3.5
Quality2.9
Difficulty88%
Would Retake109
Reviews88%
Would Retake
109
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
47
4
20
3
11
2
17
1
14
What Students Say
“many students complained”
ARCH131 - 2.0 rating“I'm the same guy below”
ARCH131 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
100%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.23 avg changeRatings by Course
322
5.0
(1)ARCH333
5.0
(1)ARCH344PRIMATE
5.0
(1)ANTHRO
5.0
(1)ARCH300
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
322
4.0
POL131
4.0
ARCH331
4.0
ARCH131
3.2
131
3.0
Reviews (109)
Very nice woman, in and out of class. She is a great teacher, who uses many helpful examples in class and likes her students very much. I recommend this class to anyone, ARCH major or not...
Incredibly slow and boring. She talked about dogs for an hour, the class had nothing to do with dogs, need I say more?
Birute is an amazing Lady. She is Soooo nice. There are two Exams worth 40% each, but they're not hard if you go to class and listen and take notes. The other 20% is participation, which she gives to you as long as you go to the lectures.GOODCLASS!
No Comments
Birute Galdikas is the kind of teacher any student would want. She wants her students to have fun and creates a relaxed atmosphere! She is truly one of a kind.
By far the EASIEST class in this university. Two multiple choice exams worth 40% (based on her lectures, you don't even need to buy the text)The other 20% is GIVEN to you for showing up. A grade of 75% or higher earns you an A in her class.
Great class
Interesting course by an interesting person. Her reminiscing about her own research alone is worth going to class for. She made tough concepts easy.
zany.
she's never there...the TA is teaching all the lectures and the TA wrote and gave the midterm.....It's obvious she loves her field and knows almost all there is to know...however, it's very clear that she doesn't care about teaching!
i thought i would be really interested by this class but im in the middle of the semister and she is so boring that i am not interested in this field anymore. Exam: wayyyyy to difficult
No Comments
Well I've realized my decision for the field of Arch.
1st hour of class: Semi-interesting, goes by decent. 2nd hour of class: Fatigue begins to set in, hour drags concepts become extremely uninteresting. 3rd hour of class: Time warps, 60 minutes becomes 60 years of incomprehensible arcane archaeological history. Very dull after the midterm. Avoid.
Galdikas' stories are awesome, unbelievable woman who studied orangutans in borneo for 20+ years. Lectures are often off topic and lack organization and direction but interesting all the same. Easy marker and complete memorization for exams. Overall very enjoyable class!
Ego case (watch her bask in the praise while she autographs her book for students!). I've heard faculty call her 'superstar' behind her back... loves the glory, but hates teaching. Beware of bait-and-switch, she's never there, TA teaches most of it. Beware!
very nice person, have to really pay attention to her notes...her midterm was NOT that hard...she basically tells what is on it.dont bother with the text its all based on notes
Lectures are a bit disorganized and off topic but fascinating all the same. I can understand why some would consider her to be a bad prof for 131: that subject is not her 'baby': it's a 100 level course she HAS to teach. She rocks in 344 and 333, her preferred subjects. Wide breadth of knowledge.
You would think that being a big-wig in the field would make her a better teacher. not so. Lectures are hard to follow and frequently off topic. A three hour lecture feels like year or so. Take pages of notes and then burn them for all the use they are.
As a person she's awesome as a prof she's AWFUL...A three hour lecture seems like years as you sit and listen to the dis-jointed rambling. The class its self wasn't hard, staying awake and trying to take notes was. She was late almost every class, and she's one hell of an ego-tripper...blah..
Love her! (Although lectures are sometimes a bit disorganized). Really interesting lectures.
Knows her stuff, lectures good, tends to digress but still amusing. Exams are not that hard just take good notes don't bother with the text books. Better at the upper level classes than the lower level. Her last TA was fantastic.
Being an easy marker does not compensate for being dull and apathetic to one's students-it means said students will retain next to nothing. The fact that she doesn't even show up for her office hours is pathetic. Fame does not mean everything.
No Comments
Interesting course and interesting teacher. I really don't know how she came about to teach at SFU. Her courses and midterms are really easy, but dont even bother buying the text book. If you know how to take notes properly then show up to the lecture. 3 hour courses are a drag but there are always lighthearted moments.
The trick is not to go to class. You can download the lectures online, so when you get bored you can have a tea and biscuit break. Or try going to class ****. That makes it way more fun. Easy as pie though...
I have a masters in animal beh.I audited her class for professional interest.My opinion is that she should not be teaching.When questioned she seems to make up answers,and has been blatantly wrong.Also unavailable to students in office hours, fobbing them off on her TA's.Disappointing.
Super boring Lecture and she is sometimes not very clear but its a pretty easy course.
I loved this course! Birute is an inspiring teacher who does want to see her students succeed. If you are getting bad marks, she lets you do extra work to pull your mark up. Her life and her work on orangutans is amazing. Lecture style is a bit hard to follow but she tells interesting personal stories.
No Comments
While her life and her work are very interesting, this woman is the most boring person on the face of the Earth. She clearly has more social skills with orangutans than with people. However, she wants her students to do well. Watch out for a HUGE amount of memorization work on the exams though. READ the textbook!
She is truly an inspiring person. As the others have said, she does want her students to do well, and she does offer alternatives for better grades. However, her lectures are pretty boring and very disorganized. She is late to almost every class. Her personal stories are comical though. Midterm was pretty hard. Final was a breeze. Just the heads up
Good professor. Yea, the class is a bit boring sometimes, but grow-up this is university not Disneyland.
I found Dr. Galdikas to be short tempered and scattered. Frankly, I was very disappointed. She is such an accomplished woman, yet I wish I hadn't taken her course. I had already taken a course on primates at the college level and learned nothing new in Arch 334. To my surprise we only briefly touched on Orangutans.
Very knowledgable about the topics she teaches but her lectures are unorganized and kind of boring. Tests are easy, all based on notes from class and she'll tell you what to study.
Class a bit disorganized and she comes in late. Midterm was hard-ish, but final was easy with bonus questions! Allows you to do extra work to raise your mark. Involved and passionate about her work makes the class interesting, although her lecturing style isn't the best. But I enjoyed the class anyways.
Best prof I've had. Funny, Interesting and insightful... Very witty lecturing style and cares about her students
I really enjoyed Dr. Galdikas's classes. I was in 2 of her classes this past semester. I liked them both. She is quite a character. she's funny and quirky and delevers her lectures in a story-telling approach, which i found to be very helpful in developing an interest in subject matter. She can be a bit scattered at times, but shes very personable.
I took arch 334 and 344 with Birute and she is the best prof Ive had at SFU. If you are interested in human evolution in relation to primates, or if you are into animal conservation- take this course. She seriously cares about her students. A little hard to get a hold of, but that's because she's famous. Take good lecture notes and mainly study them.
She is one of the best profs I have ever had.Very entertaining in lectures and very fair with testing.No surprises, she lets you know what to study.Rally has a passion for her work and transfers that passion on to her students.Can't wait to have her again!
Birute is one of the nicest professors I've ever had! Understanding, lenient, sincere and genuinely cares about her students. Lectures are interesting. She's a world renowned primatologist so she only teaches one semester per year I hear. Lectures are online which is very helpful b/c her exams come from her notes. More visuals would help!
Berute was an awesome prof! She obviously knew her material, and was interested in it. Her exams were easy, and with obvious answers. Her only downfall is her punctuality. She was ofter 20-30 mins late to classes, leaving the class waiting for her ot arrive. Other than that, an awesome class, one that I would definetly take again.
Fantastik proff, absolute legend as well. Her lectures are always interesting, although she often goes off topic it's usually incredibly cool! nothing like a first hand jane goodall/lewis leakey story to thrill the arch student in you! she's brilliant!
Great!
I just love Birute Galdikas! I've had her twice, and both times the class was a pleasure to take. She is often disorganized and late for lecture, but once she starts speaking, she's got everyone's attention. She's so intelligent and well travelled, and I just love hearing her random stories. Just a hint: MEMORIZE ANY LISTS that she gives in class!
Dr. Birute is a great prof who is very knowledgable of the material in the course. Unlike other profs, she is a very sweet lady who makes it very comfortable for students to talk to her out of class time. Be sure to pay attention to her lectures and you must memorize the lists she provides. Overall very interesting course.
Do not take a class with this professor. Everyone on here is sugar-coating their experiences, but I will not. This professor does not mark fairly, nor will she be helpful when you talk to her about your grades (especially if Heather Kendall is the TA...wow). I am a straight A student and ended up with a C+ in this course. Good luck future students!
If you go to class and are able to take notes, you will ace this class. She gives you lists of info that she tells you will be on the exam. No surprises, and she is willing to help you if you ask for it, same goes for the TA. I don't normally post on here but looking at the previous entry, i was compelled to comment. Very easy course.
once you take this class. 20 years later you will be at home jobless sitting on your couch realized that this is y u failed outta university. If u are an interesting person and not a machine you would avoid this course. No notes in class just her talking sometimes im scared that violence might take over my temper. anyways hf and gg
IF you wanna fail, then take the class. No notes watsoever so avoid this
Alright... So every single person who took Arch 131 and gave this prof a high ratin is on crack/lying. It's been a month so far and she's attended 2 out of 4 lectures. Yeah, that's right, this prof SKIPS CLASSES. Oh, did I tell you the first midterm (out of 3) covers chapters: 1,2,3,5,7,9 and 2 vids. Yes, 6 chapters in 1 midterm... Don't take it.
I'm the same guy below. The prof also decided to skip office hours this week, so we can't even ask questions (since there is no way of contacting her cause she does not give out her email). As for the lecture itself (when she doesn't skip) you can barely understand what she's say. I'm not sure if it's her age, but she sidetracks and talks about her
I agree with the guy below. The lecture is unclear, the prof. is helpless. No email and even no office hour before the midterm.It is a self-study course,because the lecture is different from the textbook,but you need to learn from the textbook and also review the lecture. Mid1 cover cha3, which is not even mentioned in the class.
Yest she did miss 2 classes but she did becasue she was sick,and she still managed to cover the material needed to be covered. Her tests are basically based on her lecture notes. If you go to see her in person for her office hours, you will realize how insightful and helpful she is. If you want to be spoon-fed the material,then uni is not for you!!
Her midterms are so easy and she is very fair!! Some people have a problem with her, but dont listen to them. IF you study then you should not have a problem...
She is a pretty good professor. Posts no lecture notes so you must go to class. Midterms were not too bad IF you study!
Prof can be difficult to get used to at first, but if you take the time to speak to her, she's very helpful and understanding. Even took the time to meet me at 7:30 at night before a midterm, and will give her phone number to students so they may contact her. Requires attendance and studying, but once you know what to expect, it becomes easier.
Prof can be difficult to get used to at first, but if you take the time to speak to her, she's very helpful and understanding. Even took the time to meet me at 7:30 at night before a midterm, and will give her phone number to students so they may contact her. Requires attendance and studying, but once you know what to expect, it becomes easier.
she is a great person with a sense of humor, but her lectures are soo boring.If you are willing to memorize a bunch of stuff take this class,otherwise beware
ARCH 131 isnt a hard course to be totally honest...but if u wanna fail...then take it with her XD
The worst prof i have ever had: she is vain she even tells you "the people who smile at her will get A- instead of b+" seriously thats what she bases her grades on. Her exams have COMPLETELY irrelevant questions on them, based on things she just mentions in class. If you have made the mistake of taking her class then you better be ready to kiss ass
You can tell Birute loves to teach the subject as she is always extremely enthusiastic. She's very friendly and is always willing to help. Very understanding prof. Be sure to take notes during lecture and you'll do fine. If you visit her during office hours, you'll realize how easy it is to talk to her. Highly recommended!
I took this for the B-Sci credit. It's not an easy course, but all you need to succeed are the abilities to read, listen, take notes and memorize information. What Dr. Galdikas says in her lectures will very likely appear in her exams, so just pay attention.
Best class at SFU! Birute is a fantastic prof and extremely likeable. I don?t believe she is biased ? just very personal and said she believes a smile works better than a frown. She talked about needing to learn emotional intelligence and that?s what some people had an issue with. She was always present and very helpful when I went to see her at OH
I really enjoyed the course - it was favourite course of the semester, and likely one of my favourite courses all time! Good lecturer, and the lectures are recorded (hint: re-listen to lectures afterwards, I usually needed to make a few corrections/additions to my notes afterwards, since there were no power-point slides)
Took this class for B-Sci credit. Ended up taking over my semester. Make sure you go to class. Be ready to memorize thousands of terms and irrelevant side stories. At the final, she sorted the pile of exams into people she liked and others she did not recognize. Avoid this class unless you are a walking encyclopedia. I'm sure there are better BScis
Great teacher, great class! I learned so much more than I expected. Very interesting concepts, particularly when we discussed socio-biological aspects of primate behaviour. If you ever get the chance to take this course, don't hesitate to enroll, you won't regret it.
I took this class for a B-Sci credit, and I probably shouldn't have. Be prepare to memorize everything. Midterms are hard and I felt like I was studying all the time for this class. Birute also has her favourites, so it's probably best if you get to know her (which I didn't...)
She's an amazing professor. She is clearly interested in the material she is teaching. Practically a legend in the world of Archeology. On a personal level, she's kind, attentive and very caring. If you take the class, no matter who the professor is, you need to memorize and actually read the book and listen to the lecture. Welcome to University.
This course was so hard but only because of her horrible teaching style. She only tests on what she talks about in class and often disagrees with the textbook so don't waste your money on the text. Will tell random stories that seem like they're just for interest's sake and then test on them. Very hard to get help outside of class.
Galdikas' class was not a worthy learning experience for me. She does not provide any lecture slides or visual notes to aid in the learning process at all. She discusses the lesson orally for 3 hours, so beware of taking extensive notes and listen attentively, the clarity of her voice is a problem sometimes. In addition, she plays favourites.
I commend the TA. She put together all the slides for the prof and they were nice and clear. The problem was that the prof did not know how to display or use the powerpoints, nor the projector, nor the microphone(and mumbles). She's a world renowned primatologist so we know she's smart. She just needs to work on engaging and formatting lectures.
what a joke. i took this class because i needed enough credits to get my student loan, and now i rather beg for money on the street. the whole first midterm was on people and their nationality. many students complained. she actually said she knew the exam was hard because she forgot the answers..but she said she thought she got them all right.
The worst professor I have ever had. Last term of an honours degree, and I feel as if I would have dropped out of University if I had taken this course first term. Pathetic.
Ridiculous! Rude & doesn't seem to care if we understand. Rarely tests on comprehension, only memorization! Skips office hours, takes weeks to send out slides (got the last ones only 3 days before the final). She seems to know what she's talking about, maybe she's better in upper level classes.
She's a smart and knowledgeable woman, but her lecturing was terrible, and even though she said there would be no surprises on her exams, they were always super confusing and contained material we hadn't gone over. She even promised us that the final wasn't cumulative, but then told us the day before that it actually was going to be! Not a fan.
She has interest in her field in a way that won't be helpful to the students. She does not care for students. She says she won't trick anyone on exams, but the whole class got trolled by her. She told everyone it wasn't cumulative, and ended up telling everyone the night before that it was cumulative. Absolutely upsetting :(
Great pro, passionate in teaching and the subject itself. I took this course coz im interested, but i found it difficult coz everything she said had to be memorized. If you're not interested in this subject, don't take it.
Fantastic class. Brilliant prof. Class started out slow but got to warp speed at neandertals and Genghis Khan effects. Great sense of humour but need to listen for it. Main problem- Teach her to use the microphone.
I absolutely adored the lectures. The class itself was fantastic. It's so cool taking a class from someone who has actually done major things in her field. HOWEVER the final exam was just... stupid. Stuff she spent HOURS and multiple classes lecturing about wasn't on there and a bunch of random stuff was instead. Not impressed.
She does 3 exams & a paper. I'm not sure if 1/2 the students knew who this woman is, but I have a great deal of respect for her. The sacrifices & highly reputable work she has done with orangutans-unbelievable. I like her subtle sense of humour. I'm a science student & I found this course a breeze, little-to-no thinking involved. Just interesting.
Amazon individual of the field. Lectures were always interesting, and her tangents were entertaining. She's actually really funny, and cares about what her students think of her class. Really easy marker, but may berate you if you have a poor grasp of the English language. Like someone else mentioned, the final exam made no sense to me.
Best professor at SFU. Loved her jokes and stories. Very hard class with lots of fossil names to memorize.
Wonderful class. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Prof is funny. She sometimes started class 1 or 2 minutes early.
Firstly I would like to mention that this class was mind-blowing. Dr. Galdikas is a fantastic professor who really knows her stuff. This class is not a cake walk and you have to put the work in but if you talk to her and put the effort in, you will do quite well. Mind you, memorize any list she provides as it will only benefit you. Fantastic class!
If you have taken Arch 131 with Dr. Galdikas, this class will be much easier and definitely a lot more interesting because she takes her time presenting the material is such a way that you find it very enjoyable. I recommend this class to anyone who feels they need a mind-blowing experience. It is not too easy but it is definitely worth it!
Dr.Galdikas is one of the most amazing professors I have had at SFU. She is kind, caring, and VERY understanding of the stresses and troubles of a students life. Being an MBB major, most of my science classes are dull and boring. This class was the class I looked forward to all week; super interesting and fun. Dr.Galdikas has many stories to share!
Birute made sure to present the material in the most interesting way possible. The class is entertaining and interesting. She is very clear on what the exams will entail, and makes sure to go over that information thoroughly. Always extra helpful during class or when you visit her office. If you pay attention in class you should do well.
Took this class a while back. Loved the prof! Hoping to take one of her classes again.
A++++!!GO to Class and just listen and look for lists..make use of her office hours, always go to office hours where she will help you more...
Inspirational educator, Dr. Galdikas is a fascinating lecturer and really encourages students to think and learn. Uses her amazing life experiences to enrich classroom experience and to help us thoroughly understand ape societies and our own. Understanding and appreciative of student issues, is always available to talk out of class hours. Best Prof
Gives a very thorough overview of all the primates. Great lectures that really make you think. Dr. Galdikas obviously wants students to learn and is always available to talk after class. Great stories and comparisons accompany in depth lectures. Cares about students doing well and makes very fair tests. Enjoyable class and inspirational proff.
Dr. Galdikas is a living legend and a titan of Anthropology. It's only because she still spends her time teaching @ SFU and working in Borneo (not touring/promoting her work) that you might not know her as well as Goodall and Fossey but you should. If you have an interest in primates, do not miss the opportunity to learn from her!
The quantity of fascinating information combined with high level seminar style made this class one of the best I took during my entire undergrad education. Be prepared to do the readings and put some thought into the subject and you will be getting a world class education from a world class professor.
Birutes classes are avenues into the world of primatology. Shes organised, communicates through twitter, and doesnt spoon feed students. She rewards independent research, meaning that you must actually do something to attain a good grade. Her lectures are informative and interspersed with interesting anecdotes from a lifetime in the field.
Nearing the end of my degree, Dr Galdikas is definitely one of my favourite profs! Her lectures are filled with interesting anecdotes from her life and lectures are never boring as the info she gives is great! She cares very much about her students, but you will also have to put in the effort to do well. I wish I'd taken a class with her sooner.
Dr Galdikas is an amazing professor and primatologist. Her genuine interest and passion for primates will inspire you to learn more about them. Her lectures are never dull and she genuinely cares for her students. 3 midterms and a lab report, make sure to do the readings and look out for lists! excellent class for an elective, you won't regret it!
Birute clearly cares about her students, which I truly appreciate! She gives interesting lectures with an unique outlook. Although her exams are quite hard, learning from her was an amazing opportunity! The only thing that could be better is e-mail response time. A++
Dr. Galdikas is great! Her stories are amazing and her lectures are interesting. She is extremely approachable outside of class time and will talk to you and help you with anything. Tests are specific with a few lists but she tells you 90% of what will be on them! Fair grader and will help you every chance she can. Highly recommend her classes!
At the start, this course can get somewhat content heavy, but do not let that discourage you from enjoying this course. The course got a lot more enjoyable as the semester went on. Dr. Birute Galdikas genuinely cares about her students and will be accessible outside of class whenever you need help and she tells you what will be on the exam in class
Dr. Galdikas is one of the best professors i've had at SFU. She genuinely cares about her students and wants everyone to do well. Class material is interesting and each of the midterms are extremely fair. Three-hour lectures always seem too long, but this class was the opposite. Highly recommend!
I've wanted to take a class with her since I was 18 years old. We had 30% participation, so show up and have something insightful to say about the readings, and 70% was a group presentation, in which the only criteria was to not make her fall asleep. We had so much freedom. She's a gem and the sweetest lady alive.
Dr. Galdikas is a great person and lecturer. Her vast reserves of personal experience with the subject matter make her lectures interesting and engaging. She is also kind once you get to know her, and she has taught me a great deal on a number of topics. I strongly recommend Dr. Galdikas.
Dr. Galdikas is super knowledgeable and a very nice person, but unfortunately her teaching style is a bit out of touch. Expectations are not clear at all and she's very disorganized. Reading schedule was weird, no specific chapters assigned. Paper had no minimum length, just a maximum. I was always extremely confused with her, can't recommend.
Galdikas is one the most knowledgeable and respected people in primatology and it was a pleasure to take a course with her. Although being a bit disorganized at times setting up her lectures she is super caring and kind. First class she took time to talk to the whole class and genuinely wanted to get to know everyone. One of my most memorable profs
Dr. Galdikas is an amazingly kind and highly fascinating person and this is in large part due to her incredible life filled with awesome experiences that she is glad to share with her students; I believe this is what makes Dr. Galdikas such an amazing teacher, her wisdom is infectious when she shares personal anecdotes. Seminar style lectures <3
Dr. Galdikas is very knowledgeable but her lectures can get a bit dry. There are also lots of readings but some of them are quite fun!
I was interested in primatology, before taking Birute's class. There was no direction or order, grading criteria was not made clear, and Birute took out her personal frustrations on students. I felt really bad for the TA, because she was obviously uncomfortable but couldn't say anything.
Inspirational professor!
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
100%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.23 avg changeRatings by Course
322
5.0
(1)ARCH333
5.0
(1)ARCH344PRIMATE
5.0
(1)ANTHRO
5.0
(1)ARCH300
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
322
4.0
POL131
4.0
ARCH331
4.0
ARCH131
3.2
131
3.0