introducing yourself via email

You’re an undergrad and you’ve been told to develop a relationship with your professor. But how to do this?

It’s actually quite simple. If you’re taking a class with me, drop me an email and ask if you can come to office hours. Here’s an example:

Dear Professor Kwak,

My name is Joanna Lee and I am in your USP 1 class this quarter. I would love to come to your office hours and introduce myself. I am a USP major and am particularly interested in your work on XXX. I can come this week, Tuesday, from 10-11am or noon-2pm. Do either of these times work for you?

Looking forward to talking more,

Joanna

what to call your professor

A lot of students are confused about the hidden rules around names. It’s pretty straightforward, actually: you should address your professor as Professor Last Name. Don’t use first names unless the professor invites you to do so. (“Please call me XX.”) Don’t use Mr, Ms., Miss, or Mrs.

what to do in office hours

Come prepared to talk about specific topics or areas of interest. If you have questions, even better! Expect to meet with the faculty member for around half an hour max.