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	Philosophy Faculty Advisors (see advisor list and hours below)
Requests and approvals for forms requiring department chair approval Request meeting with department chair	Philosophy Department Office Email: phlsphr@sfsu.edu Location: HUM 388
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

Philosophy Faculty Advisors (see advisor list and hours below)

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

Philosophy Department Office
Email: phlsphr@sfsu.edu
Location: HUM 388

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

Undergraduate Philosophy Advising

Petitions? Need a Signature? Associate Chair Dr. Salzberger is the main approver of undergraduate petitions such as major/minor declarations, waivers of college regulations, DPR revisions, and study abroad courses of study. To process your petition, please follow these steps:

Email Jennifer Waller for guidance with and review of petitions.
Jennifer Waller, Academic Office Coordinator, phlsphr@sfsu.edu
After initial review, submit to Dr. Salzberger.
Dr. Macy Salzberger, Associate Chair, salzberger@sfsu.edu

For graduate student petitions, please email Olivia Walters at grdphl@sfsu.edu.

Undergraduate Advisors

Focus	Advisor	Email	Office
B.A./Minor in Philosophy	Arezoo Islami	arezooi@sfsu.edu	HUM 359
B.A./Minor in Philosophy	Macy Salzberger	salzberger@sfsu.edu	HUM 357
B.A. in Philosophy: Concentration in Law	Carlos Montemayor	cmontema@sfsu.edu	HUM 322
B.A./Minor in Philosophy and Religion	Alice Sowaal	asowaal@sfsu.edu	HUM 369

Graduate Philosophy Advising

Applying to the M.A.: Evaluating Prior Coursework

Students need not have completed an undergraduate major in philosophy to be considered for the M.A. program.

Applicants’ prior academic work will be evaluated to see that a number of undergraduate courses have been fulfilled with the grade of 3.0 or better (B) and that the courses reach the level of upper-division coursework in philosophy at SF State. The sole exception to the upper-division coursework criterion is for the Logic (PHIL 205), a lower-division course. Please note that the Department of Philosophy offers a Formal Logic Challenge Exam.

Required undergraduate courses:

Logic (must be equivalent to PHIL 205)
Ancient Philosophy (PHIL 301)
Modern Philosophy (PHIL 303)
Being and Knowing (PHIL 321)
Ethics (PHIL 450)

Thesis Advising

Once a student has completed a Proposal for Culminating Experience (PCE), their thesis committee chair will serve as the student’s advisor.

Note: Special paperwork is required to allow semi-retired faculty and lecturers in Philosophy or other departments to serve as readers (no such faculty may serve as thesis chairs).

Eligible chairs are the following:

Dr. Azadpur, azad@sfsu.edu
Dr. Islami, arezooi@sfsu.edu
Dr. Landy, landy@sfsu.edu
Dr. Montemayor, cmontema@sfsu.edu (on leave)
Dr. Salzberger, salzberger@sfsu.edu
Dr. Sowaal, asowaal@sfsu.edu
Dr. Wilcox, swilcox@sfsu.edu

Students are strongly urged to consult with the graduate coordinator and their faculty advisors at least once each semester.

The following advising schedule should be kept by new and continuing graduate students:

New students should seek out advising with Professor Islami prior to registering for courses.
Continuing students should meet with their thesis advisor at the beginning of each semester in order to discuss their progress in the program.

Students should consult with Professor Azadpur about when to take PHIL 896, which is the comprehensive examination. In addition to this, continuing students should consult with Olivia Walters on graduation paperwork such as the ATC and PCE forms.

Graduate Advisors

Olivia Walters	Dr. Azadpur
Graduate Program Coordinator Email: grdphl@sfsu.edu Office: HUM 388 Phone: (415) 338-1596 Olivia handles the administrative aspects of the graduate program and is the first point of contact for general inquiries and assistance. Please consult with her regarding your graduation paperwork and scheduling your thesis defense.	Graduate Coordinator for New and Continuing Students Email: azad@sfsu.edu Office: HUM 387 Professor Azadpur handles all advising matters for new and continuing students. This includes petitions concerning prerequisites, Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Proposal for Culminating Experience (PCE) forms. You should consult with Prof. Azadpur on progress to degree, fulfillment of prerequisites and other advising issues. Additionally, he handles paperwork regarding probation, declassification, and disqualification.

Olivia Walters

Dr. Azadpur

Graduate Program Coordinator

Email: grdphl@sfsu.edu
Office: HUM 388
Phone: (415) 338-1596

Olivia handles the administrative aspects of the graduate program and is the first point of contact for general inquiries and assistance. Please consult with her regarding your graduation paperwork and scheduling your thesis defense.

Graduate Coordinator for New and Continuing Students

Email: azad@sfsu.edu
Office: HUM 387

Professor Azadpur handles all advising matters for new and continuing students. This includes petitions concerning prerequisites, Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Proposal for Culminating Experience (PCE) forms. You should consult with Prof. Azadpur on progress to degree, fulfillment of prerequisites and other advising issues. Additionally, he handles paperwork regarding probation, declassification, and disqualification.