Gene Bickers - University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Professor: Gene Bickers

Department: Physics

College: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHYS304
• 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:

Prof Bickers is great! His passion for teaching and physics really shows in his lectures. Attendance is not mandatory, but is very helpful. His homework is very long, but extremely important to do well on his tests. He is one of the most available professors at USC, so make sure to attend his office hours.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHYS162
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I took PHYS 162 with Gene Bickers, and it was the highlight of my semester. This class was really challenging but the professor is very accessible and not an especially harsh grader. All lectures are recorded, but he sometimes forgets to turn on the mic so I recommend going to lecture.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHYS101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

great professor, he is really nice and if you have any questions, he answers them through email right away. attendance is not mandatory but going to lecture would be really helpful. totally recommended

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHYS100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

There are HW assignments due every Wednesday and 5 question quizzes due before every class. Both the quizzes and HW are easy (do them to keep your grade up), but the tests are a little harder. I didn't even need the textbook, was in his 10 AM MWF and nobody went to lecture. He has cool demonstrations thought and lectures are great if you do go.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHYS100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

It might be the best GE course for natural science!! As long as you go to the leacture or watch the video and do the quiz and homework, it is not difficult to get a good grade. He is a very caring old man, and he does all the demos by himself!!! I mean, by himself!!! Highly recommend, and if you have taken SAT subject, you will find it easy.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHYS161
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Loses me as soon as he starts talking.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHYS163
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I love Bickers. I have taken three courses with him so far and while they have been hard classes, he has never been judgmental and has always been there to help. He makes accommodations for you, gives you extra time, explains things in office hours, etc. A real gem.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHYS161
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Over complicates simple concepts.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHYS100
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Maybe physics is just not my thing, but I felt like the things he lectured, along with the homework and quizzes has nothing to do with the exams, even though you do see some questions on from the past exams and quizzes.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS100
• 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:

PHYS100 is a lot of HW and quizzes. But they are doable. You can even google all the answers. However, midterms and finals requires a bit of studying. Study up on the past quizzes, HW and past midterm/finals. Understand the material. He is very good at explaining. You do all that, you will get something between a B+ and an A.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHYS135B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Best physics teacher I've ever had. The first teacher that truly tries to explain the relevance of each topic you're learning, which makes you appreciate and enjoy the subject so much more. Terrific at explaining concepts clearly.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHYS100
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Quite a bit of homework for a 100-class. But Bickers was super funny and energetic which makes up for what should be a dull intro course. If you ever take an easy course, I recommend him. Very clear on explaining and is very forgiving on late assignments.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHYS162
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The class is very hard, but Bickers is great about explaining things and his office hours are super helpful

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHYS161162
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Bickers really cares about his students, and his passion for the material will make you love it, too. If you've taken a good AP Physics class in high school you will be ok. Homeworks are tough but he has video explanations for them. Also, he understands it's harder than the regular physics class, so he curves the course average to around a B+/A-.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHYS100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

This is a good class to take pass/fail for GE 3. Professor Bickers is very clear and quick with his grading. You just need to stay on top of the homework and quizzes and go to lab. The tests are all multiple choice and not terrible. Easy pass.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHYS100
• 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:

Professor Bickers is the best! Good choice for GE-D as long as you learned really basic physics in high school. two midterms, one final and no papers. I'm so angry that people just don't show up in the classroom. He deserves more.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHYS100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's the best physics professor I've ever taken. His in-class experiments are definitely fantastic and I personally became interested in learning physics after taking his introductory physics class.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHYS161162163
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Best teacher I have had at USC. Inspired me to add a physics minor. He is very knowledgeable, and accessible. His lectures are amazing, and if you choose not to go to class he posts them all online. The HW is very hard and time intense, but if you go into office hours you will have no problem with it. I can not stress how helpful office hours are!!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHYS135B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He's a great man, but his lectures do not prepare you for the homework, and the homework does not prepare you for the tests. If you take this class, get ready to work 40 hr weeks on just physics alone. He's there to help, and is on your side (despite the difficulty and work load). All he wants is for you to learn and his class is set up for that.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHYS161
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Even with the curve, the exams are still quite difficult, and you're going to have to put in a LOT of time if you want an A (I mean that). However, Bickers is by far the most helpful and knowing professor in the Physics department at USC, so it's impossible to say anything bad about him. If you're willing to put in the time, take him over Gould.