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 NeedAdvisor 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

School of Music Office
Email: music@sfsu.edu
Location: Creative Arts Building, Room 140

 

  • 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

 

Helpful Advising Tools

1.  Are you a Music Major or Minor?

  • Major, skip to question 2
  • Minor, skip to question 4

2.  Are you enrolled in MUS 353 or 776 or 450? Have you ever enrolled in MUS 353 or 776 or 450?

  • If yes, skip to question 3
  • If no, skip to question 4

3.  Is your teacher’s name listed in the above table?

  • If yes, your teacher is your advisor
  • If no, skip to question 4

4.  Refer to the “last name begins with” list above to determine your advisor.

School of Music Advisors
Your EmphasisYour AdvisorFocus
VoiceNikolas Nackley, nnackley@sfsu.eduUndergraduate
StringsJassen Todorov, todorov@sfsu.eduUndergraduate
EducationWendell Hanna, whanna@sfsu.eduUndergraduate
PianoVictoria Neve, docvic@sfsu.eduUndergraduate
InstrumentalBradley Hogarth, hogarth@sfsu.eduUndergraduate
CompositionBen Sabey, sabey@sfsu.eduUndergraduate
General Advising, Music Minors and Majors  
A-ZBen Sabey, sabey@sfsu.eduUndergraduate
   
Graduate Students (A-Z)Ben Sabey, sabey@sfsu.eduGraduate

All School of Music majors and minors are assigned to a faculty advisor. If you do not know who your advisor is please contact the School of Music office at music@sfsu.edu.

Additional Information

  • When B.M. major completes MUS 221, 222 AND 223, they automatically satisfy C1 (Arts) 
  • When B.M. completes any two of these MUS 550, 551 and 552 , you automatically satisfy UD-C (Arts) 

Spring 2023 - Fall 2026 

Subject to SF State budget and enrollment, we will offer at least the courses below (and probably others too!). This list includes courses which can count toward the B.A. and/or B.M. degrees in music.

Courses offered every semester include:  

130, 270, 303, 313, 353, 360, [several courses chosen from ensemble series: 371-380, 386-390 396 398], 400, 408, 433, 450, 460, 542, 720, 725, 776, 780, 894, 898 

Courses offered every Fall  

201, 221, 223, 231, 233, 234, 301, 405, 434, 440, 640, 700

Courses offered Fall Even-numbered years (Fall 2024/Fall 2026)  

461, 560, 616

Courses offered Fall Odd-numbered years (Fall 2023/Fall 2025)  

437, 565, 617, 640

Courses offered every Spring 

202, 221, 222, 231, 232, 235, 420, 451, 455, 532, One course from 550-552, 598, 644, 710, One course from 751-755, 760 or 761

Courses offered Spring Odd-Numbered Years (Spring 2023/Spring 2025)  

415, 620

Courses offered Spring Even-numbered years (Spring 2024/Spring 2026)  

441, 618 

Majors who are enrolled in applied lessons, must participate in ensembles, as assigned. Wind, brass and percussion majors, who are enrolled in 60 minute lessons, must enroll in both orchestra and wind ensemble.  String majors must enroll in orchestra. String players enrolled in 60 minute lessons may satisfy the remaining ensemble requirement by enrolling in chamber music or wind ensemble.

GE Area C Upper Division (UD-C) Arts Requirement in Ensembles 

To earn GE:

  1. Do NOT sign up for MUS 3xx. Instead, register for the odd-numbered section of MUS 400 (400-01, 400-03, etc.) which corresponds to your ensemble. You will be automatically enrolled in the correct even-numbered section as well.
  2. If students are enrolled in more than one ensemble in a given semester, they may enroll in only one MUS 400.
  3. Students who pass MUS 400 may not repeat it. If they want to continue ensembles in future semesters, they should use the MUS 3xx number.
  4. Students may enroll in MUS 400 once.

The following ensembles are available for MUS 400. Check the course description on the class schedule to locate your ensemble.

  • MUS 371 Orchestra                       
  • MUS 372 Wind Ensemble                 
  • MUS 388 INSTRUMENTAL Jazz Combo
  • MUS 379 Univ. Chorus                   
  • MUS 374 University Pep Band        
  • MUS 388 Vocal Jazz Combo              
  • MUS 373 Ch. Singers                        
  • MUS 375 Treble Singers                     
  • MUS 376 Opera Workshop               
  • MUS 378 Chamber Music                  
  • MUS 390 Jazz Band                          
  • MUS 386 Afro Cuban Ensemble    
  • MUS 387 Schola Cantorum         
  • MUS 388 Brass Ensemble

MUS 3xx

·         Register for one section for each ensemble

·         1 unit

·         Does not count for GE

·         No limit on the number of ensembles you can register for

·         Repeatable for credit

 MUS 400

·         Register for two sections (see above)

·         Total of 3 units

·         Area C Upper Division GE

·         Can be used once only

·         Not repeatable for credit