The University of Illinois - Chicago

Date: Aug 21 2012
Major: History/Histories (art history/etc.) (This Major's Salary over time)
I attended UIC for three years and my comments are specifically directed towards the education department, history department, and economics department. It would be unfair for me to pass judgment on all the colleges in UIC if I never attended them.

I must say that the College of Education at UIC is terrible and bureaucratic. I graduated to get a teaching license and everything they do is slow motion. The course work they assign in the education classes are extremely repetitive and have nothing to do with being a good teacher. I had to spend an extra year at the university because the department conveniently forgot to tell everyone that there were certain prerequisites required to register for the final education classes. (Completing a basic skills test within a specific deadline, obtaining recommendation letters from employers, etc.)

While waiting for my teaching credentials to process, after I finally completed every requirement, they would reply with rude email statements telling me something like

You are not the only one waiting. Don't even expect us to do you favors if you get a summer school job offer.

On the whole, the College of Education is terrible, disorganized, and rude. If you need an extra copy of something, don't expect them to make it for you at their office. They will tell you to go to a library to make a copy! What is the point of them having an office if they simply tell students to look stuff up online!

I received a history degree and the history courses are not really enlightening. If you take an American history course, the professors jump to talking about race and racism. My classmates for the most part would fit right in with the Occupy Wall-street rebels. The American history course were entirely one-sided that it was like watching MSNBC. And I am not a Republican, simply stating that the classroom is like sitting in on a Bill Maher taping.

There are some good professors though. I enjoyed Professor Sacks and his British History class. The other history teachers specializing in European history have been wonderful.

The economics department is wonderful. I loved the professors and they seemed to have everything organized and efficiently run. (Plus 1 for business!)

To conclude, AVOID the College of Education at UIC. You are wasting your money and valuable time. If you want to get a degree in business or the medical field, I think it is a pretty good university. But they need to clean up those bathrooms and stop treating white people like they are members of the Nazi party.