Donald Poochigian - University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND

Professor: Donald Poochigian

Department: Philosophy

College: University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHIL101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Don is a great professor. He is hard to follow, but if you seek him out and ask him to clarify, he will do so with graciously. He has a heart for young people, you just have to get to know him. Turned me on to intellectual history.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHIL101
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I'm currently taking Phil101 from Poochigian and I've learned to just show up and sit there quietly. I have an 87/100 in his class right now and the only reason is because I had a long sentence on both of my tests that he considered "run-ons" and took 6-7 points off for. Just show up for the test review and the test, that's all you need to pass.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHIL101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Poochigian is a professor that lectures the entire time. He enjoys telling stories and relating them to his class. I have taken many classes from Poochigian. He is very intelligent in his area of expertise. In order to have a clear idea of what is going on, attending class is beneficial. Ask questions, put in effort, attend class, you will pass.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHIL101
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

To do well you must: -outside read -apply -inquire He is very awesome. I got a 47 and 48 on his first two tests. I'm a math major, and I love learning and applying stuff I learn outside of school. That really helps here. I never quoted him during the exam (many do) because he wants original thought and he is biased to it (good)! Test Qs given

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: INROTOPHIL
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

If you think Pooch is smartfunny you are probably a goober. He almost ruined philosophy for me until I took a class with a different prof. He doesn't explain anything clearly and gets off topic, makes philosophy seem unnecessarily impenetrable for new students and turns them away. He may appear "smart" but in this field he is blowing smoke.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHIL401
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Poochigan is awesome. A lot of people struggle with this class though and end up doing poorly on his test. I managed to get an A on both test. What you need to do is record the lectures before the test when he goes over the questions. Then just write out exactly what he says.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHIL101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Confusing and overall lame. He does nothing but lecture on how brilliant philosophers are. His claim are unsubstantiated and leave little room for interpretation. Extremely close minded. He literally expects you to copy every word he says and spit it back out word for word on his essay exams. I received an A in the class and I hated it.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHIL
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Poochigian is the reason I became a philosophy major. To anyone close-minded, he can come across as offensive. He is extremely smart, and if you don't understand something and you take the time to seek him out, he would love to help you understand a concept. Philosophy really isn't meant to have yes and no answers and you have to think for yourself

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHIL460
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Poochigian is mean, rude, and boring. I could never follow what he was saying. I thought this class would be somewhat interesting but Dr. Poochigian ruined it. He doesn't respect what his students have to say and his grading is confusing at best. If you have Dr. Poochigian for Philosophy of Law... GOOD LUCK.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHIL400S
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Interesting during first semester, though tends to digress. Second semester with him and its just the same anecdotes and arguments as before (including constant yet unsubstatial references to prominent thinkers in quantum physics). He has no direction in lecture and seems unable to examine the texts. His grading also seems mostly arbitrary.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHIL101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The thing I love most about this professor is he uses intelligent humor. You'll only understand if you're listening. I can tell this man is incredibly intelligent, but he often digresses and it is usuallly difficult to determine how multiple ideas are related. If you end up taking a class from him, I suggest bringing a tape recorder.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHILLAW
• 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:

Intelligent guy, nice, but not a great teacher. Class is purely lecture. He tends to go off topic very easily. His explanations are not very clear, and he can be very confusing. I would not reccommend him, especially to a first time philosophy student.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHIL335
• 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:

Great teacher, both interesting and funny. Extremely smart, will explain complex material incredibly indepth. Classes aren't hard at all, he will go through the entire test and spell out the answers the week before.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHIL101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I would describe his teaching style as simply confusing. He doesn't take sides, but simply plays the devils advocate in class, which is good, but only adds to the confusion as to what he wants us to learn from the class. He is difficult to follow and doesn't use any power points, thus the class is non stop lecture. I wouldn't recommend him.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHILLAW
• 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:

Very smart but hard to follow, class strictly lecture with no power points. He develops reasonings and then if anyone disagrees he insults them so he imposes his opinions on everyone with no on to question him. He is very liberal but insults both liberals and conservatives. He is often very funny but also is very offensive and he thinks its funny.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHIL101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Extremely unclear in almost 99.9% of what he says. Tends to go off into space and then casually mentions, "you're probably all confused" and then laughs hysterically to himself.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ALLPHIL
• 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:

Best prof I've ever had in my life. Seriously. Complete genius.

Rating # 18

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Can not stand this professor. Most of us want to shoot ourselves after this class. Many things he says can be quite offensive. And he insults students in the middle of class when they ask a question (even when most of class is wondering the same thing).

Rating # 19

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

I took all of his classes because he is awesome. And he really makes you think in your classes. He is funny and interesting and his stories still crack me up - very relevant for class. You just have to be intuned enough to make the connection between his stories and the subject matter.

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Easily my favorite professor from UND! My friend flew from Croatia and I drove from NM just to see him! (well, maybe not just for that reason)