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Freshman Fundamentals of Advising and Registration Online Session

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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 how to use Moodle.

Central Academic Advising advisors are available in Pocatello or one of our ISU Centers in Meridian, Idaho Falls, or Twin Falls.

The online advising session is available as a convenience for students who are unable to attend an in-person FFAR session. However, it is highly recommended that you make every effort to complete the FFAR in-person at the Early Registration event in April (link to ER registration) or, after April, at the Pocatello or Idaho Falls Central Advising office.

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. Advisors are available to guide students, however, 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. See Idaho State University Organizational Chart Here!

University, Division, College, Departments, Major, Degree, General Education.
Idaho State University is made up of one Division and six Colleges. The Division includes a College, two Schools, and one Office, each of which has Departments The other 5 Colleges house Departments. Students choose a Major from a Department. The major is offered with a degree designation such as a BA or BS (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, etc).

The following is a list of Academic Programs Click Here!

General Education requirements are foundational courses and provide students with introductory information on a wide array of disciplines. The 2013.14 General Education requirements consist 9 Core Objective areas: 1) Written English, 2) Spoken English, 3) Mathematics, 4) Humanities-Fine Arts-Foreign Language, 5) Natural Science, 6) Behavioral and Social Science, 7) Critical Thinking 8) Information Literacy, and 9) Cultural Diversity.

All students must complete a minimum of 36 credits from the nine Core Objective areas. All students must meet Objectives 1 through 6, Objective 9 and choose to meet either Objective 7 or 8. If a student does not meet the minimum credits required (36) once all 9 Core Objective areas have been met, the student must complete additional coursework from any of the outlined Core Objective areas to meet the 36 credit minimum.

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*****

College of Arts and Letters Fine Arts and Humanities Art and Pre-Architecture Communication and Rhetorical Studies Dance English and Philosophy International Studies Languages and Literatures Music Theatre Women's Studies Social and Behavioral Sciences Anthropology Economics History James E. Rogers Department of Mass Communication Military Science (ROTC) Political Science Psychology Sociology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice	College of Business Accounting Computer Information Systems Finance Management Marketing MBA Information Assurance Native American Business Administration
College of Education Elementary Education (Department of Educational Foundations) General Family and Consumer Sciences (Child and Family Studies Program) Human Exceptionality (Department of School Psychology, Literacy, and Special Education) Physical Education (Department of Sport Science and Physical Education) Secondary Education (Department of Educational Foundations) Music Education (Music Department, College of Arts and Letters) Accelerated Certification & Alternate Route Certification	College of Science and Engineering Biological Sciences Chemistry Geosciences Mathematics Physics Civil and Environmental Engineering Electrical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Computer Science Nuclear Engineering Health Physics
Division of Health Professions College of Pharmacy Doctor of Pharmacy Non-Traditional Doctor of Pharmacy Pharmaceutical and Social/Administrative Sciences School of Health Professions Clinical Laboratory Sciences Counseling Health and Nutrition Sciences Health Care Administration Radiographic Science School of Nursing Office of Medical and Oral Health Dental Hygiene Dental Sciences Family Medicine Physician Assistant School of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences Communication Sciences and Disorders and Education of the Deaf Physical and Occupational Therapy Institute of Rural Health Studies	College of Technology Aircraft Maintenance Technology Automotive Collision Repair & Refinishing Technology Automotive Technology Bachelor of Science Health Science Bachelor of Applied Technology Business Technology Civil Engineering Technology Computer Aided Design Drafting Technology Computerized Machining Technology Cosmetology Diesel/On-Site Power Generation Technology Early Childhood Care and Education Emergency Management Energy Systems Electrical Engineering Technology Energy Systems Instrumentation and Control Engineering Technology Energy Systems Mechanical Engineering Technology Energy Systems Wind Engineering Technology Fire Services Administration Geomatics Technology Health Information Technology Human Resource Training and Development Human Simulation and Patient Safety Labs Information Technology Systems Instrumentation and Automation Engineering Technology Law Enforcement Massage Therapy Medical Assisting Paralegal Studies Physical Therapist Assistant Practical Nursing Registered Nurse Respiratory Therapy Robotics and Communications Systems Engineering Technology Technical General Education Welding

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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 (36 credits) and elective credits (the amount needed to equal 120 credits). Students may wish to "minor" in a discipline that is different or complementary to their "major." A student may not earn a "minor" minor without earning a "major." A "minor" is a set of courses in a secondary area that a student will have some level of expertise in after completing the required curriculum (18 credits minimum). Structuring electives into a "minor" is encouraged, though a minor is not required.

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.

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