Advising

BSE Undergraduate Advisor
Ivan Bialostosky
[email protected] 
406 Social Sciences

Schedule an appointment

BSE Advising and Major Declaration

Advising Appointments are available either over zoom or in person. You may schedule an advising appointment on the appointment calendar. You can also reach it at z.umn.edu/geogappts.

Quick questions can be answered by email. You may direct all email inquiries to [email protected].

Current and prospective students are welcome to meet with the BSE advisor to find their fit in our undergraduate programs and to stay on track for their degree plan. We also recommend that current students work closely with CLA and Career Services advisors to optimize their degree and undergraduate experience.

Your BSE advisor will:

Prospective students:

  • Help you decide if the BSE major is right for you
  • Answer questions about tailoring the BSE major to your post-graduation goals
  • Help you determine what courses are accepted for major credit
  • Orient you to department resources
  • Help you declare

Current students:

  • Help you refine your initial plan for meeting BSE major requirements
  • Help you to keep on track for graduation
  • Approve course substitutions (contact your college advisor for help with transfer course equivalencies)
  • Update your APAS with approved course substitutions
  • Address honors thesis requirements and special courses
  • Help you consider your career options
  • Help you strategize to address challenges that you encounter as you pursue your degree

For advising outside of the BSE program (college and liberal education requirements, transfer credits, and other APAS issues), see your CLA advisor.

Interested in BSE? All BSE majors receive our newsletter detailing important advising information; events; and job, internship, and research opportunities. To receive the newsletter, email [email protected] with the subject: "join BSE listserve".

Declare

  • Read through this Guide.
  • Run a What- If report in APAS (See instructions here). This will show you how the courses you have taken already fit in the BSE major. 
  • Write down a list of questions that you have.
  • Make an appointment with the BSE advising team. In your declaration appointment, we will:
    • Go over your APAS together to make sure that you are clear about what is expected of you and your graduation timeline
    • Answer any questions you have
    • Submit the online declaration form.