Public Health & Community Health Education

Catalog quicklinks: 

• Major requirements

How do I declare a major?

Please contact:

Guy Herling
Academic Services Director
gherling@uwlax.edu
608.785.8218
105 Graff Main Hall

How do I find who my advisor is?

Faculty advisor assignments can be found on your WINGS account. When logging into WINGS look at the Student Center home page, lower right-hand corner.

Requests for faculty advisor changes must be made through the Chair of the Department of Public Health and Community Health Education, 416 Wimberly Hall.

How often will I meet with my advisor?

Students are required to attend the mandatory "PH CHE Mass Advising" meeting which is scheduled every semester prior to registration. Students also MUST meet with their academic advisor at least one time each semester. The Department of Public Health and Community Health Education automatically places a registration hold/restriction on all students prior to the registration window for each semester.  Once a student attends the PH CHE Mass Advising and meets with their academic advisor, the assigned academic advisor can release the registration hold/restriction.

What do I do when meeting with my advisor?

Your academic advisor will discuss your academic progress, specific courses needed for graduation, your preceptorship [Block 5], public health careers and graduate school options.  Using the  PH-CHE Program Advising Sheet, each student should complete a career-long planner which maps out an ideal schedule of classes, from the first meeting with your advisor through graduation. This schedule planner will assist the student in moving thru the 'PH-CHE blocks' towards graduation.

Advising meetings are also times when students can talk with their faculty advisor about their future career options, and/or graduate school plans, as well as other issues or situations.  Faculty advisors are a great source of information and can point students in the direction of needed resources to assist them in coping with situations which may arise while at UWL.

How can I prepare for my advising meeting?

Students are highly encouraged to create an advising folder. This folder should contain all official paperwork for UWL, including a copy of your current (unofficial) transcript, (available thru your Wings account), and the PH-CHE Program Advising Sheet with the completed courses checked off.  Prior to meeting with your advisor, students should review the following:

• the right hand column of the 'Student Center' home page in Wings which indicates any 'holds' on your account, the 'to do list', your 'enrollment dates' and lists the name of your assigned faculty advisor
• your advisement report which is located in your Wings account (left hand side under the drop down menu on the student center home page)
• it is helpful to have any questions written down prior to your meeting to be sure the information is discussed and your questions are answered.  (keep a running list of questions for your advisor as you progress through each semester)

What if I am struggling academically or personally?

Students are highly encouraged to contact their faculty advisor or a trusted faculty member as soon as you feel there is, or potentially could be, a problem academically or personally.

Faculty will either work with you directly or refer you to another trusted professional who is better prepared or equipped to work with your situation. It is important students keep in touch with their faculty advisor or a trusted faculty member regularly so situations can be handled early (when they are smaller issues) rather than after situations have become overwhelming. Remember no issue is too small to ask or talk about!

What if I would like more of a challenge or a new experience?

Talk with your academic faculty advisor about your interest in undergraduate research or exploring related careers.

How do I apply for graduation?

Graduation is applied for electronically through your WINGS account. Students are recommended to apply for graduation one year prior to your expected semester of graduation. For teacher education students, this is the same semester when you submit your student teaching application.