Written by Terri Carroll, M.Ed. Executive Director, Academic Advising

UNG’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) for Academic Advising is expanding for fall 2018. The QEP title, “On Time and On Target: Improving Student Learning Through Blended Advising,” focuses on the plan’s use of both professional advisors and faculty mentors to promote students’ ability to achieve the following competencies: (1) define academic goals and take responsibility for developing educational plans; (2) utilize appropriate resources to support educational goals; and (3) engage in appropriate learning experiences to achieve educational goals.
Since implementation began spring 2016, the QEP has increased professional advising resources to implement mandatory advising of students in 22 majors up to 45 earned hours. Twenty-one Master Faculty Advisors represent the departments under the QEP and work with their corresponding professional advisors to develop informational Maximize Your Major sessions at new student orientations and Advising Tools, including plans of study, departmental advising syllabi, and year-by-year course planning guides posted on the Academic Advising website. For 2018, QEP expansion includes Strategic Studies and Math on the Dahlonega campus, Biology and Pre-Nursing on the Cumming campus, Psychology and Communications on the Oconee campus, and Exercise Science on the Gainesville campus.
Jodi Carlyle and Lauren Rizner are the professional advisors for Political Science and International Affairs, majors active under the QEP on the Dahlonega campus since fall 2017. Jodi holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services Delivery and Administration and is currently working on her M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration. She came to advising after serving as the Gainesville campus Office Administrator for the Sociology and Human Services Department. Lauren is a UNG grad in International Affairs who is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. Previously, Lauren represented UNG as an undergraduate Admissions Officer. Dr. Cristian Harris serves as the Master Faculty Advisor for both Political Science and International Affairs.
Assessment of QEP student learning outcomes demonstrates that the initiative correlates with positive gains. QEP students, who are assessed by professional advisors in addition to providing self-assessments, show improved understanding of assessing short and long-terms goals, the relationship between interests, abilities, and chosen majors, the connection between the core curriculum and Advising Tools in creating an educational plan and the relationship between campus resources and success. The students are able to demonstrate improved ability from first to second semester on selecting courses and creating educational plans, reviewing educational progress, accessing Advising Tools, and reflecting on the appropriateness of academic path.

ADVISEMENT UPDATES
Early registration for Spring and Summer 2019 will begin on October 26 for continuing students and is based on student overall earned hours. Advisement will run through the month of Octover.

See the Registrar webpage for more information:
https://ung.edu/registrar/registration-dates.php

Remember:
• POLS 1101, “American Government,” and POLS 2401, “Global Issues,” are prerequisites for upper-division courses in the department. Make sure to complete these introductory classes early in your academic career.
• POLS 2101, “Introduction to Political Science,” is a prerequisite for POLS 3600, “Introduction to Social Science Research Methods.”
Certain courses require departmental approval to sign up. These classes include:
POLS 4460 – International Affairs Capstone
POLS 4470 – Senior Seminar in Political Science
To enroll in these classes, you must contact Andrew Eade (Andrew.eade@ung.edu) with your request to register.