George Mason University Writing Center
Robinson Hall A114
writingcenter.gmu.edu
703.993.1200
© The George Mason University Writing Center 2014
Sending Email to Faculty and Administrators
Email you send to faculty and administrators should follow the conventions of professional email in any
workplace: craft an informative subject line; address the recipient appropriately; be concise and
courteous; proofread to avoid sending messages with typos. These are some guidelines for composing
professional email messages:
Craft a specific subject line
A good subject line tells your recipient what your email is about. Make yours clear and direct. If
your email pertains to a class, include the class number and section in the subject line.
Example subject lines:
ENGH 101.067 Final Paper Questions
ENGH 101.067 Absence
Don’t “reply all” when you want to email your professor only
Sometimes professors send out email to the entire class. If you are responding to such an email,
do not “reply all” unless you want everyone on the list to see your message.
Start with an appropriate greeting
Start with “Dear” or “Hello.” These greetings are formal and should be used when greeting your
professors and administrators in a professional message.
Examples of appropriate salutations:
Dear Professor Deems,
Hello Professor Spivak,
Examples of salutations that are too informal. Do not use these:
X Hi Professor
X Hey there Professor
Address the recipient properly
• If you are writing to an instructor or professor, address them as “Professor [Lastname].”
• If your instructor or professor who has a PhD or DA, you may address them as Dr. [Lastname],”
but using “Professor” is also fine.
• If you are writing to an administrator who is not a faculty member, address them as “Mr.
[Lastname]” or “Ms. [Lastname].” (If you want to be super-precise, you can look up their profile
to see if they have a PhD or DA.)
© The George Mason University Writing Center 2014
• Do not address faculty or administrators by their first names, or with “Professor [Firstname],”
“Dr. [Firstname],” or “Mr. [Firstname].”
Introduce Yourself
• Introduce yourself to your recipient if you haven’t met them or if you think they may not
remember you.
• Give some background and why you are writing your email. Be specific about what exactly you
are writing about.
Dear Professor Wattwau,
I am a first-year graduate student in the MA program in Professional
Writing and Rhetoric, and I am enrolled in your course English 502…
Be direct, clear, and courteous
• Be polite, but get to your point quickly and clearly.
• If you have any questions, ask them in a courteous way.
• If you have lists or information or more than just a few questions, don’t be afraid to use bullet-
points or numbers in your email. This will make it easier to read.
Dear Professor Sullivan,
I am a first-year graduate student in the MA program in Professional Writing and
Rhetoric, and I have been assigned to you as your advisee. I have some questions about
the program requirements and courses. Do you have time this week or next week to meet
with me before classes begin?
Dear Professor Yang,
I am enrolled in your course SOC 402: Research Methods, and I am looking forward to
taking this class. Due to a wedding in my family, however, I will be unable to attend our
first meeting. Would you send me an electronic copy of the syllabus? I would like to
prepare any assignments that are due on the first or second class meeting.
Close the message
End your message with a professional closing like “Sincerely,” “Best,” or “Thank you” followed
by your first and last name. If you are writing about an administrative issue, include your Mason
G-number.
Sincerely,
Miranda Castanga
G00001111
