Richard Swasey - Northeastern University, Boston, MA

Professor: Richard Swasey

Department: Business

College: Northeastern University, Boston, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: FINA2201
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His learning technique his much more hands than other classes but I learn best from doing so this was perfect for me. He expects a lot but if you show a genuine effort than he will work with you to make sure you understand the material. He really does care about his students and is one of my favorite professors thus far.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: FINA2201
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Get ready to teach yourself all the way through this class. Doesn't cover any textbook material in class yet tests and quizzes are based on textbook material. Wouldn't show up to class at all if participation wasn't counted as the lectures are entirely unrelated to anything graded. Easily worst professor I've had the displeasure of having at NEU.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: FIN3301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Did not touch textbook all semester. Heavy on case studies and participation.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: FINA2201
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Greatest professor I have had at Northeastern. Teaches from the prospective of the real world. Class participation is VERY important. Also, he gives you all the material that is going to be on each exam before you take it so there is no excuse not to do well. If you plan on having a future in finance, there no better professor to take than Swasey.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: FINA2201
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Overall I really enjoyed this class. Lectures were very relaxed and casual, and prof would often go on tangents. Participation matters in this class so make sure to speak often. He taught a lot of life lessons and course did not really follow textbook, but as long as you study what he talks about in class (take notes) you will do fine on exams.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: FINA4524
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Swasey is extremely bright and makes every lecture enjoyable. The class structure/grading criteria are vague. However, those who participate regularly and are willing to put in extra work will succeed. You will learn a ton. I highly recommend Professor Swasey; he is the best teacher I've had in my four years at Northeastern (by a mile).

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: FINA3301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Nice guy, has good anecdotes about the industry. Enjoyed attending class (mandatory). Tests are hugely unfair in terms of grading. Even if you know the material extremely well, there's an element of luck to what he includes on the test. Would not have taken the class with him if I had known his approach to mid-terms and finals.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: FIN3301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Think he is a good professor. You get a solid knowledge of corporate finance in this class and if you do your stuff and participate, you can also get a good great. Test are not easy, you need to know your stuff and be able to solve problems under time pressure. I would recommend.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: FINA2201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

One of the hardest classes I've taken at NU. Harsh grader. Poor management of class time, spends a lot of time going off on tangents and giving life lessons. He doesn't teach anything from the textbook so we're on our own for the homework (which is graded weird, hard to do well) One takeaway is that you will learn a lot about company valuation.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: 2201
• Grade Received: Audit/No Grade
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Horrible professor don't do it.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MECON960
• 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:

Very funny and entertaining guy. He has been trying to restructure course for MBA students . Class discussion great but not easy for the subject matter. Difficult to absorb and get into at least for me. I screwed up on my quizzes. So I take the blame. Just wish we had more class time not fair to students or professor. NEU needs to Change The TIME.

Rating # 12

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Exams were not taken from class content but from the book content.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: FINA3301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Swasey is tough but if you take his class you will know your stuff. He is better for the real world than any other finance professor because he covers cases like on the job. Be ready to participate and get called on without warning. All in all he's a character and a genuine nice guy who is looking to have his students actually learn the material.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: FINA3301
• 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:

Swasey has more first hand experience than any other finance teacher I've had. Tough grader and expects a lot, but he doesn't just sit there teaching out of the book, he uses cases and excel (used in the real world, you clowns) to show, step by step, how valuations, forecasts, etc are performed. Awesome guy, must take for Corporate Finance

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: FINA2201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is a tough teacher - knows his stuff but if you aren't a finance major or really interested in the subject, not the teacher for you. He is unlike the other teachers - does not test on formulas, just spreadsheets and the thinking behind formulas, so if you don't understand the material 110%, you will not do as well

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: FINA2201
• 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:

This guy knows his finance but it is a very hard class. You must participate all the time and he will call you out if you don't speak a lot. He is always willing to explain things which is nice. Also, Some of his tests and quizzes are super easy and others are impossibly hard. Nothing is consistent with this guy.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: FIN3301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Amazing professor! He may not not teach exactly what is in the book, but you end up learning a lot!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: FINA3301
• 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:

Uses a diff calculator than everyone else. Grades very hard and exams ar eimpossible. You might as well guess on the multiple choice. He is a funny guy but not alot of learning is done because he is not clear at all.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: FINA2201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof Swasey has a lot of experience in the finance world. He really drives real world examples in his class and neglects the textbook. This is very frustrating when aplias are due and you have no idea how to do them. His exams usually consist of one large analysis problem and a few multiple choice, but he prepares you for these in class.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: FINA4993
• 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:

Terrific professor who truly cares about his students. Be curious, ask relevant questions, and you will learn a lot.