of the UW institutions, Wisconsin Technical Colleges, Wisconsin Tribal Colleges, but also includes institutions across the country.

If you are looking to take course work at an institution outside of the UW-System, contact the Admissions Office 262-472-1440 and inquire about complete a Transfer Credit Agreement form.

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When, where, and how do I register for classes?

WHEN
All students are given a designated Registration Start Time. Review your Registration Start Time within the "Academics" section of the WINS system. You will be able to begin registering for classes at your given day and time.
- Log into the WINS System
- Enrollment appointment is shown in the Classes & Schedules tile, under Enrollment Dates.
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WHERE
From any computer with Internet access:
- Access UW-Whitewater's home page
- Click on WINS, located under the menu listing on the left
- Sign in with your NetID and Password
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HOW
- Log into the WINS System
- Click CLASSES & SCHEDULES > CLASS SEARCH AND ENROLL.
- Click the TERM that you wish to search for classes and search for classes by entering a KEYWORD (course, subject, class, topic, etc.).
- Click the COURSE that you wish to add, then click desired SECTION.
- Review your class and click NEXT.
  - NOTE: if a PERMISSION NUMBER has been granted by the department/instructor, this will need to be entered here.
- Review the class grading basis, update accordingly, and click ACCEPT.
- Click whether you wish to enroll into the course right away or add the course to your Shopping Cart, click NEXT.
- Review the final course details, click SUBMIT.
  - NOTE: classes will be held in your enrollment shopping cart until you either enroll in them or delete them.
  - NOTE: If you add classes to your shopping cart before your enrollment appointment begins, an ENROLL button will not be present. The ENROLL button will only appear once your enrollment appointment has opened.
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Where can I get a copy of my class schedule?
Access WINS
- Click on WINS from Whitewater's homepage
- Sign into WINS
- Click CLASSES & SCHEDULES > WEEKLY CALENDAR VIEW.
- Click VIEW MY CLASSES to see classes arranged either by alphabetical order or by date.
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If I need to add a class after the semester begins, are there any courses available?
Registration for full-term courses is open through the sixth day of the semester. Even after you have registered, if you wish to change your schedule, you may go back into the system and do so at any time during this period. However, many classes will be closed at this point because all available seats have been taken, so register for all your intended courses as early as possible. Students can enroll in 2nd 8-week courses through the start of the ninth week of the semester.

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Do I have to be advised to register for classes?
UW-Whitewater's advising policy is that all students must meet for their advise appointment before they are able to register. Clientele of the AAEC have holds placed on their records on the WINS system. Holds are released only after working with your academic advisor

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Graduation Requirements

What is the General Education program?
The General Education program provides a foundation for success in college – and beyond. The purpose of General Education courses is to help students develop the skills, diverse perspectives, and breadth of knowledge that define an educated person.

Requirements for the General Education program include:
1. Communication and Calculation Skills
  (12-14 units or waivers):
  English 100 or 101
  English 102
  Comm 110
  Math 139 or 140 or 142
2. Quantitative and Technical Reasoning
  (7-11 units):
  Selected from science, math and computer science courses from at least two different disciplines.
  At least one course must be a 4-5 credit laboratory science.
3. Culture Heritages
  (6 units):
  Core 110
  Core 390
4. Communities
  (6 units):
  Core 130
  Core 120 OR Core 140
5. Personal Health and Fitness
  (1-2 units):
  PEGNRL 192
6. Breadth Electives
  (7-12 units):
  Select from courses in the arts, humanities, social sciences, ethnic studies, women studies and interdisciplinary courses.
  (No more than one course from a discipline may be counted in electives)
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When will I be a sophomore and how many units do I need to graduate?
Students will reach sophomore standing once they have accumulated 24 units. This status is designated to any student with 24-59 units. At minimum, students need 120 units to graduate.

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