Marta Robertson - Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA

Professor: Marta Robertson

Department: Music

College: Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: FYS1442
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

She can get all over the place with ideas, and get very confusing. But overall the class has good reading material. Fun dance sessions

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: FYS144
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Robertson has a lot of enthusiasm for what she teaches. She does go on some serious tangents but if you can find interest in the subject matter you will enjoy the class. I enjoyed it, but I know people who only took her FYS to fulfill the requirement weren't as pleased with the class. She feeds off of her students and has great ideas.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MUS211
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

A really kind teacher; clearly wants students to learn and grow as musicologists. However, she is one of the least organized teachers I've ever had. The whole class is based off of going on tangents based on what we read. Once you figure out how to do well, it's easy, but it's always irritating to some degree.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MUS211
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Robertson, may perhaps be one of the more horrible teachers in the classroom. She goes on tangents not relating to textbook and has a hard time conveying ideas. Outside the classroom she is really helpful and wants you to come talk to her. Her assignments might seem unorthodox and lot of your grade depends on participation during class.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MUS211
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I'm only 2 weeks into this semester and I am already dreading taking a class with her. The structure of the class and the 5 hour workload for every hour in class is just unacceptable when 2 hours is the suggested college requirement.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MUS102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lovely lady. Absolute nonsense professor. I received A's on all written exams/papers but got a B+ in the class because she gave me terrible participation grades. Don't take 103 to fulfill art requirement. Waste of time and money.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MUS314
• 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:

I know a lot of people get very hung up on her style of teaching but, if you just open your mind and go with her flow you end up learning a lot. If you actually put effort into what she asks you to do then she goes out of her way to help you. She knows what people say about her, all she wants is for people to try.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MUS314
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Marta's lecture style can be frustrating because she loves to go on tangents. But outside of class she is so helpful! I learned a lot about thinking like a musicologist simply from meeting with her about my paper, and she loves it when students come to her outside of class. Just be prepared to learn the facts on your own.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: FYS1442
• 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:

Dr. Robertson is OUT THERE! The FYS is not as interesting as it may seem; those who expect to dance during class will be let down. She is rarely clear on her assignments but claims to like structure. The only bonus is that she's a really easy grader.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MUS141
• 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:

Terrible teacher. Picks favorites in class. Like everyone else said, her way is the only way. I learned everything from the PLAs...plan on using them if you take her class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MUS314
• 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:

A terrible teacher. Thinks she is the messiah of teaching, but just spends class time going on tangents. She does not teach music history, class was a waste of time and I do not feel ready to apply to grad school because of her. She WILL give you whatever grade she wants regardless of your results in class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MUS141
• 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:

A decent musician and wonderful person, but not a music theorist. She is far too philosophical to teach such a concrete class that has rules and right and wrong answers. I do not recommend her for a music theory class, but she would probably be great for music history since that's her forte.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: FYS144
• 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:

She was VERY enthusiastic about the subject. Interesting content, but class discussions were often stinted by an excess of her own opinions. Weekly assignments were usually clear, but midterm and final projects were ambiguous and not very beneficial to learning.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MUS103
• 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:

For the 100 level class I took, you really dont need to put that much effort into her class. For her papers,i pretty much wrote the same thing three times while making the changes she asked and got an A-. The hardest part is sitting through her lectures. I swear I lost years of my life there. Even then, as long as you say something you'll be ok.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MUS313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Make sure you read. And raise any questions you think she may like. Takes a while to grade papers so be patient. Keep an open mind: Marta has a different way of teaching, but if you adjust to her she's awesome. Stay after class and talk to her. She's a great resource for help outside of class as well.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: FYS144
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I like her as a person but her class was a little strange sometimes. Only take this seminar if you like to find different ways to think about things. (I had fun though.)

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MUS415
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Marta gives very ambiguous assignments but expects you to do something specific. She has favorites and if you do end up doing something similar to what one of her favorites is doing, you will be wrong and they will be right. She can be very immature and uncaring (i.e. she is always right). You learn more about dance than actual music.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MUS313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Marta is really great. She's incredibly intelligent and an expert in her field. She's not going to lecture you. If you want a teacher who is going to regurgitate names and dates, find a different class. She wants you to think and is delighted when you do--class participation is rewarded, so is creativity. An A isn't too hard to get.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MUS212
• 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:

Classes are completely ambiguous and lectures are way too scattered. Assignments have no clarifications or guidelines explained and she WILL NOT clarify, but if you do not do what she expects it's wrong. Basically, if you do not agree with her you are wrong.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: FYS100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Robertson is kind of a nut. She is completely unclear about her assignments and asking her to clarify only makes it more incomprensive. As a non-music major, this FYS (Why do people dance?) is kind of fun because she is just so out there and we do different stuff but she can still be frustrating. A really nice woman though.