<p>I keep reading that Cal has the best English department, but WHY? I can't find an explanation of any kind. How do Cal, UCLA, UCSB, and UCSD compare? What does one program have that the other does not? I'm not interested in prestige as much as a program that cares about the student. Any information helps!</p>
<p>My guess is it’s the faculty and just the reputation of the area. Berkeley as a whole seems like it places more emphasis than other universities on its humanities departments because of the general liberal attitude of the entire Bay Area, whereas a school like UCSD, for instance, gives people the impression of being a by-the-numbers school, more preoccupied with STEM people. </p>
<p>(Not saying these are facts, just impressions I’ve gotten from talking to others.)</p>
<p>But you can’t really judge undergrad departments like that. Chances are if there’s a department at all, there are notable, hard-working, intelligent people in that department. You just have to be wise about connecting with professors/grad students/classmates. It’s as much about what you bring as what others can give. Like an intellectual pot luck :)</p>
<p>It’s something that’s been entrenched throughout the years, mostly defined by their grad department. Cal’s English department (and their grad work/faculty) has honed into some of the best, most defining critical theorists of the time, so throughout the field of English, it is considered one of the ‘best’.</p>
<p>They have some amazing faculty members, and because of their historical dominance in the field, they are able to attract the ‘best’ faculty members and grad students</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>