David Kociemba - Emerson College, Boston, MA

Professor: David Kociemba

Department: Fine Arts

College: Emerson College, Boston, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CD153
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The kind of professor you come to college for in the sense that you do have to work but it is rewarding. Nothing too impossible and he is honest and funny at times. He challenges you to really try to understand the material.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: 101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is one of the very few professors in Emerson that actually expect you to behave like a top student plenty of homework, lots of reading, but real knowledge. He knows this field very well and he tries his best to teach his students. So yeah, get ready for homework and long lectures, but you'll learn so much and enjoy it in the end.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: IMGDISABLED
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof is unwilling to provide solid feedback, and it's difficult to know where you stand or how you could improve. There are 1-pg papers due every class - you definitely need to buy all the textbooks and do the reading each week. Will randomly subtract 10-15% from assignment grades, without giving any reason.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: VM200
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Not an easy A or B. Difficult classes but you learn a ton. The man is brilliant.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: VM101
• 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:

there is a LOT of reading. each class you'll have to turn in a 1 page summary of a reading so it's a lot of work, however this will benefit your grade in the end. his lectures were dry and i feel like i missed a lot of what he was saying because he goes pretty fast and likes to make himself sound smart. if you need help go to his office hours.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: FT303
• 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:

Kociemba is not a good professor at all. He is arrogant and makes me feel uncomfortable when I try to participate in class. Instead of actually teaching his students, he just tries to make himself sound smart, which is useless. He's a harsh grader and is not very fair. Don't take his class unless it is required.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: FT303
• 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:

Awful class and professor. We have to turn in a one page summary every class on the most pointless readings, which seem to go on forever. His lectures didn't help me at all. He just throws out information thinking some of it will stick. We have to write three 8-page papers for the class, and his lectures didn't give me any useful information.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: FT303
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

There are about 100 pgs worth of reading every class.He puts the powerpoints up online which is good, but you need to go to class and take notes on what he's saying otherwise you're going of miss 70% of the lecture.Every class there is a critical analysis due of one of two or three readings that were assigned.Avoid this class unless it's required.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CD153
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Much more concerned with hearing himself talk than imparting actual knowledge to his students. Frequently asks discussion questions and then answers them himself. Rude and often offensive when discussing people with disabilities. Considers himself a spokesman for the disabled community despite not having a disability himself.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: VM400
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This was one of the most interesting and best classes I have taken at Emerson. Kociemba's knowledge of Lost as a whole, his organization within the class made it really easy and comfortable for me to participate and really discuss and understand the content. Really great.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: WMA101
• 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:

I took his class during the summer of 2012. It was somewhat difficult but all of his lectures were inspiring and informative. Definitely got my money’s worth! Those who bash on him for lecturing on Buffy obviously missed the point. For the last class he screened the Dark Knight and dedicated an hour after it was done for analysis & discussion.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CD153
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Knowledgable man and friendly outside of a classroom setting, but he is rude and offensive in Images of the Disabled. Makes really cliche comments about people with mental disabilities. Otherwise, the class is a lot of reading, and it's not really clear what he wants in your "critical summaries". Really inconsistent grader.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CD100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Talks a lot about the history of disabilities and gives you a ton of homework and is very strict about attendance, grading, and guidelines in general. The syllabus was like 20 pages long.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: VM120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is one of those dudes that loves what he does, but above everything else, loves that he loves what he does and is as smart as he is about it. He is smart and intelligent but finds it more important to show us that he is smart than to actually teach us. Unbelievably frustrating teacher, and that is without having seen my grade. Just ridiculous

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: VM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I loved Kociemba! He was incredibly intelligent and led interesting class discussions. You had to really earn a good grade from him, but I found myself pushing myself harder than I ever had in order to do so. Solid semester!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: VM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Good teacher who knows his area very well.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: VM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Really tough professor (for no reason). I think his main problem is that he lacks confidence in himself. He tries to compete with his students and sounds intelligent but he isn't as smart as he'd like you to think he is. He doesn't have his Phd and his research focuses on Buffy the Vampire Slayer... enough said.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: VM101
• 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:

Kociemba only presents very biased information in this "history" class, only commenting on shows and films he feels as though he has mastered so that he can sound like an arrogant hot shot... 90% of the class is Kociemba praising Buffy the Vamp Slayer... Awful garbage...

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: VM101
• 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:

Tries to be difficult for no reason... Wants to keep his image of being a "difficult" teacher by critiquing everything possible about your work... Expects students to know exactly what he wants from writing assignments, so don't take any creative freedom!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: VM101
• 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:

His class is hard but it's worth it! I learned a lot about media studies; it wasn't a typical "intro to film studies" class. We had really interesting discussions but you have to DO THE READING, it makes everything so much easier. He assigns a lot, but it's worth it!