<p>I was wondering what the English department is like at Berkeley. Is it competitive? Is English a popular major? Do they have any really good teachers?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>english is rather a popular major here. berkeley is tops in english dept.</p>
<p>[UC</a> Berkeley English Department](<a href=“http://english.berkeley.edu/index.php]UC”>Home | English)</p>
<p>There is a girl, undecided is her sn, who is basically the sole english major that posts on this forum. You should message her.</p>
<p>Oh the English department is certainly spectacular here. Someone I know just goes all out and has an absolute terrific time with that department.</p>
<p>I am an English Major and LOVE IT.</p>
<p>Lots of reading. Good and Bad Profs (like any school). It’s also a matter of taste (such as period, genre).</p>
<p>It’s not competitive in the sense that you are really competing with others, but more yourself. I got a C- on my first paper and thought I was going to die, so I had to work very hard all semester. Ended up with a B for that class.</p>
<p>The 45 series is the worst. It is an attempt to ‘weed’ people out of the major. I have a a good professor, and okay, and a horrible one for the series. It seems to be geared towards Freshmen.</p>
<p>I recommend: Justice - Early English Literature (Milton, Chaucer, Spenser), Tamarkin - Young, new, American Literature</p>
<p>Also, take classes in other departments teaching literature. For instance, the Slavic department. I hear anything by a Prof. Naiman is very nice – he teaches classes on single authors.</p>