MPH Observing a class

[(orpheusloves)eurydice]

Hi, everyone!

If you have ever observed an MPH class, I have some questions for you. I will be sitting in on a class at one of my top choice schools soon. I have already been accepted, so technically this is an informational visit for my own decision-making process.

That said, of course I want to make a great impression, so please share any and all advice you have on how to behave when observing a class! Should I sit quietly and listen? Should I get involved in class discussions? I want to show my interest and ability to engage with the material, but I would HATE to overstep and seem cocky or inappropriate. What is the etiquette here?!

I've chosen to visit a class taught by the director of my (very small) department. This seems like a good opportunity to meet her and start forming a connection that could be a positive influence during my time in the program and beyond. I will likely only get a brief moment after class to engage with the professor. What should I say? Should I just thank her for welcoming me into the class and leave it at that?

There are also still department-specific scholarships to be allocated, and my class observation date will fall before the scholarship application deadline, so the impression I make could potentially be relevant to my position in the scholarship pool. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Thank you!

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[mexeldrexel]

Hi!

If you could, introduce yourself to the professor or TA before class. They may be welcoming and invite you to participate during class, especially if it a smaller seminar setting. If you can't introduce yourself, I would suggest taking your cues from the professor/class setting/students. I think a small seminar class would be a perfect setting for you to contribute to the discussion. If it is just a powerpoint lecture, of course, you don't really need to say anything, just enjoy. As you are a professional student, I have the utmost faith that you can accurately gauge if you are "overstepping" any boundaries.

For after class with the professor, some suggestions for topics include her research interests and how they align with what you are planning to study at the school, something interesting you picked up from her lecture, questions about student engagement outside the classroom, etc.

And I'm not an expert on how scholarship selections work, but outside of you punching the professor square in the face, I don't see how you shadowing this one class would have any negative effect on your scholarship offer .

Hope this helped!

 

[wwmmkk]

I gotta say I would err on the side of staying quieter unless invited to participate or unless you are very knowledgeable about the topic being discussed. Of course, take notes and participate in any group activities that happen if you're able to. Maybe I'm just a curmudgeon (likely), but I don't even like when my actual classmates participate without having done the reading or being otherwise prepared for class, let alone someone who isn't paying to be there yet. Take cues from the professor and other students... last semester there was someone who visited one of my classes right before a midterm and kept asking the professor questions that got him off track from helping us prepare. I was very annoyed and will definitely remember who that person was if they enroll next year. If you genuinely have comments and questions, I'd grab the professor after class or send them in a follow-up thank-you email.

 

[ConfusedAsUsual]

I did this before I received an acceptance from Yale back in December; it was a class that fit my interests.

When I arrived, I made sure to introduce myself to the professor (although she was informed I would be there). The class was about 25 students and they were all in groups discussing final projects. I asked one of the groups if it was alright if I sat and listened to their discussion, and I ended up asking questions about their projects as well, which helped to clarify things for me. At the end, I made sure to wait and thank the professor for allowing me to observe her class.

 

[n3t]

I gotta say I would err on the side of staying quieter unless invited to participate or unless you are very knowledgeable about the topic being discussed. Of course, take notes and participate in any group activities that happen if you're able to. Maybe I'm just a curmudgeon (likely), but I don't even like when my actual classmates participate without having done the reading or being otherwise prepared for class, let alone someone who isn't paying to be there yet. Take cues from the professor and other students... last semester there was someone who visited one of my classes right before a midterm and kept asking the professor questions that got him off track from helping us prepare. I was very annoyed and will definitely remember who that person was if they enroll next year. If you genuinely have comments and questions, I'd grab the professor after class or send them in a follow-up thank-you email.

I tend to agree with wwmmkk. At this point, you are coming to sit in on a class while the semester is underway. You do not know what was covered in previous classes or what was covered in assigned readings. The students paying to be in the course are trying to learn what is relevant to their upcoming assignments and exams; it can be frustrating when professors get off track answering questions that have been answered previously or go off to talk about topics that do not matter for the purpose of the course. Instead, I would take notes to engage with the material and write down any questions you may have. Then, at the end of class, the questions or comments you have would be a great topic of conversation to have one-on-one with the professor to show that you were interested and engaged. If the class is more discussion based and you feel you have a very relevant point that would contribute to the class, I wouldn't be afraid to speak up, but I would focus on observing the class environment to get a feel for the school, especially in lecture style courses. I sat in on classes at a few schools last year, and you can get a pretty good feel for the class environment; you can usually tell what would be appropriate. Overall, do what you need to do to figure out if the school is a good match for you without altering the flow of the class for current students.

 

[(orpheusloves)eurydice]

Thank you for the feedback, everyone. This is really helpful, and more or less what I was expecting (hoping!) to hear. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts!

For after class with the professor, some suggestions for topics include her research interests and how they align with what you are planning to study at the school, something interesting you picked up from her lecture, questions about student engagement outside the classroom, etc.

Thanks for the suggestions. I don't want to take up too much of her time, but I'd like to show my interest in her work and the school.

I gotta say I would err on the side of staying quieter unless invited to participate or unless you are very knowledgeable about the topic being discussed. Of course, take notes and participate in any group activities that happen if you're able to. Maybe I'm just a curmudgeon (likely), but I don't even like when my actual classmates participate without having done the reading or being otherwise prepared for class, let alone someone who isn't paying to be there yet. Take cues from the professor and other students... last semester there was someone who visited one of my classes right before a midterm and kept asking the professor questions that got him off track from helping us prepare. I was very annoyed and will definitely remember who that person was if they enroll next year. If you genuinely have comments and questions, I'd grab the professor after class or send them in a follow-up thank-you email.

This is solid advice. Thank you! That prospective student's behavior sounds so inconsiderate and tone-deaf, and I too would remember that person if I were in your position.

When I arrived, I made sure to introduce myself to the professor (although she was informed I would be there). The class was about 25 students and they were all in groups discussing final projects. I asked one of the groups if it was alright if I sat and listened to their discussion, and I ended up asking questions about their projects as well, which helped to clarify things for me. At the end, I made sure to wait and thank the professor for allowing me to observe her class.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm glad you enjoyed your class observation. I agree that being sure to introduce yourself and thank the professor is one of the most important things you can do.

I tend to agree with wwmmkk. At this point, you are coming to sit in on a class while the semester is underway. You do not know what was covered in previous classes or what was covered in assigned readings. The students paying to be in the course are trying to learn what is relevant to their upcoming assignments and exams; it can be frustrating when professors get off track answering questions that have been answered previously or go off to talk about topics that do not matter for the purpose of the course. Instead, I would take notes to engage with the material and write down any questions you may have. Then, at the end of class, the questions or comments you have would be a great topic of conversation to have one-on-one with the professor to show that you were interested and engaged. If the class is more discussion based and you feel you have a very relevant point that would contribute to the class, I wouldn't be afraid to speak up, but I would focus on observing the class environment to get a feel for the school, especially in lecture style courses. I sat in on classes at a few schools last year, and you can get a pretty good feel for the class environment; you can usually tell what would be appropriate. Overall, do what you need to do to figure out if the school is a good match for you without altering the flow of the class for current students.

I appreciate your insight, and you make good points. I will definitely err on the side of quiet observation, unless I have a really good reason to chime in. I'm not there to hear myself talk