Academic Advising
At Salem Community College, your success and academic future are our top priorities. As advisors, we will help you develop and meet your goals, advocate for you, and prepare you for the future. Your academic experience should be as smooth as possible, from start to finish. We will work together to empower you with knowledge, wisdom, and resources as you pursue your goals at Salem Community College and beyond.
Student Responsibilities
- Submit all admissions, financial aid, and academic documentation. Your advisor needs to review this material to help you make the best degree and course choices.
- Make SCC aware of any changes in your personal information. Personal Information Change forms are available through your advising portal in Canvas and at the front desk in the Admissions Office.
- Use the information and guidance provided by the advisor to make wise decisions about your major and which courses to take.
- Refer to your Program Sheet when selecting courses for the next semester. Mark your sheet to help you keep track of your progress toward your degree. It is helpful to keep your Program Sheet, along with other advising-related materials, organized in a folder that you bring with you to every advising appointment.
- Once you are on your way to completing courses specific to your major, ask yourself two important questions to make sure it is the right fit for you: (a) Do I find the content of the core courses interesting? and (b) Do my courses make me look forward to future coursework in this major?
- Make your education a priority and attend all classes. If a class absence cannot be avoided, you should contact the instructor immediately.
- Access and read the College Catalog and Student Handbook. Be familiar with and abide by SCC policies defined in the College Catalog and Student Handbook.
- Schedule periodic meetings with your advisor to discuss your progress and ask any questions you may have.
Advisor Responsibilities
- Work with individual students to develop long-term academic plans and set short-term goals to achieve those plans.
- Provide a clear explanation of course requirements for a student's chosen program; this includes General Education, program-specific courses, elective options, and internship opportunities, where applicable.
- Discuss student's areas of personal concern, such as balancing academics with work and social obligations. Refer students to campus resources, such as the Academic Support Lab, for help with their unique needs.
- Meet with students before and during each semester registration period to discuss academic progress.
- Contact students receiving Academic Alerts; set appointments to identify progress issues and brainstorm solutions.
- Answer questions about SCC policies and procedures.
- Help students to be proactive in their education and to problem-solve.
Authorization to Register
Each semester, before registering for classes, every student should review their academic plan with their assigned advisor. This offers a guide to make sure the students are on track to complete their program as well as discuss changes that the student may want to make. To ensure that the students meet with their advisor, registration requires an authorization.
New Students
New students must meet with an Academic Advisor in Student Affairs to discuss course scheduling prior to registration.
Walk-in advising is available Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9AM-5PM and Wednesday from 9AM-6PM. The college is closed on Fridays in the summer.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with an advisor, please use the button located on this page, email advising@salemcc.edu or call 856-351-2635.
Current Students
Current students must meet with their Faculty Advisor. If you do not know your Faculty Advisor's name, please login to Self Service and select "View Schedule" on the Home screen.
Your Faculty Advisor's name is listed at the bottom of your schedule.
If your advisor is not available during winter break or summer break, please contact Advising at advising@salemcc.edu or 856-351-2635.
"Academic advisors are honored to have the opportunity to partner with hard-working, resilient, and vibrant students who genuinely make our SCC community an incredible place to be. We are fortunate to advocate for students who learn, develop as individuals, and reach their academic, personal, and career goals. We are proud to support students throughout their SCC journey!"
Laura Green
Manager of Advising
General Education
As required by New Jersey Administrative Code, Salem Community College includes a general education component in its programs of study. The general education component is designed to ensure students develop a broad base of knowledge, communicate effectively, and think analytically, critically and creatively. Approved courses for each category are below. A course that has more than one category of General Education status may count only one time (in one category) for purposes of fulfilling required General Education distribution requirements for graduation.
Program Sheets
Students can use program sheets to assist with registration and to keep track of their progress towards degree completion. Program sheets can also be found with in the SCC catalog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of the most common academic related questions can be found here. If you still need more information, please contact Enrollment Management.
P: 856.351.2716
E: admissions@salemcc.edu
Program sheets are available for all of the certificates and associate degrees offered at Salem Community College. These sheets are a recommended sequence to progress through your program. Course and program offerings vary from semester to semester. Please refer to the course schedule for specifics. Registration appointments with your advisor are available every semester for all students who need assistance with course selection.
A full-time student must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours for the semester. Eleven (11) credits or less are considered a part-time student.
A pre-requisite is a course which must be taken before you can enroll in another course.
Courses are usually offered according to the sequence on the program sheet. Courses taken out of sequence may delay graduation. If you decide to take a course out of sequence, you should consult with an advisor to ensure you can graduate on time.
A student can take up to 19 credits during the semester without prior approval.
For 15W classes, the add/drop deadline is 7 days after the first day of the 15W term. For 7W1 classes, the add/drop deadline is 2 days after the start of the 7W1 term. For 10W classes, the add/drop deadline is 2 days after the start of the 10W term. For 7W2 classes, the add/drop deadline is 2 days after the start of the 7W2 term. For a list of add/drop dates, see the Academic Calendar.
Withdrawing from a course happens if you need to drop out of a course after the add/drop deadline. After the add/drop deadline, you must withdraw from a course to avoid receiving a grade of F or FA. An official course withdrawal appears on your transcript as a grade W, which does not factor into your GPA. You can withdraw from a course by completing the Course Withdrawal form in Student Affairs, Donaghay Hall, Room 101.
The original grade you received for the class will always remain on the transcript. However, the new grade you receive for the class will be the grade used to calculate your cumulative grade point average (GPA) and will be shown in [brackets].
Yes, if it is from an approved organization. Students should see their advisor to submit a course waiver request form. Requests are reviewed and approved/denied by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.
No. Advisors and faculty members can recommend it, but it must be approved by an academic dean in the Office of Academic Affairs, TIL-215 in Tillis Hall.
Students can change their major by submitting a Declaration of Major form. Forms are available in Student Affairs, Donaghay Hall, Room 101.
Students can dual major by submitting a Declaration of Major form. Forms are available in Student Affairs, Donaghay Hall, Room 101. Students wanting to earn two degrees must complete at least 15 credits in one degree program that are different from the second degree program and complete all general education requirements. Students wanting to earn a degree and certificate must complete all program and general education requirements. Students wanting to earn two certificates must complete at least 6 credits in one certificate program that are different from the second certificate program and meet all general education requirements.
An unofficial copy of your transcript can be found in the Self-Service portal under the Grades tab. An official copy can be requested on the website, www.getmytranscript.com. There is a small fee for an official transcript.
No. Students can access the Self-Service portal anytime on our website.
Students can receive academic advising with a hold on their account. However, they will not be permitted to register for courses or obtain a copy of their transcript.
Canvas is Salem Community College's online learning platform where instructors and students can access course materials and communicate online.
Students are advised to consult with their advisor to see if they meet all graduation requirements prior to submitting a Graduation Application. Graduation Application packets are available in Student Affairs, DON-101 in Donaghay Hall. There is no fee if the application is submitted by the deadline. A $35 fee applies if submitted by the late deadline.