Nicholls State University

Academic Advising Center

DEPARTMENT MENU

Welcome to the Academic Advising Center Center at Nicholls State University.

As a part of the university’s commitment to student access and success, the center will provide you with academic advising and support from the minute you are admitted to Nicholls until you are accepted into a major. Our advisors meet regularly with students, assisting them in goal setting, career exploration, selection of a major, educational planning and course selection. 

SCHEDULING AN ADVISING APPOINTMENT

Students can schedule an appointment with their advisor by calling 985-448-4117.

Walk-in appointments are available during all business hours, year-round.  Students are welcome to stop by for a quick visit at any time. During the semester, students will receive an e-mail from their advisor inviting them to schedule an advising appointment.  The e-mail will include a link to an appointment schedule.  Students are encouraged to schedule an advising appointment at their earliest convenience.

CALL US TODAY TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT!

All prospective students, and their families, are welcome to visit the Advising Center.  We are here to answer questions about the university and our academic programs.  Please call for an appointment or stop by for a walk-in visit with our advisors.

  • When you have questions about your academic performance/progress – If you are struggling to keep up with your coursework, having trouble with a particular subject or worried that you aren’t satisfying requirements for graduation, visit your advisor. He or she can help you identify issues that may be holding you back or suggest campus resources to help you get back on track.
  • When you are thinking about changing your major – Changing your major is a big decision, and you should consult your advisor to make sure you’ve considered all of the issues involved, including how a change might push back your graduation date, affect your financial aid and change your career prospects. Your advisor can help you get an inside view on the major you are considering by putting you in contact with professors and students in that department.
  • When you want to drop or add a course – It’s important to consult with your advisor before making changes to the schedule you set during your registration advisement. Your advisor will make sure you are not overlooking any details that may negatively affect your long-range plans and ensure that you are taking the proper number of hours to maintain your financial aid and stay on track for graduation.
  • When you are exploring career possibilities – Your advisor can explain the traditional courses of study that lead to various professions and suggest other, less typical routes you may wish to explore as well. Each person’s career path is different, and your advisor has helped many students find the best possible route. He or she can share examples of opportunities other students have pursued and suggest resources on and off campus to help you make informed decisions.
  • When you have questions about Nicholls policies and procedures – A university the size of Nicholls naturally has many policies and procedures. Your advisor can help you find answers to any questions you may have about university policies and procedures  from registration and billing to judicial matters and housing.
  • If you have other questions, comments or concerns – The important thing to remember is that your advisor is on your side. He or she wants to see you succeed in your academic and life endeavors. If anything at all is threatening that success whether it’s a personal issue, academic problem or anything else don’t hesitate to seek help from your advisor. If your advisor cannot help you, he or she will find someone who can.

Here are some tips to remember as you prepare for a productive meeting with your advisor:

  • Be proactive. Think about the big picture, your current interests, your future career and which courses will get you from point A to point B.
  • Be prepared. Write out specific questions or concerns. For example, if you’re meeting about course selection, start by researching potential courses in the schedule of classes and making out a tentative schedule with backups.
  • Be honest. Be willing to identify and discuss your difficulties. Then follow up on the plan you and your advisor agree upon.
  • Be open. You should be prepared to accept new ideas, even if they seem difficult.
  • Be assertive. If you feel overwhelmed or you are having any trouble, ask for advice. Your advisor will help you get the support services you need, but he or she won’t know to help if you don’t ask.
  • Be respectful. Pay close attention to your advisor during the meeting. If you must cancel an advising appointment, please call ahead to

    reschedule. Remember, your advisor has a busy schedule, too.

OUR ADVISORS!

Liz Folse

Title: Professional Academic Advisor
Department: Advises freshmen majoring in Culinary Arts, DUAL, and Cross Enrollment.
Email: elizabeth.folse@nicholls.edu
Telephone: 985.448.4094
Office Location: 234 Elkins Hall

David Ford

Title: Professional Academic Advisor
Department: Advises freshmen majoring in Petroleum Services, Safety Technology, Geomatics, Pre-Engineering, Health Sciences, Mathematics, & Dietetics
Email: david.ford@nicholls.edu
Phone: 985.448.4146
Location: 234 Elkins Hall

Grace Lacour

Title: Professional Academic Advisor
Department: Advises freshmen majoring in Nursing
Email: grace.lacour@nicholls.edu
Phone: 985.448.4086
Location: 243 Elkins Hall

FAQs

Change of major/concentration forms are now online. Log in to my.nicholls.edu
Select the Online Forms tile
Under Forms, select Forms
Scroll down to select Change of Major form under Student Forms
Complete form online and click Submit
The form will be electronically routed to the new Department Head and Dean
Records will make the major change after all approvals are secured
An email will be sent to student once the change of major is processed

If you are in a UNIV 101 class, your advisor is your instructor. If you are not in a UNIV 101 course you can use the “Freshman Advisor Directory” at the link below to see who your assigned advisor is as well as their contact information.

https://www.nicholls.edu/academic-services-center/academic-advising-center/

You can make changes to your schedule using Banner. You should consult with your advisor before making changes to your schedule or if you need any assistance with the changes. 

Nicholls must have official copies of transcripts from each college or university previously attended. This should be done as quickly as possible. Participating schools may submit transcripts electronically through eSCRIP-SAFE®. Mailed transcripts should be sent to:

Nicholls State University

Office of Admissions

P.O. Box 2004

Thibodaux, LA 70310

Some colleges and universities will fax official copies of transcripts directly to our admissions office. The admissions office fax number is 985-448-4929.

If you participated in dual enrollment in high school, you will need to send those transcripts to Nicholls in order to earn credit for those courses. You will need to contact the institution you took those courses through and request a transcript be sent to Nicholls.

Credit is awarded when the CLEP examination score is reported on an official transcript from CLEP and sent directly by the CLEP transcript service to the Office of Records and Registration. 

Advanced Placement (AP) credit should have their scores sent by the College Board directly to the Nicholls State University Office of Records and Registration.  

Passing scores for subjects credited through CLEP and/or AP are recorded by an “S,” by the equivalent Nicholls course number and title, and by the appropriate credit hours.

The ACCUPLACER test is used for placement purposes only.  Course credit cannot be awarded based on ACCUPLACER scores.  Prospective first-time freshmen who are ineligible for admission because of the need for more than one developmental course may take the ACCUPLACER test an unlimited number of times.  First-time freshmen who have been admitted to the University and placed into English 100, Math 100, Math 115, or Math 116 may challenge placement by taking ACCUPLACER prior to the official first day of classes of the semester in which the student intends to enroll in any of the courses.  ACCUPLACER may be taken for this purpose no more than three times for each subject.  Once classes have begun, and a student is enrolled an English or mathematics course, either as an audit or for credit, then that student is no longer eligible for further ACCUPLACER testing.  In that case, the student’s placement shall be considered final. 

ACCUPLACER testing is available only by appointment.  To schedule a test please call 985.493.2596.  Students should report to 212 Elkins Hall (campus map).  Students are not allowed to use a personal calculator.  An onscreen calculator is provided for select items.  Test results are available immediately after testing is complete.  One score is issued for the Writing test and two for the Mathematics test.  Course placement is determined by these scores.

We recommend that students take between 15-16 hours a semester. If you take 15 hours a semester for 8 semesters you would be on track to graduate in four years.

An undergraduate student who is taking at least 12 semester hours during a semester or in the summer session is considered a full time student.

If you are struggling with your classes please reach out to your advisor for assistance. We can recommend campus resources such as Tutoring, Counseling, Academic Coaching, etc. to help you be more successful.

This class is a first-year experience course designed to provide students with the tools necessary to make a successful transition to college life. It covers such topics as time management, study skills, career research, etc. UNIV 101 provides a structure that helps coordinate student advising; our UNIV 101 faculty members are academic advisors to the students enrolled in their classes. 

All first time freshmen students and any transfer student with under 30 hours will take UNIV 101. 

UNIVERSITY STUDIES 101

As an entering freshman you will enroll in University Studies 101. 

This class is a first-year experience course designed to provide students with the tools necessary to make a successful transition to college life.  UNIV 101 provides a structure that helps coordinate student advising; our UNIV 101 faculty members are academic advisors to the students enrolled in their classes.

Topics covered in University Studies 101 are:

  • Student Services and university resources
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Career research
  • Personal career assessment and decision making
  • Study skills and learning strategies
  • Time management, planning, and organization
  • Degree information and schedule planning
  • Financial aid basics
  • Personal and career goal setting
  • GPA, grading, and other academic policies

As a freshman, you will complete a portfolio assignment called the Freshman Reflection Piece which will help you connect your career and personal goals to the academic path you need to take to accomplish those goals.  This portfolio will help you learn about your degree program and how the other facets of university life (extracurricular activities, student services, and high-impact learning practices) can add benefit to your time on campus and help you as you work towards your career goal.

Our University Studies faculty members are all Professional Academic Advisors in the Academic Advising Center and are all credentialed at the Master’s degree level or higher.  Their specialties include student affairs, academic affairs, higher education, curriculum, and instruction.

Walk-in appointments are available during all regular office hours.  Advisors can help with change of major, course scheduling issues, financial aid appeals, at-risk advising, athletic advising, probation/suspension advising and information, cross enrollment advising, Dual Enrollment advising, transfer advising, and academic skills coaching.  We offer many other services as well, just contact one of us with questions.

Majors

Advisor

Phone

E-mail

Management, Marketing, Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, & Computer Information Systems

Leasha Bartnik

985-448-4099

Leasha.bartnik@nicholls.edu

Mass Communications, Criminal Justice, Petroleum Services, Safety Technology, Geomatics, Health Sciences, Mathematics, Pre-Engineering, & Dietetics

David Ford

985-448-4146

David.ford@nicholls.edu

Chemistry, Marketing, Music, Associates of General Studies, & Culinary Arts, DUAL and Cross Enrollment

Elizabeth Folse

985-448-4094

Elizabeth.folse@nicholls.edu

Interdisciplinary Studies, Sociology, Political Science, Art, English, History, & Nursing

Grace Lacour

985-448-4086

grace.lacour@nicholls.edu

Biological Sciences, Education and Behavioral Sciences

Jessica Rebstock

985-493-2670

Jessica.rebstock@nicholls.edu

A great resource to figure out what to do with different college majors: What can I do with this major?
Our favorite career information site: Occupational Outlook Handbook
Listing of all degrees offered at Nicholls: Areas of Study

For Orientation Students

The staff of the Academic Advising Center welcomes you to Nicholls State University.  We hope you had a productive day at Orientation. This page has been set up to help you as you prepare for your first semester at Nicholls. We want to offer you some reminders and tips to help you.  Please browse the content below and the pages linked for helpful information. We have also attached some helpful documents for you.

If, at any time, you require assistance with any academic matter please contact your freshmen advisor.  You are welcome to come in for an advising appointment at any time.  You may schedule an appointment by calling 985-448-4117 or you may come in for a walk-in visit.

  • You must register for UNIV 101 during your first semester.  Sections are divided by majors, so please select the one that matches your major. If you have difficulty scheduling this course, please call 985-448-4117.
  • A semester course load of 15-17 credit hours is ideal.  A course load of at least 12 semester hours is required to be considered a full-time student.
  • If you have earned any credit through Dual Enrollment, enrollment at another university or community college, CLEP test credit, or have military credit you should notify your advisor. Any credit earned at another institution may require you to change your schedule. Please consult your advisor for a schedule review.
  • For a listing of acceptable elective courses, please consult the registration packet you received at orientation or contact your advisor.
  • If you wish to change your major, please consult your advisor. Different majors require different courses, so your schedule may have to be changed.
  • Placement in Math and English courses is determined according to ACT, SAT, or Accuplacer scores or any credit earned prior to enrolling at Nicholls.
  • If you take the ACT, SAT, or the Accuplacer test after orientation, and your test scores improve, you might need schedule changes. Please consult your advisor for a schedule review. You can review the ACT/SAT/Accuplacr placement guide here.
  • Any student enrolled in English 003, English 100, Math 002, Math 003, Math 116, or Math 100 may challenge their placement by taking the Accuplacer no more than three times prior to their first semester of enrollment. Please contact the Testing Center for information about the Accuplacer test.

The weekly class schedule chart helps you to plan your schedule.

Please use the listing of important phone numbers to contact university departments.

A short instruction sheet for BANNER.

Consistent with the mission and goals of Academic Services Center, the Academic Advising Center is committed to providing students with academic support and enrichment services and prepares first-time students for entry into their major area of study.  Academic advising is a continuation of teaching, using University Studies 101 to promote student adjustment and foster independence. Through advising activities and student contact in University Studies, students explore their career choices and are taught the required curriculum.

Resources to prepare for your advising session:

Other useful resources:

Still can’t find what you’re looking for?

  • Visit University College’s FAQs or call us at 985.448.4117.

CONTACT INFO

Office Location:
234 Elkins Hall
Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2008
Thibodaux, LA 70310
Phone: 985-448-4117
Fax: 985-448-4201
E-mail: Kim Brown
7:30 am – 4:30 pm

LOCATION

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