Advisors, Plan of Study and Degree Works at Langston

One of the biggest misconceptions people make when entering college is believing all academic advisors are aware and readily equipped with the necessary information to make sure you graduate within your preferred timeline. Unfortunately, as a semi-recent graduate myself, I’ve seen one too many students have blind faith in their advisors and live to regret it later down the line.

Now don’t get me wrong, there are many amazing, thoughtful and meticulous advisors on campus, including a handful that are specifically trained to answer all of your general questions and guide you through the academic process. On the main Langston campus, Dr. Kelly O’Bryan, Bobby Fields and Kyle Gregory, are the three University Academic Advisors available to all of Langston University’s students, no matter what year or degree program you are enrolled in. (All three of the mentioned university advisors can be found on the first and second floors of the University Women’s building.)

However, Langston University enrolls between 1,700 and 2,000 students annually, making it nearly impossible for Langston’s three trained advisors to handle each and every student. This is where department advisors step in. 

Unbeknownst to most people, department advisors don’t receive any formal training from the university on how to advise and most importantly how to enroll students in the proper courses for their degree. Most advisors, at least at Langston, were either hand-picked by the department or personally volunteered for the position, ultimately leaving multiple opportunities for mistakes. 

That being said, I would strongly advise getting close and personal with your academic program’s Plan of Study and your personalized Degree Works. 

A Plan of Study (POS) is basically a list, categorized by semester, of all the classes you need to take in order to complete your degree. This is not to be mistaken as the same thing as your Degree Works, which is an online tool you and your advisor will use to track your course progress against the requirements for your four-year program.

Before going any further, there are a few steps to take to find your program’s Plan of Study:

• Go to the Langston University website (you do not have to log into an account);
• Once you are on the LU homepage, look in the top right corner and go to the tab labeled “Academics;”
• Under the academics tab, hover over the word “Programs” and click on the “Undergraduate” tab;
• From there, the website will take you to a new page where you will want to click on “Programs & Degrees;” 
• After clicking on what campus location you are enrolled at, a list of all the Associate and Bachelor’s degree programs will appear; and
• Lastly, select your specific degree program and the link will take you to the “Plan of Study” for your undergraduate program.

Additionally, Scholars students have a completely different POS tailored to meet the specific course requirements to be enrolled in the McCabe Honors Program. This POS will lay out the courses required to graduate within the honors program, but it is up to you and your advisor to customize your individualized plan to adhere to the course requirements of both the honors and undergraduate degree POS. 

• Under the same “Academics” tab mentioned above, hover over the “Special Programs” icon and select Edwin P. McCabe Scholar Program;
• From there, the website will take you to a different page with all of the necessary information for the LU honors program;
• Once you scroll to the bottom of the page, select “Information Documents”; and
• The website will provide you with the honors program’s Plan of Study, the guidelines for honors students, as well as the policy and procedures governing McCabe Scholars. 

(McCabe Students also have extra requirements such as Internship credits and a written thesis project, but we’ll get into that in a different article)

Your plan of study is how you will decide what classes you need to enroll in and when you need to enroll in them. This document will guide you through every semester and every academic credit necessary for you to graduate in a four-year timeline. You should be treating your Plan of Study like it’s rule of law and consistently review your Degree Works portal to make sure the classes you are taking align with your program’s timeline. If you notice any inconsistencies, make an appointment to see your advisor immediately. The worst thing you could do is wait until it’s too late.

Your Degree Works can be accessed through an online student services portal using the following steps: (Need screen recording of steps to portal)

Hopefully, you now have access to your Degree Works and have reviewed the POS for your chosen degree program. Now it is up to you to make sure your advisor is enrolling you in the courses as they are laid out in your POS. If you do not take every class listed on your individualized plan, even if it was an accident, the school cannot ethically and legally allow you to graduate, owing to the State Regents for Higher Education standards. 

Last but definitely not least, build a good relationship with your advisor, because in some instances, your advisor could be what makes or breaks your academic career. These people are here to guide you through what will be one of the hardest and most stressful times of your life, so you want to make sure you stay on their good side and keep away from anything that might hinder your advisor from putting their best foot forward. 

Trust me when I say, even something as little as visiting your advisor during office hours, introducing yourself and having a simple conversation — preferably within the first week of classes — can go a long way in building a mutually beneficial relationship. So take the time and I promise you it will be worth it.

And as a final piece of advice, on the off chance that you are unable to work with your advisor, go to the Chair of your department and they will help you find someone that can meet your needs. All you have to do is ask!