Emerson College Top Questions

Most of the classes are small, which is nice if you like the teacher to know who you are and if you like making friends in class. The General Education requirements, or "perspectives," can be a hassle especially since most kids know what they want to do and don't care about taking history or science if they want to make films. However, the professors teaching these classes tend to know their audience. 8AM classes are also terrible, and if you get out of here without one, you're lucky. I've only been in one class where the teacher didn't know my name and/or face, which is really good for grading. I've been told we have the least number of classroom hours required for a private college, which means they have a pretty strict attendance policy, but we do start late and get out early in the school year.

The political communication department is really available. I am really close with several professors after only a few months at the school, and they do a lot to help you get involved on campus. Its the kind of comfort where I can sit on the floor of my professors office, researching a project, and another professor will come in an say hello to me. The general education classes are really pathetic. If you can take them elsewhere do so, they are not worth the money. Most classes are small(15-20), though I am mostly in major classes which you will almost definately not experience as a freshman, and the gen-eds are typically bigger(maybe 30-40). Because of this there is a lot of class participation typically. One thing that I think is a positive thing about Emerson is that most students are passionate about their major, they know what they want to do, which can be intimidating, but also encouraging. It really depends on your major on how competitive the atmosphere is. There is a lot of competition for actors, musical theater, film, but a multitude of oppornities for Political Comm majors.

Academics at Emerson are very different than at a large University and this is due to the size of classes. I have never had a class with more than 50 people in it and due to this almost all of my professors know and remember my name. Also Emerson is extremely unique in terms of classes offered.

Academics at Emerson are taken quite seriously. Since the majority of the classes are small (under 20 students per class), you create a relationship with your professors. They are always available to meet outside of class and some will even meet you at Starbucks, rather than the library, if you prefer. Students always participate in class, because most of the classes are discussion based.

I've seen my professors outside of class no more than a few times. I've had a few, though, I would kill to have lunch with. They are very knowledgeable, and when it's on a topic I have chosen to pursue with my lifetime, it creates a great learning environment. This is in the Writing, Literature, Publishing department. Mainly literature professors. I have had good writing professors, but also some bad ones. Some of them use my name often, others know it, one or two I know did not know my name, and a couple knew it a year later. There's often a cluster of students designated to being the ones who participate. They bring it upon themselves, and I do my best to balance being among them and being apart from them. I don't sense much competition in terms of the classroom, though that is probably different for film kids. I run into plenty of intellectual conversations outside of class, though I only am participating in so many. There are probably more conversations about South Park. The most unique class I took was either Oral Presentation of Literature, or Epic Genres: Reniassance to Modern, where we began at Homer, Virgil, and Dante, went through Milton and Pound, and ended at Phillip Pullman. One giant epic poem per week. And I got a very nice sense of the big picture from it. They could loosen up on the general education requirements. I didn't benefit as much from having both an expository writing class and a research writing class, though in their defense I was turned off from their purpose to the point of applying myself only so much. Mostly every program is geared toward being a filmmaker or a musical theater performer or a magazine editor or a marketing consultant. But that's what we signed up for.

One thing I was worried about, from a few reviews I had read about online, was that Emerson professors were stand off-ish and removed from their students. In all of my classes, however, I've had professors who know my name, remember details I've shared about myself in previous classes or personal introductions at the beginning of the year, and who are very willing to help with a project, answer questions, and advise their students. I am a marketing major, with an emphasis on Public Relations, and so far those classes have been the ordinary introduction to how a business works that all students should be familiar with. Although these introductory classes are not alway challenging, they ensure that all students have the basic, common knowledge necessary to take the more specified higher lever courses. The professors in the Marketing Department are all very skilled and experienced. They have worked in business and applied the principles they teach in class to their own professional lives. Everything at Emerson, within the major departments, is about being practical. What will we need to know to do the jobs we want after college? How does all this theory actually apply to the real world? What can we, both as students and human beings, help to use our education to create a better world?

About half the professors I have had knew my name. Luckily the professors who taught classes involved with my major knew my name because those classes are smaller. My favorite classes have been the creative writing workshops and modern art history class. Least favorites have been history and science lectures. Every class involves class participation and it is often graded. Students constantly have intellectual conversations outside of class. I am a Writing, Literature and Publishing major. So far the only class pertaining to it has been a creative writing workshop. But next year I have more workshops, magazine writing and two literature classes.

Academics here are not your normal "academics." Here that word means your major. Mine is design/tech where I am studying to work as a scenic artsits painting sets for theater. Not your average major. So if you mean "academics" those would be considered general education requirments. Those are your math, lit., science, world languages...ect.... Those however are the joke. They are not taken seriously. People don't do the work or the readings because they know that in 4 years their need for their knowledge on statistics isn't going to be the first thing they reach for when they pick their brains.

Due to classes and projects like film and theatre work that can really help someone's reputation and career, students are extremely competitive and professional. I love my major, which is actually a makeup specialty that falls under the costume design major. My mentor/advisor is also my boss in the costume shop where I work, as well as my academic advisor and a previous professor of mine for costume design. He's very well known in the costume field and I respect him, but he is intimidating. The education here, as he stresses, is geared towards making students understand how things work in the professional world and they strive to provide that experience while we're here so we are better equipped to land a job.

Emerson's academics are fantastic if you find the right teachers. The classes are small and very intimate and as a whole the teachers are great. I have had a few experiences with unqualified professors but I think that happens everywhere you go.

I've been pretty impressed with how challenging the CSD department is (Communication Sciences and Disorders). If you look in the right places, everyone can find a class that challenges them intellectually.

The professors at Emerson vary a lot. Some professors will never know your name and never care, and then there will be some who would give you their job in order to help you. Students are very competitive when it comes to film and writing. Two areas where one's future relies on your talent. But the ability to hold your own in that environment is very apparent in Emerson's students. We are not the kind of kids who back down from a challenge, we fight, even if it is just for dark room time. Emerson's academics are all hands on, which is very beneficial for students. We do not use a lot of text books, but group work is highly encouraged. The school defiantly gears you up for a potential job.

For Film and TV majors, which, let's be honest, is probably most of you, you'll fall into one of two opinions about the Visual/Media Arts department. The first opinion says that the teacher are capable, if boring, the classwork is fine, if boring, and you are learning, if bored while doing so. The second option says that you think your teachers are idiots, the classwork beneath you, and the only things you're learning come from your co-curriculars, like Frames Per Second or The Emerson Channel. Both of these opinions have been known to be true. Again, for film and TV majors, your gen-ed requirements will make you crazy. They will make you crazy because they are irrelevant to anything you want to do with your career. Figure out what the best way is to get credits you can bring to Emerson, either in AP courses or community college classes. Avoid the temptation to "try to get them out of the way" and pack three or four of them in a single semester - your attention span will not last like you hope it will. Journalism majors, if you can tough out taking Newsgathering, you'll be in amazing shape. This is no easy task - at least three of my friends either dropped out or changed their major in response to this class. Should you survive it, however, the rest of your in-major classes are supposedly excellent. Writing, Literature, and Publishing students - Your major basically exists to be taken as a double-major. Figure out what else you can major in before you get here, and I mean that.

Academics at Emerson are incredibly informal. The teachers usually go by their first names and communication is easy and honest. Students at Emerson are usually very focused on their major so any general requirement classes are ignored and not taken seriously. The school doesn't try very hard to make them any more interesting either. The main nightmares are Expository and Research writing, you can get out of Expository with credits from highschool but you've got to take a semester of Research writing unless you're in the honors program. I've hear tons of complaints about research writing, but I think it all depends on the teacher and the class topic, the topics range from Technology (gross) to Travel Writing, which i've heard is great. I'm in the honors program so my classes are very different. My first semester honors class was focused on literary analysis. We read tons of articles by psychoanalysts like Freud and Melanie Klein and also a lot of historical pieces. We read about 6 novels and used to articles to analyze the texts. Ok that sounds really daunting but it wasn't bad at all, in fact from what I heard it was a lot easier than the Expository and Research writing classes as far as the amount of work. Second semester you do the same thing plus a writing class which focuses on a 20 page paper about anything you want which you have all semester to write. I've been really happy with the honors program. I feel like it's a good addition to my acting major, because my brain would have probably shriveled up if i'd just done vocal warmups and yoga poses. The acting teachers are amazing, they are honest and encourage honesty from students. They know what they're talking about, all of the teachers have amazing backgrounds and credentials. Amelia Broome is a goddess, get her if you can. You go through phases with the acting program here, I get burnt out easily on some of the more abstract techniques and it can be hard because you don't feel like you're ever "acting" in class. The good thing about that is all of the acting opportunities outside of class. Their are hundreds and hundreds but you have to take the initiative to find out about them and go to auditions, no one is holding your hand, it's the real world.

Because of the small class size, most professors get to know the students fairly well. I have a lot of professors from over the years who recognize me around town, and make a point to stop and say hello or check up on me. My favorite classes have been those that are based in discussion. Professors encourage students to state their opinions, and almost demand debate. It's a great opportunity to hear all possible sides of an argument, and work on public speaking. The most unique class I've taken would be American Women in Theater: Burlesque. It was a fantastic little Interdisciplinary Studies class I took the second half of my freshman year. Sure I learned about women in theatre, but the best part was the final project: putting on a burlesque show, and/or creating a pin-up calendar. Within my department (Performing Arts) and my major (BFA: Stage Management) there have been many opportunities, as well as a fair share of issues. For example, the larger class sizes in the past few years have made it difficult for students to meet the required three shows for production credits. However, having an adviser that also works as a member of Emerson Stage makes it difficult to track her down to talk about my schedule or any personal issues. As a theatre major, it's very difficult to justify going to the Castle or to LA, as one misses an entire semester of either preproduction or production while away. Because the season spans both semesters, any time spent away from the Boston campus can be detrimental. On the whole, my education at Emerson in my department has been geared towards hands-on learning. The other courses have been for the sake of filling out my requirements, not towards job placement. For Stage Managers, until this year there was only one class specifically geared towards the major: an introductory class freshman year that was open to all majors. This year they added SMII: Practicum, but the course content hasn't been fleshed out yet. The '08 SM class has been the guinea pig test group. Hopefully, there will be more classes added in coming years.

Professors in general range from amazing to okay. A lot of teachers with have really interesting discussions in class, whether they relate to the class or not. There are plenty of opportunities to take good classes, even in general education requirements, and they prepare you well for what you need to know in the future.

Class sizes at Emerson are usually very small--I have only had one or two lecture classes that were larger than 20. The great thing about Emerson's academics is that there are so many extracurricular activities for students to participate in that sometimes give the student more experience than any classroom ever would. Combining the extracurricular experience with the classroom experience is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to learn. The Theater department is a friendly, fun place to be. You'll find people that share the same interests (theater, of course), and you'll find people who disagree with you on most things. People in the theater department can get pretty cliquey, though, if you know what I mean--the stage management majors stick together, the BFA acting majors stick together, etc.

The teachers are usually on first-name basis with the students, and my favorite class involves a lot of discussion with the class as a whole, and the class i like the least is a strict research writing class that is mandatory for all students. I think there are a lot of really intellectual conversations outside of class, but there isn't a very competitive atmosphere. Spending time outside of class with a professor is not commonplace, and to do so would be seen as kind of weird. The academic requirements at Emerson are a little much. I am a creative writing major and yet I have to take a math class, a psychology class, a science, two kinds of history, and more. It seems more like they want you to learn for its own sake. However, if you are in a film or acting major then of course the classes related to that field would help you get a job. Some of the majors offered are just so wide spread that you won't get a lot of "job" help until senior year.

At Emerson, in my experience, students like to have fun, a lot of fun. But they also want that summa cum laude mentioned at graduation so schedules are pretty much packed with a balance of class, homework, and down time for whatever you want to do. If you want to go out and party and have fun than students just plan carefully when they will get everything else done. Also, most of the people I've met are really involved and not in just one organization, usually at least two. It is competitive but it prepares you for the real world. In class professors know who you are after the first week. Of course than this doesn't allow for skipping class like it does at bigger schools. But the relationship you have with your professors, who tend to be really chill in my experience, is worth it and they tend to be really responsive. If you want help and ask for it, they help you. The classes focus on real world skills and getting ready for that dream job you want after graduation. But the general education requirements provide you get some deep thinking in. But when studying in your major every class is pretty informative and you will learn a lot about whatever the course is on.

The academics are challenging but the teachers help a lot. They really seem to care about how you are doing in the class and take the time to help you if you need it. Students work together to get projects done or study for tests, it is really amazing. I needed someone to help me with an in class performance and someone I did not even know volunteered to help me.

Academics are a joke. When students have to teach parts of classes, or teachers are so lazy they have their own STUDENTS put together the final exam, it generally reflects poorly upon their abilities and their work ethic. Classes are also extremely easy. To quote one professor, "There are classes here where you could write your name in the dirt with a stick and get an A."

Emerson is a place where everybody knows your name. The education is like a lot of life-- it is what you make it. You don't want to come to Emerson if you're someone who wants to get away with as little as possible, because a lot of the professors will let you and then you're graduating with a degree that hasn't taught you anything. However, the professors are invested in anyone who shows interest. So you can turn in a half-assed assignment and get by in your classes, but you can also really dedicate yourself to your work and get a ton out of your classes.

The classes are small which gives the professors a good chance to learn who each of their student's are. The General Education courses are the hardest to get through because most of them have nothing to do with your major so you don't really want to be in the class. Most people try to get those out of the way as quickly as they can so that they can focus on their major. Because it is a communication school certain subjects (mainly math and science) are toned down a little bit, but most of the classes are really interesting. Probably the most difficult classes you will have to get through are the Freshmen writing courses and the public speaking class that everyone is required to take. Once you pass those you feel as though you can take on any class, and the truth is you can.

The most unique class I've ever taken at this school is slightly tough, because Emerson offers many uncommon classes. The most unique on is called Love & Eroticism and it is also my favorite class now. The professor is amazing and really knows how to draw in student interest.

All the classes have been really great, the teachers know who you are and really want to help you succeed. Even the teacher of my biggest class, which was a history of media arts lecture of about 50 kids, gladly met with me just to talk about some film stuff and knew who I was. All of my teachers have kept all the projects and papers really interesting, they definitely cater to the students' artistic sides. Even in academic setting there is often the opportunity to make a film or present a skit or whatever. The education is not necessarily geared towards getting a job, but the opportunities offered with clubs, etc. definitely prepare you for the industry, for film at least.

Emerson has very small class sizes, which personally I love. I like being able to email my professor and have them know who I am. I like being able to approach a professor after class and have them ask, "What can I help you with, Rachel?" I'm impressed by the staff here, even the ones who most people can't stand. I have yet to come across an incompetent professor. The courses are also really great. Whenever I go through the course catalog I can't help but "ooh" and "ahh" at all of the interesting classes the school has listed. I haven't gotten so far towards my education to where I'm looking for internships and career opportunities, but it seems to me like Emerson is focused on preparing you for life after your education, so that when you graduate you're not standing out on the street holding your little Liberal Arts diploma going, "Well, shit." As far as competitiveness goes, I don't think I've taken a class that has been challenging past my capabilities, or that has even pushed my capabilities. I don't know if I was just extremely well-prepared in high school, but Emerson hasn't been that stressful to me academic-wise.

Emerson takes pride in its emphasis on the liberal arts. The school is designed for specialized study in the arts, but Emerson makes it clear through their strict academic requirements that they want their students to be well-rounded. Unfortunately, the non-major related classes leave much to be desired. Instead of having normal college requirements such as Western History or Philosophy, Emerson has designated their "liberal arts" courses into different disciplines (U.S Diversity, Cultural Diversity, Interdisciplinary study). Most Emerson students spend their time hoping to fill these vague requirements. And instead of giving a diverse selection of classes, the courses all seem to center around lesser studies. For instance, one of the most popular classes at Emerson is History of Jazz, not because Emerson has a lot of avid students of Jazz history, but because that class fulfills two of the vague disciplines. I have yet to come across a liberal arts course at Emerson that seems worthwhile. Courses such as Fundamentals of Speech Communication (public speaking) and Research Writing seem designed to eat up credits and keep students from learning anything of interest (in the conventional college sense). As for the film courses (I'm a film major), its another situation where requirements keep students from taking anything advanced until the end of their junior year and senior year. Though there are important staple classes such as Film 1 (an introductory 16mm production class), they add up to no more than a semesters worth of work. The average film student at Emerson spends three years of his college experience using equipment that most people learn to use in high school. Part of the issue with the classes is that the school cannot support the inflated student body. With so many film-related majors, its no wonder that Emerson sets up the number of road blocks that they do. However, understanding the problem does not make it any less of a problem.

Classes here tend to be small enough that your professor should know your name, the exceptions to which would be the larger seminars (many of which are taken during freshman year). Academics take a back-seat to professional experience. As an a member of the Honors Program, this has not been as problematic for me as it might have been. It's likely that I'm in the minority at this school, because while I want to gain as much film experience as possible I would also like to pursue a more diverse liberal arts education. Emerson lacks a rich variety of classes outside of the Visual & Media Arts department, which is unfortunate. Do not come here and expect to sit in your room and study for hours on end; rather, you'll sit at a computer and edit film or write a thought-provoking paper.

Feel like because of Emerson's academic reputation I will be able to get a good job after I graduate.

I am really lucky to be at a school that has the least amount of general education requirements. However, I still wish it was a lower number and that the classes that I did have to take were directly related to my major. I had to take an ethics class that was all about literature and philosophy. I wish it had directed towards my major of television. Though a plus at Emerson is that I do not have to take a Math class because I got a waiver. Most people get waivers, so if you do not like Math this is the place for you.

You learn your skills in class and then your encouraged to take those skills and apply them to extracurricular activities. Everyone is involved in numerous things. Academics relate to extracurriculars like no other school.

Awesome. Emerson is a great place for students who want professors that know their names and want one-on-one time with them. Small class sizes and friendly teachers. Many great conversations and open opinions.

reletivly small class sizes. Teachers actually take an intrest in individual students. For General Education classes, the curriculum is not too demanding.

Gen-Ed classes are the easiest shit you will ever take in your life. Professors don't seem to give a shit--Emerson is not about gen-eds. Most of your major courses will be really interesting yet they will kick your ass. Emerson really prepares you well for the real world and your field. Professors are usually very helpful and friendly.

A lot of my classes aren't that much bigger than my high school classes. The biggest class I was in was a lecture class of 70 students, and every one of my professors has known my name. My favorite class is definitely Introduction to Media Production. For a film student there's nothing better than getting to do a lot of hands on projects on your own and in groups and have them critiqued... and not having to wait until you're a junior to do it. Students don't tend to study as much as they tend to devote their time to working on papers or projects. So much of what we do here is hands on. Class participation is not only common, but required in most classes as part of the grade. Some teachers also count online participation on class discussion boards if you're not the kind of person to speak up in class. Emerson students love to have intellectual conversations out of class. Don't get me wrong, it is definitely not all we talk about, but it's nice to be in a setting where you can talk about film or theatre or journalism with people who actually know what your talking about. Students are very competitive. Most students are pursuing careers that require them to be. My major is Visual and Media Arts with a concentration in Writing for Film and TV. I love that I get the most screenwriting classes possible, but am also learning every other aspect of filmmaking that I'm interested in too, and have plenty of elective for Junior and Senior year. Education at Emerson is geared toward getting a job while doing what you really want to do within your specific career area. No professor at Emerson will ever tell you to sacrifice your creativity to be more marketable, but no professor will tell you that your art if more important than earning a living either.

The classes are so small here and Emerson and I love that. The largest class I've had so far has been 70 students while my friends at larger state schools have up to 500 people in their classes. Most of my classes have between 20 and 30 students and some have even less. My teachers all know me and I feel like I can approach all of them. The students here are pretty competitive given the nature of the school, but I've never felt too much pressure because of it. If you're confident in your work and you do your best there's no reason to feel out-shined by other students. Education at Emerson is based almost solely towards getting a job. While I do wonder sometimes what happened to my academic classes, I love seeing the way all of my classes have to do with each other. It's so much more interesting learning when you know the relevance of every one of your classes.

Classes are easier than you would think. There is a lot of free time, but dont let that get to your head too much or else you will get behind.

Academics are one of the best things about this school. The best part about them, is that there are relatively few gen-eds, so you can take a ton of electives and courses within your major that you find interesting. Another great thing is that most courses in your major aren't heavily sequential, so you're not stuck taking a sequence of two boring classes in order to be able to take an upper-level course you find interesting. After sophomore year you have pretty much every requirement taken care of and it's free reign from there.

Most of the professors are good, especially about being available for office hours, which is important because you're unlikely to run into them outside of school because it's such a big city. The required classes tend to be quite boring and it feels as though most of what I've "learned" in them is common sense, but the more focused, major-related classes are much more interesting and fun to be in.

The classes are pretty small most of the time, it depends on the class though. All of my professors know my name and what I'm interested in studying which to me is a very good thing. The most unique class I've taken so far is puppetry (a lot of schools don't offer that course) which is open to seniors and graduate students. The education is geared toward learning for its own sake but the professors are great about helping you get jobs too.

the Academics at Emerson are perfect for what you want to study. Emerson is a concentrated school, if you know what you want to do, come to Emerson because the programs that Emerson haves for that are all very good.

All of my professors know my name and my nickname. They always want to know what I am working on outside of class and they encourage us to get involved. The students are competitive but not intimidating. We are prepared for the real world where we must compete to succeed. Emerson's educational system not only provides a strong learning environment but also prepares the students for jobs and internships.

There is a good average class size (20 ish) so the teachers know everyone and take the time to meet with them in conferences, etc. The range of classes is great and very eclectic. People here seem to want to help you learn and grow, not tear you down.

Classes are pretty easy at Emerson. I've never really been challenged, there is just a large amount of work given out at the end of the semester. You won't need to buy any books really, even though the professors will tell you they're required. Emerson is easier than high school.

proffessors are mostly nice and understanding. there are always willing to help and really know their stuff. class sizes are small which is nice. there aren't many requirements and you don't have to take math at all.classes are mainly hands on which is nice.

I would say that 98{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the professors here at Emerson are WAY over qualified for these teaching jobs. They all have had great experiences that give you a real world and relevent education. Most professors will know you by name and remember you throughout your 4 or so years and they will even go out of their way to ensure that you are getting everything that you want our of every class. Bottom line: you put in the effort, they will put in the effort. Students are VERY competitive, but simultaneously cooperative. Everyone wants to be as good as they can be and get all the operatunities that they can to get ahead of the game in whatever they do, but at the same time everyone is willing to pitch in to help out others in their projects or work. Students know its all about team work and even though you want to win and be the best, you will hate what you do and it wont come out well if you cant work well with a team.

Some professors are great, some suck. You run into that no matter where you go, because everyone is different and has different learning styles. However, I've yet to have a professor that does not come here as their first choice, so they all want to be here at the least. The classes are very unique, especially early on. However there just aren't enough spots for all the best classes. There shouldn't be a class that repeatedly gets full the first day of registration, because the pattern should be addressed and more classes should be offered/professors hired. And also, there are too many general education courses. We all know, a rounded education is important, but A: I'm paying for it and shouldn't have to spend thousands of dollars to learn about Latin Dance; and B: I also shouldn't have to sacrifice classes I really want to take or ones that would be extremely helpful for me so that I can learn about Latin Dance. Its not too bad of a problem as long as you know ahead of time and plan accordingly. Even then, there are few other complaints I have about academics or anything else here so the registration issue is minor.

I enjoy the small class sizes and the fact that all of the professors know my name and really care about each student individually. There is a great diversity of professors and they all have their strengths. The students are very competitive so you definitely have to be in the right frame of mind and ready to work. But the good thing is everyone motivates eachother study and do well.

Love the classes, not as easy as they seem and registration is tricky (lots of pre-reqs, etc) but they're sweet classes.

The general education classes can be pretty lousy, depending on the class and teacher. The science classes are middle school level - don't expect to learn too much from those especially. However, the courses related to film, literature, and in general the courses for the majors are fantastic. I'm a writing major, and all of my major related courses are small and workshop style, which is perfect. The only lecture courses I've had so far have been for the general education courses - I think the major courses are usually smaller. The professors know who I am, and are really nice. While anyone who goes to Emerson won't be too prepared for a "real" job, they will definitely be prepared to go into their desired field.