Undergraduate Advising

• Please check our website for answers to common questions.
• If you have a quick question that does not require a conversation, feel free to email. The email should come from your wisc.edu email account (why?) and include your Campus ID number. If it is an ongoing email conversation, please include the history.
• Questions about remaining course requirements or impending graduation must be accompanied by the appropriate DARS report. Not sure how to run your DARS report? Step-by-step instructions are available here. Students with recent study abroad experience whose courses do not yet appear on their UW-Madison records should include a list of approved course equivalencies for the courses taken abroad so they can be checked against your DARS report.
• If it is determined that your question cannot be answered via email you may be asked to make an appointment.

Drop-In Advising will be available at various times throughout the semester, generally during the first week of the term and during priority registration. Drop-in advising is only available during Drop-In Advising blocks in Starfish.

• Please be sure to check Starfish sometime after 8:00am the day of to make sure drop-in advising is taking place at the time you want to stop by.
• If you arrive during a drop-in advising block and Karen’s door is closed, she is meeting with another student. Please have a seat in the lobby area and check back in 5-10 minutes.
• Drop-in advising is offered on a first-come, first-served basis and is intended for quick (less than 10-minute) conversations.
• You must bring the appropriate DARS report with you if you wish to declare the Spanish or Portuguese major during drop-in advising hours. Not sure how to run your DARS report? Step-by-step instructions are available here. Students with recent study abroad experience whose courses do not yet appear on their UW-Madison records should bring a list of approved course equivalencies for the courses taken abroad so we can check it against your DARS report.

Karen is making appointments via Starfish.

• Students may make an appointment up to one week (but not less than twenty-four hours) in advance.
• Weekly appointment availability will be posted Wednesday morning of the week prior.
• If relevant, the appropriate DARS report will be run for all students making an appointment.
• Students with recent study abroad experience whose courses do not yet appear on their UW-Madison records should bring a list of approved course equivalencies for the courses taken abroad so they can be checked against your DARS report.
• Students making a phone appointment must provide their phone number within the appointment notes. Karen will call you at the time of your appointment.
• Students are allowed one appointment within a two-week period. If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please do so through Starfish. Students who cancel within twenty-four hours or fail to show up for an appointment must wait at least two weeks before scheduling another appointment. Students who fail to show up for a second appointment will be unable to schedule further appointments during that term. If you are running late, please let Karen know if at all possible. Appointment times will not be extended due to late arrival.

Declaring the Spanish or Portuguese Major

• Students earning a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Letters & Science may declare the Spanish or Portuguese major at any time.
• Students not earning their degree from the College of Letters & Science need permission from their primary School or College to declare the Spanish or Portuguese major.
  • The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences has a particular process for their students to declare an additional major.
• Students with a “pre” designation (ie: Pre-Nursing/PRN, Pre-Kinesiology/PKN, General Engineering/EGR, among others) are unable to declare a College of Letters & Science major until they have been officially admitted into that School or College.
• To declare, simply make an appointment via Starfish or stop by during walk-in hours. You may also declare online if you do not feel the need for an in-person meeting.
• You must bring the appropriate DARS report with you if you wish to declare the Spanish or Portuguese major during walk-in hours. Not sure how to run your DARS report? Step-by-step instructions are available here. Students with recent study abroad experience whose courses do not yet appear on their UW-Madison records should bring a list of approved course equivalencies for the courses taken abroad so we can check it against your DARS report.

Declaring the Certificate in Spanish Studies for Business Majors

• Students must be admitted to the School of Business prior to declaring the Certificate in Spanish Studies for Business Majors.
• To declare, simply make an appointment via Starfish or stop by during walk-in hours. You may also declare online if you do not feel the need for an in-person meeting.
• You must bring a “what-if” certificate DARS report with you if you wish to declare the Certificate in Spanish Studies for Business Majors during walk-in hours. Not sure how to run your DARS report? Step-by-step instructions are available here. Students with recent study abroad experience whose courses do not yet appear on their UW-Madison records should bring a list of approved course equivalencies for the courses taken abroad so we can check it against your DARS report.

Honors in the Liberal Arts and Honors in the Major

• Interested in Honors in the Liberal Arts (the “Honors Degree”)? You can find more information about admission to the program here.
• Interested in declaring Honors in the Major in either Spanish or Portuguese? Please bring this form with you to an appointment or to walk-in hours.

Canceling your Major or Certificate

Need to cancel your Spanish or Portuguese major or Certificate in Spanish Studies for Business Majors? We’re sorry to see you go! You may cancel online.

Session Dates

For general questions about eligibility, financial aid opportunities, etc., please visit International Academic Programs. You can find information specific to study abroad as a Portuguese major here and as a Spanish major here. Questions about study abroad course equivalencies and requests for assistance with the IAP Advising Worksheet should be directed to the appropriate faculty study abroad liaison:

Argentina: Buenos Aires
Paola Hernández
pshernandez@wisc.edu
1034 Van Hise Hall

Brazil: São Paulo
Kathryn Sanchez
ksanchez2@wisc.edu
1010 Van Hise Hall

Chile: Santiago
Ksenija Bilbija
kbilbija@wisc.edu
1070 Van Hise Hall

Costa Rica
Ksenija Bilbija
kbilbija@wisc.edu
1070 Van Hise Hall

Cuba: Havana
Guillermina De Ferrari
gdeferrari@wisc.edu
1132 Van Hise Hall

Portugal: Coimbra
Ellen Sapega
ewsapega@wisc.edu
1048 Van Hise Hall

Spain: Alcalá, Granada, Toledo
Juan Egea
jfegea@wisc.edu
1040 Van Hise Hall

Spain: Madrid
Juan Egea
jfegea@wisc.edu
1040 Van Hise Hall

Spain: Sevilla
Steven Hutchinson
shutchin@wisc.edu
1054 Van Hise Hall

Non-Affiliate Programs
Ksenija Bilbija
kbilbija@wisc.edu
1070 Van Hise Hall