Academic Discernment and Exploration

A Notre Dame education forms hearts and informs minds in order to transform the world.

At Notre Dame, we believe that "the mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart."  The Academic Discernment & Exploration Office (ADEO), part of the Center for Academic Transformation & Excellence, exists as a central resource for you to discern your academic opportunities, explore your deeper purpose, and consider how you might go forth to serve the Common Good.

What is ADEO?

The Academic Discernment & Exploration Office is the only academic advising office at Notre Dame that is not housed within a specific college, school, or major. Because we sit outside these traditional boundaries, we are available to any undergraduate student across the university to discuss a broad range of academic topics and possibilities. ADEO supplements the collegiate academic advising done in the colleges, schools, and academic programs at Notre Dame.

We believe that academic excellence requires more than just mastering a subject; it requires cultivating the heart alongside the mind. Our model fosters a spirit of exploration that looks beyond a simple career path to ask: Who am I called to become? What is the purpose of my education? How can my gifts serve the needs of the world?

Central to this formation is the University Core Curriculum. We view these foundational courses not as boxes to be checked, but as the essential ground for intellectual formation and the primary tool for coming to know and serve the Common Good.

How Do We Support Your Academic Discernment and Exploration?

Discernment is a skill that must be built up over time. At the same time, exploring your purpose is a lifelong process of self awareness and self development. ADEO advisors support you as you strengthen your discernment skills and come to better understand your gifts, explore your callings, and discern the many paths open to you.

We invite you to make an appointment if you are:

• Unsure about your major and want to discuss possible academic paths that fit your skills and interests.

• Looking to change majors or move to a different college within the university and you need help figuring out what your options are.

• Seeking to explore your interests through specific classes or extracurriculars.

• Searching for your "Why" and wanting to integrate your studies with a deeper sense of purpose.

• Preparing for what comes next and wanting discernment support as you explore your purpose and how you might go forth as a “force for good” after graduation.

Ready to Explore?

Whether you are a first-year student exploring your "Why," or a senior seeking to integrate your major with your future vocation, we are here to walk with you as you prepare to go forth into the world to be a force for good.

Schedule an Appointment with an Exploratory Advisor

Katharine Mahon

• Incoming First-Year students who want Exploratory Advising should book a 30 minute "Incoming First-Year Student Exploratory Meeting".
• Incoming First-Year students who want to meet with an Academic Advisor about a specific major or college should refer to the Academic Advising Office in the relevant College or School.
• Current Notre Dame students entering their Sophomore year and beyond who want an Exploratory Advising Appointment should book a 60-minute “Initial Exploratory Advising Appointment” or a follow-up 30 minute “Katharine Mahon Advising Appointment”.