Helping students enroll in a program, go through orientation, and choose their first classes are only the first steps in what NMU Global Campus offers students in its online degree programs. The university also assigns each student a dedicated major advisor who supports them throughout their academic journey.

NMU Global Campus administration, faculty, and staff consider this an essential component of a successful education. NMU’s student online advising reflects its commitment to ensuring positive student outcomes.

While it’s important for all students, it’s especially beneficial to those going back to school in their 30s and other adult students returning to school after a prolonged academic absence. Online advising helps these “non-traditional” students get back into good study habits.

Why Online Advising is So Important

Enrolling in an online program for the first time can feel daunting. A dedicated advisor supports online students as they navigate the online learning environment, find the resources they need, and connect with faculty and fellow students.

It’s especially helpful as students start their college academic journey. When universities engage students early, they stand a better chance of staying in a degree program and eventually graduating.

Recent research supports this approach. One study found that 78 percent of returning college students met with an advisor, compared to only 62 percent of first-year students. According to Inside Higher Ed, “less than 50 percent of first-time-in-college students return to the same institution the following fall, indicating that early advising leads to increases in retention.”

The research further states that early student advisement leads to a higher chance for student persistence and eventual graduation. It also found that students engaged in longer advising sessions had a better chance of success.

In her paper “The Role of Academic Advising in Student Retention and Persistence,” Jayne K. Drake, former National Academic Advising Association president, argues that “solid academic advising” and connecting students early on with robust support systems represent two of the three critical elements in student retention. The third is first-year programming, such as learning communities and seminars.

She wrote that “we have long since left in the dust the notion that simply opening our doors to students is enough,” later adding, “In the end, strong academic advising programs signal an institution’s commitment to the success of its students.”

NMU Global Campus Advisors

At NMU Global Campus, advisors help students in every phase of their academic journey. This includes:

  • Selecting or changing a major
  • Registering for courses
  • Ordering textbooks online
  • Connecting with good study tips
  • Directing students to university resources

These services help students more easily manage what can at first seem a complicated process. By assigning every student an advisor, NMU Global Campus demonstrates a commitment to helping every student achieve success in pursuing their degree. The university offers these services to students at every degree level.

The NMU Global Campus online degree and certificate programs.

Associate degree. These include programs in Cannabis and Plant Based Wellness Operations, Criminal Justice, General Business, and General Studies (with the option in General Studies for an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science).

Bachelor’s degree. Online degree programs offered at the bachelor’s degree level include:

  • Applied Science in Management (Bachelor of Applied Science)
  • Applied Workplace Leadership
  • Clinical Lab Sciences/Laboratory Medicine (MLT-MLS)
  • Construction Management
  • Criminal Justice
  • Loss Prevention Management
  • Management (Bachelor of Science)
  • Native American Studies
  • Psychology
  • RN to BSN
  • Ski Area Business Management
  • Social Work (BSW)
  • Undeclared

Master’s degrees. Online programs offered at the master’s degree level include:

  • Master of Business Administration (MBA)
  • Master of Arts in Education in Early Childhood Education
  • Master of Arts in Educational Administration: Administration and Supervision
  • Master of Arts in Education Administration: Native American Education Administration and Supervision
  • Master of Arts in Instruction
  • Master of Arts in Learning Disabilities
  • Master of Arts in Reading for K-8
  • Master of Arts in Reading Specialist for K-12
  • Master of Public Administration
  • Master of Science in Administration of Outdoor Recreation and Nature Based Tourism
  • Master of Science in Nursing (BSN-DNP)(MSN-DNP)(FNP)
  • Master of Social Work
  • Interdisciplinary Studies (MIS)

Certificates. NMU offers online certificate programs in Applied Workplace Leadership, Cannabis Operations, Plant-Based Wellness, and Workplace Instructional Competency.

The flexible online format of its degree and certificate programs help working professionals earn a degree while maintaining their current job. NMU Global Campus provides the flexibility, guidance, and support tailored for adult students ready to earn a degree or certificate.