Advising
BASW Advising
Preparing for Your Advising Appointment
Advising Philosophy & Purpose
Advising is a collaborative, student-centered process designed to support your growth, development, and preparation for ethical and competent professional social work practice. Together, we will co-create a plan for your education that empowers you to take ownership of your learning, reflect on your identity and values, and prepare for ethical and competent professional social work practice.
Advisors are here to support you, but your success depends on your initiative and engagement. This is your education—own it!
Your advisor will not make decisions for you, but will provide accurate information, explore options with you, and help you navigate your choices. We empower you to be responsible for your academic journey, and you have our full support along the way!
What Is Academic Advising?
Academic advising is a dynamic process where you work with a professional advisor to:
- Understand your degree requirements
- Explore career and academic pathways
- Connect with campus resources
- Set personal, academic, and professional goals
- Make informed decisions about your education
Purpose of Meetings
- Advising meetings are designed to provide
- Academic or personal challenges
- Career, internship, or grad school questions
- Changing majors or minors
- To celebrate successes!
When to Contact Your Advisor
- When planning your class schedule or making schedule changes
- When you encounter academic difficulties or personal challenges impacting academics, class attendance, enrollment, or internship
- To explore career, internship, or graduate school opportunities
- If you are considering changing majors or minors
- When you have questions about academic policies or degree requirements
- To celebrate successes or milestones!
Expected Outcomes
As a result of advising, you’ll be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of your BASW degree requirements
- Develop and regularly update plans to reach your academic and career goals
- Use campus and community resources to support your success
- Practice professional communication in advising and academic contexts
- Reflect on your identity, values, and goals as a developing social work professional
- Articulate the connection between coursework and social work practice
- Identify areas for growth and self-advocacy
Schedule an Appointment / Meet Your Advisors
How to Schedule
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- Log in at student.msu.edu
- Go to Academic Progress → Advising/Tutoring Appointments → Create New Appointment
- Select: Advising → College of Social Science Advising → Social Work
- Select Jamie Griggs as the advisor, and then your selected date, and time.
- Review all appointment information, including any advisor notes, and click Book it! at the bottom of the page. Please include detailed information regarding your appointment. Without this information your appointment may be rescheduled.
A Note on Scheduling: Advisors post available times at least 2 weeks in advance. If the schedule is full, that means appointments are full for the week or date you are looking at.
Please click – “see next” to see the next set of open appointments. You will need to schedule your appointment a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the appointment. If you are unable to make your appointment, please cancel it. This will allow another student to use the time slot.
Meet Your Advisors
- Jamie Griggs, Lead Academic Advisor - major exploration, social work majors (all levels), admissions questions, scheduling/course selection.
- Monaca Eaton, Program Director - Professional development, finding your path in SW, applying to graduate schools, job searching, program questions/concerns, student groups, research and honors college support, waivers/exceptions, navigating academic policy, degree conferrals. Book virtual time with BASW Program Director Monaca Eaton for in person meetings (Baker Hall) please email.
Academic Planning Resources
We have created important resources to support your academic journey to become a professional social worker.
Selecting Courses for your Degree
- Academic Planning Sheet – BASW Degree Requirements
- Suggested Electives for BASW Students by Practice Interest Area
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Timeframe |
Student Responsibilities |
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Before Semester |
- Review degree requirements and update graduation plan. - Set academic and professional goals. - Finalize your course schedule; check SIS for holds. - Order course materials and calendar key deadlines. |
|
Weeks 1–2 |
- Attend all classes and thoroughly review syllabi. - Introduce yourself to instructors; note office hours. - Make last-minute schedule changes if needed. - Review Registrar deadlines; consult your advisor before making changes. |
|
Weeks 3–4 |
- Visit instructor office hours at least once. - Reflect on workload, study strategies, and course expectations. - Begin using campus resources if needed. - Be aware of the drop deadline (often around Week 4). |
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Weeks 5–6 |
- Evaluate your progress in each class. - Schedule an appointment with your advisor to plan for the next semester. - Explore involvement or professional development opportunities (e.g., study abroad, research). |
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Weeks 7–9 |
- Prepare for midterms and complete major assignments. - Check your SIS enrollment appointment time. - Register for next semester’s classes. - Reassess your time management and seek help if needed. |
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Weeks 10–12 |
- Follow up on academic referrals or concerns. - Visit office hours to review feedback and prepare for final assignments. - Reflect on how coursework aligns with your career goals. |
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Weeks 13–14 |
- Finalize group projects or term papers. - Confirm final exam dates and begin studying. - Continue using academic support resources. - Practice wellness and time management. |
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Finals Week |
- Complete final exams and submit remaining assignments. - Practice academic integrity. - Reflect on your semester and identify successes and areas for growth. - Review final grades and prepare questions for your advisor, if needed. |
Commonly Used MSU Resources
Newsletters
The BASW program emails all pre-sw and admitted sw majors a monthly digital newsletter with academic support, resources, events, professional development and more!
Check out past issues of BASW Connect – A Newsletter of the BASW Program
Major Exploration & Professional Development
Want to learn more about the social work major and profession? Explore our virtual program brochure to learn more about professional social work and the BASW Program at Michigan State University.
Interested in learning more about careers in social work? Check out 101 Careers in Social Work.