Mel Ciena - University of San Francisco

Professor: Mel Ciena

Department: TBD

College: University of San Francisco

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH312
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lecture heavy, no power points. You need to pay attention because he will go fast. Cracks jokes and goes on tangents. Really sweet and understanding, but will be hard if he has to be. 2 quizzes, 1 midterm, 1 final, 1 paper - all pretty easy. He isn't very structured. You can take notes on your laptop but he prefers for you to write them.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PYSCH101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Love this guy. His lectures are super interesting & his New Yorkism is hella funny. Idk why everyone is complaining, his exams come straight from the study guide, the questions are even in the same order and he gives you the answers. You only need to buy the article book for the quizzes. This class is an easy A, I recommend for pre-meds.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: GENPSYCH101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Ciena lectures at an extremely fast pace with no references-just talking. Review days for midterm and finals are useless as he refuses to go over answers (often answers were not in notes and he just restated questions). Attendance is sporadically taken and article book is the only one needed. But he is a caring and funny professor.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: GENPSYCH101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

From reading, all the great reviews I thought I would enjoy this class. But not one bit. He is a great and knowledgeable guy, but not a great teacher. You only need the article textbook, but not the other one as his mind is more significantly knowledgeable. I got an A grade4 tests but if you want to learn by struggling to scramble. DO NOT TAKE!!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: GENPSYCH101
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I wouldnt recommend taking this Professor. He simply talks the whole time during class. He goes fast and doesnt stop to make sure we understand. He often goes on talking about other random things about his life. The study guides are weirdly worded. I have trouble finding everything from my notes since it is hard to write every single thing down.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PSYC318
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He doesn't use powerpoint, midterm and final is based on his lectures. But he gives amazing reviews for them and makes it easier to study. There are quizzes that are based solely on reading material. He's funny and makes the class go by fast. The midterm/final are 100 questions so its heavy but he is knowledgeable and answers all questions.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PSYC101
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is very smart and you can tell he knows his material, he did get a Ph.D. from Stanford. However he gets carried away by telling stories easily, we NEVER used the textbook. Our quizzes were based on an article book which he never brings up in class. He does give study guides but it's poorly phrased. Do not recommend if you are a psych major.

Rating # 8

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

you are graded only on tests and one paper. some are based on readings and others are on lecture. for the reading tests he just takes random lines from the chapters so make sure you read them. the paper is basically just writing about your personality basing it on personality tests and the class. hes funny guy and tells a lot of jokes and stories

Rating # 9

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

hes really funny and the class is like a comedy show. his quizzes are on random insignificant sentences from the text so make sure to really read. he gives you the test questions before every test but make sure to pay attention and take notes in class

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH339
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Mel is a great guy, very old school, but I really can't stand being in his class. He does not use Canvas and he reads off of his own notes when he lectures and its very fast and hard to follow, he doesn't even write on the board. His information is contradictory and I feel I can't trust it in all honesty.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH323
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Mel is a great professor. Very funny, cares about his students and people in general. He is a little scatter brained, but that's part of his charm. You have to read the articles, but I never once opened my textbook. Not a hard class, but you will learn a lot. Defiantly recommend him!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PSYC339
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Mel is awesome. His teaching style is unconventional and that's what confuses people. He has a lot of stories that go along with his lectures, but doesn't use slides so you have to be attentive. He wants you to succeed and he cares about his students. Just be prepared for a different class style unlike one you're typically used to.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PSYC210
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

My favorite Psych professor. Some say they didn't learn from his classes & I think it's because they didn't want to learn. Sure, he repeats his stories that might have nothing to do with the class, but I still learned a lot from both Gen Psych and Theories of Personality, and both classes were extremely Interesting. He is also helpful & hilariou

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH323
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He's the man. Love his classes.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH312
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Ciena is funny and a nice guy, but his class is a joke. I learned very minimal amounts in class unless I read the material on my own. I hardly ever studied for tests and got A's and B's but NONE of the course material is accessible through the school site and he is very vague.. I wouldn't recommend this if you want to learn.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PSYC101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Mel is so awesome. I took him for gen psych. He's a homie and is really funny. Has the best stories that inspirational. Gives you legitimate study guides. He is so helpful if you're failing & stuff he will do everything he can to help you. He care about his students a lot too. Offered me a ride home once in his BMW & too help me look for apartments

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: 40055
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I honestly have to say, this class is one of the best. While it is late at night, he makes up for it by being a good teacher, and he is hilarious. Very helpful for reviews and in class.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH101
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Super chill class & stops taking attendance half way through the semester. But if you're interested in learning in depth concepts about psychology, this isn't the class for you. He jokes around a lot, but the jokes become repetitious and get old. Book isn't required, study your notes.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PSYCH101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Mel is a nice guy and tries to be funny and entertaining during class, but it gets old really fast. His lectures are fast paced and his tests are on irrelevant information from the (expensive) books which he never mentions. I would not recommend him for Psych majors and I regret taking this class. I learned nothing.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PSYC101
• 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:

DO NOT take this class if you are a psych major. You will learn nothing. We never once referenced the textbook in class, despite being told to buy an expensive access code for it. The test questions were on the most random, insignificant, unimportant things he said in lecture. Lectures very unfocused.