Academic advising for MSI students is provided by both faculty and staff. It is very important that students take responsibility for their academic planning and meet regularly with their advisors to develop ongoing advisory relationships.

The mission of MSI academic advising is to:

• Provide accurate information regarding academic options, policies, requirements, and procedures
• Assist students in defining, developing, and reaching your academic goals
• Enhance students' graduate school academic experience

For answers to common advising questions, see our MSI Advising FAQ.

Staff advising for MSI students

Staff advisors:

• Provide students with guidance on course options and academic planning, as well as academic requirements, policies, and procedures
• Conduct graduation audits
• Provide support and referral to campus services for a wide range of issues and concerns
• Provide information and guidance on SI and university resources and administrative processes
• Advise students regarding strategies and sources for funding and financial aid

The primary staff advisor for MSI students is Xiao-Wen Zou, senior academic and financial aid advisor. E-mail her at zxwen@umich.edu to request an appointment.

If you need an academic letter written on official SI letterhead, such as an OPT letter, a letter regarding enrollment status, etc., please send your request to umsi.registrar@umich.edu. Be sure to include your name, U-M ID number, and the exact information you need included in the letter. Please allow two business days for processing.

Faculty advising for MSI students -- An open advising system

Due to the diverse interests of MSI students and the interdisciplinary nature of the MSI program, SI has an open faculty advising system for master's students.

During new-student orientation, students meet with temporarily assigned faculty advisors. After orientation, students are free to see whichever faculty advisor(s) they would like, either by appointment, during office hours, or during the pre-registration advising period each fall and winter term.

To determine which faculty member(s) to see for advising, review the listing of SI faculty to learn which classes they teach, their specialization affiliation, and their research interests. Or ask a staff advisor for a recommendation based on your areas of interest.

As an exception, K-12 School Media program students must see Clinical Assistant Professor Kristin Fontichiaro.

SI Faculty advisors can provide:

• One-on-one mentoring
• Field-specific insights
• Guidance on course selection and academic planning
• Suggestions for improving or enhancing your academic performance
• Information on their research activities
• Once you have established an advising relationship, faculty may be able to serve as a reference when you apply for scholarships, internships, or jobs.

SI pre-registration faculty advising

The online advising scheduling tool is now open for pre-registration advising appointments!  If you are logged in to the Intranet, you can access this tool by clicking on the above link.  If you are not logged in to the Intranet, log in, then copy and paste the following URL into your browser: https://intranet.si.umich.edu/StudentAdvise.

Each fall and winter term, SI offers an additional, structured period of advising to facilitate your planning for the following term. While students can seek advising from faculty anytime, during the two weeks prior to the start of online registration for the following term, students will have access to an online scheduling tool to sign up for a 20-minute advising session with one or more faculty members.

Students may also schedule an advising session at any point in the term simply by sending an e-mail message to the faculty advisor requesting an appointment. You can find faculty e-mail addresses in the SI faculty directory.

For additional information and services related to academic advising, please follow the links on the right side of this page.