This video will give you an overview of your requirements as a UVM student in the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. Key resources covered in this video include:

• CEMS Curriculum Check Sheets
• UVM Catamount Core Requirements
• CEMS Core Curriculum

• Your first advising appointment will be held on Microsoft Teams with a small group of students and an academic advisor who will help you finalize your course schedule for fall 
• You are already registered for most of your core CEMS classes. Depending on your major, you may only need to add 1-2 additional classes during this appointment
• To prepare for the appointment, complete the registration Pre-Advising Worksheet (STEP 3) and note any additional questions you have heading into your appointment 
• You will also need to complete the Math Placement Assessment (MPA) before coming to your appointment (STEP 3)
• While you may choose to consult with your family before your appointment, these appointments are for students only
• We are here to help and look forward to meeting with you!

Prior to your course registration appointment, you will be pre-registered for some of the core classes required for your degree. Your schedule includes any classes required for your major, as well as additional degree-applicable courses appropriate for a first-year student in CEMS. You will have the chance to add and/or change classes during your appointment.

To review your pre-registered schedule, log in to your My UVM account using your UVM netid and password. In the “My Courses” box, click the “My Schedule” link. You will see a weekly overview of your schedule, and if you click each class, you can read the full title and description of the class.

*Note:  You may have taken AP/IB/dual enrollment coursework that gives you credit for some of the courses you have been blocked into for the Fall 2026 semester. Our office receives these scores later in the summer, and we will follow up with any student who earns credit to help with schedule adjustments then. There is nothing that should be adjusted on your schedule at this point!

To determine if additional classes are needed for fall, compare the courses you see in “My Schedule” with the curriculum check sheet for your degree. For example, Computer Science majors are pre-registered for all courses except those highlighted below “Catamount Core (AH Arts & Humanities)” and “Catamount Core (WIL1): ENGL 1001”. These are the courses that CS majors will need to register for.

The Catamount Core Curriculum is UVM’s general education requirement that students in all colleges are required to take. The Catamount Core Curriculum is made up of 42 credits in courses distributed across three main areas: LIBERAL ARTS (21 credits); CORE SKILLS (9 credits); and COMMON GROUND VALUES (12 credits). 

Prior to your advising appointment, you will want to identify 3-5 potential Catamount Core options for the fall. Depending on your major in CEMS, you will likely be taking 1-2 of these classes your first semester.

You can search for Catamount Core courses using UVM’s Schedule of Courses Search tool. Simply select the term “Fall 2026” and then scroll down to the “Catamount Core Curricular Requirements” section. Select the Catamount requirement that you need, for example, an Arts (AH1) course, and click Search. A list of available AH1 courses will be shown for fall. Click on a course to see the full description.

This video will show you how to use the UVM registration system. You will need to be familiar with this system so that you can make any necessary schedule changes during your appointment. 

PLEASE NOTE: When you log in to the registration system, you will see an Orientation/Advising (“Register at Acad Advising Appt”) hold on your account that your advisor will remove for you the day of your appointment!

Here are some additional tips that will be helpful to you during your course registration advising appointment.

• Classes with Labs:
  If you plan to register for a class with a lab, you will need to register for the lecture section AND the lab section at the same time. Make sure the time of the lecture you are choosing doesn’t conflict with the lab time.
• Course Levels & Prerequisites:
  As a new first-year student, you should primarily be looking at classes at intro-level/in the 1000s. Some classes require a minimum class standing (i.e. sophomore or junior standing) and/or specific course prerequisites. When you are looking through possible course options be mindful of the class levels and any listed restrictions in the description.

You are required to be on a computer with access to your myUVM account for your appointment. Your advisor will connect with you using Microsoft Teams.

It is important that you have set-up and tested your Microsoft Teams account before your appointment to make sure it works. You must sign into Teams with your UVM e-mail address! Please be sure to check this/set this up ahead of time. If you have already created a Teams account with a non-UVM email address, you need to log-out and sign up with your UVM credentials.

Click here for Microsoft Teams instructionsPlease do a test run of Teams to make sure your camera and audio work.

IMPORTANT NOTE: It’s helpful for you to be able to share your screen with the advisor you are meeting with so they can help you navigate the registration system. If you’re using a Mac, you’ll need to grant permission to Teams to record your computer’s screen before you can share. 

Here are instructions on how to share your screen on a Mac:

1. You’ll be prompted to grant permission the first time you try to share your screen. Select Open System Preferences from the prompt. If you miss the prompt, you can do this anytime by going to Apple Menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security.
2. Under Screen & System Audio Recording, make sure the toggle next to Microsoft Teams is turned on.
3. Go back to your meeting and try sharing your screen again.

All first-year CEMS students are required to take the MPA to determine readiness for calculus courses. The Math Placement Assessment is up to 30 questions and generally takes 60 - 90 minutes to complete. After the Placement Assessment, an individualized Prep and Learning Module is available so that you can refresh your knowledge on forgotten topics. You will then have the opportunity to reassess and improve your placement.

A score of 76 or higher is needed on the MPA to take MATH 1234 (Calculus I) in the fall. If you score under a 76 you can chat with an advisor during your appointment about registering for Pre-Calc or re-taking the MPA.

Please complete the placement test at least 24 hours before your appointment!

Math Placement Assessment (~60-90 minutes to complete)

All students are required to complete a registration advising worksheet before their appointment and should have this form available to share with their advisor during the appointment. This worksheet will help you and your advisor make the most of your appointment time.

Download the Pre-Advising Worksheet (Fillable PDF)