Student Success Plan

The Undergraduate Program Office is here to provide assistance with academic advising and scheduling needs. A large portion of being a successful student starts with you. There are many things you can do to ensure academic success. We’d like to share some strategies with you:

Create an academic plan. Outlining all of your courses until you graduate is a great way to ensure you will graduate in a timely manner and eliminates unnecessary stress on yourself when it’s time to schedule for the next semester’s courses. Suggested academic plans and flowcharts are available online. You may need to shuffle courses around depending on availability at the time you register. Please remember we strictly enforce course prerequisites.
Check your degree audit every semester after scheduling your courses to ensure degree requirements are being met. For example, the degree audit system does not recognize every course which satisfies the Engineering Technical Elective or the General Technical Elective. Courses outside the major must be moved manually and will require you to submit a course substitution request at https://coursesub.psu.edu.
Meet with an curriculum adviser once a semester.
Be aware of University deadlines i.e., drop/add, late drop, withdrawal.
Go to class.
Work hard and ask questions. If you’re having trouble understanding the material, chances are pretty good there’s at least one other student in class struggling as well.
Visit professors and TAs during office hours.
Make friends in your major.
Get involved in student groups such as the American Nuclear Society.
Develop good time management skills.
Communicate: Today’s society expects issues to be resolved quickly but that’s not always the case. Not every problem can be solved by an email. Make a phone call or stop by in person to talk about the issue. Be proactive!
Express appreciation: Thank your professors, TAs, staff and friends who are helping you on your journey.
Obtaining your degree is not difficult to achieve if you put in the time and work required. Hit the books early and often. Familiarize yourself with course requirements and do your best to stay on track.

Things you should know:

Academic advising is provided by the Undergraduate Program Office in 113 Hallowell Building. Walk in or email Lori Yarger at lay1@psu.edu to schedule an appointment.
Professional career advising is provided by your assigned faculty adviser listed in your LionPATH student center.
Degree audit issues? Contact Lori Yarger at lay1@psu.edu.

About

The Ken and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering at Penn State is one of the top ranked nuclear engineering programs in the United States. The department distinguishes itself with a strong focus on experimental research. The actively growing department leads four educational programs for students pursuing a bachelor of science, a master of science, a master of engineering, or a doctoral degree. The Radiation Science and Engineering Center (RSEC) facilities, including the Breazeale Reactor, are available to nuclear engineering faculty and students at Penn State for research and instruction. RSEC houses the Breazeale Nuclear Reactor, the country’s first and longest operating licensed nuclear research reactor. Having access to an operating research reactor is a key strength for the department and enables Penn State to harness research and educational opportunities that are unique in the United States. See how we’re inspiring change and impacting tomorrow at nuce.psu.edu.