Design and Merchandising Advising
Welcome to the Design and Merchandising Advising web site! Advising is an important piece that contributes to each undergraduate student’s achievement in the Department of Design and Merchandising at Colorado State University. The purpose of advising is to allow each student to engage in his or her undergraduate program of study while understanding and fulfilling requirements towards graduation. The department takes advising very seriously, and it is our goal to help you make a successful transition to Colorado State University. Throughout your relationship with your advisor, we will support and encourage your academics by developing strategies that will help you to achieve educational, personal and career goals during your undergraduate experience. We hope that you find this web site useful and are able to answer some of your questions before coming to campus and while you are at CSU.
The Department of Design and Merchandising has two Undergraduate majors: 1.) Apparel and Merchandising and 2.) Interior Design; and one Minor, Merchandising. The Apparel and Merchandising major has two concentrations; Apparel Design and Production, and Merchandising. Upon completion of university degree requirements, students in the Department of Design and Merchandising receive a Bachelor’s of Science in either Apparel and Merchandising or Interior Design.
As the Coordinator of Advising for undergraduate students in Design and Merchandising, I look forward to building a relationship with you and welcome you to our beautiful campus.
Kendra Allen
Coordinator of Advising
kjallen@cahs.colostate.edu
How do I find out who my advisor is?
How do I contact my advisor?
How do I make an appointment with my advisor?
When can I start registering for classes?
Will I be notified about the time to register for classes?
How do I get my Advising Code?
How can I change my major?
How can I add Merchandising as a Minor?
Where can I pick up forms for my appointment?
Where can I select a course for an All University Core Curriculum (AUCC) requirement?
Where can I find a list of Elective courses from which to choose?
What is an override?
How do I register for variable credit courses?
What is a credit overload?
How do I make a request for a course substitution or waiver?
What is an internship and when do I take it?
How do I find out who my advisor is? (return to top)
If you are new to campus and have not taken any courses at CSU, please come in to the Design and Merchandising main office to complete paperwork and receive an Academic Advisor. The main office is located in 150 Aylesworth SE.
Returning Design and Merchandising students who have completed courses in either Apparel and Merchandising or Interior Design and have declared one of these programs as a major, please contact the main office to be reminded of your advisor.
Merchandising Minors, please contact the main office if you have forgotten who your advisor is.
How do I contact my advisor? (return to top)
You should make an appointment with your advisor so that he or she is prepared with your student file and/or academic history for your appointment. During peak advising times, advisors and faculty members are extremely busy and may take some time to respond to your questions. Please help yourself to the appointment sign up sheet and familiarize yourself with the location of your advisor’s office. All advisors in the department post a sign-up sheet outside of their office for students to sign up for advising appointments.
For a list of contact information, please click here.
How do I make an appointment with my advisor? (return to top)
Become familiar with your advisor’s office hours. Each advisor will post a sign-up sheet outside his or her office for appointments. Please stop by your advisor's office to sign-up for an appointment rather than calling or emailing an appointment request.
When can I start registering for classes? (return to top)
Registration for Fall and Spring terms generally opens about 10 weeks into the semester. Registration appointment times are assigned by the Registrar’s Office based on your total number of completed credits. Graduate students and students with Senior level credit status generally register first, followed by Juniors, Sophomores, Freshman, Transfer students, and new admits. Please check RamWeb for your individual registration appointment time and plan to make an appointment with your advisor approximately two weeks prior to your registration time. During peak advising time, appointments fill up quickly.
Will I be notified about the time to register for classes? (return to top)
Yes, email is an important piece of our communication with you. The department sends out an email to all students letting them know when pre-registration advising is beginning. We strongly encourage you to check your CSU eID email on a regular basis so that you do not miss out on important messages and exciting opportunities.
How do I get my Advising Code? (return to top)
Advising Codes are given to Design and Merchandising students after advising has been completed for the Fall or Spring term. Please make an appointment with your advisor in a timely manner so that you are able to register at the beginning of your assigned registration appointment time. Advising Codes are not given over the phone in lieu of advising. You will need to come by the main office AFTER your advising appointment to receive your advising code. Bring your copy of your advising appointment notes with you.
How can I change my major? (return to top)
Changing into Apparel and Merchandising or Interior Design:
The first step to changing your major into a Design and Merchandising major is to stop by the main department office, 150 Aylesworth SE, to complete the required paperwork and pick up a current check-sheet.
Note: Changing majors into Apparel and Merchandising, Interior Design, or Merchandising Minors will NOT be allowed during the following dates:
March 26, 2007-April 30, 2007
Changing out of Apparel and Merchandising or Interior Design:
Contact the department of the major that you wish to change into to understand their major change process.
How can I add Merchandising as a Minor? (return to top)
Adding a Merchandising Minor is easy. Stop by the main department office, 150 Aylesworth SE, to complete the required paperwork and pick up a current check-sheet. Note that additional coursework beyond courses on the check-sheet, may be required in order to complete the Merchandising Minor. We encourage you to meet with your advisor on a regular basis so that careful planning of regular coursework and elective coursework is complete.
Where can I pick up forms for my appointment? (return to top)
Apparel and Merchandising and Interior Design Check-sheets are located outside of the department main office, 150 Aylesworth SE and in the center hallway of the 3rd floor of Gifford Hall . Please bring an up to date check-sheet filled in with your completed coursework to all of your advising appointments.
Override, Credit Overload, Substitution & Waivers, Independent & Group Study, and Supervised College Teaching forms are available inside the main department office, 150 Aylesworth SE.
Where can I select a course for an All University Core Curriculum (AUCC) requirement? (return to top)
When reviewing the current check-sheet for your major, pay close attention to courses indicated with an AUCC category identification. If the name of the category is listed with a line, you are free to choose any course in the category indicated on the check-sheet. In some cases, your major may require a specific course in a core category. If you are not sure if a specific course is required, please ask!
(AUCC General Catalog click here)
Where can I find a list of Elective courses from which to choose? (return to top)
Elective courses provide you with an opportunity to take a selection of courses based on your interests and/or career goals. Elective coursework notations on the check-sheet are credits that you can take towards a Minor, interdisciplinary study, or courses of interest to you. The idea of Elective coursework is to give you flexibility within your graduation requirements to master information in additional areas outside of your major area of study. You may want to take course to complete a minor. Examples of great Minors to pair with Design and Merchandising degrees are: Business, Construction Management, a foreign language, and Merchandising (for interior Design students only).
The best resource for selecting an Elective course is the General Catalog. Here you will find course descriptions and/or specific course and prerequisite requirements. Upper Division Elective notations indicate a 300 or 400 level course.
(General Catalog click here)
What is an Override? (return to top)
“When a course has reached the formal enrollment limit, the instructor, on occasion, may give special permission for a student to register in the course. Students receive a copy of the override form from the department that offers the course.” General Catalog, 2006-2007, pg. 45. Override forms can be obtained in the Design and Merchandising main office, 150 Aylesworth SE.
Please note that the administrative process for entering overrides is changing with the adoption of the new university ARIES system effective Fall 2007. Consult the instructor or an administrative assistant associated with the department directly to determine where to turn the override form in.
How do I register for variable credit courses? (return to top)
Variable Credit courses offered to Apparel and Merchandising and Interior Design students are courses that are identified by the department to have varying credit minimum and maximum limits. Examples of Variable Credit courses are Independent Study, Group Study, Supervised College Teaching and Thesis (Thesis credits are for Master’s degree students). Courses that are variable in credit require the student to devise a contract with a faculty member who will develop course content including learning objectives, schedule of assignments, and method of grading. Registering for Variable Credit courses is completed after the student and instructor of the course have finished the contract of work including all departmental signatures of approval. Variable Credit forms can be obtained in the Design and Merchandising main office, 150 Aylesworth SE.
Once you are approved to register for a Variable Credit course, you will register yourself through the university registration system. The registration system will ask for the CRN (course registration number) and then ask for the number of credits that you are completing for the course. Please refer directly to the Variable Credit form for the assigned number of credits. Typically Variable Credit courses are 1-3 credits, although the internship course for Apparel and Merchandising students is a minimum of 12 credits.
What is an Overload? (return to top)
Undergraduate students who wish to register for more than 18 credits per term must have an overload approved by their adviser and department head, by using an overload form at http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Registrar/Credit%20Overload.pdf.
Note: Effective Fall 2007, Overload requests will be transmitted electronically. Please check with your academic advisor and/or the Design and Merchandising main office for approval.
How do I make a request for a course substitution or waiver? (return to top)
Requests for substitution or waivers of courses are made directly through your advisor. Courses with similar or duplicate content taken from a prior higher education institution can be substituted or waived on a case by case basis after consulting with your academic advisor. If you are requesting a substitution or waiver of a course, please bring supporting documentation with you to your appointment with your advisor. Documentation includes the syllabus used for the course at the time you took the class. Assignments and work from the course will help the advisor identify whether or not the content is sufficient. In the case of requesting a substitution of a university core requirement, your academic advisor will direct you to the Transfer Evaluation office for guidance (100A Administration Annex). Departmental substitution waiver forms are located in the main Design and Merchandising office, 150 Aylesworth SE.
Please note that substitution and waiver requests require multiple steps for approval within the department of Design and Merchandising. Your advisor will help you to facilitate the steps; however, the final departmental approval is held at the discretion of the department chair.
What is an internship and when do I take it? (return to top)
An internship is required for both Apparel and Merchandising and Interior Design students as part of the graduation requirements in each program. In order for students to complete an internship, a Pre-Internship Seminar course (DM 492) must be completed the semester prior to enrolling for the internship experience. Apparel and Merchandising students usually do their internships during the final Spring or Summer term. Interior Design students take part in internships after the Fall semester of the Junior year. Students who are eligible for internships must meet the following prerequisite requirements established by each program area in the department:
Students who do not meet prerequisite requirements are not eligible for internship credit at that time and should consult with a faculty advisor. The department recognizes that there are many work experiences available to students. We encourage students to take advantage of work experience; however, we will not be able to award internship credit for these experiences prior to the student meeting the prerequisite requirement of the formal internship placement course (DM 487AV, DM 487BV, and INTD 487V).
Reference:
Colorado State University, General Catalog 2006-2007