Michigan State University Top Questions

My least favorite class was my first level ISS class. THE WORST EVER. The professor (who smelled badly and wore the same clothes every day) wrote three of the four required books for this class. Something about american political history. This 8am class made me want to jump off a cliff. Most of the intro classes I took as a freshman were HUGE, with up to 600 people jammed into a lecture hall. As I moved on in years at MSU, and my area of study became more specific, classes were smaller, professors knew my name, and it was generally way more enjoyable. Getting through those annoying university requirement classes was torturous. About my major...secondary education. Hmm...while MSU is nationally recognized as the best in education, the "big wigs" in the college of ed are so disconnected from the real world of teaching that some of the nonsense they teach borders hilarious. Some of the instructors, who were supposed to teach me how to teach, were terrible teachers themselves. The great thing about MSU's college of ed though, is the internship. It's a year long, and a pain in the butt to work for that long without getting paid, but it really is a tremendous learning experience. I wouldn't trade it for the world!

people underestimate the academics here. Granted I have known many people who have graduated and all gotten jobs right away, in fact all of them have. But in terms of Michigan it is often seen as the MSU crowd is more social and the U of M crowd has the brains. So not true, plus where does anyone go with no social skills and brains, we have the perfect combination of both, way smarter than western Michigan and central and the impeccable social skills of a big 10 school. Some professors suck, and we actually have alot that just suck at speaking English but they can be avoided if you are frustrated by the whole not understanding what your professor is saying thing. I have avoided it and now I live off of professor reviews and have been more than happy. No I don't spend time with professors out of class. That is weird, and should not be done at any school.

The classes are really big, at least most of them, and it is hard to get to know professors and even students in your class. There have been a few classes that i have taken, in my major, where the professor knows my name and i feel like i could use them for a recommendation for something, but i have not noticed that it is a very common situation. The students either seem to not care or care too much, and depending on who you are surrounded by it is easy to be influenced by that. My experience at MSU has made me feel like i am there to learn, not just preparing me to get a job.

Most professors are pretty cool. The school is very liberal so most classes will have a liberal perspective, but I've enjoyed that perspective and learned a lot. MSU takes education seriously, and the courses definitely challenge the students.

As with anything, you get what you put into it. MSU is not an easy school. It takes hard work and motivation. But when you leave MSU businesses are going to want you.

Being pre-med it was highly competitive. I was also in the Lyman Briggs school which is a science college within MSU, which offered smaller class sizes and a more intense curriculum. I spent a lot of time studying. I loved my Lyman Briggs biology classes, I met a lot of my friends through these courses because we were always in the lab studying. Professors are available after class, by email, by appointment and by office hours, don't be afraid to approach them. Also use your academic counselors,

Professors - They only know your name if it's a small class and you really make an effort. Favorite class - Honors International Relations - cool professor, interesting material. Least favorite class - Intro. to Archaeology. Boring professor, otherwise interesting material. Students study - if they feel like it. Usually late at night. Intellectual conversations outside of class - sometimes. If you live on an Honors floor. Competitive students - I haven't experienced it yet. My classmates help each other out. Most unique class - Honors Microbiology lab. Microbial sterile techniques, DNA sequencing. Major/department - Chemistry is my official major, but I'm Pre-Med first and foremost. Spend time with professors - Once my work supervisor invited all her lab assistants over. Academic requirements - Honors classes are satisfying, but regular classes are too easy. MSU education - geared towards grad school, not a job or just for learning's sake.

The problem with going to a school with over 40,000 students is the professors are not going to know who you are unless you are in a small class. It sucks sometimes but I kind of liked going to a huge lecture hall that has 600+ students in it. It's definitely an experience. I really liked my IAH class which is an arts and humanities class. Its a university requirement, so I was expecting it to totally suck because most of them do. But this was a really cool class with interesting topics. Students are always in the library or going other places to study. I don't feel most students are competitive when it comes to academics. I just don't get that feeling that I get at other schools about academics. The academics at MSU are pretty good. It's a great school to go to and get an education from!

Academics at Michigan state vary from class to class. It is competitive and i feel that with all of my classes i have learned something. Some people are worried about class size. Lecture style classes are wonderful. you meet a lot of people, if your scared or shy about participating in class then you dont have an obligation. You have a professor teaching and atleast 3 T/A's that can help you when ever you need it. Michigan state also has a free tutoring program on campus so you get your moneys worth. Out of all of my classes thus far i have had more small style classes than lectures so its proof that there are small student classes.

Professors at MSU don't necessarily know your name. However, if you make the effort, I'm sure most of them would be willing to get to know you/help you. Students study pretty often. I'd say on average the MSU student studies/does reading at least 10 hours a week. We're not too competitive, I don't think. My major is Urban and Regional Planning. There were only 23 of us to graduate from this program in May, so we're very close. Everyone is very helpful. The Urban Planning program is definitely hands-on and very practical when it comes to doing well in the "real world" after college. Our final class is called practicum, and we do a full on project for a municipality in the area. For example, my group did a 100 page report for the City of Lansing.

Academics at MSU are okay from my perspective. They're slowly getting worse as more and more uncooperative research professors are being hired, but for the moment they're not too bad. I personally am amicable towards most professors, even ones that make the class a smidge harder so that students will gain a better understanding of the topic, as long as they're passionate about teaching. A good 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my profs have been this way, so I really have no complaints about them. I'm not unreasonably bright in any way, but with hard work I've been able to 4.0 every class I've had so far. Getting good grades isn't a matter of how crazy smart you are in most cases, but how hard you're willing to work to comprehend the subject. There is the occasional prof who does require insane latent talent above the level of the class (hot shot research profs), but if you avoid them, you should be fine. If you want to go to grad school, there is an increasing number of these asshole research profs being hired. It's relatively simple to kiss enough ass with them to get a lab position for your CV(college style resume), and if you're really good at brown nosing, the young ones might even hang out with you. Don't expect this to be pleasant, it's almost more trouble than it's worth. The only really competitive students are the dickwad pre-meds who accumulate in the life sciences, and everybody will usually be helpful outside of the core pre-med classes. The best departments to get a degree in here are: veterinary sciences, agricultural sciences, fisheries and wildlife, packaging (best in the nation), and I think astrophysics has been getting some awards. Okay departments include: psychology, business, law, and the other hard sciences. For most social sciences and creative stuff you're really better off going to a specialty school. If you can get into a more prestigious college for the okay departments, it's worth it to go there if you're really passionate about the subject. I think the best time to take classes is in the summer, where a majority of the teachers are grad students. Most of the grad students who teach are passionate about the subject, willing to go farther out of their way to help and explain things, and better at relating the subject matter at the undergraduate level of understanding. Expect to learn boatloads more (and have a slightly higher load of learning) from any class taught by a grad student. If you're smart and visit review sites for the profs, you will almost never get stuck with a bad one. For university requirements, they do offer quite a large variety of your bullshit social science and arts and letters requirements, and quite a few are interesting and enjoyable at the 200 level. If you're coming here as some rabid pre-med pre-grad student with a narrow field of interest, you probably won't like it. If you come to MSU wanting to become a smarter person who can engage people in intelligent conversation on all topics, and develop a inquisitive bright mind in your area of interest, the academic program here is right for you.

Depending on class size and how well you try to get to know your prof, he/she usually knows your name. Favorite class would probably be Journalism 300 because it challenged me as a Journalist and for that Im better. My least favorite class hands down is Economics 202 or Macroeconomics it is basically the devils class unless your into business then youll probably really enjoy it. I study on average about a couple hours a day but if i have a big project or paper due usually way more.

I really like the large classes that MSU offers. The average lecture class size is probably around 300 people. I have had classes as small as 30 people to as large as 600+. Although these large class sizes may sound daunting, once you get used to it they are nothing to worry about. Although professors may not always know you by name they are always more than happy to talk to you and help you out with whatever you need help on. A lot of classes also have multiple TA's that can also be very helpful with everything from making up an exam to helping to explain a concept to you. Students study a lot actually and although there is the misconception that all MSU students do is party, even the big partiers usually study a lot. My advice would be to make sure and get all of your homework done at least the day before class because once you get behind it is very hard to get caught up especially because hanging out with friends or going to a movie at Wells hall sounds much more appealing than studying for your IAH. My favorite class I have taken so far was Ancient Roman History and on the last day of class before our final we went across the street to the Peanut Barrel for burgers with my professor. I've learned that although in high school you are taught that there is a distinct line between teacher and student, in college however you are able to get to know a lot of your professors as people rather than just a teacher. The education at MSU is geared towards whatever you want it to be. Academic advisers are always available to help you realistically plan your future however always encourage you to take classes you want to take, not just the requirements.

Classes are as easy as you make them..if you go to class and pay attention rather than doing the crossword, take good notes, and look over them on a regular basis, there is no reason you should have a hard time getting good grades. I guess that I only know that about the classes I've taken. I'm sure other majors are harder than others. I think that is a true statement though about most classes. Professors want you to do well, and if you put forth the effort, they give you the opportunity to get good grades.

Some classes are gigantic, some are tiny, the good news is they're all rich with information. Some are challenging while there are a lot of easy classes to help boost your grade.

Classes are huge, but professors generally do a great job in attending to you if you make the effort to communicate. As far as academics go though, the curriculum is hard, but with some work it's easy to keep afloat.

Getting past the classes that all students have to take can be gruesome but once you are in you major classes, it is fun, interactive and the professors learn your name and can personally help you more.

Classes at MSU vary widely. Last semester I had one class with 10 students and another with 300. So while some classes are large, others are very personal. I like the mix though. In the smaller classes, everyone participates and the prof knows everyone's name. This could be a good or bad thing depending on who you are though. In the large classes, there is still opportunity to ask questions and the profs always make the effort to help you understand. Professors always have office hours too, so you can meet with them individually. I don't think that students here are very competitive at all. I see more people helping each other and working together rather than against each other. I always study with friends from my classes, it makes learning more fun. Also, the Honors College here is awesome. At most schools, the Honors program is a lot of work and really only gets you a special cord at graduation. Here, the Honors College works for you. The only requirements are to maintain your gpa and to document what classes you're taking, which are things you would probably do anyway. But the benefits are almost endless. We get first registration, so I got every single class I wanted for next year. We also don't have to take the university requirements, or prerequisites. This gives you the freedom to take Biology instead of ISB (the university science gen ed requirement) or really anything you want. If you want to do it, it can usually happen. The Honors College also gave me a Professorial Assistantship, a job in which I work directly with a prof on his research. I don't wash dishes, but am learning real things. I work in a pharmacology lab and I've done thing like culture stem cells and run western blots, things I would have never been able to do otherwise.

Most of the professors hear are very good and caring. This is no easy school but if you just go to class and put effort in success is easily attainable. MSU has a ton of programs to help you out from tutoring for class to finding a great job.

I love being a medical technology major; the classes are smaller and the faculty really get to know all of the students and are very helpfull. Introduction math and science classes are huge... in lecture rooms holding over 300 students some people fell behind by not attending class, but I didn't mind sitting in the back and not having to worry about being called on to answer a question in class. Classes can be tough, the first two years I managed 16 credits, but as the classes get harder, I can only manage about 12-14 credits per semester. I have had no problem with the academic requirements, and MSU is geard both towards getting a great career and lifelong learning.

Academics vary greatly by major. For example, business majors seem to be less serious, but the sciences and humanities, where I was, were very serious. All of my professors knew my name, though most of my classes were really small, especially after my freshman year. Within the honors college and in the residential colleges, students do have intellectual conversations outside of class. For example, while I was walking through the hall one evening, someone I didn't know stopped me and asked if I knew Quantum Chemistry. As I did, I stopped and explained the problem she was working on to her. It really varies, though, depending on who you hang out with. There are also students who rarely go to class. In most of my classes, participation was common, and professors were always available to talk before or after class or at office hours. Study groups are common, and we'd hold them in the physics building, so some of our professors would stop by to chat. In addition, there were many seminars and other talks that both students and professors attended where we socialized. I enjoy the academic flexibility the honors college gave me, but I would not have attended as a regular student, as I do not like some of the required classes, though most of them are pretty good. They vary a lot by instructor. Education at MSU is what each student makes of it. Some majors are career focused, while others are academically focused. There's pretty much everything here.

My favorite class was horsemanship, can you take that at any other college in Michigan?? If you don't make an effort to know your professor, they won't know you. Your education at MSU will be what you make of it.

No, typically the classes re much bigger and the profs. only know who you are if you go to their office hours every week. The opportunities for you to know the profs. and get one-on-one help is there if you take advantage of it, but most people dont. But it is there, they are willing to help you most of the time.

The basic classes that are required are dumber than high school classes at a sophmore level. However, the major specific classes could be a challenge. I am not a study kind of a person, I will do things occassionally, but it just depends on what is more important to you. I choose to work over studying. I would rather have the money.

Lots of the classes, especially entry-level, are gigantic lectures in which you'll speak to your professor. Many of the large lectures, however, are divided up into "recitations" where once or twice a week you'll meet with a smaller sub-section of your class (usually 20 students or so) and be taught by a TA or a GA, which is nice. There's always people studying at the library or the union, even into the wee hours of the morning, so whenever you want to study you can. If you have the opportunity to join the Honors College, you ABSOLUTELY SHOULD. That's one thing I regret not doing. Honors students get treated much better than regular students. They get special perks like being able to register for classes weeks before everyone else (no stressing about not getting into the classes you need), and not having to take stupid university requirement classes like ISS and IAH (which will both be a waste of your time and money).

It does help to get to know your professor, they will come in handy later. My biggest advice would be: DO NOT LET ADVISOR'S MAKE YOUR SCHEDULE! They will try to when you first arrive, but you can always change it. Go to www.allmsu.com to get advice on professors and classes. The advisor's will schedule with the worst professors and the worst class times. It is also a good idea to figure out all the classes you need to take for your major and create your own four-year plan. That is good to go over with your adviser, just don't let them make your schedule.

Professors will know your name if it's a class of about 30 or less. If you want to get to know the professor (AND have a better chance of doing well in the class), you MUST go up to them and at least introduce yourself. Teachers are there to help us learn, so you should ask them for help if you need it, and don't wait until the day of the final to ask for it. My favorite class was Theatre 101 because I LOVE acting, and I'm a theatre minor. I also liked my ISS 210 class with Zimmerman; she was very fun. I HATED ISS 325; it was interesting, but SO hard. Studying varies from student to student; I have friends who have NO social life because all they do is study. Me on the other hand? I hardly EVER study and I have a 3.4 overall so far. Class participation is welcomed, but it depends on the teacher whether or not you get graded hard for it or not. SOME students are competitive with each other. I would say in general that we like to help each other though...not like some OTHER schools where they tell their classmates "Oh you were sick, screw you. You should've gone to class" (U of M...hint hint, ha ha). MSU's academic requirements are not that bad. I'm an advertising major, so I don't have a hefty load of requirements, but I've heard that James Madison and Lyman Briggs (honors colleges) are obviously heavier workloads. I think MSU's education is geared to help you get a job after graduation. There are ALWAYS professors in your major that HAVE worked in the real world regarding the topic you're studying. For instance, my ADV 205 teacher worked for ad firms for much of her younger life. She just decided she wanted to teach it instead. There are always internship, scholarship, and apprenticeship opportunities through MSU after you graduate.

Since you can remember you've taken classes and learned subjects and you've asked yourself, when am I going to use this in real life? Well you're not going to get away from that no matter where you go to get your bachelors degree but at MSU I've had so many classes that I put so much heart into because I know that I'm learning things I need to know to succeed and I don't want to miss out because I will be expected to know these things because I come from the great school of MSU. MSU will prepare you for your first day of work and you will use what you've learned for the rest of your life time!

Classes are all over the chart. The honors sections of courses tended to be the best. Many were not actually at a higher level than the regular sections, but they were smaller and the students were much smarter. Group projects and study groups in honors sections were actually worthwhile.

For the first few years of college many of the classes are larger which could be frightening at first. But soon enough you get used to it. As students begin to specialize the class sizes become smaller and students get to know their professors on a first name bases.

You have to study a lot, the classes are not a breeze. It's possible to be completely lost after missing just an one hour class.

Out of the 28 credits I took this year, only a few were large lecture halls. The small classroom environment makes its possible to get to know your professors and to meet other students. The lecture courses had recitations in which 20 or so of the students meet with a T.A. The academic requirements are demanding, but anything is possible if the correct amount of time and effort is put in.

The basic level courses are the classes that have 300 people in it. Once you start getting into your sophomore and junior year, these numbers die down durastically to the 30s. Dont be daunted by the mass lecture halls, you can still get to know your professors through their office hours. If you dont understand something, go to their office hours and ask for help. They are definitely a life saver. As for studying and reading, you have to take time to do it in order to get a good GPA. My favorite class so far was CJ 110 with Chermak. He was a great professor, he knew a lot about the subject. Least favorite class - ISS 215 or CSE 100, or any other basic University required class. Just seemed pointless and a waste of time. MSU is definitely geared towards getting a job. With my major - Parks, Rec, and Tourism, you have to go out and get 2 internships before you can graduate. That really helps you once you are turned loose from the school and have to find a job.

One thing that surprised me about Michigan State is that there are also a number of smaller classes available. Many people assume that since it's such a huge university that there are only huge lectures for classes, but that's not the case. I've had classes with 20 people and with as many as 600. I believe this gives you the full college experience, since MSU offers a wide variety of class sizes. There is also a variety of types of classes available to be taken. I'm a business major and have taken classes in anthropology, nutrition, and history. There are countless subjects that you can take up for your electives. I'm really happy with how knowledgable all my professors are about the subjects they are teaching, as well. I feel like all of my instructors were experts in their field and that I learned a great deal from them. Also, professors make themselves available outside of class either through office hours or through e-mail if you have a quick question. I think MSU is geared toward getting a job as well as learning or its own sake. As a business major, I'm required to take classes in physical, biological, and social sciences, as well as writing and arts and humanities. When I leave MSU, I will be confident that I have a wide range of knowledge and can carry on a conversation about any subject.

Easy. Way easier than you expect.

The Eli Broad College of Business is ranked nationally. There are many larger lecture halls, but later in your career you will get smaller classes, especially in your exact major.

Since the student body is so big, the academic experience is different for everyone. It really depends on what you major in. For the most part, your first, most general classes will be very large lecture halls and the teacher won't know your name. Then as you get to more specific classes, the classes get smaller and you know your teachers and classmates. The difficulty of classes really depends on the classes you take and your major, too. As a psychology student, I feel I got off pretty easy. I probably played harder than I worked and got pretty close to graduating with honors. I didn't get too close to any professors, mostly because of the size of the classes. My smaller classes weren't interesting enough to me to try to get to know them very well. Some people do, though. Everything at this school is pretty much what you make of it. It all depends. You have the opportunity for almost anything. You can cater your life at MSU to yourself.

most of the Professors I've encountered at MSU have been excellent, the good ones don't mind talking to you after class and giving a little extra help when it's needed. One of the professors knew exactly who I was and pick me out of a class of over 200 students after just one quick chat about homework. There'll aslo really understanding when real life happens too, as llong as you can in some way communicate with them, they'll help you out. I was able to leave a few days early for my aun'ts wedding and even got to turn in a few assignments late because my best friend had a baby. But don't do it to often because, they can smell through the bs. The bad part about academics at MSU, because the professors are so cool, it only compensates for the difficulty of the class. Some classes are a cake walk depending on the studnet, but I've been in classes where the curve was only thing keeping the very brightest students afloat. Don't sleep on it, because it'll come back to bite you.

MSU's classes range very widely. One can take almost any class on campus and then many others in the study abroad program. Many teachers do not know my name, but there are a few that I have become personal with, that know my face and name. Classes are difficult, but very rewarding and fulfulling. I have not enjoyed many classes, but they have taught me to persivere against the odds and do my best.

Classes here can be intimidating because some of them are pretty big. But, if you make the effort to get to know your professor, chances are they'll get to know you too. Go to office hours - the professors WANT to see you and they want to help you to the best of their ability. In general, the students here aren't competitive, they're cooperative. It's not uncommon for people to form study groups to help each other out, rather than worrying about other people scoring higher than they will.

I have found a major that fits me perfectly. I have a mix of big and small classes (18-300) and the education is priceless.

Unfortunately, because state is so large that is it near to impossible to really know your professors in the basic college courses. Thankfully, as you focus more on your major you do get to know your professors a bit more personally.

Favorite class is sailing! I think its Kin 107e. Take it! You sleep on a boat and drink with captain joe! NEVER TAKE FCE 444! Unless you are really into writing 32 page research papers. Get involved in an organization that has to do with your major. Im in PR so I joined PRSSA. You can do advertising etc. It will help with networking. If you don't know what you want to do, look into packaging. Its a low key major with great benefits after college!

MSU has the top education program in the country. They also offer almost every major imaginable. If they don't have the program you need here they will help you to study abroad to a place that will give you a diverse experience and make you more well rounded. Classes are relatively small but thought provoking. I have only had a few bad professors. I have also had a few professors that have changed my life. Academics are competitive but not cutthroat. At this university you will learn about many different perspectives but are allowed to have your own without being ridiculed. You will be ready for the real world when you leave this university. The amount of support before, during, and after you time here at MSU is incredible. This university is here for you 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the way.

I was in the Professional Writing program at Michigan State and my program was relatively small (approx. 60 students). Our classes were capped at 15 but often only had 8 students. I had the opportunity to work with several non-profit organizations in my classes and help them revamp their marketing materials. In my experience, professors adhere to their office hours and are always willing to meet with you during those times if you have questions or just want to chat. I built relationships with my department head and several of my professors that wrote letters of recommendation for me and also helped me find jobs/internships.

In the first couple of years at MSU, lecture halls are huge with sometimes almost 500 people in a class. They do this because these generic courses are required by most areas of studies, and it is most efficient to teach everyone the information at once, and test students using a "scantron" multiple answer type quiz. In the last couple years of college, the classes become much smaller into groups of 25 or less. Participation becomes mandatory, and you can only miss 3 days without it affecting your grade. This is the hardest part of the class, because after the first few years of MSU, it starts to become old, and going to class day in and day out sometimes wears down on you.

I would say I spend a solid 20 hours in the library a week, then again I am a exercise physiology major soooo i guess i was asking for it? Whats great at MSU is that if you put time and effort into your classes you can do well.

The best class I ever took was an interpersonal communications course team-taught by a husband and wife. I'm not a communications major, but this class was relevant to life in general. Absolutely every career ad every relationship required communication skills in order to be successful. Beyond the relevancy of this course, the pair of professors were very real with the students and they were absolutely hilarious! I actually got excited to go to class!

Some professors know students' names, but only in small classes for the most part. It is important for students to get to know their professors as well as they can because they can serve as really good options for recommendations after graduating. Students are studying around campus all the time- if you look in any building during a passing time, there are students scattered all over the place studying. I am an english major and I really enjoy the classes, although I hate the stigma that comes with the major. I have no interest in being a teacher but because I'm a girl and I'm in the english program, a lot of people make assumptions about what my goals are for myself.

I know all of my professors names. My current favorite class is MGT325 with Dr. Roth, a course on organizational behavior. My current least favorite class is ISP203A with Dr. Sibley, a course on geology. It should be pretty easy, but the professor goes out of his way to trick students. As a result most students grow frustrated, become discourgaed, stop attending lecture three days a week. I'm not sure I've learned much from him. I study 4 days a week for two hours, usually. This might increase if it's midterm or near the end of the term. My friends and I often hold intellectual conversations otuside of class. It usually starts with celebrity gossip, a news story, a book, movie or somethign of the sort. And I find that everyone weighs in differently, depending on what they are studying. I haven't encountered too many competative students in my college (economics). The most unique class I've taken was ear and sight training for music. It's interesting to be tested on how well you can hear and identify chords and intervals, and rhythm schemes, because I never really identified that as something test worthy. It was difficult for lots of people! I don't spend time with my professors outside of class. I generally correspond thorugh email. I think my academic program is challenging and I feel as though it was prepared me for econometrics, but hasn't really addressed other parts of economics although I am persuing a bachelors of art. My major is well balanced between education for it's own sake and towards getting a job, but I think that's only because I have a business cognate. That really depends on the major.