College of Human Development, Culture, and Media
A photo of a student talking with an adviser.

Graduate Student Advising

Advising Information

The College of Human Development, Culture, and Media offers graduate advising to ensure that students receive ample assistance and support while completing their programs.

Within the Department of Communication, Media and Arts, the graduate adviser serves as a resource for students in matters relating to completing degree requirements, understanding and complying to the Department’s policies and procedures, and defining and tailoring an individually designed degree plan based on students' needs. The Academic Adviser also serves as a resource to potential students thinking about joining the College or who are in the beginning stages of the application process.

The graduate adviser takes time to personally get to know each student and works to create schedules to accommodate both full-time students and working professionals.

Within the Department, academic advisers are not to be confused with master's project or thesis advisers. Capstone project advisers are faculty members within a specific program that guide students through their culminating research. A number of other resources are available to students as well, including CAPS, DSS, and more. Students are welcome to discuss these services with their academic adviser or visit directly.

Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts Graduate Adviser

Brittany Scoles, M.A.Brittany Scoles, M.A.
Director, CASE & Graduate Administration 
College of Communication and the Arts 
Seton Hall University 
Jubilee Hall – Room 4XX 
[email protected] | (973) 275-4844

Advising Expectations

For New Students:
New students will receive an email from their academic adviser to set up an advising appointment. During their first advising meeting, students will learn about their program's expectations, requirements, and curriculum as well as a description of their program plan. New students will then be given registration directions and their required pin, as well as other information regarding next steps, such as visiting the ID office or submitting health forms. 

For Current Students:
Current students should come to all advising meetings having read through degree requirements and course information prior to meetings to assist the graduate advisor in deciding the best course of action. You can find more degree requirements and course information in the Graduate Catalogue.

For Advisers:
During advising sessions, students should expect to discuss questions pertaining to academic programs and planning, and learn about new course offerings. As part of the discussion, advisors will assist students with designing a plan for completing their degree requirements. 

How to Prepare for an Advising Meeting

  1. Visit the website of your degree program and look for information regarding course requirements, number of credits needed, core classes, prerequisites, does the program require an internship, etc. 
  2. Create a proposed plan of how you'd like to complete your program based on your personal schedule and desired workload.
  3. Students are also encouraged to prepare a list of questions or concerns about their academic progress plan or degree requirements. 
  4. Track your current progress and determine specific remaining requirements. 

Requirement Information

Graduate students can find their degree requirements by looking through their program's individual pages listed here. Once visiting these pages, please refer to your program's curriculum to track your progress. Students can also plan their degree progress using Degree Tracking Sheets in order to keep track of progress and stay on plan. 

When to Schedule Your Advising Appointment

Graduate students will receive an email stating that it is time to schedule an academic advising appointment through Compass. Please refer to the instructional video below if you are unfamiliar with the Compass interface. Advising appointments are required once every semester, but students are welcome to schedule additional appointments with their advisor if needed. Once you meet with your advisor you will receive a registration pin that will allow you to register classes for the following semester. Students will not be able to register for classes without a registration PIN that is provided as part of the required advising appointment. 

Click here for Instructions on Registration »

Introducing Seton Hall Compass for Students

Add/Drop Period/Course Withdrawal

Students wishing to adjust their schedule can refer to multiple withdrawal options that the university offers. Students should note specific policies regarding course withdrawals. Please research university policies in reference to total program withdrawal, financial aid credit requirements, and billing information.

Add/Drop
During a designated timeframe set by the college every semester, (usually after the first week of classes) students can opt to add or drop courses through their Banner Student Self-Service account without facing tuition charges or an impact to their grades. During this period, students do not need to receive permission from their advisor to commit changes to their course schedule. If students drop all registered classes, they will be automatically considered as program withdrawal candidates, and will be required to complete proper withdrawal procedures. Non-attendance does not constitute a drop or withdrawal. Students are required to complete academic and tuition requirements if they are registered for a course. Students receiving financial aid, scholarships, or are graduate students, need to be conscious of the minimum credit requirements necessary to maintain their award status.  

Withdrawal
After the Add/Drop period ends, students wishing to withdrawal from a course are required to submit a Course Adjustment Form to the Registrar's office. These forms can be found in the College’s Dean’s Office Arts and the Office of the Registrar. Students who withdrawal after the Add/Drop period are ineligible for tuition or credit refund. Please note that withdrawals result in a WD grade your transcript, whereas dropping a course during add/drop removes the course from your transcript entirely.

Applying to Graduate

Graduate students in their final semester, who have or will be completing all degree requirements, are eligible to apply for graduation through their PirateNet account. Please consult your program's degree requirements and curriculum to determine if you have completed all necessary credits and coursework. Graduation applications must be submitted at least two months before expected graduation in either the summer, fall, or spring semesters. Your academic advisor can assist you in determining if you are eligible for graduation and answer questions about your application. More information can be found here, including important deadlines, step by step instructions, and necessary forms.