Russell Martin - Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA

Professor: Russell Martin

Department: History

College: Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CIV101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you want to take a class taught by an arrogant professor that focuses upon Star Trek episodes and hearing about how wonderful Harvard is, then I'd sign up for one of Doc Martin's classes in a heartbeat! Otherwise, AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIS101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Love Dr. Martin. Now, I have read people that go after his personality, which it is true... you have to be open to it. He is 180 degrees away from most of the other teachers in the dept. But this is one of the strengths. He told us he is a Harvard Phd. and he was going to teach us like it. I learned alot, and the skills he teaches carry on for life

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HIS252
• 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:

Great professor who made the class very interesting. He very easily connected with his students and most of time I did not want the class to end.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HIS150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Incredibly challenging. One of the hardest classes I have ever taken in my life, but fully worth it! Has an extreme interest in history (especially Russia). Comes off as loud and arrogant at times but nice once you get to know him. He is a Harvard PhD who knows his stuff!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HIST235
• 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:

He's difficult because he requires you to do your share of the work. You do not only learn material with in this discipline but valuable skills such as how to research and write quality work. His class was very valuable and I'm excited to market it upon searching for a career.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HISSEC
• 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:

Dr. Martin is an excellent professor. A bit condescending, a bit harsh, and very blunt. While his classes are difficult, they are totally worth it. I learned from this guy.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIST101
• 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:

Definitely did NOT inspire me to take more history classes. He was dry, boorish, and rather condescending in class, and assigned readings that he did not even discuss before the tests. He was also the only professor I had who did not take the time to even learn my name! If you have even a slight fondness for history, then stay away from this prof!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIST410
• 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:

I worked hard. I was prodded to think. I was guided just the right amount. I was sometimes even inspired. I learned from this guy. A lot. He inspired me to do a double major in History, even tho it probably dropped my GPA overall. I've been graduated a few years now, and I appreciate him even more than I did in college.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HIS101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Martin has the potential to be a great professor (academic credentials, background knowledge, life experiences, etc.), however he is completely unmotivated and has a very poor attitude towards most of the classes that he teaches. He relies on the textbook entirely too much and does not inspire his students to take the initiative to learn more.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HIST601
• 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:

All of those posting negatives are clearly from people who either didn't get the grade they wanted, or hated being pushed to do their best. Believe the positives on this guy, not the negatives.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HISTO101
• 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:

Despite constantly bragging about his own credentials, Dr. Martin did NOT challenge his students at all. I'd think a Harvard grad would encourage more critical thinking in his classes, rather than just regurgitation of the text and his notes for his assessments. Needless to say, I learned absolutely NOTHING about history in my experience with him.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIS101
• 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:

This class was a complete waste of my time!! Despite being a History MAJOR, studying and doing ALL of the work Dr. Martin assigned every night, I still somehow ended up with a B- !! Take it from someone who knows...avoid this guy if at all possible and take one of the other History profs here instead. You'll be glad you did!!!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HIST601
• 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:

Awesome prof. Best at Westminster.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HISCIV
• 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:

I paid good money to attend this school, but all I got out of Dr. Martin's class was hearing about how good Harvard apparently is and watch Star Trek episodes! He can float his own boat all he wants... just do it with someone else's hard-earned tuition money and go teach somewhere else!!!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HIS151
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Wonderful class. more interesting than i imagined it would be. kept it fun.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HIS101
• 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:

This man made my senior year a complete misery! He always graded his class suckups well, but the rest of us were like chopped liver to him and he didn't care about the majority of the class one way or another. If I had it to do over again, I'd take all Dr. Twining's courses instead of "Martin the Terrible"!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HISTSECT
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Martin, self-absorbed as he may be, is also a brilliant man. He is very entertaining to listen to in lecture and is careful to include his students in the discussion when they seem to be distracted. If you can get over his egoism, then you'll love a Dr. Martin class... otherwise, stay away.

Rating # 18

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

This guy totally made me change my major from History because I didn't want to end up like a self absorbed rectal itch like Doc Martin did. I guess once you become a "huge" A&E or History Channel star,whatever one he was on, you can also become a terrible teacher on crack. Yeah it's true and I am a grown adult making these comments.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HIS101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very smart man, and truly cares how his students do. However can he stop making sex/drugs/drinking remarks? They're really not that funny. You're a grown man, come on, act like it. Besides that, was a fair teacher.

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Contrary to popular belief, Dr. Martin does not spend all of his time talking about Harvard...in fact, he hardly ever mentions the place! Can't understand why so many people on here complain about him...he does sometimes give a lot of work, but he honestly cares that his students learn! He's a very smart guy and an all-around good professor!!!