
Preparing for Your Advising
During Orientation, an academic advisor will help you register for your fall semester classes. The information below will help you be prepared for your advising appointment.
Registration Tools
Registration information is available at the One Stop website. Review these specific registration tools prior to orientation to ensure you are ready to register.
- How-to guides show step-by-step instructions for course registration and other student account processes.
- Schedule Builder is an additional resource for searching for classes and planning a class schedule.
- Academic Progress Audit System (APAS) produces a report that will reflect progress towards the completion of a degree in a declared proposed major.
Additional degree planning resources and information are available in the Degree Progress section of the Academics tab in MyU.
Know Your Degree Requirements
Here are some important numbers to keep in mind as you begin to think about your upcoming academic journey at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
- 120
Minimum number of credits needed to graduate. This includes Liberal Education, college, and major requirements as well as other electives. - 13
Minimum number of credits you must register for each term. You must average 15 credits per term if you plan to graduate in four years. - 2.0
Minimum overall GPA required to graduate (with no grades less than a C- in your major or minor). A 2.0 GPA is also needed to stay in good academic standing. - 75%
Minimum total percent of all UMN credits that must be completed on the A-F grade base. You must take major, minor, or professional programs courses on the A-F grade base.
University Liberal Education Requirements
Liberal Education courses invite you to investigate the world from new perspectives, learn ways of thinking that will be useful in many areas of life, grow as a lifelong learner, and actively participate in your community. These courses are designed to be integrated throughout your undergraduate experience, and provide an opportunity for you to explore fields outside your major as well as complement your major curriculum. As an undergraduate, degree-seeking student at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, you are required to complete courses from the Liberal Education categories.
Degree Planning
Our goal is for you to graduate in four years. Planning with your college advisor can help guide you in creating a framework that keeps you on track toward graduation. Four-year planning for each college will include required courses in an order they should be taken. Find your college’s specific information for Four-Year Planning:
College of Biological Sciences
College of Education and Human Development
College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
College of Science and Engineering
Complete Your Placement Assessments Early
Make sure you have your initial placement at least one week prior to your Orientation date. Placement tests are available for chemistry, mathematics, and second language. Find out more about which placement tests to take by going to the “Complete Placement Testing" step on your New Student Checklist. Take your exams in a quiet place with a secure internet connection.
Explore Freshman Seminar Courses
Freshman Seminar courses allow first-year students to interact with each other and connect with faculty in a smaller setting and become involved in a unique area of study. Freshman seminars are offered during both fall and spring semesters.
Claim Your University of Minnesota Email
You will need to use your University of Minnesota email account to properly log in to your Orientation day and advising appointment. If you have not already done so, be sure to claim your U of M email account before your Orientation day.