Training Future Academic Advisors: One Model of a Pre-Service Approach

Abstract

One of the most important components of an effective advising program is "well"-trained academic advisors. An ongoing, well-conceived training program can provide the continuity, broad base of knowledge, skills, and specific information crucial to sound advising. Another approach to training is to offer "future" faculty, student personnel staff, higher education administrators, or professional counselors opportunity to study advising as subject matter while still enrolled in their graduate programs. Both the traditional and pre-service approaches could address the same basic issues and content area. A graduate-level course has been taught at The Ohio State University for over fifteen years. It was created originally to teach master's level students in the Student Personnel Program about advising as a process and as a professional career. Although the pragmatic focus of the course has remained unchanged through the years, the type of students enrolling has become more diverse. Typical enrollments now include students from many graduate programs in addition to student personnel, e.g., higher education administration, guidance and counseling, psychology, education, history, biology, English, and other academic disciplines. Occasionally a faculty member has enrolled in the course. Students receive two credit hours for the course (one academic quarter in length). This article presents a description of The Ohio State course including objectives, content, materials, and course requirements.