University of Georgia

The Certificate in Academic Advising was developed in 2007 by Elizabeth Sproston and Amber Fetner, two professional advisors in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. In 2009, the Academic Advising Coordinating Council (AACC) began directing the Certificate in collaboration with Training & Development.

Participants may register for CAA courses through the UGA Professional Education Portal.

Certificate in Academic Advising (CAA) Requirements

Complete 2 Core Courses + 4 Elective Courses

Anatomy of A UGA Degree (Core)

This course will provide an understanding of the core curriculum, UGA and Board of Regents graduation requirements, minors, certificate programs, double majors, dual degrees, interpreting transfer credit, and graduation.

Advising Theory & Practice at UGA (Core)

This course provides a detailed look at the UGA student population, academic advising theories that can be used to assist them, advising ethics, and strategies for taking advising notes.

Either Introduction to DegreeWorks or DegreeWorks for Advisors (Core)

(FOR CURRENT DEGREEWORKS USERS ONLY) This course will train you on how to maneuver within DegreeWorks, how to read the audit, and provide an overview of additional functionality within the system.

Choose Four Elective Options:

  • Advising Allied Health Professions at UGA
  • Advising Double Dawgs Students
  • Advising International Students
  • Advising Pre-Pharmacy Students: General Information and Tips for Advisors
  • Advising Student Veterans
  • Advising Transfer Students
  • Advisor Well-Being and Applied Professionalism
  • AI in Academic Advising
  • Attributions for Academic Success at UGA
  • Career Center Connections for Academic Advisors
  • DegreeWorks for Advisors
  • DegreeWorks Plans Training/DegreeWorks: Plans Workshop
  • Demystifying Student-Athlete Advising
  • Disability Awareness for Academic Advisors
  • Education Abroad 101 for Advisors
  • EL 101 for Advisors
  • Excel for Advisors
  • Global Education 101 for Advisors
  • Growth Mindset: Why It Matters to Students and How Advisors Can Foster Growth
  • Identifying & Referring Distressed Students
  • Legal and Pre-Law Opportunities for UGA Students
  • Legal Issues in Academic Advising
  • National Student Exchange 101 for Advisors
  • Non-UGA Study Away Programs for Advisors
  • Pre-Health Advising: Pre-Medical & Pre-Dental Students
  • Resources in the Division of Academic Enhancement
  • SAGE Training for Academic Advising
  • Student Financial Aid: What Academic Advisors Need to Know
  • Understanding & Supporting Student Athletes at UGA
  • Using Career Assessment for Parallel Planning

CAA Curriculum (PDF)

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the certificate classes open to non-advisors?

All of the CAA classes are open to all UGA employees.

Do I need to be in the certificate program to take the courses?

No, you may take as many or as few classes as you like. If you choose to complete the certificate later, you may include the classes you have already taken.

How do I know when I have completed the certificate?

To discover what classes you have completed and track your certificate progress, please refer to the Professional Education portal (PEP).

You will then refer to the “My Transcript Section”. After this, in the left hand side there is a drop-down box, select “Completed”. Once you do this, it will bring up the last 5 years of courses.

Please use this self-tracker to track your progress toward completing the requirements for the Certificate in Academic Advising (CAA). Once you have finished the certificate, please email your completed self-tracker to [email protected] or if you have any other questions or concerns.

How will I receive my certificate?

Academic Advisors who complete all of the certificate requirements will be recognized at the Advisor Summer Celebration. Look for an email at the end of Spring semester, inviting CAA participants to this event.

If you are not currently an advisor at UGA, you may email [email protected] to request your certificate/

What if I do not see a particular required course offered this semester?

Since all our courses are taught by existing UGA employees on a volunteer basis, we cannot guarantee that every course will be offered every semester.  Please email [email protected] to inquire about when this course may be offered next.

What should I do if I am interested in teaching one of the courses?

Please email [email protected] to propose a class, apply to be an instructor or ask any other questions about the program.

Learn how to get advised

Are you undecided or wanting to make a major change? Learn more about the process for getting advised.

Get Advised