Francis Marion University

Date: Apr 20 2009
Major: Computer Science (This Major's Salary over time)
The school environment is very nice, as for the actual education part it has become pretty negative as of late. I cannot speak for all majors but for my major, lately the whole structure of it has fallen apart. They've decided to attempt to get accredited so now there gathering up professors with PhD's who honestly don't teach very well, this stuff has turned out to be more "theory" then actual hands on, unlike the way it use to be. In my opinion screw accreditation give me an education. Now don't get me wrong I'm not saying they shouldn't "get accredited" but they are focusing way to much time on it, cutting office hours(because there to busy doing research to get accredited and there short staffed like it is) and all this leads to sacrificing a students time/grade, because theres never a good time to get help. Also speaking of being short staffed theyve actually let go one of the best professors in the college because of this new PhD accreditation they have going on. The short staffed and low student volume also leads to the problem of classes not being readily available for quite sometime. C.S. summer classes are a big “NO as well, not due to professors though more so the student side because there arent enough students who need a certain class during the summer to meet there 6-7 people requirement, your lucky to have 7 people in a C.S. class after most 200 level courses during fall and spring. It's also quite annoying you must minor in math, yet the actual math courses and C.S. courses are hardly ever offered with each other. The math can end up putting you pretty far behind, since well most of the classes you will need for the C.S. major are not offered much, and if you don't have a certain prerequisite for math then you might as well skip that class for the semester and take some fill class and waste your time with it. Now that wasn't towards the math department from what I can see that department has its stuff together and has a set of awesome professors in it and almost offer any class you will need during the summer, which now makes me honestly wish I would have majored in math. The math department actually has a set time for tutors to help others during the week and you couldnt ask for any better help, while the C.S. department has nothing at all no tutors, lounge, or lab (All which the math department has). Maybe if they can get this whole situation figured out and follow suit like the math department then other students wont have to come in on some guys first time teaching a certain class and barely knowing anything about the subject matter or actual flow the class should move in because he is forced to figure that out on a day by day bases as he prepares for the next class a day or two before, but for now I think it all may be lost due to the PhD frenzy.

I would like to make one statement before closing; the whole racism thing that most of the guys are ranting about is truly something I've never seen on the campus by a student or professor.