Robert Devaty - University of Pittsburgh

Professor: Robert Devaty

Department: TBD

College: University of Pittsburgh

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0175
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The other reviews have some merit: professor Devaty is a research professor. He is very poor at explaining concepts and a pretty cold guy, but if you learn from the text on your own, it's not a hard class. Tests and homework accommodations are always very fair. Don't rely on him to teach the material, and if you can teach yourself you'll do fine.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0175
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I will preface this by saying that I think Professor Devaty is on the whole a nice guy. I had him for the online fall semester and he struggled very hard with the technological aspects of the class which, while not entirely his fault, made the class needlessly difficult. He explains things okay during lectures, but is a super harsh grader on exams.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0175
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor Devaty is atrocious. He is extremely condescending to both students and TAs and cannot teach a class to save his life. All the "learning" you will be doing in the class will be from your TA or on your own. Lectures are extremely unhelpful due to his inability to explain things at an entry level. Save your grade and time. Take anyone else.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0175
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I took Devatys class in Fall 2020, so the class was entirely remote. His inability to use a computer made lectures unbearable and at some times completely unavailable. He was at times disrespectful to students and TAs. He only read off slides and any examples he had were never explained, he would just show his work from years past. Avoid Devaty.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PHY175
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This dude is astoundingly bad. He is by far the worst professor I've ever had in college. He doesn't explain anything well and just throws the information in front of you. He doesn't do many examples in class and he relies on other people's lectures to actually teach you the information. Do not take his class

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0175
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

You will depend on your TA

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PHYS175
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This man sucks. We are a million lectures behind right now and he is NEVER prepared for a single zoom class. We've had multiple lectures that just crashed or did not function and the whole class hates him. The only reason I am not failing this class is because I'm studying my butt off, it has NOTHING TO DO WITH DEVATY. TAKE ANY OTHER CLASS.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0175
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Extremely difficult class that required 25-30 hours of work every week. I found the material to be very difficult and lectures could be difficult to follow. Dr Devaty is admittedly poor at explaining concepts at introductory levels. Tons of extra credit offered. Exams were difficult, but fair. Office hour attendance is essential.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PHY175
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

You must always be in class in order to get at least an 80% participation grade due to clicker questions. Every week you will have 1 or 2 homework sets totaling about 20-25 problems that are all in depth. Exams are very tough so be ready to do a lot of practice on your own. Use Kahn academy to try and help your grade. Good Luck!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0174
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Had him for Physics 1, my first semester of college. Even if the average of an exam is a failing grade, he doesn't evaluate his one skill. Goes on random tangents A LOT. I wish I would have read the book more to teach myself because he was all over the place. He was at the university for research- definitely evident he was not made to be a prof.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PHYS174
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

worst teacher in the world.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PHYS 174
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Very boring and unnecessarily hard tests

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PHYS174
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This guy doesn't actually teach. He makes the people in his class explain the problem in front of the whole class.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0174
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Boring and doesnt know how to explain anything

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0174
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Quite possibly the hardest course I have ever taken and I have taken upper level calculus courses as well a AP Physics. He acts as though he and his subject content was signifigantly superior to the engineering students he taught. He is very hard to understand and assumes that you are a physics expert. I would not take him again. Stay away.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0174
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

physics 1 freshman engineer- only had basic physics in high school and it seemed like that hurt me. i would not take flipped class like pitt offers but wouldve been better than devaty. laughs at his own jokes, refuses to answer questions, tests are harder than homework, did not understand homework, confusing always, too smart to explain clearly

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0174
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Devaty is tough. Exams are much harder than homework and quizzes, averages will be around 50%. Make use of book problems and TA's. With the curve and extra credit doing well is possible though. He is obviously very passionate about physics, and would get frustrated when students were rude, understandably.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PHYS0174
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Condescending and rude.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: 0174
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

left class knowing less than before. Homework through lon capa, lots and difficult-google helps w problems. Notes unclear focused on derivation not application. 30 test pts of extra credit. Test avgs 58,44&56. Doesnt curve til end but large curve. Difficult clicker questions for credit in class. Practice tests deceitfully easy. Doesnt follow book

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PHYSICS0174
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Seriously the hardest class I took. I barely finished his tests, if I did. He doesn't explain anything. His notes suck. Only reason I passed was due to the curve.