Doug Underwood - University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Professor: Doug Underwood

Department: Communication

College: University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: COM468
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great professor! Really know his stuff, has written several books and incorporates a wealth of knowledge into his class (does occasionally stray from topic material). I would recommend going into his office hours and getting to know him. He's very eager to help and advise.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: COM445
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Doug is a very sweet man and really cares about students and deeply for journalism. The class was not taken serious by many people. It is a TON of reading and I mean a TON along with essays and note driven. It was okay. I did not enjoy it much because it was painfully boring. I got a 3.4 in the class. That's the average, although many did better!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: COM468
• 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:

I am really glad I took during Fall Quarter COM 468. Professor Underwood taught me how to chose the right action also in my personal life. His class goes beyond accuracy and ethics in journalism. His readings are about real life experiences and can empower you to promote values and social justice. It has helped me to think clearly in many areas.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: COM468
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

FALL 2016 I was pretty disappointed with the organization and overall content of this class. Book and group projects focused on specific case studies ok but class is awful because his lectures are about off-topic religious principles and the tests don't correlate with the majority of class discussion. they are just about philosophy and religion

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: COM469
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Narrative Journalism COM 469 has been one of the best classes I've taken at UW. He is very supportive and makes you feel confident with your work progress. I absolutely loved this class! He uses a practical humanistic type of communication. I was lucky to take this class! It has open new doors in the written, spoken and teaching world.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: COM468
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Grading is based on a midterm, an hour-long group presentation, participation in a mock panel in front of the class, and a 5-pg analysis essay on a journalistic scandal, with some participation points sprinkled in for the quiz sections. The midterm grades were low, but the class curve was EXTREMELY generous. There is also a good amount of EC.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: COM468
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

The class itself isn't too hard but you're going to have to suffer through it. Especially during lectures when he's just talking for two hours straight about things that aren't really relevant to what you need to learn from the class. It was hard to get myself to show up. Underwood himself seems nice enough, though.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: 495
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

easy 4.0

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: COMM495
• 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:

DO NOT take this class, SUPER BORING, UNORGANIZED. You have to buy his book for the class reading. TONS of readings required, you can never finish reading them. This class: boring, too much readings, 25 pages paper. He talks what he likes instead of what we need to know.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: POLS304
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Great professor. He used personal experience and clear interest level in the material to enhance quality of the class. Although he is not tech-savy, that isn't necessary for classes of this type. I would take Professor Underwood again in a heartbeat.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: POLS304
• 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:

Worst class I've ever taken as well. It was boring, unstructured and unorganized. Not a tech-savvy guy despite teaching a class on mass media and politics?? Do not take this class!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: POLS304
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Hands-down the worst professor I have ever had. I love the topic, but he is disorganized, rambles about his own career endlessly, and seems to have only a vague sense of what he wants to teach in class. The entire grade is made up of two assignments which are due the last week. I wouldn't wish this guy on my worst enemy. Avoid at all cost.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: POLS304
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

5 minutes late to class everyday. lecture about self too much, doesnt respond to email. 1 paper and 1 final for the whole grade. dont recommend

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: COM445
• 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:

Great class. He really digs deep behind the lives of famous authors and influences from journalism. He is pretty laid back and easy to talk to.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: COM495
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Interesting, experience, nice. Stay awake=4.0.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: COM468
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He was a nice guy with good intentions, but I literally almost fell asleep during his lectures. Most boring class I've ever taken and the textbook was hardly used. He talked a lot about religion and philosophy, and himself. I had higher expectations.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: COMM351
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

One of the worst "professors" I have ever had. Talks on and on about his own personal life, then crams in the material at the end of the course. Textbooks were never used, wasted money on those. All in all a large waste of time and money. I regret taking the class. For the most part, Doug is a well intentioned man with very poor delivery.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: COM468
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I took 468 in Aut 2010 and it was a tragedy the way that man handles his classroom. The only saving grace of that class was the TA, who was wonderful (even though this was not her background, she did her very best and it showed). Underwood's lectures are BORING. Where were the current ties into today's ethical dilemmas? NOT RECOMMENDED.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: COM304
• 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:

He utilizes personal experience to highlight material covered. Can present a seemingly unequal perspective on material. If you listen and come with an open mind there is interesting information presented.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: COM304
• 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:

to say he's out of touch would be an egregious understatement. He uses transparencies on the overhead of the handout he gives to class. Someone should tell him the 80's are over. Obsessed with Reagan (he's unapologetically liberal in his ranting lectures), and a chore to listen to. That said, I did very little to get a great grade!