What can I say about UTSA...
Advisers - If you choose the right classes for your major, you'll discover worthwhile challenges ahead of you. Perhaps the worst thing about being an English major at UTSA is the availability of advisers during your junior and senior years. After you complete your freshman and sophomore year, advisers just disappear; you'll need to schedule an appointment several months in advance (and I mean several months!) to discuss anything about your degree. In addition to feeling disconnected from your adviser, you will find that advisers respond to e-mail inquiries only after you've graduated. One sad example is when my friend's adviser advised him incorrectly about the number of courses he needed to take. Turns out that he had one more to take at the graduation ceremony! They "forced" him to take the remaining course during the fall semester without a tuition waiver. What a waste. In conclusion: English advisers at UTSA are absolute duds.
Professors - The good thing is that most English courses are taught by real professors and not TAs. The downside to these professors is their condescending attitude toward students. The majority are not only arrogant but also cordially dismissive of any attempts to elicit student participation. Yeah, yeah, we students are well aware that most of our professors couldn't find a job elsewhere (apparently, their colleagues beat them to the more illustrious positions at UM and UPenn). That's what you get for receiving the short-end of the stick. I think this is a common situation for most of us: Nowhere to go and no choice but UTSA. In my case, I went to UTSA for financial and family reasons.
Note: Not all professors are condescending or ridicule their students for wanting to participate in class discussions. Upper division courses allow leeway.
The only way you'll appreciate your English degree at UTSA is if you study with amazing teachers, but you'll need to sort through the inflated egos in the English department. Teachers play a critical role in your overall satisfaction as a UTSA undergrad. Personally, I am quite satisfied with my selection of instructors. They were courteous and informative. See, the university provides us with the tools for success, but we need to research the instructors before we enroll in their course. Trust me, there ARE pearls at UTSA as well as some extremely qualified instructors. Extremely, extremely qualified individuals that come from Ivy League institutions (outside of the English department).
I think it's only fair that I give UTSA a positive assessment of its professors because they're not too bad once you realize your reasons for wanting a liberal and fine arts education.
Campus - It's not impressive. Sure, some of the buildings are professional looking, but they hide the music and fine arts buildings for a reason. Bland interiors and cumbersome advertisements illuminate the campus grounds; however, the Liberal and Fine Arts Building is - surprisingly - decent. The classrooms are spacious with professors' offices just two floors up, making it easy to meet after class.
I think I've said enough. I rate the UTSA English Department at a firm but reasonable 7.5/10.