Steven Tracy - University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Professor: Steven Tracy

Department: Ethnic Studies

College: University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: AFRAM234
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Overall very easy class. Depending on the TA you might get kinda screwed over on the paper, very vague and unclear instructions. Other than than should be easy

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: AFROAM234
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Tracy is a great professor!! Hes one of the best at UMass. He is always available to help and provides good feedback!! I encourage you to take his class. There are two projects and 1 paper. Hes the best!!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: AFROAM265
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Honest review. Class is unstructured and hard to stay on track. Textbook reading does not help in understanding the class material or completing assignments. BUT Professor Tracy is a wonderful teacher, and if you go to him, he will help you in finding something to write about for your papers. (2 papers and 1 project). An easy A with teacher's help.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: AFROAM265
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Cool person and knows his stuff about the blues, but his class is painfully unstructured. Every class the topic seems to jump around and I was always left questioning what we were actually supposed to be learning about that day. You're graded on 2 papers, a project and class participation (25% each). Papers blow b/c the prompts are extremely vague.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: AFROAM244
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Tracy doesn't give any tests, but does require you to participate in class, do a paper, project, and group presentation. There are two books for the class, but honestly, I just looked up poems on my laptop and read them before class started. There isn't any penalty in not reading the poems other than not having a participation grade.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: AFROAM265
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class was an alright gen ed to take. No exams, you do not have to read the books that you're supposed to buy. There are 2 papers, one thats 1300 words and another thats 2000. It's not bad, thats all he grades you on, and also a project which is individual and really easy. Your attendance counts towards your grade, so don't miss it!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: AFROAM234
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Hands down easiest class I have taken in all of my time at UMass. There are only 3 things you get graded on: two essays, one worth 25% of your grade and the other worth 50%, and the other 25% participation. Never showed up except discussions, never had to do anything outside of class except the essays. TAKE THIS CLASS. It's worth two geneds too

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: AFRAM234
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Prof Tracy is one of the sweetest, most genuine people I have ever met. He is incredibly passionate about what he does and is enthusiastic about students' ideas. He also doesn't believe in finals, so you're essentially done with the class two weeks before the end of the semester.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: AFRO117
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I took this as a GenEd. It is SO easy. Two papers and a project. No homework, no test, no quizzes, no final exam. The only thing I did no like was the fact you HAD to go to class, attendance is a huge part of your grade. Make sure you like your TA too, he does all the grading. Overall though, this course is incredibly easy and tracy is a cool guy.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: AFAM290
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I actually liked him this semester, despite his shyness and sometimes awkwardness, He really does take a vested interest in students. People who severely disliked him most likely didn't do required readings and thus didn't contribute anything of substance to class, be wary of reading into these slackers comments

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: AFRO390H
• 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:

Great class. Tracy is really a Langston Hughes expert. Readings are interesting, coursework is interesting. If your interested in poetry this is a great class to take. Warning though, attendance and participation is mandatory so if you can't make it to class at 8am then don't take it. Overall though I would recommend Prof. Tracy

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: AFROA252H
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Pr. Tracy is the nicest, sweetest person any body could meet. He takes his time to thoroughly go thru class material(s), he helps his students a great deal when it comes to course work, and he's an easy grader, with the exception that students have to write a final paper for the course. He knows what he's doing and class is fun. I HIGHLY RECOM. HIM

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: AFROAM290C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

There's no doubt about it; Professor Tracy is one smart cookie. By far one of the smartest and most accomplished professors I've ever had. His passion for music is truly inspiring. However (in fact, he warned us on the first day of class), he's tremendously shy and unapproachable, which could take some getting used to. The class is great, though.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: 256
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Interesting class. Helpful Professor - he's interested in his students and willing to help if you ask him.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: AFROAM256
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He took something as important as the Harlem Renaissance and made it so pointless. He is very random and dismissive. One of the worse teachers at UMASS.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: AFROAM290C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

i expected more from this class (the name intrigued me, "the blues came down like dark night showers of rain") and was somewhat disappointed. the readings could be more interesting but class lectures are awesome! he brings in so much music to li

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: AFAM252H
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Has a lot of passion for what he is doing, but very weird and not useful. Too much pointless reading.

Rating # 18

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

The guy knows his stuff, but he's not meant to be in the classroom. Has no idea how to communicate with students, unclear - probably one of the worst teachers I've ever had at UMass. Avoid at all costs.