Professor Ricks is an amazing instructor I ever had in a Computer Science class. He made this course very understandable and absolutely easy and anyone would succeed with his help if they want to learn to program in Java. He is very lenient and very well cares about his students and understands if they have any problems with their assignments.

He is very helpful if you have questions about anything. If you send an email, he'll reply back with a good explanation of anything you need.

Professor Ricks is an amazing teacher and person. He makes the content very manageable, listens to student feedback, and is very clear about his expectations. If anything isn't clear, he responds quickly outside of class and is willing to work with you to make sure you succeed. Brilliant, caring professor.

Honestly a great prof, his lectures are a little boring but not anything too bad. One of the best professors I've had this semester.

Professional Ricks is probably the best professor on campus. He is genuinely so knowledgeable and caring. Its very fun to be in his class. Would definitely recommend his class

Professor Ricks is a great professor! He tries to make his lectures interesting and I think he's pretty funny too! He knows a LOT about computer science and is always willing to help students who are struggling. He is very passionate about teaching his students fun things about code! Easily one of the best profs I've had this semester!

He's an amazing teacher, he does get off on tangents when lecturing but overall he teaches well. There were few assignments and the exams are not bad if you pay attention to review day. Attendance is technically mandatory, he gives in class participation exercises but it hasn't happened very often. I would 100% take again in the future.

Amazing professor. As a student new to programming, he helped so much with getting started. He really cares about students and makes sure that lectures are fun. Make sure to consider him as a professor. You won't regret it!

Prof Ricks is fantastic. He makes the class really fun and would add funny stories through out the lecture. He's super helpful whenever you go up to him and ask questions. Exams aren't too bad, assignments every other weeks, pop up attendance every other weeks. Overall he's really good, Id def retake his class for 2336

Dr. Ricks is a knowledgeable professor who explains things clearly and is very accessible outside class if you don't understand a topic/assignment (or want to learn interesting CS concepts). He goes beyond the slides with interesting information and assignments are manageable. The exams are straightforward since he outlines the topics beforehand.

Really good professor. Materials can be tough if you don't put some effort into understanding them so don't expect it to be a smooth sailing. Programming HW are clearly explained and you can ask the professor for help and there are only few in between. Professor really cares and will pass you if you put some effort.

If you are going to take CS1336, try to take Mr Ricks. He is an amazing teacher and he really explains the material well. He is flexible with extensions but don't take that for granted. Read from the textbook and write practice code and you will do great. Genuinely one of the best professors I have ever had! Tests are heavy but he helps you review!

Awesome professor. He literally cares about how students are doing in his class. Exams, homeworks and projects are doable. If you pay attention to his amazing lectures, really easy to get an A. Glad I got opportunity to learn from Prof. Ricks.

Professor Ricks is an amazing professor and an AMAZING person. He's accessible outside of class and helps with assignments and is great when it comes to explaining stuff. He is very mangable and super friendly. He always put students first. He's very knowlegeable and tells us exactly what topics are gonna be on the exam. Overall, great professor.

Great Professor who really cares about his students. You will definitely love him!

I think the course was too easy compared to other courses in cs 2336, we only did like two small projects and one really small project. compared to other classes that did 5 medium-sized projects. Take him for easy grades but not if you want to learn and prepare to get a career

it was his first EVER class, I believe he did really well. He tried to thoroughly explain the lecture slides, but his codes were semi difficult. they were on zybooks but luckily if you read the textbook a little bit, you will be fine. I 100% recommend him.

Lovely Professor, who let you learn concepts if you didn't already know on your own time. All the projects were completable in a few hours, and the tests were fairly straight forward. Please take this man.

Take him if you get a chance. I emailed him 3 hours before the due date, and he immediately replied and helped me. Exams are very easy. Do all the reading assignment, you will score 95+ on exams.

Ricks was a very entertaining professor. You can tell that he is being held back teaching into to computer science, but he does want all his students to learn and grow in the easy material. Tests are not hard if you study for a day or two.

Just take his class. You won't regret anything. Genuinely cares about your learning and always is there to help when you need it. Answers emails quickly if you have questions about assignments or labs. Always gives a review before exams while dropping hints on some answers here and there if you attend lectures. The best CS teacher I have ever had.

He was a great guy. Hands down genuinely good teacher and he treats the students well. Was honestly the best guy to be teaching this class, because he knows what it's like to code from the beginning still and sets you up for success. He is also up late and will help you late at night.

Truly one of the best professors. Very funny, engaging lectures, and you can really tell he enjoys what he does. Normally stays after lecture to help out during the lab time. Typically two labs and assignments per week. I did labs during class and assignments outside of class time. Many hints on exam reviews, lots of material comes from lectures.

He's incredibly kind and passionate about teaching students. His course is pretty easy and is a very good introduction to coding. He's also quite accessible and responsive. He's a good mix of easy courseload and solid coding practice so take him if you can, because you will learn without too much stress.

Best professor for any CS class, amazing lectures, good explanations, easy good grades in his class

Took CS 1436 with the combined lab. He always stayed during lab just in case we had questions. Amazing lecturer, always dumbed down material for easy understanding. I enjoyed his class because he had a passion for teaching and the topic. He was very caring for his students.

Amazing guy. Lectures could get boring since it was a 2 hour long class, but reading the textbook helped. 3 tests worth 20-25%, fairly easy mcq's with 1 frq, and he gives a review of what to study. 2 labs due each week and 1 coding assignment due every 2 weeks. Easily accessible outside class and very caring, always wants the best for his students

He's articulate and passionate about what he's teaching. His course is very easy to follow along as well. 10 / 10 would take again

One of the best professors in all of the CS department. If you want to learn, grow as a programmer and a thinker, and have a professor that cares about your success, then take Ricks. Truly god sent.

Teacher who actually cares that his students learn what matters, use his office hours if you ever have trouble with an assignment - he breaks it down so easily and explains everything you need.

I didn't attend many lectures, but those I did were great. Good mix of explaining slides / code examples and some interesting tangents. Really cares about his students' success, and has good reviews. Tests are pretty tricky, but if you go to class he gives you the answers basically. Take whether you do or don't know how to code - he's the best.

I WOULD NEVER BOTHER LEAVING REVIEWS BUT PROF RICKS IS ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL. If you are reading a bunch of different reviews then your search is over here. He is one of the most caring professor. HE IS GOATTTTT. Takeee him. book your schedule planner rn dont check anything else. Book himmmmm. He is HIM. HE IS HIMMMMM. THEEEE HIM

Best Prof. I've ever taken at UTD. Super engaging full of energy. This man answers emails super fast with tons of detail. This is his first time teaching Computer Arch and he did awesome. I've heard horror stories about CS2340 and he made it fun. I cried taking this class but that's just MIPS (yuck) for you. Ricks is amazing, take him.

THE BEST PROFESSOR. Who knew computer architecture would be my favorite class. If you have the option to take him do it. Exams are easy, he gives reviews so just focus on those topics. I finished the final exam in like 5 minutes. The assignments are difficult, but there's not much you can do with assembly language.

Pretty cool professor. Will work with you outside class. Heavy on the projects, but email him and he'll work with you. Had a rough time on the second project, but I probably could've gotten it by going to office hours.

Easy A. Do all the quizzes and review quizzes before the exams, most of the questions will be from the quiz. Assignments are easy. Project is little bit difficult, but it is doable. He replies you email as soon as possible. Overall great professor.

By far the best professor I've had at UTD. Very funny, down to earth guy, and he's always willing to help with assignments if you're running into issues. Exams are easy with the study guide he provides. I finished the final in 5 minutes and did great. He has made a course notorious for being difficult seem easy.

TAKE BRIAN RICKS!!! He is super passionate about what he teaches PLUS his class is the right amount of difficulty...for our last project since it was lowkey hard, he pushed the deadline and made it worth two project grades. PLEASE TAKE HIM IF YOU GET THE CHANCE! P.S. He goes on a few tangents (they are fun tho) but always gets back on track

Amazing professor who really cares about students. I enjoyed having him this semester, the exams were reasonable and the projects can be a little challenging but nothing too bad. Overall I reccomend him!

Pros: Amazing lectures, super responsive to emails, super funny, passionate about anything CS related, good balance between exams and homework, very easy exams (just follows the study guides and listen to lectures), class was easy since he taught so well Cons: Can get distracted during lectures (does always get back on track)

TAKE HIM. He is the BEST prof I've had at utd, hands down!!! He is very understanding and genuinely helps his students succeed. We originally had 3 projects, but the 2nd one was hard, so he nixed the 3rd project and extended the deadline of the 2nd one. He's funny and his lectures are very informative because he codes instead of just using slides.

Awesome professor!! He is funny, his lectures include coding practice, and he gives us useful technical interview advice. There's a substantial amount of extra credit on exams, so I ended up with over 100 on the final. Your gpa will not suffer. 10/10 would recommend you take him

Very hilarious. He makes you smile at least 3-4 times or even laugh every lecture. Makes corny jokes but he really cares about you. PARTICIPATION MATTERS even though attendance not mandatory because his exams have a question directly related to something talked in class. Easy assignments & labs. Clear notes and organized. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for C++

Lovely professor! He's lectures where straightforward and he throws some humor to make the class laugh. I would highly recommend him. And for the TA william he was pretty harsh and would be a little rude whenever you need help. Everything aside 100% take him!

He is a great professor. Take him if you don't know how to code and want to learn. And the TA William, is a good person literally just to his office hours, and he's willing to work with you to get your points. Trust me, you will be fine in this class.

Good class, especially if you're unfamiliar with coding. Professor Ricks does a great job explaining things while making it interesting. The TA, William, seems a little uninviting in class, but go to his office hours and he's a completely different person! He actually seems like a human, so don't be intimidated to go ask for help.

The prof is a 11/10. hes nice and makes corny jokes. slides are posted for you to catch up if u dont understand, and the TA was just fine lol. he made an entire website for ppl to get exam reviews and extra content if you don't understand. some of yall are just mad he caught you cheating on an assignment/lacking in class. great prof, good ta

Goated professor, enjoyable lectures with a touch of whimsy (lots of dry humor). Classwork itself is easy, 2 basic labs each week and a programming assignment every 2 weeks. Provides review topics for each exam, which aren't hard either. edit: lab ta is my savior (please release my wife and kids)

Prof can sometimes go too deep but its chill! 3 exams, 22 labs, 6 assignments. Ik it sounds like a lot but it rly isnt. Lab ta had a website with exam reviews for us. Dr Ricks sometimes let him teach. he does a p good job and got better with time. feels rude at first, but is actually really sweet (literally helped me with hw bc he had time to kill)

love prof ricks!!! he's super sweet and always responds to emails. class was paced good esp if you've never done programming before. also the ta is not rude at all, just blunt and straightforward. he's rly kind and made us reviews and taught class sometimes. He ALWAYS gives points back if you ask (obv he's fair abt it). he's not rude, i promise :)

Ricks is the GOAT. Super cool and laidback, you learn a lot. If you literally just pay attention it's an easy A+. Also, abt Will the TA, he's NOT harsh at all. He's just doing his job, following the style guide. All you gotta do is proofread your code once and follow the directions (TA makes it REALLY clear what to do to get a 100). smart dude too

Amazing prof! Lectures are AMAZING even if you know some C++. There is technically no attendance, but you are really missing out by skipping! He genuinely cares about every single student and their success. Also goes off into really funny tangents that somehow always have relevance. Don't worry about the TA, he is nice after you get to know him :)

I LOVE PROF RICKS!! as a first time programmer, he's super patient and always teaches us in a funny way. sometimes he'll let his ta take over and he's great too! i don't know where ppl are getting harsh from?? he literally just follows the style guide (THAT is harsh)! prof ricks and his ta go super well together and made our lectures so much fun.

Incredible professor. So caring. So friendly. Will be always ready to guide you. Can ask him anything related to CS, and he will be ready to give you advice. Tests easy, just make sure to proofread ur answers for any silly mistakes. 2 Lab assignments a week, 1 programming assignment every 2 weeks. TA great in person, will always ready to help you.

This prof is amazing! teaches great and loves it! But i felt like the work was super hard for me since i never did programming before. The TA the prof hired was super good! I couldn't come to his office, but he came to me at library and stayed until i understood it all. I went from a C my first exam to a B- on exam 2 all bc of him. THANK YOU WILL!!

Loved every minute of this class. Prof Ricks always makes class super funny and engaging. His labs and assignments can get a little involved but his TA is literally great. He's not harsh at all, literally. Just read the style guide and make sure your code is aligned with it. Both Prof Ricks and his TA respond quickly and are smart af. 100% take him

No wonder he's rated to high. This prof is legit! And his TA is amazing as well—gave us exam reviews, taught class sometimes, and even made us an extra credit assignment worth 125 points. Anyone who says anything bad abt the class or TA is mad coping bro

This professor will make you love coding. He will push you to be better and support you along the way. Amazing lectures, class is made to be easy to follow, and he will help you with anything coding related and provide so much insight and enthusiasm. The class as a whole is fun and enjoyable.

Professor Ricks is the best CS professor I've had. He is super funny and his lectures are informative. You get 2 labs per week and 1 programming assignment every other week. They are pretty easy if you pay attention and review the notes. The TA can seem a little scary at first, but he genuinely wants to help you. Overall great class.

One of the best CS professors. I wasn't that good at coding, but ended up learning a lot. While his lectures are heavy, he enjoys the content and teaches in a fun way. His exams are straight-forward. While his textbook is not mandatory, I would recommend it. I don't think you're getting a better CS 1436 professor than him.

based prof and TA. the guy who was our TA gave us an extra credit and graded it everyone's in 3 days. absolute GOAT of a prof and TA. amazing duo fr

Prof Ricks is an AMAZING teacher, you're truly missing out by not going to class everyday. Something ppl are not saying about the TA is that HE LITERALLY DOES REGRADES if you go to the TA's office/email him. I've had my 88 on a lab bumped to a 90. Obviously, don't abuse it, but he's definitely not as mean as you think he is. Just don't get greedy!!

This class was harder for me as my first time in programming but Dr. Ricks does help you out if you go to office hours/ask for extra help. If you pay attention to the slides and examples, you'll be fine. There's 2 labs weekly and 1 programming assignment bi-weekly. He does give out tests review (which is beneficial if you show up to class).

Dr.Ricks is a very good professor. He is extremely through, and is also very helpful whenever you are struggling on programming assignments and labs. There are 2 lab assignments a week, and one programming assignment due every two weeks. However, the lab TA (Will) is super strict with grading the labs and provides very vague feedback so beware.

I'm so glad I took this course with Prof Ricks! Ur really missing out by skipping. TA Willlooks scary but he' super nice and funny once you talk to him. I like how he's not gonna just give you the answer and makes you think first. He's "strict" bc he has to follow the school's style guide. Ppl dont seem to get that. Dont believe the neg reviews!!!

First cs class ever and he made it so easy to digest. He did a mix of lecture and doing code which helped alot, following along with him and seeing how the code works hands on helped me in really solidifying my foundation. Exam reviews are solid, assignments each class that could be done during class. Great way to break into CS !

Took Malware Analysis the semester prior to this ICS course, so having Prof Ricks for a full year was pretty awesome since the topics do intertwine some. He can be quirky but is very approachable and willing to help if you take the initiative to ask. Definitely a recommended Professor to take

You can clearly tell Dr. Ricks is passionate about the subjects he teaches and researches. While the lecture material in this class may be dry at times, this class provides hands-on experience with exploiting a vulnerable industrial network which is always great for security-oriented courses. Exams are basically free since he does pre-exam reviews

Really good professor, cares about his students. Lecture references are heavily related to exams and easy to study. I would have gotten a much better grade if I hadn't accidentally missed 4 homework assignments (lowest two were dropped) and studied for the first exam (spending literally any time on this would have been a boon).

The best professor I've had at UTD (and probably ever will). He truly cares about your success in CS. No attendance required, but his engaging lectures and relatable stories make learning easy. Go to office hours! Always has something inspirational to say, advice to give, or even to just chat!

The best professor at UTD. Ready to get invested in his stories and hobbies during the class.

Very nice and kind professor. Genuinely a great person and professor. Really enjoyed his class.

BEST PROF EVER AT UTD GOAT

Overall the class was pretty easy. Professor is clearly passionate about computer science and he explains concepts nicely. There are labs every class and overall 9ish coding assignments to complete outside of class but most of it is doable in class. Everything you need to know for exams are explained in class (you can refer back to his slides).

Best professor I took this semester! He threw in a bunch of jokes and interesting tidbits from his experience in his lectures, which were easy to understand and engaging. He also gave me a lot of good career advice during office hours. Didn't take attendance. Workload was light and exams were not difficult. Will be back for 2336.

THIS PROF IS AMAZING! He makes lectures engaging and funny so we actually learn c++. He drops exam hints during lectures and his exam reviews basically tell you the questions on the exam. The only tedious thing is 2 labs per week and programming assignments every 2 weeks. But if you put in the work and study hard, it's an easy A :)

By far the best professor I have taken at UTD. Lectures are very interesting, he is very accessible outside classes and does his best to resolve every student's doubts. Take him if you can!!!

Type of teacher who curves your score and drops ur lowest labs. Goated class and prof, easy A+

pretty good

Professor Ricks is one of the best, if not the best, professors at UTD. His lectures are engaging, full of jokes(yes, some were cringy, but they were still funny cringy jokes), and helpful exam hints. He provides exam reviews with specific topics and generously adjusts final grades at the end of the semester (I went from a high B+ to an A).

I'm new to coding so I didn't get the best grade and his class wasn't the easiest, but if you go to office hours you'll be fine. The workload is very light but the tests CAN be tricky. Would take again.