Deborah Swedberg - Boston University, Boston, MA

Professor: Deborah Swedberg

Department: Women's Studies

College: Boston University, Boston, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: WS101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Her exam questions didn't make much sense. The grading criteria also wasn't very clear.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: WS344
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

She is a smart and passionate teacher. Not a hard grader. I love literature, and it is clear that she shares that love. It is refreshing to have a professor who cares more about your opinion of the novels than on making you jump through hoops with busy work.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: WS114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I enjoyed her for WS346 film class and got a good grade so why not take her literature class? Wrong. She focused too much on my grammar and less on stimulating interest. Too difficult for a one-level class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: WS114
• 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:

Way too hard of a grader and too much/unnecessary amounts of reading. The readings were too dry and long and she never gave out grades higher than a B. I get straight A's and do well in my 300/400 level classes but not this 100 level. The classes are all about the readings not about your personal thoughts. Do not recommend

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: WS305
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Class was super interesting, as were readings (though there were a lot and didn't necessarily cover them in class). Grades papers like an English prof, but curved grades in the end (I think). Pushes students to probe deeper in discussion- film theory was fantastic but difficult! Certainly intelligent and quite knowledgeable.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: WS114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

not very nice. don't take this unless you are hardcore feminist and will agree with everything she thinks. she will tell you if your thoughts on a book/idea are wrong. doesn't really try to hide it if she doesn't like someone. most of the books were horrible and boring/inappropriate, but one or two were good. i think she gave b's for everything.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: WS114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Do not bother stating your opinion in this class. Whatever you say will be wrong unless you agree with her! She can just be stupid! She is not interested in helping her students.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: WS114
• 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:

Very friendly and knowledgeable. Some of the reading material a bit dull but overall, very interesting. She genuinely enjoys listening to students' opinions and never puts anyone down. A lot of reading. Essays not too bad as long as you put some thought into it; but she grades extremely harsh sometimes.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: WS346
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

class was very fun, discussions were stimulating. it's refreshing to have a professor who GENUINELY wants to hear and cares about your opinion. definitely not a hard grader, and likes to help her students if they're having trouble.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: WS305
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

hard grader. ambiguous assignments. fun class discussions but grades more like a writing prof than a women's studies lecturer. not exactly fair

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: WS114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

not a great class- pretty boring- essay topics are vague but can be easy to B.S. Says grade is based a lot on class participation but it really isn't. expect to get a B or below- deffinetly no A's even though you might deserve one.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: WS114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class sucks. A lot of reading, ambiguous essay questions, and unfair grading. Spent the semester talking about utopias--a BIG waste of time.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: WS305
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

very smart woman, class is more thinking and idea focused than papers and exams. she's a much easier grader if you go to her office hours, a very nice person, but sometimes the class gets off topic

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: WS305
• 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: Mandatory

Comment:

She was awesome and definitely not too hard of a grader. There is a decent amount of reading but most of it is interesting and the class discussions are great. I would recommend this class to anyone. She is also really helpful in office hours in terms of developing a thesis or paper topic.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: WS114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Ehh... not good. She is too strict in grading papers, and the class is usually very boring. She gives good interpretations of the books but only rarely. Mostly it's just class discussion and way too much reading. The films are good.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: WS114
• 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:

lots of reading and group discussion but a great class