Academic Advisement
Academic Advisors are an important resource. Once you share your academic goals with your advisor, they will assist you in making a plan that will guide your choices for completing your degree.
Each college and professional school has an advising center, sometimes called a success center, with full-time advising staff. These advisors are equipped to help you navigate the University, introduce you to student resources, and guide you through success strategies as you work on your academic plan.
Use these tips to get the most out of your advisement meetings:
- Schedule an appointment for a one-on-one meeting with an academic advisor.
- Some advisement offices offer drop-in hours which are an option for continuing students but not recommended for new students. Drop-ins are designed to answer quick questions, not provide in-depth advisement.
- For those unable to travel to UNM Albuquerque campus, video meetings are available. Be sure to look at the meeting options when you schedule.
- Check your email prior to your appointment for any information from your advisor that will help you prepare for your meeting.
- Write down your questions in advance so you can make sure you don’t forget what you want to ask.
Know what you need to graduate
When you meet with your academic advisor, they will teach you how to use the advising resources that will help you navigate your degree. The LoboTrax degree audit is your personalized course-planning tool that shows what you have already completed and what you need to finish your degree. Another tool is the sample degree plan for your major that gives an example of how to space out your degree requirements over a four year period. Even with these tools, the most important key to success is meeting with your advisor regularly.How can I register for classes?
New students register for classes during their New Student Orientation program. Complete the following steps to prepare for registration:- Get admitted
- Create a NetID
- Sign up for Orientation and complete your Task List
- Connect with your academic advisor (be sure to check your email!):
- New first-year students will receive course recommendations and support in registering during their orientation session and can schedule a follow-up if more in-depth discussion is needed.
- New transfer students should schedule a one-on-one meeting with an advisor prior to their orientation. The purpose of this meeting is to review their degree requirements, discuss how their transfer work applies to their program, and make a plan for first-semester registration.
A guide to using the registration system is available here. You can also go to the Schedule site for quick class search.
Getting Started
If you already know what you want to major in, follow the steps listed above to prepare for orientation and course registration. If you want to explore the different options UNM has to offer, you can check out our Degrees website. Students can also start out at UNM as an undecided or exploratory student; if you’re not sure what you want to major in, you can be undecided for a few semesters while you take classes in your various areas of interest.
If you have questions, check out our Student Support page or reach out to an academic advisement center who can help point you in the right direction.
College or School | Majors Offered | |
Business Administration | andersonadvising@unm.edu | |
Africana Studies | asadvise@unm.edu | |
Community Health Education | coeac@unm.edu | |
Art Education | finearts@unm.edu | |
Instructional Technology & Training | oils@unm.edu | |
Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts | honorsadvisors@unm.edu | |
Architecture | saapadvise@unm.edu | |
Chemical Engineering | engradvise@unm.edu | |
Exploratory/Undecided | ucac@unm.edu |
