Frequently Asked Questions
For any additional questions, please visit the Office of Student Records in Bell 3189 or call (479) 575-6012.
How do I find out who my advisor is?
It's simple to find out who your academic advisor is using the Integrated Student Information System (ISIS). After logging into ISIS, simply navigate to the Student Center. On the lower right hand side of the page, there will be a block titled "Advisor". There your advisor will be listed. If the block says "None assigned", please contact your academic department, and they will assign one for you.
For questions concerning advisors or advisement, please contact your department, especially if you do not have an advisor assigned. Each department is responsible for assigning advisors for its students.
For other ISIS tutorials, help, or information, please visit http://www.uark.edu/admin/isisdir/pages/students.htm or contact the Office of Student Records in Bell 3189 for assistance.
How do I change my major?
If you want to change majors within the College of Engineering (i.e. from electrical engineering to mechanical engineering) or you want to change into the College of Engineering from another college (i.e. from architecture to civil engineering), simply come to the Office of Student Records in Bell 3189 and fill out the appropriate form, and the office staff will be happy to change your major for you.
However, if you would like to change out of the College of Engineering, you’ll need to contact the Dean's office of the college you wish to transfer to in order to find out their procedures.
How do I declare a minor?
To declare a minor, you will need to fill out a Minor Form which can be picked up from the Office of Student Records in Bell 3189. We must have a copy of this form on file for you to officially declare the minor. Also make sure to have the form completed before applying for graduation or your minor will not be recognized.
How do I declare a double major?
Any major in addition to an engineering major (even another engineering major) is actually a dual degree. For example, if you decide to pursue a physics degree in addition to an engineering degree, you will need to go to Arts and Sciences to declare it as a second degree rather than a second major. Be sure to say that you are declaring a second degree and it will be a dual degree so they can fill out the form appropriately. The college that you are declaring the second degree in should then send it over to the Registrar’s Office to have it changed in ISIS.
How do I apply for graduation?
You initiate a graduation application in the Office of Student Records in Bell 3189. Be sure to know which term you would like to apply for (i.e. May, August, or December graduation). If you are declaring a minor, you will need to be sure to have the minor form completed, signed, and turned in to the Office of Student Records before you can apply for graduation. After completing a survey, you will be given the application card to take over to the Registrar’s Office to pay the graduation fee.
Commencement takes place each year in May; however, you can still walk if you apply for a term other than spring. For example, if you plan to complete your degree requirements in December of 2007, you can still walk in the May 2007 commencement, though you won’t be recognized for any honors until the following commencement. If you need to change your graduation date—you applied for spring, but you won’t actually finish until the summer, so your date needs to be later—go to the Registrar’s office to change it.
Can I get credit for lower-level humanities/social science courses that are not on the approved list?
No. The lower-level humanities/social science courses are part of the state minimum core and no substitutions are allowed. Check with your department for their specific combination requirements.
You can view the list of approved lower-level courses here.
How can I get credit for an upper-level humanities/social science elective that is not on the approved list?
Some substitutions are allowed for the upper-level humanitic/social science electives. For example, if you study abroad in Florence and receive art history credit, you can petition to have the course counted as one of your upper-level electives for the humanities/social science requirements. However, be sure to check with your academic department for their specific combination requirements.
In order to have the credit approved, you will need to complete a “Request for Approval of Humanistic/Social Elective” form which can be obtained from the Student Records Office (BELL 3189). You will need to submit the form to the Office of Student Records for evaluation by the College of Engineering Service Course Committee. You will be notified of the decision.
You can view the list of approved upper-level courses here.
How do I transfer credit to the University of Arkansas?
For some colleges and universities, the University of Arkansas has a transfer equivalency agreement. If you go to https://www2.uark.edu/web-apps/regr/courseequiv/Main you can view the courses that will be accepted for transfer from the listed institutions.
However, if a course is not on the list, contact your advisor in your academic department. You may need to fill out a transfer petition form. Additionally, each department evaluates the courses that it will or will not accept as credit toward a major. Depending on the accreditation of your prior institution, what the course(s) covered, and other factors will determine the possibility of transfer credit for major coursework. Please contact your academic department prior to taking courses at another institution. For more information on University policies for transfer credit and for resources for transfer students, please visit http://admissions.uark.edu/students/transfer/connection.shtml.
How can I get permission to take more than the allowed number of hours (term overload)?
Students are permitted to take up to 18 hours each regular academic semester (fall or spring) or 12 hours for the entire summer term (6 per summer session). For approval to take up to 21 hours during fall or spring academic semesters, or up to 14 for the entire summer term (7 per summer session), complete the "College of Engineering Exceeds Enrollment Form" and turn it in to the Office of Student Records (Bell 3189). If approved, your enrollment cap will go up to the requested number of hours in ISIS, and you will be able to self-enroll. However, if your request is denied, you will receive an e-mail.
In order to request to take more than 21 hours during the fall or spring academic semesters, more than 14 for the entire summer term, or more than 7 for one or more summer sessions, additional steps will be taken. You will need to fill out both the College of Engineering Exceeds Enrollment Form and the Overload Petition (from the Office of the Registrar). Each case will be evaluated and then sent on to the Academic Standards Committee, which meets periodically throughout the semester. The Committee will then approve or deny the request, and you will be notified of the decision.
For any other questions concerning overloads, contact Thomas Carter III by e-mail at tic@uark.edu or by phone at (479) 575-5009.
When can I take the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) Exam?
Undergraduate students receiving an ABET accredited
degree (see Accreditation) can sign up to take the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) exam 12
months on either side of graduation. Applications to sign up for the FE can be obtained from your academic department.
After that time, examinees must contact the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and apply using the Engineer Intern Registration long form (please visit http://www.accessarkansas.org/pels/index.html). The success/pass rate decreases significantly among those who wait to take the exam after they graduate.
Masters students with a non-ABET accredited undergraduate degree in engineering must contact the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and apply using the Engineer Intern Registration long form. Masters students without an undergraduate degree in engineering are not eligible to take the exam.
What is FERPA?
FERPA stands for Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which is a federal law that protects the privacy rights of a student’s educational record. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under any program administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Under FERPA, schools may disclose without consent “directory” or “public” information about a student (such as name, address, dates of attendance), provided that the student has reasonable opportunity to restrict, in writing, the disclosure of such information.
You can restrict the information the University releases through ISIS by visiting the Personal Information area of the Student Center and clicking Privacy Settings from the drop-down menu. You can elect to restrict only limited information (such as address or phone) or restrict all directory information from release to campus directories or third parties. FERPA restrictions can be updated at any time by clicking the Edit FERPA Directory Restrictions link in the Student Center.
Restricting your FERPA information has several implications. Some FERPA restrictions may prevent your name from going on the sidewalk, your name and degree information from going in the commencement bulletin, public release of Dean’s List recipients, and any news release concerning awards, internships, etc., unless you fill out the appropriate paperwork or only restrict selected information such as phone number and current address. So be aware that if you restrict your FERPA information, it could have some undesirable effects.
For more information about FERPA see the Undergraduate Catalog of Studies or contact the Registrar's Office at (479) 575-5451.
