Fred Desroches - University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Professor: Fred Desroches

Department: Sociology

College: University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: SOC227
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

One of my favourite profs at UW. He doesn't use powerpoint slides for his lectures but it's not a big deal if you attend class and take good notes. Enjoyed lectures because prof is passionate about the content and enjoyed the course overall

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: LS229
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

One of the greatest profs here at Waterloo

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: SOC229
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

As long as you attend class & take good notes, studying & preparing for the 2 tests will be a breeze. He doesn't use powerpoint slides, (which wasn't enjoyable at first), but made studying a lot easier since you had processed that info already. Wanted to drop the class but so glad I stayed! He's very knowledgeable and passionate about the topics

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: LS327
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Idk about how his test are but for 327 you have the option of writing 2 50%, 3 33.%, or 4 papers (25%each). That is all he mark you on. However, he's extremely tough - once the whole class got such bad grades (mostly D's) he allowed us to write a new essay and said he would take the highest one. The classes grades didn't improve dramatically though

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: SOC327
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Desroches has done a lot of interesting research in his career, and that's what he teaches from. Leave your opinions and ideas at home, he doesn't want you to bring them with you. He is very knowledgeable, but a boring lecturer. That is really unfortunate because lectures are just about the only thing you'll be tested on.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: SOC229
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I love Desroches! He has high expectations for his students, but will do anything he can to help you succeed. There's a 50% paper but if you ask him to review it before you submit it, it should help you exponentially. His tests are easy - don't focus on the little details like stats, but the main concepts and theories

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: LS327
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Honestly I was a little intimidated by him at first but he's definitely one of my top 5 favourites at UW. Lectures are entertaining and you can tell he's very well versed and passionate about the topics. I did very well in the class so I can't speak to him being a tough marker, but he gives great clarification & feedback if you approach him.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: SOC327
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

One of my favourite courses in my undergrad. The content is really interesting, and he does a great job of including personal anecdotes from his research experiences. There are no transcripts for the lectures, so you have to listen and take notes. The majority of marks come from lecture content, but still give the textbook a read.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: SOC327J
• 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:

Took every class he offered when I did my undergrad. He was also my thesis supervisor. Great lecturer. A lot of his exam questions are from his lectures. Fair marker. You better know how to write an essay with proper grammar, structure and referencing to do well!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: LS101
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Didn't have a plan at all, rambled and went off track all the time, very boring

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: SOC229
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Monotone. Boring. Makes you buy his books - courses require his books. Outdated research. I'd recommend against taking his classes. Just, no.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: SOC227
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

His textbooks aren't necessary to do well in the course at all! His lectures are all really interesting! its obvious he's been teaching the same course content since the 70's when his texts were published but they're still really interesting! Since hes the author of some of his texts he knows the information in it really well which is nice!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: LS101
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Fun lectures, includes many examples while he lectures on a certain topic. I find him to be a very easy grader- just follow the requirements. Exams and midterms were fairly easy.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: LS101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I understand that students like this prof because his lectures are easy to follow, talking about a subject rather than just projecting information. However, very unclear on what he expects and very hard, unfair marker. If the paper/exam is not exactly what he has said in his lectures then you will receive a low mark. Ruined my excitement for LS.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: SOC229
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

liked it

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: SOC327
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

His lectures are interesting. Taken SOC 229 and 327 with this prof. Highly recommend every Sociology student to take his courses. Just stay on top of readings and lectures each week and you're fine. Fair grader.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: LS101
• 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:

He was an amazing prof, really friendly. If i get the chance to take another course taught by him, I won't miss the oppurtunity to do so. He's a fair grader when it comes to the 40 percent essay, just do what it asks you to do and you won't have an issue.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: SOC229
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is a tough grader, especially on the term paper. very specific instructions and worth 50% which was more stressful than actually writing the paper. only need the behind the bars book for the essay, no need for the other three. no powerpoints and does not use learn at all so attendance is mandatory :)

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: SOC229
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Fascinating content even though the sources are outdated. Keeps lectures interesting with lots of examples and stories about his personal relationships with criminals. He wrote 34 of the textbooks so a little overlap. Little bit of a tough grader considering I basically paraphrased what he said in class on the test and it still wasn't good enough.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: SOC229
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His lectures are interesting and his knowledge of the subjects covered are vast, he makes you buy his books which aren't really necessary. His tests are tough but fair, his marking for written components is extremely hard, it's best to go to him ahead of time which I learned the hard way 50% paper makes getting a good grade in the course difficult.