Brian May - Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL

Professor: Brian May

Department: English

College: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: 470471
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great professor. Has incredible knowledge of the material. Very difficult grader. You can disagree with traditional readings of a text, but you must have a lot of evidence and sound reasoning. He's the only professor from whom I've struggled to get an A. Has a tendency to ramble and sometimes get off topic, but overall manages to keep on track.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENGL475
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

20th century British Poetry. Full class, great discussions. He encourages differing interpretations, if you can textually support it. Papers should be well written, he is available for support. Quickly answers email questions. Very intelligent professor. *His handwriting comments on your paper are illegible, but he will meet and discuss.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENGL470
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very Interesting class. 10 English novels, and yes, you need to read them. This is senior level English, papers expected. Feedback and office hours available. Quick response to email questions. Good classroom discussions. Very smart, you learn a lot about writing conventions. Highly recommended.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENGL414
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Awesome Professor! I had this class in Naperville, 4 days, 3 hours each, OVER THE SUMMER!! yet, I went everyday. He is very helpful and is very smart. One of my favorite English professors!!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENG200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

A man who really knows his stuff--be prepared for a higher level of academic explanation of everything. He'll expand your knowledge, but you must be willing to work!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENGLENG
• 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:

BORING!!!!! He talks a lot. Sometimes what he says is useless. He spends too much time on one book. Not to mention we read tons!! But to be fair, we were all very aware before the class started, that we would have an extreme reading load. He takes FOREVER to return quizzes, exams, and papers. Good luck to those that take him!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ENGL470
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Too much reading since we didn't get to discuss all of it. He grades pretty fairly, but is a bit picky on grammar usage....he will change your writing if he thinks another word "fits" better. Since he gives the questions for tests beforehand, he should just make the tests "take home."

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENGL200
• 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:

Great class for day-dreaming. Might be a funny guy if he didn't end all of his jokes with "I'm just kidding." I can't say I really learned anything in this class - be it book knowledge or any other sort of knowledge. Meh.

Rating # 9

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Some say he looks like a gecko, others like Billy Crystal. Regardless, this guy is funny. He a unique sense of humor and does what he can to make Victorian novels more entertaining. LOTS OF READING. If you are not accustomed to reading or writing very much (why are you taking 300+ level Engl classes?) then avoid this class.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ENG470
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Least favorite English professor...he went off on way too many tangents and off topic things and he was very hard to follow. Assigned a lot of reading,but he wouldnt even get to all of it during classes, he should have just cut the readings down. Wasnt very approachable either

Rating # 11

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

He's an ok teacher but if you don't care for Victorian novels then do not take it. My biggest issue is that he has a really amazing vocabulary which he uses freely without any regard that some students may not understand what he means. I did pretty well in his class as it is paper dependent. The lectures are extremely dry and not necessarily informative. Sometimes he goes off on tangents. When a student does however he seems thrown off or in a hurry to get back to his own point. Not for the impatient.

Rating # 12

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

You have to study in his class,but he is a good teacher and is smart. I recommend any class with him.

Rating # 13

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

The English Novel was not an easy class by any means, but he is an excellent professor. He is witty and challenging. My only critique is that sometimes he asks questions in class that really stump the students and can lead to some uncomfortable silences. Otherwise, I highly recommend.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENGL414
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

His lectures are witty and fast paced, and make Victorian literature into something to look forward to going to class to learn. Good selections and approaches to traditionally stuffy literature.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENGL414
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great professor for English majors who like to really get in-depth in a subject in their writing. He enjoys teaching and knows Victorian Era poetry well.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: VICTORIAN
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very passionate about his stuff. If you aren't really into Victorian english, you will probably be bored a lot. Still, he wasn't a bad teacher and his midterms/finals were fair.

Rating # 17

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENG414
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Excellent teacher!! He is so enthusiastic and knows his material! He listens to what you say and actually comments back on that. I wish I had to take more classes w/him!!!!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENGL200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This guys talks FAST but he knows his stuff. He was challanging but his comments on papers were extremely helpful.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ENGL200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

EXCELLENT PROF!