Already Behind?
It seems that my professors started classes two weeks ago and forgot to tell us. The phrase "hit the ground running" can't be emphasized enough this week. On the bright side, I absolutely love all of my classes. If I'm going to be up at all hours of the night researching, writing, reading, editing, designing, creating and planning, I should have a passion for what I'm doing. AU's focus on strategic nonprofit communications drew me to the program, and it's quite possible that I might OD on saving the world this semester.
Thesis Seminar
Pro: My professor likes my thesis topic.
Con: There's not a lot of research on it since it involves the Internet, forcing me to dig up primary sources.
In an ironic twist of fate*, it appears that my thesis seminar course is going to be the easiest. All we have to do there is research and write a 40-60 page paper. While all my professors are awesome, this one likes my thesis idea and knows the president of my nonprofit job.
Practicum
Pro: I get to develop a strategic campaign on a topic that doesn't relate to nonprofit job and hopefully involves the arts and/or children.
Con: This prof loves, loves, loves busy work.
Remember the lone professor who made us take a final? I have him again for my practicum. While he can be a stickler, I really like him and enjoyed his class last semester. He also teaches the best practicum section in the program, so I'm happy that I got into it. This course takes all the principles of our other classes and combines them with extra things that we'll need to know to conduct strategic communications programs such as media training and best practices.
Management
Pro: This class is a lot of fun, and the professor minimizes the workload for maximum learning.
Con: To my knowledge, this is my 6th management course.
While listening to my professor lecture in class yesterday, I was suddenly struck by how familiar the material was. For some reason, I seemed to know a lot of the history and background information already. How could this be? Management is a required course for my degree, so I just registered for it without thinking. I started mentally cataloging my courses at UT. Turns out, I took at least five other courses as an undergrad that dealt with management/organizational theory from the perspectives of psychology, political science and communication. Now, I get it from the graduate communication perspective. Thankfully, the professor covers the focus of the previous classes in the first few lectures, so there will be new material.
Communication for Social Change
Pro: This is an interdisciplinary course for film, journalism and public communications students studying how the media drives social change.
Con: There are a few undergrads in the class, so we have some handholding and busy work.
This class adopts a project in the community and develops a campaign that incorporates all the disciplines. Seeing that AU has one of the best film schools in the country, we're working with tomorrow's leading film makers. The final product should be pretty amazing. My bleeding heart
is quite satisfied to be in this class.
*I'm firmly convinced that irony is the driving force in my life.
Thesis Seminar
Pro: My professor likes my thesis topic.
Con: There's not a lot of research on it since it involves the Internet, forcing me to dig up primary sources.
In an ironic twist of fate*, it appears that my thesis seminar course is going to be the easiest. All we have to do there is research and write a 40-60 page paper. While all my professors are awesome, this one likes my thesis idea and knows the president of my nonprofit job.
Practicum
Pro: I get to develop a strategic campaign on a topic that doesn't relate to nonprofit job and hopefully involves the arts and/or children.
Con: This prof loves, loves, loves busy work.
Remember the lone professor who made us take a final? I have him again for my practicum. While he can be a stickler, I really like him and enjoyed his class last semester. He also teaches the best practicum section in the program, so I'm happy that I got into it. This course takes all the principles of our other classes and combines them with extra things that we'll need to know to conduct strategic communications programs such as media training and best practices.
Management
Pro: This class is a lot of fun, and the professor minimizes the workload for maximum learning.
Con: To my knowledge, this is my 6th management course.
While listening to my professor lecture in class yesterday, I was suddenly struck by how familiar the material was. For some reason, I seemed to know a lot of the history and background information already. How could this be? Management is a required course for my degree, so I just registered for it without thinking. I started mentally cataloging my courses at UT. Turns out, I took at least five other courses as an undergrad that dealt with management/organizational theory from the perspectives of psychology, political science and communication. Now, I get it from the graduate communication perspective. Thankfully, the professor covers the focus of the previous classes in the first few lectures, so there will be new material.
Communication for Social Change
Pro: This is an interdisciplinary course for film, journalism and public communications students studying how the media drives social change.
Con: There are a few undergrads in the class, so we have some handholding and busy work.
This class adopts a project in the community and develops a campaign that incorporates all the disciplines. Seeing that AU has one of the best film schools in the country, we're working with tomorrow's leading film makers. The final product should be pretty amazing. My bleeding heart
is quite satisfied to be in this class.
*I'm firmly convinced that irony is the driving force in my life.
Labels: American University, grad school
