Academic advising is an opportunity for you to engage with faculty and staff in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences to identify academic goals, develop educational plans, and maximize your educational experience. We encourage students to take advantage of a wide array of learning opportunities including: study abroad, world languages, minors, and engaged scholarship (internships, co-ops, undergraduate research, and other hands-on learning opportunities).
It is the responsibility of all students to initiate contact with academic advisers, monitor their academic progress, and follow university policies. Please work closely with your assigned academic adviser. You can find contact information in LionPATH.
How to Contact an Adviser
As a student in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, you have multiple options for requesting academic advising assistance. You can work with your assigned adviser (often a faculty member in your current or intended major), advising staff in each department, or advisers in the Ryan Family Student Center.
Who Should I Contact?
All students in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences are assigned to an academic adviser. Often, this adviser is a faculty or staff member in the students major or intended major. In addition to an assigned adviser, students also have access to general advisers in the Ryan Family Student Center (14 Deike Building). Assigned advisers are more connected to specific programs and are best prepared to help students make decisions in course selection for major requirements, approve substitutions, and make post graduation plans. Advisers in the Ryan Family Student Center can assist in understanding university policies and procedures, general education selections and substitutions, change of major, adding minors, issues around academic difficulty, and study abroad plans.
Expore Our Resources
- Orientation / First-year Experience — Total Engagement to Earth and Mineral Sciences (TEEMS), new student orientation and welcome week, and first-year seminar
- Information for Students at Penn State Campuses Other than University Park — how to prepare for changing campuses and where to find contacts at your campus
- Policies, Procedures and Forms — entrance-to-major requirements, transfer credits, academic integrity, and more
- Recommended Academic Plans — a tool that you can use in conjunction with adviser discussions to plan your course schedule
- Graduation and Commencement — how to attend the EMS Commencement ceremony, including policies, travel information, and more
University Resources
- Academic Calendar — important deadlines and dates throughout the semester
- University Bulletin — descriptions of majors, minors, and more
- Undergraduate Advising Handbook — University-wide academic policies and procedures
- Office of the Bursar — tuition, room and board, paying your bill, and more
- Penn State Learning — peer tutoring related to a range of course subjects
- Office of Student Aid — requirements and eligibility for student aid options
- LionPATH — system to schedule courses, pay your bill online, find adviser contact information, and more
- Starfish — early progress reports (EPRs), and more