The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Top Questions

professors know people better in higher-level classes within your major, academic requirements are getting higher with each incoming freshman class

I think academics are all right. You go to school to learn if you aren't doing that it's your own fault.

The academics at UTK are challenging and very informative.

In my opinion, the academic challenges vary from class to class. Although classes such as English 101, 102, are required classes for incoming freshman, I do not feel as if they challenge me intellectually as a student. I feel that some students in other English 101, 102 classes can get a very different academic experience from the one I receive only because of what their graduate student teacher feels like teaching them. I do not like that. I often feel like class time is wasted, and that there is no intellectual stimulation. For example, I greatly enjoyed my English 101 class. The teacher, who was a graduate student, was very enthusiastic and sincere about helping us learn more through our English 101 class. We had stimulating and thought provoking class discussions, and I highly looked forward to that class because my mind was being stretched and worked, and I actually learned. However, second semester rolls around, and I am in English 102. My teacher is also a graduate student, but her style is completely different than my first semester teacher. She has a more laissez-faire attitude, almost seeming indifferent to her students actually learning much during each class. English 102, which I assumed would be "more challenging" than English 101 brings me back to my roots of sixth and seventh grade going over MLA format and basic english principals which I have been taught since I was fourteen years old. I would assume by now as a freshman in college we would be getting to more challenging and thought provoking assignments in english class. However, these are just two specific experiences that I have had with two classes at UTK. My classes in Math, Foreign Language, and Science have proved to be challenging, and although at times I might complain of that, when it ultimately comes down to it, I do want to be challenged as a student.

Most professors on campus will not get to know you or your name if you simply show up to lecture and don't engage in the course. If you don't feel comfortable speaking up in class, going to the professor's office hours will help them get to know you. This can also help if your border in a class. If the professor gets to know you, they're more apt to bump your grade up because you've shown that you care about their class. Students can be seen in the library at all times of the day or night. My roommate is in architecture and there are cots and showers in that building specifically for them since they pull all nighters regularly. One problem that I have with the curriculum is for transfer students because there are many classes that do not transfer at all from other schools. I also think that with as athletically involved as our school is that we should offer an undergraduate degree in athletic training.

Academics at UTK are good. Students have oppurtunities to get to know the professors even though classes can be big. For the most part the professors are great! Attendence is taken seriously by mist teachers, and students grades tend to show it. I have been lucky to get a few really good professors. Some are not very helpful but you get lucky sometimes. : )

Academics at UTK are satisfactory classes that need to be smaller such as english are and the big classes are the kind it dosent matter how many people are in it such as history of rock. Students do have intellectual conversations outside of class especially about politics. I fell that the curriculam is geared towards getting a job as it should be.

Most of my professors are good about knowing my name. I really enjoy psychology; after all, it is my major. My least favorite class is chemistry! At UT, we study all the time. The library is always packed. Class participation is a must. As a student, I definitely have intellectual conversations outside of class. UT's academic requirements are sometimes hard to deal with, but I think for the most part it helps us become more well-rounded.

Academics are great at Ut. I study several nights a week, but feel like i have a pretty good relationship with my teachers.

In my first year so far the professors usually know my name, but I also make an effort to talk to the prof and keep in contact with them. Class participation is not a big thing. In most of my classes no one will speak. I try to participate, but there is only so much one student can do. It has also been my experience to notice how dumb ut students are. I know a lot of people might be "book" smart and have great scholorships but a lot of people do not know what is going on in the world around them. Not a lot of people that I hang around have intellectual conversations outside of class. conversation usually consists of food, the weekend, someone's hometown, blah blah blah.

Pretty decent until you get into the science department. They hire researchers to get grants but who either suck at or are uninterested in teaching. Political Science and Russian department are exceptional and these departments are the most helpful with outside class help.

Academics at UT are good, but could be better. One main issue is that many students change their majors. While doing so they normally add an extra year onto their graduation time. Just because you change your mind doesn't mean that you should be penalized for it.

I think classes should be smaller so it would encourage students to go because when classes are bigger students dont feel the need to go, and more students would pay attention and grades would go up!

Professors generally know my name because I'm kind of a goof ball but for the most part the academics are challenging and I've learned a lot.

I'll admit that not all my professors know my name. All the ones from my smaller classes do, and certainly my Western Civ TA does as does my biology lab instructer. In larger classes with hundreds of students it can't be expected that the professor will memorize each and every individual in his/her class. However, if you want to be known you can be known. My Bio 101 class was one such class and my professor definitely knew my name because I would frequently come up to her after class to discuss various different things that we were learning. UT is one of those schools where you get back what you put in. If you do your work and participate in class then you will find that you have higher grades and better relationships with members of the faculty.

Professors arent close to students at UTK, only in smaller classes they may be a little bit closer.

I do not like the large lecture classes because I am used to classes of about 20 maximum at my high school. I have a math and enlgish class which feel close and I feel comfortable asking questions. Having lectures with more than 150 or 200 students i believe is not a good way to teach because usually it consists of writing notes and no real explanations to understand the information.

I am a biochemistry major, and the lectures are usually large so the professor does not know my name. However, if you need help the professors have office hours frequently through the week where you can go for one on one help.

The most unique class I've taken is RLS 425, Camp Koinonia. The class meets all semester long to prepare for a week at camp. This is more tahn just camp though, its a camp you children with disabilities. Each student is assigned a child to work with. It's a wonderful experience that will last a lifetime!

As mentioned before a stereotype of UTK students is that we do not take academics seriously. However, most students take education very seriously. As a sorority woman I have to maintain a certain GPA to be able to stay in my organization. Most students belong to organizations and have to maintain a good GPA.

I'm a shy student so i don't sit up front in class and therefore most of my professors probably don't know my name, but if I wasn't so shy I'm sure that they would

For being such a big school, UTK surprisingly has a real interest in their students. For the most part, professors are helpful and easy to meet with. If you are having an issue with their class they are happy to talk with you and help you through it. An up side to being such a big school is there is so much opportunity to get help if you are struggling. There are numbers you can call to get help with math homework, several groups that are free for study sessions, and people in classes often organize study groups within classes. The library, as lame as this sounds, is actually fun to be in and very social. Its actually kind of fun to study there!

Most professors are very knowledgeable and easy to approach.

The professors at UTK are amazing! They are all very knowledgeable about their particular areas of study and will do anything they can to help the students out.

The acdemics are very good. The teachers know how to enrich the lives of the students by teaching them everything they need to know. There is lots of tutors avaiable for every subject and they are willing to help! You also have the writing center, which is very useful in writing papers.

I think one misunderstanding of UTK is that we're not as greatly focused on education as some private schools may be. I went to Lehigh University, a private school in Bethlehem, which is placed among Yale and Cornell, etc. last year and transferred back home to Tennessee, here. Surprisingly, I found UTK to be just as difficult, if not more so, than Lehigh. A lot of students here are smarter than we get credit for and the education at UTK is the number one thing people are focused here, no matter what others hear.

Most of my undergraduate classes were huge, ranging from 300-600 students. Professors were typically willing to help you out if you can to office hours and made yourself an active part of lecture. There are tons of groups students can join to stimulate their minds and advance their aducation outside of just the classroom. Academics are very competitive at UT, especially when it comes time to seek acceptance into the college of your major. UT encourages internships and actively seeking experience to better prepare you for life after college.

I know all my teachers names, and my favorite class is child psychology. It is so interesting and easy to get involved and stay interested in. Students are very compeitive and everyone wants the best grades possible.

I love the college of social work, and I have come to find, in the huge GenEd classes, if you take the time to know your teacher, they will take the time to help you. The college of social work is one of the top 20 in the country, and my professors take pride in what they teach us.

Academics at UT, for myself, are quite easy. My teachers are fairly nice which makes it easier for me to approach them if I have a problem.

Most of my classes are huge, over two hundred people. Because of this, professors are unable to develop relationships with students. I see this as a challenge to get recommendations for grad school and med school.

I think the academics are decent on campus. The academics are challenging but not impossible.

i have to study a lot

Most of my classes are decently small and my professors know everyone in my class by name. For those classes where there are too many students to do this, TA's are very helpful.

The thing that bothers me about UT academics is that it seems like we care about sports more than academics. A prime example of this is how we are spending 30 million on Neyland and nothing on Ayers or Estabrook which are in horrible shape/condition.

UTK is becoming more and more focused on the academics than it ever has been before.

Professors know my name, sometimes. I like classes that require work but not too much. I find that students do study alot during the week, but alot of the studying is last minute cramming. I never spend time with professors outside of class, I think that the gen. ed. academic requirements at UT are a little too strict.

I think the education at UTK is geared more towards jobs.

They are more difficult than most think

Academics at UTK are very hit or miss. It's a lottery game trying to get into classes and russian roulette trying to find a professor that won't completely screw you over. For the most part, students bust their ass but if they don't get a good professor, it's all in vain. My department is great with a few exceptions. This school has an issue with treating its students like adults in the classroom. I don't understand why I'm paying this much money for an education, and they have the nerve to tell me if I miss more than 2 classes I'm going to fail the course and that there's no such thing as an excused absence

I know my professors names. I frequently go to office hours to get extra help and ask questions. I often get together with friends in my classes to study for exams or work on projects. My friends do compete with each other, especially if they are in the same class, but it is in a friendly natured way. There are many unique classes to take about countless topics.

Very challenging courses in the science department, that is all i know really because those are the classes that I take.

It is difficult with such a large student body to have that one-on-one contact that you had in high school with professors. However, it is very easy to talk to your professors outside of class, and they generally remember you right after your meeting. Students at UT are very competitive. There are so many organizations on campus that have to raise their GPA standards now because so many people apply, and they still have difficult times trying to sift through those applicants.

Some professors know my name and some don't. In lectures, it's a lot harder to have them know and remember you than in smaller classes. My favourite class so far was Psych 220 with Dr. Polio. It was a big lecture class, but I loved going. It wasn't necessary to go, but I went anyway just because it was interesting. He made going to class worthwhile. I think my least favourite class was Intro to Poetry. I love poetry, but the class was just boring. The teacher was monotonous and just dreadfully boring. Not a class I would recommend unless they come up with better professors. Studying is fairly common. The library is always pretty full. Class participation typically winds up being dependent upon the teacher. If the teacher encourages participation, then there is usually more participation. Intellectual conversations occur a lot. Nothing too overbearing, but definitely requiring strong mental capacities. I've never been competitive about grades, but I'm sure there are some people who are. I guess it just happens. Again, I have to use Polio's Psych 220 class. His class was most unique because it was so intriguing. Most lectures, you just sit, copy notes, listen to the lecture, and occasionally ask questions. With Polio, he pulled you into interacting with him and kept you interested. I really enjoy Psychology. It's been an interest since middle school and hasn't diminished. The teachers are usually pretty helpful, and there is such a broad range of fields within Psychology that one could find it extremely useful in most everything. I personally haven't spent time with teachers outside of class, but I know people that are friends with their professors. It seems really cool, and a better way for the teacher to get to know the students. Some of the academic requirements I understand why we have to take them. They fit into line with our major and help broaden our education. And yet, other core classes that are required I think are just bogus. There is no point to some of them. I don't see how they will fit into what I want to do with my life. Sure, if you were undecided, then I could understand taking a lot of different courses, but I've known what I've wanted to major in since day one. I just feel that the time that some of these core requirements take up could be better spent in different classes that could better prepare me for my future.

Depending on the size of class determines if my professor knows my name or not. THe majority of my classes are small so I have gotten to know my teachers very well. Class participation is very common and appreciated. In my major, graphic design, students are VERY competitive because the program is so demanding. I think the academic requirements are a little disorganized but okay for the most part.

Favorite class by far was History of Rock and Roll with Wendell Werner. I learned more in that class than any other I've taken. He had a way of teaching in which I never got bored and learned tons without feeling I was being lectured. Least favorite-any science! They're impossible. I feel that students are pretty good about studying, but the library is also usually a social hot spot so that sends a lot of students there. I do not spend time with professors outside of class. I feel the requirements are geared to learning about the major, not learning through the major to get a job. I feel that students are competitive with their only social groups and affiliations.

The professors in my college know my name. My favortie class is speech disorders and my least is acoustics. I study non-stop 5 out of the seven days of the week.Yes class participation is normal.Yes many intellectual conversations are held outside of class.Yes students are competitive. the most unique class i've ever taken is history of rock. My major is speech pathology and i lvoe it. I do not spend much time with my professors outside of class. Utk's academic requirements are hard. UTk is geared towards getting a job.

Academics at UT are fairly typical of any college campus. Some of the classes are very large, and that makes it difficult for professors to relate to students.

Some of my professors know my name, some don't (and I like to keep it that way). Favorite class is probably some PE class or Child and Fam Studies with Dr Kohne (sp?) Well some study a lot some don't, it depends on their major. In bigger classes students don't participate as much as smaller ones. It depends, if I am having a "class" conversation its usually right as I'm walking out the door of the class. I don't see competition in my major. History of Rock with WENDEL. I'm a communication studies major, I take a lot of speech classes. No time with the professors because you usually don't need to. I think that UT is good about academic requirements, if not they should lower them so more people could get in. The education here has not taught me how to get a job, in fact I graduate soon and I have NO clue where I'm going to be.

Most professors only know your name if you make an effort to get to know them. I think students are very competitive here especially when you get into the classes that are in your major. In order to keep up and be competitive with everyone else you have to be able to put in the hours to see the results. In the business major there are a ton of group projects so it is important to know how to work with others. I think the academic requirements are normal, the standards aren't really too high I don't believe.