Academic Advising

Academic Advising supports your success from orientation through graduation, and we are here to help every student at USF, whether on campus, online or part time.

Location & Hours

Contact

Advisors

N320 (3rd floor, Tower Hall)
Monday- Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Selene DelToro
Rachel Dobrich Ruffetti

We can help you achieve your educational goals, improve your academic performance and connect you to resources and opportunities at USF. Academic advising is an active partnership between student and advisor, with the goal to develop, clarify, and evaluate your educational plans and align them with your goals. Advisors are available to review degree requirements, strategies for success, and USF resources.

Services

Academic advising support is provided to all students during registration. Your academic or faculty advisor will help develop an academic plan that prepares you to achieve your educational goals. Registration for fall courses typically opens in late March. Registration for spring and summer courses typically opens in late October. It is necessary to make an appointment with your assigned advisor to discuss and review your academic plans each semester.

You can access your course schedule on MyUSF, your student information portal. MyUSF provides you with access to your record at USF and is available through any Internet service provider. Among the features you can access are your assigned advisor, class schedule, USF transcript, final grades, account balance, financial aid information and more. If you need to update your contact information, you can use MyUSF to change your local address and your non-USF email address.

It’s normal to be uncertain about your major. Understanding the actual number of opportunities that exist at USF is an important first step in determining a major or career path. There are over 50 undergraduate majors and academic programs to choose from. Our advisors will help you set goals for the exploration process and reflect on your experiences. We are familiar with all USF majors and will help you select classes strategically and compare requirements for the various programs you’re considering. 

Have you previously earned college credit though another college or university? To ensure your credit is applied toward your USF degree, you must send an official transcript to admtranscripts@stfrancis.edu. Transfer credit is reviewed by USF academic advisors and is applied after you are admitted to the University of St. Francis.

Undergraduate Transfer Credit
Academic Advising will evaluate transfer credit of all new undergraduate transfer students admitted to the university according to the following university transfer credit guidelines:

  • Transfer credit will be acceptable only from institutions that are accredited or are in candidacy status by one of the regional accrediting associations. A maximum of 70 credit hours will transfer toward the bachelor’s degree from a community college. (Nursing BSN Completion Program, B.S. in Business Administration, and Health Care Management programs accept a maximum of 90 credit hours.)
  • A maximum of 96 credit hours will transfer toward the bachelor’s degree from a bachelor’s degree granting institution or a combination of credit hours from the bachelor’s degree institution and a community college.
  • Courses with less than a “C” grade in major or major supportive requirements are not acceptable.
  • AP (Advance Placement), CLEP, DANTES, prior learning portfolio, and other proficiency credit evaluated by the previous accredited institution will require a reevaluation by the Academic Advising Center. Students must turn in official documentation from the credit granting party.
  • Courses that are remedial, developmental, or pre-college are not acceptable for transfer to the university.
  • Transfer courses for major, concentration, or minor programs completed more than seven years prior to acceptance must be reviewed to determine if the course(s) may be applied to those programs.
  • See the current USF Catalog for additional information.

Additional Forms of Credit
Credit can also be applied from a variety of exams and programs.

  • Advanced Placement Credit: View which AP classes and scores count towards credit
  • CLEP and DSST Testing : See what exams and scores transfer to course credit
  • Military Credit: View the criteria for having your military credit transfer to the University of St. Francis.
  • Prior Learning Assessment: Learn more about USF’s Prior Learning Assessment program.

Graduate Transfer Credit
Credit for graduate work completed at another regionally accredited institution may be accepted toward a graduate degree, up to a total of (9) credit hours may be transferred with certain provisions:

  • A minimum of 26 credit hours must be completed at the University of St. Francis.
  • A petition for transfer of credit must be submitted
  • The course(s) must be appropriate to the degree program and not be in conflict with credit requirements
  • The course(s) must have a grade of B- or higher
  • The course(s) must have been completed within the last seven years unless the applicant can provide evidence of current relevant knowledge.

Credit will be considered for transfer only after the above conditions have been met and an official transcript of the student’s record has been sent directly to the Admissions Office by the appropriate institution(s). Transfer credits are not included in the computation of the student’s GPA at the University of St. Francis.

Make an Appointment

If you are a new degree completion student at USF, click here to:

  • Meet with an academic advisor
  • Choose and register for classes
  • Secure the best classes needed to make sure you complete your program without delays
  • Learn what the next steps are

If you are a new graduate student at USF, click here to:

  • Meet with an academic advisor
  • Choose and register for classes
  • Secure the best classes needed to make sure you complete your program without delays
  • Learn what the next steps are

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Be available to meet during office hours and by appointment
  • Create and maintain an environment encouraging mutual trust and open communication. 
  • Empower students to take responsibility for their academic success
  • Guide you in your decision-making process.
  • Provide relevant, current academic information
  • Refer students who may need assistance solving academic or personal problems

All USF students are assigned an Academic Advisor. To find the name of your academic advisor log on to your MyUSF portal.  It is under the “For Students” button on the left side, then “View your Student Academic Profile”

  • Be available to meet during office hours and by appointment
  • Create and maintain an environment encouraging mutual trust and open communication. 
  • Empower students to take responsibility for their academic success
  • Guide you in your decision-making process.
  • Provide relevant, current academic information
  • Refer students who may need assistance solving academic or personal problems
  • Contact and keep in touch with your advisor
  • Understand program information (requirements, courses)
  • Take responsibility and makes decisions for your academic path
  • Communicate openly and honestly regarding issues that affect your educational goals and academic performance. If you experience any problems, let your advisor know.
  • Prepare for discussions with  your advisor by formulating questions and goals
  • Understand USF resources and seek them out when needed
  • Read academic policies and meet important dates and deadlines
  • Ask questions

Watch the MyUSF tutorial video to learn more about navigating the MyUSF portal.

The University strives to prepare its students to seek truth and excellence and to exercise habits of sound judgment. To this end, the University espouses a liberal education designed to introduce the student to various areas of knowledge and the modes of inquiry associated with them. Students must earn 120 s.h. (semester hours), which includes taking general education courses and courses designated by the major. Click here to review the general education course requirements.

Course registration for the fall semester typically opens in late March and spring and summer registrations open in late October. USF provides priority for current, enrolled USF students. Working in conjunction with their advisors, students register according to their academic classification with seniors having priority during the registration period, followed by juniors, sophomores, and then freshmen. Student classifications for registration are determined by the combined credits from transfer courses, USF completed course, and USF courses in progress.

Before beginning the registration process, all traditional undergraduate students need to consult with their academic advisor. Students should consult the web-published schedule for the most accurate and up-to-date class schedule.

View the University Calendar to learn about the start of classes and university holidays.

Students have the ability to add, drop and/or withdraw from courses after consulting with their instructor and academic advisor. Students also need to be aware that any of these changes can have an effect on their progress toward graduation, eligibility for financial aid, and eligibility for athletics (if applicable).

For additional details about adding, dropping, or withdrawing from courses, refer to the USF Catalog.

Students may, at any time, change their major or minor with the advice of an academic advisor. Students who wish to change their major program must first obtain the Change of Major form from Academic Advising. The form requires the approval of the current major advisor and the advisor for the new program of study. (First semester first-year students will go through the process during their ACAF 110 Foundations I: Bona Ventura Cosmic Journey course).

As a general requirement, degree candidates must achieve a minimum average of 2.0 quality points per credit hour completed. Final grades in each course are converted to quality points according to the following schedule: A grade of “A” in a course is converted to four quality points per each credit hour. Thus, in a three-credit hour course, an “A” is worth 12 points. A grade of “B” is worth three quality points per credit hour; a grade of “C” is worth two quality points per credit hour, a grade of “D” is worth one quality point per credit hour. Other grades receive no quality points. The quality point or grade average is computed by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of credit hours attempted excluding courses with a “P” grade. A student’s transcript reflects a cumulative GPA of all USF undergraduate courses completed.

Click here to calculate your USF GPA.

Academic standing is established at the end of each semester/quarter for degree-seeking students as a result of a minimum cumulative grade point average. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 for undergraduates and 3.0 for graduate students based on grades earned at the University of St. Francis is required for graduation.

To read more, click on the undergraduate or graduate links below.

After a student has enrolled at the University of St. Francis, specific, prior approval must be received from the student’s advisor, department chair, and the dean to receive credit for a course taken at another college or university. USF does not approve a course to be taken off campus if it is offered at USF or our College Consortium during the requested semester. Please contact us with questions 815-740-3392.

To request to take a course off campus, complete this form.

An official transcript is a certified record of your academic work completed at the University of St. Francis. It includes courses, grades, and credit hours earned along with any degrees conferred. The Office of the University Registrar provides official transcripts for students (past and present) and alumni upon written request. Transcripts are not issued to or for students who have financial obligations to the University until those obligations are paid in full. Request a transcript here.