<p>Does anyone have any insights into this department at Amherst? Are the professors and classes good? Is it hard to get into the classes of your choice? Are those who major in it interesting and collegial, or boring and cutthroat? Etc?</p>
<p>I visited earlier this weak and sat in on several LJST classes (Utopia and Dystopia with Prof. Sitze, The Trial with Prof. Umphrey, and Murder with Prof. Sarat). I thought all three were excellent.</p>
<p>Utopia and Dystopia had around 15 students (and oddly, about 20 visiting prefrosh). Prof. Sitze gave me a copy of the syllabus, so I can outline the course in detail for you. The first 3 weeks are spent with Plato's Republic and the next 2 with More's Utopia, along with analytical texts on each. Every weak thereafter is spent on a work of Utopian or Dystopian fiction and analytical texts on it. Books include Samuel Butler's Erewhon, Bacon's New Atlantis, Orwell's 1984, and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Class assignments consisted of two essays of up to 10 pages and eight "response papers" of up to 3 pages. I thought that the class discussion was excellent, and what was most impressive was that I was observing this at 9am the Monday after spring break.</p>
<p>I can't be as detailed about the other classes, but they were also very good. The Trial was slightly larger, maybe 30 students, and it also had good discussion. Murder was by far the largest class I visited, presumably because it is taught by Prof. Sarat. He is easily the highest paid professor on campus and the reason for the existence of the LJST department. Even though there were probably 80-100 people in the room, he seemed to know everyone's name and got everyone involved.</p>
<p>Those were my impressions of the classes. Since I'm not actually an Amherst student, I can't answer your other questions.</p>
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<p>LJST is a strong department. It is one of the most popular majors at Amherst, and the faculty seems to be well liked. Sarat is a legend, and his unique, engaging, high-energy teaching style makes his usually large classes seem more intimate (from what I've heard). I've had Lawrence Douglas for 2 classes, and I like him a lot. He's more laid-back than Sarat, but very entertaining and knowledgable. I have also heard good things about the other faculty, such as Nasser Hussain and Martha Umphrey. In terms of getting into the classes, I haven't heard anyone have any trouble getting into classes, at least in the earlier classes. It is possible that the smaller upper-level seminar classes are a little tougher to get in to, but I haven't heard it to be a problem. The LJST majors I know seem pretty nice and interesting, but on the other hand, that's my assessment of most students at Amherst.</p>