Overview

FAQs

Advisor

How would seeing an advisor benefit me?
Students are strongly cautioned against self-advising and/or peer advising during their academic career at the University of South Florida. The DegreeWorks report is sometimes difficult to read and there are requirements that are not always clear to students. Related to the major, there is a sequence of classes that are recommended to students and customized depending upon individual strengths and weaknesses. Outside the major, we also have classes that we can recommend to you that social science students tend to perform better in.
How often should I speak with my advisor?
You may feel free to meet with an advisor as often as you wish, however, we recommend meeting with an advisor at least once a semester and prior to registration to ensure good academic progress and completion of your degree within 4 years. We encourage students to make appointments prior to peak times (two weeks prior to registration and throughout add/drop week).

How can I late add a course?
If you are trying to add a course after the free drop/add week, you must first get permission from the instructor for that class. If they will allow you to late add, you must get an ARC petition from your academic advisor. You must have the instructor complete the Instructor Statement and then you must complete the ARC petition and bring to advising in the department where the class is located and they will stamp over your signature on the petition. This petition is then submitted back to MHC 1143 for committee review. In the Department of Criminology, the ONLY person who can stamp these petitions for late adds for criminology classes is your academic advisor.
How do I avoid being charged with a $100 late registration fee?
You must register for at least ONE class prior to the first day of classes for each term (typically the Friday before the beginning of the semester at 5pm EST). If you are not registered for one class at all times, you will be assessed a $100 late registration fee in addition to any tuition. You can switch, add, or drop courses anytime during drop/add week without penalty as long as you are actively registered in at least one course.

How do I declare or change to the criminology major or minor?
Current students who wish to declare or change to the criminology major must first meet with an academic advisor to determine eligibility for the major. Current students must have completed at least one semester at USF and have at least a 2.0 USF GPA to be eligible to request to change to the major. To declare or change to a major within the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences (CBCS) you can go online to the CBCS website: https://www.usf.edu/cbcs/undergraduate/forms.aspx

Where do I go to apply for graduation?
Complete your graduation application online through your OASIS account.
When do I apply for graduation?
Applications are accepted during the four weeks of the term the student will be completing all degree requirements.
What is a graduation intent form?
The graduation intent form, submitted two semesters prior to intended graduation, allows your criminology academic advisors assist you in ensuring on-time graduation. You can access and submit the form here: http://intra.cbcs.usf.edu/Forms/criminology/gradIntent.cfm
Can I participate in the ceremony even though I have courses remaining?
You can participate in the ceremony with 9 hrs remaining to complete your degree
If I miss the deadline, can I still apply?
If you miss the deadline then you will be able to complete an application and pay the $50 late fee until two weeks prior to the end of the semester.
If I apply for graduation and get denied do I need to apply again?
Yes you need to apply for graduation in the semester you will actually complete all degree requirements. You can still participate in the ceremony if you will be denied graduation.