Bruce Byers - University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Professor: Bruce Byers

Department: Biology

College: University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIO280
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class and professor was really hard because a majority of the questions on quizzes and exams were about obscure and irrelevant things that most people skip over in the reading, and it's information that's not easily findable. Lectures are interesting, grading methods are really unfair.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIO544
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Bruce really shows a passion for this class and he makes you want to learn! Have to read assigned chapters and hand in notes for grades. All his tests are short answer but if you fill out the study guide and just study that you'll do fine! The lab portion run by Aaron is packed with work but he does a great job explaining everything & is lenient.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIO280
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His exams were very hard at first and the class was curved, not interesting at all but genuinely cared about the material. A lot of memorization so get ready to make flashcards.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIO280
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Weekly reading quizzes. If you don't read you will fail. If you don't attend lecture/ take notes, you will fail. Exams are exactly what are said in class! Lectures are dry and hard to follow. Avoid at all costs, unless you have a passion/previous knowledge of evolutionary biology.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIO280
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Powerpoint slides are awful, comprised of mostly photographs with no caption, making it difficult to review them. Poor organization of the class /chapters. Tests mostly on things he says in class and less off the textbook, take a lot of notes because the slides are not helpful. Material is quite easy, but class was a semester long headache.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIO280
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Good professor and listens to his students' needs. Course is alright if you read the textbook and attend the lectures.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIO197
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Took Bruce's BioTAP seminar for my RAP. He's really sweet and gives you 2 absences per semester. The only homework was a review of one of the speaker's lectures at the end (you get to pick which one) and the rest of your grade was participation. Everyone did fine.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ACCT315
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Finds a way to make a law class fun. Good lectures that really make sense of all the legal terms. His MBA and law degree are pretty helpful as the class is "Business Law." I would recommend coming to class because it will make the class a lot easier (Also pop quizzes). He also gives you 5 points extra credit on the tests making them a breeze.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIO280
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I really enjoyed this class! Professor Byers is very helpful and sweet. However, his lecture slides are mostly pictures, so I would not recommend taking this class if you aren't going to show up, as the slides are the only way to get the information. The reading quizzes are a bit tough, but the tests are relatively straightforward. Would recommend!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: 280
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Not a horrible class but it's tough in the sense that the exams are not all trick questions like Houlihan's were but there are at least 6-7 questions on each exam that make you question whether or not he clarified that in class, or he might have said it a single time in lecture . Or the way it's explained in class confuses you when put in q format

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIO280
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class was amazing! Bruce makes you love evolutionary biology and actually learn it as well. The tests are EXACTLY like the weekly review questions. The weekly readings are super long and the quizzes are very specific but you learn how to manage your time. YOU HAVE TO GO TO LECTURES. Every word he says is usually on the exams so take good notes

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: 280
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Weekly quizzes helped with the understanding of the chapters. Tests were focused on weekly lecture materialexamples of experiments presented in class. SimU text assignments not explained clearlytough grader. Would not take this professor again.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: 280
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

There's a weekly reading quiz, and you can't skim. You have to really read it and understand to pass. There's only 3 exams and the questions are very specific. Honestly if you go to class and take notes on what he says you'll do fine. It's not hard if you put in the effort. This is the easiest class I've had this semester.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: 280
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Personally I found this class a normal Bio class. He expects you to come to class, and if you actually do come to class and listen its an easy A. Yes you have to put in the work and do the readings etc, but its not a hard class. Just don't skip lectures because his powerpoint don't contain any information. Just come to class and you'll be fine!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIO280
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I've been struggling real bad in this class!! Weekly reading quizzes (40+ pages to read) questions are super specific so better read the readings more than once. oh yeah, and they are timed so you can't skim through while taking the quiz, impossible. Tests are hard!! I wish I never took this class . tip- write down everything he says in lecture

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIO280
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Probably one of the hardest classes I am currently taking. There are weekly quizzes where you absolutely need to read the chapters that are assigned. Questions on the quizzes and tests are incredibly specific. Lectures are extremely boring and he rambles on for the entire class about the topic. There are two simulation assignments which are a pain.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIO280
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Weekly reading quizzes. It is essential to have the two mandatory textbooks. Have to actually read the chapters before you take the quiz, can't just skim the section to answer the questions. Have to go to class because his slides are mainly pictures that he discusses. The problem is that the class can be pretty boring and hard to sit through.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIO528
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

In small classes, Bruce is an awesome professor. There arent any exams, just reading notes and computer simulation experiments for hw. Great class, easy enough for an upper bio class.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: FFYS197BIO3
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He is a good professor, can be very complicated at times and does ramble on and on but is such a sweet and nice little guy.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIO544
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

If you take this class you will learn lots of fascinating things about birds and the natural world, from fossil history to modern conservation issues. However, it is not an easy class. There is weekly work for lab, reading notes for class, and the exams are detail-oriented. If you put the work in you'll get a lot out of the class, if not, you won't