Advising & Degree Resources

person walking through a hole cut in the back of an open refrigerator

Advising & Degree Resources


Academic Advisor

Contacts

aah_advising@austin.utexas.edu 
Email is the best way to reach the advisor!

Doty Fine Arts Building (DFA) 2.530

Availability

Current students in the Department of Art and Art History have been provided a link to schedule appointments via Zoom or in-person. Check your emails for this link or contact the advisor for assistance making an appointment.

The advisor typically does not meet with students from outside the department; non-majors should email with questions.

Note
The first twelve class days of fall and spring semesters, as well as the mandatory advising periods during October and April, are peak advising times. During those periods, the advisor is only able to assist current majors of the department with pressing advising / registration concerns.

 


Mandatory Academic Advising


Mandatory Advising is not required for Summer and Fall 2024 registration.

Current majors in the Department of Art and Art History must be advised before they can register for any semester or summer session. If you do not attend mandatory advising during the assigned dates, you will not be able to register for classes for the next semester until the week before it begins.

In general, advising and registration for continuing students occurs in October for the following spring semester and in April for the following summer sessions and fall semester. (Newly admitted freshmen and transfer students register for their first semester during New Student Orientation.)

Mandatory advising is a time for the student to inform the advisor of registration choices they plan to make for the upcoming semester. The advisor and student review the student's record and degree requirements. Each student may only be seen once, for a 10-minute appointment. Lengthy questions and conversations are not possible during this brief meeting. Students who know they need more than 10 minutes for advising should address in-depth concerns with the Undergraduate Advisor before the mandatory advising period begins.

A student’s advising hold may only be cleared during the dates and times listed in the advising email that is sent by the Undergraduate Advisor.

How to Prepare for Mandatory Advising

  1. The advisor will begin sending you emails a couple of weeks prior to the start of the Mandatory Advising period. Be looking for these emails, read them carefully, follow the instructions, and schedule an appointment as directed.
     
  2. Download and review the following Advising & Registration Checklist.

    Advising & Registration Checklist
     

  3. Download, print out, and complete the Registration Advising Worksheet (RAW). You must bring a completed RAW to your advising session in order to have your advising hold cleared. The advisor may not clear your advising hold if you have not brought the form to your advising session. Note: The advisor will provide you with a link to submit this info digitally if you are being advised via Zoom.

    Registration Advising Worksheet (RAW)


Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I claim credit earned in high school including AP, IB, or dual credit?

You claim AP and IB credit on the Student Testing Services website. Be sure to send your scores to UT first, and then you can claim credit. Consult with your advisor if you are unsure what credit you should claim. Dual credit is not reflected on your high school transcript, but on your transcript from the college that your dual credit was taken in conjunction with. Contact the college and request they send your transcript to UT. Learn more about sending transcripts to UT.

How can I find out what a certain UT course is like?

You can review course syllabi, as well as course instructor CVs and reviews, via the Access Syllabi website. Review the current or previous semester’s syllabi to get a general idea of course content. Syllabi for courses in the upcoming semester are typically not posted until the beginning of that semester. You can also read descriptions of department undergraduate courses.

How do I know if classes I have previously taken or that I just registered for are fulfilling degree requirements?

Request an Interactive Degree Audit for your specific degree and catalog year. Make sure to include "Future Registered Courses" when you request the audit, to view classes you are registered for in the upcoming semester. Once you have requested the audit, click the long Audit ID number on the right side of the screen. You may need to refresh the page for Audit ID number to hyperlink. Current and future classes will appear in the requirement field that they are fulfilling. Courses that do not count towards any requirement are listed at the top or bottom of the audit. Contact your advisor if courses are not fulfilling requirements as expected.

How do I know if a course will count towards my Core Curriculum requirements or complete an Experience Flag?

All Core Curriculum approved classes are listed online on the UGS website. The Course Schedule also identifies Core Curriculum classes with a blue box that indicates the requirement the course fulfills. The Course Schedule also identifies flagged courses with a yellow box that indicates the flag or flags the course fulfills. The Course Schedule is also searchable by Core Curriculum requirement and Flags. If you have taken a class that you believe should fulfill a Core Curriculum requirement or Experience Flag but is not, you may submit an online petition with the School of Undergraduate Studies.

I don’t know what classes and requirements I still need to fulfill in order to complete my degree.

Refer to the Degree Guidelines to see all requirements for your degree. Then, run an Interactive Degree Audit to see what requirements you have already fulfilled and which ones you still lack. If you still have questions, or are unclear about any requirement, contact your advisor.

I plan to take courses at a community college. How do I know which ones transfer into UT and apply towards my degree?

First, discuss your plans with your advisor.

Use the Automated Transfer Equivalency (ATE) website to confirm that any classes you want to take at outside of UT will transfer in correctly. It’s a good idea to review Common Transfer Credit Issues. It’s also suggested that you review the UT residency rules listed on your Interactive Degree Audit.

Once you confirm which classes you want to take outside of UT, email COFA Student Affairs to complete Concurrent Enrollment Approval. Include your EID, the courses you plan to take and at what institution. They will double check that the classes you plan to take will transfer in correctly.

After you complete the coursework to be transferred, be sure to have a transcript immediately sent to the UT Austin Office of Admissions. Learn more about sending transcripts to UT.

I would like to petition a class that’s not counting how I thought it would count towards my major requirements. What should I do?

First, talk with your academic advisor, preferably well before mandatory advising. Next, contact COFA Student Affairs and request to initiate a Substitution Petition. If you are trying to petition a course to count towards your Core Curriculum requirements, you will have to follow the steps for Petitions on the School of Undergraduate Studies website.

How do I add or drop a class during the Add/Drop period, and what are the deadlines?

You can add classes on you own through the 4th class day and drop classes on your own through the 12th class day via the Registration site. For more info, review the Registrar’s registration page, the official UT Academic Calendar and COFA’s Deadlines page.

How do I “Late Add” a class in this department?

If you want to register for a class after the 4th class day of the semester, it is considered a "Late Add." Students cannot be late-added to closed or waitlisted classes.

Email the instructor of the class you wish to take and request approval to Late Add. If you receive approval to Late Add a class, forward that approval to the appropriate staff member with the required info (see below). Your request may be delayed or voided if all requested information is not provided or is incorrect.

To Late Add a Studio Art (ART) or Art Education (AED) class, email the Undergraduate Academic Advisor. To Late Add an Art History (ARH) class, email the department's Course Scheduler. You must include the following in your email:

  • The instructor's written approval to Late Add the class
  • Your full name and EID
  • Course and Unique number of the class you have approval to Late Add
  • Course and Unique number of any class you need to drop in order to Late Add (if applicable)

How do I “Late Add” a class in another department?

Use the Offices A-Z website to find contact info for the undergraduate academic advisor of the department offering the course. Contact that department to learn their policies regarding “late adding” options, which differ for each department.

I’m not completely sure, but I think I should drop a class. What should I do?

Talk to your academic advisor who will be able to provide guidance. You can drop classes on your own via the Registration site through the 12th class day of the semester. After the 12th class day, you must initiate a Qdrop in order to drop a class. Any academic drop will count towards your Qdrop limit of six while pursuing your undergraduate degree. If you decide you want to Qdrop, contact COFA Student Affairs office to initiate the process. The deadline to Qdrop is always the mid-semester deadline. Review COFA’s Deadlines page.

I have other questions about registration. Help!

Talk to your academic advisor. Also refer to the Registrar’s FAQ for Registration.


Degree Resources

The following information is provided to help current students understand the curricular requirements of their degrees and plan a semesterly progression before registering for courses.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Undergraduate Academic Advisor.

BFA in Art Education /
Visual Art Studies

Degree Guidelines and 4-Year Plan

Art Education Program Handbook

Course Sequence Charts

Studio Art Course Prerequisite Chart PDF
For students in 2016-18 and later catalogs

 

BA in Art History

Degree Guidelines and 4-Year Plan

Art History Areas Chart PDF
For students in 2016-18 and later catalogs

Art History Areas Info for Past Topics Courses
For students in 2016-18 and later catalogs

List of Foreign Language Courses for Intermediate-Level Proficiency PDF
For students in 2016-18 and later catalogs

Art History Honors Program Guide

BFA in Studio Art

Degree Guidelines and 4-Year Plan

Studio Art Course Prerequisite Chart PDF
For students in 2016-18 and later catalogs

 

BA in Studio Art

Degree Guidelines and 4-Year Plan

Studio Art Course Prerequisite Chart PDF
For students in 2016-18 and later catalogs

List of Foreign Language Courses for Beginning-Level Proficiency PDF
For students in 2016-18 and later catalogs