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

Faculty Advisors (see advisor list and hours below)

 

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

Department of Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts (BECA) 
Email: beca@sfsu.edu
Location: FA 339

 

  • 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

 

Need advising help?

Prior to scheduling an advising appointment, check out the BECA major degree requirements here. If you are a Media Literacy minor, check out the requirements here. If you are earning your certificate in Music Recording Industry, check out the requirements here.

You may meet with any of our faculty advisors, but we suggest you select an advisor with a focus area that matches your area of interest. Faculty advisors' office hours and contact information are listed below. Click on the faculty advisor name to see their profile.

Faculty Advisors

Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts Faculty Advisors
Advisor Advising Expertise/Title Office Hours Make Appointment Email 
Melissa Camacho, Ph.D. TV Theory, Media Criticism; Graduate Advisor Thurs: 10-11am ZoomNavigator Link mcamacho@sfsu.edu 
Graham Carpenter   Zoom Linkgcarpenter@sfsu.edu 
Christopher Clemens , Ph.D.TV Studio Production, Video Field Production, Media Effects, Media Aesthetics, and Media LiteracyMon: 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.  Zoom by appointment  Wed: 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.  by appointment in person & ZoomNavigator Link cclemens@sfsu.edu 
Andrew Hongo Broadcast Journalism and Video Production Tues 2-315p (in-person MH317 or Zoom) Wed 2-3p (Zoom only) Fri 1215-1p (in-person MH317 or Zoom)Calendly Link andrewhongo@sfsu.edu 
Dina Ibrahim, Ph.D. Performance, E-sports, and Broadcast Journalism Tues: 2pm-4pm In-Person Additional office hours available by appointment.  dibrahim@sfsu.edu 
Jeff Jacoby Audio and Radio Production Tues: 2pm-3:30pm drop-inemail for appt outside office hoursjjacoby@sfsu.edu 
Hamid Khani, Ph.D.Media Aesthetics and Production, Creativity and Design Thinking, and Media Literacy, Not teaching Sp 26 hkhani@sfsu.edu 
Ashley Larson, Ph.D. Media Effects, Broadcast Journalism, International/Study Abroad advisorThurs: 9-noon  and by appointment  Open configuration options All meetings require an appointment, which you can schedule on Calendly; your confirmation email will have the Zoom info.Calendly alarson5@sfsu.edu 
James Martin Post-Production Video Editing  Email jamesmartin@sfsu.edu 
Scott Patterson, Ph.D. Research and Live Music Recording; Director for the certificate in Music Recording Industry (MRI). drop-in office hours for Spring 2026 are:

Tues: 10- noon
Wednesday 1- 2pm		 spatters@sfsu.edu 
Shabnam Piryaei Writing, Documentary, Creativity, Theory Thurs: 9-10am online Fri: 10-noon in person spiryaei@sfsu.edu 
Vinay Shrivastava, Ph.D. Audio Production and Sound Aesthetics Tues: 4-5pm in person Wed: 12:30-1pm in person Thurs: 12-1pm via zoomZoom linkvinay@sfsu.edu 
Miriam Smith, J.D. Media Management and Law Wed: noon-2pm in person415-515-8165 (text)tvsmith@sfsu.edu 
Yumi Wilson Broadcast Journalism  Artificial IntelligenceTue & Thurs: 2 - 3:30 pm zoom or in person MH 335 Zoom meetings require an appointment, which you can schedule by emailing Professor Wilson at ywilson@sfsu.edu. Please be sure to accept the invite to secure your time. Email ywilson@sfsu.edu 
Lena Zhang, Ph.D. TV Field Production and Editing; BECA Dept. Chair Tues: 2-3pmNo Appointment Needed lzhang@sfsu.edu 

 

Additional Resources

Majors in Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts (BECA) should consult with two advisors each semester:

  1. A BECA advisor and
  2. A general education (GE) and university requirements advisor in the University Advising Center.

Students who are completing a minor or an additional major should see an advisor in those programs as well.

Graduate Coordinator - Melissa Camacho

The Division of Graduate Studies offers counseling and advising regarding issues ranging from applications to graduation.

 

Visit the Graduate Advising Center