ACADEMIC COUNSELORS AND ADVISORS AT UCLA

Academic counseling and advising at UCLA is a partnership between students and UCLA counseling and advising staff members. These counselors and advisors provide different types of support that empowers students to make informed decisions about their academic journey.

WHO ARE MY ACADEMIC COUNSELORS AND ADVISORS?

College counselors: Every student in the College of Letters & Science is assigned to one of four College Counseling units:

• College Academic Counseling (CAC)
• Academic Advancement Program (AAP)
• Honors Programs
  • AAP students may belong to both AAP and Honors Programs
• College Academic Counseling in Athletics (CAC-Athletics)

You can identify your College Counseling unit by checking the upper right-hand corner of your Degree Audit Report.

College Counselors can help students:

• Understand their graduation requirements, including: University, College, General Education (GE), Residency and unit requirements
• Navigate petition processes
• Determine their academic standing and identify ways in which students in academic difficulty can resolve their status
• Resume their studies after an extended period of time away from UCLA, whether because of dismissal or discontinuation or by choice

Departmental counselors and advisors: Each major and minor at UCLA has designated staff who help students navigate their major and minor requirements. These counselors and advisors are students’ best resources for program-specific support, including:

• Application processes for the pre-major/major/minor
• Substitutions and exemptions on preparation for the major or major requirements
• Enrollment assistance for courses in the major/minor, including contract courses
• Information on program-specific opportunities, such as: research, internships, Departmental Honors, Department Scholars, etc.
• Departmental Commencement ceremonies

For a specific major or minor counselor or advisor’s contact information, please consult the Departmental Counselor Directory.

AAP Peer Counselors (PCs): AAP Peer Counselors are trained to support their fellow AAP students using a student-centered approach. PCs are available for 30-minute appointments throughout the academic year, during which students can discuss:

• Program planning, including both enrollment for an upcoming term and four-year program planning
• Expected Cumulative Progress (1st time shortages only)
• Major Exploration
• Campus resources (e.g. Graduate Mentorship Programs, Career Center, Community Programs Office, Undocumented Student Program, Bruin Resource Center, LGBTQ Campus Resource Center)
• Pre-Health Requirements

College Academic Mentors (CAMs): College Academic Mentors are graduate students from a wide variety of academic departments who advise undergraduates in the following areas:

• GE program planning (freshmen & sophomores)
• Choosing a major (freshmen & sophomores)
• Preparing for graduate/professional school (juniors & seniors)

PREPARING FOR YOUR COUNSELING APPOINTMENT

WAYS FOR YOU TO DO YOUR PART:

PROACTIVE – Please prepare talking points in advance of your appointment. Determine which questions you should prioritize during your meeting with your counselor or advisor.

ACCOUNTABLE – Make sure to bring a pen and paper, laptop, tablet, or other way to take notes during your appointment.

RESPECTFUL – As a courtesy to your counselors and advisors, please be on time to your appointment. If you are running late, contact your counselor or advisor as soon as possible. If you will be more than 10 minutes late to your appointment, your counselor or advisor may ask you to reschedule your appointment.

TRANSPARENT– Share with your counselors and advisors any information that you are comfortable disclosing and that may help them better understand your questions, so that they can help you identify as many relevant options as possible.

ACADEMIC DIFFICULTY

Visit the CAAC Academic Difficulty page for detailed information about academic difficulty.

PRE-HEALTH @ UCLA

Although UCLA does not offer a “pre-health” major, students in any major in the College may opt to complete the pre-health curriculum, either as part of or alongside their undergraduate degree requirements. This coursework prepares students to apply for graduate or professional school programs in a number of medical or health fields.

Visit the CAAC Pre-Health page for detailed information about pre-health services at UCLA.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Visit the CAAC Degree Requirements page for more information.

FIND YOUR MAJOR

If you are unsure of your major, the Find Your Major assessment can help you make an informed decision about your academic plans. The results are intended as a tool to guide you in the process of identifying the options that align with your interests and academic strengths.

THREE- AND FOUR-YEAR DEGREE MAPS

Several departments have partnered with the College of Letters & Science to create three- and four-year graduation options for students admitted to UCLA as freshmen. These degree maps can help you build your individual academic plan in the major.

CURRICULUM OPTIONS FOR BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES MAJORS

The Division of Life Sciences has created four different curricular paths for students who wish to major in one of eight Life Sciences majors. These paths are based on students’ academic preparation, and are all designed to facilitate completion of the majors in 4 years.