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Advising Cheat Sheet 2025-2026

Requirements for Graduation

  1. 32 units of credit (for the most part, 1 course = 1 unit, there are also 0.5 unit courses and a few 1.5 unit courses)
  2. First-Year Writing Seminar, Quantitative Analysis, and Foreign Language Proficiency
  3. Major or Concentration (typically 10.5-11 units)
  4. At least 16 units outside major department/program, at least 8 units outside major division

Curricular Divisions

  • Arts: Art, Dance, Drama, English, Film, Music, Phys Ed
  • Foreign Languages/Literature: Arabic, Chinese, French and Francophone Studies, German Studies,  Greek and Roman Studies, Hebrew, Hispanic Studies, Italian, Japanese, Russian Studies
  • Social Sciences: Anthropology, Economics, Education, Geography, History,Philosophy, Political Science, Religion, Sociology
  • Natural Sciences: Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Cognitive Science,Computer Science, Earth Science, Mathematics/Statistics, Physics, Psychological Science
  • Interdepartmental and Multidisciplinary Programs

Course Load

Minimum course load is 3.5 units, maximum is 4.5 units. Students may request overloads (>4.5) by petitioning the Committee on Leaves and Privileges. First-semester, first-year students can’t overload. Underloads (<3.5) are granted only in special circumstances.

Important Dates for the Fall

  • Add deadline: September 9
  • Last day to drop: October 10 (one week before fall break)
  • NRO deadline/course withdrawal deadline: November 7
  • Preregistration for spring courses: November 10-21

Dean of Studies Office/Dean of First-Year Students Office

(located in Main Building N-128, next to the Registrar’s Office)

If a student is struggling in your class or goes missing and has not dropped the course, send an Academic Report Card (ARC) to me or the appropriate class advisor. Give as many details as possible. 

Email dos@vassar.edu or call us at x5525 if you don’t have the student’s class year handy. 

If you are concerned about a student’s behavior beyond academics, file an SSN, Concerned about a Student report with the Dean of Studies.

Key Online Resources