UNDERGRADUATE ADVISING
Curriculum and Undergraduate Affairs Manager: Antoinette (Toni) Moore
Undergraduate Advisor: Gem Soriano
Advising is available to help current and prospective undergraduate students with course offerings, enrollment, the major, the minor, petitions, transfer courses, how to get involved with research, and more!
Scope of Advising in Physics
Click here and read through the Physics-Advising syllabus so that you can understand the scope of advising you will typically receive from staff in Physics as compared to advising you will typically receive from faculty in Physics. Click here to be redirected to the Undergraduate Faculty Advising webpage if seeking to connect with a Physics faculty advisor.
Types of Advising in Physics
The Physics Advising team consults with students in-person, via Zoom, and also uses electronic communications. Please view your category, below, for more information and follow protocols exactly as outlined.
Advising for Prospective Students & Visiting Summer Students
Prospective & Visiting Summer Students
Please email advising@physics.ucsd.edu for advice/information.
Advising for UCSD Students
VAC Messaging
Sending a message to PHYSICS through the Virtual Advising Center (vac.ucsd.edu) is the exclusive way to contact our office with questions. Questions submitted via VAC typically receive a response within 1-3 business days.
During campus closures, academic departments are closed, including department VAC portals. Please submit your message once the VAC re-opens.
Appointments for UCSD Physics Majors
Fifteen-minute one-on-one appointments are available to current majors. Appointments are available in weeks 1-10. Appointments must be scheduled in advance and we will begin accepting appointment requests in week 1.
To request an appointment, please follow these three steps:
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Read ALL past contact records and academic notices in the VAC from any/all units (not just past PHYS messages in the VAC). After that, proceed to step 2.
- Fill out the required Pre-Meeting Questionnaire. After that, proceed to step 3.
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Click here to submit relevant documents for review (note: we may process your document ahead of your appointment taking place, especially if it is time-sensitive). After that, proceed to step 4.
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Click here, log in with your @ UCSD email account, and book your appointment.
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Note: For Zoom meetings, both your audio and video must be on for the duration of the appointment and you must be able to use the share-screen feature to share your screen during the appointment.
If you need to cancel/reschedule your appointment:
- It is your responsibility to alert PHYSICS through the VAC at least 24 hours in advance of your appointment and to submit a new appointment request.
If you miss your appointment and gave no notice that you need to cancel/reschedule:
- You may request a new appointment. In most cases, your new appointment will need to be scheduled at least one week after the missed appointment. If your missed appointment falls in the last week of appointments for the term, your new appointment will need to be scheduled in the subsequent term.
Appointments for UCSD Non-Majors
Fifteen-minute one-on-one appointments are available to non-majors. Appointments are available in weeks 3 through 6 and week 10 for fall term.
Appointments must be scheduled in advance and we will begin accepting appointment requests in week 1.
When requesting an appointment, it is important to follow the steps below and provide all of the requested information. Pre-meeting info. will be sent along with your confirmed appointment day, time, and location.
Meetings on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday can be in-person or remote. Meetings on Wednesdays must be remote. List in the booking form the type of appointment you want: Remote or In-Person. We will review your request and update your appointment with the approved meeting location.
To request an appointment, please follow these three steps:
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Read ALL past contact records and academic notices in the VAC from any/all units (not just past PHYS messages in the VAC). After that, proceed to step 2.
-
Click here to submit relevant documents for review (note: we may process your document ahead of your appointment taking place, especially if it is time-sensitive). Then move on to step 3.
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Copy and paste the text below into a VAC message to PHYSICS and fill out the information before hitting submit.
Hi! I'd like to request an appointment with Physics Advising. Here are ALL of the days and times I can meet throughout a typical week of fall term (8am - 3pm only):
Mondays:
Tuesdays:
Wednesdays:
Thursdays:
Fridays:
Here are the topics and questions I want to discuss:
Topic 1:
My questions are:
Topic 2:
My questions are:
Topic 3:
My questions are:
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What to do after submitting your appointment request:
- Monitor your VAC for our reply with your appointment details and Zoom link. Check your VAC regularly after receiving email or text notifications that we've posted our reply. If you missed any of the three steps above, you will be required to begin the appointment scheduling process again to complete any/all missed step(s).
- Note: For Zoom meetings, both your audio and video must be on for the duration of the appointment and you must be able to use the share-screen feature to share your screen during the appointment.
If you need to cancel/reschedule your appointment:
- It is your responsibility to alert PHYSICS through the VAC at least 24 hours in advance of your appointment and to submit a new appointment request.
If you miss your appointment and gave no notice that you need to cancel/reschedule:
- You may request a new appointment. In most cases, your new appointment will need to be scheduled at least one week after the missed appointment. If your missed appointment falls in the last week of appointments for the term, your new appointment will need to be scheduled in the subsequent term.
Upcoming Closures
Upcoming Physics-Advising Closure Dates and Times
Physics Advising closes in correlation with campus closures. When the VAC closes, advising is unavailable (there are no drop-ins or appointments, and VAC messaging is also unavailable). Please take note of upcoming VAC closures:
Holiday | Campus Closed | VAC Closes | VAC Re-Opens |
Veteran’s Day | November 11 | November 8 at 12pm | November 12 at 9am |
Thanksgiving | November 28-29 | November 27 at 12pm | December 2 at 9am |
Winter Break | December 24-January 1 | December 20 at 12pm | January 6 at 9am |
Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday | January 20 | January 17 at 12pm | January 21 at 9am |
President’s Day | February 17 | February 14 at 12pm | February 18 at 9am |
Cesar Chavez Holiday | March 28 | March 27 at 12pm | March 31 at 9am |
Memorial Day | May 26 | May 23 at 12pm | May 27 at 9am |
Juneteenth | June 19 | June 18 at 12pm | June 20 at 9am |
Independence Day | July 4 | July 3 at 12pm | July 7 at 9am |
Labor Day | September 1 | August 29 at 12pm | September 2 at 9am |