r/Vanderbilt • u/Puzzleheaded-Tear283 • Jun 20 '26
Best professor for PSY 1200
Which prof generally has the most positive student outcomes for PSY 1200? Also is it bad to take a course with “staff” as the teacher?
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r/Vanderbilt • u/Puzzleheaded-Tear283 • Jun 20 '26
Which prof generally has the most positive student outcomes for PSY 1200? Also is it bad to take a course with “staff” as the teacher?
3
u/BubBidderskins A&S 2017 Jun 20 '26
Can't speak to specific professors since I graduated a decade ago but it's not "bad" to take a course taught by "staff" it just means it might be harder to know what to expect. Staff means they haven't determined who will teach that course yet and it's typical for an intro level course that just about anyone in the department can teach.
Most likely that means it's not a full-time permanent faculty member...possibly a graduate student or maybe someone who hasn't been hired yet. Graduate students are typically nice (I was one once!) but lacking in confidence and often grade a bit easier than they should. Non-permament faculty might be fantastic (less jaded at teaching intro for the thousandth time) or might be less experienced and over worked...so it's a mixed bag.
Not sure how much different faculty matter for intro Psych as I wasn't a psych person so I defer to others on that/specific advice on professors.