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Arts Freshman Advising, Orientation and Registration Checklist

The table below contains the list of steps to follow for course selection, advising, and registration for newly admitted Freshman students (U0 year). Please read the information carefully.

The dates specified in the table below are provided for your convenience.  You should always verify dates on the List of Important Dates.

Steps to Beginning Your Degree Successfully

Inform Yourself

May 1 - Sept 1


Read all our information on the B.A. Freshman Program Requirements.

Advanced Standing


Newly admitted students may receive advanced standing for university work completed elsewhere, in another faculty at McGill, or for results in International Baccalaureate, French Baccalaureate, Advanced Levels, Advanced Placement tests or in the Diploma in Collegial Studies.

It is essential that you know if you will be granted credit and course exemption for work completed elsewhere as you will not be given additional credit towards your degree for any McGill course where the content overlaps substantially with any other course for which you have already received credit, such as for advanced standing results.

For information about advanced standing credits, please refer to the advanced standing and placement examinations information.

Check here later in the summer for additional information on advanced standing workshops.

If you have completed university work elsewhere, please ensure that you include this information on the online Course Approval form (see below). Your adviser will be able to inform you about possible course equivalences and exemptions from your freshman program requirements.

Advising

June 3 - Sept 17


From now until the beginning of term (late May until the end of the drop/add period in September) Faculty advisers in Arts OASIS will be available to provide you with information and to answer your questions.

If, after reading the information in the eCalendar and on our website, you need clarification or you have further questions, contact us by newstudentadvising [dot] arts [at] mcgill [dot] ca (email).

When emailing the advisers, please include your name and student number in the subject line. Make sure to use your McGill email address, which should be activated as soon as you confirm that you will be coming to McGill. Please read the following information about McGill's new email policy, e-mail communication with students [.pdf].

Allow at least seven business days for the advisers to respond to your questions. You will receive a response. Please do not send your questions to other people in the University as this may result in longer delays for you and all other students.

After Course Change period, please contact Arts OASIS should you have any questions about your courses.

Course Selection

June 3 - August 31


Select your courses for the Fall or Winter term using the eCalendar course search and the class schedule on Minerva. Don't forget to select the Fall 2013 or Winter 2014 term.

Keep in mind that the "normal" course load is four or five courses (12-15 credits) per term.

Course Approval

June 3 - August 31


Use our Course Approval Form to submit the courses you have chosen for an advisor's approval.  Please note that you can register before receiving approval, but that you must have your course selection approved by 5:00pm on August 31, 2012.

You can obtain a Faculty adviser's approval for your course selection by submitting the form.  A Faculty adviser will look at the courses you have submitted and will either approve them or make suggestions for changes. There is a space on the Course Approval Form which you can use to send questions to the adviser.

Registration

June 18 - Sept 17


Use Minerva to register for the option you wish to complete in the Arts Freshman Program and for your courses. You can always change your option and courses up to the end of the course change period if you change your mind about what you wish to take.  Read the information about how to select your Freshman Program option using Minerva.

Note that you must register for at least one course by August 14, 2013 to avoid late registration fees.

Should you experience any difficulties registering, please call Service Point (514-398-7878), or drop by their office (3415 McTavish, at the corner of Sherbrooke St).

When you have registered, don't forget to activate your McGill email account. Please read Welcome to McGill for details. As of the end of the course change period, all email from your adviser will be sent only to your McGill email account.

Orientation Week

Last week of August


McGill's University-wide Orientation will begin on August 27 with Discover McGill Day.  Some of the events require registration, so consult the Orientation website for full details.

Be sure to attend the Faculty of Arts Orientation session which will take place on the morning of the 28th.  Faculty Advisers from the Arts OASIS will also be available to answer any academic questions you might have about your first year at McGill.

Course Change Approval

Sept 9 - 17

 
After you have registered you will be able to use Minerva to make changes to your course selection. Check here in September for a link to the online course change approval form.

Continued Advising

After Course Change Period (as of Sept. 17)


You will receive an email from a Faculty adviser who will be your resource person until you graduate. Your adviser will send you emails at certain intervals throughout the year. Please read these emails carefully as they will contain important information about deadlines and program requirements.

If you have questions, you can see your Faculty adviser during drop-in sessions throughout the academic year. For more serious issues you can arrange for an individual appointment. To arrange for an advising appointment please come to the Arts OASIS counter (Dawson Hall, Room 110) or call 514-398-1029. If you have a simple question, you can email your adviser. When emailing your adviser, please include your name and student number in the subject line.

Other Sources of Information


You can obtain information on a broad range of topics from other offices at McGill by following the links below.