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Advising

Faculty are available by EMAIL or ZOOM for advising.  Please select your advisor from the list below to see contact information. 

Have questions about the political science major or minor?  Have you considered changing your major to political science?  Are you trying to plan your college career or preparing for graduation?

Advisors in the political science department help! They are assigned by the student's last name.  Find your advisor below and email them directly if you would like to set up an appointment.

Faculty Advisor List
Student Last NameFaculty Advisor
A - CProfessor Cynthia Boaz 
D - JProfessor Willie Gin
K - OProfessor Robert McNamara
P - ZProfessor Emily Ray
MPA StudentsProfessor David McCuan


Office hours are very limited during finals week and professors. Advisors have limited during summer and winter breaks. You may contact the department staff to discuss your advising needs during the quiet seasons. 

The department expects you to see your advisor every semester, especially prior to registering for your next semester courses.

For pre-law advising, please contact Professor Joshua Glasgow in the Philosophy Department

General Education Information

Ryan Walsh in the Advising and Transfer Center is available to assist lower-division declared students in the School of Social Sciences with general education advising.  

Students will still need to see an assigned political science advisor for signatures or specific questions that involve the political science major.

See the General Education website for a detailed overview of the GE patterns.

Advising Videos

The School of Social Sciences has an Advising Resources YouTube page where you can find advising videos on many topics, including:

  • How to Read your ARR
  • How to Use Seawolf Scheduler
  • How use "Additional Search Criteria" in MySSU to search for GE courses
  • How to Enroll in Courses
  • How to Drop/Swap Courses
  • How to Waitlist for a Course

Frequently Asked Questions

I am a political science major or minor. Who is my faculty academic advisor?

The political science department assigns major/minor advisors. Students can find their assigned advisor and their availability on our main Advising page.

How do I make an appointment with an academic advisor in POLS?

Advising is done by appointment during posted office hours or by separate arrangement. Contact your advisor by email for an appointment. Department staff do not make appointments for faculty. Advising hours start when the semester calendar begins and end on the last day of class each semester. Faculty are not available for advising during finals week, the summer, or intersession.

I want to meet with an advisor to plan out my schedule, what should I do?

Prior to making an advising appointment with your assigned academic advisor, students should familiarize themselves with the POLS BA Major Requirements (or Minor Requirements).  You should also have your Academic Requirements Report (ARR) and the Transfer Credit Report (if applicable) available for review.

I need to apply to graduate with a BA or a minor in POLS, what do I do?

Students need to complete the graduation application with their assigned POLS advisor.  Please see the SSU Graduation website for instructions and University deadlines.

My Instructor is not on the list of advisors, can they advise me about the major or sign my paperwork?

Not every instructor can advise or sign paperwork. Please schedule a time to meet with your actual major advisor in the department.

No advisors are available and I need to turn in my paperwork today, can the department staff sign my form?

No, staff cannot sign in place of an academic advisor.