Gretchen Bender - University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Professor: Gretchen Bender

Department: Architecture

College: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HAA1050
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Gretchen is absolutely amazing. She baked us cookies and brownies for the first day of class, she genuinely cares about every individual student in the class, and she will do anything to help you do your best. She arranged a meeting with a visiting professor for me to help me with my paper. Incredible woman, almost made me cry on the last day.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Gretchen is an amazing lecturer and a very kind individual. She definitely cares about her students and always asks for opinions on ways to make the class better and more interesting. I would take her again for any class---she's probably one of the best professors I've had at Pitt.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ART0010
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Gretchen was one of the best professors I've ever had. The class is 100% fair. Quizes are all announced, 7 throughout semester. All information discussed in lecture. No exams, final is an 8 page paper but is very do able!! She is very light hearted and funny in class. 10/10 would recommend!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ART0010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

One of the sweetest and most caring professors I've ever had. Super knowledgable about the subject and really cares about her students. Lectures can be a bit boring at times but definitely worth attending. No tests, just a few quizzes and one final project. This class definitely requires effort but Gretchen makes it interesting and enjoyable.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HAA1050
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Gretchen is actually a superstar. Her classes are amazing and /will/ bring you homemade cookies. She clearly knowledgable and willing to work to accommodate you. There's a lot of reading though, but if you like art she's golden and if you don't like art she will get you to

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Bender is super nice and gives a lot of chances to boost your grade through extra credit and participation. When it comes to the tests, the grading criteria was really harsh. Definitely go to class and do the extra credit.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Like others have said, if you attend all of the lecture/recitations and take a few notes here and there, you'll get a great grade. It also helps to have friends in the class, because the exam questions are given ahead of time, so you can divide up the work. Really, the class is a pretty easy A though. Would take again.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Good lecturer. Manages to get more out of her students through discussion and extra credit, despite the class size. As far as her class went, it was a pretty standard intro course. Show up to the lectures and recitations, and you're basically guaranteed a good grade.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Bender is a fantastic lecturer and an incredibly caring professor. She gives you extra credit opportunities, and her 'pop quizzes' are essentially a reward for lecture attendance. Technically you could probably skip and get an okay grade, but I would only call this class relatively easy if you plan on attending lecture.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

As long as you show up to class and pay attention, you got an A. She is so passionate that her lectures aren't boring at all. I could listen to her forever. She tells you exactly what to expect on exams and even gives you the topics and essay questions. I really loved this class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

This class wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I went to every single class and recitation (recitation was mandatory) and still had to study and read the book in order to get a good grade on the tests. It's not a hard class, it just wasn't as easy of an A that people claim that it is. I would definitely take this class with Gretchen though.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• 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:

GREAT lecturer. I skipped class a bit so I didn't know the works of art well and that hurts for the midterm and final. Go to class, listen, take notes on main and interesting ideas about the works. Easy class if you put some effort in. Mandatory but pointless recitation with trips to museum, two short papers, midterm, & final.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Gretchen is one of the nice professors I have ever had and she wants everyone to do well. She provides plenty of extra credit opportunities. Just by doing extra credit and decent on exams you should easily get a B or higher

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• 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:

really awesome professor! Lots of extra credit opportunities, tests are pretty easy and predictable, great gen ed to take

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• 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:

Gretchen made the class, a gen ed for most, very interesting and engaging. She was very clear when presenting the material. Don't buy the book - just go to lecture/recitation and take good notes and an A is easily attainable. I would definitely recommend this class and professor - very sweet lady.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• 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:

She is really really good, easy class, but helpful.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HAA1940
• 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:

Gretchen is wonderful! She is easily one of the nicest professors I've ever had. I won't say that I particularly loved most of the assignments/readings, but Gretchen's lectures were always interesting and informative. She'll do all that she can to help you. I highly recommend her! Not terribly easy, but she is a very lenient/understanding grader.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• 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 Bender is awesome! it was a really good class and she explains everything very well. she prepares you very well for the test, she doesn't try to suprise you with anything-very straight forward. She knows its an intro class so she doesn't give you too much work. The work she gives is very fair, even easy. Deffinately take the class!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HAA123
• 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:

Dr. Bender is a very good professor and is very organized, clear and extensive about what she is talking about. You really do need to attend lecture and recitation because she talks more than what is in the book. There are tons of opportunities for extra credit and it's very interesting, highly recommended!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: HAA0010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I barely attended class and got an A- on the midterm. If you're the type that has a strong memory then the tests will be easy since they're all essays about works of art. The book explains everything about the works of art. Bad part is only about 5 out of over 20 works of art are on each test, so there's memorization of useless info.