Harry Polkinhorn - San Diego State University

Professor: Harry Polkinhorn

Department: TBD

College: San Diego State University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENGLI623
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's good or bad depending on what you're into. People who like the same kind of art he does usually enjoy his class. I dropped out of English because of it. He's a great artist, a decent poet but not gifted as a teacher. I feel kind of sorry for him.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENGL525
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class was TORTURE. Ol' Polkie takes attendance everyday and lowers your grade if you're absent too much and gives random quizzes. Only plus was that we had 1 textbook and besides the reading assignments we just had a midterm and a final. Yes he is completely AMBIGUOUS! The prompts for the tests were ridiculous and vague! Avoid him if you can!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENGL525
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Bleeecchhh... if I could have taken another professor I would have. Soft, monotonous tone of voice whenever he talks. Midterm and Final writing prompts are vague and unclear. Basically snooze-worthy. The class is mainly spent trying to stay awake through his talking. Only text was the Anthology, and periodic writing responses.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENGL525
• 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:

His classes can drag on sometimes since it's more of a discussion based course than lecture. His analysis & knowledge of the material offers a great perspective, but it seems he can withhold information when he wants you to figure it out for yourself. This is great unless you're really lost. Overall, if you're into the material, his class is great.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENG301
• 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:

Pretty cool professor. Learned a lot about literature and how to approach it analytically. Had to read a book a week which was hard sometimes. The mid-term and finals are pretty rough, as the prompts are not very clear.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENG351
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class is torturous. Some of the books you read are interesting, but his analysis is boring. If you have an opinion that differs from his, you will be shut down. Its stupid to have an analytical class when you can't input your own opinion. Read the books, thouroughly. wouldn't recommend

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ENG301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Polky is the kind of professor I came to University for. Enlightened, well versed, and wise, he wants you to expand. I did. Yes, by classes end, I felt altered for the better. Sure he's a bit dry, yet he's always accessible. And I'd rather have that then some pedant with a chip on his shoulder. Take him!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENGL301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Bright, funny, engaging, Polkinhorn shines in the classroom as he leads students through the course material. Along the way, he allows students to offer their own interpretations of the material, while giving his sense of what things mean. All in all, a terrific learning experience: great prof; great books...take this class!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENGL301
• 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:

Don't BUY all the bad hype. This writer, thinker, novelist, poet, musician and psychoanalyst is in a class of his own. Take the psychological novel class with him as he is a practicing psychoanalyst and a literature professor. And he runs san diego state university press. Yes, he has DRY wit, but what do you expect from a literature professor?

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ENGL600
• 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:

This is seriously the worst and most boring professor I have ever taken. He sounds like Ben Stein and is absolutely useless with help for papers. He had us turn in a rough draft and then didn't even comment on it. Do yourself a favor and avoid this professor.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENG527
• 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:

The class was supposed to US Lit 1960-Present, but we read a lot of stuff before 1960, which is okay, because HD and Ezra Pound are amazing. We had daily essay quizzes and you really have to have read the material. You have to think critically about the literature- the quizzes aren't there just to see if you've read them. He's a great teacher!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ENG525
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Seriously probably the most boring class ever! You are required to read A LOT! A novel a week, so if you don't like to read this is not theclass for you. Quizes every classthat are 10 pts a piece. No Essays, No Midterm, just the quizes and Essay based final! He is a really smart, and nice guy, just a little dry. Pretty easy class though!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ENG600
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Mr. Polkinhorn questions everything. He is a skeptic. To his credit, he was very friendly. He never embarrassed any student in class, even when he called on us in class to comment. A large percentage of our grade was placed on the 20 page final paper.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENGL584W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I am not an english major and took this course to meet a requirment. I LOVED the class. He is a very good professor, and a very intelligent man. The essays are difficult to grasp at first, but after the first couple, it becomes easier.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENGLISH525
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Within the semester, you'll have 10 writing assignments based on whatever book he'll pick. It's easy to become the professor's pet if you raise your hand and talk a lot in class. Take a lot of notes for the midterm and final. Finally, majority of his readings have some sexual contents in them, but nothing too climatic about it (pun intended).

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ENG525
• 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:

He's a very brilliant man and clearly knows what he is talking about. The quizzes are mini essays and the midterm and final are in class essays with open book and notes. Really easy if you understand the readings and their context which he explains very well. He's also willing to work with you if you want a better grade :)

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ENG525
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

His style of teaching is different than most professors. He makes the texts interesting. He's a very smart man and you have to work to get good grades, but once you know what he wants his class gets easier.He always calls on you if you're not paying attention though....yikes!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MALA600D
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Brilliant professor. Keeps his distance, but stays on the subject and gives you a chance to express yourself. Hard grading, but his A means a lot. I learned a lot in his class, got an A. Worked extremely hard, though. His expectations are very high.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ENGL750
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He's not a very good teacher, but he is a really smart man and has excellent topics and reading lists for his courses. his style puts all the motivcation on the student, in this class there was absolutely no grades until the end of the course!