Professor: Christopher MacGowan
Department: English
College: College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA
Rating # 1
Overview:
- Course: ENG207
- 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:
Arguably one of the great American academics
Rating # 2
Overview:
- Course: ENG364
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Prof MacGowan is a great professor and does a wonderful job of picking novels that perfectly encapsulate this period of literature. I enjoyed every book we read, but beware: he WILL disagree if you are wrong about a text. He is very black and white when it comes to answers, so know what you're talking about. Reasonable grader, essay based exams.
Rating # 3
Overview:
- Course: 150W
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 4.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
American Short Stories was an interesting class and you get to read and discuss some cool stories. Prof MacGowan knows the subject very well and is clearly intelligent. Sometimes he can be intimidating and not very encouraging; he'll shut down your argument if he disagrees. This is good in some ways, though-- he makes you think before you talk.
Rating # 4
Overview:
- Course: ENGL356
- Grade Received: B+
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Amazing professor but not the most interesting lecturer. He can make some pretty funny little jokes, but has a very soft voice so you really have to listen in class. Gives great feedback to essays and is a fair grader. Grade depends on 3 essays and a final exam (consists of 1hr take home essay and 2hr in class short answer). Would take again!
Rating # 5
Overview:
- Course: ENG364
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
MacGowan is the best! This is the second class I've taken from him, and he's an incredible teacher. Very knowledgeable about the literature he teaches. He'll talk about the authors' backgrounds as well. You have to pay attention, participate, and read, but you will learn a lot so it's worth it. Dry wit. He wears all khaki outfits every day :)
Rating # 6
Overview:
- Course: ENGL150
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
I was in MacGowan's short story class: easily the best class of my first semester. He's incredibly knowledgeable about American literature, so the stories are all top-notch, making the reading and discussion actually enjoyable. The writing consists of a few small essays, two large essays, and a brief response to the readings before class.
Rating # 7
Overview:
- Course: 150W
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
I took Prof. McGowan's seminar on The American Short Story and couldn't be happier I did. His dry British sense of humor makes class entertaining and he promotes thoughtful discussion. This was a small class and he made sure everyone participated. He is very helpful during office hours and I would definitely recommend taking advantage of those.
Rating # 8
Overview:
- Course: 364
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
The most intellectually engaging course I've taken yet -- difficult to get less than a B in my opinion but also impossible to get higher than one as well.
Rating # 9
Overview:
- Course: ENGL364
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 4.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
He's not an "easy" professor, but he is also very rewarding. I've always loved writing, and the strictures of his essays made me work that much harder to turn in a paper up to his expectations. It keeps you sharp. The material can be complicated, particularly some of the Modernist poets (and Pynchon), but it's a worthwhile class with a great prof.
Rating # 10
Overview:
- Course: 150W
- Grade Received: A-
- Overall Rating: 3.5
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Professor McGowan is great, I took him for my freshman seminar and although his lectures could run on for a bit, he was always discussing relevant topics. Grades papers fairly and provides lots of feedback and he's always in his office to help. Effectively led meaningful and analytic discussions; always constructive to listen to such a smart prof
Rating # 11
Overview:
- Course: ENG
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Brilliant, genius of a man, fantastic professor. He helped me find a passion for literature I never knew I had inside of me. More than willing to help you out if you approach him. He has a real presence and authority about him, yet is charming and witty. Seriously. TAKE. HIS. CLASS.
Rating # 12
Overview:
- Course: ENG364
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
One of my favorite professors at W&M. Incredibly knowledgeable and his passion for literature is infectious. The reading is less mainstream, but generates interesting discussion! Extremely helpful for papers during Office Hours and his exams are very fair. His British wit/humor is very entertaining! Was my second class with him-highly recommend!
Rating # 13
Overview:
- Course: ENGL203
- 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:
Really funny and provides an interesting analysis on each of the readings, which are a lot. Despite lots of class discussion and encouraged participation, he tends to play the devil's advocate (with the pure intention of furthering your personal analysis) to the point of discouraging. His grading is tough but fair, and provides good feedback.
Rating # 14
Overview:
- Course: ENG357
- 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:
MacGowan is a really nice and caring man, and I can tell he knows his stuff. Unfortunately, his lectures can tend to drag on, and his testing and paper styles are bizarre. Sets his expectations a bit too high with paper grading as well. Three papers, midterm, and a final, plus required poetry responses and class discussion. Pretty good, overall.
Rating # 15
Overview:
- Course: FILM150W
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 4.5
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Super sweet and helpful. Papers could be hard and he is strict but he's more than willing to help. Great accent. Very smart and witty.
Rating # 16
Overview:
- Course: ENGL364
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 3.0
- Course Difficulty: 2.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Prof. Macgowan is very intelligent, and his analysis of classic American work from O'Neill, Fitzgerald, etc. is stimulating. However, at it's very worst, class can be morbidly boring as he rambles without allowing much input from students. Bring a fully charged laptop so you can surf the web during these times. Most papers and tests are pretty easy
Rating # 17
Overview:
- Course: FILM150W
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 3.0
- Course Difficulty: 5.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
If you want to take his film class, DO NOT. He's an extremely helpful professor who wants to work with you, but you'll never get a good grade. He doesn't understand film completely either. Unclear about the papers and his grading. Take the film class with the Russian film professor, professor Knight or Kennedy.
Rating # 18
Overview:
- Course: ENGL354
- 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:
What a great professor. Has an unbelievable understanding of the subject, and has such a greater depth than what he discusses in class. Not tech-savvy, but that is to be expected in an English teacher. Stern but very accurate grader...knows exactly what BS you thought you could get away with. Made me a better writer, and appreciate the subject
Rating # 19
Overview:
- Course: ENG356
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 2.5
- Course Difficulty: 5.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Unclear on what he wants as far as poetry analysis. Clearly knows his stuff, but he graded my papers harder than any other English professor I've taken. I thought my papers got better and better, but my grades on them kept dropping. Class was interesting, but his soothing British accent put me right to sleep!
Rating # 20
Overview:
- Course: ENG367
- 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:
Loved this class!!! Wonderful professor & feedback was extremely helpful. Has a dry sense of humor that you can't help but adore.
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