Michael Near - Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA

Professor: Michael Near

Department: Literature

College: Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ECLS108
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Got goosebumps the first day of class because his passion for the literature he taught was so immense. He turned me from a psych major into a comp lit one.

Rating # 2

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

I will not take a class with Near again. Too damn hard of a grader. He has a confusing idea of what a 'thesis' is that's inconsistent with every other prof i've had here. He is definitely knowledgeable within his field, though. He can be a good lecturer when he wants to be, except for his lack of time management.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ECLS287
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Near is not for everyone; he has a very distinct sense of humor that some people may find offensive or inappropriate. However, he's a fantastic and engaging lecturer. He enjoys discussions with his students, even if it means going off on wild tangents. Consequently, attending office hours is very important for any class you take with him.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CSP4
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Near doesn't help you become a better writer. Rather, he criticizes your mistakes and rags on how bad of a paper you wrote. When you do go to office hours he talks vaguely and doesn't give definitive answers. He talks more about what your paper isn't than what you should do to fix it.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CSP4
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Prof Near is funny but don't let that fool you. He is very unhelpful and expects you to attend office hours. Even if you attend office hours he does not give advice but rather critiques your essays. Writing well does not give you an A. Being liked does.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ECLS320
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I like Near. He does go off on bizarre tangents sometimes, but it breaks up the class nicely. I think his grades are really fair and his lectures are designed to stimulate thought rather than simply hand you the answers.

Rating # 7

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

The subject was interesting, but Near just rambles in his lectures filled with his political views. The class is alright, but everything you learn is from the readings, not the lectures.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ECLS208
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

BORING. Class material OK, but lectures uneventful. Only take the class if it's absolutely required. He's a pretty tough grader, but fair.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CHAUCER
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 10

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

I was told that Prof. Near only graded well if you agreed with his opinion. Not true! He's a hard grader but if your essay's well-written, you'll get a good grade regardless of whether you favour his particular view. The only people who were bored in the class I attended were the ones who hadn't done the assigned reading. Near's also great to talk to in office hour, and has a good sense of humor.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ECLS208
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Michael Near is so cool if you talk to him one-on-one. However, he sucks the fun out of the material. And his grades were so random, I wrote A+ essays and came to every class, but received a B- in the class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

I recommend this guy if you need your sleep. VERY boring, meanless course content, do nothing for an easy A. THIS is college??

Rating # 13

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

My opinion on him changes from one class to another. I am so torn with him. He is very intelligent, but he is pretentious and annoying. He inspires a lot of great ideas in my head, but I can't stand him as a person. I would give him a B-.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: SHAKESPEARE
• 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:

Michael Near is a precious man. He's in love with the material and, although he may seem dry at first (and yes, political diatribes happen, I would say an average of 5 minutes per class) but it's all good, he is really intelligent and cool. visit him in his office hours! he'll love you.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENG208
• 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:

I loved Prof. Near!! Whether or not you agree w/his politics, he is brilliant. What seem like diatribes tend to be pertinant information in relation to the text being looked at. He is big on relating themes investigated in historical lit. to current situations. You must talk and be willing to learn.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ECLS208
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Near is a very fair professor; he gives yout he grade you deserve. He does not, however, do anything to help you earn a better grade. He is pretty unhelpful in office hours, and he likes to hear himself talk. He has a really interesting sense of humor, but I would try and avoid him if possible.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ECLS108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

he loves to hear himself talk. he'd lecture the entire class period and complain that no one else participated in the "discussion." he's really smart but knows it, and he's very arrogant because of it. yeah, he goes off about his hippie days in berkeley and tons of political ramblings too.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ECLS390
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Students who aren't serious need not apply. Near is a tough grader, but he respects and rewards hard work and is open to opinions different from his own, as long as they are well argued. Go to his office hours- he's loads of fun to talk to one-on-one.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CSP50
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I had a blast in this class. I wish I were an ECLS major so I could take more classes with him. It was by far the most fun I've had in ANY class. He is a little off the wall but that just makes him more interesting and class more entertaining.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ECLS208
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Many of the comments are true: Near is eccentric, tempermental, rambling, and hard. He often goes on long political tangents and some of his interpretations seem bizarre. He grades extremely hard. That said, he is undeniably a terrific professor.