<p>Which departments have the best profs, overall? I know each department has its own superstar, but which majors are full of excellent teachers?</p>
<p>If I had to pick 3, I’d say English, Political Science, and Physics have the best depth from top to bottom.</p>
<p>I say French and Political Science.</p>
<p>This is a difficult question to answer, as I suspect the answers you receive will be highly dependent on which departments students have been involved with. A political science student will be most familiar with the depth and breadth of expertise among the professors in his department and would probably be unable to judge neuroscience, for example, except via second-hand information or limited experience with one or two professors. </p>
<p>Every department does have its stand-outs, I agree, and presumably every student will espouse particular loyalty to his/her own department. After all, we can only fairly comment on the departments within which we are majors. Anything else would be conjecture. This is all to say, take all the responses to this question with a grain of salt! </p>
<p>That being said, political science and gender studies, of course!</p>
<p>KWU, please tell me more about why you think the French Dept. is one of the best at Amherst? My daughter is planning to apply ED, and wants to major in French…we visited, and I seem to remember she loved the fact that any french related class was taught exclusively in French.</p>
<p>I’ve been in close contact with five out of the seven faculty members of the French department, and every encounter has been fulfilling. The professors teach with energy and enthusiasm, and the attitude of the department as a whole is strongly positive.</p>
<p>Those intending to start out at the College will benefit from fun and rigorous training at the elementary and intermediate levels under the wings of a warm and highly competent lecturer, and three French natives, who lead small discussion sessions (which complement lectures) and actually live alongside students in the “French House.” </p>
<p>Of course, weekly film screenings, social events, guest speakers make the community lively and frequently in-touch.</p>
<p>The transition between introductory and advanced courses is fairly smooth, and the major is directed toward comprehensive studies of individual writers, specific time periods, and prevailing ideas. The popularity of French at Amherst makes for engaged students and engaging discussions.</p>
<p>To speak frankly–the professors are great teachers, and the major is chill and rewarding.</p>
<p>What type of reputation does the biology department have?</p>