Navigating UCLA: Understanding Counselor Responsibilities and Resources

UCLA offers a comprehensive network of counselors and advisors dedicated to supporting students' academic, personal, and professional journeys. From peer counselors to departmental advisors and graduate division staff, a variety of resources are available to help students navigate the complexities of university life. This article explores the different roles and responsibilities of counselors at UCLA, highlighting the resources available to undergraduate and graduate students.

Academic Counseling and Advising at UCLA

Academic counseling and advising at UCLA is designed as a collaborative effort between students and UCLA counseling and advising staff members. This partnership ensures that students receive personalized guidance and support tailored to their individual needs and goals.

Departmental Counselors and Advisors

Each major and minor at UCLA has designated staff who help students navigate their major and minor requirements. These departmental counselors and advisors possess in-depth knowledge of specific academic programs and can provide guidance on course selection, degree requirements, and career opportunities within the field.

AAP Peer Counselors

AAP Peer Counselors (PCs) are trained to support their fellow AAP students using a student-centered approach. These peer counselors offer a unique perspective, drawing on their own experiences as students to provide relatable advice and support.

CAC Peer Counselors

CAC Peer Counselors serve as a valuable resource for undergraduate students, offering guidance and support as they navigate their UCLA journey. These peer counselors are students themselves, providing a relatable perspective and understanding of the challenges and opportunities that UCLA offers.

CAC Peer Counselor Roles and Availability

CAC Peer Counselors are available to answer questions, provide support, and share their experiences to help fellow students make the most of their time at UCLA. They can assist with a variety of topics, including:

Academic planning and goal setting
Navigating campus resources
Connecting with the UCLA community
Sharing tips for success

Please note that CAC Peer Counselors are not available during University holidays, intersession, or summer. There may also be sudden changes with the hours due to weather or staff availability.

Meet Some CAC Peer Counselors

Anela: A fourth-year student majoring in Business Economics, Anela is passionate about helping students and enjoys reading, baking, and trying new foods. She is excited to answer questions and provide support to students this year.
Cathy: Cathy is excited to meet new students and support them in their academic journey.
Giselle: Giselle looks forward to having a positive influence on fellow Bruins and is ready to help them navigate their journey this year.
Many other CAC Peer Counselors are eager to support students, including those who are excited to help students make the most of their UCLA experience.

Premed 101: A Guide to Being Pre-Med at UCLA

To support pre-health students, CAC Peer Counselors have created and host “Premed 101: A Guide to Being Pre-Med at UCLA”. Students learn about the medical school admissions criteria, required prerequisite coursework, MCAT, pre-health resources on campus, and more.

Graduate Advisor Responsibilities

Graduate advisers play a key role in the academic life of students and in the functions of the Graduate Division. The graduate advisers are appointed by the department chair or interdepartmental degree program committee. The chair’s signature is required on some forms; in other cases, the graduate advisers’ signatures are the only departmental signatures, in addition to the chair, recognized as official on various Graduate Division forms and on petitions presented by graduate students. Graduate advisers formally approve students’ programs of study, advise them on advancement to candidacy for higher degrees, consider their petitions to change majors, to add or drop courses, to apply for readmission, etc.

The Graduate Division recognizes that departmental staff also play a pivotal role in providing information and advice on policy and procedures to students. In some instances, staff are even recommended by the chair for signature authority for certain petitions and forms (e.g. current drop/add petitions). The Graduate Division staff hopes that the information presented on this site will be helpful to all graduate advisers and to departmental staff assistants in the understanding of the many policies, procedures and other matters that are encountered in the counseling of students.

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College Advising Program (CAP) with Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)

The College Advising Program (CAP) with Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is designed to deepen the knowledge and skillset of counselors across the school district to support their college advisement services.

CAP Curriculum

High school and middle school counselors will take the same set of three academic courses (worth 4.5 credits each) and one practicum course (worth 6 credits). Participants must earn a passing grade of B or better in each class to earn the specialization. All UCLA Extension course instructors go through a rigorous selection process and once hired, receive extensive training and regular evaluation to ensure high‐quality performance in their specific teaching environment. Instructors and course content are approved by the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies.

CAP Course Descriptions

Introduction to Counseling for College Admission: This course explores the college admission process from both the student and counselor perspectives, with emphasis on student research, application, college selection, and counselor information dissemination and responsibility. This course provides in-depth information on application calendar options, college and university options and admission criteria.
Counseling Students with Unique Needs in College Admission: This course focuses on individual groups of students with unique perspectives and needs in the admissions process, such as students with learning differences, athletes, first‐generation students, LGBTQ students, transfer students, etc.
Financial Aid for College Admission: This course prepares counselors for the complex and information-intensive subject of financial aid. School counselors must understand this critical component of the college admissions process.
College Counseling Practicum: This course applies theory and methodology in an actual counseling situation under professional supervision. Participants complete 65 hours of supervised fieldwork in a local counseling venue, such as their middle or high school, and earn 50 hours of academic credit. Fieldwork must consist of individual counseling or meeting with students in a group setting.

CAP Program Requirements and Expectations

Students are expected to participate in class and complete work by the assigned due dates located in the course syllabus. Failure to participate in a timely manner or turn in work by the due dates will result in being dropped from the course and from the program. Personal time management is a critical teaching competency, and your participation will bear strongly on our evaluation of your professionalism.

Each quarter is 10 weeks long. Weekly, hour-long Zoom office hours will be held by the instructor. Students are required to attend a minimum of five separate Zoom office hours per quarter. The expectation is to attend the entire hour of the weekly office hour session. Students are expected to be prepared for class. No work will be accepted after the course ends.

Throughout the College Advisement Certificate program, all work activity (assignment completion, discussion prompt responses, interactions with instructors, etc.) will take place online via Canvas.

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College Advisement Certificate Program

Our fully-online seven-course program is designed for secondary school counselors, teachers, admissions personnel, and others who want to develop their professional competencies in college counseling.

Important Considerations for Students

Enrollment Deadlines

Fall enrollment is open and closes September 28.

Student Conduct

Students are subject to disciplinary action for several types of misconduct or attempted misconduct, including but not limited to academic dishonesty, such as cheating, multiple submission, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the University; or behavioral misconduct, such as theft or misuse of the intellectual property of others, harassment, or disruption of the learning environment.

Respectful Communication

Campus resources (e.g. PROACTIVEÂ â PleaseÂ prepare talking pointsÂ in advance of your appointment. RESPECTFULÂ âÂ As a courtesy to your counselors and advisors, pleaseÂ be on timeÂ to your appointment. If you are running late, contact your counselor or advisor as soon as possible.

UCLA General Catalog

The UCLA General Catalog is published annually in PDF and HTML formats. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in the UCLA General Catalog. However, all courses, course descriptions, instructor designations, curricular degree requirements, and fees described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice. Consult this Catalog for the most current, officially approved courses and curricula. Other information about UCLA may be found in materials produced by the schools of Arts and Architecture; Dentistry; Education and Information Studies; Engineering and Applied Science; Law; Management; Medicine; Music; Nursing; Public Affairs; Public Health; and Theater, Film, and Television.

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