<p>I’m not the type to criticize professor’s course description, but here are the details:</p>
<p>I’m an African American Studies double major. My school is on the quarter system, so some classes are broken into two sections. I took the second half of Intro to African American Studies that basically covered from Reconstruction to the present (some emphasis at the end on the emergence of African Diasporic studies). I checked the Winter 2006 course description of the first half of INtro to African American Studies. The professor’s background is political science, chiefly African-American politics. So he’s teaching this course, which is out of his league.</p>
<p>The problem? The material that he wants to discuss in this course is 70% a repeat of the second half. He’s also covering from slavery to the present. Some of the texts he wants to go over have already been discussed in previous African American Studies courses, including the second half. I don’t want to sound mean to this professor, but I thought the first half would cover the African slave trade to slavery (wouldn’t that sound logical?). The tuition is high, and I don’t want to take a repeat of a course. I still have my textbooks from the second half that highlights what he wants to teach. </p>
<p>What should I do? If I don’t take the class, I basically don’t finish my major. It’s not the teacher’s fault that this is not his usual coursework, but I thought professors at least discussed syallbi with each other.</p>
<p>It is not a professor issue but a departmental issue. Remember the chair sets up the schedules, decides which courses will be given and when they will be given. While there is going to be some overlap in alot of courses in your major.</p>
<p>the corse descriptions states: Both 1 and 2 will connect their respective themes to the historical and contemporary liberation struggle.</p>
<p>If you disagree with what is being covered, take it up with the chair (won’t get you far). If you need the course for you major take it, I suspect you will get an A since you state that you already know the stuff.</p>
<p>I understand, sybbie, but it’s a complete waste of my time when I could be taking other classes that I don’t have previous (memorized) knowledge of. I don’t want to screw the professor, but it just seems bogus that I’m not gonna be the only student who looks at the syllabus and says to themselves, “I’ve already learned this.”</p>
<p>Would you rather A.) Get an easy A and complete your major or B.) Not.</p>
<p>Seems the answer is clear - it’s a bummer you don’t get to learn much new information, but if you are really serious about your major taking this class should not even be a question.</p>
<p>OK I confess. I’m going to take the class. I just hope I don’t fall asleep in it.</p>
<p>Like my mother says, you have to choose your battles wisely.</p>
<p>I’m going to disagree with the advice above. We all know that you would, a semester from now, be happy to have the A and the major. So what happens a semester from now is a non-issue - you didn’t ask about it and no one is debating it.</p>
<p>What you SHOULD do is to talk to your department chair. Explain the situation and ask if there is another course that you can substitute for this required one (or offer to do an in-depth independent study in the 30% of the material that is not covered by your previous course). Very few professors are really put off by students who are in charge of their education and trying to get as much out of the major as possible. I would honestly think that a larger problem would be students who just take a course because they’ve already seen the material. That happens, and it’s pathetic. So talk to the department chair. He can also try to ensure that your class is the last one that has this problem. When you do, just be sure to not be accuastory and to offer a solution (independent study or alternative course that you both select together).</p>