Academic Advising

Bauer Undergraduate Advising

Welcome to the C. T. Bauer College of Business! We have many opportunities such as learning from first-rate faculty, quality academic advising, career development, involvement in student organizations, and student leadership. The Bauer College of Business is committed to ensuring the support you need to be successful in your academic career and beyond.

Advising

The Mission of the Office of Undergraduate Business Programs:

  • To be the destination of first choice for a diverse population of academically talented undergraduate business students;
  • To deliver advising services and solutions that retain and assist our students to graduate in a timely manner and exceed their academic and career goals; and
  • To support academic, leadership, and student development programs so that our graduates become employees of choice for the business community, loyal alumni, and responsible citizens.

Strategic Goals:

  • Recruit a diverse population of motivated, academically talented students.
  • Improve the undergraduate retention rate.
  • Improve the four and six year undergraduate graduation rates.
  • Create opportunities for students to build a sense of community and develop leadership skills.

Bauer College is committed to providing quality professional academic advising services to current and prospective business majors. For a list of undergraduate business academic advisors, populations served, direct contact information, and locations, see: http://www.uh.edu/provost/students/advising/#business.

Additional resources may be found on the Office of the Provost advising website: http://www.uh.edu/provost/students/.

Business hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m except during university holidays. General advising questions are answered via email (bba@uh.edu), phone (713-743-4900), or in person at the front desk in 262 Melcher Hall. Current UH students may make an appointment via the mobile phone app called Navigate (see instructions at: https://www.uh.edu/undergraduate-academic-advising/) or via their "myUH" account. Appointment schedules become available on a daily basis for appointment times in the future (during non-peak times, 30 days in advance; during advising campaigns, peak registration times, and orientation, advance posting may be shorter). Prospective students may email bba@uh.edu to schedule an appointment.

For advising concerns and unresolved issues, students may contact the following:

Name Position Phone Dept. Email Room

Frank W. Kelley

Associate Dean, Undergraduate Business Programs

713-743-4912

Office of Undergraduate Business Programs

fwkelley@uh.edu

MH 223A

Brent Spraggins

Director, Pre-Business

713-743-4903

Office of Undergraduate Business Programs

bspraggins@uh.edu

MH 262A

Asha Thomas

Director, Major Advising

713-743-8963

Office of Undergraduate Business Programs

asha@uh.edu

MH 223D

Joyce Williams

Program Director, Prospective Students

713-743-3908

Office of Undergraduate Business Programs

joycewilliams@uh.edu

MH 262G

Sarah Gnospelius

Administrative Director of Bauer Honors Program

713-743-5205

Office of Undergraduate Business Programs

sjgnospelius@uh.edu

MH 250A

Advising Transactions: Many advising services such as Filing a Degree Plan & Petitions do not require an appointment and are listed on this website.

Email an Advisor: UH Academic Advisor emails are listed at: https://uh.edu/provost/students/advising

Appointments through Navigate: Current UH students interested in business, Pre-business majors, and declared business majors can make an appointment online, by phone, or in-person, through Navigate. For details on how to use Navigate: https://uh.edu/ussc/navigate. Prospective business students who have never taken courses at UH are encouraged to visit our comprehensive prospective student website, which includes step-by-step application guides, downloadable degree plans, transfer equivalency information, mandatory orientation and academic advising information, and more.

Chat with an Advisor with Microsoft Teams: Current UH students can use Teams for quick questions with UH Academic Advisors. In Teams, go to "Chat" and type in your Advisor's name.

How to Download MS Teams:

  • Download MS Teams for your desktop, iOS, or Android, at https://teams.microsoft.com/downloads.
  • Sign in with your Cougarnet ID and password (append @cougarnet.uh.edu after your username).

This "Academic Map Worksheet" is an Excel spreadsheet with templates for Pre-business and each of the seven business majors for the BBA degree. Using Column B, it can be sorted based on the Academic Maps with a recommended sequence of courses for freshman students with no college credit. For students admitted to UH with college credit and/or students taking courses out of sequence for various reasons, sorting by this column allows you to see what courses may be best to register for the following semesters. In some cases, the course sequence may be flexible, but in other cases may be inflexible due to prerequisite sequences (check the Undergraduate Catalog under “Courses” for prerequisites). Students may find this “Academic Map Worksheet” useful in conjunction with the "Planner" and "Scheduler Builder" modules in your student account in selecting and registering for courses.

Steps to Use the "Academic Map Worksheet"

  • Download the template and save a copy (recommended file name: Last-Name_First-Name_ID). This spreadsheet is READ Only, so you must save a copy to enter data.
  • Select the tab for your major or intended major (select Pre-business if not yet decided). The various columns allow for sorting, but when sorting, be sure the entire spreadsheet is highlighted so all the columns sort together.
  • Column A allows you to sort courses based on categories, such as Core, Business Field of Study, and Major courses.
  • Column B allows you to sort courses based on the recommended sequence for freshman students with no college credit using the four-year Academic Map. For students admitted to UH with college credit and/or students taking course out of sequence for various reasons, sorting by this column allows you to see what courses may be best to register for the following semester. Before sorting by this column, students may want to first sort based on Column J (Year), then Column I (Semester).
  • Column C lists the course.
  • Column D has the course titles.
  • Column E indicates the type of requirement that the course meets.
  • Column F indicates the semester credit hours of the course, typically 3 SCH. The B.B.A. degree requires a minimum of 120 SCH.
  • Column G indicates the Core Code number if the course meets a Core requirement.
  • Column H is for the grade if you took it at UH, or how you earned the credit if earned elsewhere. Use the pull-down options in each cell for the following codes:
    • For courses completed at UH, enter the letter grade: A through D-
    • In-progress courses or courses you have registered for the following semester: IP
    • Transfer Credit: TR
    • Advanced Placement: AP
    • International Baccalaureate: IB
    • Future courses not yet registered for or on a Wait List: leave blank
  • Column I is for the Semester you took a course, are currently in it, or plan to take the course in the future (as best you know it now). Use the pull-down options in each cell for the following codes:
    • 1SP = Spring
    • 2SU = Summer
    • 3FA = Fall
  • Column J is for the year you took the course. Use four digits for the year (e.g., 2024, 2025, etc.).
  • Periodically go over your “Academic Map Worksheet” or your “Planner” and “Schedule Builder” with your Academic Advisor for guidance.
  • For accuracy of your academic records, check your Degree Progress Report in your student account.
  • Check to make sure any AP, IB, dual credit, or transfer courses are showing on your student account.
  • Courses that need to be petitioned for specific course credit, use the Transfer Credit Petition e-form.

EVERY YEAR

 

FIRST YEAR

 

SECOND YEAR

  • Complete BUSI 3302 as soon as you meet the prerequisite of ENGL 1301 to explore majors and career options.
  • Explore The Rockwell Career Center at hirebauer.com located in Cemo Hall, 2nd floor.
  • Upload your résumé onto Bauer Career Gateway at hirebauer.com.
  • Research majors relating to your career interests that you are passionate about.
  • Meet with your Pre-business advisor prior to registration for junior level business courses to request a Mixed Program (a one semester transition as students complete freshman-sophomore courses needed to file a degree plan). Update “myPlanner” at https://www.bauer.uh.edu/undergraduate/advising/ and share it with your Pre-business advisor.
  • Request an advising referral to meet with a Major advisor.
  • Meet with your career counselor in The Rockwell Career Center.
  • Attend Internship Mixer.
  • Attend Résumé ER/Round-Up.
  • Attend Volunteer Fair.
  • Attend Career Fair.
  • Explore learning abroad opportunities at uh.edu/learningabroad.
  • Register again to be a mentee for an upper-class student as a mentor through BUMP (Bauer Undergraduate Mentor Program) for College Success at: https://www.bauer.uh.edu/undergraduate/mentor-program/

Note: Transfer Students need to “fast-track” the actions listed for First and Second Year.

THIRD YEAR

  • Consider an internship to gain experience.
  • Consider volunteering to build your résumé.
  • Get involved with a student organization that interests you.
  • Develop your network with past colleagues, friends, family, professors, and employers.
  • Update your resume and schedule an appointment with your career counselor for any concerns or questions.
  • Meet with a major advisor to go over advising tracks and options within the major, and the most appropriate electives or combinations of majors and minors and determine your anticipated graduation date.
  • Update “myPlanner” at https://www.bauer.uh.edu/undergraduate/advising/ based on your intended or declared major and share it with your advisor.
  • Attend Internship Mixer.
  • Attend Résumé ER/Round-Up.
  • Attend Volunteer Fair.
  • Attend Career Fair.
  • Participate in Mock Interview Days.
  • Apply for On-Campus Recruiting position on Bauer Career Gateway.
  • Explore learning abroad opportunities at uh.edu/learningabroad.
  • Register to be a mentor for a Pre-business student through BUMP (Bauer Undergraduate Mentor Program) for College Success at: https://www.bauer.uh.edu/undergraduate/mentor-program/
  • Register to be a mentee for an alum as a mentor through BUMP (Bauer Undergraduate Mentor Program) for Career Success at: https://www.bauer.uh.edu/undergraduate/mentor-program/

 

FOURTH YEAR

  • Continue to research and apply for positions on Bauer Career Gateway.
  • Apply for graduation and complete all requirements as you meet with your academic advisor.
  • Attend Graduation Orientation with UBP.
  • Update your résumé and schedule a mock interview with your career counselor.
  • Participate in Mock Interview Days.
  • Attend Internship Mixer.
  • Attend Résumé ER/Round-Up.
  • Attend Volunteer Fair.
  • Attend Career Fair.
  • Update and continue to build your network. Brand yourself as a recent college graduate.
  • Register to be a mentor for a Pre-business student through BUMP (Bauer Undergraduate Mentor Program) for College Success at: https://www.bauer.uh.edu/undergraduate/mentor-program/
  • Register to be a mentee for an alum as a mentor through BUMP (Bauer Undergraduate Mentor Program) for Career Success at: https://www.bauer.uh.edu/undergraduate/mentor-program/

To qualify for this recognition, undergraduate business students must earn a 3.50 minimum grade point average (the grade of S is not counted) on twelve or more semester hours completed during the semester. Students who earn a grade of I (except in a senior honors thesis course), D, F, or U during the semester are excluded from consideration for the Dean's List. Students are recognized by a letter from the Dean.

Dean's List Reception for Students with a 4.0 Semester GPA

Students on the Dean's List with a 4.0 semester grade point average who have not yet graduated are invited to a dean's reception and receive a certificate of recognition. In order to encourage timely graduation and recognize academic excellence for part-time students, students who have not yet graduated who complete 9 or more hours in each of the previous two regular semesters and 6 or more hours in summer for a total of 24 semester hours with a 4.0 are also invited to the reception and receive a certificate of recognition.

Because effective business writing is critical for academic and career success, Bauer College requires a minimum score (currently a score of 2 out of a possible score of 4 points) on a business writing evaluation (BWE). The BWE is administered as part of a required course, BUSI 3302. The UH Writing Center provides guidelines and an informational video on how to prepare for the BWE through the BUSI 3302 Canvas shell (for a student re-taking or making up the BWE are loaded into a BWE Canvas shell with the same materials and receive email instructions by the second week of the fall or spring semesters after the student takes BUSI 3302). Evaluation of the BWE is provided by the UH Writing Center based on prompts, rubrics, and calibration provided by faculty representatives from each department on the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee in Bauer College.

Students Who Do Not Clear the BWE or did not take the BWE as part of BUSI 3302

Students who need to re-take the BWE or did not take the BWE as part of BUSI 3302 are expected to take the BWE the following fall or spring semester (the BWE is not administered during the summer). Students who meet all degree plan filing requirements except the BWE will be allowed to file, but are expected to re-take it or make it up the following fall or spring semester, when instructions are provided. Failure to re-take or make-up the BWE the following regular (fall or spring) semester may result in a registration hold.

Students re-taking or making up the BWE should prepare by attending two BWE writing consulting sessions with the UH Writing Center. In the first consulting session, students re-taking the BWE have an opportunity to go over their BWE and areas they could improve, along with recommendations for free online resource guides to study. Students re-taking it or making up the BWE would be given a sample topic for a practice paper during that session. In the second follow-up session the writing consultant would go over the practice paper and provide feedback. Students are limited to one administration of the BWE per semester unless in their graduating semester, and a total of three attempts unless approved by the Office of Undergraduate Business Programs. Students in their graduating semester should contact Frank Kelley, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, at fwkelley@uh.edu for a special administration.

Instructions for Re-Taking or Making up the BWE

By the second week of fall or spring classes, students needing to re-take or make-up the BWE will be sent instructions on making an appointment with a writing consultant and will be loaded into a BWE Canvas shell available on their student account, which will have instructions on how to take the BWE, along with additional resources to prepare.

For all other questions, you can contact me at:
Frank Kelley, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Business Programs
713-743-4912; fwkelley@uh.edu

Advisors provide information by appointment only about the requirements and limitations of probation, suspension or CAN status, as well as related support services.  Advisors also provide general advising for course selection and registration, degree audit printing, troubleshooting, and general information.

Students interested in learning abroad may begin their journey by visiting the Learning Abroad "Start Here" website to learn about program options, application processes, and funding resources. Students may check the UH Learning Abroad Office website for their advising service options, and begin conducting research and narrow down program choices. Business students may schedule an online appointment in Navigate (selecting the *Business Learning Abroad option) to discuss courses and the credit petition process.

Accelerated pathway dual degree programs provide academically outstanding students an accelerated pathway to complete an undergraduate and a master's degree in a reduced period of time. Accelerated pathway programs provide undergraduate students permission to take a specified number of master’s level courses as electives toward completion of their bachelor’s degree. The students then apply to the graduate degree program, and if accepted, the previously completed graduate coursework during the senior year is counted as transfer credit toward the completion of the master’s degree. Bauer College accelerated programs include:

For inquiries, contact Asha Thomas, Director of Major Advising, at asha@uh.edu.

Online Services

All currently non-business UH students who wish to switch their major to business must fill out an online form (available during specific time periods each semester) and meet all requirements in order to be officially declared as “Pre-business”.  Approved requests are effective for the semester following application.

All current Pre-business majors who wish to declare their specific major must fill out a degree plan form (available during specific time periods each semester) and meet all requirements in order to be officially declared.  Approved requests are effective for the semester following application.

Current business majors with degree plans on file who wish to make changes to their declaration must fill out a degree plan form (available during specific time periods each semester) for the change to occur. Approved requests are effective for the semester following application.

Business students who wish to graduate in a given semester must meet all requirements to graduate and should consult the online graduation checklist.

Business student veterans in need of required signatures and paperwork related to their VA benefits should email their paperwork to bba@uh.edu Please allow at least 5-10 business days for processing.

Business students in need of required signatures and paperwork related to financial aid or scholarship appeals should email their paperwork to bba@uh.edu. Please allow at least 5-10 business days for processing.

Students requesting a policy exception must fill out a General Petition (at: https://uh.edu/academics/forms) with any other necessary documentation, and email a scanned copy or photo of it to bba@uh.edu. Please allow 5-10 business days for processing.

Independent study courses (called “Special Problems” courses on the General Petition form) are available to juniors and seniors with the approval of the instructor, the department chair and the Office of Undergraduate Business Programs. It is the student’s responsibility to seek a faculty member to help design the independent study course and supervise it. No more than six semester hours of independent study courses may count toward the business administration degree plan; only three of these hours may be in the student’s major. The other three semester hours of independent study course work may count as elective credit.

To take an independent study course, the student must first obtain a General Petition form, complete the form, and have it signed by the faculty member who will be supervising the course and the department chair. The petition must include a description of the course and indicate the term and year in which the study will take place, along with the number of credit hours. Email a scanned copy or photo of the form to bba@uh.edu or turn it into the Office of Undergraduate Business Programs at least five working days prior to the enrollment (registration) or add/drop period of the term in which the course will be taken in order to assign a section number, which is required for enrollment (registration).

International business students who wish to participate in Curricular Practical Training in need of their academic advisor's signature on their form should email their form to bba@uh.edu. Please allow at least 5-10 business days for processing.

Business students who wish to participate in BIP should consult the Rockwell Career Center website for details on the process and required forms. RCC will coordinate with your academic advisor for their approval. An appointment is not required. Please allow 3-5 business days for processing.

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