Advising

WHAT CLASSES DO I TAKE?

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

In order to graduate from Cleveland State University, students must earn a minimum of 120 credit hours.  Those 120 credit hours are comprised of three (3) main groups of requirements: The General Education, College, and Major requirements.

General Education (GenEd) Requirements

The GenEd requirements are the core courses that every students completes, regardless of their major or program of study. These requirements provide students with a strong foundation upon which to build their entire university career. The GenEd courses expose students to a variety of disciplines, provide basic knowledge, and cultivate core skill areas of math, writing, science, the art and humanities, social sciences, and diversity.

College Requirements

Every student who earns a degree at CSU is in a particular college or school and students are required to complete requirements which are different to each college or school.  For example, if you are in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Science (CLASS) you will need to complete their foreign language requirement.

Major Requirements

The academic major is a student’s academic area of focus.  Students choose and declare their majors in specific areas, and must then complete a number of courses and credit hours in order to earn their degree in that major.

SELECTING CLASSES/TRACKING PROGRESS

Cleveland State offers students a number of great resources to assist them in selecting their classes and track their progress towards their degree.  All of these resources are best used with the guidance of your First Year advisor to ensure that you are interpreting and understanding the information that is provided.

DEGREE AUDIT

Degree Audit is a valuable program available through CampusNet which enables students to track their progress towards degree completion.  Degree Audit enables students to view how their completed and in-progress courses fit into completing the three main academic requirement areas (GenEd, College, and Major).  It also provides links to courses which will fulfill requirement areas which are yet to be completed. Students can use Degree Audit to plan ahead for future class scheduling. 

DEGREE AUDIT 'WHAT IF' REPORT

The "What If" report is a helpful tool for students who are considering changing their major. This tool helps students see how their current credits and enrollment align with a major or minor they are considering. The "What If" report can be found in CampusNet  (navigate to the Student tab, Degree Audit, "What If" Degree Audit Report).

DEGREE MAPS

Degree maps are a visual tool to assist students, faculty, and advisors in planning for specific degree programs. Degree maps are available for review and printing from the CSU website. Please contact a First Year Advisor with questions about specific programs and how to interpret and use degree maps.

MULTI-TERM REGISTRATION

Multi-term registration is available for degree seeking students to register for Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters simultaneously. This process provides students with the opportunity to:

  • Plan ahead for the classes you need for the entire academic year.
  • Secure your schedule for Fall, Spring and Summer at the same time.
  • Register now; pay later - tuition for future terms will not be due any earlier.

CHANGING YOUR MAJOR

Changing majors or course of study is a process which should be done with the input and guidance of a First Year Advisor.  This helps students understand how this change will affect progress towards degree completion.  Students are encouraged to keep their program of study updated to ensure the accuracy of their university records and to ensure that they are receiving the proper information.

UNDECIDED ABOUT YOUR MAJOR

Undecided about your major?  No problem! Students who are undecided about their major, or who change their minds about their current major, should work closely with their First Year Advisor to develop a plan to explore options for a major based on their skills, interests, and intended career path.