Barnard College - Academics

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

The teachers at Barnard are really some of the college’s best assets. You will find that in contrast to other schools, the teaching assistants (TAs) only grade papers, proctor exams, and offer additional help on homework. This is not only true for introductory lectures, but for labs and recitations, as well. For the most part, teachers at Barnard are very accessible, and will accommodate students who need extra help. Professors have been known to even give out their home phone number, if the need arises. Of course, this isn’t to say that there is no variation among the teaching staff, only that the odds of getting a professor who will make time to learn your name and answer specific questions are very good. One of the major things that a prospective student should be aware of when looking into Barnard is that classes are open for cross-registration throughout Columbia University’s undergraduate colleges, which means that courses may be taken at the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), Columbia College, and Barnard College.

This means Barnard professors are tenured by both Barnard College and Columbia University. However, it also means you might, and almost certainly will, take a class at Columbia. The only bad thing about Barnard’s affiliation with Columbia is that graduate student TAs teach all lab sections and popular courses, like Calculus IA. But TAs aren’t all bad. They are just less concerned with student welfare in their course than a full professor might be. The best way to find out about a professor or a TA at any of the colleges is to look at the Web site, http://culpa.info, which is a site that allows students to give reviews on a professor’s teaching style and workload.

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Students Speak Out

cari410 says: Barnard College 2016 Social Sciences

The teachers are brilliant, and... The teachers are brilliant, and the classes are engaging. But that is to be expected since all the faculty in Barnard are not simply professors of Barnard College, but professors of the system of Columbia University. Most of the time, there is only one department for a given subject in Columbia University. Those few subjects that have an additional department in Barnard, have departments that are just as good, if not better than that of the University. The requirements for most majors are much more rigorous in Barnard College than at Columbia. 12345 Academics: December 04, 2008 Report

Anonymous says:

All the professors I’ve had were... All the professors I’ve had were friendly and available for outside help. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

I would say the caliber is... I would say the caliber is excellent and superior to most universities, based on my experience as a transfer. However, they are busy people and, as all professors seem to be, concerned with publishing and their own research. They demand that you be organized and efficient in dealing with them. Also, teachers at Barnard tend to nurture more, since they are accustomed to dealing with complicated women. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

Generally, I’ve had really good... Generally, I’ve had really good experiences with my professors. They’re really accommodating, very willing to answer questions and make suggestions. Every professor I’ve had has been extremely passionate about the subject he or she is teaching, which is always a positive thing. Their intelligence can, at times, be intimidating, and you do occasionally run into a professor who just doesn’t work for you, but that holds true for all schools. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

The teachers are pretty accepting... The teachers are pretty accepting most of the time and usually seem interested in what they teach, although that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re good at teaching. They are also usually available outside of class and welcome questions. 12345 Academics Report

Facts

Did You Know?

Barnard’s number of female professors is twice the national average.

At Barnard you’ll want to check out how many points each class you take is worth. Points are similar to “hours” at other colleges, but they don’t always exactly equal the amount of time you spend in class per week.

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