Advising & Degree Completion Planning

Advising allows students to meet with their academic advisor to discuss degree requirements, review progress, and get help deciding what courses to take in the next semester.

Advising Holds are placed on all student accounts during the fall and spring semesters. Students are required to meet with their assigned advisor to have this hold removed before registering for classes.

A Degree Completion Plan hold (DCP) will also be placed on your account when you reach 45 credits. Your Degree Completion Plan is your road map to graduation and helps you plan which courses to take and when. The sooner you start one, the better! Once you reach 45 or more credits, you are required to have a Degree Completion Plan on file with your adviser.

Meet with a Student Advisor on Zoom

Undergraduate Advising
(Hours: Monday-Friday by appointment.)

For questions outside of scheduled hours, please send an email to or email a Student Advisor directly at cisstudentadvisor@gmail.com.

Students can additionally request a one-on-one Degree Planning appointment with a Student Advisor (here).

How Do I Get Started and What Do I Need to Do?

  1. E-mail your adviser to make an appointment. Find your adviser’s e-mail in your PeopleSoft student account. 
  2. Prior to your meeting with your advisor:
    1. Review the CIS Student Advising Guide (PDF).
    2. Review your Academic Requirements Report in PeopleSoft. This will indicate courses you have taken and ones which you still need to take.
    3. Review the requirements for your major. (See major course sheets below).
    4. Review your Core Curriculum Requirements (PDF) and suggested Core Curriculum Recommendations (PDF) for CIS majors.
    5. Determine which courses you think you should take next semester and complete the Registration Proposal (DOCX).
    6. Complete your Degree Plan.
  3. How to complete your Degree Plan
    1. Download the Degree Completion Plan Template (XLSX) and save the file name as your student ID number, last name and date as the file name. (Example: 0123456FISHER10-31-14).
    2. After the spreadsheet is open in Excel, input the total earned units up to today and input the number of units you are currently enrolled in.
    3. Fill in the remaining schedule by term. Use the below course sheets to help you determine when a course is offered and its prerequisite(s).
    4. Make sure you have a minimum of 120 credits.
    5. Email your completed Degree Plan to your advisor as an attachment.

If you need help starting your Degree Plan, view our Degree Plan Video Tutorial.

Remember to bring or email your Registration Proposal and Degree Plan to your advisor. Keep a copy of all documents for your records.

CIS Advising Hub

Students are encouraged to meet with Student Advisors at the CIS Advising Hub located in YR207 on the second floor of the 7800 York Road building.

Run by computing majors in our department, Student Advisors can help with course selection, degree planning, change of majors, transfer petitions, and general advising. Student led meetings and workshops are also held throughout the semester to help students build degree plans and learn more about our majors.

Student Advisors are available in-person Monday-Thursday from 9:30am-5pm and Friday from 10am-4pm during the Fall semester. Student Advisors can also be reached by phone at 410-704-4776.

Which CIS Major is right for you?

If you need help choosing the correct CIS Major for you, view our Which Computing Major is Right for Me? presentation. TU students are also welcome to contact CIS Department Advisor Nichole Mason to discuss the Computer Science, Information Science, and Information Technology majors at Towson University. Email for an appointment. 

Computer Science Major/Minor – Program Requirements

Computer Science Major (Catalog Year 23-24 and later) (PDF)

Computer Science Major (Catalog Year 20-21) (PDF)

Computer Science Major (Catalog Year 19-20) (PDF)

Computer Science Major (Catalog Year 17-18 through 18-19) (PDF)

Computer Science Minor (Catalog Year 19-20 and later) (PDF)

Computer Science with Cyber Operations Track (Catalog Year 23-24 and later) (PDF)

Computer Science with Cyber Operations Track (Catalog Year 20-21) (PDF)

Computer Science with Cyber Operations Track (Catalog Year 19-20) (PDF)

Computer Science with Software Engineering Track (Catalog Year 23-24 and later) (PDF)

Computer Science with Software Engineering Track (Catalog Year 20-21) (PDF)

Computer Science with Software Engineering Track (Catalog Year 19-20) (PDF)

Computer Science with Software Engineering Track (Catalog Year 17-18 through 18-19) (PDF)

Computer Science with Computer Security Track (Catalog Year 17-18 through 18-19) (PDF)

Computer and Mathematical Sciences Major (Catalog Year 24-25 and later) (PDF)

Computer and Mathematical Sciences Major (Catalog Year 22-23) (PDF)

Computer and Mathematical Sciences Major with Secondary Education Track (Catalog Year 22-23 and later) (PDF)

Computer and Mathematical Sciences Major with Computational Data Science Track (Catalog Year 24-25 and later) (PDF)

Information Systems Major/Minor – Program Requirements

Information Systems Minor (Catalog Year 22-23 and later) (PDF)

Information Systems with Data Analytics Track (Catalog Year 24-25 and later) (PDF)

Information Systems with Data Analytics Track (Catalog Year 21-22) (PDF)

Information Systems with Business Track (Catalog Year 24-25 and later) (PDF)

Information Systems with Business Track (Catalog Year 19-20) (PDF)

Information Systems with Interface Design Track (Catalog Year 24-25 and later) (PDF)

Information Systems with Interface Design Track (Catalog Year 22-23) (PDF)

Information Systems with Interface Design Track (Catalog Year 19-20) (PDF)

Information Systems with Systems Track (Catalog Year 24-25 and later) (PDF)

Information Systems with Systems Track (Catalog Year 19-20) (PDF)

Information Technology Major/Minor – Program Requirements

Information Technology Major (Catalog Year 24-25 and later) (PDF)

Information Technology Major (Catalog Year 19-20) (PDF)

Information Technology Major (Catalog Year 18-19) (PDF)

Information Technology Minor (Catalog Year 24-25 and later) (PDF)

Information Technology Minor (Catalog Year 19-20) (PDF)

Information Technology Major with Data Management and Analytics Track (Catalog Year 24-25 and later) (PDF)

Information Technology Major with Data Management and Analytics Track (Catalog Year 21-22) (PDF)

Information Technology Major with Network Security Track (Catalog Year 24-25 and later) (PDF)

Information Technology Major with Network Security Track (Catalog Year 21-22) (PDF)

HELPFUL INFORMATION

  • Towson University also offers the Information Technology major at TU in Northeastern Maryland. 
  • For additional information on student advising procedures, contact , Student Services Coordinator. 
  • For additional information on degree advising and transfers, contact , Degree Advising Specialist.
  • For additional information on changing majors, contact , Academic Advising Specialist.
  • For questions regarding the Computer Science MS program, please email .
  • For questions regarding the Applied Information Technology MS program, please email .
  • For additional graduate student information, visit our Resources for Graduate Students web page.