In the midst of the semester grind, it can be a challenge to think beyond just the next semester. But did you know that according to the UMBC Baccalaureate Degree Completion Policy, the university actually encourages all students to have a long-term academic plan established by the time they have earned 45 credits?

What exactly is a long-term academic plan? It’s a map of how you are going to complete ALL your degree requirements- not just those needed for your major. Ideally, you will create a plan that is broken down by semester (including any summer or winter sessions you may use) and include credit totals. 

You may be thinking this sounds like a daunting process, but students who carve out time to do this exercise are able to reap several benefits:

See the Big Picture – long-term planning allows you to visualize the gaps. Open space that you have in your overall academic plan can be used intentionally for things like study abroad, an internship, or a second major or a minor/certificate.

Ensures timely graduation – planning out your academics beyond just the next semester will help you avoid missing degree requirements, such as the 45 upper-level credit requirement. If you create a first draft of your plan and then realize you have “run out of space” to meet your graduation goal, you now have the time to figure out how to move things around, which may include taking more credits in a certain semester or adding in a summer or winter session.*

Allows for greater flexibility and confidence – when you have an overall idea of when you plan to take certain courses, you actually can move things around with greater ease without the worry of accidentally bumping out another required course. Everything needed is right there in front of you and accounted for! Are you a student-athlete? By long-term planning, you can create a plan that allows you to have a lighter course load during your season and a heavier one in the off season. Are you planning to study abroad?You can reserve/hold off on certain courses that you know you can take during your study abroad semester. Do you need to go part-time for a semester? You can determine which future semesters will carry the load of classes you didn’t take in that part-time semester.

This is all about creating a plan that is unique to YOU and your needs, instead of feeling constrained by what’s required. When you don’t long-term plan, you run the risk of boxing yourself in to a course schedule that doesn’t really serve your goals and needs. 

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