Don Heller - Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Professor: Don Heller

Department: Computer Science

College: Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CMPSC461
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Heller is a cool guy. He's not trying to kill you in the class. He's really understanding that you have other things outside of just his class. The curve for exams was pretty good. However, lectures were pretty bland. I felt like I learned more from just reading on my own and used his notes as a study guide. He does read EXACTLY off the notes.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: 461311
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Super down-to-earth guy. Very understanding if you have a job interview or something pop up, he accommodates deadlines well to fit your needs. Sometimes it's difficult to tell what's important and what isn't for exams. Your best bet is to just read as much of the notes as possible and try to understand the inner-workings of everything.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CMPSC461473
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Heller is a good guy. He helps you with assignments if you need it, and he's extremely lenient on deadlines, especially if you give an excuse. His courses are easy enough if you kinda know what youre doing in C

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CMPSC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Heller is an incredibly intelligent professor who knows the material he is teaching inside and out. The projects are very interesting and are graded fairly along with the exams. My favorite CMPSC professor so far, no questions asked.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CMPEN431
• 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:

CmpEn 431 was a fun class. It's much more practical then the prereq. of 331. This class you actually learn stuff from the prof, unlike Mary Jane you lets you figure it out for yourself. Heller is one of my favorite profs in the CSE Dept.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CMPSC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Heller has a real passion for Unix and taking his version of 311 is probably the best one at Penn State. He moves fast so if you're completely unfamiliar with UNIX go to his office hours and he will help bring you up to speed. His projects are much like real life, you get code that you need to understand before you can start programming.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CMPEN431
• 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:

Don Heller completely ruined this class. Mary Jane Irwin used to teach it, I had her the prior semester for 331. 431 was nothing like 331 thanks to him. The homework was bland and unengaging, an unwelcome departure from getting to design a microprocessor in 331. That is to be expected from Heller of course, it matches his personality!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CMPSC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

OK teacher, but he curves a lot. I had a 78 that wound up being an A.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CMPSC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Heller was probably one of my favorite CMPSC profs yet. He knew what he was talking about, had a wry sense of humor, and was interested in seeing you learn the material so you can use it to become a better programmer.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CSE411
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The lectures are not very interesting and not very helpful for the tests either. If you read and understand the book you should be ok. Projects require a lot of time. He curves a LOT on the exams, so even if you don't know the answer but know a definition or something that has to do a little about the question, WRITE IT DOWN!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CSE121
• 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:

There were usually labs every day that were easy enough to get you out 20 mins early if you know c++ already. but this is the most boring lecturer I have ever seen. I just surfed while he rambled. What I Really HATED about this guy is that he had tests. I got an A- because of his vague tests.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CSE121
• 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:

Lectures were sometimes boring, but I could handle them most of the time. The class go very advanced in the end, maybe he expected more out of us then we knew. But they always made you think, his instructions in projects and labs are not clearly defined. His personality is very laid back and he has a good sense of humor, if you get it....

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CSE121
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof Heller is a nice guy, and obviously know what he is talking about. Sadly, no one else does. He rambles on in lecture about "impossible" cases and his instructions in lab and recitation are incredibly vague. Taking this class made me seriously reconsider my major.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CSE411
• 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:

Lectures can be boring and his projects can be confusing, but he knows EVERYTHING about what he teaches and has a great dark sense of humor!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CSE411
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Not all that bad, but this class is difficult. Heller is a good professor, but he is boring.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CSE411
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

The class was difficult, and his lectures a good bit boring, however, he's still one of the best profs in CSE, second to Coraor, IMHO. Besides, this is pretty much the ONLY class you'll take in CSE with programming!!! Imagine that! A CSE student with PROGRAMMING ASSIGNMENTS...

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CSE418
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

HELLER = HELL

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CSE411
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He knows alot about what he teaches but lectures are perhaps the most boring ive endured at PSU. He gives alot of partial credit on projects so turn something in even if its hardly working

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CSE411
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

This class was awful, the lectures were boring and the assignments were ill-defined. Alas, it's required :-(

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CSE411
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

lectures are extrememly boring, but your skill in C will improved by leaps and bounds after taking his courses. Extrememly helpful in office hours.