Resources for Parents and Families
Frequent Questions
Admissions and Financial Aid
- How is my son or daughter admitted to the University of Notre Dame?
- Does my son or daughter have to apply to the College of Arts and Letters as an incoming freshman?
- Will my son or daughter be able to use scores on the Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or SAT II exams for credit and placement in the College of Arts and Letters?
- How do I find out about financial aid at Notre Dame?
Advising
- Who will advise my son or daughter?
- May I discuss my son or daughter’s academic progress or problems with his or her advisor?
- How does my son or daughter pursue a dual degree?
- How can my son or daughter be a pre-med major in the College of Arts and Letters?
- Can my son or daughter take courses during the summer at a local college or university and receive credit in the College of Arts and Letters?
Majors
- How does my son or daughter choose a major?
- Does my son or daughter have the option of choosing two majors?
- Does my son or daughter have the option of choosing a minor?
- What does my son or daughter have to do to declare a major or a minor?
Intellectual Environment
- Will my son or daughter have the opportunity to pursue research opportunities as an undergraduate?
- How large will my son or daughter’s classes be?
- Will my son or daughter be taught by professors or by teaching assistants?
- How does my son or daughter pursue an honors track in his or her major?
- Will my son or daughter have opportunities to experience the arts in South Bend?
Academic Support
- What kinds of academic support are available to students?
- What should my son or daughter do regarding his or her coursework in case of a family emergency or serious illness?
- What is a deficiency report?
- What should my son or daughter do if he or she receives a deficiency report?
Career Opportunities
- How long will it take my son or daughter to graduate?
- What is the employment rate of graduates from the College of Arts and Letters?
- Will my son or daughter get a job with a degree from the College of Arts and Letters?
Logistics
- When will my son or daughter register for classes?
- What happens if my son or daughter is not able to register for all the classes he or she requires?
- How does my son or daughter get placed on the Dean’s List?
- How does my son or daughter receive honors at graduation?
- What is Junior Parents’ Weekend?
- How will I be able to receive tickets for graduation?
Admissions and Financial Aid
How is my son or daughter admitted to the University of Notre Dame?
Prospective first year students must apply for admission to Notre Dame through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (http://admissions.nd.edu).
Prospective transfer students must also apply for admission through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (http://admissions.nd.edu); however, admission decisions regarding transfer students are made by the deans of the College of Arts and Letters.
Does my son or daughter have to apply to the College of Arts and Letters as an incoming freshman?
Undergraduates complete their first year at Notre Dame in the First Year of Studies (http:// fys.nd.edu) program. Upon successful completion of all first year requirements, students may choose to enter the College of Arts and Letters. No separate application is necessary.
Will my son or daughter be able to use scores on the Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or SAT II exams for credit and placement in the College of Arts and Letters?
Yes, the College of Arts and Letters accepts Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and SAT II exams for credit and placement for University and College requirements.
How do I find out about financial aid at Notre Dame?
The Office for Financial Aid (www.nd.edu/~finaid/) provides materials to prospective students and their families.
Advising
Who will advise my son or daughter?
Students are advised by First Year of Studies (fys.nd.edu) advisors during their freshmen year at Notre Dame. After entering the College of Arts and Letters, undergraduate advisors from specific departments advise students with questions regarding their major. Deans from the Office of Undergraduate Studies (6.0) assist students with concerns outside the bounds of the major, and advisors from the Career Center and the Office of Undergraduate Studies, as well as departmental advisors, work with students in their discernment of post graduate plans.
May I discuss my son or daughter’s academic progress or problems with his or her advisor?
The University of Notre Dame and its colleges, departments, faculty, and staff comply with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”). Under FERPA, written consent generally must be given by a student before a University official may disclose documents or information contained in a student’s education records, and requests for disclosure of education records or their contents should be directed to the University’s Office of General Counsel (general.counsel.1@nd.edu).
How does my son or daughter pursue a dual degree?
Students interested in pursuing a dual degree must speak with the Deans of both Colleges to receive permission. Students considering this option should be aware that they will be required to complete all University requirements and all requirements of the Colleges from which they wish to receive their degrees. Generally, pursuit of a dual-degree will entail a fifth year of study.
How can my son or daughter be a pre-med major in the College of Arts and Letters?
Students passionate about an Arts and Letters discipline but interested in medicine as a career pursue an Arts and Letters major with a supplemental major in the Arts and Letters Preprofessional Program. This program allows students to complete a major in Spanish, for example, while also completing the prerequisites for medical school.
Can my son or daughter take courses during the summer at a local college or university and receive credit in the College of Arts and Letters?
Yes, students may take courses during the summer at a local college or university and receive credit; however, the student must have the course pre-approved by the relevant department and the Office of Undergraduate Studies. Only a certain number of transfer credits will be allowed, and acceptance of transfer credit is not always granted.
Majors
How does my son or daughter choose a major?
Choice of major is difficult for many students, who are exploring many academic disciplines for the first time . First Year advisors (fys.nd.edu), deans from the Office of Undergraduate Studies (6.0) and departmental undergraduate advisors are all able to assist students in their choice of major. Specific advice is given in the Choosing a Major (2.1.4) section of this Web site.
Does my son or daughter have the option of choosing two majors?
Yes. Students who have enough time in their schedules may complete two majors in the College of Arts and Letters or one major in a different college and another in the College of Arts and Letters.
Does my son or daughter have the option of choosing a minor?
Yes. The College of Arts and Letters offers a variety of minors, some in specific disciplines, some in interdisciplinary fields, and some in area studies fields.
What does my son or daughter have to do to declare a major or a minor?
Students declare their majors in the Office of Undergraduate Studies (6.0). Students must be in residence at the University of Notre Dame at the time they declare their major, and must also have met all prerequisites necessary to entering the major.
Intellectual Environment
Will my son or daughter have the opportunity to pursue research opportunities as an undergraduate?
The College of Arts and Letters encourages undergraduates to pursue research, both independently and in conjunction with a faculty member. The Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts facilitates the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) which provides grants to undergraduates performing independent research. In addition, College faculty welcome undergraduates as research assistants.
How large will my son or daughter’s classes be?
Class sizes in the College of Arts and Letters vary from small seminars to larger lectures. 75% of undergraduate classes taught at the University have less than 30 students per class, while 85% of classes taught at the University have less than 40 students per class.
Will my son or daughter be taught by professors or by teaching assistants?
Approximately 90% of courses taught at the University are taught by professors; however, the College takes seriously its responsibility to prepare future professors for the classroom, so graduate assistants and fellows instruct students in the First Year Composition Program, in some introductory Theology courses, and in some tutorials for larger lectures.
How does my son or daughter pursue an honors track in his or her major?
Honors tracks are available in a number of different majors. Often, students are invited to join the honors track in a major during the junior year. Students should inquire about the possibility of entering an honors track with their departmental undergraduate advisor.
Will my son or daughter have opportunities to experience the arts in South Bend?
The South Bend community supports the arts in a variety of ways. the South Bend Civic Theatre, the Morris Center for the Performing Arts, and the South Bend Symphony all engage students and faculty from Notre Dame.
The University has made a stunning contribution to the arts in the Midwest by building the Marie P. DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts. Home to 5 performance venues (a mainstage theater, a concert hall, an organ recital hall, an experimental black box theater, and a THX-certified cinema) the DeBartolo Center hosts performances from the New York Symphonic Orchestra to the stage adaptation of Dead Man Walking.
Academic Support
What kinds of academic support are available to students?
First and foremost, professors are available to assist students who may be struggling in a course. In addition, The College of Arts and Letters provides advising support through its Office of Undergraduate Studies. Departmental undergraduate advisors also work with students. The University also provides a Writing Center and a Learning Resource Center to students needing additional support.
What should my son or daughter do regarding his or her coursework in case of a family emergency or serious illness?
Students experiencing an acute family emergency or serious illness should contact the Office of Undergraduate Studies to discuss various options.
A deficiency report is sent to sophomores, juniors, and seniors who performed unsatisfactorily during the first half of the semester to make the student and the deans aware of academic difficulties. The purpose of the report is to allow students to ask for necessary academic or psychological assistance and take responsibility for his or her academic well-being.
The deficiency report does not become part of a student’s permanent academic record.
What should my son or daughter do if he or she receives a deficiency report?
Students who receive deficiency reports should contact their professor and undergraduate advisor, as well as a dean for undergraduate studies to determine how she can improve her grade. If the student feels that the grade cannot improve, she may drop the course until the Friday immediately following Fall or Spring Break, provided that she still carries 12 credit hours for that semester.
Career Opportunities
How long will it take my son or daughter to graduate?
93% of Notre Dame students graduate in the time allotted for their major program, which in general, is four years.
What is the employment rate of graduates from the College of Arts and Letters?
Generally 98 – 100% of College of Arts and Letters graduates are employed, attending graduate school, or performing voluntary or military service six months following graduation.
Will my son or daughter get a job with a degree from the College of Arts and Letters?
The College of Arts and Letters prepares its students to think critically and to articulate their ideas precisely – sought-after skills in the business world. In addition, the University’s Career Center (http://careercenter.nd.edu) provides internship and career placement resources to Arts and Letters students. It helps them find employment opportunities, prepare resumes, and practice for interviews.
Logistics
When will my son or daughter register for classes?
Course registration takes place near the end of each semester prior to Final Exams via computer terminal.
What happens if my son or daughter is not able to register for all the classes he or she requires?
Advisors and professors will work with students to make sure students carry a full course load and are able to meet requirements for the College and University without prolonging the time until graduation.
How does my son or daughter get placed on the Dean’s List?
The Dean’s List honors those students who carry at least 12 credit hours and whose GPAs rank in the top 30% of the College as established the previous Fall or Spring semester
How does my son or daughter receive honors at graduation?
Degrees will be granted with highest honors (summa cum laude) if the student’s grade-point average ranks among the top 5.000 percent of those students graduating from the College of Arts and Letters.
Degrees will be granted with high honors (magna cum laude) if the student’s grade-point average ranks among the top 10.000 percent of those graduating from the College of Arts and Letters.
Degrees will be awarded with honors (cum laude) for students whose grade-point average ranks among the top 30.000 percent of those graduating from the College of Arts and Letters.
What is Junior Parents’ Weekend?
Junior Parents’ Weekend is held each spring to honor the parents of Notre Dame Juniors. Departments in the College hold receptions so that parents may meet professors.
How will we be able to receive tickets for graduation?
The registrar will send graduation packets to students which will include the designated number of tickets for graduation.
