James Strain - Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI

Professor: James Strain

Department: Music

College: Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MU101
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I love him

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MU151
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I have him for my percussion lessons. He's a great instructor and he's been there for me when I've had personal problems. He has helped me a lot.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Reads off of Wikipedia pages. Knows his stuff, but often comes across as arrogant. Often speaks his opinions as if they are facts. Personally, I didn't need to pay attention to a word of his lectures to get an A, but I had a musical background going into the class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• 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:

I never took band in High School and he thought we all took band. When I took the class it was the worse class ever. He did not take time to talk to you if your classes conflict with his office hours.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

If I would have went to class more and studied more, my grade would have been amazing. Go to class, study more than the day before the tests and you'll be fine. He wrote his own textbook, so nothing on the tests are a surprise. Put some effort in.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Music in Society is not meant to be a really tough elective, but it is with this teacher. He does a good job explaining everything and helps, but the lectures are hard to stay awake during and the tests are ridiculously hard. Take it with another teacher.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I took this class expecting it to raise my GPA, WRONG! He is a very hard professor--I would recommend taking this class with one of the other music in society professors!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• 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:

Great teacher! He is always willing to help students and truly has a passion for what he does. There ought to be more professors like him. He goes over material very well to ensure everyone understands it, lots of visual and hands on learning!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MU150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Difficult, but he's helpful. A little full of himself, but I think he cares. He's very knowledgeable, but his ego occasionally gets in his way, but he does give you a lot to think about.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I took this course trying to improve my GPA from a C prior and thought that taking it by web would save me some time and I could handle it since I pretty much already knew the material. His tests were absolutely ridiculous! "How many hairs on Bach's head?" okay not literally that nit picky but really annoying.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• 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:

Very helpful. However without prior knowledge of the subject matter, he can get kind of difficult. Just listen to the music samples A LOT...and go to class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• 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:

Getting nothing out of the class. he's only stroking his own ego. said first day of class we didn't need to be musically tallented to pass; but with no musical background it's extremely difficult. Way to much work for the credit. Never taking his classes again.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

LAME-O .. can't stand the guy.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Strain answered e-mails very quickly. I never met him him in person but he seemed very nice. This class killed me though. Seemed like a lot of work for a 100-level course. Exams were surprisingly difficult. Its possible to get a good grade, but posting twice a week, 40+ chapter quizzes (not graded), 4 papers, and 6 exams seemed like a bit much.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• 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:

Dr. Strain is a very informative teacher. He definitely knows what he's talking about. Make sure you do the reading, pay attention in class, and listen to the examples, otherwise there is no way you will pass a test. If you have a background in music, this class will definitely interest you! I know it did for me!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

To the student who has all As and Bs...what in? Hospitality Management? This class is amazingly easy, provided you read through the text once, listen to the samples, and show up. It's honestly that simple. It's scary how easy some expect college to be! Strain can be a bore, but the class is a reasonable way to fulfill your lib. studies requirement.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• 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 have Dr. Strains web class and to be honest, you really do have to study. The exams, especially the listening portions, can be very difficult if you don't ever open the book. I'm currently getting an A but just barely. This class requires attendance in a sense because you are graded for posting a reply to his discussions atleast twice a week.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MUS125
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He's a little spacey but decent. He's straightforward as far as what he wants from you.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MU125
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class was way more hard than it should have been. Most people in there were only there for their liberal studies credits, and we should not have had to work that hard at it. I'm not saying that it should be "dumbed" down, but c'mon. I have all A's and B's, but this class brought my GPA down.

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

He is a kind, helpful, very smart teacher. REALLY GOOD CLASS. Kind and will totally help you out, but not a warm-fuzzy kiss your butt kind of person. He tells it like it is and won't flatter you, so don't go in there expected to get your ego stroked. Just do your work (instead of doing dumb stuff to get out of it) Quality prof.