University of Tulsa Top Questions

What are the academics like at your school?

Jessica

All of my professors know my name and know something about me. They are very personable. My favorite class has probably been American Sign Language or Math. I didn't love Math in HS but I love it now. The teachers are amazing. My least favorite class was a Geology class and that's just because it was unusually big, early, and boring. Students study a lot, but you also don't really see that impacting your social life. Students are really responsible because the "cool" thing to do is study and then hang. It's great. Students are competitive in terms of athletics but I haven't really noticed much in terms of academics. The most unique class I've taken was probably Intro to Oceanography. I am a Deaf Education Major and the department is just AMAZING. If that is what you're thinking about going into, you will love it from the very start. I spend time with one of my professors because I work under her. Most of my other professors I will see at some Deaf events but I don't reallyt "spend time" with them. The academic requirements are great. They provide you a solid foundation and really are top notch compared to most schools. TU's education is geared towards learning all that you can the 4 years and then going out into the real world and being happy and successful doing something that you are passionate and knowledgeable about.

Tiffany

TU is definitely an academic school. Class participation is common. You always have some annoying people who won't shut up, but there's a good proportion of the class who participate at a good level. I am part of the College of Business Administration, where the advisers and faculty are amazing. I have heard that at state schools, you are basically given a list of classes you should take to get a degree. My advisers meet with students every semester to talk about how stuff is going and what they should be taking. They care about making sure students take the classes they need, and that they're getting the most out of their education here. Several of my professors have arranged meetings with every student to get to know them and their goals. I have spent time with professors outside of class, sometimes for help, and sometimes just chatting.

Reese

small class sizes are by far the best thing about the academics at TU. all professors are easy to get a hold of, and if they are at all mediocre, they WILL know you by name. there are of course a few terrible teachers, but they are notorious on campus and a quick poll of people in your major will guide you and help you to stay out of their courses. in general, however, i was happy with most professors ive had. class participation varies greatly from course to course; in some there's lively discussions, in others you can hear crickets. it's all about the environment the professor fosters.

Mike

Professors are usually well-informed, courteous, and encouraging, but it really depends on what you want to study. My favorite class was Telecommunications, which taught me a lot that I apply during my summer internship. My least favorite class was Road Films because a first-timer teacher taught the class and had little idea how to manage students. The business school does a fairly good job instructing their students on major-related matters. Some of the basic classes that everyone has to take can be mind-numbing, but the class size never breaches 40. There is also great emphasis on finding an internship to complement your studies, but the career center can't help you if you want to do anything outside of the Tulsa area.

Amy

Class sizes (especially in the arts and sciences) are quite small. Professors take an active interest in their students that goes far beyond just knowing their names. Many professors hold individual conferences with students before first big assignments, give students their home contact information, and make themselves available outside of class through special review sessions, office hours, and seminars on post-college opportunities.

Megan

Every professor knows your name, this is a good thing because when it comes to starting your career you will already have high recomendations from the people who know your academic background very well, your professors. The classroom sizes are very small, in fact I was never in a classroom with more than 40 people. This type of environment is great for learning because you can ask questions if needed and the professor can actually see your hand; additionally many professors do require and induce classroom participation. The accounting and finance departments, I got to know both since I double majored, are outstanding. The professors are all excellent teachers and mentors. They care about you as a person and help you to find a job that will fit you. They also are open to any question you have as long as you schedule an appoitnment before-hand. They are very commited to not only teaching academics but also teaching you how the business environment works and what will be expected of you. So, the appoitnment before-hand is part of this learning process. Its a great place to learn!

Laura

Class sizes are generally small and so far almost all of my professors have made a point to learn everyone's name. I think a lot of students study an amount above average for Oklahoma schools, at least. Class participation is higher than I expected. Students do have intellectual conversations outside of class, but I don't think that students are overly competitive. Compared to my high-pressure private high school, TU seems very relaxed. The most unique class I took was and advanced English class based on magazines, mostly from the 20's. I do not spend time with professors outside of class, but I know some people do. I think TU's education is geared toward learning for learning's sake. TU has high academic requirements.

kyle

All of my professors know my name, and about half of them can tell me apart from my twin brother. The Petroleum Department is especially helpful. The head of the department, as well as several of my teachers, are often available for advice and planning. Students study enough to get the job done, but not excessively. Although I have just completed 2 years, my education so far has been geared towards acquiring knowledge, not job training.

Dale

Do professors know your name? some of them, as long as you stick with them and talk to them. I'm supposed to study 4-6 hrs a day to get A's or B's. It really depends on the Professor and the material of the course. the group study is very very important and can not be ignored. As an engineer, you need to socialize with others, talk to them, study with them, and maybe hanging out with them, too. Studying alone is sucks and I didn't like it that much.

Amy

Academics at TU truly are great. Class sizes are small and rigorous, but you can read about that in any school catalog. What I want to share with you is that at the University of Tulsa, professors will know your name, they will want to help you. I have the cell phone and home phone number of many of my professors in case I need help outside of class. As a Bachelor of Music major, I don't have much time for other classes, but I have found some. I took Spanish (I even studied abroad for a summer), Chemistry, English, and I will be taking Geology next year. At TU, it is strongly recommended that students expand their horizons by taking a variety of classes and being involved in extracurricular activities. Besides music extracurriculars, I am involved in intramurals, Greek Life, and University Ambassadors. TU firmly believes that a students learning experiences goes past the classroom doors, and TU tries to help out by having activities for students to get involved in, whether that is a lecture, a play, a club, or community service.

Laurel

Professors try to get to know students, and most professors in the arts and sciences let you call them by their first name. Classes are generally small and so everyone can get along well. In some classes, especially in art classes, students seem competitive, but no one seems to let that get in the way of helping each other out and being nice. In the art department it is custom for students to have class dinner/drinks with professors. Some of my professors remain my good friends outside of school.

Sophia

Professors truly care about your grade and your input. Professors will do a lot to help you if you have a problem. The cheating policy is strongly worded, however, not entirely reinforced. It is very easy for students to cheat when the professor is occupied or even looking the other direction. It does not seem that all of the professors take a strong stance on cheating, especially with athletes.

Katie

I personally liked the academic environment. Professors for sure know not only know your name but are interested in your everyday life and things going on. There were multiple times that I saw professors outside the class room at sporting events, the gym, or even a friend's apartment. I think the academic requirements lead students in the right direction so that they have to at least take one or two classes in a field they normally wouldn't look into.

Robin

Students study alot and the Professors are great. Class participation is very common.

Jordan

At TU, it's very easy for you and your professors to know eachother on a first name basis. Some of my professors even know me by nickname. My favorite class was probably Abnormal Psychology; I got to psychoanalysis Darth Vader for a class project. Not only was it fun, but I learned a lot. Students definitely have their fair share of intellectual discussions outside of class. We have a lot of intellectual student groups for political causes that many students are a part of. If that isn't your thing though, there are plenty of students who would prefer to talk about other things. TU academics are geared towards attaining a general knowledge necessary for success as an adult as well as learning the proper material for your specific field. Some of the core classes are a little trying or boring, but once you get them over with, you can focus on all of the interesting stuff you like. On the whole, TU definitely mixes the need for getting a job and the need for learning for the sake of itself very very well.

Melissa

Overall, academics at TU are pretty good. My biggest class probably had about 50 people in it, although they promise a 13:1 student to faculty ratio. Many professors make an attempt to learn your name. It is also easy to gain access to professors outside of class. There are some downsides, in the fact that some departments are so small that if you do not like a professor you still have to take multiple classes with them. Some departments only have 3 professors in them, many have less than 10. This makes for too close of a relationship with professors at times.

April

I have spent time with professors outside of class, even going to dinner. Most of the education is career-oriented.

Jay

They are very appropiate and geared to what you want as an individual. They are student focused as academics always should be but often are not. Classes are small and you get attention from faculty and staff no matter what.

Michelle

Since TU is so small with an undergraduate population of about 2,500, my class sizes are pretty small as well with around 30 students in one class room. My professors do know me by name and that was one of my critias when choosing a college. I like talking to my teachers. When I have a problem with understanding any materials, the professors are very approachable and assessible. Students here must study to earn a good grade. Some classes have less work than others but that depends on the professor. Some students don't realize this until they start filing for dismissal from the university. The students are not too competitive like many of the other schools however, there are opportunities for leadership and scholarship which can become pretty competitive. At the beginning of the year, I was a finance major but then realized that coming into TU with 15 hours allowed me to pick up a dual major in accounting and finance without making my time at the university extend so I changed it a few months into the semester. Then I noticed that it was also possible to get a psychology minor. Since TU is a liberal arts university, we get to explore curriculms outside our college (mine being the business college). And graduate I need some general education credits which brought me to psychology. It's really fascinating. I enjoy the classes a lot.

Caroline

My professors definitely know me by name, probably due to the fact that my class sizes have ranged from about ten to fifty. In the College of Arts and Sciences, in which I am enrolled, a large focus is placed on writing. Essays have ruled my life since freshman year, but I think that it helped me to realize my future dreams of becoming a film critic. Professors often encourage class participation and discussions, sometimes with grades depending upon it! Since I cannot speak for other colleges, I am not really sure how TU prepares you for life beyond college. Being a senior a week and a half away from graduation, I am entirely unsure of my future. I feel that college prepares you for life twenty years from college, not immediately after. However, I feel that I have gotten a very well-rounded education at TU, considering I accidentally stumbled into another minor without realizing it!

Karl

Classes are very small, and the professorial faculty is exceptional. The problem with being such an insular school, however, is that some professors are able to get away with doing a very pisspoor job. In my least favorite class, Genetics & Human Diversity, the professor taught exclusively from PowerPoint. I think that there is a community of pretentious people who make it a point to seem intellectual and aloof, but in general, people are fairly down-to-earth, yet still very intelligent. The music school is fairly middle-of-the-road in terms of quality, although I am happy to be a part of its strongest suits, its piano and composition departments. Performance standards for TU musicians are very low, especially among vocalists, and one can expect to dread most of the Wednesday recital classes because of the horrible performances that tend to dominate. TU School of Music's weakest attribute is its seeming unwillingness to direct people toward other careers; some very untalented, lazy, completely incompetent students have graduated under the pretense that at some point they would actually have a chance at becoming working musicians. Leadership of the music school has been anemic for the past couple of years, but the end of this school year signals a change in leadership that should be much for the better.

Wendy

Since the class sizes are so small, the professors do eventually know the students' names. I find students studying at any hour of the day on campus. It just depends on what your study habits are. The most unique class I have taken was Christian Ethics in Modern Society. Although the professor did miss a couple of classes, his lectures are very interesting and you learn a lot about Christianity and what it means to Christians what our ethics are. I am currently a nursing student and I haven't started clinicals yet, but I will spring semester of my sophomore year. But so far, the nursing program is great and the professors are all really nice and always there to help you.

Alex

TU's classes are definitely a step up (or a staircase up) from other schools. I know that some of our 1000 level classes compare to other schools' 4000 level classes. It is hard, but not unmanageable.

Sarah

They are really good here. I do not think I have had a class yet taught by a TA. Pretty much all of the Professors teach their classes, and they pretty much know everyone's names.

Emily

I would say majority of my professors know me and all my classmates by name. Students at TU definatly put many hours into studying. Class participation depends on the professor and the class. Many students are competitive but mostly with themselves, they have very high standards academically.

Katie

All of my professors know my name. One semester, I got an internship and my hours conflicted with one of my Tues/Thurs courses. After telling my prof I was going to have to drop, he made another suggestion: come to class on Thurs (which were test days) and go see him on Wed. I had my own personal class on Wednesdays with him! We became really good friends. Studying is relative. I am an electrical engineering major and I'm not a genius: I study a minimum of 20 hours a week. I would say that is definitely on the high end of the scale. All of my profs have been really great helping outside the classroom, spending hours to make sure i understand things. Most intense academic memory: In my circuits course, the final was two days for 3 hours each. It was during an ice storm so not everyone did great. We all got incompletes and had to go finish in Jan. We went in individually and the two profs who taught the course together would put a problem on the white board and you had to work it out with them commenting on your methods, etc. It was the most intense thing ever! On the other hand, I really know my circuit theory now! TU (especially in engineering) is really great about helping students get internships, locally and in their home town. Also, I have spoken and had meetings with numerous TU administrators, including the president. They are eager to hear from the students and work with them.

Melissa

I have found the academics at TU to be phenomenal. I was used to having all A's in high school and at TU the classes are really challenging and if you receive an A you know you have really worked for it. The class sizes are small and every professor I have had knew my name when I was in class and some of them still know me today. All of the people I hang out with make good grades and so we all study quite often. You cannot blow of classes and still do well here, so if you're hoping to just party and have school on the side TU isn't the place for you! While you must have a little bit of a competitive attitude to do well the people here are NOT completely crazy and competitive like at some schools. People in your classes always want to form study groups with you and are usually willing to swap notes. I feel like it is a group effort where everyone in the class wants to do well--no one will hope for you to do poorly. Overally I have learned SO much while being at Tulsa. I have been particularly amazed by how much I have learned about art history (my minor) and how my drawing and studio art skills have improved (fine art is my major).

Alex

Academics are what TU is all about. One of the big things is that all of the professors here (at least the ones I've had) actually care about what happens to their students. Most are eager to help out with anything you have trouble on and are usually there for advice about careers, graduate schools, or whatever. TU is also really big about research, allowing undergrads to start doing research as early as they like. This is a huge thing for people trying to get into grad school.

Harper

One's academic career at TU is really challenging and full of experiences. Professors at TU do know my name and not by my ID number. My favorite class at TU was Calculus-II but, I haven't had any least favorite classes yet. Students do study all the time but when its fun time, no one sacrifices fun over books. Class participation was highly appreciated in my classes. The Engineering and Science students keep themselves updated with all the news and other upcoming things happening in the science stream and discuss those with their colleagues and with their professors.

Jordan

I know all my professors by name and they all know my face if not my name. My favorite class is Legal Environment of Business. I see students studying very frequently. My major of International Business and Language with German is geared towards learning and traveling abroad, I haven't reached the specified Internation Business courses yet.