What do grad students say about their professors?

The teacher-student relationship depends on one’s host country and the program. It seems like Japan is the most formal and the US is the least in the teacher-student dialogue. Also, students who found themselves in art colleges like Yeyey Cruz and Victoria Goseco appeared to be more casual with their relationships than their business school counterparts (Eric Franco, Reggie Galang). It also seems that there is much more concern about competition in the business or politics-related disciplines.

England

No one was called Sir or Miss or Ma’am. Unless you’ve been in grad school in Manila, perhaps this could never have happened to you. And Sir was reserved for people who’d been knighted by the Queen or something. They were all David, Teresa, Martin, etc.—Yeyey Cruz, Curating Contemporary Art, Royal College of Art, London

Classes here are easier compared to the graduate classes in UP. Teachers are great, styles vary and their relationship with students is amazing – first name basis!—Rommel Feria, Biomedical Systems Engineering, Imperial College, London

Very open, they looked forward to one-on-one situations with students.—Charina Quizon, MBA-International Business, University of Birmingham, Birmingham

Much more informal which was good, and a lot more participative. You were also expected to have a more in-depth level of work, “haven’t read it” is not an excuse, neither is “we don’t have that in Asia.” The teachers in general don’t check your daily progress so if you haven’t been keeping up with the reading, it just shows at the end of your exams.

Every thing is a discussion rather than a lecture. The system here is you have a personal tutor so you have someone you can approach when you need advice on things from how to answer an essay question to problems with other professors.

Going to the pub with them after class was a regular occurrence, as was the occasional club or dinner at their house. Some of them, them tended to be wary of foreign students at the beginning though, fearing some culture clash, I think.—Ningning Achacoso, International Relations, University of Leeds, Leeds

USA

No one waits to be acknowledged by the professor in the US. Very rude if you ask me. They call it being assertive though. Whatever. Much more interactive here in the US. I like that. Professors and students have a much more easy-going relationship than in the Philippines. Less dogmatic in the teaching approach. Some teachers actually care. Surprise. Most of them do not.

In the Philippines very few of the college professors had to worry about publishing or perishing, much less writing grants. They actually concentrated on teaching. I miss that.—Rhoel Dinglasan, PhD Vector Biology, Yale University, Connecticut

Same amount of enthusiasm, but more consistent quality and deeper knowledge here.—Eric Franco, MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business, California

Teachers usually go by their first names, even if they’re pretty established. They have fairly different teaching styles that you can learn from if YOU make an effort.—Vanessa Go, PhD Education, Columbia University, New York

I had to get used to being comfortable calling my professors by their first name, saying ‘hi how are you Paul’. Not much, ma’am, sir, Good morning. Very casual.—Ma. Victoria Goseco, Historic Preservation, Columbia University, New York

Professors are approachable and less status-conscious, teachers have a genuine interest in students.—Joy Quintana, Masters in International Public Policy, SAIS-Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC

Very collegial and informal. We call the professors by their nicknames, drop by their offices any time of the day, have dinner or picnics at their homes, meet them at the bar, etc.—Ari Mallare, Business, Cornell University/Johnson School, Ithaca, New York

Students are treated as customers, and they make sure that you get what you pay for. The professors were always accessible.—Reggie Galang, New York University/Stern School of Business, New York

Japan

Japan is different…the professors here should be respected – never embarrass a professor in front of the class. Classes, hmmm almost the same but not really. Japan’s education system is very different from the west… it is more of a group than an individual effort—Brian Boo Gozun, Policy Science, Saitama University, Saitama