Eastern in 4

All first-year students must develop an “Eastern in 4” Academic Plan to map the courses they need to graduate. Your academic plan will include:

• Required courses for your major
• Electives
• Course prerequisites
• Other relevant information

To develop a four-year academic plan, first-year students:

• Work with their academic advisor and Advising Center staff to confirm their major
• Determine the courses they must take to graduate
• Consider electives they want to pursue
• Develop a semester-by-semester approach to their Eastern career

This process begins in a student’s first semester on campus. In addition to sessions with professional advisors in the Advising Center and meetings with faculty advisors, student peer advisors visit First-Year Experience classes to help you begin the process of completing your four-year Academic Plan.

The Benefits of Academic Planning

• Improves student academic performance (GPA)
• Promotes student retention
• Increases graduation rates

Graduating in four years has other benefits

• Pursue graduate school or employment more quickly
• Save money! Each year of college attendance costs $80,000 or more in additional tuition/fees, loans, delayed earnings and other costs. 

In addition to academic planning, first-year students are encouraged to start to develop their career plans at the Center for Internships and Career Development.

Hands-on learning

Upwards of 95% of Eastern students prepare for careers by applying their classroom experiences in a variety of hands-on learning settings.

• Internships
• Undergraduate research
• Service Learning
• Global Studies