Advising - Frequently Asked Questions

If you have taken any college-level coursework and want to get credit at Westfield State, you must send in your scores or final transcript to the Office of the Registrar. AP scores will need to be sent from the College Board, and dual enrollment courses will need an official college transcript sent to the Registrar office.

If you have questions about this process, new students can email our Admissions team at admissions@westfield.ma.edu or call (413) 579-3040. Current students should contact the Office of the Registrar.

A credit hour is the weight a course is given towards graduation. Most courses at Westfield State are worth three (3) credit-hours. This means that in a typical sixteen (16) week semester (Fall or Spring), a three (3) credit-hour course meets for lecture approximately three (3) hours each week. Some courses like science will involve lab components that include more time per week than what is indicated by their credit-hours. For example, a science course might be classified as a four (4) credit-hour course even though it meets for three (3) hours of lecture plus two (2) hours of lab per week. If you want more information about the credit-hour definition, click here.

If you are a new enrolled student, contact Admissions at admissions@westfield.ma.edu. If you are currently enrolled, you will need to complete a Change of Major form that requires the current and new academic department approve your change.

We recommend that you purchase course materials after August 15 if you are certain about keeping your course schedule. If you are uncertain about your courses, we recommend purchasing materials after the first day of class to ensure that you are going to keep courses on your school schedule. Consider asking for feedback from faculty regarding the use of books or course materials.  You can access what course books or materials are needed via our Bookstore webpage. Under course materials and textbooks, select find course materials and enter your class information: term, department, course number, and section.

Add/Drop is a period at the beginning of each semester during which students can drop and/or add new courses to their schedule. An incoming first year student will need to work with either the Office of Academic Advising or the Office of the Registrar to make changes during the Add/Drop period. For more important dates such as Add/Drop, visit the Academic Calendars and Important Dates page.

To find out who your advisor is, login to myWestfield, click the Academics section from the drop down menu, and on the Advising & Success Tools card, click DegreeWorks. When performing DegreeWorks, ensure that pop-up blockers are turned off for your browser as well as any Toolbars like Yahoo, Google, etc. At the top of your Degree Evaluation page you will see your listed advisor. If you have more questions about your advisor, email advising@westfield.ma.edu.

You are encouraged to meet with your major advisor on a regular basis and at least once a semester during the advising and registration period. You can also access a professional academic advisor from the Office of Academic Advising regarding questions or concerns. Advisors are a valuable resource and can provide you with information regarding courses, program requirements and registration procedures and may also refer you to other University resources and services. If you have more questions, email advising@westfield.ma.edu.

It depends on several factors such as suggested major course sequences, financial aid or scholarship eligibility, or if you are day division or a continuing education student. In general, day division undergraduate students must be enrolled for a minimum of twelve (12) credits to be considered full time. Some majors and programs may require enrollment in more than twelve (12) credits each semester. Fifteen (15) credit hours per semester is considered a typical academic course load of students at Westfield State University.

Undergraduate Continuing Education students may take up to 11 (eleven) credits per term. Students with PELL grants must take a minimum of six (6) credits to maintain eligibility.

Visit the Office of the Registrar page for advising and registration dates, course listings, and other important registration information.

It is a great question to ask your advisor if they have any information about a specific professor. Your academic advisor may have information about the professor’s teaching style, course structure, assignments, or other information that may help you make an informed decision. Other students are another way to find out information about the professor. You are also encouraged to reach out to professors to seek more specific information regarding their courses. For example, e-mailing a professor to request a sample of a previous course syllabus is a great way to get an early understanding of a course.

A student may view their final term grades by logging into their MyWestfield account. In MyWestfield click on the Academics tab, under Academic Records on the right-hand side, select Grades, select the term and click the submit button.

If a student would like to know their grade during the semester, some professors use gradebook tools such as My Grades in PLATO. Generally, we encourage you to speak with your professors often about your academic progress.

Talk to your advisor! There are solutions you may not have thought about. For example, maybe you can sign up for a peer tutor from the Tutoring and Learning Consortium (TLC). Perhaps you need disability accommodations, you can speak with someone from the Banacos Academic Center.  Have you tried talking to your instructor? Usually instructors can give you some advice on how to study more effectively for the course. Don’t give up without exploring all of your options!

University-wide resources are available. Details about tutoring can be found on our Tutoring and Learning Consortium (TLC) page. Specific resources such as math tutoring, the Reading and Writing Center, Banacos Academic Center, and all student support programs are listed on our Center for Student Success and Engagement page.

It is best to speak with someone from the Office of Financial Aid. Email financialaid@westfield.ma.edu or call (413) 579-3080 for an appointment. If you are searching for scholarship resources, click here. The Westfield Foundation is another scholarship resource that annually opens during the spring semester starting February 1 and ends March 31. Click here to access the Westfield Foundation scholarship application portal.

If you have technical difficulties visiting any website, with MyWestfield, or throughout the registration process, you can contact the Technology Support Desk. You can reach out by phone at 413-572-4357 or email supportdesk@westfield.ma.edu. They are available Monday through Friday 8am to 4pm.

Westfield State University accepts transfer students for both the fall and spring semesters. Please check the admissions transfer page for specifics. Keep in mind, certain majors are a better fit for a fall entry versus a spring semester entry. 

No, typically completed courses and credits will transfer based on academic results and the type of higher education institution (e.g., community college or four-year college/university). Incoming transfer students begin with a “clean slate,” meaning that your institutional grade point average will be 0.00 regardless of your previous institution overall GPA. A student’s GPA will be calculated based on academic credits earned at Westfield State University.

Yes! Eligible transfer students can inquire about joining our University Honors program, or they may join Westfield State’s Eta Theta Chapter of the Tau Sigma National Honor Society. Eligibility is determined after their first semester.

Students who have attended Westfield State University and did not receive a degree must complete a Readmission Application to be processed through the Registrar’s Office. Do not reapply through the Office of Admissions.

If you have questions about this process, email the Registrar Office at registrar@westfield.ma.edu or call (413) 579 – 3200

The Office Academic Advising & Transfer Transition offers walk-ins and appointments. During the Add/ Drop and registration period advisors are very busy which could create extended waiting times. If you wish to set up an appointment with a specific advisor, please connect with them via email. You can find the advisor’s contact information here. The advising office is open from 8:30AM-4:30PM during the semester and 8:00AM-4:30PM during the summer months (Mid May-August). You are welcome to contact us via phone 413-572-8678 or email advising@westfield.ma.edu

Please reach out to advising@westfield.ma.edu  if you have any remaining questions.