Wichita State University
Academics and Success Resources
Review the important role academic advising will play in your college experience, and learn about academic success resources available to you.
Advising at Wichita State University is a partnership between advisors and students working together to successfully navigate college by developing strategies for achieving students’ academic, career and personal goals. Learn more at wichita.edu/advising.
Who are advisors?
Advisors at Wichita State work as a community of support for students. We have two primary groups of advisors:
- Academic Advisors
- Specialized Advisors
What do academic advisors do?
- Help students set both short-term and long-term educational and career goals
- Prepare students for graduation by discussing degree requirements and course selection
- Make personalized referrals to appropriate campus resources in support of the student’s academic and personal development
- Provide guidance on university policies, dropping or adding courses, changing colleges, changing majors and other such policies and procedures important to student success
There are three groups that serve as academic advisors:
First-Year Advisors
- Primary contact for first-year (attending WSU straight from high school) students
- Assist students in their first and second semesters for academic advising and enrollment
- Discuss degree options and create Student Education Plan (SEP) for students to begin their path to graduation
- Explain requirements for financial aid
- Help students understand their bill and payment options
- Provide information to students regarding campus involvement opportunities
Visit wichita.edu/firstyearadvising to learn more about how First-Year Advising, part of OneStop Student Services, can help guide you in your transition to Wichita State.
College Advisors
- Available to meet with students from the time they’re thinking about college through graduation
- Primary contact for entering transfer and returning adult students
- Ensures students stay on track to graduate, as well as set and meet goals
- Career and graduate school exploration
- Undecided and exploratory advising
- Pre-professional advising
- Help students make meaning of their college education
Major / Faculty Advisors
- Available to meet with students from the time they’re thinking about college through graduation
- Specific to student’s major concentration
- Along with advising undergraduate students, most do research and teach
- Experts in the field of study and major course curriculum
- Connection to research, specializations in the major, field work, practicum, applied learning and much more
You bring your: Interests, Skills, Abilities, Goals
Specialized Advisors
The Specialized Advisors are committed to supporting student success, which is defined differently by every student. They provide "wrap-around" services (think of it as individualized support) intended to positively contribute to your overall student success, both in and out of the classroom.. This support can range from exploring academic options, connecting to campus resources, coaching on time management, money management and study skills, assisting with accountability, mentoring and proactive outreach to help you persist to graduation and succeed personally. Learn more at wichita.edu/specializedadvising.
Specialized advising units include:
- Adult learning
- Engineering Student Success Center
- Financial Aid
- International Education
- Military and Veteran Student Center
- Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI)
- Student Affairs: CARE Team
- Student Success (Success Coaches, tutoring)
- TRIO Disability Support Services
- TRIO McNair Scholars Program
- TRIO Student Support Services
Please note that Specialized Advisors are unable to authorize enrollment.
OneStop
Need answers? OneStop is the go-to resource for virtually all of your WSU-related questions.
With OneStop you're able to:
- Find quick answers for questions about admissions, advising, financial aid, student accounts and registration
- Access OneStop’s self-service options 24/7 at wichita.edu/onestop or toll-free at 855-978-1STP. You’ll need your personalized OneStop access code found by logging in at wichita.edu/mywsu.
- Get in-person support at our office:
Jardine Hall, Room 112
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Jan. 18 - Feb. 26 and August hours:
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday
Office of Student Success
Your goal is graduation. Our goal is to help you get there by connecting you with the following resources for Shocker success:
- First-Year Programs – Orientation, peer mentoring, social events and academic workshops to help you transition to WSU.
- First-Year Seminar – A three-credit-hour course that is designed specifically for new students and part of our General Education program.
- Shocker Learning Center – Tutoring, Supplemental Instruction and success plans
- Success Coach – Supports students, faculty and staff within your academic college. They work with students individually to assist with: time management, study skills and accountability
- Office for Student Money Management (OSMM) – Learn to manage your finances in college and beyond.
Library Services
University Libraries at Wichita State has the research-related resources you need! Here’s a sample of what’s available from the University Libraries:
- Research assistance via chat, Zoom, email or text
- Focus rooms with online reservations
- Digital books, journal articles, music and videos with off-campus access
- Newly remodeled 24-hour study room
- One Button Studio, book scanners, 3-D printing and sound booth
For additional resources, visit libraries.wichita.edu/orientation or contact us at librarystaff@wichita.edu or 316-978-3582.
Testing Services
Testing Services offers academic make-up exams, academic exams for students registered with Disability Services, CLEP and departmental credit exams.
Testing Services also proctors the math and English placement exams, as well as the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) for the nursing department.
For community members, they offer a wide range of services that include certification exams and proctoring for students who attend other universities. They are also a national testing center for the ACT, SAT and more. They offer ACT Prep workshops several times a year for local high school students.
Online Learning
Get a career-boosting degree—on your time.
- A quality Wichita State education
- Fully online graduate and undergraduate degrees
- Flexible options for busy schedules
- Affordable tuition
- Dedicated online learning advisors and support
Shocker Career Accelerator
Brennan Hall III and John Bardo Center, Room 162 • wichita.edu/careers
From help discovering—and landing—your dream job to virtually limitless cooperative education and internship opportunities, the Shocker Career Accelerator offers a wide range of career services focused on your success beyond the classroom.
The Shocker Career Accelerator will help you:
- Build a better resume and make professional connections.
- Develop networking, job search, interview and leadership skills.
- Try out a career—or several—to find one that’s right for you.
- Find a major that encompasses your passions and talents with one-on-one counseling.
Get cash, credit and a competitive advantage—all while still in school.
Office of the Registrar
Jardine Hall, Room 102 and 117 • wichita.edu/registrar
The Office of the Registrar oversees the academic calendar and student records—and offers many services which can be accessed through the myWSU portal, including:
- Registration
- Drop / add classes
- Change major
- Change address
- Grades
- Transcripts
- Enrollment verification
- Degree evaluation
National Student Exchange
Cohen Honors College, Shocker Hall, Building A • wichita.edu/nse
Through the National Student Exchange, Shockers have the life-changing opportunity to take their Wichita State education on the road, where they can:
- Choose from nearly 200 universities across the United States and Canada
- Study for a semester or full academic year
- Pay WSU tuition at their host institution
- Earn credit toward their WSU degree
Study Abroad
Through WSU’s numerous study abroad programs, Shockers can swap campuses, cultures and countries—while earning credit toward their WSU degrees—all at the same time.
- Tap into study, intern or volunteer opportunities around the world—such as France or Japan.
- Programs last from one week up to one year.
- Pay regular WSU tuition when you study at one of WSU’s exchange universities.
To find out more, and to sign up for an info session, visit wichita.edu/studyabroad.
Collegiate Programs
TRIO Disability Support Services
Provides academic support to undergraduate students who have learning, physical and psychological disabilities.
TRIO Student Support Services
Provides free academic support services for first-generation, limited-income students and students with disabilities.
TRIO McNair Scholars Program
Encourages underrepresented students to pursue post-baccalaureate degrees. Focuses on first-generation, low-income and underrepresented students from African-American, Hispanic / Latino, Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander and American Indian / Alaskan Native ethnicities.
Adult Pre-College Programs
TRIO Educational Opportunity Centers Program
Assists eligible adults desiring to being or continue their postsecondary education. Provides assistance with admissions and financial aid applications including the FAFSA. Offers individual, personal, career and academic counseling.
TRIO Veterans Upward Bound
Prepares veterans for postsecondary education (college and / or tech school) via tutoring, academic advising and financial aid counseling. Serves veterans with at least 181 days of active duty and an other than dishonorable discharge.
Pre-College Programs
TRIO Communication Upward Bound
Provides comprehensive academic support services for high school students in tandem with preparation for postsecondary education. Seeks high school students who are considering a profession in the communication field. Target schools are USD 259 North, South, Southeast and West high schools.
TRIO Upward Bound Math Science Center
Offers an academic year and summer residential component to students who are interested in math, science, engineering or health professions. Serves 75 low-income, first-generation high school students from across Kansas.
TRIO Upward Bound Wichita Prep
Provides support and services to prepare and equip high school students for college success. Serves eligible freshmen and sophomores attending Wichita North, South, East, West and Southeast high schools.
TRIO Talent Search
Helps youth from disadvantaged backgrounds complete secondary education and enroll in and complete programs of postsecondary education. Serves youth from 6th-12th grade.
Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP
Provides college access services to 2,500 middle and high school students in foster care across Kansas. Serves students in foster care from grades 7-12 as well as college freshmen.
North and South Wichita GEAR UP
Prepares a single cohort of students for undergraduate enrollment and success. Serves students at four USD 259 high schools.
TRIO Upward Bound Empowerment (UBE)
Assists high school students from limited-income backgrounds who are first generation, limited income and foster care students with academic potential, but who may have inadequate secondary school preparation.