Getting Started
The Rubenstein School is your academic home at UVM. As you're getting to know our academic programs you will also be exploring widely and developing a foundation in the liberal arts. We encourage you to be open to change as you learn more about who you are what you're excited to study.
Resources for New RSENR Students New Student Technology UVM FAQs Glossary of TermsThis page is as your Rubenstein School Student Handbook. It provides a detailed overview of the tools you'll need as a student, your advising team, your degree requirements, important academic policies, and support resources available to you.
RSENR Student Handbook Archive:
Your Dean's Office
Room 220 in the George D. Aiken Center is where you’ll find the RSENR Dean's Office, which coordinates all administrative functions for the Rubenstein School. It is also home to the Student Services team offices and the RSENR Student Services Hub, where you can find tea, puzzles, student artwork, peer mentor drop-in hours, and quiet spaces to work.
Advising
Your Advising Team
Advising is central the Rubenstein School’s support system for students and is comprised of two components: Professional Advisors and faculty mentors. Your Professional Advisor will be assigned shortly before classes begin. Your Professional Advisor's contact information can be found via MyUVM or Navigate: Login using your NetID and click on the “Advisors” card in MyUVM or the “Success Team” section in Navigate.
Professional Advisors
In your first semester, you will be assigned a Professional Advisor, who will serve as a consistent support throughout your time in the Rubenstein School. Professional Advisors have a broad knowledge of all the majors in the Rubenstein School, the many services across UVM, and how to best support students while navigating the transition to UVM and the Rubenstein School.
Faculty Mentors
As you enter your junior year, you will also work with faculty mentors in your respective major to support faculty-student connection through intentional, subject area-focused mentorship. These Faculty Mentors share expertise and recommendations with students based on their program of study as well as their knowledge of the professional job market and/or options for graduate education.
How to Arrange Meetings with your Professional Advisor or Faculty Mentor
The best way to meet with your Professional Advisor or faculty mentor is to schedule an appointment via Navigate, email, or to stop by during their drop-in or office hours. Note that faculty mentors may be away from their offices teaching, doing research, and participating in a wide array of service obligations. If this is the case, follow up via email.
Expectations of Advisees
It is your responsibility to communicate regularly with your Professional Advisor and faculty mentors to obtain assistance in clarifying and meeting educational, professional, and personal goals. Successful advising requires a substantial level of effort and commitment from the advisor and from the advisee.
Communications
All official Rubenstein School and UVM communications will arrive via UVM email. If you are used to receiving email on a non-UVM email account, please arrange to have that mail forwarded to your UVM address or vice versa. It is possible to access your UVM email account via your smartphone. Add a UVM email account to your device.
RSENR Student Intranet
The RSENR Student Resources Intranet is a SharePoint website that is only accessible to people with a UVM NetId. It contains helpful links, important documents, and other resources for current RSENR undergraduate and graduate students. Visit and bookmark the RSENR Student Intranet.
Faculty and Staff Directory
A full listing of faculty, staff, and graduate students in the Rubenstein School can be found online. This is a great resource to look up the office location or contact information for your professor. It also contains information about the research and expertise areas of people in our community. View the Rubenstein School directory.
Updating Address, Phone Numbers, Name and Pronouns
Notify the University whenever you change your address or phone number. To do this, log into MyUVM, go to the “Registrar” tab, and select the appropriate option on the “Personal Information” menu. Be sure to keep your Emergency Broadcast Numbers updated so you can be reached in the event of an emergency.
Social Media
The Rubenstein School maintains five official accounts on social media:
As students in the Rubenstein School, we invite you to tag our social media accounts in your personal posts and your bios. We ask that you be mindful of content you share that you affiliate with the Rubenstein School, and that you engage with social media with care and respect.
Academic Integrity and Professionalism
Academic Integrity
The principal objective of the University of Vermont’s policy on academic integrity is to promote an intellectual climate and support the academic integrity of the university. Academic honesty is an essential part of learning at UVM. Faculty, staff, and fellow students expect that each student will conduct themselves in an ethical way while at the university and abide by the behavior written in Our Common Ground.
Read the Code of Academic Integrity and learn more about the Center for Student Conduct.
Professional Expectations
Your behavior in the classroom and in interactions with teachers and advisors should be respectful and professional. Here’s what that looks like:
- Arrive on time for your classes and be prepared to engage fully.
- During classes or meetings, your cell phone should be turned off.
- The Rubenstein School is a friendly place; some professors may invite you to address them by their first name.
- Otherwise, it is customary to use “Professor” when addressing faculty.
- Be respectful in all communications with your teachers and advisors, including email.
The same high level of professionalism is expected when working in communities via service learning, internships, and travel study. Remember that the people you are working alongside can serve as references and networking contacts in the future.
Academic Planning
Degree Requirements
The specific degree requirements you will need to meet as an undergraduate student are associated with the year you began your UVM education and the program(s) you are enrolled in. Your requirements will be listed in the Undergraduate Course Catalogue that corresponds with the year you began your undergraduate degree. If you began your degree during the 2026/2027 academic year, that is your catalogue. If you started your degree prior to the current catalogue, refer to the catalogue archives.
Academic programs in the Rubenstein School include three kinds of requirements: Catamount Core Curriculum, Rubenstein School Core Curriculum, and Major Requirements. Many courses meet multiple requirements; your Professional Advisor can help plan out your schedule to meet all your requirements on time. See all RSENR majors and minors.
Preparing to Register
Review UVM’s registration schedule to find out when you register for courses. Work with your Professional Advisor and review the Academic Planning tab on the RSENR Undergraduate Resources page to plan your course selection and schedule. The Schedule of Courses encompasses all courses offered at UVM by semester.
Enrollment and Billing/Financial Aid
Deadlines exist for adding new classes to your schedule, dropping classes, and withdrawing from classes. These deadlines are real and must be met. It is very important to discuss any proposed enrollment changes with your advisor. Billing and awards can be affected by enrollment changes. For example, if you withdraw from one class and add another, both classes continue to be counted for billing purposes; this can bump your Total Credit Hours for the semester over 19 and result in additional tuition charges. For details regarding your financial aid package and billing, contact the Student Financial Services Office. Learn more on the Student Financial Services website.
Degree Audit Tracking with "Degree Works"
Degree audits are useful tools to identify specific requirements for your declared major, courses already taken, and in-progress courses. The degree audit also indicates which requirements still need to be completed and provides a list of courses that can be taken to satisfy them. This is not an official document, but a tool to help you track your progress towards your degree. Many programs in the Rubenstein School require concentrations or plans of study that can only be fulfilled by courses that have been approved by your Professional Advisor and Program Director. See your advisor to address any additions or corrections to your degree audit.
Double-Counting Policy
Courses may be “double-counted” between major, concentration and minor requirements according to the following major restrictions:
- A maximum of two classes may double count between any RSENR major (excluding Forestry) and minor or certificate requirements (excluding pre-requisite courses such as BIOL 1400 & 1450, NR 2030 or BCOR 2100).
- If a student is pursuing a double major or dual degree, there is no limit to the number of courses that may overlap between their major requirements unless otherwise stated in the Undergraduate Catalogue for the associated major.
- Courses may NOT double count between the Rubenstein Core Curriculum and any RSENR major or minor requirements.
- The Forestry major does not restrict the number of courses that may count between major, minor, or concentration requirements.
Academic Planning Links
- Adding/Dropping a Course
- Withdrawing from a Course
- Course Substitutions
- Transferring Credit
- For more information talk to your professional advisor and refer to the detailed Transfer Credit Guide.
- Honors College Requirements
- DegreeWorks Audits
- GPA Calculator
- Accelerated Master's Program (AMP) in Natural Resources
Degree Planning Worksheets by Major
Changing Majors within the Rubenstein School
Current Rubenstein School students interested in changing their major within the Rubenstein School should talk to their Professional Advisor about the major they are interested in. They should also consider meeting with the program director for the major before finalizing their decision. To submit a change of major request, complete and submit the online Registrar Form.
Meeting Graduation Requirements
Ultimately, it is your responsibility to assure that all graduation requirements are met. You should read and follow the catalogue carefully and meet regularly with your Professional Advisor. If you have questions about requirements, you should promptly consult your Professional Advisor.
Intent to Graduate–Junior Records Check
Before the beginning of your senior year (when you are in your sixth semester or when you have earned more than 80 total credits), you will need to complete the Intent to Graduate form (below). You will need to schedule a time to meet with your Professional Advisor to review and fill out the form together. The submission of this form MUST come from your Professional Advisor.
On the Intent to Graduate form you and your Professional Advisor will indicate the courses remaining to be completed for your degree and when you intend to graduate. It is extremely important that you and your Professional Advisor carefully complete this form — it is used by the Dean's Office to certify that all your requirements have been completed and you are eligible to graduate.
Transferring into the Rubenstein School from elsewhere at UVM
We welcome applications from students currently enrolled in another college or school at UVM who would like to transfer into the Rubenstein School. This application process allows us to ensure students' interests are a good fit for the requested major and that the program of interest has capacity. Before applying, we encourage all applicants to review the Rubenstein School Mission Question and review our undergraduate programs.
Internal Transfer Criteria
While minimum requirements for internal transfers vary by program, each internal transfer to the Rubenstein School must:
- Have been admitted to UVM and have not yet matriculated, meaning they are an incoming first-year student.
OR
- Are a current UVM student with First Year or Sophomore standing
- Current students cannot have any incompletes (INC’s) or missing (M) grades
- Current students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher and have completed at least 12 credits at UVM.
All applicants must have a demonstrated understanding of their selected major and be able to articulate how their academic and professional goals align with that program.
Akol Aguek will have virtual internal transfer information sessions from 1 to 2 P.M. on Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the fall and spring semesters. Send Akol an email at Akol.Aguek@uvm.edu with the date you plan to attend a virtual information session and he will send you a meeting link.
Application Process
The Rubenstein School welcomes applications for internal transfers for both the Spring and Fall semesters. UVM students may submit the online Internal Transfer Application Form at any time. Please keep in mind the following deadlines:
Spring semester start applications are due by October 1 at 11:59 p.m.
Fall semester start applications are due by March 1 at 11:59 p.m.
Please take a moment to review the Internal Transfer Application Form instructions with care. This will help you choose the correct start term, complete every required section, and submit your materials before the deadline.
To help you stay on track, please keep the following in mind:
Select the correct start term when completing the form.
Fill out all required sections fully.
Submit your application before the listed deadline.
Admittance of internal transfers into the Rubenstein School is dependent on application materials and the capacity of the program you are applying to transfer into.
If you have any questions about this application process, please contact our Recruitment and Retention Coordinator Akol Aguek at Akol.Aguek@uvm.edu and copy RSENRStudentServices@uvm.edu.
Transferring out of the Rubenstein School
Current Rubenstein School students interested in pursuing a major in another UVM college or school should contact the department they are interested in transferring into. Each college and school has its own process for administering transfers.
Leave of Absence and Medical Withdrawal
Leave of Absence
A Leave of Absence means that a student in good standing, who is eligible for continued enrollment, ceases to be enrolled and is guaranteed readmission.
- Student notifies Rubenstein School Student Services with any questions about their Leave of Absence request before the beginning of the semester that the leave will take effect.
- Student completes the online UVM Leave of Absence form.
- To be confirmed, the UVM Leave of Absence form must be submitted by the student and approved by Rubenstein School Student Services
Important Information
- Leaves are granted for a finite period.
- While on leave, the student's status is temporarily inactivated. We recommend students complete the UVM Re-Entry Application by October 31 or March 31 (preceding the appropriate semester) to ensure registration status before course registration.
- Students should also contact the Rubenstein School Student Services after they've submitted the UVM Re-Entry Application or if they have questions about their return. Similarly, we recommend that students reach out by the end of October/end of March.
- A Leave of Absence does not guarantee housing upon a student's return. Students should contact UVM Residential Life with questions about housing.
- Unused financial aid will not be carried over. Upon readmission, students must reapply for financial aid according to UVM Student Financial Services policies and procedures in effect at that time.
Medical Withdrawal/Incomplete
Students who seek to withdraw from the University or identified courses after the start of a given semester because of a physical or mental health condition must contact Rubenstein School Student Services to discuss their intention to take a Medical Withdrawal.
Similarly, students who voluntarily seek a grade of Incomplete for identified courses after the start of a given semester because of a physical or mental health condition must contact Rubenstein School Student Services to discuss their intention to take a Medical Incomplete.
Following a conversation with Student Services, the student will be provided with instructions on how to submit a Medical Withdrawal or Medical Incomplete Request Form, as appropriate, to the Rubenstein School Dean’s Office. A portion of this form must be completed by the student’s Medical Provider (on or off-campus) for the purpose of verifying that a medical condition warranting consideration for Medical Withdrawal or Incomplete, as applicable, exists.
Grades and Incompletes
Grades are reported and recorded as letter grades. A grade of Incomplete may be granted for a course in which work is not completed due to extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control. To receive an Incomplete, you need to provide written documentation of the circumstances. Contact your advisor for assistance and contact the course instructor about a request for an Incomplete. Learn more about grades on the Registrar website.
Low Academic Performance
The Rubenstein School emphasizes academic excellence and the development of professional responsibility. If a student is struggling academically, that reality needs to be confronted in order to attain the appropriate support. At the conclusion of each semester, the Rubenstein School Honors and Studies Committee meets to evaluate the academic performance of students and recommends appropriate action to the Dean.
Academic Standing Policy
The Rubenstein School emphasizes academic excellence and the development of professional responsibility. Professors, Faculty Mentors, professional advisors, and administrative staff are committed to working with each student to maximize prospects for success. If a student is failing, that reality needs to be confronted so that appropriate support can be provided.
At the conclusion of each semester, the Rubenstein School Honors and Studies Committee meets to evaluate the academic performance of students and recommends appropriate action to the Dean. Policies adhered to conform to the UVM Catalogue.
On Trial
On Trial is an intermediate status between good standing and dismissal. Circumstances under which a student is placed on trial are:
- Student has failed half or more of the credit hours for which they were enrolled during the semester;
- Student's semester grade point average is below 2.00 (1.67 for first semester first-year students); or
- Student has been readmitted to the University after having been dismissed for low academic performance.
A letter will be sent to each student placed on trial detailing the conditions of that student's situation. This letter will also include the conditions that will result in dismissal for low academic performance. A student is removed from trial when the stipulated conditions are attained.
Separation
A student may be dismissed for low academic performance if the stipulated on-trial conditions are not met. A student may also be dismissed for low academic performance for failing half or more of the hours for which the student was enrolled in a given semester, or for earning below a 1.00 semester grade point average. The letter of dismissal will include the requirements for readmission, and instructions for appeal of the decision.
Appeal Process
A student may appeal any decision by the Honors and Studies Committee through the Assistant Dean for Student Services of the Rubenstein School. The initial appeal should be in writing detailing any extenuating circumstances.
Academic Honors and Achievement Awards
Academic Honors
UVM recognizes and celebrates academic excellence via the Dean’s List, Latin Honors, and Honors College Scholars. Learn more about these categories of academic honors.
RSENR Academic Achievement Awards
Each spring the Rubenstein School holds a celebration in early May to recognize students whose achievements in academics, community engagement, and student leadership have been particularly noteworthy. Past awardees are listed on the RSENR Dean’s Office page.
The Patrick Leahy Honors College
First-year students admitted into the Honors College are selected based on their high school academic achievement. The Honors College also welcomes applications for admission from sophomores who have achieved minimum grade-point averages of 3.4 at the end of their first year. Learn more about the Sophomore application process.