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

Public Health Faculty Advisors (see advisor list and hours below)

 

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

Public Health Department Office
Email: ph@sfsu.edu
Location: HSS 326

 

  • 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 Advising

Questions about degree planning, choosing/registering for classes, major exploration?

Questions related to internship or PH 480?

Questions related to course substitutions?

  • Email the course description of the course you'd like to substitute and the course you'd like to substitute it for to mfeinmanwelcher@sfsu.edu.

Summer Advising

For questions regarding these following issues during summer, please contact Maia, mfeinmanwelcher@sfsu.edu.

  • Course substitutions/exceptions
  • Adding courses via permission number due to prerequisite issues
  • Petitioning to add a course 3 or more times (or other petitions requiring signatures)
  • Identifying recommended substitutions that the department may approve if courses are full

For course planning, please contact the undergraduate advising center.

Other resources: Advising FAQ

Graduate Advising

Please see your assigned faculty advisor for:

  • Professional development & career mentorship
  • Elective course selection approval
  • Consulting on Culminating Experience project 

**To make an appointment with assigned faculty advisor, please refer to each of their office hours

Please see the Graduate Coordinator for:

  • Course sequencing & roadmap consultation
  • Personal or situational issues
  • Programmatic or curricular questions, issues, concerns