Sociology Department Counseling
COUNSELING WEBPAGE
The Sociology department is committed to supporting our students. We are available to assist in a number of ways online. You will find information about those new opportunities to connect with the Sociology department below. Please take care of yourselves and one another.
Remote Access
Please expect 3-5 business days for a response. To aid us in supporting all our students, we kindly ask that a student not submit multiple messages to us (regarding the same inquiry). We will be able to support you in the following ways:
Ways to Contact Sociology Department Counselors
1. EMAIL OR SEND A MESSAGE VIA MESSAGE CENTER
Message us with your questions through our Sociology Message Center Portal. When we receive your questions, we can advise accordingly.
You can also email us directly instead of using the Message Center. You can send your email to either Simbi or Dreama or email both of us on the same email thread. Please do not send the same request separately to both advisors.
- Simbi Mahlanza (mahlanza@soc.ucla.edu)
- Dreama Rhodes (drhodes@soc.ucla.edu)
WHEN TO EMAIL/USE MESSAGE CENTER
- General Questions
- Quarterly study list
- Declaring the Pre-Sociology or Sociology major
- Adding approved upper division electives to Sociology major
- Signing a Degree Plan Contract or ECP petition
2. WINTER VIRTUAL DROP-IN HOURS
- Mondays 1-3pm
- Tuesdays 1-3pm
- Wednesdays 10-12pm
- Thursdays 10-12pm
(Not available to hold drop-ins on holidays or during Final’s Week)
Unfortunately we will have to cancel drop-ins Monday, March 6th and Tuesday, March 7th to attend department meetings and training sessions.
You will sign-in to a virtual waiting room where you may experience a wait for an advisor to join you. As Virtual Drop-In sessions are first-come, first-served, wait times for an individual advising session during peak periods can be longer than 30 minutes.
Click here to enter the Sociology Virtual Drop-In Waiting Room
Alternate Link: https://ucla.zoom.us/my/socdropin
Meeting ID: 843 875 1142
Please note that the above link will only be staffed during the above hours.
WHEN TO JOIN DROP-IN HOURS
- General Questions
- Quarterly study list
- Declaring the Pre-Sociology or Sociology major
- Adding approved upper division electives to Sociology major
- Signing a Degree Plan Contract or ECP petition
3. 30-MINUTE ZOOM ADVISING APPOINTMENTS
- Contact us through email or Sociology Message Center Portal to set up a 30-minute Zoom advising appointment. Please be sure to select Sociology under the Academic counseling unit section (see screenshot below).
Please include the following information in your message
- Year in college (1st, 2nd, 3rd, new transfer, 4th)
- A brief description of the main purpose for the appointment (e.g. major exploration, double majoring, assistance with degree planning, academic difficulty, need signature for petitions, etc)
- Attach any petitions or relevant documents
- At least 5 best times or time periods (e.g. Monday 2-3pm) for a 30 minute Zoom meeting in the next 5 business days, Monday-Friday from 9am to 4pm PST.
WHEN TO REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT VIA ZOOM
- Adding a double major or minor
- Academic year planning
- Returning or Dismissed students
- Declaring the Sociology major during Senior year
- Expected Cumulative Progress or Degree Plan Contract petitions
Once your advising appointment has been scheduled, you will be emailed a link to join a Zoom meeting with a specific advisor. Please click the link in the email to join the appointment at your scheduled time. If you cannot join within 10 minutes, we will have to end the appt. During busy periods advisors may not be available to set appts outside of drop-in hours.
Our Staff

Simbi Mahlanza
254E Haines Hall
(310) 825-1215
mahlanza@soc.ucla.edu

Dreama Rhodes
254D Haines Hall
(310) 206-3662
drhodes@soc.ucla.edu