ACADEMIC ADVISING
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Academic Advising
Individual and group advising sessions are available through OSC Advisors for foundation and undergraduate students. Specialists assist students with educational planning, course selection, and other related academic requirements.
Advisement Expectation
The goal of the Advisement Program is to ensure your progress toward your academic goals and toward completion of degree requirements. In other words, the goal of advising is your academic success. Your advisor is committed to that goal. However, you are responsible for your education. You must decide what your academic and career goals are, and learn the requirements that must be met to achieve them. Your advisor is just that, an advisor; and, as such, is an important resource for your academic success. Get to know your advisor and contact him/her whenever you have questions or concerns.
Academic Advising Model
At the One Stop Services Center, academic advising is done following the Self-Contained Model. This requires that all of advising occurs through one office.
This means that the OSC Advisor is responsible for advising all GUST foundation and undergraduate students from the point of enrollment to the point of graduation.
The following students’ categories will be advised by OSC advisor:
- Foundation Student: Student will be placed into the Foundation Program that offers non-credit courses in Foundation English and Mathematics according to his/her placement test result.
- Undergraduate Student: (Freshmen 29 credits & below, Sophomores 30 credits to 59 credits, Juniors 60 credits to 89 credits, and Seniors completed 90 credits & above).
- Retention Student: If the student’s GPA falls below 2.00 points.
- Non-Degree Student: “An individual wishing to enroll in GUST credit course(s) who is either not seeking a degree or has determined an appropriate degree major” (GUST university Catalog, 2014-2016, p. 35) all the academic rules apply to the student.
- Visiting Student: “Student enrolled in other universities and not wishing to pursue a degree at GUST may register as visiting student.” (GUST university Catalog, 2014-2016, p. 38) no rules apply the student can enroll even without a prerequisite given that the class is open.
- Transfer Student: “Student wishing to transfer to GUST from another university approved by the Ministry of Higher Education in Kuwait, must meet specific requirements according to GUST catalog.” (GUST university Catalog, 2014-2016, p. 34)
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Responsibilities and Expectations
Students’ Expectations of Academic Advisors
Students can expect the following from their OSC Advisors:
- Accurate, complete, timely, and consistent information.
- Information on meeting general education requirements.
- Accurate record keeping.
- Accessibility through a variety of modes (i.e., via email, telephone, or in-person)
- Assistance with developing goals.
- Suggestions to improve GPA.
- Time spent developing a personal relationship.
- Courteous treatment.
- Be supportive of decisions.
- Be responsive to needs and issues.
Academic Advisors’ Responsibilities
- Advise from an integrated perspective of General Education.
- Keep up-to-date advising records.
- Make appropriate referrals.
- Be knowledgeable about policies and procedures.
- Provide accurate and timely information.
- Provide realistic options for students.
- Be available during working hours in a timely manner.
- Empower students to make independent decisions.
- Be supportive of each student’s decisions.
- Serve as a guide, teacher, facilitator, coach, and counselor.
- Be resourceful; utilizing web-based resources, advising tools, and professional development opportunities.
The advisor can suggest, recommend, and remind the student of rules and requirements, but the advisee has the primary responsibility for meeting program and degree requirements.
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Course Selection
In order for each student to have a balanced schedule, they have to have a mix of the following categories:
- English course (depends on the English Test Score).
- Math course (depends on the MATH Test Score).
- Management course (MIS118, CSC123, or CSC102 depending on the major and course availability).
- General Education courses (depending on preferences and points of strength).
In your first year, you are recommended to take General Education courses, pre-requisites, and introductory courses that are essential to your major.
In your second year, continue to take General Education and pre-requisite courses and some of your college core courses as long you have met their pre-requisites.
In your third year, you should be taking mostly major courses, and the pre-requisites courses of your upper division courses (300-400 levels).
In your fourth year, make sure that you are completing all your major courses. Always make sure to complete the pre-requisite for the courses you are trying to register for, so you can enroll and graduate on time. -
Attendance Policy
The university’s attendance software system assists instructors and the administration to enforce the attendance policy. You should be aware of the attendance policy approved by the university. Automated warnings are generated by the PeopleSoft Student Information System (PSIS) and the alert is e-mailed to your GUST e-mail with a copy to the instructor. It is your responsibility to check your GUST e-mail for absence warnings and all other important announcements. An e-mail from GUST is considered as an official communication. It is your responsibility to access your e-mail on a regular basis and to respond to any concerns or questions raised in all e-mails. It is also your responsibility to ensure that your GUST e-mail account is kept active by periodically deleting old e-mails. Class attendance is mandatory for credit and noncredit courses.
Foundation Courses: you are allowed 30 hours of absence in ENG 097/ 098 and 15 hours in MATH 094/ 095/ 096/ 098 before you are dropped from a class.
Credit Courses:
- In Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday classes, you are allowed 8 hours (8 days) of absence in any course; you will receive an (FA) grade on the 9th hour of absence.
- In Monday-Wednesday classes, you are allowed 5 hours (5 days) of absence; you will receive an (FA) grade on the 9th hour (6th day) of absence.
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