Advising and Planning
As a learner in Gies Online Programs, our Student and Academic Success Specialists are here to provide guidance as you progress through the program. We run on a team advising model and all our specialists are expertly trained to assist you.
Before you begin course planning, it is important to review and become familiar with our degree requirements. Here are some planning tools and tips to get you started:
Our specialists are here to help
Express advising (iMBA and iMSM)
Do you have quick questions that would be easier to answer face-to-face with a success specialist? Drop in to express advising, where a Specialist will answer your questions in a 1-1 setting via Zoom. Specialists will only be able to answer questions that can be handled in 15 minutes or less. For issues that may take longer, such as degree planning, we recommend you make an individual appointment.
Express Advising Hours for iMBA and iMSM Students:
- Mondays: 10 AM – 12 PM CST and 1 – 3 PM CST
- Wednesdays: 10 AM – 12 PM CST and 1 – 3 PM CST
- Fridays: 10 AM – 12 PM CST and 1 – 3 PM CST
To Join Express Advising, log in here and select “Express Advising.”
iMSA Office Hours
Do you have questions about the iMSA or Joint Degree? Connect with our Student & Academic Success Specialists during open office hours every Tuesday and Thursday from 1:00 – 2:00 PM CT.
Meet with a specialist 1-1
Current students can meet with a member of the Student & Academic Success team in a 30-minute individual appointment. You can view available time slots and book your appointment here: https://go.gies.illinois.edu/onlineadvising.
Appointments are held between 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Central Standard Time (CT). Students can update their time zone when scheduling appointments using these instructions. If you do not see any available times, we highly recommend you utilize our Express Advising or Office Hours.
To book an appointment, we recommend you follow these steps:
- Select “Schedule an Appointment” from the home screen
- Select “Anyone on this team”
- Select appointment type
- Select a time and location to connect with the specialist
- All set! Once you complete the booking, you will receive an email confirmation to your Illinois email account.
All of our specialists are expertly trained and will be able to assist you. This system is specifically designed to assist you in a more efficient manner. For detailed instructions, click here.
Email us at any time
You can reach out to us at i-support@illinois.edu with your questions using your Illinois email account. A Specialist will respond to your email within 24-48 hours during business days.