Akil Houston - Ohio University, Athens, OH

Professor: Akil Houston

Department: Ethnic Studies

College: Ohio University, Athens, OH

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: AAS1500
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Your attendance is taken by worksheets, which you will not get full credit on. The semester research paper is graded harshly. If you don't participate he will call you out, but only participate if you know absolutely everything about the subject. Good luck!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: AAS101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I took the online course and I do not recommend it. The syllabus was confusing and when I emailed him about it, he told me I was being unprofessional and uncivil in an email that was nothing but. Maybe the lecture version is better, but I ended up dropping it and wouldn't take the online class again.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: AAS1500
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Houston is one of the best professors I've had at Ohio University. He is always willing to help and is a very interesting person, his passion for the subject shows through his work. Attendance isn't mandatory but he randomly takes attendance for points. Reading for the class is very important and the quizzes are not hard.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: AAS1500
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Really cool guy but as a professor he was sub par. A lot of reading for the textbook that he wrote.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: AAS1500
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Literally one of my favorite proffesors made me want to learn and do more about all that he was teaching

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: AAS106
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

There was a hefty amount of reading and other material, discussions and quizzes every week, and I fell behind/felt rushed more than once. But he is extremely knowledgable and passionate about what he does and he gives a ton of feedback on everything you do so you understand the material. Gave enough extra credit to bump me up a full letter grade.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: AAS4900
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Houston is amazing. He challenges the status quo. He asks students to think critically about their world and social construct. He is a total informational pedagogist.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: AAS1500
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is a really decent guy and tries his best to help his students, but you really need to hunt him down to get the help. The lectures are very long, but he tends to let you out of class early. He goes off on tangents during class and it's hard to decipher what you need to take notes on. The quizzes are all online, but are very difficult.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: AAS3570
• 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:

He is a wonderful teacher and really cares about what he is teaching. Also he is very fair with grading work as well as is lenient with turning in work. He is really friendly just go up and talk to him. lol

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: AAS1500
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Cool Dude, with a capital D

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: AAS150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This is actually a great class. It does what a collegiate course is supposed to do: broaden your mind and horizons. If you are taking the course as an "easy A" you will be unhappy. Now that is not to say that it is super hard but you need to actually care, read the book and I swear you will do fine...even if youre not the most "open minded" person

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: AAS357
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Excellent instructor. I couldn't ask for a better or more prepared professor!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: AAS150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I hated this class. Dr. Houston is a very difficult teacher to take notes from. A lot of the info discussed in class is not relevant to what is on the quizzes, so you must do the outside reading (and lots of it). The good thing is that he gives ample opportunity for extra credit- so be sure to take advantage of that!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: AAS150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

HATED this class. Houston is close minded and never fails to show it. The online quizzes are easy if taken with a group, but with the written exam, you HAVE to study. The screenings aren't "mandatory", but he asks questions about them on the tests. He goes off on tangents during the entire lecture, so you never have ANY idea what you need to know

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: AAS150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Took the class online and it was a large amount of reading and writing. The reading was hard to understand and above a 100 level class. He was very unclear about assignments and seemed very close-minded. Take the lecture not the online class.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: AAS150
• 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:

He is actually a very insightful person if you take the time to sit down and talk with him. two online quizzes that are pretty easy if you concentrate and do with buddies. STUDY for the written quiz. I got a 96%..studied for maybe 4 hrs. Went on fb and twitter during lectures..so boring. his book is BS but its not meant to be an opinion based class

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: AAS150
• 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:

The quizzes are pretty easy as long as you read the book. There is a "mandatory" screening every monday for 3 hours and the movies are rarely interesting. There is a 5-7 pg paper due on topics you never discuss in class. He does know what hes talking about, its just boring and redundant

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: AAS150
• 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:

Dr. Houston is a good teacher, but you do not want him as your grader. If you get stuck in his section of discussion he grades you way more critically than the ta's. Class is enlightening. Easy class if you don't get Dr. Houston as your grader.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: AAS150
• 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:

This class was not awful but don't just take it to fill some credits. He uses big words and is hard to listen to for long periods of time. You have to write a paper and he is very specific of the answers he will approve. Quizzes are pretty hard. Overall if you go to class you will be okay but I would not recommend this class.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: AAS150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Houston is a great professor. Only take this class is you have a interest in it. Don't just take it because it seems like a easy requirement. It is very enlightening about this issue of race and representation of african americans in the media. There is minimal work but again, take it because your interested!