Freshman Fundamentals of Advising and Registration Online Session
Structure of Idaho State University
We hope the office of Central Academic Advising will become your main resource for general advising assistance. Our professional advisors will help you with questions you have about Idaho State University ranging from scheduling classes to financial aid to graduation requirements.
Central Academic Advising advisors are available in Pocatello or one of our ISU Centers in Meridian, Idaho Falls, or Twin Falls.
NOTE: The FAR information will allow you to make informed decisions and assist you in achieving your educational goals in a timely and cost-effective manner. Though advisors are available to guide students, students are ultimately responsible for knowing and understanding university and college policies.
Academic Hierarchy, Structure, and Terminology at ISU
President, Provost, College Dean, Department Chair, Faculty. Idaho State University is led by the President who has responsibility for the entire institution. The Provost/Vice President is second in line to the president and has authority over the academic units of the university. A Dean is in charge of managing an academic unit referred to as a "college." Colleges are made up of departments. Each department in a college has a Chairperson who manages department operations. Faculty are the instructors of the discipline who, in addition to teaching, also advise students, conduct research, and provide service to the greater community.
University, College, Major, Degree, General Education. Idaho State University has six subdivisions called "colleges" that house departments. Students choose a major from a department within a college. The major is offered with a degree designation such as a BA or BS (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, etc). The college, major, and degree determine the general education requirements. General Education requirements are foundational courses and provide students with introductory information on a wide array of disciplines. The general education categories (commonly referred to at ISU as "Goals") include Composition, Speech, Math, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Humanities (i.e. Fine Arts, Literature, Philosophy) and Social Sciences (i.e. US History, History outside of US, Foreign Language, Political or Economic Organizations, People in Society). See the colleges and major options below and take some time to investigate.
The Six Colleges with Major Options at Idaho State University
*****Please Read this entire page before clicking on the link to explore your major of interest*****
Why should you know about the university hierarchy and structure?
In order to graduate, students must complete a minimum of 120 credits (some majors will require more). The 120 credits are made up of major credits (30 to 80 credits), general education credits (32 to 50 credits), and elective credits (the amount needed to equal 120 credits). Structuring electives into a "minor" is encouraged, though not required. A minor is a secondary area of emphasis that can complement the major (18 credits minimum). Students must know which college (e.g. Engineering), major (e.g. Electrical), and degree (e.g. BS) they are pursuing in order to choose appropriate general education classes. Which general education or "Goals" needed will depend on the choice of college, major, and degree.
Class Levels
Freshmen = 0 to 25 credits
Sophomore = 26 to 57 credits
Junior = 58 to 89 credits
Senior = 90 credits and above
All freshmen are assigned to Central Academic Advising for advising assistance their first year.
Sophomore students who are undecided are also assigned to Central Academic Advising.
Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors who have decided on a major are assigned a faculty advisor in their major discipline.
Freshman and undecided Sophomore students are encouraged to meet with a Faculty Mentor for more in-depth information about a discipline prior to declaring a major. See the Faculty Mentor page on the CAA website for contact information.
