What should I expect on first day of class?

[shendy]

I dont start school 'til the 22nd, and with all the time I've spent waiting, I'm starting to freak out about the first day. Lame, I know... I'll be starting in the a literature Ph.D program. Any advice for the first day? What should I expect in the first day of seminar? I assume we wont just be going over the syllabus like in UG, right? Thanks, guys!

[fuzzylogician]

It depends but most seminars I've taken do start with a short organizational discussion of the syllabus and the course requirements. Some professors will give a general descriptions of the topics they plan to discuss, others may go over each item in the syllabus and talk about its importance within the bigger picture that the course will try to paint. If the class requires presentations, there may be some discussion of possible topics and the professor may point out suitable papers in the syllabus. There could be a discussion of presentation dates (unlikely, but possible) and if work is done in groups, those may be formed in the first class. After that, most professors just dive right in. Usually there is no reading assigned before the first class so it'll either be an introduction to the seminar's topic, or some professors simply start talking about the first topic on their syllabus. It's been a few years since my undergrad but I really don't think grad seminars are all that different.

Edited September 11, 2011 by fuzzylogician

[msw2013]

Like Fuzzylogician stated, the core first day consists of going over the syllabi, course expectations, course requirements, teacher's contact information and specific instructions on how to turn in papers and other assignments. Basically Undergraduate 101. After that, in one of my courses we dove right in to chapters 1 and 2. In the other remaining three courses, I had the opportunity to sit through long games of getting to know one another as well as small course exercises that clearly reflects the course that you are taking. It definitely depends but majority of the professors would like to take the time to get to know you and a lot of about you and what you offer as a student in your field.

Good luck.

[Phil Sparrow]

Especially if you're on the quarter system, with so few meetings each term, it's very likely that you'll be assigned reading in advance of the first seminar. Do it--if it is assigned, you'll probably be delving in for the full length of the class; this model is near-ubiquitous in my program, anyway. Well-prepared professors will give you plenty of advance notice for first-day reading, though there's always a chance that you'll get the type who will assign you 200 pages of Kant 36 hours before class (grumble, grumble).

Edited September 12, 2011 by Phil Sparrow

[Sigaba]

In my experience, first class meetings consist of self-introductions (the professor and the students), a discussion of the course subject, some talk about the assignments (reading and/or research), and often a library tour. Sometimes, students would go get something to drink after class.

IMO, one should not consider the week of classes as much the same as it was as an undergraduate. Yes, one can do so, but one can also make the choice to hit the ground running. (At the very least, one could rush to the bookstore, find out what books are assigned, and then, if the titles aren't on reserve, check them out from the library before anyone else does. )

My $0.02.

[runonsentence]

We're on the quarter system, and I've often found, as Phil Sparrow notes, that professors will assign at least some reading for the first day, even if it's light.

When they don't, my experience aligns with most others here—introductions, discussion about the course, and sometimes even a bit of lecture. Sometimes we sign up for presentation days as well.