Christopher Gowans - Fordham University - Rose Hill, Bronx, NY

Professor: Christopher Gowans

Department: Philosophy

College: Fordham University - Rose Hill, Bronx, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHIL1000
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

I LOVE Prof. Gowans. He's hilarious and makes the dry material interesting with his personal anecdotes. He is a tough grader but gives helpful feedback and is willing to help you with your papers during office hours. I took him for my EP1 and he helped guide us through understanding what was expected of us. 3 papers and 2 tests total.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: DAOZENPHIL1
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Gowans is great, 2nd class w/ him, 1st was happiness & WB. Lectures are drier in this one, but prob bc material isn't as exciting. lots of readings & loves participation but show effort in papers/class & u will do fine. not too tough grader if u put in decent effort. 1 paper, 1 pres, TH midterm, advanced notice essay final, weekly reflections.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HAPP100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Take his happiness and well-being course if you have any sort of open-mindedness to you or want to make some meaning of your life. The variety of theories we studied was great and I am indebted to him for opening the door to a world of self-cultivation philosophies that I have been personally incorporating into my own life. Don't sleep on this one!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHIL1000
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Gowans is a good teacher, but his lectures tend to be very dry and uninteresting. Some examples he gives don't make sense. Only gives two papers throughout the semester, so you have to hope they're good to do well in this class. Overall, not the greatest class, but not the worst. As a person, he's accessible and helpful to talk to.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHIL4301
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

really enjoying his Happiness & Well-Being course. nice guy, if you don't mind powerpoint and discussion classes, pretty easy. Asian philosophies are his passion, so always good classes from him. haven't done my final paper or exam yet, but he hasn't graded other small written stuff harshly. readings are average length. interesting stuff!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHIL3000
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Teaching style for an ethics class is from powerpoint. Not very ethical. Makes you memorize terms and material for midterm. Papers are mostly open ended which is a plus but is a tough grader----its a hit or miss with them. Need to do 10 "journals online", 3 papers, midterm and final.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHIL3759
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Gowans is an extremely kind prof. Not the most exciting lecturer though... I'd recommend taking his Buddhism or Asian phil classes, as those are his specialty. Really nice and helpful in office hours. Fair grader. Not too many assignments. If you're a philosophy major, it's nothing new in terms of class expectations.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHIL1200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

2 tests and 2 papers. the papers are relatively easy but the tests are very difficult. even if you answer everything correctly he will find something wrong with it. he uses powerpoints and posts class precies which are helpful for understanding the philosophers

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHRU0000
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Discourages note-taking because he hides his incompetence behind powerpoint presentations. Doesnt include heavier philosophical works in the course because "those are harder and im not qualified to teach them". Its easy to get a good grade once you figure out what he wants (crystal-clear writing i.e. who what when where why how) but why suffer?

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHRU1200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His lectures can be very boring but his blackboard notes are detailed so that helps since his book can be confusing. He only gives two papers, a midterm and a final.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHRU0001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Some of his lectures may be boring, but he is very clear, and his presentations are very note-taking friendly. He makes you earn your grade, but it's still totally possible to do well, you just have to put in the work.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CSRU3000
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lectures are boring, notes are useless. Makes you read his own book. (Which is poorly written and convoluted) Accuses you of plagiarism if you don't cite properly.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ETHIC1100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

2 papers, midterm, and final. 2 of the 4 books you read are his books, that should be your first red flag. Extremely boring to listen to, takes attendence every class and gives pop quizzes if nobody reads. We didn't do much ethics (despite the name of the class) we read his Buddha books instead. Also he whistles any S at the end of a word.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHRU1100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

o m g....he is horrible. beware, very boring, TOUGH grader, has favorites, makes you take ridiculous quizzes at 830 in the morning because no one reads, well if we read interesting things then we would read. PLEASE STAY AWAY!!!!! he DESTROYED my gpa and i did ALL the work and met with him 4 times.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHRU1100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

his class was the most boring class i have ever been a part of! his tests were very difficult and he grades very unfairly! beware...

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ETHIC2000
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

you dont need to do the reading, but dont think that this means he is easy. I studied 15 hrs for the midterm and got a B, and hoping for the same on the final. He covers very random topics, very vaguely so it is a struggle to make sense of. Its a challenge of a class for a darn core but definately doable. 2 papers, midterm, final, study hard!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHRU1100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

When a professor makes you read not 1 but 2 of his books you know theres trouble. Very hard grader and unclear in class. Understands is a Core class and nobody wants to be there but tries to keep your attention. Midterm Final and 2 papers. Better than some other professors

Rating # 18

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Hes not Jay Leno, but he knows his stuff and gives clear answer.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHILOSOPHY
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Same old, typical reviews. Gowans is an extremely smart guy, but no one knows because no one wants to. Memorization...because you want to just barely get by. If you care about philosophy, you'll talk to him and learn what it means to think. Read his book on ethics, too, you lazy people. Go beyond what is required...if you think you're in preschool.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ETHICS
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Nice guy. All you need is his notes. You don't really need the reading but his lectures are usually dry...once in a while a joke will pop up but still....5 minutes seemed like an hour