Talking to Professors
Office Hours
Instructors, TAs, and some tutors will offer office hours every week to support students in their classes. Office hours are time set aside to ask questions you may have about the homework, reading, exams, or your grades. Your instructors are there to answer your questions and this can be a great time to review your understanding of the course material. Watch this short video from the Student Success Coaching Program about the benefits of office hours.
Online Communication
Review Tips on Communicating with Professors Online (PDF), courtesy of Eleanor Roosevelt College Advising.
Requesting Flexibility
We know that students are balancing a lot and are often impacted by circumstances outside of school that impact their academics.
Did you miss an exam? Fall behind on homework? Get sick or have a family emergency? Please reach out to your professor as soon as you can to discuss your options.
Grading, attendance policies, and make-up opportunities are at the sole discretion of faculty. We hope these tips are helpful to you.
Check the Syllabus
- The syllabus is where official course policies are, and these are the rules that the professor and teaching assistant (TA) will follow. Please do not expect exceptions to what is stated - professors have to be fair to all students, and they receive many requests each quarter.
- Review the syllabus:
- What does it say about attendance?
- What is stated about missing homework? Exams?
- What is the policy around sickness/emergencies?
- What is the policy around late submission of assignments?
- What is the practice around recorded lectures and in-person participation?
Contact Your Professor
Reach out to your professor and teaching assistant (TA)
- Check the syllabus for their contact information. Do they prefer email or Canvas message or phone call?
- When are their office hours? Can you go talk to them in real time instead of relying on email?
- Be patient. Professors receive many, many messages from students and they do not work 24/7.
- Propose a solution. Do not just over-share personal information and expect them to solve the problem. Ask specifically what you need (ex: a one day extension on homework #3)
- Be prepared to provide documentation to substantiate your situation. Professors may require factual documentation depending on the student’s claims.
Email Template
Not sure what to say? Try the email template below! Make sure you send it from your official UC San Diego email account.
Dear Professor [include their last name],
I am a student in your [include course name and section / meeting time] course. I am struggling with [include a brief description of the problem - for example: sickness / accident / hospitalization / death of loved one. Try not to overshare.]
I will not be able to [include what you can’t complete - for example: come to class tomorrow / turn in the assignment due Friday / take the quiz on Wednesday]. I understand that [state details from the syllabus about grading policies to show you have reviewed them - for example: one exam can be missed / I need to request an extension before the due date / students cannot miss more than 5 classes] Would I be allowed to [state your specific request - for example: turn in the paper next Tuesday / take the exam next week in the testing center].
I have documentation of [include this if you have documentation - for example: my grandpa’s death / my doctor’s visit / my diagnosis] that I can send to you if you need it.
Thank you for your consideration,
[Include your full name]
Dear Professor [include their last name],
I am a student in your [include course name and section / meeting time] course. I am struggling with [include a brief description of the problem - for example: sickness / accident / hospitalization / death of loved one. Try not to overshare.]
I will not be able to [include what you can’t complete - for example: come to class tomorrow / turn in the assignment due Friday / take the quiz on Wednesday]. I understand that [state details from the syllabus about grading policies to show you have reviewed them - for example: one exam can be missed / I need to request an extension before the due date / students cannot miss more than 5 classes] Would I be allowed to [state your specific request - for example: turn in the paper next Tuesday / take the exam next week in the testing center].
I have documentation of [include this if you have documentation - for example: my grandpa’s death / my doctor’s visit / my diagnosis] that I can send to you if you need it.
Thank you for your consideration,
[Include your full name]
Be Realistic
Please know that it isn’t always possible to accommodate student requests. Be honest with yourself and realistic about what you may be expecting.
- If you ask after a due date, it may be too late.
- It may not be possible to make up several weeks (or even one week) of material if you miss it. The quarter system moves too quickly.
- If you were not passing the course or not attending the course before something extenuating happened (e.g., sickness or a family death) please do not expect flexibility will be given to retroactively make up content or grades from earlier in the quarter.
- The professor is allowed to say no. They may be the most caring and supportive person in the world, but they still have standards to uphold in their course in fairness to all students. Please know their decision does not reflect upon you as a person.
What if they say No?
You may need to withdraw from the course, fail the course, and/or repeat the course. If you have extenuating circumstances, please refer to the Academic Options webpage. Contact your academic advisors via the VAC with any questions about those options.