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:
| 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:
| Faculty Advisors (see advisor list and hours below)
|
| School of Art Office
|
| See Study Abroad as the first step
|
Graduate/Second Baccalaureate Students:
| Division of Graduate Studies & Career Development Advising
|
Graduate Students:
| See the Graduate Coordinator for your program or contact your Culminating Experience Committee Chair
|
Art History Faculty Advisors
| Advisor | Focus | Phone | Location | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gwen Allen | Art History | (415) 338-6524 | gwen@sfsu.edu | Fine Arts Building, Room 268 | If your last name begins with A-K |
| Santhi Kavuri-Bauer | Art History | (415) 338-6511 | santhi@sfsu.edu | Fine Arts Building, Room 293B | If your last name begins with L-Z |
Studio Art Faculty Advisors
| Advisor | Focus | Phone | Location | Office Hours | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Arcega | Studio Art | (415) 338-2520 | marcega@sfsu.edu | Fine Arts Building, Room 267 | If your last name begins with A-K | |
| Susan Belau | Studio Art | (415) 338-1591 | sbelau@sfsu.edu | Fine Arts Building, Room 252 | If your last name begins with A-K | |
| Libby Black | Studio Art | (415) 338-6506 | libbyblack@sfsu.edu | Fine Arts Building, Room 261 | If your last name begins with A-K | |
| Ilana Crispi | Studio Art | (415) 338-1733 | icrispi@sfsu.edu | Fine Arts Building, Room 197C | Mon: 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Wed: 2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. | If your last name begins with L-P |
| Chris Finley | Studio Art | (415) 338-6318 | cfinley@sfsu.edu | Fine Arts Building, Room 254 | If your last name begins with L-P | |
| Mario Laplante | Studio Art | (415) 338-7081 | laplante@sfsu.edu | Fine Arts Building, Room 258 | If your last name begins with L-P | |
| Paula Levine | Studio Art | (415) 338-6457 | plevine@sfsu.edu | Tue: 3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. | If your last name begins with L-P | |
| Sean McFarland | Studio Art | (415) 338-1269 | seanmc@sfsu.edu | Fine Arts Building, Room 264 | If your last name begins with Q-Z | |
| Jeff Downing | Studio Art | (415) 338-1437 | jdowning@sfsu.edu | Fine Arts Building, Room 197A | If your last name begins with Q-Z | |
| Victor De La Rosa | Studio Art | (415) 338-2753 | delarosa@sfsu.edu | Fine Arts Building, Room 253 | If your last name begins with Q-Z |
For urgent and general School of Art inqueries, please schedule an appointment with Director Santhi Kavuri-Bauer via Calendly.
Additional Advising Information
Students choose one of the following faculty listed under the first letter of student's last name, according to Major/Concentration. Email your advisor to schedule an appointment during their virtual office hours.
To Change Major to Art or Art History or Add the Art or Art History Minor
- Schedule an advising session with the Dept. Chair by emailing sch_art@sfsu.edu or an Art faculty advisor.
- Complete an online Request for Change Major/Add Minor via SF State Gateway/MySFSU. (Go to the online Student Center. Under the Academics section, select Change Major from the drop-down menu and follow the instructions.)
To Change Concentration Within the Art Major
- Meet with a School of Art faculty advisor to discuss change of concentration.
- Go to the online Student Center. Under the Academics section, select Change Major from the drop-down menu and follow the instructions to select the new concentration. Email sch_art@sfsu.edu to notify the director of your concentration change so that they can approve it.
Adding a Second Major
A student can only add a second major if they can demonstrate that they complete both majors within the minimum units required to graduate (120-132 units, depending on the majors). They must complete a Petition to Add a Second Major form available on the Registrar's website and submit to the Registrar’s Office for review. Note: Please allow 4 to 6 weeks processing time
University Requirements
Students should check the University requirements about changing majors in advance of a major change. University requirements can be found on the Registrars website.
Students who wish to pursue teaching art in elementary or secondary schools as a career are advised to major in Art with a concentration in Studio Art. The Studio Art concentration is aligned with the Subject Matter Waiver Program in Art, which provides a waiver for the CSET exam in Art and prepares students to enter the Single Subject Credential Program in Art. Students are also encouraged to minor in Education and/or take courses in Education as part of complementary studies, in particular E ED 450: Art and Learning. Students who are considering teaching art, should see an Education adviser before planning the major. Specific courses and competency assessment are required for admission to the credential program in this area. See the Graduate College of Education website for more information about the credential program and the CSET Waiver in Art. To complete a CSET Waiver in Art, please contact Susan Belau, who is a subject matter advisor in Art.