Nicholas Smiar - University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI

Professor: Nicholas Smiar

Department: Social Work

College: University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HNRS358
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Smiar knows a lot about myriad topics, so I can understand how many would think he is condescending. However, he is there to help his students. If you do not understand something, ask! Dr. Smiar grew up in an age when education was more rigorous, so you have to forgive some of his old-school teaching practices.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HNRS138
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

For a 100-level, this class was unbelievably stressful. 100 total points means no room for error, and once they're gone you can't get them back. Ambiguous rules for assignments and then you lose points everywhere. Subject matter is interesting but not presented in an engaging way; almost no class discussion.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HNRS104
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Smiar was very knowledgeable about the subject he taught (in this case, religion), but there was little to no discussion in the class. The grading scale was very difficult, and there weren't many opportunities to make up points. He came off as condescending a lot, but talking to him one on one outside of class was slightly better.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HNRS104
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He expects you to always attend class and be serious about learning. He is really hard to communicate with and his lectures are extremely boring but he is very knowledgable about anything Greek.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HNRS104
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He was very rude to students and to visiting speakers. We had to write a 15 page research paper and four 5 page reflection papers for this level 100 class. He is an impossible grader and gives no real feedback on how to improve. He was also extremely disorganized and forgetful, which made the course even more frustrating. Avoid at all costs!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: 383
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is extremely rude and comes off mean or angry frequently. He is teaching seniors but making us feel like kindergarteners. He knows what he is talking about but in no way should he be teaching this level of a course and completely changing every standard all professors have held for us and raising it to an impossible high. Good luck.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HNRS104
• 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:

He is not good at getting back to you and he is not understanding. He has a huge ego and is not helpful. You can use notes on the tests so they are pretty easy but he otherwise seems to be in his own world and no help.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HONOR104
• 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:

He was really hard to follow! He knows a lot, but it is not able to explain it in a way that is understandable to students. He talks the whole time and doesn't engage the clas. Half of my class fell asleep every day. We go over a lot of random stuff, but nothing seems to stick out as important

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: IDIS100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The lectures were often really pointless, I feel like I could have missed every class and still done good on the exams. All exams were open notes which was nice. I didn't like participating in the class because whatever anyone said it wasn't exactly what Dr. Smiar wanted to hear. He is very intelligent and only his answer is correct.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: IDIS100
• 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:

Random pointless lectures everyday. We never study the text but tests are straight from it. Can only miss 2 classes, excused or o/w. Will mark all over papers even if grammatically correct just because HE would have written it differently. Makes me want to scream! Nice guy though. engages students well. Tests are easy enough. I just didn't like him

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HNRS104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Smiar knows A LOT, sometimes too much, and sometimes he seems like he's showing off how much he knows. He expects a lot of reading, but it's not absolutely necessary to get a good grade. VERY picky when grading papers. Tests are easy, open book. Gives a lot of information but you come away with a much greater understanding of the subject

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: SW285
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Smiar is a very smart man. Sometimes too smart and too much knowledge. He is the type of man I wouldnt mind sitting and talking to outside of class. Very hard grader on essays, everytime I got a paper back it looked like he hemmoraged all over the entire thing, and I am normally a very good writer!!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: SW285
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Smiar should be teaching at a graduate school, since his level of intellectual functing is beyond most students. Open book/open note exams, but they were still difficult. U need excellent writing skills for this class.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: SW285
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very egotisical!! And uses favortism towards students. Very difficult grading scale.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: SW285
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

needs to make it more interesting..after all it is the history of social work

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: SW285
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

very nice men, just have to be present every class, and do a good reserch paper

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: SW285
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Smiar is really intelligent, if a bit egotistical. He knows his stuff and how to explain it, although he is not too open to accepting the ideas of students when he asks questions. The class itself was sort of hard. I didn't really have to read the book though. All tests are open-note, open-book, so no thorough studying is necessary.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: IDIS100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Painstakingly boring, but very helpful when you need it. He knows what he's talking about, but often doesn't know how to answer student questions and ends up apologizing for insulting them at the end. He is a good person.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: IDIS100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

no one is right but him...he knows a lot about what he's teaching, and is quite boring. Open note tests...mandatory attendance...pretty easy class.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: IDIS100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Awesome teacher, knows a lot! Can get boring at times but personally I found the tests easy, lots of mulitiple choice. Dr. Smiar will do anything you ask of him and more if you need help.