Yao Chen - University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA

Professor: Yao Chen

Department: Business

College: University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: POMS2010
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Yao Chen is a sweetheart. Her English is terrible, but she clearly cares about her students so it's hard not to love her. Unfortunately, you're on your own in terms of learning the material. She has powerpoints which are helpful, but she's impossible to understand. FYI all her quizzes have the answers in the back of the book. Good luck!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: POMS2010
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Horrible professor. Extremely unclear, confusing, and boring. Did not explain any material well at all and is condescending. Only reason I would recommend is because all 4 exams (15% each) are online. Final (40%) is in class though so be prepared. Attendance is mandatory or she will knock letter grades off.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: POMS2010
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Chen is a TERRIBLE professor. Her lectures are very unclear and she is condescending and rude. Shined a very bright laser pointer in my eye when she saw me talking to my classmate(about the material). Only reason I passed was because the exams were online.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: POMS2010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Seriously pick a different professor if you want consistency, clarity, or anything beyond someone reading off the books pre-prepared slides twice a week.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POMS2010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Good - light and optional hw assignments Bad - Disorganized, changes rules and guide lines during exams and quizzes, is unclear in explanations of material, is hard to understand, has poor control over classroom. Uses prentice hall slides, re-uses tests and quizzes so she doesn't give them back, has trouble scaling exams etc etc. 1.5/10

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: POMS201
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She's very hard to understand and even though she knows the subject matter well, she doesn't explain it well. Quizzes are from the book at the end of every chapter so at least you'll do well on the quizzes, Tests usually have nothing to do with quiz, so taking the quiz one class before the test doesn't help you out at all. Tests are worded badly.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: POMS301
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

This class is absurdly boring. She knows what she's doing but has no idea how to communicate it. The cases are simple and the answers can be found online for a huge % of the grade. She told us what the problems on the final would be as well. She assigns big groups to do almost no work over the course of the semester. Attendance is via sign in sheet

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: POMS201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Extremely difficult to understand, unorganized, bothered easily, etc. She personally understands the material but is terrible at explaining (i.e. makes numerous mistakes on every problem done in class, does not prep for class, etc.) Do not take this professor, otherwise make sure you're comfortable with your textbook being your professor

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: POMS2010
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This woman is TERRIBLE. It's hard to follow along in her class because she's hard to understand (and makes a mistake every 5 seconds), and she's rude when you ask a question or ask for help. Only plus is she's pretty fair with grading. Quizzes are from the book, and she usually scales the test. She's still frustrating. Take someone else if you can

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: POMS301
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

SHE IS ACTUALLY A NICE LADY, SHOW HER RESPECT AND DO AS SHE ASKS. YOU NEED TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX IN THIS CLASS. MAKE SURE YOU PICK A GOOD GROUP A BIG PART OF YOUR GRADE DEPENDS ON IT. 2 CASE STUDIES, 1 QUIZ AND 1 FINAL. HOMEWORK NOT COLLECTED BUT ASSIGNED WEEKLY THROUGH GROUPS. ALLOWS 4 ABSECENCES AND TELLS EXACTLY WHATS ON THE TEST.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: POMS301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Okay, she is the WORST professor in the history of University of Massachusetts. Her expectations are extremely unclear, she never helps students, she never lectures, and she leaves everything up to you. Horrible, DO NOT TAKE HER. If you need to take Operations Management, take my advice and choose a different professor.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: POMS
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

It's easy to get A in her class. But it's diffucult to understand her. She can help if you ask. No powerpoint slides, no explanation. We prepared group presentations every week and had assignment, exam and final paper. Not so difficult, exam was very easy!

Rating # 13

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Yao Chen is not very helpful, but she is easy on grading. You can turn in the correct answers when she goes over tests in class and get half points back. I was lost until I started reading the book. That was my fault. Final is 45% of grade, but is easy and open book. Some questions are copying answers from book. Read book for understanding.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: OPSAN63210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Instructor is pretty nice & passionate about teaching but hard to follow. You will need to read textbook to understand concepts covered (Probability, Regression Model, Queuing Theory, Linear Programming). If you are looking to understand only bare basics of ops analysis techniques then take this instructor. Class is easy, only covered 5 chapters.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: OM371
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She assigns two projects during the year, both with hardly any guidelines/instructions. Has very thick accent, it's not impossible to understand her but at times it's hard to follow her train of thought. The coursework is not hard but the fact that she's teaching it makes it harder than it needs to be. If you have the option take someone else.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: OPERANAL
• 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 professor not helpful. I left a community college and was rusty on some algebra, I went for after help and she says to practice my reading comprehension and re-study the first steps of algebra. She also recommended me to take a night course because she says the professors are easier. Hard to understand. My opinion is she is here for the money

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: OPMGM000
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

In grad level Op Management, the biggest challenge was understanding Prof Chen's expectations of the class. She provided virtually no guidelines for the two projects, changed the class meeting time 5 times (not even exaggerating), and it generally seemed like she just played the whole course by ear. Her thick accent does her no favors, either.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: OA301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

One of the worst professors I have ever had. She told me to drop the class after the first exam..I think I got a B overall in the class. She doesnt understand questions in English so she sits there stuttering for a long time while the class is like what the heck.This is one of those professors I want to ask UML what they were thinking.Not memorable

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: OAT210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Ms. Chen is an excellent teacher, really knows her subject. Thick accent, but you get used to it. Remember, we live in a globalized society, and as business managers, we'll need to deal with this naturally. The computer part is interesting and useful. I was actually recognized for applying what I learned in her class to real life situations...

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Not sure what the people with negative reviews are talking about. I took her and she was quite a decent professor. Attendance is mandatory (but not anal about punctuality) and it's hard to understand at times, but she is actually quite a good teacher and tries to help you as much as she could. A very nice lady and a pleasant and interesting class.