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Are all 400 level classes like this?

C

chrisms

Diamond Member
I'm taking Architecture 428 - Architecture and Culture in the Islamic World, it fills one of the general ed requirements. It is my first 400 level class.

There is no assigned book or packet. A graduate student lectured his somewhat coherently on the roots of Islam, but when the professor speaks in his thick Arabian accent he makes no sense. Not because of the accent but he will ramble on all over the place and not finish a complete thought. For example, "Muhammad moved to Medina and there are many scholars who say this can be attributed to his speaking to god and these sorts of things... but then when you look at the split between Shi'ites and Sunnis you can trace it back to the period after his death and.. the Arab world before Muhammad was made up of nomads who worshiped many different gods and it wasn't what you'd call a monotheistic society, but really.. and then.."

Now this is the only Islam-related architecture course so none of the students are expected to have any formal knowledge of Islam before this class. I am just scribbling random facts in my notes with really no foundation to build upon.. are most 400 level classes like this or did I just get stuck with a crappy one?
 
When did you start the class? if it just began, he's probably going to steamroll you down the road with a test/quiz. Then you'll know what you need to do to take notes & study.
 
wtf is a 400 level class?


at UT a 4xx class meant it was 4 semester hours worth of credit
 
Originally posted by: ElFenix
wtf is a 400 level class?


at UT a 4xx class meant it was 4 semester hours worth of credit
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It has a 400 level code. Instead of ARCH128 its ARCH428. I don't know what the hell it means, I think it is loosely based on the year of study most students taking the course are.
 
I started last week. I'm hoping he is at least one of the professors that makes it really clear what is on the test before you take it. Then there is a presentation later in the semester and 15% of my grade is "participation," which I hate having in classes because it is so subjective. The professor basically pulls that grade out of his ass in a matter of seconds at the end of the semester.
 
Originally posted by: Sentinel
400, senior level I'm assuming.

@ Kent State it was something around a 40000 level, but same Idea.
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Yes, 400 level are the senior level classes.
 
"We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell them stories that don't go anywhere. Like the time I took the ferry to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe so I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on them. Give me five bees for a quarter you'd say. Now where were we, oh ya. The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones."
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Originally posted by: MmmSkyscraper
"We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell them stories that don't go anywhere. Like the time I took the ferry to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe so I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on them. Give me five bees for a quarter you'd say. Now where were we, oh ya. The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones."
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Click to expand...

:thumbsup:
 
Originally posted by: chrisms
Now this is the only Islam-related architecture course so none of the students are expected to have any formal knowledge of Islam before this class. I am just scribbling random facts in my notes with really no foundation to build upon.. are most 400 level classes like this or did I just get stuck with a crappy one?
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Not to disappoint you but yeah, that is normal in a sense that it's expected. There usually aren't any good books for 400+ level courses because topics are very narrow and specific to the subject, heck, I took 200 level and teacher had huge problems finding suitable book so half of the material came from watching slides and taking notes. Unfortunately for you, as the classes' difficulty rises, teacher's competence typically does not. So you're stuck with whatever professor you get and if he sucks, you're are SOL too.

It is also not unusual for graduate TAs to teach some of the courses, or do a joint presentations - teacher lectures, TA holds seminar sessions. There is nothing wrong with TA teaching course too, I've seen one TA that was explaining material better than the teacher.
 
Originally posted by: MmmSkyscraper
"We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell them stories that don't go anywhere. Like the time I took the ferry to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe so I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on them. Give me five bees for a quarter you'd say. Now where were we, oh ya. The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones."
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

LOL
 
Sounds like you just got a crappy class. Of course, the level doesn't always mean anything. Some of the easiest classes I've had were 400 level, and I had a 100 level integrative studies that was BRUTAL. Higher levels don't always mean more work, tighter focus, or anything else really.
 
I just started a 400 level bio class that is half lecture, and half student run seminar. It seems like higher level classes are definitely taught more loosely and have more of the professor's own ideas and opinions
 
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