CCIS office

Advising CSAM Students

Academic Advising For NEW CSAM Majors

Here you will find important information for first year (incoming freshmen) accepted majors and also for matriculated students thinking about declaring a CSAM major.

We hope this information will allow for proactive decision making when planning your freshman schedule. Creating an advising plan that puts students in the most favorable circumstances to increase their chances of success is our goal.

First and foremost:

  • If a student expresses any interest in pursuing a CSAM major, because of the structured nature of the curricula, it is recommended to begin taking the prerequisite/major coursework as soon as possible. This is important for staying on track for graduation.
  • Also, be sure to review the required collateral coursework for the major with students.
  • With this in mind, it is important for students to take the Mathematics and Chemistry Readiness tests as soon as possible. Their results on these tests will help determine their next series of courses and will help in the development of a four-year curriculum plan.

Advising students to “Get Gen Eds out of the way” in their first and/or second year and then beginning major classes is NOT recommended for students considering any STEM major. It’s most important to get prerequisite course work started and move into major course work as soon as possible. Not only do CSAM majors have many credits to complete for their majors, but it is also advantageous for students to begin taking needed courses as soon as possible to make sure the major is a good fit. It is much easier to get started in a CSAM major and move into another major if desired, than the other way around!

  • For incoming freshmen placing into Math 100 and/or Chem 106 – it would be optimal for students to try to take these courses over the summer, if possible.
  • It is recommended for students placing into Math 071 that they wait to take Chem 106 until ready for Math 100.
  • For students who struggle with Chem 106 and do not pass the course, or are just passing with a “C-“, it will be important to discuss what barriers are preventing them from doing well. Because having a solid foundation in Chemistry 106 is important for having the needed preparation for the additional Chemistry courses, it may be necessary to discuss if moving forward in a major requiring chemistry is appropriate.

Please click on the links below for major-specific advising guidelines: