We know the leap from high school to college can be daunting, especially when it comes to academics. UT provides resources to help you ace your classes and graduate on time.
Vol Success Teams
All UT students are welcomed by a dedicated Vol Success Team, which includes an academic advisor, academic coach, One Stop counselor, and a peer mentor. Vol Success Teams support students to reach their academic, personal, professional, and financial goals and create a personalized UT experience.
Learn more about Vol Success Teams.
Academic Advising
All UT students are required to be academically advised before registering for classes. Students are assigned an Academic Advisor to guide them through four components of their college career: Self Exploration, Career Exploration, Experience Learning, and Academic Planning. Academic Advisors engage students early in exploring majors and careers in their chosen discipline. Incoming first-year and transfer students meet their advisors and register for classes during orientation. Students who do not attend orientation must contact the advising center of the college that admits them to arrange an advising appointment.
Visit the Academic Advising website to learn more.
Academic Coaching
Academic Coaching is a personalized, student-centered meeting focused on developing strengths and academic goals. Academic Coaches are an important part of the Vol Success Team experience at UT and help students get connected to engaged learning including undergraduate research and leadership opportunities.
Visit the Academic Success Center website to learn more.
Degree Progress Tracking
Banner DARS (Degree Audit Reporting System) is currently only available for undergraduates. It’s an automated online system that compares your completed coursework with the requirements for your degree along with your current GPA and the GPA needed for your major. It also lists the classes you need to take and how to complete your requirements.
Major Tracking
uTrack lays out a road map for your undergraduate major so you can see which academic courses you must successfully complete and when you must complete them in order to graduate in four years. The system will alert you if you get off track with your coursework or grades so you can plan how to catch up or, if necessary, change to a major you can achieve more easily.
One-on-One Tutoring & Learning Support
Vol Study Center at the Academic Success Center
The Vol Study Center through UT’s Academic Success Center offers free one-on-one and group tutoring, supplemental instruction, study spaces, and workshops to help you tackle everything term by term. Sessions are offered in-person and online for more than 200 courses.
Writing Center
The Writing Center, managed by the Department of English, offers free individual help to all students as they work on written assignments. Writing instructors help students become comfortable with writing, providing feedback on written work in all disciplines. Everything from brainstorming ideas to polishing final drafts is covered, with an emphasis on improving writing skills.
Language Resource Center
The LRC is operated by the Department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures and provides students with extra help for studying foreign languages.
Thornton Athletics Student Life Center
The Thornton Center offers student–athletes academic counseling services, a career development program, a student-development program, a comprehensive tutoring program, a writing lab, a math lab, a computer lab, and accommodations for students with special needs.
Multicultural Student Life
Housed in the Frieson Black Cultural Center (FBCC), the Office of Multicultural Student Life offers a tutoring program for individuals or small groups in a variety of undergraduate courses. Also, in the FBCC is a book-loan program that allows students to borrow two books per semester for free.
Library, Services, and Technology
The University Libraries system is a network of libraries on campus that provides state-of-the-art facilities and services, including print and electronic collections, reference and instructional services, and top-notch facilities and technological resources.
On the second floor of Hodges Library is The Commons a collaboration between the Office of Information Technology (OIT) and University Libraries providing services, technology, and study spaces for students.
The OIT Help Desk provides information and support for computer and network services managed by OIT (for instance device support, email, password resets). You can also check out a laptop, learn how to use a media lab called The Studio, check out cameras, use media workstations, watch a video for class, get help using one of the library’s many databases, and ask reference questions.
Student Disability Services
Student Disability Services assists students with documented disabilities by working with them to arrange accommodations and services that enhance access to our facilities and programs. Please remember that it’s your responsibility to register with SDS to request services. Call 865-974-6087 (v/tty) or email sds@utk.edu.