Working With Faculty

Your college experience will be enhanced if you make an effort to meet with faculty outside of the classroom. You are encouraged to seek them out during office hours or by appointment. This time is not reserved solely for problem resolution (although certainly you should reach out promptly if you are having a problem).

You are required to see your academic advisor each semester, advisors have the most current information about your degree program, extracurricular opportunities that relate to your major, and more. Most advisors make extensive use of university e-mail, departmental list servs, and may post information on UBLearns.

Sample Questions for Talking with Faculty

  1. How did you get interested in _________? (Anthropology, Nursing, Engineering, etc.)
  2. What was your undergraduate major in college?
  3. Tell me what there is in western New York that excites you in terms of your discipline or outside interests (faculty are people too!)
  4. Tell me about your research interests. How did you get from (name of class you are taking) to where you are now? Or tell me about the relationship between what you are teaching us now (particular class you are taking) and what your present interests are in this field.
  5. I have been studying by (describe your study method). Are there other approaches you can recommend?
  6. I find the book (or other class materials) really (interesting or complex) - can you recommend some others or alternates that I might be able to understand now?
  7. If I majored in __________ what are the career possibilities (besides becoming a college professor)?
  8. I am not sure where I stand in the course - these are my grades so far ____, ____, ____.

Last updated: April 23, 2013 10:50 am EST