Undergraduate
Frequently Asked Questions
Advising
Who is my major advisor?
Please consult the major requirement sheets, available under “French
Program” and “Italian Program,” respectively, for updated information on French
and Italian major advisors.
When is the best time to declare my French or Italian major?
Unlike some other Arts and Sciences majors, the French and Italian programs
have no formal prerequisites to declaring the major. Because of the need to properly sequence your
language instruction, and because so many French and Italian majors are actually juggling multiple
programs of study (secondary and tertiary majors, certificates, and minors), we advise that you
declare your major as early as possible. This will allow you and your advisor the time to plan
both curricular and extra-curricular matters (including study abroad and internship opportunities)
in the most organized way possible.
How do I declare my French or Italian major?
Forms are available at the Arts and Sciences Advising
Center in Thackeray 252. Students must declare their major before the cutoff date each
term (usually the Thursday of the second week of classes, just before the end of add/drop) in
order to register with their new departmental advisor for the next semester. The Advising Center
will provide you with a letter welcoming you to your new department and giving you essential
information about your advisor and advising procedures.
How often should I meet with my advisor?
During the first few weeks of the term, you should be in contact
with your advisor to alert her or him to changes in your schedule and to let her or him know how
your classes are going. As registration approaches, around the beginning of October (Fall term)
or February (Spring term), you should be consulting the on-line course
offerings and course
descriptions for the upcoming term, as well as General Education and Foundation Skills Requirements.
Should you have questions about General Education Requirements or about the most appropriate selections
for your major and minor course(s) of study, you should contact your advisor for a pre-registration
advising appointment prior to registration.
What should I bring to my registration appointment?
You should come prepared with all course information, including
course titles, catalogue numbers (4 digits, ie FR 0055 or ITAL 1059), class numbers (5 digits), and times for the specific course sections (lecture
and recitation) that you would like to register for. You should also have a number of alternate
courses and sections, in case your selections are already full. In general, you should have a clear sense
of why you are taking each course (interest, to fulfill a requirement, to complete a pre-requisite
for your major or for post-baccalaureate coursework). If you would like to discuss other
matters, the registration appointment might not be the best time because of the high volume of
student appointments at this time of the term. But you might want to use this opportunity to make
another appointment with your advisor and to let her or him know what you are interested in discussing
(study abroad, internships, graduate programs, etc.).
I am applying for a job [scholarship/study abroad program/graduate school] and would like to ask my advisor or another professor in the department for a letter of recommendation. How should I do this?
Contact your recommender as soon as you know that you need a letter of recommendation from them, or that you need them to fill out an assessment form on your behalf. You should provide them with as much information about yourself (résumé or CV; statement of purpose, if applicable; transcript) and the application process (a summary of the program or job to which you’re applying; submission deadlines; name and address to whom the letter or form should be sent) as possible. Be sure to submit the proper form(s) to your recommender, filled out as directed and signed (if applicable) by you. You should give potential recommenders at least two weeks’ notice.
When should I apply for graduation?
When it comes time for you to graduate, you need to file a graduation
application in the Arts and Sciences Office of Undergraduate Studies at 140 Thackeray Hall, before
the end of the term that precedes the term in which you expect to complete the requirements needed
to graduate. Please contact the Arts and Sciences Dean’s office for specific information
on this deadline in any given term. When Student Records receives your application, they will
review your record before you begin your final term. Any issue discovered during the appraisal
will be indicated to you in writing, so that you may promptly correct the issue either with your
departmental advisor during the add/drop period of your final term. For further information
regarding this process, please consult the Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Handbook section on graduation
requirements and application for graduation.