Robert Kusner - University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Professor: Robert Kusner

Department: Mathematics

College: University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MATH425
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great guy at heart, but seemed to have zero interest in actually teaching. Would go on random tangents very often and when he was explaining concepts he would always just twist it into something about topography. Pretty sure the second half of the course was stuff he made up, doesn't use the book whatsoever. Overall, not too hard, but did not learn

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MATH425
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

You have to sit through this class. Rob is the G.O.A.T

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MATH235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very intelligent, but also one of those crazy math profs. HW is on mymathlab so you don't really need to go to lectures to get it done. Its not that he's disorganized, its just the way he writes all over four blackboards that makes it hard to take notes. My advice, do the section hw/read/take notes before attending lectures and just listen.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MATH235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Answer questions during class and clarify. Goes on rants sometimes but that's fine. Don't really have to attend class because the homework explains everything, but when you do attend class, he's a nice guy. Tries to crack some jokes. His lecture notes can be confusing since he'll connect notes from one board to another. Tries to know the students.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MATH425
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very nice, caring guy. He genuinely wants everyone to succeed, and is a firm believer in learning, he'll make time to help you. Exams count as much as a homework. He goes on tangents a lot, but it's always quite interesting. If you like maths and don't mind researching interesting topics to do some of the homework, you will really enjoy this class!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MATH425
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very nice guy. He is available to students and is helpful if you know what problems you're having. Startlingly disorganized. Lectures were hard to follow and notes were difficult to take. Tests were hard and covered application which was neither on the HW nor in lecture. HW can not be solved by attending lecture. Textbooks didn't help much.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MATH425
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's a very nice guy who cares about student's success. however, his lectures have no organization, have random tangents, not related to homework, and the book is useless. if you force him to pity you and teach you the way you learn, you will get something out of it. otherwise god help you

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: 233H
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Rob is the man! Ignore the poor reviews below; you won't find a more amusing and thought-provoking lecturer in the math department.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MATH235
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lectures are fun but at the same time they suck. Because he doesn't take his pedagogical duty seriously. In lecture he is just messing around. He explains math like a stoner explains a good trip, which for him I believe it is, but still. He'll treat you like his buddy. If you need help you have to beg for him to treat you like his student.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MATH235
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Awful. Never taught the basics, only talked about advanced topics, but mostly history and politics. He's a good guy but I wish I had received a lower grade so I could take the class with someone that had the attention span greater than that of a banana.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: 235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Probably the nicest guy you'll ever meet. Extremely smart, but he has trouble getting his point across and teaching you the material. The book was a huge help, and I learned a lot about a lot of various things from this guy, usually unrelated to the course. Use the book and ask questions and you'll be just fine.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: 563
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He's as disorganized as one can possibly be, so if you aren't good at math, pick someone else, he'll be impossible. If you're a mathematician, for the same reason, you'll note his lack of formality. On the other hand, if you're good at math but not interested in formalities (e.g. fellow physicists), then he's great for a conceptual understanding.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MATH235
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

The only prof whose class I have ever skipped in 5 years as an undergrad. Rob may be a "fun guy", but his lack of lecturing skills and disorganization made this class a nightmare. When he was out of town we had other professors teaching us-this was the best week of class. Perfect example of someone who should stick to research and grad courses.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MATH235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Extremely nice guy, always willing to help. Has a nice scale for the class. However, his lectures are AWFUL. Goes off on tangents about random problems, does no examples with numbers. Come midterm time, he crams in a chapter because of his pace. SI sessions are taught by him; lost cause. Take this with another professor. He's nice but can't teach.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MATH235
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Horribly disorganized teacher. Felt very unprepared for the "common" exams that were written by the course chair. We were supposed to have multiple quizzes for 20% of our grade, only ended up having one. Lectures are incredibly boring since he will drone on about one problem for an hour. I learned more from khan academy so thats saying something...

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MATH563
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The class is awesome, especially if you are the kind of person who uses the text book more than lectures. A large majority of the lecture is discussion of topics beyond the scope of the class, but it makes you interested to learn more about it and approach the topic yourself. Through this approach, I learned more than the usual.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MATH235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

i don't really see the feeling oppressed about politics thing, but the fact that he talks politics at all shows how irrelevant and inappropriate his many digressions are. smart guy, good to talk to 1-on-1, but his presentation of material is awfully disjointed. a rather frustrating experience, i mostly stayed home and read the book.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MATH235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This guy is awesome. If you are comfortable learning the material on your own then he is the teacher to take this class with since the majority of class time will be spent blowing your mind with awesome stuff that in no way relates to the course material. As to the people commenting about his political views, republicans suck anyway, so who cares.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MATH235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He tangents off to so-call "interesting problem" that we don't need to know. Hi did not teach us everything that will be on the exam. And I only learn the materials from the SI.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MATH235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Very disorganized. He is a really really really brilliant guy, but simply a type of person who can't explain what he knows. My SI explained better than he did. If I were you, I would really attend a meeting with SI once a week for help. Read the textbook and learn stuff by yourself is much helpful (because Kusner doesn't know how to teach)