University of Denver Top Questions

The academics at DU are similar to any other university. Of course there are the core curriculum requirements, but they make it easy to get those out of the way and begin taking classes in your major almost right away (sooner if you have AP credit). The professors are amazing, and I have often enjoyed going to office hours with my professors not just to talk about class material but also to simply have conversations with them. I have never called my teachers "professor", it's always been their first names. One professor even introduced himself as Bob, and if that wasn't formal enough for us, we could call him Dr. Bob. Often class discussions continue with my friends as we walk back to our residence halls or go get coffee or lunch after class to keep talking about the material. While most class material has practical applications, the professors make sure to make it applicable to your general development as an individual rather than just as a (insert major here).

All of my professors know my name which I think is a great aspect of DU. I've had one big class here, and it's my science class, which is about 100 people. Everything else is less than 40 people, which is so awesome! Class participation is pretty good and most students take their academics pretty seriously. I've had a professor invite me over to dinner at his house with other students in my class and it was really great! This quarter I'm taking a Buddhism class and it's been really awesome, but my major is specifically history and international studies. I love how the two majors really overlap, it's really unique, and I feel like I've gotten such a better understanding of the world through my majors. Professors really encourage you to take them up on coming to their office hours, which I probably should do more, but it really tends to help when it comes to papers. I've had professors read over mine before turning them in and giving me some general guidlines on things that I need to work on.

The small class sizes at DU are definitely a huge bonus. Even freshman intro courses are under fifty students, and usually around thirty. The professors genuinely love to teach, and they all make an effort to make class personal. My favorite class is Hard Choices in Public Policy, taught by former governor of Colorado, Dick Lamm. He is a very dynamic professor who knows his students very well and teaches a class that he wants to be meaningful. In all at DU, academics are very important. Very few students are here because they are good at sports or because their families are current or potential benefactors of the University. Most students are here because they were successful in high school, and plan to be so in college too. The Common Curriculum requirements are reasonable, though perhaps a little more rigorous than at other schools, and they really do make sure you have exposure to all departments and areas of study.

One of the reasons I came to DU was because of the academics. There are many unique and interesting areas of study, so pretty much anything you are interested in is available at DU. The International Studies school is ranked top in the nation and offers some of the most interesting classes, in my opinion. My favorite class was called "Paradise for Sale" in which our professor, who had done extensive research in the Dominican Republic and Bali, taught us about sustainable tourism in developing countries. The fact that DU is a research university, in which almost all of the professors do outside research, really adds to the classroom experience because professors have exciting stories and experiences to share with their students. The professors also are required to have office hours every week, so it is very easy to talk to them either after class or during office hours. The classes are also pretty small, which I love becuase you get to know your classmates and professors and create relationships that aren't possible in a larger class.

If you study something you love, then all of the work will be interesting and not seem that hard. BUT, on the flipside, when you take a class you aren't interested in, it will be painful to do all of the work. You can make your course load as hard or as easy as you want. With that being said, my friends that are in the sciences seem to have the largest work load because of lab requirements, but I'm pretty sure that's a universal truth in college. Classes are small (my biggest class right now is 16 students), so you get a really personal experience, which is good if you do the work and pay attention, bad if you just want to sleep and cruise through classes. Professors are really accessible, through office hours, email, or phone, which is great when you have a big paper due and have a last minute question! They also really want you to succeed and have no problem calling you to talk if they are concerned that you won't.

DU academics are rigorous but prepares students for our futures. While classes are intense on the quarter system, the professors at this university truly want to help. Most professors will meet with students anytime, including outside of office hours just to talk, edit resumes or help before a test. Not only are the professors helpful, but resources like the writing center provide students with every opportunity to succeed. Another great aspect about DU classes is that in small classes, most students participate and enjoy not only talking but listening to the opinions of their peers and instructors.

Sometimes the classes are very challenging and require a lot of outside-the-classroom work. Other times, the classes are very easy and fun. It depends on your class schedule/major, but for the most part, it evens out. Some classes will be hard and some will be super easy!

I have never been more excited and passionate about classes than I have at DU. More that 95{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the classes have less than 40 students and the teachers really take the time to get to know you on a personal level so they can apply the subject to what would pertain to your life. The classes may seem rigorous for those not that interested in the subject but once you're in a class you're passionate about, it becomes the most fun you have had in a school setting in a longtime. Being a business major, I was dreading taking the required science class. After an entire year of science, it has been one of my favorite classes I have taken at DU.

Academically, DU is okay. From mere obvservation,it seems that students who major in Political Science, Public Policy and International Relations are the most content with their academic experiences. Other liberal arts majors, business majors and students in the applied sciences seem less enthusiastic about their classes. In my short time at DU, I had some very good professors. But the assigments and in class discussions were geared heavily towards students with no real intellectual curiosity. It felt very much like high school.

It is a very business oriented school, which is great if you are a business major. However, not many of the school's resources go into the other departments.