Academic Advising

University of Richmond professors are committed to undergraduate students. Prospective students will hear Richmond professors talk about being devoted to both teaching and research, which is true. What many of them don’t mention—perhaps because it’s such a natural part of academic life at Richmond—is that they’re equally devoted to advising undergraduate students.

During the summer before you arrive at Richmond, you’ll be assigned an academic advisor. Staff in the Academic Advising Resource Center work hard to personally assign each student a professor or staff member with whom they believe you will be able to build a meaningful connection. If you tell us you’re interested in English, for instance, you may find that your adviser is an English professor. If you’re still unsure about what you’re interested in studying, you’ll be paired with someone who shares some of your general interests.

Your adviser will work with throughout your first year on campus and beyond, helping you plan your course schedule and narrow your academic interests. Once you declare a major, typically during the second year, you will begin working with a new adviser in your academic discipline.

The Academic Advising Resource Center also employs a large number of peer advisers who will reach out to you during the summer before you begin your first year. Your peer adviser will help walk you through the summer registration process and can answer questions related to academics or student life. As soon as you decide to accept the University’s offer of admission, it’s also important to begin checking the University’s new-student Web site, newspiders.richmond.edu, which has the latest information on deadlines, registration, and orientation.