Advising & Degree Completion Planning

All students work with a faculty adviser who is committed to guiding you in selecting classes to fulfill your degree requirements and to providing advice on research opportunities, how to apply for a job or graduate school, and any other challenges or concerns you may be facing. The heart of this process is the Degree Completion Plan

Degree Completion Plan

Degree completion planning is a advising process designed to more efficiently map your path towards graduation. It is required by Maryland Senate Bill 740, the Career and College Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013, which requires all students to file an Individualized Degree Completion Plan (IDCP) by the time they complete 45 credits.

An IDCP takes the suggested degree completion plan of your major (or concentration) and personalizes it for your academic career given your unique needs, goals and aspirations. This plan could help you save time and money by highlighting a more direct route towards degree completion and graduation.

In order to provide the most efficient method of advising, you should do the following before coming to see your advisor:

  1. Open Your Academic Requirements

    Go to Towson Online Services, click on "Self Service," and then "Student Dashboard." On the left hand side, select "Academic Requirements" from the drop-down menu.

  2. Write Down All Non-completed Courses

    Using your academic requirements, write down all required and "Gen Ed/University Core" courses that you have not completed.

  3. Review the Four-year Plan of Study for Your Major

    Suggested plans for completion of degree requirements in four years provide a potential template for your degree completion plan. View the four-year plan of study in the undergraduate catalog:

    Major in Earth-Space Science
    Major in Earth-Space Science with Secondary Education Concentration
    Major in Geology
    Major in Physics
    Major in Physics Secondary Education Concentration

  4. Create a Degree Completion Plan

    Select the spreadsheet from the following list to open it in Microsoft Excel or save it to your computer.

    Geology Plan
    Applied Physics Plan
    Astrophysics Plan

    Dual Degree Plan
    General Physics Plan
    Computational Physics Plan
    1. After the spreadsheet is open in Excel, fill in the top information.
    2. Input the total earned units up to today ("Total Units Earned" box).
    3. Fill in the remaining schedule by term. Use the "Requirements" guide to the right of the plan to to see when courses are taught and whether prerequisites have been fulfilled.
    4. Make sure you have a minimum of 120 credits in the Total Academic Units box when completed.
    5. Make sure you have a minimum of 32 units of upper-level (300-400) courses.

  5. Email Degree Completion Plan to Adviser

    Save the file as "TUID#_LastName.xls (example: 1234567_Doe).
    Email the file to your adviser as an attachment.

  6. Meet with Your Adviser

    Schedule a meeting with your adviser. Bring a copy of your plan with you to the meeting. You and your adviser will review the plan and when finished and approved, you will both sign the plan. Both you and your adviser will keep a copy of the signed and approved plan.

Faculty Advisors

Class/Program NAMe/EMAIL Phone
Physics 410-704-2220
Dual degree engineering Jeff Simpson 410-704-4737
Geology 410-704-4245
Earth-space science 410-704-3011