Advising & Academic Planning

Academic advising is a vital support for your college success. An advisor will help ensure you’re taking the courses you need and following the path directly to graduation.  You’ll be assigned a college advisor who will guide you through your academic program by:

• helping you clarify your academic, professional, and personal goals;
• explaining program and university policies;
• advising on classes and how they fit your academic, professional, and personal goals;
• helping you with academic or personal matters;
• making sure you stay on track to graduation. 

Your Student Success Coordinator is a consistent point of support throughout your UC Online experience. They can help you:

• Navigate UC systems, resources, and the online student experience.
• Connect with your Academic Advisor and other university resources.
• Stay informed about important dates, registration, and next steps.
• Work through barriers that may affect your enrollment or progress.

Your Academic Advisor provides guidance specific to your academic program. They can help you:

• Understand program requirements and university policies.
• Review transfer credit and degree requirements.
• Plan courses and create a path toward graduation.
• Make informed academic decisions.

Your Student Success Coordinator and Academic Advisor serve different roles, but they work together to support your success. Your Academic Advisor helps guide your academic path, while your Student Success Coordinator helps you navigate the broader UC Online experience and stay connected along the way.

Keep up to date with the academic calendar to help plan ahead.

The Academic Calendar is your go-to resource for important dates and deadlines throughout the semester. Use it to stay informed about the start and end of classes, university holidays, registration periods, and other key academic dates.

Because deadlines can affect your enrollment and academic progress, we recommend reviewing the calendar at the beginning of each semester and checking it regularly throughout the year. UC provides both semester-specific and full academic-year calendars to help you plan ahead. 

Catalyst is UC’s student information system and the primary place to manage your official student record. You’ll use Catalyst to search for classes, register each semester, review grades, view your schedule, and manage other important academic information.

Because Catalyst contains your official student record, you are responsible for making changes to your schedule and student information. Only you can register for courses, add or drop classes, and make certain updates to your record. Your advisor and Student Success Coordinator can help guide you through the process, but they cannot make these changes on your behalf. 

UC Online students use both Catalyst and Canvas, but each serves a different purpose.

Catalyst is UC’s student information system. Use Catalyst to register for classes and manage information connected to your official academic record.

Canvas is UC’s online learning platform. This is where you will access course materials, assignments, announcements, grades, and other information provided by your instructors.

Easy way to remember:

• Catalyst = registration and your student record
• Canvas = your classes and coursework

Be sure to confirm that you are officially registered for your courses in Catalyst. Seeing a course in Canvas does not necessarily mean you are officially registered for it. 

My Graduation Plan is a degree-planning tool that helps you and your Academic Advisor map out your path to graduation. Use it to view your degree requirements, plan future coursework, and monitor your progress as you move through your program.

You can also use My Graduation Plan to explore degree options, document educational and career goals, and access career-related information. Review your plan regularly with your Academic Advisor to make adjustments and stay on track toward completing your degree. 

Graduation is an exciting milestone—and it requires an official application. When you are nearing completion of your degree requirements, connect with your Academic Advisor to confirm that you are on track and ready to graduate.

All undergraduate and graduate students must apply for graduation online through Catalyst by the deadline for the term in which they plan to graduate. Late applications are not accepted, so be sure to review graduation deadlines and plan ahead.