Originally Posted by andrew22

half of me (the part with a vendetta against mac) wants to say: PLEASE RECONDSIDER coming. and if you are in Humanities/SocSci/Art just don't come at all.

Is there is anything I can do to help convince prospective students not to come I'd do it. please just look at other schools. pplllleeease. really I mean it. just stay away if you can.

This post seriously concerns me. I have been thinking of applying to the humanities, and I do know that the faculty gets joked about sometimes, but is it really all that bad? I really like the program choices and structure.

Why are you so adamant about this?

Originally Posted by chii

This post seriously concerns me. I have been thinking of applying to the humanities, and I do know that the faculty gets joked about sometimes, but is it really all that bad? I really like the program choices and structure.

Why are you so adamant about this?

They've been getting rid of a lot of humanities / soc sci programs at mac. They don't really get a lot of funding either. Most, actually, every person I know who's in a humanities/ soc sci course currently at mac is switching to another university.

(not trying to scare, as everyone will have a different experience butttt)

-Some of you will realize how they are trying to get as many of you as possible into first year classes as they can, with the cheapest short
term profs that they can get. (this might be true of many universities though) -
-You will find a lot of students here are only here to get a degree.
-Diversity only means you might have a TA or a prof that is hard to understand.
-Art hist is being canceled right now. Other programs have cuts and programs being combined to save money. etc. Wouldn't it be terrible if courses in a subject you wanted to minor in/ just wanted to take due to interest were cut half way through your university career? Why risk that by coming to McMaster? really, why risk it?
-It also isn't fun when your prof's microphone wont' even work properly and the school doesn't seem to even want to pay for a new one of those.
-Im sure marx is rolling in his grave when we have like a couple MC questions on a test to cover some theory he wrote volumes explaining and since your sociology prof teaches 100 students there isn't enough time to really teach.

(rankings will be skewed higher due to engineering/science students in GandM/Macleans rankings too)


point is some faculties might make you feel a little bit second class.

Originally Posted by Mz.Morra13

They've been getting rid of a lot of humanities / soc sci programs at mac. They don't really get a lot of funding either. Most, actually, every person I know who's in a humanities/ soc sci course currently at mac is switching to another university.

This is all you need to know.

Mac does have a strong life sci program and is definitly a great choice if that is what you want to get into.
In terms of humanities and soc sci I know several people in those programs who love it. Not every program is being restructured or downsized. If Mac has a program that you are really interested in it is worth the "risk" of coming here. If you are that concerned about program and course changes you can always email someone in the department about the changes and get more information.
The program I am in right now is a science one but it is also in the midst of several changes. Although some are not the greatest there are also some very beneficial ones. It all depends on what you are interedted in.
Don't let people scare you from coming here if it is something you really want. If it turns out that something happens you can always transfer.

Originally Posted by stephfraser

If Mac has a program that you are really interested in it is worth the "risk" of coming here. If you are that concerned about program and course changes you can always email someone in the department about the changes and get more information.
The program I am in right now is a science one but it is also in the midst of several changes. Although some are not the greatest there are also some very beneficial ones. It all depends on what you are interedted in.
Don't let people scare you from coming here if it is something you really want. If it turns out that something happens you can always transfer.

You can try to email admin about changes, if there to be big changes there is a 0% chance they will care enough to tell a prospective student about it.

You can transfer, but it isn't that easy. You will not want to have to admit you made a huge mistake, go through all the stress and paperwork of a transfer, some classes might not transfer to a program at another school, have to make new friends somewhere else etc. etc..


wasn't gerontology being canceled? and art history? and some english program combination happened? It really might actually be a risk to pick an unstable university where admin are going to change things around and cancel classes you might want to take. even if students and profs are against the changes, you will not have any say in it when it happens. i'd feel bad if someone went to mac all excited only to find things different than what they signed up for... : ( :(

While some programs may be combined or whatever, there are some others where new courses are available. For example, a couple years ago a couple Soc Sci were combined and now they are separated into 2 courses. Also, there are a couple new soc sci courses coming out next year. plus you're going into science so you shouldn't need to worry about soc sci...And although you can take other people's opinion into consideration, don't based your final decisions on what people say. You're the one that will be here so if you feel like you belong, then Mac is the right place for you. (after all, everyone is different!)

Originally Posted by paperplanes

Apparantly English/CSCT 1b03 and 1bb3 will not be offered next year :(. Loved 1bb3, one of my favorites I've taken.

Originally Posted by yum24

While some programs may be combined or whatever, there are some others where new courses are available. For example, a couple years ago a couple Soc Sci were combined and now they are separated into 2 courses. Also, there are a couple new soc sci courses coming out next year. plus you're going into science so you shouldn't need to worry about soc sci...And although you can take other people's opinion into consideration, don't based your final decisions on what people say. You're the one that will be here so if you feel like you belong, then Mac is the right place for you. (after all, everyone is different!)

even if you're in science you might want to take other classes for interest/fun.

Originally Posted by andrew22

wasn't gerontology being canceled?

Gerontology is back according to the undergrad calendar for 2010-2011 (http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALENDAR/current/pg1661.html).

Also, I was slightly disappointed at the cuts made to some physiological bio courses (i.e. Histology and Vertebrate Anatomy). A while back there also used to be Human Anatomy, Biology 4G06 I think). McMaster's biology department seems much stronger in the molecular/genetics area rather than physiology, and for animals/plants, rather than humans. There are quite a few courses offered in these areas.

But I'm speaking from a physiology student's perspective. If you are not really considering focusing your studies in physiology I guess that doesn't concern you so much.

Originally Posted by nh999

Gerontology is back according to the undergrad calendar for 2010-2011 (http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALENDAR/current/pg1661.html).

Also, I was slightly disappointed at the cuts made to some physiological bio courses (i.e. Histology and Vertebrate Anatomy). A while back there also used to be Human Anatomy, Biology 4G06 I think). McMaster's biology department seems much stronger in the molecular/genetics area rather than physiology, and for animals/plants, rather than humans. There are quite a few courses offered in these areas.

But I'm speaking from a physiology student's perspective. If you are not really considering focusing your studies in physiology I guess that doesn't concern you so much.

And the fact that 4T03 is only offered every other year.

& A lot of the muscle physiology/kin courses that are on our course list conflict with 3ZZ3 (required) every single year. :|

Originally Posted by nh999

Gerontology is back according to the undergrad calendar for 2010-2011 (http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALENDAR/current/pg1661.html).

Also, I was slightly disappointed at the cuts made to some physiological bio courses (i.e. Histology and Vertebrate Anatomy). A while back there also used to be Human Anatomy, Biology 4G06 I think). McMaster's biology department seems much stronger in the molecular/genetics area rather than physiology, and for animals/plants, rather than humans. There are quite a few courses offered in these areas.

But I'm speaking from a physiology student's perspective. If you are not really considering focusing your studies in physiology I guess that doesn't concern you so much.

I plan on going into Biochemistry for my second year major. Is there any issue in those courses? What about the course selection?

Originally Posted by Connor_92

I plan on going into Biochemistry for my second year major. Is there any issue in those courses? What about the course selection?

You should be fine. Mac is better with molecular/genetics based courses than with the physiology courses. Although I've heard that the biochem labs are underfunded and 4 people end up sharing pipettes. :|

bump 4 prospectives

A lot of people at any university are going to have different experiences that affect the advice they'd give you in this situation. Personally, I/any other student I've spoken to has never claimed to have encountered most of the issues that have been mentioned in this thread, but I don't doubt the posters have reason to warn you about them if they've been a victim to them.

I will admit, as a former Social Science student turned Science student, that the Arts students do get the occasional comment regarding their program selection. If you're set on an Arts degree, no matter what school you go to there is going to be some "Arts vs. Science" argument. That's definitely not unique to McMaster University (nor is it unique to Arts kids, as I'm sure many McMaster students can clarify that there is also some "Engineers are virgins, etc." slander as well), so I would hope that this isn't being considered as a reason to completely disregard the university.

But that isn't your situation, I'm just laying my opinion out there for other prospective students in the Arts faculties who are reading this thread, so I'll continue.

Course cancellations are something that occurs at any university. Personally, I've never ran into this situation, but I've heard of it happening. If there's no demand for a course, it's unreasonable to assume that the university will fund a course for the few people who want to take it. Again, something that would happen anywhere.

The only solid piece of advice I can offer is to visit campuses and discuss these things with current students, like you're doing now. I was leaning toward Waterloo before I visited McMaster - I knew right after I had come for a tour that I wanted to go here. The campus is gorgeous, it hardly snows in Hamilton (I'm not sure if that's a positive or a negative for you, but it was definitely a positive for me this year not having to walk to school in the snow), getting around town via the buses is SUPER easy, and most professors and teaching assistants are ridiculously friendly in my experience. It really feels like a unified environment, and I personally feel that inter-faculty communications are actually rather friendly. As a Social Science student, I never had the "poor program choice" razzing, and as a Science student now I've still never really seen it.

If you're into the nightlife scene, Hamilton is not void of bars. We also have an underground club on-campus, where most first years like to go on Thursdays and Saturdays (Thursday is the new Friday in university, by the way). The residences are really nice, and the residence programs are a really good way to meet new people.

Overall, I find the people really friendly, there's never any shortage of academic help when you look for it in my opinion, and the staff are really helpful if you have questions. As someone who switched programs and still sometimes has no idea what she wants to do, I can tell you from my personal experience (although I know others will disagree if theirs is contradictory to mine) that the academic advisors and professors really try to help students out.

In short, I'd definitely give McMaster a visit, and talk to students in Life Sciences if that's what you're thinking of doing. I have several friends in Biochemistry who love the program.

Good luck with your decision!

Originally Posted by Connor_92

Hey guys,
I was recently accepted to the Life Science I program for fall 2010 at Mac. I'm fairly certain that Mac is right for me, but I was just hoping to get some opinions on why people chose McMaster, and what they like best about life at Mac. Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated, and would really help me in the decision process. Thanks!

May i ask what average did they accept you on ???

If you are going into the commerce program check out the other threads!! :( things are not looking great.

Not sure how important a visit is. Don't base your decisions too much on trees or what you see other students walking around look like.