University College

Programs

University College is the portal of entry for most incoming freshmen enrolling at LSU. It also serves many returning students and transfer students who are not yet eligible for admission to a degree-granting senior college on campus. The two enrollment divisions of University College are the Center for Freshman Year and the Center for Advising & Counseling. In addition, a variety of retention-specific programs that focus on particular student populations are a significant part of the role and mission of University College.

Center for Freshman Year enrolls students with fewer than 30 hours of attempted credit and who have not yet been admitted to a senior college. Undecided, pre-nursing, and some allied health majors may remain in UCFY for 45 attempted hours.

Center for Advising & Counseling enrolls students who have attempted 30-plus hours of college credit and who have not yet met the admission requirements for one of the university’s degree-granting senior colleges. Other special populations are included as well. Visiting students, cross-enrolled students from other institutions, and non-matriculating students who are not working toward degrees are examples of these special populations.

Allied Health and Pre-Nursing Programs – Many Allied Health and pre-nursing students begin their academic careers at LSU with the intent of continuing their studies at one of the campuses of the LSU Health Sciences Center or possibly one of several state and private schools offering degrees in these areas. University College provides advising assistance for these students as they prepare for the selective admission process for these professional programs.

Student Support Services is a federally funded TRIO program that serves a select group of undergraduate students experiencing income, first generation, and disability barriers to academic success. The program provides academic, personal, and career enhancement opportunities designed to increase retention and graduation success.

Ronald E. McNair Research Scholars, also a federally funded TRIO program, is a part of University College. The program prepares eligible participants for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. Participants are first generation students, students from a background of financial need, and students who are from ethnic groups underrepresented in graduate education.

Center for Advising & Counseling

The Center for Advising & Counseling serves both traditional and nontraditional students and allows them the opportunity to meet their individual academic goals. Within the framework of university regulations, students may be admitted to the Center for Advising & Counseling according to the following:

• Students admitted from the Center for Freshman Year must have earned a minimum of 30 credit hours and meet the university’s requirements for continued enrollment. Students exiting the Center for Freshman Year who are in good academic standing, on University Scholastic Warning, or on University Scholastic Probation are admissible.
• Transfer students, re-entry students, and students from other divisions of the university may be admitted for a limited time in an effort to meet the admissions requirements to a senior college. These students will be considered for enrollment based on their potential for success in a particular degree program.

All admitted students will meet with an academic counselor to develop a plan outlining conditions and duration of enrollment in the Center for Advising & Counseling. Plans may be revised based on student performance, and continued enrollment may be denied if students fail to progress as defined in the individualized enrollment plan. Students are generally allowed a maximum of four regular semesters of enrollment in UCAC. In some instances, it is appropriate to limit enrollment to less than four regular semesters.

Enrollment Options

• Pre-degree - Students with a declared major that are not eligible for enrollment in the freshman college but do not meet the admission criteria for a senior college.
• Pre-professional - Allied health or nursing students who are not pursuing an undergraduate degree at LSU and have the potential to pursue one of the pre-professional programs at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans or Shreveport.
• Not Regularly Admitted Students - Students pursuing a degree at another college or university and taking courses at LSU with the intent to transfer all credit to their home institutions.
• Non-matriculating Students - Students who have completed a degree at a four-year institution and wish to take undergraduate courses with no specific degree path or who are in need of meeting admission requirements to a senior college that will offer a second degree.

International students who are in the U.S. on student visas are not eligible for admission to pursue their studies as non-matriculating or non-degree seeking students in the Center for Advising & Counseling according to the regulations of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

• Restricted Admit - Students who have been previously enrolled in a senior college and are petitioning enrollment in UCAC as a condition of College Scholastic Probation or for students who are exiting a senior college to attempt admission to another senior college offering a newly declared major. Enrollment in this category is generally limited to one semester.
• Southern University Cross Enrollment - Students regularly enrolled at Southern University and taking a course or courses at LSU through the cooperative agreement between the two institutions.

A University College appeals committee will exercise discretion in considering other variables important to the admission decision of students being considered for enrollment in UCAC.

Ronald E. McNair Research Scholars

Ronald E. McNair Research Scholars, a U.S. Department of Education (ED) TRIO program, promotes a cohort of scholars that more accurately reflects the emergent diversity in life experiences, cultures, and perspectives represented in academia by preparing students who are first generation, low-income, and underrepresented in graduate education for doctoral studies. We connect undergraduate students with faculty-directed research experiences, provide individualized advisement, and foster knowledge of the graduate school application process. McNair Research Scholars conduct research under the mentorship of some of the most distinguished faculty in their country and communicate the results of their work through publications and workshops.

Student Support Services

Student Support Services (SSS) is a federally funded TRIO program providing services to help participants achieve academic success. The goal of the program is to increase retention and graduation rates of participating students. Individuals who are first-generation college students, who have a documented disability, or who meet the income eligibility established by the U.S. Census Bureau and have a need for academic support are encouraged to apply. The Student Support Services program offers a class, free tutoring, personalized counseling and academic advising, career decision-making assistance, opportunities for cultural enrichment, a computer lab solely for SSS students, and much more. Additional information can be obtained from Student Support Services Assistant Director, 136 Allen Hall, online, or by calling 225-578-2869.