Michalakis Petrides - McGill University, Montreal, QC

Professor: Michalakis Petrides

Department: Psychology

College: McGill University, Montreal, QC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Very passionate prof, goes over material multiple times in class. You have to read the assigned readings from the coursepack, since they're tested, but it's honestly not that bad a trade-off given how low-stress his lectures are. Exams are straightforward, and the TAs are great if you're lost.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Petrides was interesting during lecture, but the midterm and final exam were very difficult and didn't cover much of the material taught in class. The readings are long and required for the final, which was basically all readings. Trisanna and her powerpoints were my saving grace. Lots of work, but interesting content.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Best prof I've ever met at McGill. You can feel his passion and love about what he teaches. TAs' are really helpful when preparing exams. Midterm exam was lecture heavy, whereas final exam was mostly from the reading. Recommend buying NTC and reading notes, but don't forget to attend the lecture and do reading on your own as well. Good luck!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Honestly the best professor at McGill and clearly the best neuroscientist in the world at the moment! Very inspiring and enjoyable course! He has an incredible, unique way of making difficult concepts easy to understand even if your major is not PSYC. His passion for the brain is infectious. Be prepared to study hard for the exams. TAs are helpful.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is a fantastic lecturer, that makes the content extremely interesting, honestly one of the most entertaining courses to take. Sadly, the exams are VERY reading based, which is annoying as the questions will often focus on small details. The exams are fair-ish but you NEED to read all the articles and take good notes to do well.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The content was interesting and (definitely) challenging, and Petrides clearly loves what he teaches, but the way the lectures are organized is just kind of all over the place. They aren't recorded and powerpoint slides aren't uploaded onto MyCourses, so I HIGHLY RECOMMEND 1) going to class and 2) keeping up with readings. (Don't make my mistake!)

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Here's clearly top in his field, so super inspirational. He loves his subject! Although he is pretty difficult to understand so focusing in lectures is hard. His TAs are amazing so if you go to the conferences you're saved. The class I took had NTCs too which are INCREDIBLE. Would take again but be prepared for what you're in for.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

AMAZING prof. Petrides is such a sweet man - he is always smiling. I've never seen somebody so passionate about the brain, and he passes this love on to his students. If you're not a PSYC major, like me, get ready to work hard. It's worth it, so interesting. If you're willing to put in the time, 15/10 would take this course again.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

It was very interesting! I'd say study hard for the readings in the final because it's a bit tricky. Ended up with an A because I did very well on the midterm.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

very very interesting course. The prof's passion is evident through the lectures. There is a lot of material to learn but it is very interesting and relevant to life and other cognitive sciences of course. by far one of my favourite courses

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Amazing proff and class. Extremely interesting material and very passionate and entertaining. He repeats stuff/stories sometimes but it helps you remember and gives you a little break from note taking :D BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ^the sound of him imitating the sound a neuron makes

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Straightforward and easy to understand even if you have no science background.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Best teacher I've taken at McGill so far, this class made me believe in my major again. This is a class that is worth taking

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

best MCgill prof I had He makes everything so easy to understand, I had zero science backgrounds but he made me interested in anatomy and neuroscience! Tests are super clear and easy, the final is a bit tricky but I still got A no need to fuss to much over readings, classnotes are a must!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• 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:

Tough exams, tons of readings but in a good way. It's impossible not to learn a lot from this course.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The readings actually contradicts the lecture material, and they were written decades-old, full of uncertainties due to the science at the time. Lectures not recorded, no notes posted on MyCourses, professor speaks out of his head without structure. You have to make your own notes for lectures and reading. Other than that, good luck )

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is super unclear! writes random stuff on the board. no powerpoints, no notes. complicates easy concepts.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Not sure why everyone recommended this class. The topics are not very interesting, he rambles on during class and scribbles random things on the board. The readings are difficult to get through and rather dry.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Don't get what the hype is for this guy. His lectures are rambling and confusing. There is a LOT to memorize. The material is interesting enough, but not so much more so than any given psych class. An average professor and class overall.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PSYC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

best class Ive taken at mcgill!