This past May, I graduated from California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor of Arts in English after three years in the program. Although there were some bumps in the road, I found my experience at CSUN to be better than I thought. I hope you also have a wonderful and enlightening experience as an English major at CSUN. .
Because I was in the honors classes in high school, many of my teachers and classmates had written something about Cal-State public schools, instead leaning toward more local honors, such as UCLA or USC. I ended up choosing CSUN for two reasons: it was close and the price was right. Although I was happy with my decision, I knew that I had the opportunity to complete my education without incurring huge debt, such as I had resigned myself to accepting mediocrity. The end of the good did not exist further than the average; My education was top notch.
How to succeed in the CSUN English Department:
Early on in my time at CSUN, I learned that strong writing skills are necessary. If you are not strong, help is available, but you must use it as soon as possible.
Take advantage of the office hours that the professors offer. Work on each writing assignment as soon as possible and bring in the office hours. Search Take advantage of the writing lab offered in the Learning Resource Center.
Don’t put off reading assignments. Literature classes at CSUN are much more discussion-based than lecture-based. You’ll be fine if you’re ready to talk like a pirate day. Try not to be nervous. If you have something productive to add to the conversation, or even a thoughtful question, get out there. Teachers like students are class participants. CSUN’s English department does not consist of classrooms in auditoriums, full of students sitting and taking notes. It is a place where students know their professors personally, and the school is a community. Embrace the city, and the community will embrace you.
What to avoid:
What I’m sure you really want to know is not taking classes. First of all, I advise you to be careful about any class that does not say teacher. They usually say “Staff” where the professor is listed on the class schedule. These are often the professors of the season, and you never really know if you’re going to be a star or a monster. I had great experiences especially with Stephanie Satie and Thomas Wolfe, both of whom are part-time professors and are often listed on the schedule.
The best remaining bet is to check out ratemyprofessors.com to NOT get caught. If it’s true that some students unfairly pull teachers in on their personal preferences, you can really tell a lot about a teacher from reading the comments on ratemyprofessors.com. For example, you will find that someone misses a lot of classes, grades too subjectively, and gives too much effort. Don’t just accept the doctors who have the best rating in the facility. While it may be easy to get a nice A, you will regret it later when you realize that the information you actually learned was nice.
As for course choices, I recommend that you enroll in your classes first, wherever possible. ENGLISH 355 is an important course, and it is really important not to procrastinate until the end. While elective classes can be fun, you’ll get better grades in them if you take the writing material first.
Who is great:
Now, because some part of the time they are bad, it is not understood that nothing should be taken of them. There are some really great teachers in the CSUN English class. Some of my favorites are listed below:
Patricius the Hunter
The study of literature really teaches. He’s a tough grader, especially in writing assignments, but he’s a really nice guy and very handsome.
JoAnna Bashforth
Prof. Bashforth is a professor of linguistics who does an amazing job of making a horribly boring subject really interesting. They are reminded that her trials are difficult, but she will really go out of her way to feel ready to help.
Jutta Champ
I have had this professor for several classes, and she is a wonderful person and a great teacher. He gives a lot of effort, but tries hard to understand and help. When I was pregnant during the spring semester and summer term, he realized when he wasn’t feeling well and just wanted to go home. He also really believes in the writing process, and I believe my writing has been greatly improved by the tips.
Ian Barnard
An incredibly funny and interesting man, Ian Barnard really tries to take literature outside the conventional box. Grader is beautiful, reader and entertaining. I have never watched a single watch of its kind.
Kentish Baxter
The teacher is such a sweet person. My very first semester at CSUN I had my junior year, and it was a great introduction to CSUN’s English department. It was an easy class, but the thought was exasperating.
Dorothea Clark
I had Dorothy Clarke for several classes, and she was also my advisor as I was a prep student. I honestly don’t think I would have made it through CSUn without her. She is understanding, down to earth and very progressive. It makes an effort to reach every student, all the differences learning.
Jack Solomon
Perhaps the most intelligent man we have ever met, Professor Solomon is an interesting character. He is completely eccentric. I thought he was a crazy college professor in high school when I dreamed of what college would be like. His classes are 100% lecture-based. I earned a B+ in this class, and I have never worked for a grade in my life. You will not pass Solomon’s class without studying, but you will learn so much that you will feel your mind expanding.
Joseph Thomas Jr
Perhaps my favorite professor, we have also met several others who simply love Professor Thomas. A friend of mine is trying to organize his graduate studies to take as many classes as he can around Thomas. He is extremely intelligent, but what makes him so excellent is his ability to explain everything to the understanding. He makes the same effort to make sure that the information really sticks. Teaching the student well is a talent; Helping to really learn is an art, of which Thomas is quite an expert.
