Each student will be assigned an academic advisor. The program of each candidate must be planned cooperatively by the student and the advisor, taking into account the student's educational background and objectives. All phases of the student's program are subject to the approval of the advisor. All graduate students are required to meet with their advisor before registering for classes each term. During each of these meetings, a student and advisor identify the courses in which the student will enroll for the following term. The resulting semester schedule is recorded by the advisor either in the student information system's ADRX advising contacts system, or on a paper Academic Advisor Registration Approval Form, and signed by the advisor. If the advising record is saved online, the advisor will contact the School of Public Health - Bloomington Records Office and the student will be given clearance to register. If the paper form is utilized, the student must submit the signed form to the Records Office in SPH 123 to receive clearance to register. Paper copies of the Advisor Registration Approval Form may be picked up in SPH 123, or the form may be downloaded online at www.publichealth.indiana.edu/current-students/forms.shtml. (Additional registration information is available in the Enrollment and Student Academic Information Bulletin.)

Advising Tools
Doctoral students have course work prescribed for them by a faculty committee, chaired by the student's academic advisor.  The student's advisor will direct the student to complete the prescribed courses in the proper order.  For master's degree programs, the advisor and student follow a preprescribed, faculty-approved curriculum. The advisor will direct the student's sequence of required course completion and elective choices according the student's academic interests and professional goals.

Master's degree students may view personalized, online, academic advisement reports through the OneStart portal at https://onestart.iu.edu. These reports assist students in understanding which academic degree requirements have been completed, and which requirements have not.

The requirements for each master's degree program are listed on an individual degree requirement tab sheet, available online at www.publichealth.indiana.edu/degrees/index.shtml. The tab sheet for each academic program specifies such requirements as total credit hours needed for completion of the degree, courses to be taken, GPA requirements, suggested electives, and other information. These tab sheets are used by students and their academic advisors to guide the selection of courses and monitor progress. Adhering to the requirements specified on the tab sheet is the student's responsibility.  

Frequently Asked Questions:

Question: How will I know what classes I need to take to complete my degree?
Answer: We provide many tools that help students understand their degree requirements, including this online bulletin. Online academic advising reports exist for master's students. Master's degree program tab sheets summarize master's degree requirements in a an easy-to-read format. Doctoral students have their required courses prescribed for them on an approved course prescription form. Academic requirements are thoroughly disclosed in the school academic bulletin. In addition, we provide each graduate student with an academic advisor to guide the student along the path to a degree.

Question: If I know which classes I need to complete my degree, do I still need an academic advisor's approval before I am cleared to register?
Answer: Yes. It is important that your academic advisor approves your class schedule for each term. Academic advisors are familiar with proper course sequencing and course availability schedules. While you are responsible for completing the requirements for your degree, we guide you in the right direction, and help you avoid errors which could unnecessarily cost you time and effort.