Chris Fox - James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Professor: Chris Fox

Department: Computer Science

College: James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CS227
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Dr. Fox is good at explaining things, very dry sense of humor and tends to go on tangents.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CS345
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

I would not suggest taking Dr. Fox. When I went to his office hours for help, he was extremely rude and snarky. Basically, telling me to google and stop bothering him. Lectures were boring and uninteresting, and he did not seem the least bit interested. Labs and project were the only interesting part. Highly suggest taking another professor for 345

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CS430
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Dr. Fox is amazing

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CS430
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

430 is set up in a pretty easy way you get 1-2 tests or 1 PA every week and then next week you can take a retake for lasts week quiz/quizzes as well as the current weeks. Dr. Fox is a good professor who makes the material pretty easy to understand, lectures aren't mandatory but it helps to go and see what will be on the current weeks test.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CS345
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Read if you care about your grade. I took Dr. Fox for the Software Engineering course, so make sure you and your teammates work hard on your group project. But don't forget about the readings and assignments outside of the project. He lectures once in a while, but there a lot of activities.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CS345
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Didn't use a text book, but make sure to read all the readings he posts. He is very nice and understanding. He is very approachable and does NOT treat you like an idiot at all (i saw that on other ratings, which is ridiculous). He is a tough grader, but he is def fair

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CS345
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Class is very hard and if you don't understand anything don't ask him for help or else he will treat you like an idiot. He's not very helpful either. My group went to his office hours, then did what he told us, then got a lower grade on the next "sprint" because we did what he said. Pay attention to the bs readings and pick a good group.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CS345
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Assignments and activities centered around Java was 80% of the work, worth 40% of the grade. Seems Fox gets his rocks off having students read a book he hard a part in, then completely focusing exams around that book for 60% of the grade. Most classes were group activities with no lecture on material within said book. Paid to teach myself and read.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CS345
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Fox is a decent guy but sitting through his lectures, you can tell the guy doesn't really care about what he's doing. He mumbles his way through most lectures and everything he talks about is word for word from the reading. His tests are based on 100 pages of .pdfs each which becomes kind of overwhelming. Wouldn't recommend.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CS345
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

To put it lightly, asking him anything brings out this insanely snarky side in him. When you ask him to explain something he wrote or directions, he literally just repeats it back to you. Also, his exam prep covers about 90 pages of notes and you'll soon realize that he only covered about 10 pages of those. Whispers through his lectures.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CS452
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Incredibly challenging class, but doable. The material was heavily math based and thus a little outside the normal CS coursework. If you ask Fox for help he'll give it, but you have to work to understand some of the concepts. The book was obtuse and clear as mud, but Dr. Fox tries to clarify as much as possible.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CS430
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

If you show up and pay attention you'll do fine. 20 Assignments, 6 PAs across 3 languages (hardest part of the class), and then in class and online tests (online ones are open book) that can be retaken once or for the final. Fox has a dry sense of humor and can seem a bit mean at times but if you put in the work he'll help and respect you.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CS345
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

If you ask questions or try to actively participate in class discussion you will be on the receiving end of Fox's abusive attitude, this is why I stopped asking questions. His lectures are totally unorganized. He mumbles a lot and complains constantly about repeating himself. Some of his test questions (coding) only make sense in his head. Avoid!!!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CS430
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Very helpful outside of class. Class was a breeze compared to what I heard about Grove's section of 430 --- You have 6 short PA's using 3 languages. No homework. You do have a test every Friday, but they are short. If you pass all the tests, you don't have to take the final.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CS430
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Doesn't seem to care about students much but he's very smart and you'll learn a lot if you can stick with it. His class was intimidating at first but everyone does poorly in general and its on a curb so just stay ahead of the next guy and you'll get a B.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CS240
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Really, the only problems I've had in this class have been with the programming language he chose (D). If you're having trouble with something, he'll help guide you to the answer.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CS240
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Fox is an amazing professor! He's extremely helpful and clear. Sometimes, he can make you feel dumb, but he's a fun guy. Really dry humor, and class can get boring, but he's overall a great professor and knows how to teach.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CS240
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Tough class but Dr. Fox is helpful out of class.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHIL250
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Thought this class was going to be about like "the meaning of God" and stuff but it wasn't. It's like math but not. I struggled in the beginning and then started going to office hours, they saved my grade! He is a great professor and will go out of his way to help with homework if you go and see him. If you put the work in he will too.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHIL250
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

If you like sudoku you would love this class! Its basically the same thing....but not. Prof Fox explains it perfectly and if you don't understand it, he has never answered one of my questions and still left me feeling blank.