CHSS Advising Guide

What is Advising?

Academic advising in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) is a teaching and learning process between an advisor and a student that guides the latter through their academic career. Interactions can include but are not limited to: course selection, degree planning, career planning, academic support, exploring opportunities, and building connections within the major, college, and university.

Learning-Centered Philosophy

In the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, it is important to us that students are able to connect all parts of their learning and understand the role of each course in their curriculum.  As an advisor, you will teach them how to make these connections through your advising interactions. Through this process it will be important to note the level of development and understanding of each student and adapt strategies accordingly; referring when needed. 

Advising is to be thought of as teaching a course on the entire curriculum. You are tasked with helping the student “tie it all together” through advising activities such as course selection, degree/career planning, etc. As any instructor would, we encourage all of our advisors to maintain an advising syllabus to outline the advising process for the student and to explain expectations of both advisor and advisee. Please refer to the advising syllabus template later in this handbook.

For more information about the Learning-Centered approach to advising you may refer to:

Lowenstein, Marc. (2005).  If Advising is Teaching, What Do Advisors Teach?” NACADA Journal, 25 (2), 2005, 65-73.

Advisors are also encouraged to join and utilize the resources available through NACADA, The Global Community for Academic Advising: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/.