Robert Garfias - University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA

Professor: Robert Garfias

Department: Anthropology

College: University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ANTHR138J
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Open notes for the exams, but you need to memorize dozens of music examples, then he plays two in class on exam day. You have to identify the songs and know somthing about them. Completely pointless waste of time. Professor G likes to talk about himself. A lot!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: A138
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

this guy is my inspiration. for someone who loves culture, this is the person who opened up a new world to me. seasoned with decades of experience and knowledge. never studied a single minute but pulled 3 A's. but that's not the point, enjoy what he has to offer to you and about the world out there.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ANTHR138T
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lectures were disorganized. He just kept jumping from one unclear point to another. I only learned from TA Georgiana, who did a way better job teaching than Garfias. Everytime he was in the middle explaining something, he would always go off on a tangent and forget to return to the topic. Some music samples on tests were ones he barely talked about

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ANTH138P
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Great professor! He teaches with a passion and truly wants his students to learn. Class required no books. His class might have seemed easy but in the end, you learn SO much just by re-reading the notes he lectured. I try to take all the classes he has.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ANTRO138M
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

One of the best Professors in UCI. As long as you attend class and write good notes, you'll get an A in the class. A great prof. and he's really easy to talk to and his stories are very interesting. I recommend anyone to take any of his classes!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ANTH138
• 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:

i feel previledged to have him as my prof. he teaches important stuff not only the course lecture but life lecture too. he's a famous ethnomusicologist, globally known adventurist, musician, writer, curator..one of his student designed and built disney hall and i know mr garfias was there. i hope he's healthy and well for long

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ANTHR30A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Wonderful professor. He is one of those professors who not only loves what he teaches, but cares about his students as well. His class was very interesting because of his apparent extensive knowledge of the subject. I took this as a class for my minor, but now I am making anthro a major as well because teachers like him!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ANTHR138S
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I took two classes with him last year Anthro 138S/Q. I think he is awesome. He is super nice and his tests are super easy. There's no book. Everything is based on what he lectures. As long as you attend class and take notes on everything he mentions and study the music examples you'll get an A.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ANTHR138M
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Garfias tells interesting stories and has ecclectic taste in music. Midterm and final are open-note; make sure to listen to the music clips online. Attending section is very useful. Listening examples on the tests are fairly obvious.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ANTH138
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Easy. That said, you still need to study and go to class. Exams are open-note, and your notes have to be great and you have to understand them in order to do well. He has two essays and two music examples (out of A LOT of examples) for each exam. I thought it was a piece of cake.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ANTHR138M
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Means well.. but his class about music is UTTERLY BORING!!!!! DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS.. about 3-4 weeks in you'll seriouslly wish you hadn't.. I know it seems like an easy class at first, but its sooooooo boring its not funny and makes you really dis interested.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ANTHR138S
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He is by far one of the best teachers Ive had at Irvine. I had no interest coming in at all, it was just a breadth requirement, but he stimulated my interest completely. His lectures were really interesting. And he does give you a lot of music samples, but it's not that hard to distinguish from them if you actually study. He doesn't grade hard.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ANTHR138
• 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:

This is class is so interesting, and he is so nice. But since there is no book, and about a million music samples it can be hard. I mean most of the music is from centuries ago and so if your not too good with telling instruments and beats apart, I wouldnt recommend.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ANTHR138P
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Since there's no textbook, the only way to get notes is to go to class. His slides are random and many are completely useless. He really likes to talk during lecture and speak in different languages to students he knows. I went to ask him something during office hours once and he told me to not waste his time and go to the TA. =[

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ANTH138P
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Interesting professor with a quirky personality, has random slides. He is very passionate about what he does, but the class all depends on your TA. Exams are VERY conceptual. Listen to what your TA wants, attend class and you should be fine

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ANTHR138
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Pretty simple class, but you have to pay attention and know what to note and what not. 2 tests, both open note. Pay attention, seriously. Do that and you should get an A. Goes off on a lot of tangents but if you don't mind that, you'll be fine.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ANTHR138
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

this class was confusing. he wasnt clear, he would always go off topic and start speaking japanese...this class is not worth it, to complicated....everythings is vague..

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ANTHRO138T
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Very cool, animated class. We only listen to music, although we take notes on what the prof. says. He is very nice and makes random comments that are funny. the t.a. I had was Georgiana Bostean and she is very good. I flunked my midterm, but I bounced back to have an A- in the class. Plus, he grades up on improvement. Overall, it's a great class

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: 138O
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: 138
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Just take notes and start preparing for the tests by listening to the examples a couple times about a week before the test. The only thing that sucks is he will NOT shut up about how horrible our generation is - do you want to put up with that crap to get an easy A? lots of racial comments too & picks on people. BUT... easy A.