Douglas Cline - University of Rochester

Professor: Douglas Cline

Department: TBD

College: University of Rochester

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHY114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Cline's class is confusing. He has a lot of complex calculus that is past mth 162. I'm not a mathy or physics person at all but I was able to pull off a B. The class is curved at the end, so always try to get above average on the exams. Make sure to do the practice exams, and homework problems; he pulls frequently from them for exams.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHY114
• 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:

He seems like a nice enough and smart guy. However, he should stick to teaching upper level physics classes. The level of detail he goes into is too much for an introductory class, and his powerpoints reflect that. Not to mention that they're composed mostly of walls of text taken straight from the textbook, and therefore not terribly helpful.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHY114
• 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:

He seems like a nice enough and pretty smart guy. However, he should stick to teaching upper level physics classes. The level of detail he goes into is too much for an introductory class, and his powerpoints are very dense. Not to mention that they're composed of figures (OK) or walls of text (not OK) taken straight from the textbook.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHY114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Awful. Sure, most of PHY114 are pre-meds, but that doesn't excuse the fact that this entire course is presented in a way that is unapproachable. Maybe pre-meds are complaining because this class is among the worst of the required introductory level courses offered at the University. The physics department must be in dire straits.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHY114
• 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:

Prof. Cline does teach upper level physics. The physics dept. is low on teachers, he did not choose to teach you brats. Just because you're Pre-Meds doesn't mean every other class you take should be easy. None of you are taking upper level phys courses, so you can't compare intro level with what majors take. Get a tutor if you can't handle it.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHY114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I feel that Dr. Cline gets kind of a bad rap because his lectures were confusing and the course was difficult. He was definitely tough to adjust to but in the end he's a good guy who just got stuck teaching a bunch of pre-meds. He is smart (too smart) so I think he would be excellent for upper-level physics courses, just not intro-level ones.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHY114
• 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:

I didn't understand anything that was going on in this class. Prof. Cline claimed that difficult concepts and derivations were 'intuitive' but UR Physics Majors couldn't do the PHY 114 Homework. My TA didn't know what was going on either.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHY114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Does not heed the needs of his students. Spends every lecture doing 3-dimensional calculus proofs in what the physics dept. calls an entry level physics class. Most students are overwhelmed. As a very good student in general, this class was frustrating and not helpful for MCATs or otherwise.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: P114P114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Never before have I seen a professor so against answering questions during class. Does not adapt well to anything that falls outside of his "comfort zone" in teaching (i.e. does not like to post practice exam solutions until right before the exam, does not like to give examples in lecture or elaborate on topics, etc.)

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHY235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I sometimes wonder if he understands the material at times, especially when he is answering questions. His tests aren't too difficult if you read the textbook. Lecture notes lack details. It's just maths!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHY235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I learned very little from Cline. He goes through material very quickly and isn't very clear about it. Do the homework and learn by practice - it's the only way. His tests are fair (though incredibly hard).

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHY113
• 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:

Should be teaching graduate classes not undergraduate pre-med physics. Most people fell asleep or didn't come. Preparation consisted of studying yourself because he never applied concepts in lecture.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHYS114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Although lecture was a bit dry, he is very vested in his students. He weekly sent out tabulated excel sheets with our grades and the class averages for comparison. Tests were fair. Slightly tricky, but if you studied the workshops, and hw, you could master most questions. Good professor. Would have him again!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHY142
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He wants to give everyone A's but he makes the class so hard that no one actually does. He's really a nice guy, and supposedly prepares students for upper-level physics classes, but I wouldn't say so. Supposedly harder physics classes have defnintely been easier.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHY142
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Very helpful, likable, easy to get along with. Lectures sometimes a bit complicated, but nothing a bit of studying can't work out. [In response to earlier comment:] Doesn't expect students to be "brilliant" -- just to be willing to think and

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHY114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Nice guy. Really does want all of his students to pass, but won't set his standards any lower than postgraduate level. Very poor at explaining ideas in a lecture, fair at explaining them one-on-one, he just expects too much background for an intro class

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHY114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Do not take his class, you will fail most definately. Has the highest expectations from students, Educated at Oxford himself. Genius mind, but can't teach mediocre U of R pre med students.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHY114
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Very friendly interesting and helpful. Unfortunately he's brilliant and expects everyone else to be as well. Not a good teacher for an intro level physics class. Even as a physics master, YOU WILL BE LOST!(but an excellent choice for advanced courses)

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PHY235
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is a horrible professor. He isn't clear in his teaching and he pushes too much material too quickly. Plus his grading system isn't great and he is incompetent when you ask him questions about the homework (he will lead you on a wild goose chase).