Brigitte Sassen - McMaster University, Hamilton, ON

Professor: Brigitte Sassen

Department: Philosophy

College: McMaster University, Hamilton, ON

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHILO2X03
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

She is a very nice person but her lectures are pretty difficult to follow since she speaks slowly but she posts the slides on-line so I hope this might help you.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: 2X03
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Her lectures are great and the course is arranged without any surprises. That being said, philosophy in academic terms is not a particularly easy subject, so the amount of work required varies by student. This prof is engaging and the course isn't difficult. Less stressful than other courses in the department but you'll still learn something.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: 2X033XX3
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Her humour gets funny by the second semester, but it takes awhile for it to catch on. You can avoid doing the readings because her lectures get you all the material, but you should do them anyways if you want to do philosophy. Extremely friendly and honest if you go to her and talk to her.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: 2X03
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I really enjoyed her class; most people in my section felt she was unclear but I disagreed. I found her to be very clear and able to simplify complicated ideas in such a way that the content could be understood more throughouly with little room for personal error. She always made me laugh or smile at least once which made coming to class fun.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHILOS2XX3
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She was very understanding and would often give extensions for papers. Her lectures were a little unclear but you could tell that she's really passionate about the topic and that she knows her stuff.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHILOSOPHY2XX3
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

What many call tangents are actually necessary interludes in a liberal arts education. Going to class just to systematically take notes and get grades for a specific endjob has nothing to do with growing intellectually. Dr. Sassen is the best prof I have ever had, hands down, and her classes are also not at all hard if you care about doing well.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: 2X03
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Her coverage was extensive but did not focus on the important facts. Her tangents while funny, were a bit distracting. She a bit of an odd duck but very approachable.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: 2X033XX3
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

They need to stop letting her teach mandatory courses. I learn nothing in any of her classes, she interprets many things wrongly, and she's just annoying.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHILOS2XX3
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

She seems to simply regurgitate what the studied philosophers are saying. This turned what is an interesting topic when read from the book into a boring, frustrating topic when I heard it from her. I don't know why. Granted, I ended up not going to class nearly at all, and this could have ruined my perception of her further.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: 3VV3
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Horrible lecturer. Does not deliver information clearly. Couldn't get the class engaged for tutorial classes. Not helpful and rude. Makes it obvious that she doesnt care about teaching as the syllabus was missing crucial information and was obviously done last minute. Needs to take lecture more seriously. Shouldn't be allowed to teach at this level

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: 2X03
• 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: Mandatory

Comment:

It's so difficult to take notes in her class because of how often she goes off on a tangent. She doesn't complete a full thought, and tries a little too hard to be funny, but no one laughs, so it's just awkward. I wish she would just get her thoughts together before class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHIL1C03
• 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:

This teacher knows her stuff. Very perceptive and funny too.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHIL1C03
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very nice, gets excited about the topic, but can trail off into incomprehensible and VERY SILLY/STRANGE topics, like the intricate details of a bicycle or how much she likes cold plums. Weird lady. If you can put up with that she's fine... We read The Metamorphosis and she wouldn't shut up about how creepy-crawly bugs are. Must have a tolerance.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHIL1C03
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Nice Prof, but very slow and very confusing. Also is not well prepared, lectures were very monotonous and being an 8:30 class, lack of attendance was evident. Marking is very fair in this course, somewhat discouraged me from philosophy as a major.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHILO2X03
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

worst prof I've ever had. TERRIBLE lecturer. tries to be funny but is not. doesn't take class seriously, unprofessional

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHILO1
• 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:

lectures are useless, any info you need is posted online. also, careless erros on slides and admits those erros are from having prepared the slides just before class

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHILO1C03
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

i love her accent. she is a nice prof and kind of funny. interesting course.

Rating # 18

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Good readings; good lecturer if you're listening...sometimes you think 'she's confused' and you realize later 'oh, i was the one who was confused'...if you know the subject, she makes sense.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHILOSOPHY1C03
• 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:

Scattered and full of tangents that take up all the lecture time...

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: KANT
• 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:

Sassen is smart and totally sweet