Academic Advising

The Psychology department uses a Shared Model of advising. As a Psychology major you will have two advisors – a faculty member and a professional advisor. Any faculty member in the department can serve as your faculty advisor.

Ms. Robin Vansacik is the professional advisor for all Psychology majors and minors. As the department’s professional advisor, Ms. Vansacik should be the first point of contact for any questions you may have regarding the Psychology program at UIS. You will work with her regarding class choices and registration, analysis of your degree audits, selecting your concentration, and other important functions. She can also assist with referrals to other UIS offices and resources. You should meet with your academic advisor at least once each semester to plan courses for the next semester.

What do I see my faculty advisor about and what do I see the professional advisor about?

Professional advisor duties

• Course scheduling (e.g., planning courses to take for upcoming semesters)
• Petitions (e.g., waiving a required course or request for upper-division credit)
• Progress toward degree (e.g., confirming that you have met all requirements for graduation)
• Appeals (e.g., completing an Appeal of Academic Suspension form)

Faculty advising duties

• Graduate school counseling (e.g., choosing the right graduate degree and program, the application process, etc.)
• Career counseling (e.g., what job opportunities are there post-BA?)
• Internship possibilities (e.g., should I do an internship? What internships are available?)