Our advising philosophy is to provide information and assistance to students as they navigate the sometimes complex environment of a large university like Penn State, and to provide resources and guidance for students exploring the field of psychology and possible careers in psychology. Our goal is to equip students to make and take responsibility for their own decisions as they do this.
Note: Please do not send the same email to multiple people listed below!
| Location: | 111 Moore Building | ||||||||||||
| Hours: | M-F 7-noon and 1-5 (see below for advising availability) | ||||||||||||
| Email: | PSYADVISING@PSU.EDU (all general questions) | ||||||||||||
| Phone: | (814) 865-9514 | ||||||||||||
| Office Staff: |
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| Professional |
Experience has shown that most advising issues can be covered during walk-in advising. However, some topics that require more time - for example, the first advising appointment for transfer students from other colleges or universities, review of concurrent major applications, discussing change of location, and other complex issues -- are better handled in appointment. Please read below to help you determine when a walk-in will suit your needs and when an appointment may be the better option.
It is our goal to provide accurate and complete information in response
to
all inquiries. Towards that end we would prefer to have face-to-face
meetings with our students. Telephone and email advising does not offer
the
same quality of communication that good old-fashioned meetings offer.
Many
issues seem simple on the surface, but with a few clarifying questions
from
your adviser, are actually quite deep. It will take more time, but you
will
get more out of it. Trust us and come see us. In person.
Walk-ins hours from August 23rd through September 7th:
Our walk-in schedule during the free drop/add period will be: Monday-Friday from 8:30AM-11:00AM and 1:30PM-3:30PM. During walk-in hours, you will be seen by the first available advisor.
Fall semester walk-in hours will begin September 10th. Our schedule will be: Monday»1:30PM-3:30PM, Tuesday»1:30PM-3:30PM, Thursday»8:30AM-11:00AM, Friday»8:30AM-11:00AM.
For items that will take longer than 10 minutes, you can make an appointment with your assigned advisor by calling 865-9514 or stopping by 111 Moore Building. Please ask for your advisor by name - check eLion if you do not know who your advisor is.
Walk-in hours
Walk-ins (10-15 minutes): Student should look at doing no more than 2 of the items listed below during a walk-in time. For more than 2 items, the student should schedule an appointment.
Walk-ins are intended for quick trips to see
an advisor. Things for which neither the advisor nor the advisee needs
to do any significant preparation are ideal opportunities for a walk-in.
Every effort is made to contain walk-ins to 10 minute sessions in order
to accommodate as many students as possible during these times and to
alleviate the lines waiting on the bench.
Please phone 865-9514 or stop by 111 Moore for available appointment times. You will simply sign in at the first desk with Elaine when you arrive. All advisors will be seeing students, and you will see the next available advisor. While you may have to wait a few minutes to be seen, your questions will be answered when you leave! You are still welcome to make appointments to address topics that require longer time periods.
Appointments (30 minutes): Students who are more than 10 minutes late will forfeit their appointment.
Scheduling an appointment gives both the advisor
and the advisee a chance to prepare, and to set aside a block of time
to focus on the student’s academic progress, plans and goals.
If the student feels it is necessary to make a list of their concerns,
these concerns are most likely complex enough to merit an appointment.
Students with particularly busy semesters might prefer an appointment
in order to avoid waiting their turn during walk-ins.
Please schedule an appointment for discussions that will take a significant amount of an advisor's time. Please call 865-9514 to schedule an appointment. Every appointment is planned for 30 minutes unless otherwise scheduled. If you must cancel an appointment, please call the office as soon as you know you will be unable to attend. NOTE: If a parent will be accompanying you to the appointment, please notify us ahead of time as you will need to sign a permission form for us to speak with them.
Caution: The Center makes every effort to meet with students… our reality is that there are over a thousand of you and only a few of us…. So, you may have to wait up to two weeks for an appointment, especially at busy times of the semester…. So, please, plan ahead, call early, and write down your appointment date and time. Missed appointments cause problems for everyone!
Drop-offs/Drop-by
Drop-offs/Drop-by: Some things can be handled without seeing an advisor. Be sure to stop at the first desk and ask Elaine to see the appropriate person.
Many items can be addressed by the staff in the office during our regular office hours.
Degree Audit Explanation
Long and Short Term Schedule Planning
Graduation Checks
Major Declaration
Minor Registration
Transfer Credit Evaluation
Study Abroad Credit Evaluation
Internship Exploration
Graduate School Planning
Career Information
If you decide that you want to Minor in Psychology , you must pick up a Psychology Minor Application in 111 Moore Building, fill it out in full and have your Major Advisor sign it. Return the form to 111 Moore Building for processing. Any questions about the PSY Minor should be directed to Sherri Gilliland (sbg4@psu.edu), or you can click here to find out what the requirements are for a PSY Minor.
A Psychology Minor Application can also be downloaded and printed at: http://psych.la.psu.edu/undergrad/minor.html
Questions about other minors should be directed to the department offering the minor; PSY majors may drop off minor forms in 111 Moore for the major advisor signature or brought in during an appointment.
If you are a transfer student from another institution or a Change of Location student from a Commonwealth Campus, it is imperative that you meet with an Academic Advisor BEFORE you register for your first semester at University Park. If you are from another institution, please bring the following to your academic meeting: Transfer Credit Evaluation Sheet (this was given to you in your transfer acceptance packet and is from the Admissions Office), and a course catalogue from the institution attended as well as any syllabi you kept. These materials will help you make the most of your time with a counselor. When you call in to schedule your appointment, be sure to set aside an hour.
If you are from a Commonwealth Campus, you most likely will not need any of these materials, but it is suggested that you bring whatever psychology syllabi you kept for transferable credit evaluation.
The above descriptions give you some information about what the Advising Center can offer you. For any remaining questions about the operation of the advising center, please phone 865-9514 or email PSYADVISING@PSU.EDU. You may also wish to return to the main undergraduate section of our web site to view some of the information resources available there. If you would like to schedule an appointment to speak with an advisor, please stop by or call 865- 9514.
This page was last updated on 08-06-07.