With just three students in his radio journalism course, NYU instructor Rob Cameron can give each student more individual attention.

By Dan Fitzgerald

Decreased enrollment at NYU’s Prague campus has translated to the smallest class sizes that NYU students are ever likely to encounter. Currently, 136 students are enrolled in 57 available courses. Some classes have as few as three students.

NYU instructor Rob Cameron teaches radio journalism in Prague. His class has three students this semester but in recent years has had as many nine. “It has fluctuated wildly in the past,” he says.

Cameron says that the NYU administration has not put any pressure on him to boost his class’s enrollment. He says that the smaller class sizes give him a better opportunity to connect with students in a course which stresses hands-on experience and on-site training.

For faculty and students, small classes offer an advantage over NYU courses in New York. Ari Klickstein, a junior at NYU, applauds the chance to learn German in such an intimate setting. “I feel like I receive more personal attention than I would in a larger language class,” he says. Additional pronunciation practice and customized assistance all aid students’ learning.

NYU Junior Paige Hexton, a Russian student, does not agree. She is currently the only student in her advanced Russian grammar course. “I feel like I am missing out on the chance to learn from other students mistakes,” she says.

The highest course enrollment can be found Stern courses. Surprisingly, the enrollment of Stern students actually increased to 30 this semester, up from only 10 last semester. Students jump at the chance to take Stern credits in a less competitive environment.

Jessica Li, an NYU sophomore, says, “despite the existence of the Stern Curve, I find the professors to be much more chill. There are definitely less requirements, and it is more about working together than beating your peers.”

Smaller classes are turning typically reserved students into more active participants during class discussions. Nick Smerkanich, a Tisch acting student, says, “there is not a lot of room to hide in a class of two people, and incomplete assignments are definitely more noticeable.”

Some classes with fewer than three students have become independent study but no classes have actually been cancelled.

One of NYU sophomore Christina Apollonio’s courses, Literature and its place in Central Europe, was almost replaced by an independent study when its enrollment remained at two during the second week. “While the course was in danger, two last-minute transfers saved the course from demotion,” she says.

With registration closed, all current courses will remain open for the remainder of the term.

NYU administration expects enrollment to rebound in the fall.