Academic Advising
The SDS Department has three academic advisors to support current and prospective SDS students. They can connect with you by email or with appointments by phone, virtual/video, or in-person at Renison.
Advisors act as a partner with students to assist in reaching their academic goals. They can explain certain procedures or policies, help you identify potential courses of interest, share applicable campus services and/or engagement opportunities, be a welcoming ear to talk, and support you with developing realistic education goals.
As a student, your role as in this process is to connect with your advisor if you have any questions or concerns about your program, use the Undergraduate Calendar to help understand academic requirements, read any relevant emails you receive from advisors and/or the SDS department (e.g. biweekly newsletters), and ultimately accept responsibility for your own academic success at UWaterloo. While there are lots of resources to help you along the way, in the end it's your degree and your life to explore!
If your needs require more ongoing psychotherapy or accessibility support, please connect with Counselling Services or AccessAbility for resource access.
Required Information
When contacting your SDS advisor, please provide your name and student/ID numberto help us access your account faster and provide more tailored support. Thanks!
Contact Us
SDS advisors support different groups of students based on what letter your last name starts with - see their emails below.
Advisors aim to respond to students within 24-48 hours, though it's not guaranteed during peak advising periods (e.g. course selection, add/drop, exams, orientation, etc.). Thank you for your patience during those times and know that your email/voicemail will be acknowledged as soon as they can be. Please refrain from sending multiple emails in quick succession as it can break information-sharing threads and delay response time.
If it is an urgent request and your advisor is away for some time, please email sds@uwaterloo.ca.
Gwen Bisset
Supports: Students whose last names begin with A-G
Email: gwen.bisset@uwaterloo.ca
Jennifer Andrews-Coffey
Pronouns: she/her
Supports: Students whose last names begin with H-O
Lyndsay Masters
Pronouns: she/her
Supports: Students whose last names begin with P-Z
Email: lyndsay.masters@uwaterloo.ca