I just read a post that basically said don't go to Mac for humanities or social sciences because classes get canceled due to low teaching staff or something like that. Do I need to worry about this?

I'm thinking about going into either Political Science or Peace Studies at Mac. Can anyone tell me about these programs?

Thanks.

Do what you want to do. Why are you letting some random post on the internet scare you off?

I'm pretty sure that's a completely unsubstantiated claim - I'm a humanities/soc-sci student and I can say that I have never had that problem. And even if it were true (which I'm quite sure it isn't), it would probably be no more of a common phenomenon at Mac than at any other Canadian university.

In other words, don't worry!

I think what they mean rather is don't come to McMaster if you want to do something really specific. The school is running low on money (like every other university right now) so more obscure things are being cut.

Usually they don't cut it until after everyone in it has graduated (i.e. accept nobody else after year X and close the program after the last year of the year before X has graduated).

I don't know anything about Peace Studies, but if you want to go to a school more focused on political science, I think Queens is where it's at.

Originally Posted by Ownaginatios

I think what they mean rather is don't come to McMaster if you want to do something really specific. The school is running low on money (like every other university right now) so more obscure things are being cut.

Usually they don't cut it until after everyone in it has graduated (i.e. accept nobody else after year X and close the program after the last year of the year before X has graduated).

I don't know anything about Peace Studies, but if you want to go to a school more focused on political science, I think Queens is where it's at.

Art History has been on the chopping block (unsuccessfully) for the past few years. So, if you're planning on trying that, then Mac is probably a bad choice. Plus, the school is just bad.

There has always been (as in for decades) this notion that "humanities/socscis are in trouble at X university and will be cut!" It's just the nature of the game. They have survived this long, and will continue to.

Originally Posted by britb

Do what you want to do. Why are you letting some random post on the internet scare you off?

I completely agree!

While you can get great advice from the forums, you can't take everything seriously. There are always common views and stereotypes of each program at mac. And while some of them turn out to be true, you can't take them all to heart until you've actually experienced it.

Political Science is certainly safe from budget cuts or complete removal, considering its popularity.

Yes, Poli sci and English are safe bets. History is probably okay (not art history), and Peace Studies would probably be in a similar state to History, since they are related. I've haven't heard any history students complain, either at school or on forums, but I'm not in a faculty, so i don't have the most intricate knowledge.

Either way, its not like they'll come to you in third year and say "oh, we cancelled the program this year, please go back to year I and do psychology"

Dont come to Mac cuz the dihydrogen monoxide in the air released from all the steel factories increases your risk of getting lung cancer as much as smoking six pack of cigarettes every 17 seconds for 3 years does.
It's been shown in a study on the internet.

Originally Posted by djRAIN

Dont come to Mac cuz the dihydrogen monoxide in the air released from all the steel factories increases your risk of getting lung cancer as much as smoking six pack of cigarettes every 17 seconds for 3 years does.
It's been shown in a study on the internet.

Dihydrogen monoxide is everywhere in Hamilton, the craziest part is that it's in the food you eat!

Art History is probably the only thing you need to worry about, it's iffy. I've been in both social science and humanities, and I've never had to worry about this. Granted, in my program, some classes are offered on a rotation basis (i.e. is available every other year). But you shouldn't have any problems.

People like to say things about a certain university either because they're bitter they didn't get in, they had an unfortunate experience which doesn't actually reflect the university as a whole, or they're just immature and don't really know better.

Originally Posted by djRAIN

Dont come to Mac cuz the dihydrogen monoxide in the air released from all the steel factories increases your risk of getting lung cancer as much as smoking six pack of cigarettes every 17 seconds for 3 years does.
It's been shown in a study on the internet.

Don't forget that its a major component of acid rain!

Originally Posted by feonateresa

Art History is probably the only thing you need to worry about, it's iffy. I've been in both social science and humanities, and I've never had to worry about this. Granted, in my program, some classes are offered on a rotation basis (i.e. is available every other year). But you shouldn't have any problems.

People like to say things about a certain university either because they're bitter they didn't get in, they had an unfortunate experience which doesn't actually reflect the university as a whole, or they're just immature and don't really know better.

The rotation thing isn't just in soc sci/humanities either...I'm in science and many of my courses are offered by rotation also. It's just because it's not worth having a whole class for 20 kids every year, when you can offer it every other year and teach 40 kids at a time.

Don't forget that its a major component of acid rain!

And can cause severe burns in its gaseous form. I experienced that the day before a psych exam...it was awful!

Originally Posted by jhan523

Dihydrogen monoxide is everywhere in Hamilton, the craziest part is that it's in the food you eat!

I think i may of ingested a glass of it! Do I or Do i not induce vomiting? I'm really scared:(