Academic Advising FAQs- First Day in Friartown 2024
When will students meet with their major department?
Students will have an opportunity to meet faculty and representatives from their major department during their designated First Day in Friartown. During this session, students will learn more about their major, meet faculty and department representatives, review a traditional first-semester schedule, and start their academic journey at Providence College.
How are schedules created?
All incoming students will have a partial fall semester course schedule created for them in advance of the First Day in Friartown (FDIF) program. Students will then complete their schedules during the FDIF. The following information is used to develop student schedules:
- Required first-semester course for a student’s selected major (this can range from one to four classes depending on the major)
- Core Curriculum requirements (ex. The Development of Western Civilization- DWC 101)
- Placement exam results
- Responses to the Undeclared Pre-Orientation Survey (for Undeclared Majors)
- Student-athlete practice schedules known at the time of schedule creation
How many classes does a first-semester student need to take?
Most first-year students take four courses for an average of 14-17 credits. A student’s designated major determines the specific class/credit total.
When can students view their schedules?
Partial schedules are built in advance of students’ First Day in Friartown. Students can view their class schedules by logging in to CyberFriar > Student Services > Registration > View Schedule.
What if students would like to make changes to their schedules?
While schedules are viewable after they are created, students cannot adjust their schedules without speaking with a department or a college representative. Schedule adjustments can take place during the First Day in Friartown. Students will be able to learn more about their major requirements and core options during their advising session with their academic department. If any changes are necessary, students work with advisors to make adjustments during the First Day in Friartown. Students will receive more information from their academic department regarding schedule change opportunities after the First Day in Friartown program.
What if students decide to change their majors?
New and incoming students should request a change of major by submitting the form available within the Admission Status Portal (Portal). The link to access the form is located below the checklist of admission items.
All changes of major requests may be subject to additional review by the Office of Admission.
For students who are already committed, it is recommended that change of major requests be submitted prior to registering for any Orientation programming.
Where can students see a four-year plan for their majors?
General four-year plans for all students can be found by using the Academic Guidebook. Students can locate all the majors offered in all four schools in the “Four Year Major Plans” section of the guidebook at the top of the left-hand navigation.
The current available Academic Guidebook version is Class of 2027. There will be an updated version for the Class of 2028 coming soon.
Where can students view their math and language placement results?
Students can view their math and language placement results using the Advising Gateway. This information will be updated throughout the summer to show a student’s placement information, academic advisor’s contact information, and other helpful information.
When will students meet their academic advisor?
Students will connect with their advisor either during their First Day in Friartown program, over the course of the summer, or before the start of the fall semester. Students can locate their advisor and their contact information using the Advising Gateway. Please note that since there are many major changes throughout the course of the summer, advisor assignments will not officially be in the system until early August.
When can students declare a double major or a minor?
Students can declare a double major and/or a minor after starting classes in the fall. We want students to have a chance to get settled into their first-semester courses before they start to add additional programs. Undeclared students are required to declare a major no later than February of their sophomore year. Undeclared students are unable to declare a minor until they select a major.
Where can students find more information about Placement Exams, Technology Tutorials, Advanced Placement credits, and other common first-year student questions?
For more information on math/language placement, the undeclared pre-orientation survey, CyberFriar tutorials, AP/IB credits, and much more, please visit the Class of 2028 page developed by the Office of the Registrar. This page will help students prepare for their First Day in Friartown, academic advising, and the schedule development process.
When should students acquire their Fall textbooks?
FRIAR FIRST DAY is a customized textbook rental program that can contain physical and digital material. This program addresses equitable access across the entire College by ensuring all full-time undergraduate students are prepared for learning by the first day of class and to help them succeed in their classes. Students can choose to either pick up their order at the Bookstore or to have their order shipped to them. These orders may contain a combination of new, used, rental, and digital materials based on each individual student’s class schedule.
Students will receive an email thirty (30) days before the start of the semester with more information on the textbook process. Please note that some students will need to adjust their fall schedules based on incoming Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and/or transfer credits. It is essential that students share this information with their academic advisor and/or academic department to ensure they are not retaking any courses where they have already received credit. More detailed information on the textbook process will be sent to all students through their PC email.
