University of Southern California Top Questions

The professors are good and caring. You can tell the good one's because the know people's names, even if you haven't had their class for a while. USC's academics seem more geared towards teaching you how to learn on your own, which is good for jobs, research, and just plain knowledge seeking. Unfortunately, class participation is poor and I feel intellectual conversations are rare.

Class sizes at USC vary quite a bit, especially with GE classes, but every class is taught by a professor and class sizes tend to average 20 or below. Some classes have great side benefits. For instance, my video game class (ITP 280) gave us a preview of Smash Bros. Brawl a month before it came out, and had Jeffrey Kaplan (WoW lead designer) speak for a class. The great thing about USC is that they have a class for every passion. I love media and I love sports... voila, COMM 383 is there. I love being spontaneous... THTR 122 anyone? The great thing about Annenberg School and specifically the journalism program is that the professors/teachers are working professionals in the field. I've had a CBS reporter and an LA Times reporter teach me at various points. These teachers offer great insights into the field and how to be successful in it. Also, the classrooms in Annenberg are by far the most comfortable/spacious/wired of any at USC that I've been in.

I am very happy with the academics at USC. Professors tend to remember your name and face, but there are some that are more dynamic than others. I love my major courses, but I wish the Core requirements have comparably less busy work. I am here to learn, not read 50 pages in a book we will only talk about for 10 mins. Speaking of cores, too many graduate students lead the discussions in these courses, many of which do not know how to effectively teach as of yet. The grad students need more training. Students are very competitive by nature, which is good, but too much emphasis is placed on individualism instead of teamwork. In my major, students tend to be overally competitive and I believe this is encourage by the school, making a hard program even harder if you do not understand the material. The best part about my major is the effort put forward by its teaching staff. They love to teach what they know and it shows throughout. They make an effort to know the student outside of class and encourage learning more than just the surface. I am strong believer of learning for learning's sake, and the school, even though it prepares you well for the job industry, facilitates this basic principle through its faculty's dedication.

I think the education is great at USC and the professors really care- really Im not being nice. ESPECIALLY the T.O. program- it's amazing.

Professors who know my name?: all of them Favorite class: all of the TO ones have been amazing so far. Least favorite: none of them have been too bad..yet. How often students study: definitely varies with students--some don't study at all, others are always reading. USC has a very academically diverse student population. Class participation: very common Intellectual conversations outside of class: definitely Competitive: not cutthroat, but everyone works really hard Most unique class: Honors in Multimedia Scholarship program--IML 101. We play around with software/multimedia, and our class only has 4 people. It's incredible. My major: Business Administration and Computer Science-definitely a strange combination. I love being able to mix-and-match incongruous academic subjects, and USC offers the students the chance to be much more well-rounded than at most other schools. Spend times with professors outside of class: Mostly office hours. USC's academic requirements: USC often doesn't accept the AP tests that you've passed, so you end up repeating what you already know, because USC doesn't allow you to skip the prerequisites. Can be annoying at times. Geared toward getting a job?: I'm a business major, so I would say that there really isn't much use of learning the material for its own sake. And computer science is very technical and career-oriented for people who want to become computer programmers. That said, USC does offer very unique programs, like thematic option, that encourage a high level of learning for learning's sake. I don't know if I would be able to say that for the GE's--many people seem to have the complaint that they're just taking it to pass out of the requirements and not out of any interest for the subject at hand.

Professors -- if you take the effort to get to know them, they will know you. Favorite Class -- Global Leadership Program: for freshman business students by invitation. First semester weekly CEO presentations and second semester spring break trip to Shanghai, China. Competition - varies depending on major. Each major is challenging in its own respect. While the sciences and engineering grades are more important, in business your extracurricular and internship involvement is more important so there're competitions in different ways. General Requirement at USC: 6 required classes plus 2 writing courses (one freshman year and one junior year); the writing class is really tedious, but did improve my writing significantly. GEs... sometimes I think the professors aren't the best, but if you ask around and do your research before picking classes, you can end up with some very good professors and engaging/interesting classes

Some professors know my name, but not all. It depends on the class size. There are some huge classes and some very small ones. In the ones where there are 50 people or less, the professors usually know my name. My favorite class is a history class called The African-American Experience. The professor is fascinating and energetic. He is a renowned author and scholar and encourages everyone to look at things from multiple perspectives. There are too many students to generalize about how much students study. My friends and I personally study a lot and do not find it weird to sometimes stay in and study on a weekend if we have a lot of work. We just make studying fun, believe it or not. Some students study very little and other students find a good balance. Class participation is very varied as well. It completely depends on the person. I have had many intellectual discussions outside of class. While they are not strictly constrained to that, I often find that conversations that start out about something completely unintellectual can morph into something intellectual because I am surrounded by intelligent, curious, and thoughtful people. Even a viewing of I Love New York can take on different forms. We can enter into a discussion on portrayal of women and race in the media. Some students are competitive and some aren't, but most of the competitive is internal and not public. Students will want to be the best, but won't obsess about it or try to bring others down. The education at USC is geared towards both getting a job and learning for its own sake. Which one is more of a priority depends on the major. People in the business school on pre-med are very job-focused, but in my major, History, and many others people aren't as sure about their futures. They know they want to succeed, but they feel comfortable that the success will follow a natural course as they pursue their interests.

I have had a few good professors and some that weren't so great. Some students study lots; some do not study at all. Like anything at USC, you have to find what works for you. While it appalls me that some students never study and are fine with getting C's in classes, I am equally appalled at those who are dismayed at anything below an A. But you'll find both ends and the entire spectrum in between here. I have intellectual conversations with my roommates now because I have known them for 3 years and they are all intelligent people. But one of my first experiences at USC was with a bunch of girls I didn't know too well. We all went to EVK and when we sat down, one girl started off the conversation with, "So what does everyone's dad do?" I found that to be a bit shallow, but so did my real friends when I told them about it, so you'll find both kinds here. Just be prepared to encounter shallowness, or if you are shallow yourself, be prepared to know that people will see right through it.

I have had a wonderful experience in the classroom because my Fine Arts classes are very small. Not every school is like this. I took one computer science class, and I was not a fan of the way it was run. However, each student has his or her own style. Most of my classes have been very small, but even in the "large lecture classes," I believe it was still only 200 or so students. And my professors in those classes knew me because I made a point to introduce myself and sit in front. The most frustrating thing about USC's requirements is that you can't get out of the writing requirements, even with AP scores. Some of the other GEs aren't great. My advice is pick one you're interested in, not one that you heard is easy. One of my favorite classes here was to fulfill a science requirement: I took linguistics, and loved it! I don't know how many hours a week I study, but I budget my time so that I still go out with my friends. It's possible to do both.

my professors know my name, my favorite class is interesting, hands on, and applicable, my least favorite is the same class because it is a 2 hour lecture and is booorring sometimes and i fall asleep. i need a break between a 2 hour lecture. students study a lot, i have a lot of work right now. people generally participate in class, though when participation is graded in large lectures with no discussions, i think that is ridiculous. rock and roll music of the 60s and 70s was a great class, i want to take the 4 unit movie class. i go to office hours occasionally, if i need help or want to. i love the communication department, they have great advisors, though i think i should switch to marketing and i know they wont tell me that. academic requirements are good. more towards learning for its own sake, but i think thats awesome because when we get to jobs we are just naturally smart :)

In the smaller classes, the professors know my name and they are all excellent. In the larger classes, most of them don't, and there is not a huge incentive to get to know the professor since they don't have a huge effect on your grades. The relationship with your TA is the most important. I would like to get to know the professors in my major, but since cinema classes are so huge there is some isolation, I get the feeling somehow that they are too important and busy to talk to me.

In smaller classes, teachers of course know your name. In big classes, it really depends on whether you want to be known. I was in a class of about 300 people, but I never raised my hand, and so the professor never knew my name. However, he learned probably about 50 names by the end of the semester, and those were the names of the kids who raised their hands. If you want to be known, it's easy. If you don't want to be known, that's pretty easy, too. My least favorite course is WRIT140. It's the required writing class for freshmen, and it's a complete pain in the ass. I don't feel like there's any pressure TO study or NOT to study. If you want to study, there are plenty of quiet places on campus to do that. But if you don't want to, there are plenty of ways to distract yourself. 'Forced' class participation is rare, but a possibility, so watch out for those professors if you don't like to do your readings before class--or if you like to sleep in class. Conversations with fellow students outside of class, honestly, range from "I threw up like, three times last night" to "I really feel Barack Obama's diction and advanced use of rhetoric define him as a man unable to be trusted." A lot of professors make themselves available outside of class, and in general, it's really easy to get a hold of them to discuss homework, exams, or life. The academic requirements (the 'general education') is extremely lenient, in my opinion. Yes, you'll have to take a course that involves science in some way, but it doesn't necessarily have to be just plain Biology, Chemistry, or Physics. I took ASTR100 (The Universe) last semester. It was the first astronomy course I'd ever taken, and it wasn't until I did that I realized I had such a passion for astronomy. People in other majors and departments may disagree, but I feel that most of the courses I've taken have been geared towards learning for its own sake. Most professors recognize, even on exams, that, for example, if you're working on a movie set, no one's going to ask you to write a formal definition of three-point lighting, but that it IS a good thing to know.

Though they may be laid back, USC students take academics really seriously. The library is open 24 hours a day and there are always people there. People rarely skip classes. The education is more geared toward learning than it is to getting a job. I've only been here one semester and I've already had many ong intellectual conversations with people.

The class sizes from my experience range from 6-200, depending on how specialized the class is. If you are looking to have an academic experience where the teacher remembers your name, then you will have to make some effort by sitting in front and reciting. That would probably be the same at any school though. Professors range from brilliant, funny, to downright cooky. It pays to do some research before registering for a class with a certain professor. Ask around or check www.senatecourseguide.com - a site dedicated to professor ratings and reviews by students.

In smaller classes professors do know your name. Depends on which major, but this is a common occurrence. My favorite class is History of China since 1600. The professor has incredible credentials and the class is structured as a discussion. At first I wanted her to lecture more, but gradually I've realized that having discussions and debates has provided for a much more worthwhile and memorable learning experience. Students study often, but the thing more notable is that students are smart about studying. They may not study for hours, but they'll study what needs to be studied. Many students do have intellectual conversations outside of class. The vast majority of students at USC are very smart and have intellectually stimulating opinions. Competitiveness depends on major. For instance, business and engineering majors are very competitive. USC seems to encourage teamwork, as opposed to rivalries, so most students are USC seem to be more friendly and cooperative than strictly competitive. History of China since 1600 since it's mostly interactive based. Economics and East Asian Languages and Cultures double major, with a minor in Business. Aside from the occasional office hours visit I don't spend time with professors outside of class. USC's academic requirements are well structured, especially with the mandatory writing classes. Again, depends on the department, but I think more than half of the classes are more geared towards getting a job. USC classes tend to focus on what you need to know, as opposed to drowning students in theory and postulations.

Yes the professors know my name. Actually, today, I had a professor request that I come to his office so that we could talk about a project that I have to do that is 1/3 of my grade. He had heard from the TA what I wanted to accomplish with my project, and he wanted to talk to me more in-depth about it. He is also trying to help me move my final so that I can go to a family event.

i have had good and bad classes, good and bad professors. overall they are good and i learn a lot. i am a business major and the business classes are good, but more importantly the business school does a great job of preparing you for your career and getting you the right connections.

I would say my professors definitely know my name- a lot of them download our student id pictures from the class directory and know us all by name by around the third week of class (less if it is a small class). My favorite classes so far have been Fluid Dynamics and Risk Analysis for Civil Engineers. I liked fluids because the material was interesting and the professor was VERY energetic. I liked Risk because it combined civil engineering concepts with probability, which was an interesting and useful bridge to make. I also liked Social Issues in Gender because the material was easy to relate to and the professor really enjoyed teaching the class. Studying time ranges depending on the major and the student. Engineers, like me, have to study a lot because we constantly have homework due and concepts we need to grasp before we can move on in the material. Pre-meds and other sciences study a lot too- but really it all depends on the major and even more so on the student. I date a mechanical engineer who doesn't study anywhere near the amount that my political science roommate does. I'm going to skip to the competitive question- while USC students are driven to succeed and do well in their classes I would not call the atmosphere competitive. In engineering we know that we need our peers to get through our work- sometimes they are the best teachers because they will spin a new perspective on a concept. Our teachers also encourage collaboration- there is no bell curve or any such thing in my classes. Civil Engineering is anything to do with infrastructure- bridges, buildings, roads, water distribution systems, city design, transportation/ traffic routing, etc. I'm studying civil engineering with an environmental emphasis so I also learn about water treatment (mechanism and design of those systems) and air quality.

So far, I have loved my academic experience at USC. Because I am an outgoing student who puts emphasis on building relationships with my professors, I would say a majority of my professors have known my name. My creative writing major requires a lot of exceptionally small classes, which studies have shown to obtain better learning retention rates than large, lecture based classes, so I definitely feel like I am getting an invaluable academic experience at USC. While I must admit some of my GEs have been quite unbearable (mostly the ones completely out of range of my major - science, etc), I have learned from some of the most amazing professors I could have imagined. I took ENG262 from a man who actually speaks like a textbook (but in a good, genius-like way), and he recently invited all his students to attend a play that he wrote. I love that my professors are recognized, respected academics, and that they make an effort to maintain relationships with students. Most of my classes, even the mainly-lecture-based ones, have included a lot of class discussion and participation, and I feel like this really helps me learn and remember the information being hurtled at me. The most interesting class I've taken so far is probably the arts and letters GE that I took titled "The Monster and Detective in Literature and Film" with Leo Braudy. While the class did tend to get a bit tedious at times, I thought it was so cool that I got to go in depth on two similar genres and study their development in both literature AND film. Usually literature professors don't think that film is a valid field of study and vice versa, so I thought the combination of genres was so helpful in understanding the topic - as well as unique. My major is basically awesome, and I wish it got more positive advertising. I tell people that I'm a creative writing major, and they get these looks on their faces that basically say "that's a joke major" and then they ask "so what are you planning on doing with that when you graduate?" I feel like a lot of people think that unless you're a business, pre-med, film, or engineering major, you are studying something useless, and I would love to see more positive advertising for all the unique studies offered at USC. I have some of the most accomplished professors on campus who I have built relationships with outside of the classroom, and I wish people would appreciate and respect all the hard work that I choose to put into my "joke of a major." Also, I think that students at USC are incredibly dedicated to academics, and the levels of competitiveness depend on the area of study. The students in my business classes (I'm a business minor) are super competitive because they are compared to each other when it comes time to grade, but the students in my English classes are much more supportive because they are graded on a less competitive basis. Students here are also very academically invested, and I hear intellectual conversations outside of the classroom on a daily basis. I actually usually participate in one on a daily basis. Even at parties people talk about intellectual topics. That's one of the reasons that I love the students here - a large majority of them are intelligent and intellectual.

Professors know your name, even semesters after you've taken them. My favorite class was American Literature because the professor knew how to relate everything we read to its own time, the present, and the personal lives of himself and the students. My least favorite class was Biology and Chemistry. Being pre-med sucked. Students study fairly often but there are still slackers. The same people will participate in class. In the right circles we discuss materials outside of class. Students are competitive in certain departments like science or business administration. I took a class in the Thematic Option Honors Program about conceptual systems that had reading ranging from Hawking's Universe in a Nutshell to Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury. The English department has some standout professors and some arrogant intellects, all of which seem to be qualified. Each professor is allowed to interpret the class description how they see fit and so no two classes are ever alike. I try to spend time with professors outside of class and most are open to it. USC needs stricter GE guidelines like Columbia's because every students graduating from this university should be culturally literate and as of now, they are not. I think it depends on the majors and the professors.

USC is a heavily career-oriented campus, but that does not mean it lacks intellectual stimulation. Thematic Option, the honors track of the GEs here on campus, is rigorous but, in demanding more from you, broadens your mind and forces you to think and ponder and see things in a way you never thought possible. It is sometimes called "Traumatic Option" but its students, sometimes with spite, sometimes with affection, and everyone agrees that it is highly reading and writing intensive. I believe, however, that is is ultimately very enriching, and I find it to be one of the highlights of USC's academic program. Just like all college campuses, the students will vary from the never-leaves-his-room type to the parties-all-the-time type. The range exists at ivys, it exists at state schools, and it exists at USC.