Valerie De Courville Nicol - Concordia University, Montreal, QC

Professor: Valerie De Courville Nicol

Department: Sociology

College: Concordia University, Montreal, QC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: SOCI460
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Pretentious, gifted, and boring! Students that wish to take this professor in her 300, 400, or even at the Grad level should reconsider for their time, GPA, academic investment, and self respect. She operates with who she LIKES creating academic inequality. Strict grading schema, poor response time to emails, & poor performance during office hours.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: SOCI300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great and informative lectures but unfortunately her grading scheme is very hard and unfair. She rewards .25 of a grade for every relative point made in a question worth 5 marks. You do the math.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: SOCI300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Make sure to take good notes and pay attention as she does not provide any power points or handout. The classes were quite boring and the readings dense. Sometimes hard to follow in lectures because there are often no breaks between concepts.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: SOCI300
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Took her 300 class, liked her way of teaching so much took her in 421, participation in that latter class is quite important since it's a seminar. She will help you have anything in mind. Will take her again if possible!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: SOCI421
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Valerie is an excellent prof. The readings she selected for the course were really fascinating and relatable, and she creates a very open and relaxed environment in the class. There was only a midterm and final, both take home essays, and very straight-forward. Overall, this prof is very interesting, intelligent, and is very kind to her students.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: SOCI300
• 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:

Prof Valerie explains the material very well and uses a lot of examples. She is a fair grader and is very friendly, understanding and approachable. She is really passionate about what she teaches which makes her classes interesting. The work load is not heavy at all . I would definitely take another class with her.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: SOCI300
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

This class is really easy if you know how to take notes without a power point. She explains things well. She can be a bit boring. Only three exams that are a bit long but if you studied you can pass easily. also discussions group at the end of class count for participation

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: SOCI300
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I honestly love this teacher and I'm taking her again next semester. You need to attend class if you want to pass. She does not post lecture notes. Exams are long and you must really put in effort to get a good grade. Exams based on lectures. For soci300, there are 3 exams spread throughout 2 semesters. No essays.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: SOCI300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The class is dry but if you take really good notes and study well you will do good on the exams she expects you to write a lot for the exams so studying is quite tedious

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: SOCI300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Although there is not much required for her class, she makes you make up for it in her tests. It consists of answering 4 long answer questions, 10 short answer questions, 10 true or false, and defining concepts. The course itself is dry and has a lot of information to retain, not a prof I would recommend for this class ;(

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: SOCI300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Her lectures are extremely detailed and long, she speaks way too fast and low, when you ask her to repeat what she says, she nearly always forgets (these notes are essential for the exams). When you ask her other questions related to the topic it's as if she is closed minded and tells you she is "unfamiliar with that", avoid her at all costs.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: SOCI300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I don't know how other students found this professor to be efficient but she is HORRIBLE!!! KEEP AWAY FROM HER LECTURES! She has a monotone way of teaching and when you ask her questions whether in class or one on one SHE GIVES VAGUE ANSWERS, her 3 exams for the term are tedious and she expects you to remember ALL THE NOTES AND READINGS! DON'T TAKE

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: SOCI460
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I took Fear & Risk and SOCI of Lit. One of the best profs in 4 yrs. at Concordia. She's extremely knowledgeable and conveys all material comprehensibly. She encourages very active participation at the 400 level but creates a comfortable, informal setting where all contributions are valued. If you do what's asked, you get more than a fair grade.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: SOCI300
• 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:

One of my favourite professors I have had to date. The class is not easy as she expects a lot. Come to class and take good notes and you will do well. She is extremely clear and helpful and a very nice and understanding professor if you are a good student (come to class). Her exams come directly from her lectures, absolutely no surprises.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: SOCI300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great class, made theory an interesting class. It's funny how the previous poster decried her efforts of correcting midterms, however the midterms were long essays, something I would not expect to be "slapped together" and corrected in a week. Just take the proper noetes and you'll do fine.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: SOCI460
• 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: N/A

Comment:

She's good at teaching SOCI 300. Her fear class is TERRIBLE. She only helps those she likes. Says she's "there to help you", then makes office hours and appointments and doesn't show up for them. Takes a lifetime to correct midterms. Seminars are boring. Don't waste your time!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: SOCI652
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

She is an incredibly thoughtful teacher who goes out of her way to make texts available to students in a convenient and affordable way. Her theoretical work is cutting edge and new- I highly recommend this course for anyone who wants to look at new 'theory' in depth.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: SOCI404
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

What ticked me off the most about this class was not the seminar format that many people complained about, that's be to expected at the 400 level, but rather her seeming apathy towards select students, or the fact that the text all relates to her thesis in BOTH 400-level classes. In fact, some of the articles even overlap in both class texts! Lazy.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: SOCI250
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class would have been so much more motivating and interesting had she been a more lively teacher. Her lectures were very monotonous.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: SOCI404
• 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:

Lots of reading in a seminar class, so we had to lead classes oursevles. That said, she was extremely helpful and accessible, extremely knowledgeable and fun. She made Soci of Lit interesting and the course pack readings she selected flowed beautifully through the weeks. Excellent class because of an excellent prof!