Advisement is mandatory for all Buffalo State students. You must seek advisement from your departmental adviser before registering for classes. You will work with a faculty member in shaping your current education to achieve your future career plans. E-mails are sent to all pre-business and business majors during the normal registration period each semester. 

Seek out your adviser to schedule an advisement session during their regularly scheduled office hours, by appointment, by phone, or by e-mail.

Who Is My Adviser?

All Students

Professional advisers are assigned to all Pre-Business (BSAW) majors.

Search Degree Works or the Bengal Success Portal to see your assigned adviser.

If your adviser is not listed in Degree Works or Bengal Success Portal, the Academic Success Office can assist you.

Degree Works Bengal Success Portal Academic Success Advising

Junior and Senior Business students

Junior and senior business students are assigned a faculty adviser from the Business Department.

View your adviser in Degree Works or Bengal Success Portal.

If you do not have an assigned adviser, please see the Business Department secretary in Chase Hall 322.

Degree Works Bengal Success Portal

Transfer Students

Transfer students can view their adviser in Degree Works or Bengal Success Portal.

To receive your registration pin, you must complete the transfer student orientation.

Degree Works Bengal Success Portal

How do I know what classes to take?

  • Use Degree Works to see what courses are required for graduation, when/what courses are offered, and how many seats are open in each course. For Business classes, please note the prerequisite (course order) requirements when choosing your courses. Use the Academic Roadmap to help with planning course sequence.

When do I register for classes?

  • Classes fill up quickly. It is important to check your registration time ticket in Banner for the date and time that your registration window opens. You should register as early as possible in that window, and no longer than two days after the window opens. To register, you must not have any holds on your account. Make sure all holds are removed prior to your registration window.

How do I register for classes?

How many credit hours should I register for?

  • In general, students should register for 15 credit hours per semester to graduate in 4 years. Note that you need to fulfill all the requirements in your Degree Works record AND get 120 credits to complete your undergraduate degree. Additional majors and minors may require additional credit requirements.

What if I want to take more than 18 credits?

  • Taking more that 15 credits can be overly burdensome and should be attempted with caution. To take more than 18, you must obtain permission from the Department Secretary in Chase Hall 322.

What if a course I want to take is closed?

  • If a course is closed but has waitlist availability, and you are eligible to take the course, you are given the option to join the waitlist.  Waitlist courses are displayed on your schedule with the waitlist placement number. If you are moved to the top of the wait list and a seat opens, you will receive a generated email alert. You then have a 24 hour period to log into Banner and enroll in the course. If you do not enroll during this window, you will lose your spot on the waitlist.
  • If a course is closed and you want a capacity override, see the instructor. Only the instructor can grant a capacity override (NOT your advisor or the department chair). It is at the instructor's discretion whether or not they provide the override.

How do I withdraw from a course?

  • You may withdraw from a course directly in Banner within the withdrawal deadline. Once you withdraw, this cannot be changed.

Can I pass/fail a course?

  • You may pass/fail up to one course per semester. You may not pass/fail any of the courses that are part of the Business core classes, part of your concentration, or your upper-level Business electives. Understanding the pass/fail option. To pass/fail, fill out the Application for Undergraduate Pass/Fail Option form, have it signed by your adviser, and submit it to the Registrar’s Office in Moot Hall.

Can I take classes at another college or university?

  • SUNY Cross-Registration Agreement is for students cross-registering at a SUNY college and is for matriculated (declared major), undergraduate-level students and graduate-level students. SUNY Comprehensive List of College Participants
  • Western New York (WNY) Consortium Undergraduate Cross Registration is for students cross-registering at one of the private colleges listed that participates in the Consortium agreement and is for full-time (enrolled in at least 12.00 credit hours at Buffalo State College), matriculated (declared major), undergraduate-level students only.
  • Course Equivalencies are tables of courses that are transferable among institutions. In order to receive credit at your SUNY transfer campus for a course completed at another institution, that course must first be determined to be "equivalent" to a course offered at your SUNY transfer campus. Final determination of transfer credit acceptance is ultimately made by the campus registrar. You must submit official transcripts of all completed coursework before a final determination can be made.
  • If you are not cross-registering but still planning to take a class off campus, first ensure that the course is in the Course Equivalencies, then complete the Study Off Campus Form to make sure that the course counts toward your coursework.

How can I improve my GPA?

  • Be sure that you are scheduling at least 2-3 hours of study time for each hour of class each week, i.e., a 3-credit course requires approximately 6-9 hours of study time outside of class. Use a planner to organize your time, assignments, projects and examinations.
  • Get to know your fellow classmates. Discussing class topics with classmates can help you understand the material. Also, if you must miss a class, classmates are an invaluable resource for getting covered material to help you stay on track.
  • Personal, interpersonal and family problems can be overwhelming and affect your ability to perform at your best. Talking with a professional counselor in the Weigel Health Center may help you to better manage your personal concerns so you can focus your attention on your academic coursework.
  • In some cases, it may be advantageous for you to repeat courses in which you earned a grade of "D" or “E”. The new grade, whether higher or lower will be the grade that is now calculated into your GPA. Be aware that repeating courses may impact your eligibility for financial aid. Obtain advice from the appropriate office before repeating courses.

Can I repeat a course?

  • Federal and state rules pertaining to repeating coursework are significantly different and often cause confusion. FEDERAL: Federal aid regulations and the college policy allow students to repeat any course in which they received a C- or below. Students are eligible for aid for these repeated courses. STATE: State regulations do not allow a student to repeat any course they previously passed (including a course with a grade of D). For more information on repeating courses and the impact on financial aid go to: Student Accounts Office for questions regarding TAP or any other NYS Scholarships. Financial Aid Office for questions about federal aid programs.

How do I get a copy of my transcript?

How do I get information on financial aid?

How do I find a list of all courses?