Michael Underwood - San Diego State University, San Diego, CA

Professor: Michael Underwood

Department: English

College: San Diego State University, San Diego, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: RWS100
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Did not like his class at all. Makes students buy a $30 book of articles that he puts together (just look the articles up online). Only 3 papers throughout the semester each 5 pages but he never posts grades. The papers are also graded so hard that it's like impossible to get an A.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: RWS100
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Get ready to ready and be ready to fully understand an article on your own, there's quizzes on the readings. The readings are easy but make sure you read the assigned homework. Only 3 papers, 5 pages each. Underwood is a tough grader but make sure you go to his office hours and get feedback on your paper before turning it in.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: RWS100
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I loved this professor! He is definitely a tough grader however, you really learn a lot if you actually read and participate in discussions. My writing skills improved so much from this professor. I think the reason that I did well was because I always went to the office hours and asked a million questions. Great class!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: RWS200
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

very hard grader, also very vague and doesn't help much in what he wants in papers. Because of the fact that he never showed up it was hard to write something and know what he wanted.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: RWS200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He was sick a lot which meant class was often cancelled, which resulted in not a lot of explanation of assignments. I found the assignments and prompts to be vague and was often confused as to what I should be doing in my papers. He isn't an easy grader.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: RWS100
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

He is a really hard grader and if writing isn't your strong suit, like me, it's hard to do well. He cancels a week of classes before each paper is due for conferences which if you come prepared to may be helpful.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: RWS100
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

After taking his class, Underwood was a good teacher, but a hard grader. The class is based on 3 essays, 3 quizzes (based on readings), and attendance. The quizzes were easy as long as you understand the readings. And the essays weren't difficult it if you go to his office hours (I highly recommend). I'm not proficient in English but I managed.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: RWS100
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Underwood is a really great teacher but he's a really tough grader. Since the class is based on 3 essays, you have to do well on all of them and each one requires a lot of work. Classes were long and boring, but attendance is important because of random in-class assignments. The credit from in-class assignments help since there's only 3 essays.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: RWS100
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

very hard grader, and half the time his fellow will grade instead of him, so there are discrepancies in grades between person to person. Never updates blackboard so you don't know your grade until after the class is over. On the positive side, he does only have 3 essays for the whole year, only 5 pages each.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: RWS100
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great professor. Attending class is important because he goes over the material and outlines the essays and gives all the instructions in class- rarely posts anything online. Only 3 essays and some easy in class work. He is super specific and very helpful on the essays. Your allowed to skip 3 classes sometimes more without him taking points away.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: RWS100
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Underwood is a sweetheart who genuinely wants you to succeed. Actively opens the floor for questions, and takes what you tell him is difficult to heart in lessons and explanations. My class was three essays with a few reading quizzes sprinkled in. Doesn't use Blackboard, but answers questions about grades. A major help in my first year.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: RWS101
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

He is a great professor for RWS-101!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: RWS200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

So first off he did not show up the first two weeks of school, no warning or anything. He does not post grades on blackboard so you won't really know until the end of the semester. You get previous essays back a few days before the next one is due. He is also a hard grader on the essays and gives little feedback.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: RWS100
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Mr. Underwood's class was quite boring, there's no tests and the only homework you ever have is the essays but when that comes around, they're a lot of work. Besides that, that's all there is to the class. He grades the essay kinda tough but if you put in effort and come to his office hours, he'll acknowledge it in your grade.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: RWS100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is a very nice professors but his in class work was pointless. It was all busy work and you have to attend. He grades essays kind of hard but if you go to his office hours he gives good feedback and is clear on what he is looking for.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: RWS200
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Underwood is a cool guy and the class isn't terrible. He grades hard on the papers and the prompts are open ended but he meets with you before every paper which helps a lot. If you try hard he recognizes that. My writing improved a lot in his class. He also likes to have discussions during lecture and he likes people who speak in class.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: RWS101
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Underwood gets a bad rep but I loved him as a professor! Everyday he wears a Hawaiian shirt and he has that laugh that makes jokes 10x funnier! He's the usual type of professor when it comes to grading, how much effort you put in will reflect on your grade

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: RWS200
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Underwood is a cool guy and a good teacher. He is pretty clear on what he expects but also leaves the papers very open to what you want to do with them. He grades hard though. The papers are not too long and the work load is very manageable. He has a lot of good class discussions which I really enjoyed.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: RWS100
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Probably the most boring class on my schedule this semester. 4 essays total, last one is the "final". No quizzes. He seemed to follow this pattern of discussing the texts one week than the next week he would make us get in groups and share in front of class our section of the reading (Groups were a joke). Very tough grader. Try not to take if u can

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: RWS100
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class was really monotonous! Some of the papers were difficult to get started but after the office hours, they got better. It was an overall okay class, but my least favorite of the semester.