Endless Opportunities and Choices
Written: Jan 28 '00 (Updated Jan 28 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: #4 Ranked School in the US
Cons: Self-Direction is a Must
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| poseidon's Full Review: University of Wisconsin-Madison |
I graduated in May of 1990 from the College of Letters and Science with a degree in English Literature. When I graduated, the University of Wisconsin had the fourth-ranked English Department in the entire country, accounting for public and private schools alike.
About the College of Letters and Science
The College of Letters and Science is the focal point of the university. The headquarters for this school is housed in Bascom Hall, which sits atop Bascom Hill, the highest point in Madison and the heart of the university itself. Over half the student body graduates with a degree from the College of Letters and Science. Obviously, when funding issues come up, this is the school that gets the highest priority and in turn, the best teaching staff.
This is the school where the “liberal arts” degrees are earned. Whether it is English, Mathematics, Art, Humanities, History, Philosophy, or any field of study in the Natural Sciences, you’ll be part of the College of Letters and Science.
The College itself is broken down into three sections: Humanities, Social Studies, and Natural Sciences. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication is affiliated with the College as well. I had, for two years, been double majoring in English and Journalism, so almost all my classes were taught out of the College.
About the English Department
The English Department is stationed in White Hall, right next to Lake Mendota. While I’ll admit the lake was a distraction in the few classes where there were windows, for the most part the building was comfortable. White Hall is one of the newer buildings at the school. Other English courses were taught in the Humanities Building.
Within the English Department, you can direct your studies to a specific interest. You can also choose to direct your studies in Creative Writing. All English majors are required to take at least one class on William Shakespeare and various American and British Literature courses. Once you satisfy the requirements of the major, you are able to further direct your studies to an area of interest. The subjects that interested me the most were Arthurian Legends, Medieval Literature, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and some courses on the history of the English Language. I was also able to cross-study into my true love, Greek Mythology, which was taught in the Classics Department, also part of the College of Letters and Science.
What I Loved About the English Department
I have always loved the written word. There were so many classes available in the course guide for English that I never knew quite where to start. Just taking into account the areas that interested me within the Literature sections was immense. I’m guessing that there were a good twenty classes a semester I wanted to study, however, I was only at Madison for two years.
I loved the professors. These teachers were top-notch all the way. They knew their material, and had years of experience behind them. The classes were very small, perhaps less than twenty people were allowed in each class. This made the learning environment easier, and you could stop the professor and get questions answered.
I loved that the professors never used Graduate Assistants to teach the course. I stress the word never. In my two years, I took 28 credits of English courses and never even knew if a Graduate Assistant existed. I think it is important for a professor to teach his or her own class, and not simply pass it off to an assistant.
I loved that the professors had us read real books, instead of sending us to Kinkos to buy their book (which would supplement their income). Too many professors do this, and I always found that practice to be a conflict of interest.
What I Didn’t Care for in the English Department
I found it difficult if not impossible to schedule an appointment with my department advisor. I honestly hope that in the course of ten years, this practice has changed. At the time, there simply weren’t enough advisors to handle the vast number of students in the English Department. Too many students complained they were given little direction, and we spent most of the time just asking our professors what was required of us. Thankfully, the professors were knowledgeable and had the answers.
Who Would Thrive in the English Department
Students who are able to self-direct their studies are the ones who would do the best. Again, with the lack of direction from the advising staff, students needed to fend for themselves. Also, you have to be very diligent in your homework assignments, otherwise you would fall behind, even if you missed one assignment. This danger crops up especially when a student is taking three or four English courses in a single semester.
Students with great writing ability will also thrive. Many professors demanded papers be turned in biweekly, usually to the tune of fifteen to twenty pages, describing what you have read and you had to state what consisted of your interpretation of the story itself, or explain what meaning the author was trying to convey. Naturally, the concept of putting your words down in a concise manner as quickly as possible is a great skill to possess.
Conclusion
If considering study in the field of Literature, I would definitely recommend the University of Wisconsin. Considering its national ranking, you’re not going to do much better. The program itself is wonderful, and if you can deal with the self-direction issues, you will thrive and learn.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
poseidon
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 - Top 200 |
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Member: Jeffrey Schwartz
Location: Sunrise, FL, USA
Reviews written: 511
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