University Exploratory Studies Program

Advisors can work you through different ways of achieving your goals, finding a major that fits your interests and your skills. It is very important that you try to establish a relationship with your advisor. The more you get to know them, the more they will get to know you and your interests. That is a great benefit as your advisor may be able to direct you towards some coursework that you will particularly enjoy. Also, your advisor:

may recommend exploratory courses for the areas you are considering.
may discuss various resources available to help you through the decision making process.
may recommend ALS 114 - Career Decision Making.

Who is my advisor, and will I always see the same advisor every term?

You are randomly assigned to one of the UESP advisors - it may be the person you meet with during START (the summer orientation program) or it may be the person you meet with Fall Term. We make every effort to schedule you an appointment with the same person each term, but due to differences in your schedule and your advisor's schedule each term, that can often be difficult. Check the full time advisor list or additional advisors list to see if you recognize your advisor's name.

Why do I have to see an advisor every term?

Your advisor is here as a resource for you. We believe it is important that you meet with an advisor each term so that you can discuss how your career exploration is going and work on finding classes to help you choose a major. At your regular advising appointment, you will be given a registration PIN, a number that you need to access the registration system by web or phone. Without your PIN you can't add or drop any classes, so it is important you come in to see your advisor prior to the day you are able to register.

Also, going in every term helps you and your advisor get to know each other. Your advisor is a person who is willing and able to assist you beyond just planning a schedule. They can help out with academic problems, give you information on campus resources and extracurricular activities and just be someone to talk to - whether you have a question about school, want to celebrate a success or need help with a problem.

How do I make an advising appointment?

Call 737-8144 in order to make an appointment with a UESP advisor. It will be a quicker process if you know who your advisor is, so try to remember their name.

What do I bring to my advising appointment?

At START you received a folder in which to keep all of your registration information. Bring that with you. Also, look through the Schedule of Classes and come up with some classes you might want to take next term. Most importantly, bring yourself and your ideas for how to proceed with your major exploration!

How long can I stay in UESP?

UESP does not impose a deadline on our students; we want you to go through the process of deciding on a major at the pace that is best for you. Many UESP students declare at the end of the first year or the beginning of the second year, but some declare as early as a couple weeks in to the term. It's all up to you. When you feel ready, declare. There is one limitation though, you can't graduate from OSU with a UESP major, so eventually you will need to choose a path.

How do I learn more about majors at OSU?

It's important that you know all the options available to you so check out this admissions web site for a comprehensive list of OSU majors. If you see some majors that you want to talk about further, feel free to make an appointment with your UESP advisor or meet with an advisor for the major you are interested in. Use the web to locate the department and learn about the requirements and possibilities for that major.

Should I finish my Bacc. Core classes before I declare a major?

The Baccalaureate Core is made up of 48 credits that every student needs to complete before graduating from OSU. However, it isn't always a good idea to only take those classes. Instead, you should be taking exploratory courses in different majors, or requirements for different majors you are considering. This way when you are ready to declare you aren't playing catch up and taking longer than necessary to finish.

I'm concerned that the major I'm considering won't lead to a good job?

Not all majors have obvious career paths to follow after you graduate from OSU. The following Career Services web site is a great resource to see some of the career possibilities open to students in various majors and the steps you can take now to reach those goals.

It is also important to realize that the skills you are gaining through your Bacc. Core classes at OSU are those you will be using once you get in to the working world. Some of these skills are mastering the ability to read and analyze information, thinking through theories and ideas, and articulating your thoughts and findings to others. These skills can be learned in any major and will serve you well in any career you choose.

And believe it or not, not all students pursue careers in the majors they have been studying. Everyone is different and people change over the course of their lives. What is important is that you are taking courses you enjoy and learning valuable skills along the way. And that you know How To Explore when the time may come for you to change career paths.

How do I transfer out of UESP to a declared major?

In order to declare a major, you must complete a transfer form and have it signed by the college in to which you are transferring (offices and phone numbers below). The forms are available at the Registrar's office, college advising offices, and the UESP office. The form is very easy to fill out. Once you have completed it, go to your new college for their signature, then turn in the form to the Registrar's office. Each college has a slightly different procedure for declaring majors:

Agricultural Sciences

If major is known, go directly to the departmental head advisor's office to receive advising.
After receiving advising and obtaining the departmental head advisor's signature, take the form to Student Advancement Office in 137 Strand for college head advisor's signature stamp and recording.
There are no GPA restrictions for declaring a major.
If unsure about a major, make an appointment with the college head advisor in 137 Strand.

Business

Must sign up and attend major orientation session before declaring
If eligible based on GPA, then will be able to declare business
Need to complete certain core classes, with 2.5 GPA
Business will not see non-Business majors during/around priority registration time.

Engineering

Go to 151 Batcheller Hall to declare.
Form can be completed by reception staff, recommended they meet with an advisor
Any student can declare pre-engineering

Education

Go to ED 210 to declare, can declare pre-ed at any time
Meet with the School of Ed. Advisor to discuss program
Accepted into Ed. When admitted into program

Forestry

Go to Head Advising office, Peavy 140
Office support person can complete/approve form
No restrictions to declare a Forestry major.

Health and Human Sciences

Go to Milam 116 to declare.
Need to see an advisor, make an appointment to declare
Overall OSU GPA of 2.0 required to declare, bring unofficial transcript to appointment
Will not see non-HHS majors during Fall (only) priority registration time, so can’t declare then

Liberal Arts

Can go to Gilkey 213 to declare, by support staff – unless students want to talk to a dept. advisor first
No GPA restrictions to declare, except for Liberal Studies – but to graduate may need to repeat any D’s in a major
a. Liberal Studies - 2.3 GPA required to declare, need to get course list and goal statement approved first
b. Art and Music, see those respective departments to declare
c. New Media-Under Liberal Studies, but see Louie Bottaro, Gilkey 213, 737-0561

Science

Go to Kidder 128 to declare
Don’t need to see an advisor first
No restrictions to declare

Pharmacy

Go to Phar 203 to declare
Can drop in to get signature on form, then make an appointment to meet with an advisor.
No restrictions to declare, but should talk to an advisor ASAP

Where are the various advising offices located?

COLLEGE	LOCATION	PHONE
Agriculture Sciences	Strand Agriculture Hall 137	737-2211
Business	Bexell Hall 214	737-3716
Engineering	Batcheller 151	737-5236
Forestry	Peavy Hall 140	737-2004
Health & Human Sciences	Milam Hall 216	737-8900
Liberal Arts	Gilkey 213	737-0561
Pharmacy	Pharmacy 203	737-3424
Science	Kidder Hall 128	737-4811

I'm undecided - how do I know what math to take?

OSU requires that every student take one college level math class (105 or higher) to graduate. You will take a math placement exam at the time of your first advising appointment. This test will recommend where you should begin. This chart graphically depicts the different pathways that you can take and is followed by a description of the courses and their corresponding majors.

MTH 065 & 095 are pre-college level math classes that may be recommended for you to take in order for you to be successful in higher level math courses.

MTH 105 Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics: Course meets requirement for Bacc. Core but does not prepare students for the higher math required by some majors. Appropriate for most Liberal Arts majors if the student is willing to take foreign language classes through the second year, or demonstrate equivalent proficiency in a second language.

MTH 111 College Algebra: The foundation course for most future math classes. This is your safest bet if you are not sure about a major.
MTH 112 Elementary Functions: Necessary for some majors and to continue on to Calculus.
MTH 241 Calculus for Management and Social Science & MTH 245 Mathematics for Management, Life and Social Sciences: Required if pursuing a business major. Can be taken out of order.
MTH 231 & 232 Elements of Discrete Mathematics: Required for computer science majors.
MTH 251, 252, 253, 254 Calculus: MTH 251 & 252 are required for all science & engineering majors. Many of these majors require further math coursework.
MTH 211, 212, 390: Foundations of Elementary Mathematics: Required for those interested in teaching elementary school.

I just got my midterm back, and I didn't do so well. What are my options?

You have a couple of options if you are worried about the grade you are going to receive in a class. You can drop a class until the end of the second week of the term. If you miss that deadline, you can still withdraw from the class until the end of the seventh week of the term. The difference is that if you drop a class, it disappears from your transcript. If you withdraw, you receive a 'W' in place of a letter grade. Neither affects your GPA.

Your other option is to 'S/U' the class. S/U stands for satisfactory/unsatisfactory. The 'S' grade corresponds to a letter grade of 'A' through 'C-'. The 'U' grade corresponds to a letter grade of 'D+' or lower. So, if you receive a grade higher than a 'C-' in the class, you will receive credit for it and get an 'S' on your transcript. If you get a 'D+' or lower, you will not get credit and a 'U' will appear on your transcript. S/U grades are not calculated in with your GPA. Students have until the end of the seventh week to change a class to, or from, S/U grading. In order to do so, you need to fill out a form available at the UESP office or the Registrar's and meet with your UESP advisor for approval. The form is then taken to the Registrar's so they know to change the grade they receive from your instructor to an 'S' or a 'U'. Up to 36 credit hours may be taken S/U, except those courses required for major and/or minor options. Your UESP advisor will help you determine which courses are required for major areas you are considering.

How do I calculate my G.P.A.?

This GPA Calculator, which comes from Foothill Community College in California, is merely a tool for your personal reference and information and the results should not be considered an official Oregon State University calculation. It will help you figure out what GPA you need this term in order to reach the cumulative GPA you are seeking. Remember, if you are repeating a class, the grade you get the second time (no matter how many times you repeat the course) stays in your grade point average and the grade you got the first time comes out of your GPA, but stays on your transcript. There is a note on this calculator site that indicates that "'repeats' are averaged into your GPA." This is a policy of Foothill College, NOT OSU.

I'm on Academic Warning/Academic Probation/Academic Suspension. What does that mean?

The Schedule of Classes contains current copies of the Academic Regulations. Please read the descriptions carefully, and note that you can be placed on Probation without ever having been on Warning. Talk with your UESP advisor about ways to help yourself if you are in academic difficulty. Also check out the Academic Success web site for study tips.

How many OSU credits will I be granted as a result of my AP scores?

The Admission's website contains information on which OSU courses and how many credits you will be granted based on your various Advanced Placement test scores. Follow this link to access OSU's Advanced Placement credit information.

What is the Degree Partner Program and how do I sign up?

The Degree Partnership Program (DPP) promotes educational attainment and bachelor's degree completion by allowing students to be jointly admitted and concurrently enrolled at Oregon State University and Oregon community colleges. Previously referred to as the "Dual Enrollment Program", the DPP was established in 1998 by Oregon State University and Linn-Benton Community College and now includes 12 other Oregon community colleges.
We encourage you to consider applying to DPP. Many OSU students find it useful to be dually enrolled at Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC) because it gives them access to smaller classes, less expensive classes, or classes that fill up quickly. Transfer of credits from LBCC is done electronically, and financial aid covers full time enrollment spread across both institutions (e.g. a student can take 9 credits at OSU and 3 at LBCC and be considered a full time student for financial aid purposes). LBCC has campuses in Albany and Corvallis (the Benton Center just off of 9th Street), and they even offer a handful of classes on the OSU campus. There is a bus system called the Linn-Benton loop that runs between OSU and these campuses.

Applying to the DPP is easy! As a current OSU student, use your student ID and GAP (even though the box says "PIN") to access the on-line applications. Once you have gained access to the application page, select the school you want (e.g. LBCC) and then select the DEGREE PARTNERSHIP FOR CURRENT OSU STUDENTS application. You'll then be prompted for your OSU student ID and GAP to verify your status as an OSU student. Click here to apply.