Advising

Make Every Semester Count

Seek advising regularly. Meeting with an academic advisor at San Francisco State University is essential to staying on track with your academic goals.

Whether you're an undergraduate or graduate student, advisors help you navigate course selection, degree requirements, and career planning, ensuring you make informed decisions about your academic path.

Advising Resources

Use the table below to guide you to the best advising resource based on your needs.

Advising Need	Advisor Recommendation
Undergraduate Students: Choosing courses/degree planning for general education, major, minor, and certificates Understanding transfer credits Graduation check Academic success strategies Academic notice and clearing holds Exploring options for majors, minors, and certificates Petition of study abroad courses for general education Referrals to campus resources Academic policy inquiries and assistance with appeal forms	Academic Advisors at the Undergraduate Advising Center (UAC) OR For EOPP Students - Academic Advisors from the Educational Opportunity and Pathway Programs (EOPP)
Undergraduate and Second Baccalaureate Students: Selection of appropriate major/minor/certificate courses based on career and professional goals Course substitutions and exceptions for major/minor/certificate Opportunities for research or teaching assistantships Mentorship, careers, internships, and graduate school preparation Approval of study abroad courses for major/minor Requests and approvals for forms requiring major advisor approval	Faculty Advisors (see advisor list and hours below)
Requests and approvals for forms requiring department chair approval Request meeting with department chair	Department of International Relations Email: ir@sfsu.edu Location: Humanities 282
Information about Study Abroad opportunities and application process/timelines	See Study Abroad as the first step
Graduate/Second Baccalaureate Students: General advising questions (petitions, policies/procedures, registration, and academic notice)	Division of Graduate Studies & Career Development Advising Email: gradstudies@sfsu.edu Phone: (415) 338-2234 Location: ADM 254 (8:00 am – 4:30 pm)
Graduate Students: Graduate student course planning, academic advising, Advancement to Candidacy, and Graduate Student Culminating Experience	See the Graduate Coordinator for your program or contact your Culminating Experience Committee Chair

Advising Need

Advisor Recommendation

Undergraduate Students:

Choosing courses/degree planning for general education, major, minor, and certificates
Understanding transfer credits
Graduation check
Academic success strategies
Academic notice and clearing holds
Exploring options for majors, minors, and certificates
Petition of study abroad courses for general education
Referrals to campus resources
Academic policy inquiries and assistance with appeal forms

Academic Advisors at the Undergraduate Advising Center (UAC)

For EOPP Students - Academic Advisors from the Educational Opportunity and Pathway Programs (EOPP)

Undergraduate and Second Baccalaureate Students:

Selection of appropriate major/minor/certificate courses based on career and professional goals
Course substitutions and exceptions for major/minor/certificate
Opportunities for research or teaching assistantships
Mentorship, careers, internships, and graduate school preparation
Approval of study abroad courses for major/minor
Requests and approvals for forms requiring major advisor approval

Faculty Advisors (see advisor list and hours below)

Requests and approvals for forms requiring department chair approval
Request meeting with department chair

Department of International Relations
Email: ir@sfsu.edu
Location: Humanities 282

Information about Study Abroad opportunities and application process/timelines

See Study Abroad as the first step

Graduate/Second Baccalaureate Students:

General advising questions (petitions, policies/procedures, registration, and academic notice)

Division of Graduate Studies & Career Development Advising
Email: gradstudies@sfsu.edu
Phone: (415) 338-2234
Location: ADM 254 (8:00 am – 4:30 pm)

Graduate Students:

Graduate student course planning, academic advising, Advancement to Candidacy, and Graduate Student Culminating Experience

See the Graduate Coordinator for your program or contact your Culminating Experience Committee Chair

IR Undergraduate Faculty Advisors

(IR majors and IR minors should contact advisors assigned according to the first letter of their last names. Other minor and certificate students should contact the relevant faculty director)

Undegraduate Faculty Advisors
Student Last Names & Minor Coordinator	Name	Office	Email	Office Hours
Starting with A – B Pacific Studies minors	See-Won Byun	HUM 267	sbyun@sfsu.edu	Mon: 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.or by appointment
Starting with C – D Latin American Studies minors	Juanita Darling	HUM 427	juanitad@sfsu.edu	Tue: 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.or by appointment Thu: 9:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.or by appointment
Migration and Refugee Studies Certificate Global Health Certificate International Risk Analysis Certificate Global Peace, Human Rights, and Justice Studies minors South Asian minors African Studies minors	Burcu Akan Ellis	HUM 280	bellis@sfsu.edu	Tue: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Wed: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.via Zoom Thu: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Starting with E – F	Mahmood Monshipouri	HUM 246	mmonship@sfsu.edu	Tue: 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Starting with G – L	Anthony Pahnke	HUM 259	anthonypahnke@sfsu.edu	Tue: 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.or by appointment Wed: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.via Zoom
Starting with M – Q European Studies Minors	Scott Siegel	HUM 331	snsiegel@sfsu.edu	Mon: 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.or by appointment (Zoom)
Starting with R – S	Andrei P. Tsygankov	HUM 526	andrei@sfsu.edu	Thu: 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.or by appointment
Starting with T – Z Middle East and Islamic Studies minors	Lucia Volk	HUM 576	lvolk@sfsu.edu	Tue: 9:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.or by appointment

IR Graduate Faculty Advisors

Graduate Faculty Advisors
Student Last Names	Name	Office	Email
All Graduate Students, SF Scholars/Blended	Prof. Skonieczny	HUM 452	askonie@sfsu.edu

Advising is an important part of college education as it ensures students make progress towards their degree(s) and have a chance to consult with faculty members about opportunities to expand their skill sets and establish career goals.

At the Department of International Relations, it is expected that students will meet with their advisor multiple times throughout their college career. If you are unsure who your advisor is or where to turn to for advising needs, please see below for more information.

If you are an M.A. student or are part of the SFSU Accelerated Bachelor's + Master's program, please see Prof. Darling.

If you are an International Relations major or have only an International Relations minor declared, please see the advisor you are assigned by last name above.

Please see your minor coordinator if you are earning a minor or certificate in:

Migration and Refugee Studies
Global Health
International Risk Analysis
Global Peace, Human Rights, and Justice Studies
Middle East and Islamic Studies
South Asian Studies
African Studies
European Studies
Latin American Studies

Tips for Advising

Watch this short informative video to learn more about advising in the Department of International Relations with Professors Jonathan Whooley and Anthony Pahnke.

Watch the Advising Video