PROCEDURES FOR STUDENT ADVISING

Students in the Psychology and Child Development majors are encouraged to complete the two steps of the departmentÌs advising sequence within one year of entering our programs. Transfer students should complete the advising sequence within their first two quarters.

The first step in the advising sequence involves a visit to the Peer Advising Center in FOB North, room 21P. You may make an appointment by calling 756-2077 or you may just drop in. Please bring to the meeting with a peer advisor any curriculum evaluation forms that you may have received from the Evaluations Office.

A peer advisor will use our Advising Checklist to make sure that you are informed about a list of essential information about curriculum requirements, department policies, and opportunities for personal and professional growth. The peer advisor will also help you update a Ïcurriculum sheetÓ showing the required courses you have and have not completed.

Then, in step two of the advising sequence,
you bring the checklist, the updated curriculum sheet, and an Advisor Approval Form to a meeting with your faculty advisor. Your faculty advisor will talk with you about academic and career planning and will help you select advisor approved electives. Faculty advisor and department chair signatures on your Advisor Approval Form (
CD Form or PSY Form) are required for graduation.

You should complete the advising sequence and obtain these signatures within one year of entering the PSY or CD programs in order to benefit fully from peer and faculty advising. If your goals or plans change after obtaining signatures on your Advisor Approval Form, you can make changes at any time in advisor approved electives by contacting your faculty advisor to discuss the changes you wish to make.

These advising policies and procedures have been developed as part of a Cal Poly Plan project for improving advising in the department. The project also includes measures to remind you to obtain advising before or soon after your target date for completing the advising sequence.

As your target date for completing the advising sequence approaches,
or if your first year in the department has passed without your completing the sequence, you will be contacted by a peer advisor who will request that you begin the process by making an appointment with a peer advisor or that you complete the process by seeing your faculty advisor. But, please donÌt wait to be reminded. Reap the benefits of good advice while you still have time to use it!