Study adviser or coordinator
Your study adviser or coordinator is an expert on all aspects of your study programme. If you have any questions or concerns about your programme, whether they be of a practical or academic nature, you can contact your study adviser.
Academic issues
Are you experiencing academic difficulties? Or are you falling behind in your studies due to personal circumstances? If so, it is essential that you speak to your study adviser/coordinator as soon as possible. He or she can advise you on the best course of action and, if required, assist you in dealing with study delay.
Practical issues
You can also speak to your study adviser about a range of practical issues concerning your programme, such as:
- Planning your studies
- Schedule issues
- Choosing elective credits
- Requesting exemptions
- Advice on internship
Siggie
Siggie offers personal online coaching for FGGA students.
Being a student isn’t always easy, having to deal with everything that is on your plate. A full study load, possibly a job on the side while simultaneously trying to maintain a social life, quite often in a new and unfamiliar city.
Siggie’s online coaching is available to help you deal with all these challenges. From sleepless nights to dark moods and anything in between. Together, we will look for ways in which you can use your talents to increase your resilience.
FGGA covers the costs for the online coaching but Siggie is an independent organisation. Your personal information will not be shared.
Some examples of situations Siggie can help you with:
- You have noticed that you are comparing yourself to others and that it is making you insecure.
- You would like to be more aware of your strong points and focus on your strengths.
- You can take a beating, but would like to learn to better deal with setbacks.
- You have noticed that you are suffering from procrastination, which causes you stress.
- You have noticed that you are feeling anxious having to deal with so many new situations.
- You have a lot on your mind, both privately and during your studies, and you are having trouble sleeping as a result.
- You are experiencing mood swings and are occasionally overwhelmed by depressive thoughts.
These examples are not limitative, much more is possible. For more information and the application form, please visit the Siggie website.
What to expect during the online coaching sessions
The coaching process with your professional Siggie student coach consists of five online sessions spread out over approximately ten weeks. Additionally, you will gain access to various e-Health programs that will support you throughout the entire process. Read more about the coaching process.
Your study adviser or coordinator is an expert on all aspects of your study programme. If you have any questions or concerns about your programme, of a practical or academic nature, you can contact your study adviser.
LUC’s Liberal Arts & Sciences academic environment is stimulating, intensive, and demanding. Students, therefore, are offered advice to ensure their intellectual and academic development is well conceived, organised, and ultimately successful. To this end, LUC has set up a Student Support System which consists of academic and social support.
The academic part of the Student Support System consists of the Study Advisor and the Academic Advisors. Both form an important link with students, administration, instructors and procedures. They play a key role in the College, making sure LUC is not an anonymous organisation. Rather, LUC aims to be an organisation which forges a highly individualised study environment. Students require different levels of study advice over the course of their academic programme, because of being at a different stage of intellectual development; encountering academic obstacles; changing their academic goals; and because of personal difficulties which affect their academic programme.
Study Advisor
Our Study Advisor is responsible for advising students on their academic choices on the administrative side: study load, graduation requirements, Study Plan, what to do when a student experiences extenuating circumstances, advice on rules and regulations. In addition they monitor progress for all students, making sure no students fall between the cracks. Students who are suffering delay in their studies will be invited for a meeting to discuss and address the reasons for the delay. If needed the Study Advisor can refer to the Student Life Counsellors or other professionals within Leiden University. The Study Advisor also handles requests for Course Withdrawal and Leave of Absence, and follows up with these students. Conversations with the Study Advisors are confidential.
The Leiden Study System is executed by the Study Advisor, and finally she also advices students with a physical or learning disability. As for all parts of the Student Support System, trust and confidentiality are essential. Students are encouraged to contact the Study Advisor themselves when they need advice. The Study Advisor can be contacted via email: studyadvisor@luc.leidenuniv.nl. Their office is in 4.45, students can attend office hours or make an appointment here.
Academic Advisor
There are approximately 25 academic advisors at LUC who are all appointed as academic staff. They are well versed in the academic programme and can advise students through the choices they have to make. In order to support students optimally in all stages of their studies at LUC, we distinguish between First Year Academic Advisors and Major Academic Advisors. These can be the same academics, but the focus of their advice differs.
First Year Academic Advisor
Upon arrival students are assigned to a First Year Academic Advisor who will assist the students in making the transfer to an academic and demanding environment, they can help with decisions concerning for example the choice of major and minor, going on exchange, but also on study skills. There are several individual and group meetings per academic year. Students are also encouraged to contact their Academic Advisor early on if they have worries, doubts or concerns about their studies.
Major Academic Advisor
At the end of the first year students declare their major. They are then assigned to a Major Academic Advisor. It is possible that the First Year Academic Advisor is also Major Academic Advisor for the major of choice. In that case it is possible to stay with the same advisor.
The Major Academic Advisors are fully informed about the major in which they teach. They can explain differences between specific courses, advise on tracks, methodology courses, external courses, study abroad, internship or capstone ideas and postgraduate study.
The table below lists some, but not all, of the common circumstances in which students should contact either the Study Advisor or Academic Advisor.
| Study Advisor | Academic Advisor |
|
Administrative issues related to internships, Capstone, semester abroad, or external education |
Academic issues related to internships, Capstone, semester abroad, or external education |
| Registration of extenuating circumstances because of a disability | Major and minor selection |
| Extended illness which causes students to miss more than one class | Course selection |
| Concerns with a particular course or teacher | Post graduate study |
To fully benefit from the Student Support System, students are expected to respond promptly to correspondence from both Academic Advisors and the Study Advisor, honour appointments, and to keep their them up-to-date about their academic record, as well as personal issues that may influence their academics.
First-year students are required to meet with their academic adviser at least once per block . Academic Advisers may also schedule group meetings in order to share certain information with all their advisees. Second- and third-year students must meet with their major-specific Academic Advisers at least once per semester, but are free to contact (and may be summoned by) their adviser more frequently, as matters arise.
Please arrive at advising meetings prepared: familiarise yourself with the relevant information, if available, and consider what you wish to accomplish through the meeting. In short, being responsible for your own development and responsive to tutorial support are indispensable for the smooth running of the LUC academic advising system.