How to Become an Undergraduate Advisor

Undergraduate advisers help students plan their class schedules.

Academic advisers are integral to helping undergraduates navigate the unfamiliar waters of college. They assist with planning course credits, organizing schedules, giving advice and planning a career. To become a successful adviser, you must be patient, pay close attention to detail, communicate effectively and work well independently. These skills alone aren't enough, though -- you must also earn a degree and gain related experience before you can enter the field.

Instructions

1. Earn a bachelor's degree in administration, education or another related field. While you complete your undergraduate degree, gain administrative experience in a collegiate setting by taking a part-time job on campus, most likely a work-study job. Similarly, you may be able to complete an administrative internship during your time as an undergraduate, building the experience you need to eventually apply for administrative jobs. This job setting is ideal, as it gives you experience working within the bureaucracy of higher education. You learn skills that you need as an adviser, like working with a student population on a daily basis, discussing academic issues, and organizing large amounts of detailed, time-sensitive information.

2. Pursue a master's degree in higher education, college student personnel or another higher-education related field. Many advisers have master's degrees in their field, and earning one may make up for any lack of experience you may have after your bachelor's degree. When seeking master's programs, look for those that offer assistantships to graduate students. An administrative assistantship may require you to teach, as well as work in an advising office.

3. Look for employment opportunities at colleges and universities. Use a university's office of human resources to look for opportunities for advisers -- many schools list their available positions on the office of human resources web page.

References

• NACADA: How to Become an Academic Advisor
• Oregon Institute of Technology: How to Be a Good Academic Advisor
• University of Texas at Dallas: Job Description - Academic Advisor I

Resources

• NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising