To make the most of your time at McGill, keep in mind that your active participation in the advising process is essential. You must be proactive about seeking meetings with various advisors, professors, and counselors to ensure that you receive the advice you need to plan your studies and meet your academic goals. Advisors are happy to give you guidance, but it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure that you have met your degree requirements.
On this page:
- Who should I talk to? (Degree advisors, Program advisors and Service Point)
- Who is my assigned Degree advisor?
- How do I contact my Degree advisor or the Science Office of Undergraduate Student Advising (SOUSA)?
Who should I talk to?
Academic advisors are here to assist you with your degree and program planning and to help you make informed academic choices by providing information about graduation requirements and University regulations. You will have access to two kinds of academic advisors: Degree advisors and Program advisors. All advising sessions are confidential and free.
Degree advisors & SOUSA
The Science Office for Undergraduate Student Advising (SOUSA) is the office that houses the Faculty's Degree advisors. Degree advisors are experts in University and Faculty regulations and the requirements of the B.Sc. and B.A. & Sc. degrees. Every student in these the B.Sc. and B.A. & Sc. will have an assigned Degree advisor (see below, Who is my assigned Degree advisor?).
Program advisors
Program advisors are housed in their respective Departments/Units (e.g. the Biology Department or the Geography Department). They are specialists in the requirements of the specific courses and programs offered in their Department. There is a Program advisor for every major, minor, honours, and Interfaculty program available at McGill. Program advisors are not assigned.
Speak with SOUSA or your Degree advisor if you have questions about:
- Foundation Year (previously referred to as the Freshman Program)
- Degree planning
- Degree requirements
- University and Faculty regulations
- Study away/exchange
- Final exam issues (e.g. implications of deferring an exam)
- Interfaculty transfers
- Readmission
Speak with a Program advisor if you have questions about:
- Program requirements (majors, minors, etc.)
- Courses offered in their Department/Unit
- Course registration issues (e.g. requesting permission to register for a course that is full or has restrictions)
- Careers in a specific field of study
- Getting the most out of your program
- Graduate school in your field
- Research
| Service Point | |
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Though not an academic advising service, the Service Point team is a key resource. It is the student-facing arm of Enrolment Services and provides assistance to students with the following administrative items: |
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| To contact Service Point, please consult the Service Point website. | |
Who is my assigned Degree advisor?
Degree advisors
- For B.Sc. students: your Degree advisor will normally be assigned to you around the 3rd week of June (after you have registered for courses). Your assigned Degree advisor will remain with you throughout your time as a B.Sc. student. Once the assignment process is complete, you will find the name of your advisor on your unofficial Minerva transcript. In Minerva, select the “Student” tab on the top menu → select “Student Records Menu” → select “view your unofficial transcript”.
- For B.A. & Sc. student: all students in this degree are automatically assigned to the dedicated B.A. & Sc. advisor (i.e. you do not need to wait for the advisor assignment to know who your Degree advisor will be).
Program Advisors
Program Advisors are not assigned. For questions about a program or course, you simply contact the Program Advisor in the Department/Unit offering that program or course (e.g. for questions about the Major in Math, you would contact the Program Advisor in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics). See the Contact List of Science Program advisors by Department/Unit.
How do I contact my Degree advisor or SOUSA?
The SOUSA team is available to provide you with information and answer your questions. We provide service all year, but handle a very high volume of inquiries during certain peak periods. Please note that Degree advisors are generally unavailable for individual appointments during the month of May due to their involvement in the graduation approval process.
As a new student (who does not yet have an assigned Degree advisor), you can contact SOUSA at newstudentadvising.science [at] mcgill.ca if you have questions about your degree. Please include your name and student ID number in the subject line.
Once you have been assigned your Degree advisor (around the 3rd week of June), you can contact them and schedule a meeting by visiting: www.mcgill.ca/science/undergraduate/advice/sousa
When contacting SOUSA or your assigned Degree advisor, always:
- Include your name and student number in the subject line.
- Use your McGill email address, which should be activated as soon as you accept your offer of admission. Please read McGill's policy on email communication with students.
- Allow at least 3 business days for a response. Please do not send duplicate emails to other staff at SOUSA or McGill - this will slow the advising process and result in longer delays.