Academic Advising

Many common questions are answered on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Dr. Monica Reis-Bergan works with student Jen Potelunas. All first-year JMU students are assigned to "freshman advisers." These individuals are available to answer questions about university policies and procedures, the various programs of study, advanced placement and exemption testing, and course registration.

After completion of their first semester, students who have declared majors in Psychology are assigned to faculty advisers in the Department of Psychology . Faculty advisers offer assistance and guidance to students in the pursuit of their academic and professional goals. Faculty Advisers are knowledgeable in the areas of academic regulations, policies and registration procedures; campus referral sources; careers in psychology and counseling; and graduate schools. Your faculty adviser can help you make good decisions during your college years that will help you determine and achieve your career goals. Please note that it is each student's responsibility to see that a suitable program of study is completed and all graduation requirements are met.

In addition to helping students plan their course work, faculty advisers are able to provide pertinent information about current trends and employment opportunities in Psychology. Students are strongly encouraged to meet regularly with their advisers. All Department of Psychology faculty members have regular office hours, which serve as a convenient time to schedule appointments for academic advising.

Feel free to stop by the Peer Advising Office, Miller 1106 in Miller Hall. This office is staffed by Psychology Majors who can provide information about academic regulations, procedures, and campus referrals. Materials are available about career and graduate school opportunities. The Peer Advisers contact all new Psychology Majors. They serve as peer mentors for new majors. There are currently more than 20 trained Peer Advisers providing services for the Department of Psychology. More Information

The concerns of students who visit the Peer Advising Office vary from brief informational questions about major/general education requirements to lengthy discussions about the different fields of Psychology and the entire graduate school application process. Many of the students who visit are concerned about class availability, getting a job, getting into graduate school, or just need an empathetic ear. The office has a wide variety of information on various post-graduate programs in Psychology and related fields.

Feel free to ask your course instructors questions. Your instructor will be happy to answer your questions or refer you to someone who can. In the Department of Psychology, permission to register in courses that are currently closed (overrides) is given by each course instructor.

If you need special assistance or permissions, contact one of the Assistant Department Heads of the Department of Psychology, Dr. Kevin Apple or Dr. Suzanne Baker. They are the people responsible for giving students special permission for alternatives to the standard academic program, such as transferring psychology courses from other universities.