How should I address my instructor when communicating with them?
This question comes up all the time and for good reason. There is considerable diversity among course instructors’ credentials and personal preferences. So, it is no surprise that students may feel some confusion around how to respectfully address their course instructors. In this edition of our new Professional Development Tips, we offer you some suggestions that will hopefully guide everyone toward healthy communications in and out of the classroom.
If your instructor has requested a specific way to address them, then it’s simple: follow that request. You may find some instructors will request to be addressed with a title, such as “Dr. [last name]” or “Professor [last name]”, while others may request to be called by their first name. Of course, it will serve you well to not assume that one instructor’s request will apply to all instructors. Also, it is worth noting that using Mr./Ms./Mrs./Mx. when an instructor has requested to be addressed as Dr. or another title may be considered disrespectful.
If your instructor has not explicitly specified how to address them, it is standard professional practice to account for their credentials. So, the first step is to understand what your instructor’s credentials are. Many will list their credentials on the course syllabus. If there are none listed there, then a simple search at the SLU website may help.
· If your instructor has a Ph.D., Psy.D., Sc.D., or other doctoral-level credential as their highest earned, then using “Dr. [last name]” is the most appropriate choice.
· If your instructor has a M.S., M.A., M.Ed., M.S.W., B.A., or B.S. or other non-doctoral-level credential as their highest earned, then using “Instructor [last name]” is considered appropriate.
If you conducted a search and are still in doubt (or are unsure about your instructor’s credentials or preferences), addressing them as “Instructor [last name]” or “Professor [last name]” is an acceptable place to start. If one of these is not preferred by your instructor, then they will likely correct you. If not, we recommend you observe what is in their sign-off/signature line to guide future correspondence. You are also free to ask them for clarity on this front.
If you prefer a particular title, you are encouraged to let your instructor know! After all, it is important to us that communication with you reflects inclusive respect for all.