4.3
Quality2.4
Difficulty85%
Would Retake112
Reviews85%
Would Retake
112
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
72
4
18
3
11
2
7
1
4
What Students Say
“Took CSCI 240 withProfessor Byrnes and I have no complaints”
CSCI240 - 5.0 rating“Knows the material very well”
CSCI240 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
17%
Textbook Required
51%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.16 avg changeRatings by Course
360
5.0
(1)465
5.0
(1)CSCI465
5.0
(2)CSCI440
5.0
(4)CS465
5.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
360
3.0
CS360
3.0
CSCI340
3.0
CSCI240
2.7
CSCI250
2.5
Reviews (112)
No Comments
Shows up to class on time and is knowledgeable about class. Wears no socks!
Amy gets the concepts accross without making things seem complicated.
good teacher....especially for the eyes!
Makes the hard simple and the simple, simpler!
Natural talent for explaining course material in a way people can understand.
Great teacher. Her notes are teach me more than my current professor.
takes the time to make the material real to you. She really cares
No Comments
Beware of the pop quizzes that she counts NOT as extra credit points.
highly overrated
Hey! This is my sister your talkin about!
Probably best CS teacher at NIU.
Very helpful and organized. Highly recommended. One of the best and by far the nicest instructor in this department.
One of the best teachers in the department. If you can't pass her class, change majors or transfer out of this school.
For a dead language (COBOL), she made the class interesting and worth while. I was a commuter student and she accomidated my schedule for exams and the final. Highly Recommended
Amy is by far the best CSCI teacher at NIU. Take her for every possible class she teaches.
Not only does Amy explain everything well, and in detail, but she is gorgeous, and so It helps me to stay awake and paying attention.
Won't make your semester a blowoff, but she's very clear, friendly, approachable, and helpful. If I met her outside of school I would want to be her friend. Also quite attractive...
Amy is the best computer science teacher at Niu. Highly recommended!
amy is funny and make your class interesting enough so you don't fall into sleep. will take her class again
It's obvious comp sci majors lack in english skills. We must rely to much on "spell check" which rmp doesn't have......and yes, Amy is the shiz! It wouldn't hurt to bring her an apple one of these days.
Amy hot....Assembler not.
Great teacher, very helpful
she wouldnt round my grade, i had a 69% and she wouldnt give me a c...wtf
Not hot, not amusing, and not that clear. The examples in class were so basic that you can't apply them to your program. I think the reason that no one asks questions is because they don't know what to ask about.
SUCKED. I guess shes good for people who dont want a challenge. I thought the class was WAY too easy. I felt like I was in grade school.
If you know nothing about computer programing and you only need one CSCI class, CSCI 240 with Amy if for you.
Awesome professor. She is the best thing to happen to this University since sliced bread. Great teaching style, and a great ass too.
AMY IS HOTTTT... By far the hottest instructor ever. Who cares for assembly language when you have her in the assembly. She knows her stuff as well.
Amy is an outstanding teacher. Those who don't have her as a teacher use the notes she posts on her website, because she's just that much better. She simplifies difficult concepts so that they are easy to grasp, but assignments are still challenging. She is always available for help as well.
Great professor, very fair, challenging, great teacher.
i just don't like this class.
She is not clear, she treats students differently, she throws stuff out there that is vague, she doesnt teach from the book, but you are responsible. I would stay away.
Had it a few years ago. Amy rules.
Amys a very cool prof. She has her notes online so that helped out a bunch if there was something difficult to understand in class. Homework took a while to do, but common, what would you expect from a programming class. She did a good job making the harder stuff easier to understand.
Although I have no interest or experience in programming, Amy Byrnes was extremely helpful and flexible with due dates and made class fun. And she's pretty cute too!
Her clear and understandable lecture style made course easier to get through. Good attitude toward office hours and seemed pleased to help with any questions. Has helpful web site with lecture notes--I printed these before class and was free to listen without worrying about writing a lot of things down. Best sense of humor of faculty members in the dept.
Amy is probably the best CSCI teacher you'll get at NIU. She explains everything very clearly and thoroughly in the amount of time provided. She holds very helpful study sessions before every exam and takes at least one class period to review before every exam. I loved having her for 360 and so did everyone else in my class.
Very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. If you're disappointed with her teaching, then CSCI is definitely not for you.
she was a total B to me in 240 class, my program wouldnt work so i went to ask her for help, she fixed my errors and then closed the program without saving it...everytimme i went to her for help, she gave me attitude...she picks who she likes
Also had her for 240. She is a great teacher that can explain things well. She really kicks some other CSCI professors in the but. She is interested and enthusiastic about what she does, and is friendly and open in the class room. She doesn't budge on due dates and has tough tests, but the quizzes are practically a given. Amazing teacher.
Amy is an intelligent and articulate teacher of Computer-Science, and is probably one of the friendliest in the department. If you can take classes with Amy DO IT!
She may seem to pick and choose who she likes and is nice to, but in general she is an awesome teacher and her lectures are easy to understand and follow. This is coming from someone who she didn't like but that is because I have a habit of emailing dumb questions. Either way she is awesome, take her classes.
An amazing teacher who also has notes for other CSCI classes you may be in.
If you have to take assembler, Amy's probably your best bet.
She doesn't do much more than read off the lecture notes. Boring as heck, plus she has an annoying voice. Oh, and LOL at the "hottie" ratings she gets from a bunch of fugly computer nerds.
She was a great teacher. However i knew nothing about computer programming, so i appreciated how much she simplified things so that i would understand. Quizzes were easy, got the questions ahead of time. Her midterm was pretty easy, as long as you study or know the material well. She helped me when i needed it. So yea, i would take her!
Quizzes were easy, most programs were pretty easy if you attend all classes and understand the material, midterm and final were not that difficult either. All of this applies only if you attend all classes, otherwise you will be lost! You don't need the textbook at all, I didn't have one and ended up with an A.
Why bother going to class when you can read the lecture notes? Boring teacher, annoying voice, and she is definitely not HOT (maybe by some nerdy computer sci major standards or something).
If you have no computer programming experience, she breaks down the material well for you. If you do have experience, the class is pretty slow and you don't really need to attend. She is a nice person. If you come into this class with no computer language experience it may be difficult.
Really liked this class, but not because of Amy. She is ok, but I pay for more than ok. I am really bothered that she didn't write her own lecture notes. Also, she doesn't cover some key elements well enough. She seemed to be amused at our suffering. Very time consuming class, not impossible, but expect to teach yourself. HINT:find study group.
I had Amy for 241 during fall 2008. She was extremely helpful to those who sought help and participated during class. Her office hours were decent and she was always willing to help. The programs were challenging but not impossible. While never used directly, the textbook will be your bible. Attend class, she gives more notes than what is online.
Amy Byrnes is a great professor, especially for a first time programmer like me. The book hardly even referenced, and she breaks everything down very well in class. Attending is what will get you the A if you're a first time programmer, otherwise its not really necessary if you already know the material. AWESOME PROFESSOR :D :D :D
I had no real experience in programming and she was very open to questions and responded very quickly to my e-mails when I had trouble with assignments. I absolutely recommend her as a teacher.
I took a programming class with her, and i honestly have to say she is one of the best teacher I've ever had, she explains things clearly, takes her time to make sure that everyone gets the material. she posts quiz samples before the quizzes are given.
Awesome at teaching. Very clear and concise. No mandatory attendance and she takes things slow for the sake of clarity. Text book is not required so good for saving money and she posts everything possible online. Very convenient for students.
The class is easy; in fact, it is so easy that I didn't attend at all for the last six to eight weeks of the semester and didn't pay attention on the occasions that I did go before that. However, her lecturing style is ineffective since it relies upon reading the lecture notes (posted online) verbatim. She doesn't answer e-mail.
She posts all the notes online, not always in time for you to study for quizzes & exams though. 12 quizzes (two lowest dropped), 2 midterms & 1 cumulative final. She does not answer e-mail and not very helpful outside of class. We did not use the textbook at all. The class is still easy because it is an intro-level course. Not too hard to get an A.
Don't cheat!!! Don't have someone else do the programs for you! Once the midterm comes along and the final, you'll be screwed! But if you DO know what you're doing and don't feel like it and can pass the quizes go for it! :)
She assumes that everyone has prior knowledge in C++ and moves WAY too fast. The only plus side to this class is the fact that a textbook is not required.
Awesome instructor. All notes are available online before class. Keeps the class fun and is willing to help students outside of class. One of the few classes that felt like it was worth what NIU charges.
Amy was always enthusiastic about the material. Even though I had no interest in the subject, she was able to convey the material in a clear and understandable way.
Very good professor. Explains everything in just the right amount of detail, and posts all of her in-class examples online, as well as her lecture notes. Her class is very easy to get an A in if you put forth the effort. Just do all the programs, and do a quick read-through of the lecture notes before exams, and you'll do fine.
Very clear knowlegable and always ready to help her programming minions. If you do the work and show up to the lectures you are bound to do well.
She assumes you know C++ material. Every time I went to her outside of class for help she had a attitude and was confrontational. I passed the class by going to the T.A's lab hrs 4each program &reviewed the notes 4 the quizzes. Didn't go to class for a month, so that shows something. If you know C++ material already good if not nnooo!
Amy lectures in a very easy, understandable way. Bring a laptop to class. Attendance is not mandatory, but there are quizzes almost every week, which she gives you the answers to beforehand. She's very helpful and helped me with my programs multiple times. No complaints except that the exams are somewhat difficult.
Majority of lectures are reading her notes verbatim (despite them all being posted online from the beginning), but extra examples were given in-class for rougher topics. Class was easy, a few extra credit options were available. No quizzes, but 3 exams total (including final). Overall, I really enjoyed the class.
Easy course. There's wasnt much to it considering it was a 4 credit hour course. You just have to use your resources well. Go to the TA when stuck with a program. Easy 100s in the assignments. Quizes were easy. A lot of extra credit along the way. Didnt spend too much time studying for exams. Allowed us to work in groups of two.
Her lectures are fairly boring but easy enough to understand. Mainframe is so absent from the internet I was glad she was very available for help with assignments.
Amy is enthusiastic about the topic, and is clear in her lectures. As a computer science major, this was a fun class and fairly easy. If you have no experience in coding, it's okay, just pay attention, look over notes(which are ALL on Blackboard) or attend the lab for help. it's not impossible to pass
Overall, she is a good teacher. She sometimes goes through the material a bit too fast so it is difficult to follow. GO TO CLASS! The easiest way to get an A in this class is to show up and pay attention. If you don't, you'll struggle to get an A.
Amy is great, really cares about the topic and is super helpful! Gives out quiz answers so go to class! Will also give out random extra credit opportunities during class, and they are easy! Overall the class is VERY easy.
Only issue I had with Amy was with one program I couldn't get to work. Ended up having to turn it in a day late since I waited over 4 days for her to email me back. Then when she graded the program, she didn't even tell me what was wrong with it even though I mentioned having issues with it multiple times. Other than that the class was enjoyable.
I had zero programming experience coming into this class. Rest assured, a good grade is attainable. Amy's lectures were informative and the assignment instructions were thoughtfully written. Assignments take a good amount of work, but you can do it. TAs and Amy available for help outside if necessary. Exams are fair, just study review material.
What an amazing professor! Professor Byrnes keeps the lectures entertaining. She gives random pop quizzes that count as extra credit. Weekly quizzes and programs done online. She is available for help, and you can tell she cares about students doing well in her class. Very approachable. I would definitely recommend taking her class.
She's great. Makes nerdy jokes and I love her
Shes great. I will take every class she offers. Gives cool extra credit pop quiz's when she notices not many students showed up. Tests can be tough but not to bad. Also, she's easy on the eyes.
Super sweet and VERY knowledgable. I probably would have done much better in this class had I actually gone to it. C++ in general is difficult for me though, so I wasn't expecting to do well. Very well organized lectures, fun activities involving candy too!
Took CSCI 240 withProfessor Byrnes and I have no complaints. Her lectures were straightforward and to the point. Gives lots of extra credit just for showing up to class. All the assignments are easy. Answers to all the quizzes are given by her in class. Allows you to bring a cheat sheet to final. All exams/quizzes are taken online. Would take again
Great professor. Knows the material very well. She is willing to help students out. Very kind and understandable. Lots of bonus points are given and answers to all the quizzes are given to you in class.
She's fine. Nothing better, nothing worse. If you come to class, a good grade is likely.
Amy is great. If you're coming into this 240 with minimal coding experience, she does a great job of explaining the basics without getting too bogged down in the details. She clearly has an appreciation for the material as well, and consistently makes it fun to attend her lectures.
If you're looking for someone to teach you coding having no prior experience, this is not the professor for you. As opposed to other comments here, I found that she seemed extremely disinterested. When I went to her office hours for help understanding , the wisdom she imparted on me was to "just try going line by line." Zero help.
She makes the class very understandable for people who have never coded for people. Lectures are very understandable and informative but can be a little slow moving at times.
I was pleasantly surprised by her depth of knowledge and ability to simplify complex subject matter. As for her lectures, they're fun and informative. If you need help outside of class, both her and the TAs were quick to help students.
She really does care about teaching. She teaches really well and her lectures are always intresting and helpful. If you ever need help she is there and TA's too
Pretty easy class, it's required for many non-CS majors so it's a bit spoon-fed. Lectures are enjoyable with plenty of examples for the homework.
Records all of her lectures, easy assignments, gives you the answers to the quizzes before you take the quiz, and gives tons of material and their solutions for tests
If you have no prior coding experience, you will not pass this class. She teaches this class thinking that everyone knows what coding is already.
doesnt explain anything. teaches this course like everyone has prior experience
Shes top notch. Delivers lectures very well. 10/10 Ten outta ten!
241 is insanely difficult for a second semester coding course, but Amy is one of the most understanding professors I've ever had. If you go and talk to her, ask for help, and show that you've given the work a fair shot, she'll go above and beyond to help. She also made a lot of the topics easily understandable. I'll never forget what a friend is!
Amy is an understanding, fair, and decent professor. Her lectures get a bit boring and are hand-holdy in 240 but nonetheless good.
She was a very helpful teacher if you went to her for it. She is always prepared before her lectures and she gets the class engaged with the material. Take her for CSCI 241 and you will do good. The exams are very tough but are curved.
Amy seems like a great person and is a good teacher. The class itself gets bogged down by the awful requirements the CSCI department mandates for this class. The first half of the class is fairly easy however the workload is too much and something whether the programs, dailies or quizzes will slip in terms of grades and the second half is brutal.
Class is not bad whatsoever, just go to class and you'll learn everything you need for all the programs. After midterms start things earlier as it gets pretty difficult towards the end. Tests aren't too bad, similar to quizzes. Programs aren't harshly graded either. Dailies can be a hassle, ask for help. Textbook NOT required/needed.
Amy overall is a good professor. However, Amy is difficult to reach out to. Amy just does not check her Microsoft Teams, and has checks her emails late. Went to her office hours once after sending her messages on Teams only to find out it wasn't even open on her desktop. I've sent her maybe 3-4 messages on Teams throughout the semester, none opened
Great teacher, does a nice job teaching during lectures and is pretty chill. lots of homework, and the tests are really tough.
v nice person but her lectures were v slow nd boring
Some ppl complained she teaches as if you know coding already,I went in without knowing a thing. Passed the class with an A. Just make sure you go to class, attend office hours if needed. TA's are helpful. Odd chance she'll give extra credit at lectures so attend. If you miss class or fall behind you can watch the lectures on blackboard. 10/10
I knew the basics in coding and the class was free. Attend lecture and its very easy. Lots of homework but it tends to be easy if you keep up with the class
Professor Byrnes is a fair and approachable instructor. While the course workload can be heavy, the recorded lectures, practice materials, and unstuck AI tools make it manageable. Attend class, use resources wisely, and you'll do well.
She is great, sit in the front so that you pay attention.
This professor was really nice and taught C++ in depth. Attendance isn't mandatory but in order to understand everything you cannot miss a lecture unless you're already familiar with coding.
Amy is the GOAT in the CSCI department! One of the best, only ever heard 1 negative complaint, and hundreds of good stories. she knows her stuff,
awesome teacher
Although attendance isn't mandatory, you do 90% of the homework in class which is essentially copying down the code directly. Lectures are recorded. There are a few assignments and most of them can be built off the in-class homework programs. Quizzes/exams are open notes. Only note is that Amy is a bit difficult to reach over email.
By far the best professor
Although the class was a lot of lectures, she was very good with answering questions and was understanding in allowing things to be done late. There were also a good amount of extra credit opportunities. My main issue would be that some of the assignments were a good bit more difficult than the material covered in class.
kind of hard to hear but pretty good otherwise
240 is an amazing class for anyone trying to break into programming, which is mostly due to how well Professor Byrnes explains things. The one oddity was that lectures were usually a bit behind the skills needed for doing the assignments. About 2-6 hours of work a week. Make sure you keep up on the autograder and lockdown browser updates, PLEASE.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
17%
Textbook Required
51%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.16 avg changeRatings by Course
360
5.0
(1)465
5.0
(1)CSCI465
5.0
(2)CSCI440
5.0
(4)CS465
5.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
360
3.0
CS360
3.0
CSCI340
3.0
CSCI240
2.7
CSCI250
2.5