Marilyn Desmond - Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY

Professor: Marilyn Desmond

Department: English

College: Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENG572
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Excellent professor. Very knowledgeable and insightful. She gives excellent feedback. The reading is challenging, but she is willing to help you develop your ideas.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENG200
• 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:

She genuinely seems to have a screw loose, or else she is very dishonest. I had mentioned some of the same negative comments on RMP to her in a private discussion and she acted like she had never heard of these complaints, which go back to 2005. Her concept of "classroom politics" borders on insanity and lying.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENG333
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Most pointless class I have ever taken for my major. Desmond is a stickler for attendance, bathroom use, etc yet stands in front of the class and lectures the entire time about information irrelevant to our final grade for this course. Her lectures are dry, her feedback on papers rushed and harsh. Nice and knowledgeable, but shouldn't be teaching.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you complain she calls you hypersensitive, but if your kid has a concussion and you're a tenured professor, you're a realist.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Mean-spirited. Very unrealistic reading lists. Plays students off against each other. Plays favorites.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENG230
• 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:

Took the course my first semester of my freshman year and actually liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Made Medieval Literature somewhat interesting. Can be a bit dry and boring at times, but overall I thought that she knew the material fairly well and was very nice and at least open if you needed help with papers. Is a bit of a hard grader

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ENGL1
• 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:

I thought it was just me but after reading reviews I have to agree with some of the negative remarks. She does spend some time on trashing her fellow co-workers. She will play favorites. God help you if you are friends with one of the co-workers she dislikes. The knowledge level waxes and wanes within the lecture. She can work with you or against

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENG401
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

What did you people expect from an upper-level class? Desmond is great, and it seems like you didn't take advantage of all she has to offer. Are people really that afraid of a little hard work? She helped me in class, on my honors thesis, and applying to two graduate school programs. And I'm a guy!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENG330
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The first time you get your paper back, you will probably want to cry, but she will respect improvement and is willing to help you sentence by sentence if you go her office hours. She expects intelligent conversation and coherent participation. She challenges you. She made me work harder than any other professor, but I learned a ton.

Rating # 10

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

She's an excellent reader and a skillful instructor. She recognizes good work and rewards it. I highly recommend her classes! The charge that she doesn't like male students is preposterous. (I am a male student.)

Rating # 11

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Seems to discriminate against guys. Very condescending and just ill spirited. I felt sorry for the males in the class. She seems to have favorites. I would not recommend her class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

I love Middle Age literature, and looked forward to this class. However, for whatever reason, she did not take a liking to me and criticized my writing without actually offering ideas for improvement (is that not her job?). I also got the impression that she did not like men in general, based upon popular male opinion of the class and the resultin

Rating # 13

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Bad experience all around.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

If you miss classes she will immediately dislike you and become unapproachable. She is rude to students who aren't her favorites. Lectures are incomprehensibly boring. Papers are damn near impossible to get above a B-. Quizzes/Midterm/Final are easy, but account for something like 30% of the grade.

Rating # 15

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Doesn't respond to emails. Doesn't communicate with students. Incoherent lecturer. Unrealistic amount of work. Generally just a bad experience all around.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

In-class quizzes and midterm very easy. She will destroy you on essays you hand in. The most arrogant person you'll ever meet. Thinks she's God's gift to the universal.

Rating # 17

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Unprofessional, talked badly about colleagues, enamoured of PoMo, played favorites, divorced from reality. Take a different class.

Rating # 18

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

One of the Worst teachers I have ever had...I'm apalled to think about how anyone in their right mind can say she is a good teacher. Terrible Person!

Rating # 19

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Very very bad judge of character!! Too freakin' high up on her ivory tower.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ENG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Medieval Lit is a good alternative to Brit Lit I. At first the books are easy, then they get pretty hard. Easy quizzes, easy midterm/final- hard grading on papers! Too much reading, but overall not horrible.