Navigate your business journey with a dynamic advising model at UConn's School of Business. In your first two years, engage in mandatory advising meetings with a Professional Staff Advisor to decide on your major, draft your academic plan, and identify ways to build your business experience. In your last two years, do a deeper dive into your major and professional field with your Faculty Advisor and put your plans into action. Get ready for a tailored and impactful academic experience!

Knowing when to use a Professional Advisor versus when to utilize your Faculty Advisor can be challenging. Here are some examples on when to contact the different types of advisors in the School of Business.

Faculty Advisors: 

Primary support for juniors and seniors through appointments, emails, and office hours. Advising is not required in junior and senior years for Business majors, and no Business advising holds are placed, so meetings are up to the student to request. Getting to know your faculty advisor could also lead to opportunities for references or recommendation letters when seeking professional or post-graduate experiences. 

Topics for Faculty Advisors  

• Determining if you want to declare a concentration in your major (if available) 
• Selecting courses as they relate to the major to enhance your skills for the industry 
• Acquiring skills that will help you achieve your goals and get the most out of your Business major 
• Exploring ways to grow your professional skills beyond the classroom 
• Approving your electronic (through StudentAdmin) final plan of study needed for graduation

Professional Advisors:

Primary support for first year and second year students through workshops, appointments, emails, and drop-in hours; advisees must complete required advising to get Business Advising holds lifted prior to registration. Professional Advisors do offer support to juniors and seniors through drop-in hours when issues arise.

Topics for Professional Advisors  

• School of Business critical courses and general education requirements. 
• Deciding on a School of Business major. 
• Integrating a minor (business or non-Business) into an educational plan 
• Exploring studying abroad options 
• Seeking a Dual Degree 
• Getting involved strategically
• Withdrawing from a course, and/or determining if pass/fail is an option
• Questions about dismissal and/or admission 
• Resolving issues with graduating, challenges with classes, policies, etc. 

Emailing your faculty members will be the best way to communicate with them. Not sure where to start? Try using our email template. Be sure to fill out the subject line with the any appropriate information.

Subject Line: Meeting to Discuss _____________

Body of the email:

Good Morning/Afternoon Professor _______________ (insert last name),

I would like to set up a time to connect with you, outside of class, to go over some questions that I have about ____________________________.

Are you available for an in-person/virtual meeting on ______________ (insert days of the week) from _____________(insert hours that you are available - be sure to list multiple times)? If not, I am available on the following days and times: ____________________.

Please let me know what times work best with your schedule.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,

(insert your name)

You did it, great job! We know that reaching out to faculty can create anxiety. The next step can be the hardest... be patient.

If you don't receive an immediate response, it's likely that the faculty member is focused on other classes or UConn-related research – they're not intentionally ignoring your request! Allow a turnaround time of 3 to 5 business days is typical during busy periods, so be professionally persistent and keep that timeline in mind.

Tap into the faculty's wealth of knowledge and industry insights. Don't hesitate to initiate discussions about your passions and potential opportunities.

Faculty are your allies in success. Reach out promptly for support or guidance when facing challenges. They're here to help you succeed.

Click on the videos below, or listen to our LAUNCH podcast linked below, to hear more stories from our faculty on ways to maximize your academic journey.

Questions?

Do you have questions on how to strategically engage academically?

Email undergrad.business@uconn.edu.