Mike Kuchka - Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA

Professor: Mike Kuchka

Department: Biology

College: Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIOS345
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He's such a great professor that I requested him as my degree adviser. Our exams were all take-home, so they were really challenging and in-depth, but I learned SO much from them. He's a tough grader, but he's very responsive to questions and so enthusiastic about the material.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIO345
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Anything is fair game on the exams--PowerPoint slides, random comments during lecture, textbook examples. Be prepared to take copious and meticulous notes. Homework and exams are very detailed oriented. Honestly, Kuchka is a great professor and clearly very intelligent. However, if you're expecting an easy A, don't take this class.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIOS345
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Crazy class, but Dr. Kuchka is the best. There's no doubt that he makes you work for it... but he cares a lot, and if you do put in the work and show him that YOU care, it's definitely possible to do well.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIOS345
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He really wants to make sure every student understands the material. Read the lecture notes carefully. Great professor but tough grader.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIOS345
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Dr. Kuchka is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. However, to say that this course was difficult is an understatement. If you haven't taken biochemistry yet (still not sure WHY on earth this isn't a prereq), get ready to study like you've never studied before. Core 2 has NOTHING to do with this. Attendance optional but KEEP UP WITH THE LECTURES!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIOS115
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

I enjoyed this class after I was done with it. Only after it did I appreciate that he actually was a good professor, but I was too caught up in studying/trying to figure things out to realize it. Just pay attention in class and be 150% sure you know what's going on. His exams are brutal and count on you to apply knowledge thoroughly.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIOS115
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great professor and lecturer. speaks quickly, everything he says is important, and is ruthless on exams, but you will leave the course with a deep understanding of the material. Print out his power point slides before coming to class and take great notes and you will do well in his course. Incredibly understanding when it comes to grades.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIOS41
• 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:

Difficult class in general, but he is the BEST professor to teach it. Very enthusiastic and willing to help.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIOS041
• 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:

A VERY good-natured guy. Very patient and enthusiastic about his subject. Makes the topic a lot more interesting. However, biology is deceptively easy. Study hard on the quizzes, since it's a large part of the grade. Listen carefully to his lectures and you'll be fine. Great instructor!!!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIOS41
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This professor is absolutely amazing. He's very friendly and helpful, and his lectures are crystal clear. I wish he is our genetics professor in the fall.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIOS010
• 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:

Loved Professor Kuchka!! I took him over the summer and he made it pretty exciting to go to class and to learn the material. And the class was a 7.55am class! Seriously, take him!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIOS041
• 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:

Best Teacher ever. Just take notes, and you will do fine. He makes the class great. :]

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIOS041
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Kuckha is amazing! I had him for BIOS041 and everyone else seemed to complain about him because he was a tough teacher. I thought the man was brilliant, hilarious, and very thorough. Very organized with wonderful examples. I learned a lot in his class, and now 2 years later I still remember and use stuff from his lectures.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIOS041
• 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:

Take him over Prof. Falk if you have the option. He is an excellent professor and teacher, but there is a ton of information for an intro class, and the exams are heavily detail-based. Class attendance is suggested, as is taking detailed notes, since a lot of questions on the exams are based on in-depth class notes rather than the book.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIOS41
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Kuchka is both an intelligent and hilarious professor. He can be intimidating during lecture...but he's really helpful if you talk to him in person. His tests are not impossible--they are detail-oriented, so take thorough notes.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIO41
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

he puts way too much info on his slides and his tests are on little details which is not good.. he's an ok professor, but not the best.. if the class isn't mandatory for you, don't take it!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIOS041
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Despite the negative reviews students tend to give, Prof Kuchka is all around a grade A prof. He may be extremely hard, but suck it up, its college. Like any class, it should be thorough, challenging, and require time and effort. Overall, students leave this class retaining a great deal of information.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIOSMANY
• 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:

He is incredibly thorough with his lectures and they contain lots of information. His tests in the upper level biology courses (ie. molecular genetics) require you to actually apply what you have learned to various problems, rather than simply regurgitate information. These are exactly the kind of exams that you will find in grad school.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIOS41
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's very clear and thorough, cares a lot. His test are very hard but he does curve. If you study the notes and listen to him during the lectures you'll be fine. A LOT better Krawiec who teaches the same course in the Spring.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIOS346
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

A very cool professor. Knows his stuff, too.