<p>I put this out here because it doesn't just pertain to class of "two thousand fill in the blank." I've heard the best way to pick classes is not to choose by course but by professor. For all current or past Harvard students, which professors have knocked your socks off in lecture and make subject matter engaging/interesting/meaningful?
That make you want to change the world or at least get out of bed before noon? I'm already browsing through CUE but I think word of mouth would be helpful. Thanks.</p>
<p>i'd really like to know too! i don't have any first-hand experience, but i DEFINITELY plan on taking a class taught by Steven Pinker if I can. I read his book (The Blank Slate) and it's definitely knock-your-socks-off amazing. Seriously, a book that changes the way you think about human nature and life, in general.</p>
<p>Niall Ferguson is an absolutely AMAZING professor. Consider this: Does the result of WWII indicate that the Allies won or that the Axis lost? Yes, there <em>is</em> a difference. He literally makes you look at EVERY (and I mean EVERY) factor in history: economics, social trends etc., socioeconomic factors, religion, politics, effects of large and small historical "events", the subjectivity of history, how empire and individual actions affected history, etc. I could go on forever...hahaha. History 10b is a great class, just MAKE SURE YOU GET A GOOD TF. I highly recommend Laura Beers as a TF...she's great.
NIALL FERGUSON=AMAZING.</p>
<p>Thanks so much lowellbelle! He doesn't even show up in the CUE guide under professors so I'm doubly happy for this rec otherwise I'd probably go through four years without ever having heard of this chance!</p>
<p>Jamaica Kincaid.</p>
<p>Professor John Stauffer, who's in the English dept., is a great lecturer. He teaches a core class on American Protest Literature, and also teaches an English course on the 19th century American novel. I took both classes - the 19th century American novel was more enjoyable for me, but I think that's just because my TF in the other class made me want to throw her out a window. In any case, he's really engaging, so you won't fall asleep or anything, and he tells lots of personal stories.</p>
<p>Another AWESOME AMAZING professor is Robert Levin - he teaches a core class called The Swing Era ... best class I've ever taken at Harvard. He was the most enthusiastic professor I've seen in my life, he got so into the music (and it was such GREAT music), dancing around on stage and everything, and his excitement was infectious. The class in general was just a blast, listening to good music for a grade ... and you gain such an appreciation for swing and jazz, if you don't already have one. </p>
<p>I also recommend Professor Matt Kaiser (English dept.). He was my sophomore seminar Professor and he also teaches some larger course in the fall, and he's just hilarious (in a very dry sort of way) and really knows his stuff as far as English and Gender Studies are concerned.</p>
<p>Ann Harrington (history of science). She will make you so interested in this field.</p>
<p>Sell your first-born to get into Larry Tribe's class if you have to, especially if you don't plan to go to law school.</p>
<p>Robert Kirschner loves teaching so much and is such a great personality. I took his total gut Physics for Poets core, but I wish I could've taken a departmental course with him.</p>
<p>Ditto Prof. John Stauffer and American Protest Literature: (get this!!!!:)) from Thomas Paine to Tupac. You do your own protest literature project or research paper at the end. It's team taught and multi media-art, film, photography, music..... as well as the written and spokenword!</p>
<p>Ditto Prof. John Stauffer and American Protest Literature: (get this!!!!:)) from Thomas Paine to Tupac. You do your own protest literature project or research paper at the end. It's team taught and multi media-art, film, photography, music..... as well as the written and spoken word!</p>
<p>No problem :) He's a new professor, I believe, over from Glasgow, but he's staying at least next year...I'm fairly sure...
<a href="http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/%7Ehist10b...there's">www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~hist10b...there's</a> the class I took. Under the sections part click on Juliet's or Laura's and click on one of the documents to see what it is that we did each week.
Here, to make it easier...
<a href="http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/%7Ehist10b/Lauras_Section/2pm_section_presentations/%5B/url%5D">http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~hist10b/Lauras_Section/2pm_section_presentations/</a>
I'm telling you, I have never learned so much in my life. :) good luck!</p>
<p>OH and Robert Levin...I agree...he's AMAZING...I've never had a class from him, but my dad knows him so I went and met him, and we chatted for about an hour...it was great. I heard one of his concerts with the MSO (mozart society orchestra) and it was absolutely incredible. The University Choir sang Mozart's Requiem (Prof. Levin's ending) for our spring performance this year, and the man truly understands Mozart and Mozart's music. Unbelievable. Thanks so much for reminding me!!!</p>
<p>Hmmm, all these great professors in completely diverse fields leads me to a piggyback question: I was originally going to just pull from the recs in the departments I planned on taking courses in (like look through these recs for just primarily psych/philosophy/econ), but some of these recs seem too amazing to pass up. Like protest literature doesn't really excite me but it seems like it just might be worth it for the professor ? What do you guys think? Has it ever happened to you where you took a course you didn't particularly find interest ing just for the professor and walked out happy to do it or did you guys run into these great professors by selecting by dept like I was originally going to do in a field you knew would interest you? Thanks!</p>
<p>Well a lot of these professors are teaching courses that will fufill your Core requirements. Harvard is set up so that about half of the courses you take will fall in your concentration, one quarter are Cores, and one quarter are electives. If these don't fufill your cores, you have elective credits that you'll need to gain in some way.</p>
<p>lindsey: That elective thing makes sense, but I meant that the subject matter of the courses of these professors doesn't interest me. Normally I would think that when you take electives it is in subject matter you find interesting. My question is whether you should you current/past students think it's worth it to take a course whose description you don't find interesting just because the professor is really good. For example, if someone were indifferent to the sciences but heard of a great professor in the science department, would it be worth it to give that professor's course a try or stick with what he knows he already likes. Or another example: Pinker is supposed to be amazing , but I'm not very interested in linguistics. Is it worth it to give it a try and broaden my horizons in this new subject area for such an amazing professor? I'm wondering if any of you have made a decision like this and if you've felt it was rewarding even if you didn't particularly like the subject but liked the professor going in to the class. Thanks!</p>
<p>Well one of the great things about Harvard is shopping period. You've got nothing to lose by going to the class and sitting in for a lecture or two. Last semester I took a class with Jamaica Kincaid on subject matter that I wasn't interested in and frankly sounded boring, but after the first class I was hooked and by the end of the class I decided to pursue the subject matter from the class within my concentration, which I had no thought of doing before the class.</p>
<p>But at the very least, go to the class, look at the syllabus, talk to the professor, and see if its for you.</p>
<p>Okay, thanks lindsey! And if anyone else has any professor recommendations to share, please do!</p>
<p>definitely take justice with michael sandel...he's absolutely captivating and the in-class discussions/debates are phenomenal. it's particularly impressive that he manages all of this in a classroom (well, a theater) filled with over 1000 students</p>
<p>lowellbelle-I know a bunch of the people in that section! Frank, and probably Pier, and maybe even Rafael?</p>
<p>psych-Dan Gilbert is <em>unbelievable.</em> Has taught Intro Psych, but he's on sabbatical next year. You can read his amazing book though, Stumbling on Happiness.
Steve Hyman, former NIMH director, should be teaching a class on depression + ADHD + the use of mental "enhancing" drugs. He's an amazing guy + it's fascinating material (lots of tie ins to Brave New World).</p>
<p>Econ-Some huge names in the Ec department. I've heard great things about David Laibson. He's done a lot of psych/ec type work (behavioral economics).</p>