I studied English Lit. at Pontificia Universidad Católica about 20 years ago and I not only enjoyed the experience of being a college student, but I also enjoyed my classes a lot. I studied at campus oriente which in my opinion, is the most beautiful campus that PUC has got. Now my program is in San Joaquin which is big, modern and convenient but it's not as beautiful as Campus Oriente.I was looking at the current curriculum design for English Lit. and it seems there haven’t been really substantial changes but it somehow feels like there are some areas such as aesthetics and arts which don’t seem to have the relevance they did when I was a student.
I know some people that work in ‘Letras’ in the English program and from what they have told me, there have been important changes in two areas: number of students and motivations for studying English Lit. at PUC.
I have been told that nowadays there are about three times more students per class and this obviously has an impact in teaching and learning. Classes are less personalized and are more like a conference or lecture, this means that the way teachers and students interact is also different; there is less time and opportunity for critical discussion about diverse areas related to linguistics and literature and in all, less development of critical thinking skills.
In
terms of motivation for studying in the English Lit. program, I can say that
this is the point that really disappoints me. A colleague said that the general
profile of students in the program is people that come from bilingual schools
that are studying at PUC to get a ‘prestigious’ degree, move abroad, and work
in a fashion magazine or some trendy thing in the world of advertising. Others
want to become teachers, which is a good thing, but very few are actually there
because they feel passionate about literature, and I think that’s quite sad.
In
all, in terms of curriculum design and faculty members, PUC has a solid English
Lit. program, but a university program is a sum of things and an important part
of the equation are the students. I think that if you’re not passionate about what
you’re studying, and it tends to be the general profile of people in that program,
then there’s got to be problem with the institution or the curriculum design.
Luckily, when I studied there were few of us and most of us felt happy and
thrilled to be part of the English Lit. program.
I love campus oriente, but i actually realy like san joaquin too,
ResponderBorrarI thinks that san joaquin has more green areas-
It´s so important for all the university have a differents campus and areas for have a interaction enter differents careers, like usach universty, this don´t have separated campus.
ResponderBorrarI don't know no one of this faculties, but I hope have the chance of visit soon, maybe in the holidays
ResponderBorrarI think is very sad that some people study literature just to get a degree and without being passionate about the subject.
ResponderBorrarIn Fau will maybe be the same the next year, because here will be a increase of slots in 70 only in Architecture, so if the class now aren't too personalised imagine 2018 ones.
ResponderBorrarWe all should study something that we really love, and it is sad that people study only for a degree or money.
ResponderBorrarI think that in ours times is a common thing that people study in certain universities just for the prestige that they have. I think that people is more superficial and less interested in things that really matters.
ResponderBorrarI had an english teacher in the middle school, and he aspire to be a traslator to other people, but he are working in other thing apart of teacher, is strange how the people want to do a thing, but with the time they are in a different thing
ResponderBorrarI feel (in general) there are not many people who feel passion for something!
ResponderBorrarI didn't know about that campus, PUC has better infrastructure than us, that's sad, and it's also sad what you said about the students who are not passionate about their career
ResponderBorrar