James Solomon - California State University, Northridge

Professor: James Solomon

Department: TBD

College: California State University, Northridge

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENG436
• 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:

He introduced me to Semiotics and now I see the world differently. Solomon's lectures begins with Plato and end with commentary on current popular culture. How he manages to do this within a brief semester exemplifies his pedagogical brilliance. Even with today's outrageous tuition cost, his class comes with tremendous value.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENG436
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Don't know what he is doing teaching at CSUN. Harvard material.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENGLISH313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This professor is extremely knowledgeable and highly recommended. Be prepared to do lots of studying though. He is somewhat of a hard grader but his class is manageable. I personally learned a lot from this class and found the readings interesting.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENG313
• 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:

Solomon is the greatest professor I ever had in my entire college career.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENG638
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

A brilliant professor. Two exams worth fifty-percent each. If you want to learn the area of critical theory in literature correctly, then you should take him!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENG638
• 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:

Solomon is the best professor to take for this class because there is no essay or reading outside of the textbook assigned. Attendance is mandatory in the sense that if you are not there to take notes, there's no way you will pass. I did most of the reading and recorded lectures because it is IMPERATIVE that you are able to regurgitate everything.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: 630LR
• 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:

Professor Solomon is a brilliant teacher. He is helpful and quite funny, but not an easy grader. He pushes you to do your best and you come out a better thinker for it. Highly Recommended.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENG436
• 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:

Yeah, he is not an easy teacher. He is a fair grader. He provides you with everything you need so that you can get an A in his class. He is very clear. You have to study. He is extremely intelligent and knowledgable.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENG436
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I can't say enough about how absolutely brilliant he is. He is a genius among CSUN professors and I don't know why he teaches here, he could be at Harvard. Very difficult subject, and it's 50/50 midterm final. However, write down everything he says, memorize it, and you'll be fine. I literally felt my brain expanding in that class. Genius.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ENGL436
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor is extremely knowledgeable on Critical Theory and his lectures are top notch. However, he lacks personality and social skills. He dismisses challenges and questions. Gets offended when you ask about why he graded the way he does

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENG436
• 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:

He is a cool dude. Just listen to him and take notes, it will clear everything up for you. He has a midterm and a final each worth 50%. I also took him for Pop Culture and he was not boring as some say he was. The class was very interesting and he asked for a lot of class participation, which was great!It sure as hell made class enjoyable!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ENG313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Quirky guy who talks a lot, but I learned a lot in this class and enjoyed it! The paper was actually fun to write and the lectures were fun even though he does talk for quite a while. You will need to study in this class though so if you want something super easy, this isn't the professor to take.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ENGL436
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

First of all Literary Theory, if it's not really your thing can be hard to grasp. It's a lot of information. Professor Solomon is very intelligent and you'll definitely learn something, but you have to work to get a good grade. He gives two test and that's it, so study!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENGL436
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I felt myself getting smarter just by attending his class! Great professor who really knows his stuff. If you pay attention and work hard, you should survive the class and come out feeling you've learned something.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENGL630L
• 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:

Behind his threatening appearance is a genius just waiting to share useful information. He is political, witty, and willing to answer any question you throw at him. He has changed my views on society, literature, and the purpose of Humanities. Take him and be vocal! He has interesting things to say.He requires hard work, but is a fair grader.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENG305
• 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:

He made Pop Culture boring. How is that possible? If you want to be talked to the entire time and have no group projects, no interesting assignments...then this is the professor for you!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ENG438
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Any student who says SOLOMON is anything but amazing is lazy. Stop complaining and step it up. He expects you to read at home, come to every class, and actually care about English and life. He is a bit intimidating, but that is because he is intelligent. He is the BEST professor I have ever had at CSUN, even though his class was very challenging.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENG313
• 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:

The comment about his insecurity and arrogance at the same time sums it up. He literally just makes stuff up to support whatever it is he has to say. It is an insult to me he teaches. And as much as he pretends to be objective, he is totally bias towards HIS way.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENGL313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Be prepared for 2 hour monologues. Be prepared to be an A student and get C grades unless you can write exactly the way he would write. Be prepared to work really hard, go to class, be on time and still get a bad grade. Unbelievable this guy is allowed to teach, completely unprofessional when it comes to helpfulness. D-O N-O-T T-A-K-E!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ENG630C
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Extremely knowledgeable...about anything BEFORE 1990. He has not bothered to keep up or even watch ONE episode of any tv show made in the last 20 yrs. Book use very high unlike other profs, but class was worthless. He should also be EXTREMELY strict/blunt about rude students who are 30 min late EVERY TIME! Take him for Crit Theory but NOT PopCult!