My Academic Advisor
3. How to engage with your Academic Advisor?
- Meet your advisor on a 1:1 basis at least two times during the academic year, once each semester. Year 1 students are also expected to meet their advisors during welcome week.
- Follow your academic advisors’ advice and meet them whenever any important circumstance is likely to affect your academic performance. Reach out to them if in doubt about extenuating circumstances claims.
- Approach first your academic advisor for a reference letter. Make yourself known to them so that they can provide more informed reference letters.
- Respect advisors’ actual availability and visit them during office hours or book appointments if you want to meet them outside office hours. Use your Queen Mary email account for all communications with advisors, administrators, and teaching staff, and regularly check this email.
Academic advising is student-led. It is up to you to decide how much you want to engage with your academic advisor. The academic advisor is there to offer you the opportunity to discuss any issue affecting your engagement with your studies in an open and confidential manner, and provide insights and suggestions as to how to proceed with your studies. Meeting your advisor is your opportunity to communicate any difficulties and to be heard. The advisor can also direct students towards further specialist support at the University if needed. Academic Advisors are not trained counsellors, or specialists in careers, money matters, immigration, housing, and disabilities, but can direct you to appropriate resources within QMUL and SEF. Students are encouraged to discuss any issues with their Academic Advisors with the Student Support Officer and the Senior Tutor.