Academic Support and Professional Development Opportunities
UC Merced provides students with an array of academic and personal support programs, to help them succeed academically and professionally:
Academic Schools and Advising
School of Engineering Advising
The UC Merced School of Engineering is a research community devoted to learning, discovery, and service. The school provides an exceptional technical and professional education and instills in our students advanced problem-solving skills, effective leadership qualities, and the ability to recognize and build on individual strengths throughout one's career.
Engineering academic advisors are primarily responsible for providing education, mediation, advocacy, impartial observation, support, and referrals. They help students in dealing with course information, access to student services, financial aid, program tutorials, representation, and participation.
School of Natural Sciences Advising
Faculty and students in the School of Natural Sciences are interested in understanding the physical and natural world. Advances in biological sciences, chemistry, earth sciences, mathematics, and physics promise solutions to many of humankind's most pressing problems - from fighting disease to creating sustainable energy sources.
The School of Natural Sciences advising staff is dedicated to creating an atmosphere that promotes success. Services are designed to help students develop decision-making skills that will empower them to take full advantage of their educational experience.
In addition to advisors within the School of Natural Sciences, Academic Advising Mentors can assist students with choosing their classes, read their MyAudit report, revise a four-year plan and answer any other questions students may have. The Academic Advising Mentors have also been trained especially to help freshmen and sophomores with common questions such as planning schedules, summer school options, finding on-campus resources, course sequencing and much more.
The School of Natural Sciences advisors will also assist students with pre-health advising, and research opportunities.
The School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts (SSHA) Advising
The school embraces many disciplines, including economics, management, cognitive science, history, political science, literature, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, public health, english, spanish and the creative arts.
Communicating with Advisors
Communication via a student’s UC Merced email account is the official method advisors will use to communicate. Due to privacy regulations, advisors will communicate solely through the UC Merced email account (@ucmerced) assigned to a student.
When emailing your advisor, it is appropriate to use complete sentences and good grammar. To help the advisors assist you more quickly, please be sure to include the following in your message:
- Your full name
- Your student ID number
- A brief but detailed explanation of your concern or problem
Calvin E. Bright Success Center
The Bright Success Center (BSC) offers a range of tools and resources the support undergraduate student success. In addition to providing academic advising to all undeclared students, the BSC offers a variety of online tools and in-person workshops aimed to help students step up to the challenges and demands of university life and beyond.
The BSC provides the following programs and services for students:
Academic Competitions: Allows a student to apply their knowledge and experience to help fund their education.
- Are hard-working, creative students with high grades (usually obtaining a GPA of 3.9 or higher).
- Have interests in campus or community activities and career fields or academic disciplines that naturally align with the aims of the scholarships program.
- Begin work to position themselves competitively very early in their college career.
Success Mentor Program: The Success Mentor Program empowers first-year students to make a successful transition to academic and social life at UC Merced through one-on-one mentoring with upper-division students and community based initiatives.
- Peer Assisted Learning Support (PALS)
- Peer advising
- To teach the qualities and fundamentals of becoming a successful university student
Transfer, Returning and Veteran Program (TRV)
All incoming undocumented students who are returning or transfer students should consider applying for the Transfer, Returning and Veteran Program. TRV promotes academic achievement and excellence through supportive services for transfer and returning students, which include:
- Study space
- Book loans
- Social/networking opportunities
- Personal and professional development
- Tutoring
- Career services
The Guardian Scholars Program will provide a college experience for current and former foster youth with intensive efforts to engage the participants in learning support services, leadership opportunities, and career exploration. All incoming undocumented students who are former foster youth should consider applying for the Guardian Scholars Program.
- Academic Assistance
- Career services
- Leadership opportunities
- Year-round on-campus housing
Center for Career and Professional Advancement
The Center for Career and Professional Advancement (CCPA) at UC Merced empowers students and alumni to reach their full potential by offering services in career development, experiential education, employment, and graduate school.
Undocumented students, who have received consideration for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), are eligible to work on the UC Merced campus. CCPA will advise students of the necessary I-9 documents they will need to provide before the time they enroll in the university’s payroll system.
CCPA assists students with their paraprofessional experiences and in their professional preparations. The following services assist students with their current and future opportunities:
- Career Assessments
- Career Counseling
- Exploring Graduate and Professional School
- Interview Prep
- On-Campus Employment and Internship Opportunities
- Resume and Cover Letters
- The Four-Year Plan
