Michael Blain - Boise State University, Boise, ID

Professor: Michael Blain

Department: Sociology

College: Boise State University, Boise, ID

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: SOC302
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is one of the best professors I have taken at BSU. He is incredibly knowledgeable and quite funny. He can go off on a tangent at times but everything reflects the content. He expects you to show up and put in effort with the few assignments he assigns. He doesn't offer a lot of extra help or hand holding and does grade critically.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: SOC311
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His class is hard, but if you actually pay attention and do the assigned reading you can easily get a good grade in his class. There are two midterms worth 30% each (curves them) and one final project worth 40% of your grade. READ THE BOOK!!! I cannot stress that enough! You have to really work for your grade, but you end up learning the material.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: SOC311
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I dreaded going to this class. He is very monotone and very hard to follow. Your grade is based off of 2 tests and a research project. The tests consisted of multiple choice and an essay. The multiple choice questions are ONLY from the book which he never talks about in class. The only reason I passed this class is because he weights tests grades.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: SOC498
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I actually have learned very much from him. I wish he would have more group activities or just activities in general, making it more interpersonal. Also he does not like tech, so emailing him is not as affective as in person meetings.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: SOC302
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Blain was THE smartest professor I had my entire career! My only regret was not taking more classes from him! Yes, you have to work for your grade but he prepares you for the real world, research is key! Other posts on this site I believe were Students looking for easy A classes. Dr. Blain inspires me and will be missed!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: SOC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Blain is a qualified professor, but he doesn't make many things clear such as what he asks of you during tests or for the end of semester proposals. To ask him to clarify is a difficult task and will make you feel incompetent. Unfortunately he is the only professor at the moment teaching Soc Theory II when others are just as capable.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: SOC311
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Blain was not nearly as bad as I thought he was going to be when I went into the semester. He does often go off on tangents and takes quite a long time to get through his slides, but he definitely knows what he's talking about. He often mentions his own work but I do think it's helpful for examples. Miss two classes and drop a letter grade.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: SOC302
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Really interesting , hard class. He's not super clear about anything to begin with, but if you ask enough questions it's not too hard to figure out what he wants from an assignment. You read a ton, but also have to digest what you read if you want to follow along with the lecture. If you miss more than one class he drops you a letter

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: SOC498
• 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:

Trying to communicate with prof. Blaine is like trying to pull teeth. I have never dreaded a class so much in my LIFE. I'm an honor student, work my butt off, but with him, it's never good enough.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: SOC311
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lectures are long and not engaging at all. Your class grade is based on 2 tests and a final research project. The tests have a multiple choice portion that you get info ONLY from the book (he doesn't talk about the book's material at all in lecture), and an essay portion based on what he rambles on about in class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: SOC302
• 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: Mandatory

Comment:

Ok, you hear a lot of bad about this guy. Here's some tips: read the material, take notes on the slides and what he says which are not in the slides, use these notes to answer the midterms, do not add your opinion (it's about the theory, not you), go to a study group, and answer all parts of the question(s). If you do this you'll be ok!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: SOC311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

THE most boring teacher at BSU. Can't follow his lectures, talks about how much he likes to dabble in marijuana and is his number one fan. Doesn't talk about anything important and gets off topic easily. Its unfortunate that he is the only teacher for this class.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: SOC412
• 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: Mandatory

Comment:

No matter how much you study for the essay he just gives you a subjective grade with no explanation of it.Its as if he didn't even read it. Students ask questions about the essay and he just gives illusive answers.he does not help at all. No structure to the class & 2 tests are 40% of your grade and the final project is 40%. Good luck with that.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: SOC311
• 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:

By far the worst teacher I have ever had. He doesn't teach & he is extremely obsessed w/ himself. The exams multiple choice section is easy, however the essays are designed to fail kids, what he really wants as an answer isn't asked in the question. If you must take this class study the book & ask question about what he wants for essays

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: SOC101
• 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:

This man is interested in nothingbut the sound ofhis own voice,if udon't practically plagiarize what is written in his required book(written by him, go figure),u willfail essay questions.He overcomplicates simple concepts to ensure u knowdamn well he's smarter than u.Arrogant& half the time doesnt even make sense.He's tenure so Iguess he doesnt min

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: SOC101
• 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:

Worst professor!I was extremely interested in sociology,by the end of his class I wanted to shoot myself b/c his views of the world are so cynical & pessimistic!This class made me so depressed b/c of how negatively he paints society. Instead of inspiring change & presenting the material objectively,he arrogantly pushes his own rigid opinions on you

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: SOC311
• 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:

The only text he uses are books he wrote himself, so no dissagreeing with anything they say! i know far too much about his wine tastes and his heart problems and learned nothing! lectures have nothing to do with actual tests, and you're pretty much expected to be able to regurgitate his opinion on everything or you will fail.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: SOCI101
• 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:

He is a horrible professor. He talks quietly and nothing he says is in the chapter. He does go off of the book but as much as you study you will not pass the tests. They are essay questions that are impossible to know. He doesn't seem very friendly and never helps you outside of class. Don't waste your time.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: SOC101
• 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:

He talks about random stuff during class that has nothing that pertains to the exams or subject. His exams do not follow his lectures. Very critical and bias. He teaches out of 3 books, one being one that he wrote himself. Everything he lectures on has little or nothing towards his exams. Impossible exams.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: SOC101
• 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:

The teacher is a nice guy who is very critical towards society but he is fair. I did not learn anything from his lectures. The multiple choice on the test were almost impossible for me to pass and the readings were very hard to keep up with. I wouldn't recommend this class unless you are extremly passionate about sociology. Hard to understand.