Scott Marcus - University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Professor: Scott Marcus

Department: Music

College: University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MUS3C
• 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:

Prof Marcus is very old fashioned and his lectures can be a bit unorganized but if you go to his office hours and just have a conversation with him about his background and/or the course material, it clears a lot of it up. He is a very interesting professor with a non-traditional background. Great person to have a conversation with

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: 126
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

It was great interacting with him.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MUS3C
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Scott Marcus was by far the worst professor I have ever taken. He rushes every class and somehow teaches very little material. He gets offended and very defensive if you disagree on something he's formed a strong opinion about. His exams rely heavily on the reading which can be very different from the lectures themselves. Highly do not recommend.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MUS17
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Easy A if you go to lecture and read the book. MUST OUTLINE ASSIGNED BOOK READING TO DO WELL IN CLASS. The majority of tests are from dense, book material. Lectures are easy and completely oral. He's very passionate. Concerts are annoying but sometimes interesting. He's extremely friendly and always there to help you.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC17
• 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:

Unless you really enjoy music history don't take him. He never has a set plan for the day so when you go to study for the midterm or the final you don't even know what to study. 6 required concerts which is ridiculous. If you miss unorganized high school teachers take him if not save you $ and take something else

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MUS17
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

One the most passionate, inspiring, and amazing professors I have had the privilege of learning under. Take the class as more of a learning experience, as the exams are simple. Write the paper on something you're genuinely interested, and take advantage of this incredibly interesting class with a remarkable professor. Couldn't recommend more.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC17
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I hated this class. Requires 6 concerts, book is ridiculously expensive, lectures are scattered and not on any particular material, he comes across as super arrogant and always picks on students, and always tests on random things. This class was such a waste of money and time. This was one of the worst classes I've ever had to take.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC17
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Goes off on tangents and has no clear set plan on what you are going to be talking about in lecture. The class over all isn't bad other than the fact that your confused on what your actually learning.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MUS17
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

If you go to all the lectures & skim the reading, it's an easy A. Only downside is having to attend all the mandatory concerts. Some were pretty cool though!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MUS171
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This professor is an amazing and dedicated human being. He truly loves what he does and even pays out of pocket to provide instruments for his students. Who does that nowadays? If you ever want a professor that actually cares about you learning and is passionate about his labor then I highly recommend Prof. Marcus.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MUS17
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Scott is really passionate about what he teaches. He can sometimes go off on tangents and may be a little hard to follow. Overall, it's a really easy class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MUS17B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

His class was very interesting, you listen to lots of performances, and most of his lectures are interesting. But the required and optional concerts are so boring (most of them).

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MUS17
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Relaxing and easy class. Half the time it's listening to his stories and music examples. Section has really simple homework. Guest performances every so often are awesome. Scott loves Indian music/culture so be prepared!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MUS17
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Lectures and section do not correlate. The book is painfully dull but reading it lightly will suffice for an A on all 3 exams. The paper was pretty much open to anything related to the class. Very boring but very easy A. The 6 required concerts were hit or miss. Some were amazing while others were painful. Keep in mind they all cost money.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC175G
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

The only plus side to this class is getting the midterm and final a week beforehand. Everything else is downhill. He makes you do useless book notes on hundreds of pages and a 10 page minimum paper on any topic. Basically his teaching style is terrible and he says that somethings are going to be on the test when they're not. Pointless class.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MUS17
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

boring class, rambles about nothing and always says "this will be on the exam" when it never is. easy but boring. don't take if optional

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC17
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

1 small test, 1 midterm, 1 5-page "ethnomusicological" paper, 1 final. the lectures and sections DO NOT correlate. the professor will be talking about middle eastern music and the TA will be talking about native american traditions. don't take this class. it's not that hard but it sucks.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC17
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

sections are meant to be a reinforcement of the lecture, that wasn't the case for this class. 140 dollars for the book + CDs which is required, 6 total concerts that would cost at least 75. worded the questions on the tests horribly, lectures were all over the place with no structure at all. 2 midterms, 1 final, one 6 page paper. you've been warned

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MUSIC175F
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Even though he gives the essay questions for the midterm and the final in advance, this class is MUCH more work than it's worth! You have to take copious notes on hundreds of pages of reading a week. It's more work than I've ever had for a class before. Plus, he takes attendance randomly and counts it towards your grade. Don't bother!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MUS175F
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

loves all things middle eastern....the tests were pretty easy bc he gives it to you before hand, even though its closed book. we repeated a lot of drum beats...really easy, just not that interesting to me because im not middle eastern.