An Academic Advisor is a professional who advises students on graduate programs and career options. They assess and interpret students' academic and personal goals and identify appropriate programs. In this blog post we describe the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for Academic Advisors.

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Main Responsibilities of Academic Advisor

The following list describes the typical responsibilities of an Academic Advisor:

Acquire

Acquire knowledge regarding trends in post-secondary education and international education.

Address

Address groups as requested.

Adjudicate

Adjudicate requests for Academic Concession.

Administer

• Administer admissions to the grad programs.

• Administer student program alterations and special programs.

Admit

Admit current students to the Faculty of Arts Commerce minor.

Advise

• Advise enrolled and prospective students regarding their academic programs and curriculum.

• Advise for College of Business Administration degree plans.

• Advise potential faculty supervisors on graduate student admission policy & procedures.

• Advise students of program policies and procedures.

• Advise students on graduate programs (including admissions requirements) and career options.

• Advise students on promotion and continuation requirements.

• Advise students who are being required to withdraw or are seeking re-admission to the University.

Advocate

Advocate for students as required.

Analyze

• Analyze and processes degree plans and degree exceptions.

• Analyze data to create clear and comprehensive reports and executive summaries.

• Analyze problems, identify key information and issues, and find effective solutions.

Assess

• Assess and interpret students' academic and personal goals and identify appropriate programs.

• Assess and evaluate applications for awards administered by the FOS and VP of Research.

• Assess the suitability of applicants relative to the experience and aptitude criteria.

• Assess students' interests, skills and goals related to career development.

Assign

Assign and appoints student Teaching Assistantships for program requirements.

Assist in

• Assist in maintenance and updates to current College policies.

• Assist in the marketing of the graduate program.

• Assist student in establishing realistic and attainable academic and career goals.

• Assist students in identifying appropriate courses of action.

• Assist students in investigating alternate or additional educational options.

• Assist the Academic Department with any other tasks.

• Assist with attendance record keeping and grade reporting.

• Assist with coordinating orientation sessions for groups of incoming new students.

• Assist with Fall and Spring Convocation ceremonies.

• Assist with management of student completion of the ETHI 110 Academic Honesty Awareness tutorial.

• Assist with on and off campus student activities to promote a sense of community.

• Assist with resolving academic issues.

• Assist with student club activities and student events throughout the academic year.

• Assist with Student Services responsibilities as assigned (e.g. transfer credit).

Assume

Assume responsibility for special projects as needed or requested.

Attend

• Attend grade team meetings.

• Attend reentry meetings and analyze requests for readmission from academic or attendance termination.

• Attend and speak at parent meetings.

• Attend to student requests.

Build

Build connections with students and work with students to achieve their academic goals.

Check

Check in with students regarding academics / behavior.

Coach

Coach students regarding post-graduation options (careers, post-graduate studies).

Collaborate with

• Collaborate with student services department.

• Collaborate with the Associate Dean.

Collect

• Collect advising statistics for the annual report.

• Collect marked exams from instructors.

Communicate

• Communicate admission decisions to applicants.

• Communicate and implements required graduate program changes to be consistent with the company's Policy.

• Communicate with faculty and departmental administrators on behalf of students.

• Communicate with parents about academics - passing / failing classes.

• Communicate with teachers regarding assignments, student concerns.

Conduct

Conduct one-on-one advising appointments.

Consult

Consult stakeholders and implement changes to policies and procedures when necessary.

Contribute to

Contribute content to school-specific internal communications.

Coordinate

• Coordinate admission decisions and appeals with the Faculty Graduate Advisor.

• Coordinate new student orientation for Indigenous students.

Counsel

Counsel students dropped from the University for low scholarship.

Create

• Create and distribute course timetables and examination schedules.

• Create and maintain currency of program information documents.

• Create networks with alumni, graduates and professional schools.

Develop

• Develop and conduct workshops on topics related to student academic success.

• Develop and execute new programs and events to connect SFTV alumni with our students.

• Develop innovative programs and resources to support the diversity of the student population.

• Develop new programs, events and communications to increase alumni engagement.

• Develop promotional and other course and orientation materials.

• Develop student educational activities that engage parents.

Educate

Educate parents on academic expectations of their students, how to access student information.

Empower

Empower students to cultivate a sense of purpose in their undergraduate education.

Ensure

• Ensure the maintenance of Cambrian College curriculum standards in the delivery of courses.

• Ensure web content for undergraduate programs is current.

Establish

Establish caseloads for counselors.

Evaluate

• Evaluate and approve student requests to study outside of UBC.

• Evaluate personal profiles of international applicants for admission to the Faculty of Arts.

• Evaluate transfer credit, determine remaining program requirements.

Facilitate

Facilitate training for graduate directors and faculty on advising issues.

Foster

Foster a strong mentoring network.

Grow

Grow and enhance existing alumni database.

Guide

• Guide students through program and course selection and utilize best practices in advising.

• Guide students through University systems to avoid or overcome administrative problems.

Help

• Help design programs relevant to students in their academic pursuits.

• Help students overcome challenges that hinder academic performance.

• Help students process their problems, plan goals and act upon them.

Hire

Hire and supervise student workers.

Identity

Identity and participate in problem resolution with reference to individual students.

Implement

Implement changes which result.

Inform

Inform students about the requirements for admissions to majors and for degree-completion.

Interpret

Interpret and apply University and Faculty policy in relation to individual student programs.

Investigate

Investigate and resolve complex student program issues.

Lead

Lead events such as orientation sessions, and the Three Minute Thesis competition.

Maintain

• Maintain attendance forms required by various funding agencies.

• Maintain confidences and confidential information.

• Maintain direct contact with student advisees.

• Maintain student records and run reports.

Make

• Make referrals where appropriate.

• Make oral presentations at recruitment events.

Manage

• Manage and updated the UBC Graduate Online Admissions System (eVision).

• Manage program admissions.

• Manage, organize and oversee graduate student scholarship applications and review.

• Manage student demographic and academic information across Naviance and relevant school databases.

• Manage students' logistics arrangements.

• Manage the assigned Graduate Students funding budget and TA Budget.

• Manage the Student Peer Mentorship program in the Department.

Meet

• Meet metrics of 10 alumni / relevant visits per month.

• Meet regularly with graduate students to individually mentor and advise them in the program.

Monitor

Monitor student academic performance, behavior, attendance and facilitate appropriate interventions.

Offer

Offer information about the variety of student programs, supports and services available on campus.

Organize

Organize and lead student orientation and other activities.

Outreach

Outreach to students exploring their academic interests.

Participate

• Participate in and support graduate orientation events.

• Participate in ongoing development of University student information systems and services.

• Participate in retention exercises.

• Participate in the ongoing development of University-wide student information systems and services.

• Participate in weekly departmental staff meeting.

Perform

• Perform other duties as assigned or requested.

• Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Plan

• Plan and implement orientation initiatives.

• Plan, attend, and present at outreach advising sessions and other information sessions.

Prepare

• Prepare exam papers, seating codes, invigilating schedules for midterm and final examinations.

• Prepare graduation plans for all prospective graduate students to the School of Film & TV.

• Prepare student case notes and program plans for future reference.

Present

Present information to prospective applicants and responding to questions.

Process

Process and manage academic and attendance probationary status changes.

Provide

• Provide academic and career advising to ensure successful degree completion and career preparedness.

• Provide advice on University and Kinesiology degree requirements admission criteria.

• Provide consultation to departments and programs throughout campus.

• Provide guidance to faculty supervisors on using the eVision system.

• Provide monthly updates on current Indigenous student enrollment, retention, and activities.

• Provide prospective and current students with accurate admission, program and course information.

• Provide resource referral for external issues that may affect matriculation.

• Provide retention advice to students on probation.

• Provide students with study skills and organization skills.

• Provide supervision to other advisors as project leader of individual projects.

• Provide support and oversight of the Graduate Student Advisory Council.

Publish

Publish bi-monthly newsletter to communicate upcoming events, milestones and deadlines to students.

Receive

Receive and follow up on referrals from faculties and other service areas.

Recommend

Recommend an admission or rejection decision to the Associate Dean.

Refer

Refer students to counseling and services provided by other campus support units.

Remain

Remain current on the British Columbia university-transfer system.

Research

Research and recommend students to the Student Awards Office for scholarships / bursaries.

Respond

Respond to atypical and complex enquiries and referrals.

Review

• Review applications for admissions, assess transfer credit requests.

• Review student applications and provides edits and advice for improvements of applications.

Serve

Serve as an informed resource for continuing graduate students.

Sit

Sit on cross-campus committees as required.

Submit

Submit UBC Calendar edits and updates yearly to G+PS.

Supervise

• Supervise and support a team of college counselors.

• Supervise student employees and volunteers.

Support

• Support and enhance advising initiatives at all levels (Faculty, School / Departmental).

• Support and organizes faculty committee members for tasks related to the Graduate program.

Teach

Teach courses and develop and present workshops on topics related to student academic success.

Track

Track, monitor, and report on student retention and recommend new strategies.

Transfer

Transfer credits and special schedule creation.

Use

• Use Blackboard to monitor student grades during the term.

• Use initiative and independent judgment within established guidelines.

Work

• Work closely with faculty on graduate student advising and supervision related matters.

• Work closely with other advising offices on campus.

• Work closely with the Faculty Graduate Advisor.

• Work independently in the absence of supervision.

• Work independently under the supervision of the Academic Undergraduate Program Administrator.

• Work is reviewed in terms of sound management practice and the achievement of specific objectives.

• Work with considerable autonomy.

Most In-demand Hard Skills

The following list describes the most required technical skills of an Academic Advisor:

1. MS Excel

2. MS Word

3. MS Office

Most In-demand Soft Skills

The following list describes the most required soft skills of an Academic Advisor:

1. Written and oral communication skills

2. Interpersonal skills

3. Organizational capacity

4. Work independently with little direction

5. Attention to detail

6. Discretion

7. Priority management