Academic Services

Your first year at a liberal arts university is a chance to explore exciting new subjects and to delve deeper into areas in which you already held an interest in high school. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and enter Brandeis with a spirit of excitement and exploration.

Advising for New Students

Sophomore year is a time for continued exploration. As a sophomore, stay open and do not be afraid to try new courses/departments. If you are able to do this, you will find this year to be both exciting and filled with opportunities that did not come up during your first year.

• While you may feel like everyone around you knows exactly what they want to study, in fact the majority are still exploring. Therefore, keep your options open. Your first semester is an opportunity to continue to try out other academic areas while reflecting on the courses you have already taken. This will undoubtedly help you to figure out your area of interest.

• Sophomore year is a great time to investigate fellowship opportunities. In this second year of university coursework, you are discovering more about your own academic interests, as well as how different fields of study interact with each other.

• Continue to explore your options by attending sophomore-specific academic planning events, as well as departmental open houses, Hiatt Career Center workshops and study abroad information sessions.

• Connect and consult with various advisors on campus such as your academic advisor, Undergraduate Advising Heads and Undergraduate Departmental Representatives.

• A hands-on summer internship, an idea for an independent study and/or fellowship, or an amazing semester or year studying abroad at one of Brandeis’ over 250 approved programs can all couple nicely together.

As a junior, you start out your year with a major and have the freedom to focus more specifically on your chosen field of study as well as continue to pursue other areas of interest.

• Along with over 40% of the junior class, you may choose to spend a semester or an entire academic year studying abroad in one of the over 250 programs offered through our Study Abroad Office.

• Juniors who do not study abroad will find this year an excellent time to work with the Hiatt Career Center to explore career options through internships, volunteer work or part-time employment.

• If you are thinking of writing an honors thesis in your senior year, this is the time to begin planning. Explore topic ideas, talk with professors in your major field to see who shares your interest in possible topics, visit science labs to discover what research is currently being done and who has openings for students.

• Junior year is an ideal time to investigate fellowship opportunities. In this third year of university coursework, you know much more your own academic interests, as well as how different fields of study interact with each other. Keep exploring! And remain open to discovering some unexpected academic interests all the way through your years as a student.

• As as a junior, the majority of your academic advising will be provided by your major and, if applicable, minor advisors. These advisors can provide important insights into your field(s) of study.

• Equally important is that you begin to check your degree progress in Workday to ensure that all of your university requirements are being met. By the end of your junior year, you want to make sure that most, if not all, of your university requirements have been completed and that you are on track for graduation.

The senior year is often the busiest year, but also the most exciting, as students are completing their majors, writing theses, getting a taste of the working world via internships or student teaching, and applying to graduate schools or looking for jobs. As a senior, you will have several sources of advice: your major/minor advisor(s), your academic advisor and the Hiatt Career Center.

• When thinking about advising in this year, you want to think about two areas: major/minor requirements and degree requirements. Now is the time for you to double check with your department and your Workday audit to make sure that you can graduate.

• Senior year is one of the most significant times for exploring fellowship opportunities. In this last year of university coursework, you probably have a strong sense of where you want your undergraduate work to take you, whether it's out into the first phase of your career or on to graduate school.

• Think about what you want to do after graduation. Do you want to look for a job or apply directly to graduate or professional school? Maybe you would like to take some time off and travel, or do volunteer work. Whatever decision you make, a significant part of your time this year will be devoted to preparing for “life after Brandeis.” Your decision may also affect which courses you choose or how heavy a course load you take each semester.

• Networking is an important factor in most successful job searches and the Hiatt Career Center is a “must visit” for assistance with resume preparation and the job search itself. They can also help to connect you with Brandeis alumni in your chosen field who may be helpful to you in your job search.

• Your faculty advisor is an invaluable contact for information about graduate programs in your major field.