Academic Advising

Academic advising is a collaborative process between you and your advisor. Your academic advisor helps you get the most out of your college experience. They help you set and achieve academic goals, connect with campus resources, and navigate degree requirements.

Your advisor is assigned when you officially enroll in an undergraduate program. You can find your assigned advisor on the PAWS homepage and in Navigate360.

If you don’t see an advisor listed, contact the school or college that houses your major. If you’re not sure what school or college your major is in, check the Academic Catalog.

You should meet with your advisor(s) as needed, but at least once per semester. Consider meeting with your advisor in October or November and in March or April. Keep important academic dates in mind, too. (There are deadlines for being able to drop a class without a penalty, for example.)

Students can log into Navigate360 to schedule appointments with their current academic advisor(s). You may also receive emails from your advisor containing a link that invites you to schedule an appointment.

If you’re not a current UWM student but want to contact an advisor, use the email addresses listed above in UWM Advising Services Across Campus.

You can ask your current advisor for a referral or you can reach out to the school or college contact listed in the above advising services table. Each school/college handles academic advising caseloads differently. They may have different processes when it comes to assigning advisors.

There are several types of advisors at UWM. Some students may have one advisor and other students may have several advisors. Every student has a major advisor who helped navigate major requirements and the path to graduation. The major advisor can also help with matters happening in or out of the classroom.

Besides major advisors, students may also have one of these advisors:  

• Students who have declared a second major, minors or certificates might have more than one academic advisor.
• Athletic advisors act as a liaison between the student athlete, the team, their major advisor and the NCAA. 
• Honors advisors help students navigate the Honors College and how to earn credits toward that distinction.
• Pathway Advising works with new students who are undecided about their major. They also work with new students who need extra academic support in their first semesters. The advisors in Pathway Advising help students develop plans to select and complete a major and degree.
• Student Support Services works with first-generation and low-income students. These advisors ensure students are getting the support they need to succeed at UWM. 
• Student success coordinators in UWM’s Multicultural and Advocacy Centers help students find community and navigate life at UWM.

If you would like to change your major within your current school/college, reach out to your assigned advisor. If you want to change your major to one in a different school/college, work with your assigned advisor or reach out to advisors in the new program.

No matter what, you should meet with an advisor in your planned new major to assess the requirements and coursework in that program.

Your advisor will be there to show care, respect and support as you pursue your degree. They will also provide you with:

• Help with academic planning that is consistent with your values, interests, and strengths
• Accurate information about academic requirements, university policies and procedures, and campus resources
• Guidance as you begin to understand the nature of higher education and your role as a student

Your advisor expects that you will:

• Bring any relevant documents from other appointments that you need your advisor to review or complete.
• Have a positive attitude, willingness to collaborate and an open mind.
• Bring questions about your academic plans and ideas about classes. (If it’s a class registration appointment.)
• Understand that you’re responsible for your education. Don’t hesitate to ask your advisor or other campus support providers.

Instructors send at-risk messages for a variety of reasons. You can view these messages in Navigate360. If you receive an at-risk message, you should first meet with your class instructor to talk about it. Your advisor may follow up with you, as needed. If something outside of class is affecting your success in that class, please talk with your advisor(s).

Academic probation is UWM’s way of giving the student an academic warning. If you’re placed on probation, reach out to your advisor to talk about what happened during the previous semester that led to probation. Your advisor will discuss options, including updating your academic plan. Poor academic performance can lead to academic drop or suspension actions, so it’s important to act quickly.

Explore how you can achieve an Academic Reset.

View UWM’s University-wide Academic Action Policy.

If there’s a hold on your PAWS account, click on the details link below the hold title in your holds box. Clicking on the hold on the next page will reveal who entered the hold and how to get in touch with that person or office. You can then take action to correct or remove the hold. You can also contact the right individual/office to rectify the hold. 

See the Before You Enroll section of our One Stop site for more information.

Students can enroll in the following credit amount each semester:

• 18 credits in Fall
• 18 credits in Spring
• 12 credits in Summer
• 3 credits in UWinteriM

If you want to exceed the maximum amount of credits allowed, you’ll need to get permission from your primary advisor. You should talk to your advisor about course workload and any extra tuition and fees that may apply.

Yes, students can enroll in less than 12 credits in Fall or Spring semester. Consider how your financial aid might be affected by part-time enrollment. You should also reach out to your advisor to understand how part-time enrollment would affect your degree progression and graduation timeline.

Access the full list of UWM’s courses online using the UWM Schedule of Classes. You will also be able to see which semester each course is offered.