Attention First-Year Students!

You have a great, once in your college career opportunity to work closely with a tenure/tenure track faculty member and boost your credit count next semester!  Faculty First Year Seminars (FFYS) offer you direct access to distinguished UMass faculty members and a chance to work with these faculty on a subject they are passionate about.  An FFYS is a great chance to make a large campus feel much smaller and to help you establish a close relationship with a faculty member on campus.  If you have space in your schedule, check out the FFYS offerrings for spring 2010.


Find something you like?  You can add the course right from Spire!  Space is limited as some seats are being reserved for freshmen arriving during January orientation, so if you see something you like, don't hesitate!  Also, if you have already taken a FFYS this fall, please do not enroll in another this spring.

Five College Interchange, pre-registration has begun!

Have you heard of Five College Interchange?  Did you know as a UMass student you are eligible to take courses at Smith, Mount Holyoke, Amherst, and Hampshire Colleges for UMass credit?

Don't miss your chance to take advantage of this GREAT academic opportunity!  The Five College Interchange pre-registration period began today.  This pre-registration period is the same for all UMass students, regardless of class year, and is separate from your Spire Enrollment Appointment!  As long as you're going to be at least a second semester freshman in good academic standing you can submit a Five College Enrollment Request between now and November 20th (if you miss this date, you'll have to wait until Add/Drop). 

Think you're interested?  Browse the five college course catalog to check out course offerings.  The registration procedure for five college courses is very different from your regular UMass enrollment process, so once you find the course(s) you want, make sure to read through these DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS carefully.  If you have questions, stop by the Five College Interchange Office in 614 Goodell Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30.

Pre-Registration is underway...

Avoid registrations delays by checking for Holds today! Registration Holds may be issued by the Bursar, Health Services, your Academic Dean, and other offices on campus that need you to do something with them before you're allowed to register for Spring 2010 classes. Often these Holds require you to gather or complete documentation, visit the office in question, have an appointment, etc. It can take a few days (or more) to have such Holds lifted, so starting the process now will ensure you can actually register for classes when your Enrollment Appointment comes up!

Not sure if you have a Hold? Click here for helpful Registration information, including step-by-step instructions and visual examples of how to check for Holds!

Interested in taking a course over winter break?

Enrollment for winter session courses has begun!  You can view a list of available undergraduate courses here.

Winter session runs from December 21st through January 16th.  This is a little earlier than years passed, so keep this time frame in mind as you make plans to head home for the holiday season.  Also, most of the courses offered are taught online, which is a very different experience than in-person classes.  Be sure to plan ahead and stay on top of your workload if you choose to take an online course this winter!

If you have any concerns about how to do this, visit an advisor before you register.  If you're ready to enroll, click here.  The deadline for Adding/Dropping a winter session course is December 23rd.

Want to get away?

As a UMass student, the Domestic Exchange Program gives you access to the National Student Exchange Program with over 180 colleges and universities in the 48 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.  Through a domestic exchange you can take advantage of the opportunity broaden your undergraduate experience by spending a semester or a full year at another institution!

Sound like a great idea?  Just make sure you plan ahead: all applications are due March 1st to go on exchange the following academic year (whether for fall, spring, or the whole year).

Check out an information session to learn more about where you can go, what you need to do before you go, and to receive an application.  Info sessions are underway 

Tuesdays and Wednesday from 4:45-5:30, from now through early December, in 614 Goodell. 

You can also visit the Domestic Exchange website for more information.

Explore Your Future...

Still undecided about a major?  Curious about minors or certificate programs?  Thinking of studying abroad, going on domestic exchange, taking a five college course, or finding an internship?  If you answered "yes" to any or all of these questions than Undergraduate Advising has an event for you!

The annual Majors Fair is being held Wednesday October 28th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Campus Center Auditorium.  The Fair offers you a chance to talk to representatives from nearly all academic departments on campus and many other support services and co-curricular opportunities as well.

For more information and tips of how to prepare for this great networking and information gathering experience, check out the Majors Fair website.  This is an opportunity you don't want to miss!

Get Connected at the Academic Advising Link

The Academic Advising Link is a service desk in the library's  Learning Commons designed to help both declared and undeclared students with quick advising questions.  So, if you're still looking for scheduling help or Spire navigation assistance as we near the end of the first week of classes, stop by the Link for assistance.
The Link is staffed SUNDAY-THURSDAY from 4-8pm.  While other offices are closed, we're here to keep you connected!

Don't Forget the Link!

Need help with SPIRE?   Finding Gen Ed courses?  Understanding requirements, rules, and regulations? 

The Academic Advising Link (AAL), located in the Garden Level of the Learning Commons at DuBois, is a great place to go for general academic advise and for direction to offices and resources that could help you out. 

Drop by -

• Sunday 3:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.
• Monday - Wednesday 2:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.
• Thursday 2:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.

Or email the AAL at: advisinglink@acad.umass.edu

Writing Program Placement Test

Remember, to register for English Writing 112 you need to take the Writing Placement Test! 


The next test will be offered on SOON, on Thursday, April 16th at 7 pm in 224 Herter Hall. There is not another test scheduled yet, so make sure you go to this one!

Pre-Register for Five-College courses

Did you know that as a UMass student you can take courses at Hampshire, Amherst, Smith, or Mount Holyoke as well?  It's called the Five-College Interchange Program.  Pre-registration for Fall courses at any of the other four colleges ends April 17th, regardless of when your UMass enrollment begins.  Check out the five-college course catalog or visit the Interchange Office in 614 Goodell for more information!

Spend Some Time with SPIRE!

As your enrollment appointment nears, explore all the offerings for next semester. Remember that you are the final decision maker when it comes to choosing your classes. Whatever you hear from advisors, friends and parents, it is up to you to make the decisions about which courses you will take and when.

So, how much time should you spend looking at which classes are being offered?

We say, “Lots.” Just an hour of glancing through the offerings of as many different departments as you possibly can, using the course title keyword search, or searching by general education requirement can reveal countless options you never would have thought of.

Don’t be afraid of those yellow restriction warnings either; many of them will not keep you from enrolling in the class, depending on your individual situation. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to come in and see an advisor.

You’re going to have to spend a whole semester taking these classes; you might as well spend an hour or two exploring the possibilities!