Hugh Cohen - University of Michigan

Professor: Hugh Cohen

Department: Film

College: University of Michigan

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Life changing

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Great class and Professor. You have to write papers practically every week, but they become habit and easy after a while. Unlike previous commenters, I LOVED the way he taught film as an art form, because it IS an art form. It makes you notice things in your daily life watching films, and enhances them. It increases your cultural understanding.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

It's clear he knows his material well and is passionate about it. On the other hand, he is pretty old, lectures become very dry, and clips used are very outdated and not engaging compared to what they could be. How to do well: read the example final exam at the beginning and base your work/studying off that. GSI is super important...

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

With all the positive ratings of this class, I worry Cohen has lost his fire. The class itself was good - due to screenings and my great GSI. However, Cohen's lectures are disorganized, dry and repetitive. I felt like my time was wasted going to lecture. I've heard others had a great experience in this class with Solomon. Wish I had had him.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Hugh's certainly passionate about the material, and he's very approachable and friendly if you get to know him. We also watch quite a few good movies. Lectures can be long and a bit boring, and the writing assignments can be a bit nitpicky, but it helps to make you a better writer and a more intuitive thinker.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: 18836
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Cohen wasn't my favorite professor. I don't like how he taught film as an art form, he was very objective and unrealistic in his analysis (not everything in the frame is for the art, there is such a thing as a budget).

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Cohen is really smart and knows his stuff. He plays a lot of movie clips, but even so, if found myself nodding off more than a time or two. If you are really into analyzing movies or are majoring in SAC, this class is a must, but otherwise, don't it. Professor Cohen is such a nice person and he will never ever make you feel inferior.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: RCHUMS217
• 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: Mandatory

Comment:

Value thinking for yourself?: do NOT take this class. All of his opinions were unquestionable to the point where subjectivity had been gutted from the class. I managed to get a good grade, requiring many outside conversations to gain clarification. His vague assignment descriptions and incomplete syllabus hurt students. No compassion for students..

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The Professor was fine but be careful on picking your GSI. They determine your whole grade, because grading is not standardized across sections. AVOID YUKI NAKAYAMA.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof Cohen is adorable, and his lectures are nothing short of fun. He shows lots of awesome movie clips. When I got much busier towards the end of the semester,I was able to just skip his lectures entirely and still do fine. That said, be VERY careful who you get for your GSI, as they determine your entire grade.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Awesome! One of my favorite teachers. I'm majoring in the Screen Arts & Cultures because of him. I definitely recommend this class with him!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: SAC290
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Cohen is amazing. I had him back in Spring 2008; he explained things well and the class was fairly graded if you took the effort. (My GSI was overzealous so I asked for regrades by him and ended up getting A-'s instead of B's.) He's one of the best professors I've had if you don't include Rust and Nolta.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Really passionate about the subject and good at demonstrating and providing examples for different concepts. Really nice guy, fun class, and he chooses good films for the writing assignments. GSIs may be tough on grading, but each assignment is a small part of the grade. Pay attention and you'll get a lot out of the class.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: RCHUM217
• 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:

Cohen can be long winded and boring as a lot of people have noted, but he is without a doubt passionate about what he teaches and is an intelligent, incredibly nice man. Sometimes he's not entirely clear on his expectations, but his grading is never unreasonable, and you'll find it difficult to dislike him even when he rambles. Very good-natured.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: SAC340
• 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 LOVE HIM!! BEST PROFESSOR EVER!! A tough grader but you learn so much. :)

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• 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:

Enjoyed the class and learned alot, Cohen can get a bit boring in lecture but you can really tell he loves the movies he is talking about. I felt grading was fair and the test and final paper were nothing that we were not perpared for. Also, I learned so much about all the movie classics, a great class even if Cohen gets a bit boring in lecture.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I found the lectures to be dull and stopped attending them fairly early on. The class itself was an excellent experience, more than just getting a grade. I was lucky enough to get Kristy Rawson as my GSI. She had a keen intellect and was extremely fair. I didn't study for the exam and feel that I could have gotten an A if I had. The class>Cohen

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class makes me appreciate film so much more. He really knows what he's talking about and uses film clips in every lecture. He tends to read straight from the coursepack for some lectures, but for the most part they are decent. I hated my GSI though -- rude, irresponsible, and a hardass. I recommend the course though!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: SAC236
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Cohen is amazing! He is so donw-to-Earth - you can talk to him about any film of any genre. He assigned Hustle and Flow for our final paper. I loved every minute of lecture, but my GSI was a hardass and murdered my grade. Cohen is really a genius and very passionate, I recommend him highly.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: RCHUM230
• 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:

Hugh Cohen is a lovely man! He can be long-winded but he is passionate about his subject. He is actually very easy to talk to in person.