Tom Darby - Carleton University, Ottawa, ON

Professor: Tom Darby

Department: Political Science

College: Carleton University, Ottawa, ON

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PSCI3709
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Tom Darby is a phenomenal professor; I had him for 2301 and I loved the content and his style of teaching so much, I took his third-year course. It was a three-hour 8:30-11:30 seminar but Darby was always ready to teach and to get us to engage with the text. The course is very reading intensive.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2301A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Tom Darby is the biggest beauty in the tiny microcosm of a queef that is Carleton University. Do not transcend his boundaries or he might send you down to the Pyrheaus, where you will co-penetrate with Glaucon, son of Ariston.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2301A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Absolutely unreal professor. Kind of intimidating at first, doesn't use technology for the class and is asking us questions in the first class. I quickly learned to love his teaching style because you could tell how passionate he was about the subject. The man is a genius in the subject and is always willing to help. He makes the subject easy & fun

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2301
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

So many people told me to avoid his course, and I'm so glad I didn't listen. I think Professor Darby is an acquired taste, but if you listen and put in the work the course really is a breeze. His lectures may not use slides and he may not post on CuLearn, but that's because he doesn't need to. If you show up and listen you'll be more than fine.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Tom was a sweet man. He may come off as intimidating but when you meet and talk with him he is a joy to have around. He may seem confusing during lecture but simply ask your TA after or before and you will get a more clear understanding. I thought this class would be horrible but I ended up enjoying it. Show up, read, and ask questions.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2301A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Most engaging and passionate lecturer I've ever had. Happy to answer questions in class, and very quick to respond to emails. Expect most of your mark to be based on very few tasks. For us, 30% participation, 30% final essay, and 40% exam. Very important to keep on top of readings from the beginning. If you read & go to class, marks come easy.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: 2300PSCI
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

A wonderful. Inspiring professor who teaches you how to think. I feel sorry for anyone in the humanities at Carleton who doesn't get a chance to take one of his courses. If you are just interested in getting a credit, don't bother though. You will get out of this course what you put into it.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2301A
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Tom Darby was an excellent professor. Although he did not use CuLearn, that did not affect the course at all. That being said, participation at lectures was essential, and especially in tutorials as 30% was allotted for it. The only downside is that the paper and exam were at the end of the course, therefore, you do not know any grade until the end

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2301A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Darby was a fantastic lecturer. He makes you learn. His repetition of important terms makes you realize themes and ideas in the readings that you never saw before. His course actually made me think more carefully about the things we take for granted in our world. %30 grade was tutorial participation %30 final essay %40 final exam

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Darby is tough to follow in his lectures and just rants the whole time. Doesn't put up lecture slides either. When you take notes make sure you keep up. He is passionate about philosophy but he teaches the course like it is a masters course when it is a second year course.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: 2301A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very nice to his students. His lectures are a little confusing and sometimes tough to follow. Get ready to take lots of notes as there are no slides. I'm amazed at how he draws perfect circles on the chalk board though...

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Put it this way, if you don't go to class you really won't pass. His lectures are only an hour long and they go by fast however his clarity is confusing. I often found myself getting lost in the middle of his lecture because he switches from topic to topic. There is no lecture slides either so be prepared to take lots of notes and read.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2301A
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Doesn't post lecture slides, nor does he use any in class. Lectures consist of hour long rants with little to no guidance on what the lecture is covering. Beyond these short comings, he is very passionate about his area of study, and has great insight into the topic at hand, but could use a kick-in-the-rear to use more modern teaching methods.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2300
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This professor is very difficult to understand. It was hardly ever clear what the main idea of a lecture was. He treated the course almost purely as a philosophy course so it was VERY metaphorical and unclear. I went to every classlistened intently but I found I was always very confused. He should probably retire so lives can be saved.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PSCI4305
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Students tend to either love or hate professor Darby's classes. I am proud to say that I fall in the former category. I have had the pleasure of taking two of his classes in my time at Carleton and I loved every minute of them. He assigns the best reading material and has a gift for bringing that material to life.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2307
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Darby is a drill sergeant. He'll repeat points often, and will help you if just don't get it. There is a lot of reading in the class, and if you're not into the course material, you will struggle. Go to class. Lectures are not mandatory, but you get a large portion of your grade in tutorial participation.

Rating # 17

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

As the years have passed, my opinion of him has changed drastically. I hated his second year philosophy course when in 2008, but it turned out to be the most useful and enlightening course I ever took at university (and I'm not a poli sci major). He's a brilliant, confounding, difficult man who helped change my approach to life and politics.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Darby is one of the best profs I've had at Carleton. He makes class so interesting, I didn't miss a single lecture. Also very clear with what he wants on the final exam. Gives out a good review, and told us the essay questions at the review lecture.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PSCI4305
• 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: Mandatory

Comment:

One of the best philosophy teachers out there.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Darby is the best of men. He loves his classics and passionately throws you into his world. The class is a lot of work but the concepts are so often repeated and tied together that it's difficult to fail if you pay enough attention. Darby sounds like an American sergeant but he's super helpful and won't stop until he knows you've got it.