Cathy Desoto - University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA

Professor: Cathy Desoto

Department: Psychology

College: University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: TECH1015
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Doctor Desotos class is based solely on 5 exams and all lectures. She states at the beginning of the class that it is very difficult to get a B or an A and you will have to work for it. She isnt clear on what is on the exam and grades them very difficultly. If you can take Intro to Psychology with someone else, do it!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PSY2101
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

You have to go to every class and actually pay attenction and take notes to pass. The tests are hard but as long as you take good notes and study you will be fine. I really enjoy her lectures and she is fun to listen to.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIOPS155
• Grade Received: WD
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Biopsych is hard. I ended up dropping the course because I kept failing exams. You need to hear every lecture or you will struggle. It's only tests that get graded, and they're hard. The wording really trips people up, and she's a tough grader. Your answer has to be perfect to get points. She doesn't work with students outside of class either.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIOPS155
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I genuinely did't enjoy this class. She's an insanely hard grader, gone all the time, and her tests are so hard. Know exactly what you're going to write for the essay portion of her exams ahead of time, or you'll fail. Also she's pretty rude if you email her with any questions, she doesn't like that.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PSCH101
• 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:

Cathy is a good teacher but her tests are harder than they need to be. Study hard and you'll do fine.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PSY1001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lecture based with powerpoint slides. Tests are all over the lecture. There are a few questions from the book on the test, but definitely not needed. Desoto makes the information interesting and has a lot of stories of personal experiences relating to the lecture!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PSY1001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Super difficult to listen to her lecture, but the class is easy.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PSY1001
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

If you go to class and take good notes, you can pass with flying colors. A few questions from the readings are on the test, but you can pass easily without ever reading them. Super interesting lecture and she has a sense of humor which is also a good characteristic in a professor.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PSYC2101
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Tests are hard. You really do need to read the text. Content is hard but she knows it and does her best to offer extra credit through in class quizzes that are over important content.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH1001
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Everything she puts on slides usually turn up on the exams. She kind of goes over what's going to be on each. Fairly easy class but didn't enjoy her as a professor. Personally I would take with someone else.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PSY2101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

First professor I'm met at UNI that gives the impression of being there just for a paycheck. Do you have questions? She will answer them after the test and as condescendingly as possible. Our class regularly failed her exams as most of what she tests on is random and worded very ambiguously. If there is another option, take it.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH1001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. DeSoto is very good at giving lectures, always entertaining, and engaging. I would recommend to buy the book and read it, because exams cover materials from her lectures as well as the physical text.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH1001
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Tests were all multiple choice tests and accumulative. She would take random questions from random parts of the book. She seemed to cancel class kind of often so she would move everything a week later. Extra credit is easy to do.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PSY2101
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Desoto is the worst excuse for a professor I've ever had. She is not clear with what she expects and what will be tested on. More than 1/2 the class received Ds and Fs on our first test. Her lectures are hard to follow and often what she lectures on is not on the test. I'm a psychology major, but she makes me hate my major.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH2101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Desoto is an amazing professor. She cares about what she is teaching and gets excited about it. Loves when people ask her questions. You'll definitely need to put the work in for this class. Reading the textbook is a must. Showing up to class is not mandatory but definitely recommend if you want to do well in this class.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PSY1001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Definitely listen in class. You could take down all the notes you want, but there's many things she talks about that weren't in your notes. Mainly listen and take notes. Has random questions from the book on her exams, and random quizzes that are super easy.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PSY2101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I think Dr. Desoto is a really good Biopsych professor. Her lectures cover most of the test material, she points out what you need to read from the textbook in order to get a good test grade. There isn't homework besides reading the book, which you should definitely do. Show up and pay attention and you should be fine. Desoto is understanding too.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH2101
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I really enjoyed taking Bio Psych with Dr. Desoto. She teaches from experience sometimes which makes it more interesting. Dr. Desoto explains very well and loves when students asks questions. The material is tough but she is a great professor. Doesn't give homework or papers and helps you on quizzes. Three tests a semester + the final.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH1001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Pop quizzes are over the lectures form that day, super easy. For the tests, she tells you to not skip certain sections, don't skip them. As long as you do the reading and go to most of her classes, you'll be fine. She doesn't take attendance.

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Really great teacher. Good lectures. She has great PowerPoints and she's there for you to learn and really understand the concept. Class isn't boring, but make sure to get the book because tests are tough and she uses textbook questions. Tests are very important. In class pop quizzes usually after she lectures. So show up and listen .