Providence College Top Questions

Providence College, a liberal arts Catholic institution, has small classes, and the professors almost always know their students by name. Students at PC value their education, and study fairly often. All professors have office hours, and are available to their students. The most unique class I've taken is Introduction to Acting. It was a nice change to usual curriculum. I'm a Creative Writing major, and a Studio Art minor. I plan on studying abroad junior year, which many students opt to do. The Career Services department is very helpful in helping students find jobs and internships. Providence College emphasizes learning as a means of finding one's passion and purpose.

So far, all of my classes (with the exception of Civ) have been very small and intimate. You definitely will be known and acknowledged in class. I've had some mediocre professors and some really good professors, but not bad ones. PC students definitely have that "work hard play hard" attitude. They go out on weeknights, but not until the civ readings are done. Classes are challenging, but not unbearable, and there are a lot of resources to help you out. The Office of Academic Studies offers tutors, and professors make themselves available outside of class for help. Civ is totally the center of academics for freshmen and sophomores, and while it seems awful, it really isn't all that bad. Everybody is in it together, so it kind of provides a bond between the entire class. Depending on your team and professors, it can be really easy or really tough. I won't lie: it can sometimes really SUCK, but what I'll remember about PC is not how much I'll hate civ.

PC's students take four classes per semester their first two years and five classes per semester the final two years. Freshman and sophomores must take Development Of Western Civilization, known as just CIV, for their first 4 semesters at PC. This class is 50 minutes, everyday, worth 5 credits. Some sections are easy and could make if seem like a student only has 3 classes but other sections are extremely hard and can be a real GPA killer since it is weighted as close to 2 classes. The course is a great idea, but in many cases, students are just forced to memorize facts and spit them out on an exam. Additionally, each student needs to take a certain number of classes in theology, philosophy, art and science. I think these "core classes" are good for students because it gives them a well-rounded education.

The classes are small enough that the professors learn your name. It really depends on your level of dedication to the class whether you talk with the professor a lot and ask questions, that is how you get the most out of it.

Professors try to get to know you. It's common that they will recognize you outside of class and say hello, and most professors give out their home and cell phone numbers and are more than willing to meet students outside of classtime for help. Class participation is very common in classes because the average class size is 20. I had an Italian class (my minor) of 5, so the entire class was participation and we all got to know each other really well. PC has a lot of core requirements, so my advice would be to definitely get them done early if you can. Otherwise, they'll haunt you in your senior year as you try to take easy classes for your last semester and you end up taking Biology and whatnot. PC has a great career center and a shadowing program for winter break, which students should take advantage of more than they do- I participated twice and got some really good information about careers.

Be prepared to work hard in all of your courses. You are required to take the development of western civilization for the first two years five days a week. The earlier sessions of that class are generally the easiest, however you would need to wake up at an earlier hour. That is probably the largest class you will have at PC (about 100 students in a lecture). There are a lot of other core requirements on top of CIV, and that needs to be looked at as an incoming student if you are considering double majoring. Class participation is very common, and professors know everyone by name. You are definitely not just a number at PC. The Education department at PC is like a family. The professors support you in everything you do and always have their doors open for you to pop in. By the time you are a senior you will find yourself just as sad to leave the Education department as you will to leave your friends and the school. PC has a nice balance of developing careers as well as giving you the opportunity to learn for the sake of learning. Since you have to take so many core requirements, you may find that you are interested in something that you never thought you would be interested in. PC is also very supportive of study abroad opportunities. I went abroad to Spain and was able to take a theology course designed just for Providence College students when I was there. While PC wants their students to expand their education overseas, they don't just hand it to you. You can't go unless you maintain a specific GPA, have your core requirements planned out so that you can graduate on time, and you have to take five courses while abroad that are pre-approved by the Dean for transfer credit back to PC. PC requires organization and planning if you want to go abroad. It is not something you can decide a semester before you leave.

Teachers are extremely accessible to thier students. The honors program is a great option for students who are looking at IVY League schools. Not only do you get a scholarship, but you get the top professors from each department.

Education program is well known. The department needs to work more on helping students who are confused about what requirements they need to teach out of the state of Rhode Island. Some professors want to know you and set up outside activities. The CIV program is awful and brought down my average tremendously. I think it is ridiculous how on top of that you also need to take 2 more theology classes and philosophy classes.

I've had classes on either end of the spectrum, with some extremely difficult classes and others that felt easier than high school. The difficulty level generally depends on the professor. However, I will say that registration at PC is one of the biggest complaints, as students are required to wake up at the crack of dawn to punch in their registration number at 7:00 AM on the dot along with every other student in their class. This results in the computer system freezing up altogether as 1,000 students simultaneously attempt to log into the system, which is pretty much the dumbest idea PC has come up with. I've had multiple friends who have been locked out of the system for literally 45 minutes, only to emerge with none of the classes that they needed or wanted to take. The system is stressful, primitive and a downright waste of time.

Small classes, great professors. I loved all of my major classes, but liberal arts school so I had to take some classes I did not enjoy with professors who may not be the best at the school. They are always willing to help you out though, and give you extra help or advice whenever and whereever. I still e-mail many of my teachers throughout my four years on a first name basis. I love elementary education and so many of the professors have first hand experience on the topic.

Classes are small so all of my professors have known my name and have shown interest in every student's class performance. I have really enjoyed all of my classes thus far exept the dreaded DWC- a class that meets everyday for your first two years of school. For a requiremnet, this class is rediculiously time consuming and difficult. BUT you do learn a lot of interseting things that could make it exciting to travel to Europe someday. It includes an indepth study of art,music, theology, history, philosophy, and literature. The "done with civ" t-shirt that I just recieved was the best purchase I've ever made.

Civ

Because of the size of PC, academics are very personal and much more discussion based rather than lectures. The professors and advisors get to know you and your major becomes a close group of colleauges and friends. The library will always have people in it, even on the weekends and tends to be a bit too small during exam period. In my major, Political Science, it is entirely based on class discussion and paricipation is necessary and usually more than 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of you grade. The classes offered do not tend to be very experimental or interesting, so pick a major that will hold you attention, the electives are lacking. PC has a large amount of requirements and religion takes up alot of them. Many people find the Catholic religion classes, which there are 2 semesters requirements for, boring and repetitive becuase many PC students come from atleast 4 years of previous Catholic education. The ethics core is also religiously based and there is a component of Civ that is religious. Civ is what PC is notorious for, a double credit class that meets 5 times a week for 2 years and focuses on the start of civilization to modern times, broken up into history, philosophy, literature and religion. While many complain about it, it was my favorite part of PC- it is lecture based 4 days out of the week and easy to coast through, it summarizes everything you have learned since elementary school and makes the transition to college easier, since only 4 classes are required a semester when Civ is taken.

Great teachers who care about students' success

All professors learn their students' name, except in DWC which is too large to know EVERYONE. Extra help is always offered and almost always extremely helpful. My favorite class has been Music Theory I and II, because the professor is hilarious as well as knowledgeable, allowing her class to be laid-back and have fun while still maintaining the syllabus' requirements and giving fair exams. Students are always in quiet lounges, the library and the chapel basement work area. There are plenty of places to study no matter whether you're the kind of student that needs absolute quiet in a secret place or a good study group. My favorite part of PC is the music department. I love almost all the professors - my voice teacher and I are close, and I love to chat with my theory professor and my advisor in the halls. I've found more than half of my friends at school in the music department. I relate to them so well and they're the greatest group of people.

I love the classes I took at PC. My favorite classes were Intermediate German, Music and Society, and Survey of British Literature. class participation is very common and students are competitive but not overly so. i think that it's not all that common for students to have intellectual conversations outside of class or outside of studying. i'm majoring in English and minoring in Music. I really wanted to minor in German as well but with all the requirements I don't think it's feasible. i think PC is geared toward leaning for its own sake but, at the same time, it gives a well-rounded education so students are well prepared for any job.

The professors at PC are very impressive. I am frequently reminded of the quality of the academic side of PC-institution. Most of them are personable and willing to meet with students outside of class.

Almost everyone of the professors at my school has known my name. My favorite class, well I have two. My African American Women seminar this semester was amazing. It was a discussion based class where we dealt with the issue of race in today's society, relating it to issues that have been dealt with for years. There were only like 10 kids and the class and I could discuss anything that was on my mind. I also really enjoyed my Logic class where my professor really made the topic interesting and easy to learn. My least favorite class probably had to be the Theology classes that we were required to take for the first two years of school. I would say that kids get their work done no matter what. There are some students who put a lot more time and energy into their work while others get by. I would say that I study a fair share but it also depends on the week because there are some weeks where I have much less work than others. It is important that you participate in class and there are many times where students have intellectual conversations outside of class. If we take interesting classes where there are issues that we feel like talking about, I would say that we discuss it with our roomates and our friends. I don't think that the students are that competitive but they do care about their grades. The most unique class that I've taken was probably the class that I mentioned before. My African American Women class was unique because it was a seminar where the student lead the class. We talked about the diversity issue on campus and got to discuss what is going on in the world today. My major is History. The department does a good job of communication to the people who are in the department. There are many talented professors who know a great deal of history. Outside of class, my professors will acknowledge me but as far as spending time with them, I personally don't see this happening. The academic requirements are a little unfair but you get them done. I wish there were more gen. ed classes that we could take and you weren't in competition with everyone to actually get into the classes. The registration system definitely needs some work. I think that PC education is absolutely geared at getting a job but is also geared at learning it for our own sake. It is a very good Liberal Arts school so you learn a lot of stuff, including what you are going to go into when you graduate.

Every single one of your professors knows you and your name. Even in DWC you are assigned one of the four professors to meet with once a week in a smaller seminar. Participation is counted in your final grade, and teachers will call on you if you don't speak up. If you skip class, you are expected to email the teacher and makeup the missed work on your own. Many classes have attendance policies. Students are studying 24/7. Even when kids go out- and they do very often- they get their work done before so they can really enjoy themselves. Students are not competitive with anyone but themselves. Everyone is a high achiever and expects to do well regardless of how other students do. The most unique class I've ever taken was a Religion & Magic anthropology class taught by a nun. The class studied Native American, Mexican, and Asian cultures and their beliefs. They class was interesting because it was not compared against the Christian religion or judged as right or wrong. PC's academic requirements are pretty over-the-top. Although you take DWC for 2 years you have additional lit, philosophy, and theology requirements. It is possible to test out of lit , though. It may seem overwhelming but it is manageable with careful planning. Although you are told you do not need to declare your major until Junior year, that is really inadvisable. I declared a Psychology major at the end of Freshman year and was advised to take classes over the summer in order to catch up. The administration does help, a little, in providing example four-year-plans for certain majors. Undeclared advising can be pretty bad. I got a computer science teacher for mine when I was interested in anything BUT that. Declaring as soon as possible has an advantage in getting better guidance in choosing courses, and getting to register for classes in advance. PC education is learning for it's own sake; the combination of faith & reason to find the truth. A friar told my class at orientation that they will challenge us to find reasons to back up our faith...and to develop faith in facts, not merely accept them.

The great thing about PC is how intimate the learning experience is. Teachers get to know you--well, you're not just a name on a roster. Most classes are built off of class participation, enriching each class. Students are very competitive, spend a lot of time studying and engage in intellectual conversation outside of the classroom. My major and department are quite small at PC (French and the Modern Language Department) so not only did I get to know my professors on a personal level, I was close with the entire department including the department chair!