Who Is My Adviser?
Social Work students are assigned a faculty adviser from the department. View your adviser in Degree Works or Bengal Success Portal. If you do not have an assigned adviser, please see the Social Work Department secretary in Caudell Hall 354.
Advice to Students
Visit your adviser at least once per semester.
To receive advice on registration for classes, students should first review the academic road map to learn when you should take your courses. You can use this, along with Degree Works to review the course sequence and plan your schedule for each semester. NOTE: Prerequisite courses should be taken early in your academic career since these courses must be taken prior to declaring Social Work as your major.
Declare your major before your junior year.
To declare the Social Work major, you must have completed CWP 101 and 102 with a C or better, have successfully completed Human Biology, and Psychology course, and Sociology course, and have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. You may declare your major by completing the Change Major/Minor/Concentration form, having it signed by the Department Chair(s), and submitting the form to the Registrar’s Office in Moot Hall.
Consider a minor that may complement your major and career interests.
You can view available minors and see the impact on your coursework in Degree Works.
How do I know what classes to take?
Use Degree Works to see what courses are required for graduation, when/what courses are offered, and how many seats are open in each course. For Social Work classes, please refer to the Academic Roadmap to help with planning course sequence.
When do I register for classes?
Classes fill up quickly. It is important to check your registration time ticket in Banner for the date and time that your registration window opens. You should register as early as possible in that window, and no longer than two days after the window opens. To register, you must not have any holds on your account. Make sure all holds are removed prior to your registration window.
How do I register for classes?
Use Banner to sign up for courses. Log in with your Banner ID and click “Student”, “Registration”, and “Search for Classes.” The Registrar's Office provides information about how to use the Schedule Planner in Banner to help you prepare for Registration.
How many credit hours should I register for?
In general, students should register for 15 credit hours per semester to graduate in 4 years. Note that you need to fulfill all the requirements in your Degree Works record AND get 120 credits to complete your undergraduate degree. Additional majors and minors may require additional credit requirements.
What if I want to take more than 18 credits?
Taking more that 15 credits can be overly burdensome and should be attempted with caution. To take more than 18, you must obtain permission from your Advisor.
What if a course I want to take is closed?
If a course is closed but has waitlist availability, and you are eligible to take the course, you are given the option to join the waitlist. Waitlist courses are displayed on your schedule with the waitlist placement number. If you are moved to the top of the waitlist and a seat opens, you will receive a generated email alert. You then have a 24 hour period to log into Banner and enroll in the course. If you do not enroll during this window, you will lose your spot on the waitlist.
If a course is closed and you want a capacity override, see the instructor. Only the instructor can grant a capacity override (NOT your advisor or the department chair). It is at the instructor's discretion whether or not they provide the override.
How do I withdraw from a course?
You may withdraw from a course directly in Banner within the withdrawal deadline. Once you withdraw, this cannot be changed.
Can I pass/fail a course?
You may pass/fail up to one course per semester. You may not pass/fail any of the courses that are part of the Social Work core classes. To pass/fail, fill out the Application for Undergraduate Pass/Fail Option form, have it signed by your advisor, and submit it to the Registrar’s Office in Moot Hall.
How can I improve my GPA?
Be sure that you are scheduling at least 2-3 hours of study time for each hour of class each week, i.e., a 3-credit course requires approximately 6-9 hours of study time outside of class. Use a planner to organize your time, assignments, projects and examinations.
Get to know your fellow classmates. Discussing class topics with classmates can help you understand the material. Also, if you must miss a class, classmates are an invaluable resource for getting covered material to help you stay on track.
Personal, interpersonal and family problems can be overwhelming and affect your ability to perform at your best. Talking with a professional counselor in the Weigel Health Center may help you to better manage your personal concerns so you can focus your attention on your academic coursework.
In some cases, it may be advantageous for you to repeat courses in which you earned a grade of D or E. The new grade, whether higher or lower will be the grade that is now calculated into your GPA. Be aware that repeating courses may impact your eligibility for financial aid. Obtain advice from the appropriate office before repeating courses.
Can I repeat a course?
Federal and state rules pertaining to repeating coursework are significantly different and often cause confusion. FEDERAL: Federal aid regulations and the college policy allow students to repeat any course in which they received a C- or below. Students are eligible for aid for these repeated courses. STATE: State regulations do not allow a student to repeat any course they previously passed (including a course with a grade of D). For more information on repeating courses and the impact on financial aid go to: Student Accounts Office for questions regarding TAP or any other NYS Scholarships or the Financial Aid Office for questions about federal aid programs.
How do I get a copy of my transcript?
To get a copy of your transcript, contact the Registrar.
How do I get information on financial aid?
All questions on financial aid should be directed to the Financial Aid Office in Moot Hall.
How do I find a list of all courses?
Course listings can be found on the Registrar’s website.