1. Department of Accounting
  2. Accounting Academics
  3. Advising

Advising

Your academic advisor helps you plan your path through the accounting degree, from choosing classes to internships, the CPA exam, and your career. 

Advising is an important part of staying on track to complete your curriculum.

Your advisor can also be a mentor and guide throughout your time here at UL Lafayette and after you've graduated.

You'll need to meet with your advisor every semester before you can register for classes. The process can vary slightly for each major, so make sure to check out your school's advising information.

New first-year, transfer, and re-entry students: First-year students going through orientation, transfer students, and re-entry students follow a separate advising process for their first semester. Learn more about transfer advising and re-entry advising from the Academic Success Center.

Thinking about changing your major? Talk with a counselor in the Academic Success Center before your advising appointment.

Preparing for Advising

Every student is assigned an academic advisor who knows your degree requirements and serves as your main contact for academic questions while you're at UL Lafayette.

  1. Log into ULink, find the "My Academics" card, click the "Meet with Your Advisor" option.
  2. Follow the instructions on the "Meet with Your Advisor" page to find your advisor's name in your student profile in Banner.

If you don't have an advisor assigned, contact the Academic Success Center or call the Department of Accounting at (337) 482-6218 or email accounting@louisiana.edu.

Advising takes place each semester during a two-week period before registration opens for the next term. The academic calendar lists the exact dates.

Contact your advisor before the advising period begins. Advisors handle scheduling differently — some use email or online sign-up, some post a sign-up sheet on their office door, and some hold group sessions — so check with your advisor or the department well ahead of the advising period.

Advising and registration: You are required to meet with your advisor every semester. Your advisor lifts your advising hold after your session, and the hold must be lifted before you can register for classes. 

In your session, you and your advisor will typically:

  • Review your progress toward your degree using Degree Works
  • Choose courses for your next semester, with backup options if a class is full
  • Talk through any current classes you're concerned about, especially if they affect prerequisites
  • Talk about your interests, career ambitions, and extracurricular activities, including internships, career paths, graduate study, and CPA licensure
  • Lift your advising hold so you can register

Your advisor may meet with you in person, online, or in a group, depending on the semester and their availability.

  1. Check the calendar. Find your advising dates on the academic calendar.
  2. Schedule early. Contact your advisor before the advising period starts.
  3. Review your degree audit. Open your Degree Works audit to see what you've completed and what's left.
  4. Know your requirements. Review your degree plan on Curriculum & Catalogs.
  5. Build a course list. Choose 5–7 courses you'd like to take, plus alternates.
  6. Write down your questions. These can be about your progress, career plans, or balancing school with work and activities.
  7. Arrive on time. For virtual sessions, join a few minutes early.

For the university's full checklist, see How to Prepare for Advising from the Academic Success Center.

  • Something to take notes with
  • Your student ID or ULID
  • Your Degree Works audit, on your device or printed
  • Your list of preferred and backup courses
  • Your questions

  • Am I on track to graduate when I planned?
  • Which courses should I take together this semester, and which should I space out?
  • How should I plan for the 150 credit hours required for CPA licensure in Louisiana?
  • Which internships and student organizations fit my goals?
  • Should I consider the online Master of Science in Accounting or the Business Law Concentration?
  • What are my options if a class I need is full? (Use the wait list if one is offered, or contact the department that teaches the course.)

Find your Advising Office