Will Heller - Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY

Professor: Will Heller

Department: Political Science

College: Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Attendance of lectures is mandatory only in that there are iclicker questions that will eventually count for a participation grade. Not sure why he gets a bad rap, thought he was an interesting lecturer, and has a good sarcastic sense of humor. There are certain things he will repeat or say he disagrees with the test. Know these for mp questions

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

AVOID Prof Heller by all means! I would not have passed his course if it wasn't for my TA and textbook; if you don't have a good TA, good luck... Will is a very close-minded professor and makes the class confusing on purpose, does NOT post powerpoints online and does not like to give out good grades. Would not recommend to anyone

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Has zero ability to convey his subject effectively and lectures derail into circular conversations that do not matter. Read the textbook or you will not pass. Discussion is where everything is learned so go! 3 tests and participation. If you're not good at taking tests, keep that in mind. Mind numbingly boring lecture and overall frustrating class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He seems like a nice enough guy although he can be a little condescending at times. However, as a teacher he provides absolutely nothing. His lectures are meaningless and the only reason half the class shows up is for the participation points. You won't learn anything from his lectures, have to read the textbook and go to discussions to pass.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• 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:

The lectures are extremely boring but he uses iClickers for grades so you won't want to miss many. The lectures don't have a correlation to the tests whatsoever. I only enjoyed the class because of my TA and the discussion I was in for the class and didn't get much from the lectures. Overall, it's not difficult, just painful to sit through.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

if you show up to discussion and read the assigned chapters in the book, you can get an A easily. however, lectures are boring, hard to get through, and are 70% irrelevant. will heller seems like a chill dude, kinda gives off dad joke vibes.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Yawn! Do homework during lecture, and you will gain more knowledge than listening to the lectures.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The actual content of this class is easy to comprehend, and it is pretty much based off of the textbook. Only 2 tests and a final, but they're easy if you have done the readings. You can ignore almost 90% of the lectures, because they're completely useless if you're concerned about doing well. He is also pompous and very unlikeable.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

All I can give this professor credit for is that his tests are fair, and he shows up to lecture. I have no doubt he is an intelligent man but his skills as a teacher are highly lacking. If you can help it I would avoid this class. I would show up to lecture but tune him and and work out of the book, which is all you need to ace the class.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

DO NOT EVER TAKE A CLASS WITH WILL HELLER BC HE WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE HELL. HE IS A HORRIBLE PROFESSOR. IF YOU NEED TO TAKE COMPARATIVE THEN WAIT UNTIL ROBIN BEST IS TEACHING IT. WE HAD HER AS A GUEST LECTURER AND I LEARNED MORE IN 2 DAYS THAN HELLER COULD'VE TAUGHT ME IN AN ENTIRE LIFE

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This professor is easily one of the worst professors at the university. Lectures are a COMPLETE waste of time and energy. I stopped showing up after the first test and still received an A in the course. This class was a joke. GET ON YOUR TA'S GOOD SIDE IN ORDER TO DO WELL IN THE CLASS. Garbage professor who's condescending and doesn't care.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I took this class to fulfill my G Gen Ed and it's an easy class. The only hw is weekly textbook work given by the TA in discussion and reading which I never did. My TA was pretty cool and graded by completion. I looked through the textbook the night before tests and did fine. Lectures aren't mandatory and super boring.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

It is very clear Heller doesn't care about his students or even the class he is teaching-reads slides directly from the textbook (so going to lecture is a waste of time), doesn't create any of the tests, (so get to know your TA), and doesn't even show up on testing days. Sometimes refuses to answer questions in class and is very condescending.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Extremely condescending and rude in class, won't stop the slides and goes through it very fast. Material mostly taught through TA's and textbook - a lot of reading required and he will throw in trick questions on tests to see if you went to lectures.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class is definitely much more difficult to do well in than any 100 level class should be. The lectures are about equally as helpful as reading the book on your own. Tests are pretty difficult. He's really receptive to answering questions during lectures but the slides and info are right out of the book. Had trouble with this class.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: POLI389
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's an OK professor. There are readings and quizzes after each class on the readings. Besides that the class was pretty bland. His lectures just reiterate what the reading said and he bases his lectures on any concepts or questions that the students had on the readings. He does this to fill the class time so the quiz is at the end of class

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: POLI389
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's an OK professor. There are readings and quizzes after each class on the readings. Besides that the class was pretty bland.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PLSC113
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is not engaging with the class and doesn't do a better job than the textbook does. Why have a teacher if all they do is repeat exactly what's in the textbook? I ask him for examples and he says "I'm not really good at examples". He often times makes his lectures opinionated and will go off topic. The textbook is interesting though.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: POLI389
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Heller is the worst teacher I have experienced in my 3 years as a political science major at BU. This class is based on 4 papers and short quizzes after each class. His questions are incredibly vague and he provides no guidance or direction for what he is looking for. He is a strict grader and if there are any citation errors you fail.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PLSC389T
• 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:

Class requirements included daily quizzes on assigned readings and two essays. Quizzes are taken after discussing readings. No tests. Heller is brilliant and witty though some of his lectures can seem pretty dry if you aren't into politics. Easy A if you do the readings, do well on your papers (5-10 pages long), and participate in discussion.