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Enrollment & Advising

Welcome to Academic Advising! Academic Advising is an important part of a student's experience and is integrated throughout all levels of a student's progress at MICA. The Academic Advising office is under the auspices of Enrollment Services, and is a member of the Student Services Center.

We are staffed by full-time professional advisors dedicated to working with all undergraduate students on making the most of their MICA education through the delivery of advising, mentoring, and enrollment services.

Our Mission

Academic advising at MICA is integral to student learning throughout the undergraduate college experience. We believe that the relationship between academic advisor and student is based on mutual respect, trust and ethical behavior. We promote student self-awareness and the development of their thinking, questioning, and doing skills for becoming lifelong learners through the

  • delivery of advising, mentoring and enrollment services
  • engagement of students as active participants in their academic career
  • mutually negotiated expectations between the student and college
  • recognition of the unique learning experiences and goals of student artists and designers
  • embodiment of MICA's mission, culture, and values within the department and in collaboration with the MICA community.

Our Goals

  • Provide access to advisors who demonstrate knowledge and understanding
  • Assist students in understanding the purpose of higher education, MICA's academic programs, and the application of both to their own life goals.
  • Teach students to identify and use college resources
  • Partner with academic and co-curricular programs across campus
  • Continually assess and improve upon our academic advising practices

Foundation Year Academic Advising

Academic Advising during the Foundation year is provided by an assigned faculty advisor, who is an Elements of Visual Thinking instructor. Students therefore have weekly contact with their advisors, allowing for easy and regular communication of important information. Foundation faculty advisors serve as a source for general questions and concerns about coursework, academic programs, campus life, and other issues. This advising is supplemented by the Foundation academic advisor, a professional staff advisor who is in close contact with other campus resources, and is dedicated to working with first-year students on a broad range of student life and academic matters. The Foundation academic advisor assists students with registration and scheduling, transfer credit and advanced placement, understanding Foundation requirements and degree programs.

Upperclass Academic Advising

Midway through spring semester of their first year, students are assigned to upperclass academic advisors and begin working with the new advisors on long-term planning and preparation for sophomore year registration. Upperclass advisors partner with their students through the remainder of the students' academic careers at MICA, regardless of major. This continuity supports the development of a more substantial advising relationship. Students are required to meet with their academic advisors at least once per semester in order to be eligible for the next registration period, and are encouraged to see their advisors on a frequent basis. Academic advisors support students' short-and long-term academic planning, clarifying career and life goals, explaining degree requirements, interpreting institutional policy, and navigating the campus community and its offerings.

Faculty and Advising

Academic Advising recognizes that the strong connections that students develop with their faculty are an important aspect of their MICA experience. Our advising system is designed to complement those connections, with faculty acting as academic and professional mentors, while providing students with additional resources.

Students and Advising

Students' participation in the advising relationship is central to its success. Experience shows that students with strong advising connections are more satisfied with their MICA experience. Families and friends can support academic advising by encouraging students' engagement with their academic advisors through frequent meetings, the sharing of information, and pro-active planning.
Students are responsible for making appointments with advisors, bringing appropriate records to advising meetings, understanding and tracking their progress toward graduation, and following through on necessary advising actions.

Programs

Academic Advising coordinates a variety of programs and publications throughout the academic year which are designed for undergraduate students of varying levels and interests. These programs help students to transition to college life, gain self-knowledge, make an informed declaration of major, learn about academic departments and campus resources. Information is posted on our website as these events approach.