Welcome to Mines and casa!
The Center for Academic Services & Advising (CASA) serves as your advising and academic support center as you transition to and progress through Mines.
This page contains information to help ensure a successful transfer to Mines. Whether you’re transferring to Mines from a community college, four-year university, from Denver or out of state, you’re an Oredigger, and Orediggers Climb Together.
Welcome
We are both excited and honored that you have selected Mines as your new university. Our office, CASA, serves to assist you throughout your Mines academic journey, which begins now. The progression bar below displays how we’ll work with you from your first semester through graduation as a partner in your academic career.
Transfer Student Information
Look through the steps below for information about each part of the transfer process.
Step 1- Review evaluated transfer credit
Evaluated transfer credit may be seen in Trailhead (in DegreeWorks tool and on your unofficial transcript) once you have submitted final transcripts and your intent to enroll at Mines (known as your IE). Transfer credit is applied to your academic program on a course-by-course basis and will be grouped by transfer institution in your unofficial transcript.
You can see how your transfer credit has been applied to your academic program through DegreeWorks, Mines’ degree audit system. Transfer credit will be marked with a T and will have a green checkmark if the course met a specific Mines requirement.
Sometimes a course does not meet a specific requirement and will transfer to Mines as a course that ends in XX, such as FREE1xx (which stands for a free elective). Two other common examples include HASS2xx (Humanities & Social Science mid-level elective) and LIFL1xx (foreign language which counts for a Humanities & Social Science mid-level elective). Specific and elective courses will count for degree requirements up through the actual requirement amount. For example, you can transfer in many free elective courses, yet only the amount needed for your specific degree will count towards your degree (i.e. most degree programs require 9 credits, so any extra free electives above 9 credits will not apply to your degree).
If you see a course/credit that is reflected as FREE elective and you would like to have the course reviewed for transferability, please refer to information provided by the Registrar’s office: https://www.mines.edu/registrar/tcaprocess/
Step 2- Mines Academic programs
Mines offers many degrees as well as minors, areas of special interests (ASIs), double degrees, and 4+1 combined Bachelor-Master programs. As a transfer student, you entered Mines with an intended major and have the ability to change your major to any other major on campus; we do not have caps or secondary admissions processes for majors.
To learn about the academic programs offered at Mines, visit the following links:
To see how your coursework applies to a new major, you can run a “What-If” in DegreeWorks.
The Catalog contains all of the course requirements for your academic program. Many departments use flow charts and other advising tools, yet the Catalog is the overall report of what you need to complete in order to graduate from Mines.
Step 3- Advising
Mines’ transfer student advisement incorporates advising and academic support as you transition to campus and continues through graduation.
Katie Ludwin, CASA Associate Director for First-Year Students, will serve as your first advisor at Mines. You will be invited to officially declare once you have started courses at Mines. You can explore majors, minors, and other academic experiences to complement your degree.
Once you have confirmed your degree, you’ll declare your major and transition to a major advisor in CASA and a faculty mentor. You’ll work with both your major advisor and faculty mentor through graduation.
STEP 4- Registration
All new transfer students will be registered by the Registrar’s Office for their first semester coursework at Mines. Registration will occur in conjunction with your completion of a transfer registration survey (Admissions portal) which will ask about your preferences for your first semester. Also be sure to submit all final transcripts as soon as possible to expedite transfer credit being reflected in your official Mines record (Trailhead).
After schedules are available in Trailhead, you will be able to make adjustments, if needed. Keep in mind that classes may be very near capacity and changing to a more preferred schedule may not be possible. CASA is available to assist with questions related to schedule adjustments and will proactively reach out once first schedules have been created.
You will register yourself for every other semester after your first. The links below provide information about how to register for classes, and your advisor will also provide you with information about how to register during advisement.
CSM201- Transfer Student Success Seminar
CSM201 is a class specifically designed to support transfer students in their transition to Mines. This 1 credit class is a free elective and meets once each week for 50 minutes.
What do I need to do for my first semester schedule?
The Registrar’s Office will register you for your first-semester classes. Your schedule will be based on your major, transfer coursework, and the transfer registration survey.
You are highly encouraged to complete your transfer registration survey to ensure your schedule is as accurate as possible your first semester. You will receive information about the survey from Admissions and it will be in your applicant portal.
You’ll be able to make changes to your schedule once it is finalized. We encourage you to reach out to us before making any changes to ensure you’re on the right path to graduation.
is my assigned schedule ok?
If you are questioning an aspect of your schedule, reach out to CASA.
How do I change my schedule?
Once schedules are created by the Registrar’s Office and available to you in Trailhead (around mid-June for fall start transfer students), you’ll have the ability to change it.
We highly encourage you to contact us before changing your schedule.
We’ll walk you through how to make changes to your schedule if it is something that needs to happen.
Why don't I get to pick my own schedule?
That’s a great question! The Mines curriculum is structured in a way that allows for a common core curriculum experience and a specific set of courses for majors and minors. We want everyone to make progress in their first semester at Mines and the Registrar’s Office uses their expertise to ensure you’re progressing towards graduation in a timely manner by registering you for your first semester. We’re also able to take your AP/IB/TR/Dual Enrollment credit into consideration when creating your schedules so you’re not having issues with prerequisites.
You’ll be able to register yourself each semester after this first semester.
Who do I contact if I want to change my schedule?
CASA! You can contact our main office at casa@mines.edu or call us at 303-384-2600 once your schedule is out (around mid-June for fall start/Transfer students).
When is the last day to change my schedule?
The last day to add a class to your schedule is typically on week after the first day of class. Census Day is the last day you can drop a class from your schedule.
We recommend adding a class as early as possible so you’re not missing out on coursework.
If you no longer wish to complete a class after Census Day, you can withdraw from a class. You will receive a W on your transcript when you withdraw from a class.
Check the Academic Calendar for specific dates.
What if I want to be in a particular class?
That is a great question. Our goal with your first semester schedule is to make sure you are set up to advance in your intended major and make progress towards graduation. Depending on what that class is, you might already be in it, or you might be able to add it when your schedule comes out (around mid-June for fall start/Transfer students). It all depends on what the class is, when it’s offered in comparison to your other classes, and if it’s open.
If you can’t get in that class your first semester, you can include it in your class wishlist for the spring or other semesters. You’ll have the ability to control your schedule every semester after your first!
Can i request a specific class section/time/instructor?
For this first semester, you are not able to provide such course preferences as a specific section, time, or instructor. Our goal is to make sure all new students get the best schedule for them, and we simply cannot accommodate such requests.
You will register yourself for every semester after your first.
What if I want to test out of a class?
Some classes at Mines offer the opportunity to test out of a class. The process is by invitation only and is called a Challenge Exam. More information about the Challenge Exams can be found by visiting the Challenge Exam website on the Registrar’s Office webiste.
What are Honors classes and how do I take them?
Math offers honors versions of Calc II, Calc III, and DiffEQ. Students with AP Calc credit will receive an invitation from the math department to join in one of these questions. After this first semester, you can enroll in an honors version of math if you are interested in it.
The honors versions cover the same core content as the non-honors classes, but instructors have considerable opportunity to enrich the class through additional applications, the use of technology, and different modes of instruction. The honors classes are an excellent option for students who are curious about mathematical ideas, and who are intrinsically motivated to learn the “how and why” of mathematics.
What if I want to change my intended major?
Please complete the Registration Survey (Admissions Portal) which will include an update to intended major, if needed. Your created schedule will be based on that intended major.
After that point, you can change your intended major after your first semester schedule has been created through CASA. If a change of intended major necessitates adjusting your schedule, CASA can assist.
If I have ap credit should I take the class again at mines?
Our AP credit guidelines are decided by Mines faculty and our standpoint is that students should accept AP credit and move forward into the next course.
If you are unsure of what you learned in the AP course, you can decline your credit. However, we often see students who have denied their AP credit wish they had accepted the credit because they already knew the information. This can lead to being bored and not doing well in the class.
How many credits are in a typical schedule?
12 credit hours is full-time enrollment. Students opt to take varying loads each term. The Catalog (https://catalog.mines.edu/undergraduate/programs/) provides sample four-year course listings with credits.
You are in control of how many credits you take each semester. Some students might opt for fewer credits each fall/spring semester and make up for those credits over the summer or add to their graduation timeline. We encourage students to make their own decision about how many credits they want to take in consultation with their CASA advisor.
what if I end up changing my major? Will my classes still count?
Courses in the Core Curriculum are required of all students. Depending on the credit you are bringing into Mines, you may be beyond core curriculum coursework when you begin, as such, sometimes students take a class that counts toward one major and not another. In that case, we encourage students to look at a potential minor in the other subject or simply know that taking a “decision-making” course is a wise decision to help select a major.
Always reach out to your CASA advisor if you have questions about your potential major. We’ll do our best to make sure your courses count toward any potential major you’re pursuing.
Can i make it across campus if I have 10 minutes between classes?
Many students have back to back classes. Whether you have 10 or 15 minutes in between classes, you’ll most likely be able to make it across campus in time for your next class. Some classrooms are on the outer edge of campus, yet the majority of our classrooms are within the middle academic portion of campus.
I want to double major/minor/do a 4+1 program!
That’s great! We’re here to help you explore all of your academic possibilities!
A minor requires 18 to 21 additional credits to your degree program, 9 of which you can overlap with your major.
A double major requires at least 30 credits beyond the first major. The courses are decided with the faculty advisor of the second major. No credits may overlap and some major combinations are allowed.
A 4+1 program requires admittance to the graduate school of the master’s program. Up to 6 credits may be accepted as overlap for the undergraduate and graduate program, yet it depends on the program.
How do I submit my AP/IB/Dual enrollment credit?
You’ll need to send in your official scores/transcripts from College Board/IB, or the institution affiliated with your dual enrollment credit. Send them to Admissions for processing and evaluation.
Please note- your high school transcript may contain this information yet it is not official. We will need your official scores/transcripts.
How do I defer my first semester enrollment?
You’ll need to contact Admissions to defer your enrollment to another semester.
Does Mines offer pass/no pass options?
Every class at Mines is graded on an A-F scale. Mines does not offer pass/fail or pass/no pass.
Mines does provide Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading at midterm for core courses, yet these are not included on transcripts.
what is the core curriculum?
The Core Curriculum consists of a common set of classes all Mines students take. These courses include: CSM101, Calc I, Calc II, Calc III, DiffEQ, Chem I, Physics I, Design I, Nature & Human Values, Global Studies, Principles of Economics, four semesters of PA (physical activity), three Humanities & Social Science credits (two mid-level and one 400-level), and at least 9 free electives. Distributed Science courses are also included in core requirements and vary by major.