Who do I speak to regarding program requirements?  
OS Concentrators should use this online appointment calendar to make a scheduled appointment with the OS Concentration Advisor. Please note that the OS Concentration Advisor is in the office on a part-time basis, so it is important to schedule appointments as far in advance as possible, especially during the busy registration period.

Once I am accepted into the Organizational Studies concentration, do I still need to maintain contact with my general LSA/Honors/RC advisor?
Yes, you should check with both your general advisor and your concentration advisor at least once each term. The OS Concentration Advisor can help you plan and document completion of your concentration, and your general advisor will check all LSA general requirements you need for graduation (distribution, foreign language, etc.).

Are there any OS courses that fulfill the LSA Upper Level Writing Requirement?
Yes. ORGSTUDY 310, Formal Organizations and Environments, will fulfill the ULWR. Since all OS students are required to take ORGSTUDY 310, you should not need to search for other ULWR courses. Please be aware that you must have already completed the first-year writing requirement in order to receive credit for the ULWR requirement.

Are OS courses offered in the Spring and/or Summer terms?
You may occasionally be able to find courses in the OS curriculum that are offered in the spring or summer, but you should be aware that offerings are very, very limited. If there are no appropriate OS courses available at UM for you to take, you may want to look at other 4-year institutions in the metro Detroit area or close to your hometown. You may also wish to consider completing an independent study (ORGSTUDY 499) during the summer months. Lastly, if you are not able to find any way to complete OS requirements in the spring or summer, you may want to focus on completing your LSA general requirements instead.

Are there special issues for study abroad credit?
If you are planning to study abroad, it is suggested that you talk with the OS Concentration Advisor as early as possible. OS is a long concentration, and if you will be off campus for a term, it is important to plan ahead!

The only term for which study abroad is problematic for OS students is the fall term of the senior year. ORGSTUDY 410 Field Research is the course that most OS students take to fulfill their research requirement in OS, and it is available only in the fall term of senior year. ORGSTUDY 490 Advanced Research Team also can fulfill the research requirement, but is offered on a more sporadic basis. If you are considering being off campus in the fall of your senior year, you should see the OS Concentration Advisor as early as possible for curriculum planning.

When you choose a study abroad program, first check with the Undergraduate Admissions Office credit evaluators to be sure your study abroad credits will be accepted at UM (this is not necessary if you be attending a UM program). After checking with the credit evaluators, follow the directions below for petitioning credit to count in your OS concentration. You may also want to see your LSA advisor to determine which courses may be able to count for distribution.

Can transfer credit be used to fulfill program requirements?
Yes, transfer credit, including study abroad credit, may be used to fulfill program requirements. However, there is a limit of three transfer courses that may be used to fulfill concentration requirements (not including prerequisites). You must check to see whatever the course is transferable to UM, and information can be obtained at the Undergraduate Admissions Office (1220 SAB). There is a helpful transfer credit website. Please also be aware that a maximum of 60 transfer credits are allowed to count toward your LSA degree, and that once you reach junior status at UM (55 or more credits), you may not transfer credit from a community or junior college.

Once you have received verification from the Admissions Office that the course will transfer to UM, you can check the OS curriculum list. If the Admissions Office indicates that the course you plan to take is exactly equivalent to a course on our curriculum list, then you can be sure the course will fulfill your OS requirement, and you just need to give the OS Concentration Advisor a copy of the Admissions Office form. If the course transfers only as "departmental" credit, you may petition to have the course count in your OS concentration. See the instructions for petitioning below.

If I wish to count a particular course in my OS concentration, but it is not listed as part of the approved curriculum, can I petition to have it count?
Yes, you may petition to make substitutions in the curriculum. Email the OS Concentration Advisor with the following information:

1. Department, number, and title of the course;
2. Term you wish to take the course (or that you took it, if already completed);
3. Brief description of the course;
4. Name of your pathway and brief paragraph on how this course fits in to your pathway and why you think it should count toward your OS concentration.

Once this information is received, the course will be reviewed for inclusion in your program. This review can typically be done within a week.

How can I get advice from other students about specific courses in the OS curriculum?
To see a list of current OS students who have taken each OS course, go to the Class Advice Reference List.  You can then email your fellow OS students to ask specific questions about the class you are considering (even if you don't know them, go ahead and email!). For general course ratings, visit the student government class advice web site.

Do I have to maintain a certain overall grade point average, or achieve certain grades in specific courses, in order to receive my LSA degree with an OS concentration?
In order to graduate, you must maintain an overall 2.0 GPA, and you must maintain a 2.0 concentration GPA. The concentration GPA includes all courses you are counting toward the OS concentration (but not the prerequisites), plus any “extra” courses you take under the ORGSTUDY heading. There is no requirement that you achieve certain grades in OS courses, only that you receive a passing grade in order to count the course in your concentration.

Can I take concentration courses on a Pass/Fail basis?
No. LSA policy requires that all courses counted toward your concentration be taken on a graded basis. The only exception to this rule is for independent study courses offered through other departments, which may be offered only on a credit/no credit or a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis, and may be counted toward the concentration if faculty approval is received in advance. For ORGSTUDY 499 Independent Study, a grade is required.

Can I "double count" credits in my distribution plan and my concentration?
No.  Courses may not be used to fulfill both distribution (Natural Science, Social Science, Humanities, etc.) and concentration requirements. The only exception to this rule is if you are completing a double major. In that case, one major must stay completely free and clear of distribution, but the other may overlap. Concentration classes may be “double counted” to fulfill general LSA requirements other than distribution, such as the upper level writing requirement, the race and ethnicity requirement or the quantitative reasoning requirement.

*DISTRIBUTION ALERT: If you are counting Stats 350 as a Natural Science course in your distribution, it will have to be removed when you declare your OS major, and you will have to take another NS course (see the OS Concentration Advisor if you are double-majoring).

Is it possible to double major in OS and another concentration, or to major in OS and a minor in another area?
Yes. If you pursue a minor in addition to your OS major, you are allowed to "double count" one class toward both your major and your minor. If you pursue a double major, there is typically no limit on how many courses you may “double count,” but you need to check with the other department to determine if they place a limit on the number of courses you may overlap. LSA currently does not place a limit on the number of courses you may "double count", and OS does not have a limit, but certain other departments might. You should contact the OS Concentration Advisor as early as possible to discuss course planning if you are considering pursuing a double major.

Can I complete an Honors concentration in OS?
Yes, the Honors concentration requires a major research project during the senior year, supervised by a faculty member and culminating in an honors thesis. Informational material is available on the OS web site, and you should make an appointment with the OS Concentration Advisor as soon as possible to discuss your plans if you are considering pursuing the Honors option.

For complete information about the OS Honors Concentration.

Is it possible to complete an OS internship?
The OS program is constantly building resources and compiling information to assist you in locating an internship. OS program staff holds a summer opportunities night in the fall semester, where internship opportunities are discussed. Concentrators will be contacted with information about the summer opportunities night and any specific internship opportunities that become available. The Career Center in the SAB is the main university resource for internship information, and OS concentrators should visit that office when beginning their internship search.

Students have two options to receive credit for their summer internship.  ORGSTUDY 299 Undergraduate Internship gives students one credit that will not count towards the OS Concentration.  ORGSTUDY 499 Independent Study gives students academic credit for academic work done in conjunction with an internship, but not for the internship itself. To receive credit with ORGSTUDY 499, you must find a faculty sponsor and create an independent study project with a strong academic component that you will complete during your internship. Working with your faculty supervisor, you may arrange to receive credit under the OS independent study course number (ORGSTUDY 499). Visit the Independent Study section to learn more.

Is there a limit on the number of Business School classes I can take?
There is no specified limit on the number of B-School classes you may take. However, there is a limit of 20 non-LSA credits that can be counted toward the 120 credits required for your LSA degree. It is important to consult with the OS Concentration Advisor and with your general LSA advisor if you have taken numerous courses outside LSA (accounting, business, music, art, etc.). Please note that it may be difficult to enroll B-School classes if you are a non Ross School student.

Is there any paperwork I will need to fill out for graduation?
Yes, you must complete a Diploma Application online and then also turn in a Concentration Release Form. The Concentration Release Form is prepared by the OS Concentration Advisor and requires the OS Concentration Advisor's signature, and, once completed, should be returned to the general LSA advising office (for RC students, go to the RC advising office; for Honors students, go to the Honors Program office). This process should be completed at least a month before the start of what you consider to be your final term.

The OS Concentration Advisor will send an email message to all seniors after the drop/add period in the fall indicating when the Concentration Release forms are prepared and ready to be picked up by students. You will then pick up your Concentration Release Form, check it for any errors, complete the online Diploma Application, and turn in the Concentration Release Form to LSA (or RC or Honors) advising. If you are double-majoring or minoring, that other department must also provide a Concentration Release form for you to submit (the auditors prefer that you submit all forms at one time).

For more graduation information, visit the LSA website section devoted to seniors.