Getting Started
This web page gives practical advice around how to plan and conduct academic advising meetings. Each school will have their own local approach to academic advising and it is important to ensure that you follow the agreed school or programme approach.
Training and Resources
A selection of courses and videos are available in the tabs below.
Short Online Courses
The following short online courses are available free to UCD employees as part of our institutional membership of UKAT (UK Advising and Tutoring Association). Each course has a video of no more than ten minutes that you can watch in your own time. Additionally, there are useful exercises and resources. You can complete each course in your own time, and at the end, you receive a digital badge.
To access the courses, you must register to create your account on the UKAT site. This involves entering your name and email address and creating a password, after which you will be able to login. There is no need to "Join UKAT" as UCD has already joined at an institutional level.
The first course, "What is Personal Tutoring?", is a great start for anyone who wants to learn more about academic advising and its benefits. (Note, that in the UK, Academic advising is often called "personal tutoring"). The following are the courses available:
- What is Personal Tutoring?
- Setting Boundaries and Managing Expectations
- Listening Effectively
- Communicating Effectively with your Students
- Self-care for Personal Tutors
If you have a query about access to these resources, please contact academic.advising@ucd.ie
Helping students evaluate their interests and abilitiesÂ
How to help students to evaluate their personal interests and abilities
The first UCD objective of academic advising is to "Evaluate personal interests and abilities leading to the creation of realistic academic and professional goals." In this video, Dr Rebecca Hapes of NACADA (National Academic Advising Association) provides guidance on how academic advisors can help students evaluate their interests and abilities and create goals.
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Creating academic and professional goals
Create academic and professional goals
The second objective of academic advising is to "Develop an educational plan that leads to the timely completion of educational goals." In this video, Dr Rebecca Hapes of NACADA provides guidance on how academic advisors can guide students to develop educational plans.
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Signposting Students to Other Supports
Certain topics are within the scope of academic advising. The objectives of academic advising are a good starting point for academic advisors to understand what the key areas of focus should be. When dealing with students there can often be overlap but it is appropriate to refer students to other resources or services in the University for more information or assistance. For example, UCD has a separate Student Adviser Service for dealing with personal, social, financial and emotional issues. Furthermore, student agency is one of the UCD Principles of Academic Advising, and pointing students in the right direction can also help them to help themselves.
A signposting document has been specially prepared to assist academic advisors in signposting students by highlighting the services and resources available. The document contains a tab with a variety of materials on academic and professional development topics — such as maths support and how to avoid procrastination — and a second tab with information to help students navigate university life.
Setting Boundaries and Managing Expectations
To learn more about setting boundaries and managing expectations academic advisors are invited to take the short UKAT online course of that name. For free access, register as described above.
Expectations and Responsibilities
The tabs below outline expectations for academic advisors and students. There is an academic advising web page for students included in the pilot which outlines similar information.
Academic advisors
Academic advisors should be student-centred, knowledgeable, developmentally-focused and collaborative. The responsibilities of an advisor include:
- Initiating and maintaining contact with their students
- Contacting their students at the start of the academic year, to support orientation and progression, and at least once in each trimester in line with key decision and assessment points as appropriate
- Identifying mutually convenient times to meet with students, these times should not be during the students’ timetabled learning activities
- Communicating their availability and contact details clearly at the start of the academic year
- Planning the content of advising sessions, putting an agenda in place and reviewing student information ahead of meetings
- Informing students in advance of the purpose of meetings and any pre-meeting work
- Maintaining and sharing records of meetings and any agreed follow-up actions with the students
Students
Students can expect:
- A named academic advisor, contact details and office hours
- That the academic advisor will introduce themselves and maintain contact
- That the academic advisor will organise and hold scheduled meetings with the student
- That the meetings will be at a mutually convenient time
- Notice of upcoming meetings with the documents and purpose shared in advance
- That advising will be developmentally-focused with clear objectives
- That their academic advisor will be open and impartial, creating a safe space for students to discuss their development
- That the academic advisor will be prepared, will provide accurate information, and will refer students to other student supports as appropriate
Students are responsible for:
- Attending all scheduled meetings with their academic advisor
- Communicating with their academic advisor if they are unable to attend these meetings, and rescheduling the meeting at an agreed alternative time
- Taking an active role in reflecting on their progress and managing their own academic and professional development
- Engaging in preparatory or post-meeting activities as agreed with their academic advisor
- Informing themselves on prescriptive advising matters so that they can use their sessions with their academic advisor for maximum benefit
- Taking the initiative in raising difficulties that impact their ability to study
- Being proactive in identifying and accessing any relevant specialist support offered by the university
- Maintaining records of actions agreed with their academic advisor
UCD Academic Advising Community
The Academic Advising Community is an online forum where UCD colleagues interested in academic advising are welcome to share ideas, ask questions and join discussions.
To join the group or to have someone added, email academic.advising@ucd.ie