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What are “Office Hours?”

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Five Things to Know

  1. All PSU instructors are required to hold office hours for every course they teach.
  2. “Office Hours” are there fully for the benefit of students, and faculty should always be available during these times for your visit.
  3. There are many different reasons you might attend office hours: to clarify and ask questions about course content; to get advice on how to study; to ask questions about the syllabus, upcoming assignments, and due dates; to prepare for an upcoming assignment; to review an exam or a paper you wrote; to talk about grades; to explore areas of interest that you share with your professor; to get career advice.
  4. It’s helpful to prepare a bit for a visit to Office Hours: clarify the purpose of your visit in your own mind; check your syllabus to find out where and when the Office Hours are held; if you are not free during the scheduled Office Hours, email the professor to set an alternative time to meet; prepare questions ahead of time; bring relevant course materials with you to the meeting (book, notes, laptop, whatever you need).
  5. If you can, visit Office Hours early in the semester BEFORE you get in too far over your head with any struggles you are facing!

People Who Can Help

If you have trouble finding the Office Hours for your professor, start by emailing your professor! If you still need help, contact the Advising Center.

Academic & Career Advising Center,

Speare 108

Email the Center
Make an Appointment

A Deeper Dive

There are things you can do during and after Office Hours to help you get the most out of your time: During the appointment:
  • Be respectful. Arrive on time and introduce yourself if you have never met the professor personally. Address the professor by his or her last name with the appropriate title (Professor, Dr.)
  • Take notes. Record suggestions, information, and strategies that your professor shares with you so that you can refer back to them later.
  • Ask for clarification. If you are confused or not following your professor’s explanation, don’t be afraid to ask him or her to repeat the information or restate it differently. It can also be helpful to try and repeat back what the professor is saying to check for understanding. Ask to work through a few more problems if you are still having trouble solving them.
  • Be honest. Speak up if you aren’t following or need more examples.
  • Ask about supplemental readings or resources that may help.
  • If you want to discuss an exam or paper grade you disagree with, use a respectful tone. Discuss questions you missed on the test or what was lacking in your paper. Ask “How can I improve my next test or paper grade?”
  • Sum up your takeaway or action plan at the end of the meeting.
  • Thank the professor at the end of the meeting.
After the appointment:
  • Follow through on any commitments or plans you made during office hours.
  • Incorporate any suggestions or tips your professor gave you.
  • Attend office hours again if you think it will be beneficial.
  • Follow up with other campus resources (like tutors and the PASS Office) if you need additional help.
     
This resource was last updated on July 19, 2023

THE PLYMOUTH BRAIN

What are “Office Hours?”
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The Brain Knows All