Academic Advising

A Network of Advisors Invested in Your Success

The E. J. Ourso College of Business offers undergraduate degrees in 10 major disciplines, plus minors and concentrations in additional areas. The Office of Business Student Success (OBSS) Academic Services team members are experts in each degree’s curriculum options and requirements. Working together, we will design an academic plan that meets your needs.

Our open-door policy means any student interested in business can schedule an advising appointment—no need to wait until you are officially enrolled in the college. 

 

Counselor speaks with studnet in her office.

Getting to know you — By learning about your goals, interests, and abilities, we assist in developing your academic plan. We are also here to explain academic rules and policies.

Keeping you on track — We understand the curriculum and can provide helpful details about courses while informing you of essential deadlines during appointments.

Assisting when needed — If things do not go as planned and you experience academic difficulties, we can connect you with tutoring, study groups, and other resources.

Following your lead — Make the most of our services by taking an active role in the process. Online scheduling through Navigate makes it easy to book an appointment. For best results, get help early and often.

Scheduling Academic Advising Appointments

The OBSS offers prescheduled in-person and virtual appointments for academic advising. We occasionally offer drop-in visits during critical times throughout the academic year, for example, at the start of the semester or on the last day to drop courses. Continue reading to learn how to schedule one-on-one time with our team.

Navigate for Appointments

All appointments are scheduled using the Navigate app.

If you do not see an available appointment time, periodically check appointment availability using Navigate as appointment times become available throughout the day. Keep in mind that the appointment schedule may only be viewed up to two weeks out. During peak advising times, we suggest checking Navigate regularly.

During periods of heavy activity, the office may offer virtual drop-in appointments. That information will be posted on this site and shared in the weekly newsletter.

Scheduling Your Appointment

To access virtual and in-person appointments with an academic advisor, please download the most current version of the Navigate app from the App Store or Google Play and follow the steps below. Please observe whether you are scheduling an in-person or virtual appointment; these appointments are not interchangeable, so be sure to select the type you prefer.

Use these steps to schedule your appointment.

  1. What type of appointment would you like to schedule: Academic Advising
  2. Service: Select the appropriate service based on your needs.
  3. Date: Select your desired appointment date.
  4. Click “Find Available Times.”
  5. Select a time within the E. J. Ourso College of Business that works best for you.
  6. Select how you would like to meet: “Virtual” or “In Person.”  If this option is preselected, only one appointment type is available during the selected time. Masks are encouraged and appreciated for in-person appointments.
  7. Would you like to share anything else? Please include your intended major, specific advising needs, and your preferred name and pronouns in the comment box.

Select “Schedule” at the bottom of the screen to finalize your appointment.


Contacting Your Advisor

Students can also reach out to their counselor with questions via email. In addition to the OBSS academic advisors, each department has a dedicated faculty advisor for students pursuing any major, minor, or concentration within that department. Their guidance supplements OBSS services. Faculty advisors help in situations involving credits from another university or a study abroad trip, course substitutions, or the waiver of prerequisites. They can also speak about course requirements and help when you have difficulty with coursework.

Meet the Advisors

Professional Development Appointments

The OBSS Professional Development team is eager to help with topics like career exploration, résumés, cover letters, interview prep, and internship/job searches. They are not able to assist with academic advising needs. To schedule an appointment with our career coach or internship manager, use the Handshake app. 

Learn About Professional Development Services

Get Help Early and Often

You must take an active role in the academic counseling process. Share your plans and passions, and your counselor will provide advice to help you achieve your goals. The counselor’s role is not decision-maker; that’s your job. Instead, they are here to ensure you have the information and guidance necessary to put ideas into action.

Before you schedule an appointment, review some of the Frequently Asked Questions to find the answers you may need.

General Advising Questions

If you are a currently enrolled LSU student, you may schedule an appointment using the Navigate app. Appointments are held in person in the Office of Business Student Success located in Suite 2000 BEC or virtually. You MUST have your LSU ID when you arrive for the appointment. You must show up on time as appointments are held every 30 minutes. If you are not currently enrolled at LSU, please email advisor@lsu.edu for scheduling assistance.

If you are ill and unable to come to class, please contact your course instructor. If you are anticipating a significant absence and/or may not be able to complete the semester, please contact the Office of Business Student Success to speak with your academic counselor as soon as possible.

Requirements and GPA

Students are eligible for admission to the E. J. Ourso College of Business once they have successfully completed the requirement outlined on our college admissions page. Please review these details carefully and reach out to advisor@lsu.edu if you have questions.

No. You must meet the minimum GPA requirement for your major at the time of admission; we do not round up. Each major has a minimum required GPA for the overall, business, and LSU averages. There is no probationary admission.

The number of hours assigned to a course is multiplied by the numerical value of the grade to determine total quality points. The total quality points are then divided by the total number of hours to determine the GPA. Quality points are assigned as follows: A+=4.3, A=4.0, A-=3.7 B+=3.3, B=3.0, B-=2.7 C+=2.3, C=2.0, C-=1.7 D+=1.3, D=1.0, D-=0.7 F=0.

P’s do not compute in your GPA.

W’s do not compute in your GPA. LSU students are limited in the number of courses from which they can withdraw during their academic career. You may check your W status via your myLSU account.

A business deficit is when your GPA in business courses (cumulative or LSU) falls below 2.0. The deficit system works the same as the overall quality point deficit.

If a student has a quality point deficit, their GPA is below the average required to graduate. Students must meet the minimum GPA requirement for their major; each degree program has minimum requirements for the overall, business, and LSU averages.

Registration, Scheduling, & Approvals

In most cases, our academic counselors in the Office of Business Student Success have the signature authority as the dean. You must schedule an appointment with an academic counselor for any issues requiring permission from the dean. Please use your Navigate app to schedule an appointment with an academic counselor.

While there is no guarantee you will get into a full course, the best option is to utilize the Waitlist System. If a course you wish to take does not have seats available at the time of registration, be sure to add your name to the waitlist through the Schedule Request application via myLSU. If a seat becomes available, you will automatically be added to the course, provided the waitlisted course will not result in a time conflict with a course that you have already scheduled. In the case of a time conflict, your spot on the wait list will be skipped.

Students with 45 or more hours may schedule ACCT 3001, FIN 3716, ISDS 3115, MGT 3200, and MKT 3401, provided they meet all prerequisites. Students with less than 60 hours who want to take another upper-level business course must speak to the departmental faculty advisor.

Yes. Students may enroll in MGT 3830 after they have earned 92 hours and met course prerequisites. MGT 3830 is a capstone course intended for students in their senior year.

No. Students are responsible for the prerequisites listed in the most current online LSU General Catalog. Students with questions about prerequisites should contact the department offering the course.

Unfortunately, ECON 2030 is for non-business majors only. Students who earned credit in ECON 2030 and subsequently changed their major to business must earn credit in ECON 2000 with a “C-” or better and ECON 2010.

Not if you are currently enrolled in on-campus courses at LSU. If you are not currently enrolled, you may take up to 12 hours of LSU Online Distance Learning total, of which no more than six hours may apply toward General Education requirements.

Yes. We encourage our students to seek opportunities for real-world learning. Each department has a faculty member assigned to oversee internship opportunities. The job experience must meet specific requirements as set forth by the department. Please check with your departmental advisor for this information before starting an internship.

 

 

Office of Business Student Success

2000 Business Education Complex
501 South Quad Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
(225) 578-3211
advisor@lsu.edu

Office of Business Student SuccessProfessional DevelopmentStudent Life