University of Miami Top Questions

very rigorous

My Academics are #1 and top priority!!

I cannot say enough about Miami's academics. In every single class that I have taken at Miami, the professors have known my name and make an effort to get to know you. Miami has some of the best professors and have been ranked in the top three in Undergraduate Teaching in the country. Personally, my favorite classes were my education classes within my cohort. My professors were so caring and committed to seeing my classmates and I flourish in our desired field. As for least favorite class, I would have to say my math class that is required for the Miami Plan only because Math has always been my weakest subject. As for studying, Miami's motto is "work hard, play hard." During the week and weekends, students are always studying in King Library, which is the most popular study place on campus. There is a cafe in the library, which allows students to grab a coffee and start studying. Miami students are very committed to their academics and take their studying time seriously, but we also know how to balance a social life with academics. My major is Integrated English Education, which means that I want to teach high school English. I really can't say enough about the Education department at Miami. Some of my favorite teachers that I have ever had were for classes I took within the Education department. They are so passionate about the field and do their best to make sure that you learn all that you need to in order to be put out into the teaching field. Every professor has office hours, which I highly encourage. Most times, professors will meet you at the local coffee shop during their office hours or will be in their own individual office. More often than not, I met with my professors outside of class to go over course material and talk about the subject at hand. Once again, the professors at Miami are excellent and open to helping you as a student and individual in any way that they can. Finally, I would say that Miami's education is geared toward both getting a job and learning for its own sake. Sure, one purpose of college is to get a job at the end, which Miami is very committed to. But, on the other hand, Miami also gives its students the opportunity through the Miami Plan to take courses that they are interested in outside of their field.

Academics at UM are pretty good. I have been challenged and work hard to maintain my grades. I am an English major and am satisfied with the breadth of courses and the writing skills that I have developed. Professors are always available to discuss paper topics, drafts, and life in general. The English program even offers specializations in British or Women's literature. There are plenty courses from science fiction surveys to an entire class about Jane Austen. The English professors are wonderful moderators of discussions and are very passionate about their subjects. Sciences are a different story. So far, the professor that I have had are great, but you'll usually be teaching yourself a great deal of the material. It takes time and practice to master chemistry and physics. They seem more interested in having a curve than teaching the students. I find myself struggling for exams rather than enjoying what I am learning. Students are generally not competitive. Pre-med students can be a bit obnoxious about grades and classes. Otherwise, most students want to excel for their personal gain and not because other students are getting ahead. This happens because there are so many different types of students. In a calculus class my freshman year, there were some freshmen but many sophomores and juniors. And two seniors repeating calculus! UM is not cutthroat. Everyone is just trying to get an education as quickly as possible to avoid incurring debt and move on to the next phase of their careers. Like I mentioned before, UM is highly career-oriented. The school always makes sure to let freshmen know about the Toppel Career Center that helps students find internships and figure out life after college. It's a great reason, but UM needs to develop the mentality of learning for the sake of learning.

One of my favorite part about this school is the academics. So far with my time at this university I have experienced two very different sides of academics. I started off a chemistry major, which made me realize how challenging school can really get. But it was never anything I couldn't handle. Classes here teach you that time management is truly your best friend and that no test is too hard. After a full semester and a half as a Chemistry major I switched over into the communications school as a film major. This change showed me the artistic and creative side of the school and how nice the facilities are for almost any class. I've been able to take classes that range from digital productions to popular music to even women's gender studies. All of my professors have been incredibly influential and helpful and almost always open themselves up to help you make it through the collegiate process and sometimes even into the real world Overall I believe that this school has more then prepared me for going into the real world and gaining a job.

Besides introductory classes, most classes are small, not very different from a high school setting. Because we are a top 50 school, we get many prestigious professors, for example my marketing teacher was the director of international marketing for Carnival Cruise Lines for many, many years before giving it up to teach at UM because he liked the atmosphere so much. A lot of them really have experience in their field and know what they are talking about. Students are very competitive, we work hard, but definitely know how to live it up on the weekends. I am a psych major, the psych department has so much to offer, all the professors do research at school that you can participate in. I am a research assistant and am helping to create and perform studies that will be published! Its such a fabulous opportunity for undergraduates.

Small classes generally, good teachers, don't have to study a ton if you are able to pay attention in class, class participation is off and on, students help each other for the most part. I am a film and economics double major with a business admin and international studies double minor. I graduated in 3.5 years. You can do so much here, I feel ready to take on the world. I've taken finance classes, history of jazz, oceanography, english, producing a motion picture, and plenty of more variety.

The academics here at The U have really come a long way from where they used to be. US News ranked the University of Miami #38 on their 2012 list of Best National Universities, which is a nine spot jump from last years rankings. So, the school's academics, as a whole, are definitely on the "up and up" from the days during the 1980s and 90s when the University of Miami was nicknamed "Suntan U". The professors here are always a mixed bag, especially in the Business School, which is my area of expertise. Some professors who have been there for years really strive to impact and mold young student minds, while there are some who could care less, and others who barely even speak English. But, as long as you do your research on ratemyprofessor.com and go for the best professor for the class that you're looking for, you will not get stuck with a terrible professor. There are definitely different levels of competitiveness within the university, depending on what school you're in. The School of Business is competitive because every class is curved to between a 3.0 and a 3.3. This means that it is extremely hard to get an A, easy to get a B, and C's are given to those who have struggled. It is very hard to fail a Business School class unless you never show up. The Pre-Med program is also very competitive because every has their eye on getting into the best possible Medical Schools after graduation. The schools that are not as competitive are the School of Communication and School of Arts and Sciences.

I've heard a lot of variation in how hard kids have to work to get good grades at UM. Personally, I've found that if you take classes in subjects you actually care about, doing well is easy! Unfortunately, most kids go to college with no idea what they want to do, and they may find their GPA slipping as they struggle through subjects that aren't their forte. Don't let a few Bs or Cs discourage you. It's important to remember that college is a choice. Unlike high school, you're there because you genuinely care about the subjects you're learning. And even if it takes sometime to figure out what you want to do, one class that started as a stupid requirement might turn into your major. Almost all of the professors I've had have been incredibly knowledgeable and helpful.For the most part, if you go to your office hours and let them see that you;re really trying, they'll give you a fair grade.Miami also offers an incredible variety of classes so it's easy to find subjects that sound more like fun than work. For instance, I've taken a musicology class where each class was spent watching and discussing music videos from modern pop artists! Classes like that are sure to boost your GPA even if physics is kind of a flop. As long as you choose your schedule with the goal of enjoying the majority of your classes, academics shouldn't be a problem.

The academics at U.M. are impressive. Depending on the type of course, class sizes range from a handful of students to 90 maximum. The only classes with such large numbers are general lectures, so that size does not interfere with the education. Compared to many other schools, I never felt as though I was lost in the shuffle of the masses or shunted aside to nonsense online classes (I am a Biology and English double major and Psychology minor, so my experience is extensive). The teachers in the smaller courses immediately learn the names of each of their students, and even the lecture teachers make a concerted effort. Regardless, all teachers are very responsive via email and always willing to meet students outside of class, and not just during office hours if those hours are impractical for the student. Teachers greatly encourage class participation, and I've never experienced a lull in a class due to a teacher's ineptness or a class's reluctance or disinterest. Students are serious about studying as the need arises and make an effort to earn good grades. The education in general provides a balance between preparing students for a professional future and also for expanding their academic knowledge.