Michael Berube - Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Professor: Michael Berube

Department: English

College: Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENGL191
• Grade Received: N/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:

All this class consists of is reading the assigned books and taking quizzes/writing papers on them. It is CRUCIAL to keep up with the readings. Just relying on the movie forms of the books won't help you. Class time is just a group discussion on the readings, but he has a way of making them interesting and sometimes funny.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENGL300M
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Berube's class was painful, honestly. His lectures were exceptionally unclear and scattered, and he is much more interested in giving students his opinions rather than listening to their interpretations of the text. And though he gives extensive feedback on papers, it is not very helpful in improving your writing. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENGL191
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Funny guy, gets off topic sometimes, but lectures are informative and insightful. Listens to students

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENGL487W
• 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:

I was always excited for Berube's class, whether or not I liked what we were reading. His discussions are truly engaging, especially when they interact with current issues, other books, and films, which they usually do. He grades on the same level as most English profs, but his feedback is tremendously more critical and helpful. He's a good guy.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: 487W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Had the most engaging class discussions. He can go from in-depth discussion of metaphorical themes to pop culture instantly. He gives the best paper feedback I've had in 4 years and could tell I was having personal problems when my writing quality dropped off. One of the funniest and most interesting classes I've had. Also, this website is stupid.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: 487
• 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:

Great professor, and great experience (for 487.) You can end up with VERY different course materials/books for this 487, depending on what professor you have. You want Berube, both for Professor quality AND for the particular texts you read. I hate the question, "is he "easy?"NO, he isn't, but he isn't "hard" either. It's a stupid question.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ENGL487W
• 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:

One of the best professor's I've ever had. I had read most of the novels we worked on but never looked at them in the way we had. It was like reading a new book. Very insightful.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENGL487W
• 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:

I liked professor Berube a lot. He was very understanding, smart, and, yes, funny. I think its great that the course goes off-topic sometimes, that is the best way to learn new things. A semi-easy grader, although some of his comments on papers were a little...scathing. I suppose that's just an English-major thing. Good guy!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENGL083T
• 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:

Professor Berube my favorite professor at Penn State. He is extremely intelligent and insightful-he always knows what he's talking about. He is helpful in every way and willing to go the extra mile to make sure you get what you want to get out of the class. This class made me pick up the Disability Studies Minor and changed my views on the world.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ENGL435
• 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:

Professor Berube is brilliant! I absolutely loved his class. I love the comment about Quentin Tarantino--he does speak quickly, but it's only because he has so many insightful and fascinating things to say. His comments on my papers/exams were helpful and insightful. Definitely recommended if you want to take an American lit class at PSU.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENGL232
• 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. Berube is the most intelligent teacher I have ever had. He finds themes in the literature that I never otherwise would have found. He's funny, and I find myself laughing a number of times throughout the class. Certainly glad I took this class with him. Highly recommended.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ENGL232
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

full of himself in the worst way, but bright. not a bad discussion leader at all. talks too much. kind of pointless class

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ENGLISH501
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENGLISH501
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Professor Berube is a national treasure.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENGLISH501
• 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:

I think I have a crush of Prof. Berube's brain. He not only knows his own field inside and out, backwards and forwards, but he knows other fields, too. He can even get medieval on your ass! But one warning: he talks REALLY FAST, so you have to be a good listener to keep up. He's like the Quentin Tarantino of English lit.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENGLISH501
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ENGL232
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great course. I didn't care much for the Pynchon, but everything else was interesting. Fair grading, great discussions, quick turnaround on papers. One of my favorite classes at Penn State.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENGL467
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I think some of the ratings here are just weird. I took Berube's class in the spring of 2004, and he didn't lecture- he just led discussions of novels and pointed out lots of things I hadn't noticed. He read my papers really carefully and got them back to me about a week later, with comments. He was approachable and down-to-earth.

Rating # 19

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

What an arrogant jerk. Every class with him was painful as he tried to be funny/show off his knowledge. No doubt he's smart, but the kind of smart where he enjoys lording it over everyone else. His lectures ramble.This class alone made me rethink my english ambitions, because I couldn't stand the idea of a career around people like Berube.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: AMERICANLIT
• 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:

I graduated from PSU in 03, I found Prof, Berube to be mos helpful and understanding. He makes the unfamiliar, familiar and reponds to all inquiries clearly and quickly. I wish there were more like him. I learned more in his class than in most others, I would take his class again in an instant