Tia Watts - Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA

Professor: Tia Watts

Department: Computer Science

College: Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very project and lab heavy, that is about 89% of the work in the class. Test's are tough but fair, study and utilize S.I's and you should be able to get by with a passing grade.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CS460
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Knows a lot and answers questions well. Lectures dont help much with HW/projects. Lots of HW (6)/projects (3) so very busy class. Projects are group and she assigns grades based off how much work each person in the group does. This method of grading is unfair and will screw you over. 2 take home tests. Slow to grade and little feedback if any.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• 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. Watts knows her stuff. All these bitter students giving awful ratings were probably the ones who sit in lab on their phone, don't read a book on C++, or take advantage of the notes you can bring to tests. Show up to class, read, don't fall behind, go to office hours, start projects early, and you'll get your A.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Great Teacher, sure she was late for class sometimes but I feel it is greatly exaggerated in comments below. Basically if you dont put in the time you wont pass. The material comes easy to some, hard to others. Do your labs and understand them and you will pass. Simple. Easy class and I learned alot!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She's a good teacher and definitely knows her stuff. You get what you put into the class. She can be very unorganized but if you go to her to her office hours, she will be more than willing to help.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Sadly the worst CS class I've taken this far. She definitely knows her stuff but considering both the code in the lecture and the labs have typos and small errors within in them it is impossible to do anything but learn everything by yourself. As long as you do the labs and know what goes on in code for tests you'll pass but with no help from her.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

She is not a good instructor and she is not very good in explaining how to properly code, she expects you to know the language that you are learning already, she shows up late to every class, her labs are awful she is the worst professor I have ever had. Her projects are incredibly confusing and half the class dosent even turn them in.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Almost always late with no apology. Does not care to help during labs and on top of that the labs are poorly written and filled with typos creating an atmosphere of frustration. The projects and poorly explained and rely on the notes in class which are usually rushed and hard to follow. Unfair grader; doesn't care about students; yikes; too old?;

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Watts is very kind, helpful, & knows her stuff. Frequently late to class... Format is frustrating - you're thrust into labs FIRST, knowing nothing about what you're doing, w/a lecture about it AFTER. Best advice: don't slack on labs. You have a week to finish them, so don't fall behind. Ask questions. Use her guides to study for the test.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Yeah, you can ask for help, and she'll help. If she's available. She'll also make you feel incredibly bad for not knowing it. Literally throws you into the course with the expectation that you know C++ pretty much. Lectures are all over the place, in general not an easy class

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Worst teacher I've ever had. She is completely disorganized, incredibly condescending and does NOT explain things at all. Labs will start using new operator and languages (MFC) which she will NOT EXPLAIN AT ALL. She does NOT grade on time and is a VERY HARSH GRADER. Tests are very hard, riddled with ambiguous answers. Gave a quiz 5 min before class

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She is a great professor, but sometimes her lectures are a little all over the place. If you need help, she will be happy to help. Her class is tough, but if you work hard you can pass. She also gives extra credit in projects to help your grade if you are struggling. :)

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Her class required me to teach myself a lot of the material, but I've been told thats how it is in most CS classes from Programming II on. She's very helpful when you ask questions in class or lab and really knows all the material. It's true though, she takes forever to hand things back, but it's easy to know around where your grade is.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• 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:

She knows what she is talking about but has trouble communicating it. Never hands back any work, you will never have any idea what your grade is. You basically have to teach this class to yourself. Doesn't care if entire class is 3 labs behind, she will move on anyway. Very poor teacher.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• 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:

Professor Watts is very nice and helpful and also reeaally smart! if you need help you can just ask her but don't expect to be emailed back. She has a really hard time getting organized- its the end of the semester and i still don't know what i got on the first test.. overall fun class if you're interested in CS

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CS215
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Horrible semester. Never got anything back since beginning of the semester so hard to tell how you are doing. AMAZINGLY behind according to the syllabus. If you can't understand how to think outside the box do not take this class. Is helpful IF you can get to her. Exams are intense and hard, need to study A LOT outside of class.

Rating # 17

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

She is always late, doesn't post assignments and you never get work back or know your grade. However she is very helpful and very knowledgable. You will learn alot. Study for her test or you will fail.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CS101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I had her as my lab teacher for Computer Science and she is really nice. The class is pretty easy and straight-forward because all you have to do is follow the instructions they give you. Seriously though, READ THE DIRECTIONS and follow them to get a really easy A

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CS101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I had Carter or lecture and Watts for lab, she was very helpful when it came to answering questions. Lab is mandatory for passing CS 101, but the activities are pretty easy. Take this class if you get the chance.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CS385
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

She started the first class with, "I don't want this class to kill you guys." Several students muttered about how different that was from usual. Game Programming, as an elective, is taught at a very laid back level, and Tia is making it nice and easy for us.