Martin Head-Gordon - University of California Berkeley

Professor: Martin Head-Gordon

Department: TBD

College: University of California Berkeley

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: CHEM120A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Caring and friendly professor, actively asks students for any questions, always happy to clarify. Sometimes explains in convoluted sentences & hard to follow. Psets are very difficult and time consuming. You HAVE to go to OH/tutoring to do well on psets, or spend hours reading the book. Exams were quite fair and easy though.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

MHG was the first science professor I had, and the work ethic the class forced me to adopt has really stuck with me through the semesters. Yes, the class is hard. Yes, there's a lot of reading. But stick with it, and you'll be rewarded with interest.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

GSIs, Head GSI, and him gave conflicting advice--just go to OH a lot to get concepts sorted out, but ultmately check with the head GSI (Brad) since he writes the test. Final was made up of problems from previous midterms. Exams have concepts, number crunching, and MOs. Discussion really helpful.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Don't take Chem 1A with Head-gordon unless absolutely necessary. He puts a lot of physics and extremely complicated chemistry into his lectures, which isn't necessary at all. General Chem is supposed to be introductory, not delving into the science of quantum mechanics. He also isn't very accessible and doesn't seem to care enough about students.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

MHG is by far my favorite professor at Berkeley. Got an A+ in 1A with no prior AP chem experience. His midterms are straight from his lectures (although he does include some extra material in lecture that isn't super relevant) and past exams. Super nice and accessible at office hours!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Hes nice, but he explains things in unnecessarily confusing, complicated ways. I remember a student asked what a node was and he said something i wouldnt have understood if i didnt already know what a node was. Hes very round about. This was depressing. but you can get Fs (give or take 40% on all your tests Including final) and still pass- i did!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

martin likes to fluff his lectures with stuff he's not going to test you on (confusing as heck). figure out the good tutors in the slc quick (there will be lemons that will contradict everything and mess you up). He's a likable dude(why i gave him a 2), but a terrible teacher. no answer key given for his practice exams. wish i took it in spring.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

1. Martin Head Gordon's lectures are very strangely organized in a way that makes it hard to follow unless you know the material ahead of time. If there is one thing you could do for yourself that would help you in Chem 1A is to read the textbook and study the week's material ahead of time so you know what's going on coming in to lecture.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Went in with no chemistry experience (no AP or regular chem), walked away with an A-. Didn't do the long textbook readings, but went to every single lecture and joined an SLC study group, which basically has a student teacher reteach the material if you don't understand it the first time. Lectures are dense but he is always very enthusiastic.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Head-Gordon included WAY too much physics in his lectures, and I never learned anything in class. I stopped going halfway through the semester and went to an SLC study group instead, which was MUCH more helpful. He gave us a polyatomic orbital question on the 2nd midterm when he said he wouldn't which wasn't fair. Overall, I don't recommend him.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

As a person, he's great. His passion shows through in his lectures, and I enjoyed going to them. Reading the textbook helps but isn't necessary. Test-heavy - study his lecture slides and the discussion sheets thoroughly (really helps). Takes questions in lecture but doesn't answer them well - go to GSI office hours!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

if youve never taken ap chem, take chem 1a with stacy. this class is HARD, the hardest class ive ever taken in my life. but you can survive if you change your highschool study habits before it becomes too late.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Good professor. His lectures are confusing and crammed, and his tests are hard and not necessarily related to the lecture slides. I recommend reading the textbook and solving a lot of past exams, that's how I got an A.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Lectures are boring and confusing but that doesn't mean you can't do well. Do homework, go to lecture, join a study group @ SLC, go to discussion, and study (I recommend Khan Academy and other youtube vids) and you'll do ok. You definitely have to put in extra work and go to OH if anything is confusing. SLC, GSIs, and friends are good resources

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This is a huge weeder course. It's good if you've taken AP Chem, but I didn't and passed the class still. But, I had to work extra hard for just a C+. Midterms and final are pretty difficult. but I can say that I know the concepts pretty well. I liked his lecture style, but the class is hard itself. There's a generous curve though.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Martin Head-Gordon is a confusing lecturer. The class goes quickly, so make sure to keep up! I honestly learned nothing from attending every lecture of the semester, but outside tutoring definitely helped me in this class. The curve is very decent though! The midterms are very long and conceptual. Overall, this class took up many hours of my day.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Whatever he presents in class and whatever will show up on the practice midterms WILL NOT show up on the actual midterms and finals. His lectures are okay and he explains the concepts well, but the tests cover material not explained in class and definitely goes into way deeper depth than what Head-Gordon and the GSI's teach. Weeder class.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I really wanted to enjoy this class. Science has been challenging for me, but overall an exciting topic. This class moved so fast that it made the whole experience miserable. Martin tries to make the material interesting and is very passionate about what he does. However, it didn't make the material any easier to grasp.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: INC
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

MHG is a great professor, although he tends to lecture on more than is necessary for the midterms. His midterms are reasonable. Grading can be a LITTLE picky, but not unreasonably so. Super caring guy during office hours and great lecturer!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CHEM1A
• Grade Received: INC
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Although Chem 1A with MHG is indeed really difficult, but it is really doable. Just make sure you study hard for it. Lectures are really good and clear. You can really learn a lot with him.