Tom McDonough - Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY

Professor: Tom McDonough

Department: Art History

College: Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ARTH550
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Was not helpful in office hours at all. If you are not studying art history as a major or minor stay away! He's really condescending and although he says he's open to all opinions, if you disagree with him it will not go well for you. He's more interested in telling you how you are wrong instead of helping you to improve. He's nice but not worth it

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ARTH258
• 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:

I've taken different classes with him & the curriculum is basically the same. He gives an ok lecture (mostly expressing is knowledge), & rarely encourages student involvement in discussions. Memorizing art work is key, his lectures don't provide additional information from homework readings, but attendance is strict. tests & essays graded HARSHLY.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ARTH111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I enjoyed Tom's class so much that I decided to declare ARTH as a major and take his class again next semester. He's interested in getting to know you if you approach him outside of lecture and isn't unreasonable everyone did poorly on the first exam of the year, so he decreased the weight of it for the final grade. A very enthused lecturer!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: 387E
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

By far the best professor I've had at BU. He's intelligent, enthusiastic, and REALLY good looking. Going to class was a pleasure. There's a lot of material but tests aren't hard if you prepare for them and take good notes.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ARTH103
• 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:

This class is pretty terrible and he doesn't make it much better. He pores his knowledge on you but doesn't encourage anyone to speak out and argue with him.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ARTH103
• 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:

His class involves way too much studying for an introductory class. It's not challenging it is fully memorization. The first two tests you need to memorize 50 buildings, their picture, date, location and architect. The final is cumulative

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ARTH103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I was really blown away by what a good and interesting lecturer he is, and how incredibly knowledgeable he is. However, his tests are ridiculously hard and require insane amounts of studying, and he's rather condescending if you go to office hours. If you really like art history, you'll probably like him, but otherwise, steer clear.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ARTH103
• 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:

Nice guy has a ton to say is a bit boring though. Tests are mostly spit back information- beware.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ARTH103
• 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:

makes life difficult. he enters the lecture and dims the light and expects no one to fall asleep. Doesn't speak too well either, has a lot of "umm"s in his speeches. seems like a nice guy but overall not worth dropping your GPA to take.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ARTH103
• 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:

If you're a die-hard art history major this might be OK, but why ruin your GPA to fill an elective slot. Tests are very hard and account for all of your grade. No aor homework. Its all about memorizing names, dates and locations and significance to society. Slides get shown, you tell all the info about them or fail.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ART103
• 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:

Avoid him if you don't want to ruin your GPA!!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ARTH103
• 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:

What the **** about this professor? I got an A in ALL other of my class all the time but he give me a C on my final paper?! why are you such a harsh grader, please curve and not let this class impossible. You know the materials are so informative and have tons of new vocabulary and term. The exams are also impossible and difficult, avoid him!!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ARTH103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He's a really awesome person, but his tests are impossible. I mean, you have to memorize 100 buildings (architect, building, style, date) for each test. There are people who have attended every lecture, and they still thought his tests were hard. Overall, nice guy. He's helpful too. It was hard not to fall asleep in that room though.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ARTH389C
• 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:

One of the best experiences I've had in the ArtHist dept. He's very funny and enthusiastic, not nearly as pretentious as other ArtHist profs (it's kind of inevitable, I think.) His tests/papers are slightly harder than other classes', but only because he actually requires more thought than superficial comparisons, which is how it should be.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ARTH103
• 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:

Nice guy, funny, witty and very knowledgeable. Spices up an otherwise very boring class. Go to lecture, take notes and study and you will be fine.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ARTH276
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Go to class every day and do the readings and you will do well in the class. Good teacher/cares about students and holds review sessions before tests. Fair tests, fair graders, and class is very interesting.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ARTH276
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's really entertaining, and the class is fun. He really knows a lot about the material too. He was helpful during office hours too, and if you pay attention in class and take good notes it's not hard to do well.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ARTH287
• 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:

This is the second class i am taking with him, he's a great speaker, and loves what he does. Real funny guy!!! Curses alot but it helps kids wake up. If you are interested architecture, want to expand you mind a little and have a personality you will like professor Mcdonough. fair reading, pretty fair tests, and fair essays. Not a ton of work,

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ARTH276
• 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:

Class is usually boring although he jokes sometimes.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ARTH387G
• 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:

Great class, very engaging and he always makes it fun with a comicical attitude towards the problems found throughout Architecture and Urban Planning in general. I would recommend this class to anyone remotely interested in the social context of urbanism and the evolution of human civilization.