John Howie - University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Professor: John Howie

Department: Engineering

College: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CIVIL311
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The lecture was torturous. You can hardly hear him and will need to strive to stay awake. Takes years to get an email response. The course itself, however, was graded in a fair way based on the labs, quizzes, and the final exam.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CIVL311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

It is obvious that he doesn't like teaching. He ruined my interest in soil mechanics completely. The course material is very disorganized. There are no practice problems to do and the lectures were just terrible.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CIVIL411
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

The poster below me clearly doesn't understand the nature and intention of the course, and will likely struggle in industry. The course has industry guest speakers coming to discuss different case histories of geotechnical engineering projects. I.e, one KCB engineer discussed the Oakland Bay Bridge construction and its challenges. Great course.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CIVIL411
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Currently taking civil 411. I personally think this is the worst class that could possibly happen in 4th year. There is no main theme in this class. Every time there is a guest lecture, it is on a different topic. The class is more likely to tests your ability to take notes during lectures, rather than understanding the material.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CIVL410
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

In all honesty he is a great prof. I had my problems but going to see him at his office was always very helpful. I think you can't underestimate his experience and knowledge.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CIVIL410
• 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:

Very hard marker, and material in class not really covered, better to read the book. Doesn't really like to tell you when assignments are due, until the day they are due.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CIVL410
• 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:

Material taught in class was quite useless. Just study old finals. Decent guy, but extremely hard marker.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CIVL410
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Your best bet is to get the most out of his office hours. He's a reasonable down to earth guy in person.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CIVL410
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Do not spend insane amounts of time on assignments. The assignments are intended to show that you can provide a reasonable APPROACH and may be ambiguous. State assumptions, get results, and move on. Even if your results are ridiculous, your approach is what counts! Understand how to deal with basic cases and you will be fine for the final.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CIVIL410
• 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:

No support. Tougher exam than previous years. Kinda steamed about it.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CIVL410
• 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:

Worst professor ever. Notes are useless. Does not teach. Asked him personally for help, basically rejected me and told me to read the book.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CIVIL410
• 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:

Clearly knows his stuff but for some reason refuses to teach you any of it. Rifles through slides- you learn absolutely nothing class. Only moments of clarity are when students ask a question and he is forced to pick up the chalk and actually teach. Assignments take way too long and for what you get out of them. Just teach the course!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CIVL410
• 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:

Main Entry: teach?er Pronunciation: /ˈtē-chər/ Function: noun 1 : one that teaches; especially : one whose occupation is to instruct and not just ask questions to students, pause, then not answer, and then move on.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CIVL410
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He seems to know his stuff but the stuff isn't presented in a good way. Took the case history course and the guys from industry do a better job that all profs

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CIVL410
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

average class. insanely brutal assignments/project. quizzes (or RAP wutever the hell that stands for) are a joke, study or no study makes no diff. however, very easy final exam.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CIVL410
• 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:

well intentioned and a kind person. lectures were a gong show. in-class quizzes are hilarious... don't even think about reading for them - you'll do just as well. project was the biggest gong show ever. assignments get marked brutally. final was reasonable. don't expect to do well in the course though.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CIVIL410
• 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:

Good Prof, his in class quizzes are hard, but he makes up for it by giving a fair final.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CIVL410
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

His notes are not very organized and his assignments are time consuming

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CIVL410
• 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:

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