Don Byrd - University at Albany (SUNY Albany), Albany, NY

Professor: Don Byrd

Department: English

College: University at Albany (SUNY Albany), Albany, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: EN302
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

if you want to become a better writer stay away from this man. his creative writing class is where the pleasures, and dream of writing comes to die. when he arbitrarily decides to give you a poor grade, and you enquire why, he will argue elliptically with you until your will to reason is exhausted...

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENG210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His only comment on my first paper was "I dont know why anyone w/o a clue about literature is an English major or minor." I got a C and he did not correct me at all. His ideas are unclear and the material doesn't seem to relate but he expects you to make it relate. I would never take a class with him again. He is NOT recommended

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENG210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

awsome

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: AENG210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Didn't even teach. One class consisted of him talking about alien life, and somehow went on to discuss how he was glad to not have been drafted during Vietnam. Grade was based on three essays, with purposefully vague assignments, which I somehow never got what he "liked." Office hours were only Mondays from 7-8 at night, and he often cancelled them

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENG210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I stopped going to class halfway through and I still got an A. I think the grade is based entirely on the two long papers. No feedback whatsoever -- literally, not once. I've always had high marks in Lit, so no big, but I feel bad for the people who were coming in cold; they're going to get torn apart in 310 since profs'll expect some competence.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: AENG210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

he is the most unclear professor i have ever had. most people didnt attend class. ever. the writing assignments never get turned back to you so you dont know your grade til the end of the semester. stay far away from this one. the assignments he assigns are never discussed and he expects you to write two 10 page papers.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: AENG2
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I took his poetry class last semester and I must say that he is a BORING man! He never handed back our papers so you never knew your progress in the class and I spoke to him at his office hours; he convinced me that i would do fine in his class. The semester was finally over and he gave me a C+. SMH I do not recommend this class

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENG351
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Can't remember what exact course I took with him, but he was a decent professor. He really just went with whatever struck his fancy in each night's class. Was not expecting much from him and he didn't really impress, but I don't have anything negative to say about him either. Fairly easy grading.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENG302W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

VERY CONFUSING! BARELY WENT TO CLASS AND STILL MANAGED TO RECEIVE A B+. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS HAND IN ALL WRITING ASSIGNMENTS AND DO THE FINAL PAPER! SIMPLE!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ENG305Z
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Holy****. I've never taken a more confusing class in my life. I'm a writer, a certified screenwriter, and I have a good deal of experience but listening to this man babel on endlessly about lord knows only what was the biggest waste of time I've ever had to experience. Simply horrible so please save yourself the torture.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENG347
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I took a Poetry class with Don, he is a good guy. The class expands your mind and lets you reflect upon life. A very interesting professor. HOWEVER, I'd advise against taking this class at night after a already long day. He can get boring sometimes. The papers I handed in I never got back. Never knew my grade. Got a B when I should've got an A,imo.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ENG305Z
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

The guy comes to class every day with a completely random idea, develops it for class, and then relates it to a reading. its simply entertaining. your in college to learn as hard as we try not too. This guy teaches me something new every single class. if you DONT care about getting smarter, then dont take him.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: AENG419
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He rambles on for the entire class about...I still can't guess... When I would e-mail to set up appointments or for feedback, he would never resond.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENG310
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Don Byrd is one of my favorite professors. A scholar, a poet, a philosopher, a big kid. Don Byrd's far out discourse brightens my everyday. Tangents galore, grades very fair. Awesome guy to talk to.

Rating # 15

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

the biggest hippie ever. took this class when i was a soph and about to take him again as a senior. cool dude that you will learn from, but not in a structured way. just participate and write well and you will get a good grade.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENG437
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

* The Historical Imagination * -- Tailor-made for daydreaming. I would whole-heartedly suggest Don Byrd when trying to cure a bout with insomnia. No attendance policy (almost unheard of for an English class at UAlbany), so that's a big plus-- and you'll learn to take advantage of that. If you read/don't read, Byrd gives good writers a B, minimum.

Rating # 17

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

a secret to byrd is that all he wants is a well written essay with a good argument. He doesn't care if you're trying to be deep or intellectual. Just write well and prove your point and you'll do well in his class. I enjoy his class because he has no idea who i am so i can skip often (he never takes attendence) and all i have to do is write half ass papers on the reading.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENG210
• 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:

Professor Byrd has a tendency to go off on tangents, but he is trying to make you think about things in a new way. If you are looking for a professor who will teach 210 in a conventional way then you should not take this class with Byrd. However, if you are looking for a genuinely helpful professor with a unique teaching style he's a good choice.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENG210
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Give the man a break. Yes, he's teaching style can be tough to follow, but no where else on campus would you find a professor who is so fearless to tread outside the box. One can't help but admire that quality nowadays.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BEATPOETS
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Don Byrd is a brilliant man who is both philosophical and pragmatic. From reading the other comments it is obvious that he is a pearl before swine and his precious gift is being wasted on morons. I love him and treasure the knowledge he imparted on me.