Robert Balch - University of Montana - Missoula, Missoula, MT

Professor: Robert Balch

Department: Sociology

College: University of Montana - Missoula, Missoula, MT

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: SOC130S
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Fantastic - level of experience in & out of the classroom is unparalleled - especially in an academic environment of shrinking budgets & too many courses taught by adjuncts.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: SOC130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Very knowledgeable. Clearly passionate about subject matter.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Best professor I have ever had, hand's down. Diligence is rewarded. Must manage your own affairs . He will not give you a passing grade just because you enroll.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: SOC100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Best prof I have ever taken. If you are lazy, avoid. If you want to work, he is amazing.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: SOC130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

If you want to harm your GPA, take the class, otherwise not worth your time. The TA were untrustworthy.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: SOC101
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Balch gives awesome lectures, they were always interesting and easy to follow. His exams on the other hand were a different story. He'll explain stuff at a super basic 100 level difficulty and then test you and expect you to know the info at a 300-400 level difficulty. TAKE SOCI 101 FROM A DIFFERENT PROF!!!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: SOC130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

I recommend you not to take the class.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: SOCI130S
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Very interesting lectures. Balch and this class offers very good insight into what religion is and what drives people to follow it. No need to think twice when deciding to take this class, it's a must take!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: SOCI130S
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He gives plenty of extra credit opportunities. But if you don't go to class you miss important notes and have to find someone to borrow from. His class is really tough, notes are difficult because they're taken from what he says too, but it has also been a rewarding experience and I've learned immensely in his class.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: SOC101
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Bach really knows what he's talking about and makes everything he is teaching as clear as possible. Although the tests are tough, he offers extra credit opportunities and is always good help if you make an effort!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: SOCIOLOGY1012
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He's a nice enough guy, but there's so much stuff to learn for the exams. It's not just definitions, it's many many lengthy concepts. Take good notes and seriously, study at least a week before. If you want to do really well, make sure you get the textbook and read it. A portion of the exams are from the book.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: SOCI130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

His tests are ridiculously hard but his first hand experience and the material is really interesting. You have to go to class and do all the readings to do well. Also, don't take his research methods class. It's just as (if not more) difficult but not interesting at all.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: SOCI130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

His alternative religions class is really interesting, and he's a super smart guy with firsthand experience. His tests are unnecessarily difficult, but still a class worth taking. I wanted to take it for fun, but it ended up being one of the more difficult classes of the semester. Rob is really helpful outside of the classroom too! :)

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: SOC130S
• 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:

Super interesting info, have to go to class (the few notes he puts up are just written on the board)and the tests are HARD. He pulls 50% from a ton of Eres readings and the rest from lectures. Overall good class though!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: SOC101
• 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:

Balch was an extremely interesting prof. He is incredibly knowledgeable in his field and made class fun to go to. Exams seemed pretty difficult for a 100 level, but he offers a lot of extra credit. Would take another class from him.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: SOC110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Always enjoyed attending his classes and really got into his lectures on religious cults. But thought he was a little flaky and a bit disorganized. His tests are harder then you would expect based on his lectures. But really great guy with some great stories.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: SOC310
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

i've taken every class Rob offers and have gone on the field trips for 130 two years in a row. my only complaint is that he doesn't teach more classes. his tests can be tough and the research can be time-consuming, but if you're interested it's worth it. prof. Balch's classes have easily been the highlight of my college career.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: SOC130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Rob Balch is amazing. He is definitely tough but his class on alternative religions is hands down the most fascinating class I have taken thus far.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: SOC130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Interesting guy - really smart about his field. I did feel the exams were more difficult than the lectures suggested, especially for a general education class populated by non-soc majors.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: SOC1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Best prof I ever had. Yes, methods is hard