Robert Lucas - Boston University

Professor: Robert Lucas

Department: TBD

College: Boston University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: EC591
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Seriously a tough grader.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: EC591
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof Lucas conveyed the course content clearly. He is very enthusiastic and caring about each student.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: EC202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I would never take a class with Lucas, his curricula for EC202 is completely different than the other professors at BU. Very few items for grading in the class, if you bomb one of the midterms expect below a C+. Also if you miss a lecture you are screwed, his examshomeworks are vague and confusing

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: EC202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Lucas is the most arrogant, self-absorbed professor I've ever had. I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt, but with Lucas, it's impossible. You will leave a session at his office hours feeling small and inferior - not the way a professor should make a student feel. As for the class itself: be at lecture, listen, take notes.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: WR100
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lucas is the best professor I've ever had. Unlike many of the professors at BU, he does not push his point of view and opinions in your face. He also makes himself available to talk about papers no matter what, he even gave me his home phone number when he was not available to meet with on campus. Take his class.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: EC591
• 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:

Attend all classes. Listen attentively. Ask questions to clarify. If you do this correct, you can get an A without even going though the big reading list.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: EC391
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Pay attention, attend all lectures, and take detailed notes as the textbook is not entirely relevant and is not terribly helpful. Yes, he is condescending when you ask for clarifying questions, but ask them anyways because the final ended up including questions that were not covered in detail (and some that was not really covered at all). Speak up!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: EC391
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

this class is absolutely the hardest class I've ever taken at BU. Lucas is the worst teacher you can possibly get. He is condescending when he speaks students and doesn't give a damn about them. If you have the opportunity to take any other class at BU do it because you won't regret it.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: EC202
• 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:

Gifted economist, not-so-gifted teacher. Prepare to study your booty off for no reason because his exams are totally irrelevant to things you actually learn. You have to pay attention to extremely small details and have some kind of deeper understanding of economics. Textbook is nearly useless. Don't take 202 with Lucas.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: EC202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

No posts online. Does not stick to the textbook or homework's so it's hard to know what to expect in the exams. The class doesn't have a discussion either, so if you are not willing to study for this class everyday in order to catch up with his pace, don't take it. By far the least helpful professor I have had at BU.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: EC202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

THE WORST PROFESSOR I'VE EVER MET IN BU. No class notes posted online, not stick to the textbook that we bought, and so many questions that ive never seen in either the textbook or the online homework. NEVER TAKE THIS PROFESSOR

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: EC591
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Prof Lucas is the best economics professor I have had during my four-year BA/MA experience at BU. EC591 is definitely a very hard class but its also extremely rewarding. He teaches us in a fashion that nobody loses attention since he always has a story of his own to talk about for each topic we covered! He is so experienced and knows his stuff well

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: EC202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The class is 40% midterm, 60% final, so basically you don't know what grade you are getting in the class until the class is over. He is a good lecturer and provides good real life examples. However, he gets annoyed when the class does not have questions, yet answers questions condescendingly.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: EC508
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Teaches econometrics. Condescending in class. Poor educator. Knows his stuff though. Keeps class boring but simple. Doesn't post notes etc. online. Grades horribly (40% avg on midterm), but curves well (40%=B). Teaches unnecessary proofs but won't test you on them. Teaches Stata on a chalkboard (really). Otherwise nice guy. Knows a lot.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: EC391
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Here are the facts...This was the hardest class I ever took at BU, and I have taken Chem101. It is essential to go to class and take very, very detailed notes. The book is not used, and won't help. Tests are tricky, but he curves a lot. On the upside, it was definitely an incredibly interesting class, especially his stories!!!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: EC320
• 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:

I took the course over the summer, covered a lot of material. You must attend lectures and come on time and prepared. He would ask if we had questions, then he would question us. Only grades were midterm and final, tests were specific so you must take good notes and study them.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: EC112
• 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:

Didn't buy the book and am fine without it. Interesting&polite but told me he couldn't answer any questions by email when I couldn't make his office hours. But he's helpful in-class and doesn't mind if you ask questions. You have to study your ass off before the two exams though, because they're the only grades you get. Notes are 2.5 pages/lecture

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: EC391
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Stay away! Manages to turn a very interesting class into a nightmare. The lectures are based entirely off of complex graphs, which he speeds through. He puts little to no effort into the class and talks to his students in a condescending manner.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: EC391
• 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:

Brilliant prof: experienced, lightens the class with anecdotes (the man has been everywhere). Lucas' class is not the easiest, and going to class is absolutely crucial to take notes (which arent terribly hard to to take - although the subject matter is tricky). definitely recomend the prof. Class grades are the exams, HW (is rare and not graded).

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: EC112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This man is brilliant! He is a world traveler and has so much experience in his department and so many anecdotes. However, his class is a little fast, especially when it comes to the mathematical and graphical concepts. Your grade is based off of a very limited number of items--but don't worry, he definitely curves up. Also, his accent is great!!