Academic Advisor
Bonnie McKim
Political Science Academic Advisor
Contact Information
- Office: Building 47, Room 12F
- Phone: 805-756-2808
- E-mail: bmckim@calpoly.edu
Office Hours
Click here for important info you need to know before meeting with Bonnie!
- Mon, Tues, Thurs: 10:00-12:00 & 1:00-3:00
- Wed: 1:00-3:00
- Fri: 10:00-12:00
- Also available by appointment
Advising Information
Graduation Evaluation
A student planning to graduate must submit a Request for Graduation Evaluation to the Evaluations Unit in the Office of Academic Records (PDF) approximately FOUR quarters prior to the anticipated term of degree completion. You must include a completed concentration form, and any minor forms, with your request for a graduation evaluation.
Declaring a Concentration:
You declare your concentration by completing a concentration form with your faculty advisor, and turning it into the Office of Academic Records. In order to complete the concentration form you will need to determine what courses you hope to use to fulfill the advisor approved electives within the concentration. These usually need to be upper division courses that will further your understanding of the concentration focus. Bring your proposed course choices to your academic advisor when you plan to fill out your concentration form. It is not necessary to declare your concentration in order to begin taking the specified concentration courses. You may begin taking concentration courses as soon as you have the prerequisites that the courses require.
Declaring a Minor:
If you are doing a minor you will need to contact the department office offering the minor and meet with their minor advisor to complete the minor form. This process should be initiated early enough to plan appropriately, as all minor courses must be completed before the completion of your major.
Graduation Writing Requirement
The University requires ALL students to take the Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE) to fulfill the GWR (Graduation Writing Requirement) before being awarded their undergraduate degree. Do not take the test until you have reached junior status (completion of 90 quarter units). If you mistakenly take the test before completing 90 units you will not receive credit and you will have to retake the test. Many students coming from junior colleges think they have met all their writing requirements -- THIS IS NOT SO. Even as a transfer student you must take this test. If you are concerned that you may have difficulty passing the writing exam contact the University Writing Lab for help.
Change of Major
For change of major information you must meet with an advisor from the major into which you intend to change and get all information regarding that process. It is extremely important to understand that you must continue to make progress in your current major until the change of major process is completed. All departments and colleges have different requirements so it is important to meet with an advisor to be clear on all prerequisites and requirements. Some majors are severly impacted and making a change into those departments can be difficult, and in some cases impossible. For information on change of major within the College of Liberal Arts go to cla.calpoly.edu/cla/advising/advisingfaq.html#change.