Clearly the greatest instructor in the soc dept. at CMU. If you have the opportunity to take a class from him you will have a wonderful time and learn.

I agree. He's awsome. He interacts with students and makes the subject fun to learn

Easy, funny, and entertaining..recommended

Awesome teacher! Best prof I've ever had

By far the coolest teacher that I have had at CMU!!! Very helpful, laid back and yet very entertaining. Has his own style which other teachers should copy.

Very nice guy...approachable and enthusiastic. Is pretty funny and does a variety of stuff to keep the class interesting. Good videos!! He seems to really like teaching and interacting with students. Highly recommended!!

He's a great guy - he was the first prof that i ever had to meet with during office hours and he was very friendly and easy to talk to. His main goal is making sure you understand the material and he is very open minded if you have other opinions!

This is one of the best teachers i have had in four years at CMU. Teaching style is great, and he makes sure you understand everything clearly. Tests are very reasonable, and he is more than willing to spend extra time to help you for tests!Great class!!

He was very down-to-earth. He really cared and tried to help his students do well. I enjoyed his teaching style and the way he was interested in each person. I felt comfortable in his classes and would take another class of his again. VERY RECOMMENDED

Dr. Smith is an awesome teacher! He will do everything to make sure you know what the test is over, seriously. He goes over everything and tries to make the information relevant and interesting. All you have to do is come to class and you will get an A no problem.

Very nice person and he explains things like what we would need to say on the exams. Easy class.

Dr. Smith is the nicest guy you will meet at CMU. He cares about his students and is very personable as a professor. Best teacher in the Soc dept. Always willing to talk with you in his office whether about his class or just to get to know you. Great Teacher!

Brian is the best teacher I have had here at CMU. He is awesome, you can really tell he cares about his students and makes sure you understands everything. The class I took with him was pretty easy. He was wonderful and I would recommend him to anyone.

Brian is a great teacher. He is more than willing to help any student that needs a hand. I have never met a prof that gives you his cell phone number incase you have a problem with class material. Nice guy and very helpfull. Recommend students take his classes.

His class is easy! He gives a review the day before every test as long as you study you will do good! He is the BEST soc 100 teacher!

As a person Brian is awesome. He is really easygoing and fun. However, his lecture notes on the board are very hard to understand with all his underlining and circling and arrows. I couldn't follow it at all. I relied on the books to get thru the class.

Very good class - really nice professor with lots of energy and good movies. Really respects student's opinions and ideas. But, there's kind of a lot of reading, and you gotta listen closly in class cause some of the stuff is pretty hard to understand. He expects students to do the reading!! and tests can be hard....

I agree with everybody, very good class, good movies, great professor. But its not easy at all to get a B or better. Luckily he adds point to his tests to create a 'fair' average. Ask him alot about essay questions on the test, he'll give you the basic questions during review day. and study the stuff on the review sheets really well.

one of my favorites. he is fun, and he is one of the few teachers I have had (6yrs)that really wants his students to do well. He is very clear, and always reminds you of what is important to remember, he always told us that we were not in mystery land. treats students as his equal, he also gives outlines for the readings so you know what to focus o

Brian is just awesome. Every teacher should set goals to teach as well as Brian does. im excited to have him again this semester!

He is so nice. Great personable guy. Any questions about anything?? Just ask him.

Probably one of the most dedicated and passionate professors in the SOC dept, and that's saying something. The readings can be a little boring, but he goes over everything on the exams in class. He goes out of his way to make sure you know the material. Oh, and don't get freaked out when he knows your name after the first class.

Such a nice guy,and a cool class,he does a semminar, student's present readings,with food every week for everyone.Only one test AND he gives you the questionns for it. Got to visit a prison and talk w/ inmates. you meet him in his office and work on a big paper for the last month-start the paper early! its lots of work and he expectts alot for it.

Dr. Smith just wants you to show up and put in a decent effort in his class. If you do so, you will be happy with your grade. THE BEST SOC Professor AT CMU. Dont believe me, look at how all his other students rated him on this website. We all cant be wrong!

This guy is very passionate about his work and cares a great deal for his students. He knows the entire classes names. Definitely take his class!

Brian is a great teacher, very energetic and fun. The class itself is sort of boring sometimes, but he tries his hardest to make it interesting. We watched some interesting movies and you get to read a very interesting book at the end of the semester. Great guy

Awesome guy. Took intro sociology w/him and then took 326 just b/c he was teaching it. Show up to class and you will have all you need to study for tests. And yes, you need to read the books he assings you, but they are fairly interesting for the most part. Very helpful and respectful. He's there b/c he truly enjoys teaching, not b/c he has to be.

Dr. Smith is awesome. Attend lecture, make yourself known, and study the study guides before the exams intensely and you will be fine.

It was his first time teaching an honors course. It was a pretty easy class with a lot of discussion, he tried to stay away from notes. Gave a pizza party when we had our final posters and turned in our final 10-15 page papers. Have individual meetings with him about paper, and he makes you turn in portions of the paper so you don't procrastinate.

Best Prof around...if you can get a class with him do it.

Best SOC professor ever at Central! He tries to get the class involved with whats going on in our society! TAKE him. He cares about students and what they want to do!

awesome professor, wants you to do well and cares about all of his students. He makes an effor to know your name and has fun w/ students. take him

great guy. Does lot's of assignnments in class so its not all lecture and he has good videos. tests can be kind of brutal but he curves. Knows all his students names and cares what they think - take him!!

What a funny guy! Lots of in-class assignments after lecture and shows good videos. His T/F tests were rough but he grades on a curve. Learns all his students names and values their opinions. It's clear he really cares about the subject of the class. Recommended, take him!

Very down to earth guy! He is a very good professor who truly cares and looks out for your well being. He makes a limit for himself on lecture time plus gives overhead notes. Several interesting videos. In class assignments are often and very easy! If you want an interesting class with a great professor take this!

Fun class, he does lots of different things in class-videos,disscussions, activities. Likes to hear what students think. very nice guy who takes pictures so he can learn everybodys name real fast. but watch out for the tests -- true and false can be tough.

A great proffessor and really fun class. Does all sorts of differrent class activities and likes it when students talk. make sure you turn off your cell phone - he called a girl out in class, and brought her out in the hall for texting!! watch out for the t/f tests. take him if you can get in - he won't do bumps.

Brian Smith is a great professor and person as well. He respects everyone and is openminded. He is passionate about the subject and actually cares about his students. Just don't use your cell phone in class and you are good. The exams are tricky- but if you study then things will work out fine. I recommend him to anyone.

Really fun class. Nice guy, great prof, has student's talk alot and does all kind of diferrent activities. kind of crazy that he kicked out somebody who was on an ipod or texting. But I heard he had already talked to them a few minutes before. Def take him if you can get in! And turn off your cell phone for sure!!

He is the best professor here at cmu. He truly cares about his students. There is quite a bit of homework but it is not challenging at all and is basically just a grade booster. The tests are pretty much T/F but they really aren't that difficult and he always curves the grades. He is an amazing guy! Take him! You won't regret it.

He is the best professor I have ever had at central. He cares about his students and really wants you to succeed in his class. He always grades on a curve and the homework really boosts your grade. I would suggest him for any class he teaches.

Brian was a very good professor! He cares a lot about his students and he makes class a lot of fun! Dont text or play with your phone in class, or he'll call you out! But he s a VERY good professor!

He's a decent teacher. I would recommend him for the most part. The class covered A LOT of information, and was a bit tricky but was easily managed. He repeats unnecessary information and talks while students are trying to take an exam. Also, he will talk the ENTIRE hour and 15 min even if he says he will stop. Good class, annoying teacher.

Really good class and nice, interesting profesor who makes the class topics relate to your own life. Was in a huge lecture hall, smaller class would have been even better. some real good videos. Have to really pay atention in class, and study hard for exams.. can be tough with lots of true-false.

You can tell he cares about his students. Like someone else said, the class would have been great in a small classroom setting. I agree, the true and false questions were tricky at first (you had to study pretty thoroughly), but once I got the hang of it, I had no problem. He's always willing to go out of his way to help you, even during exams.

Nice guy. SOC 525 is your internship but you have a few papers and what not to write. He loves to hear how you are doing in your internship and is very helpful when searching for one.

Very passionate, hilarious, professor. He's very sympathetic, not too much homework and he gives you points for coming to class. His notes stink, but everything can be taken right from the text book. He bought our class pizza while watching a movie. I also recommend going on the prison trip he plans. He's a great prof, I'd recommend him.

Really good class, interesting topics. Very nice professor who seems to really like his job, unlike some profs! Lots of assignnment points help your grade. Tests can be tough with lots of t/f, but if you have notes and do review sheet it is fine, and he curves. Likes to hear what students think about topics. Definitely reccommend him!

Very good class and really nice and fun professor. You can tell he likes talking with and helping students. for class puts a time limit on his lecturing! The t/f tests can be tough, have to have good notes and study the review sheet. but he does curve and also has lots of assignnment points to help your grade. definitely reccommend him!

This class is fairly easy as long as you do every assignment because they really add up (and super easy). The exams, though, are pretty hard. 50-60 T/F questions on each exam made me over think things (especially when the words "only" or "never" are used). Read the material and go to class/take more notes than he gives and you should do fine.

He is very passionate, and if he could he would keep talking the whole time. He sets time limits to his lectures so you can do interactive discussions with class members. He will have your names within a month and he will notice if you're gone. It's an easy class though, but the T/F questions (most of the exam) can be rough sometimes.

I loved this class. Brian is one of my favorite teachers at CMU! Class isn't required but if you don't go you could lose a lot of points. The exams do have a lot of t/f questions but if you don't think to hard about it most of them are common since. The assignments are a pain and only worth one point, but the class is worth taking!

Attend class regularly and you will do great.

The best professor I've ever had! He is so funny and makes class actually interesting! I'll go out of my way to have him as a prof again!

Fav professor at CMU

Dr Smith is an awesome professor! His lectures are kinda boring and long-he tends to repeat himself a lot, but the assignments he gives are very helpful in preparing for a test. His tests are usually only a few multiple choice, but lots of true or false. Its difficult in the beginning, but once you get the hang of it, its pretty simple.

I had an 8am with him and he woke the class up every morning. Funny professor.

Till this day Brian Smith is my favorite professor. He is very personable and get's to know everyone individually. He likes to lecture but puts a time limit on it, show up for class cause he takes attendance but class will go by so fast because he is so interactive and interesting. He is one of the reasons why I decided to pursue this major.

Great prof. Lecture's are slightly repetitive, but you'll be tested on what he says. Very approachable and wants you to do well. The material is not difficult, just go to class and pay attention. Tests are mostly T/F, but if you pay attention and study the homework you'll be fine. Offers multiple extra credit assignments!

Real good class - interresting books, class discussions. Could use more movies! Gets to know all students by name, makes sure he doesnt lecture the whole time. Tests can be hard -- gotta take notes and pay attention in class. Always willing to help, super nice.

An amazing professor that teaches with passion. I wish I could retake his classes to listen and understand more because he knows what he is talking about and has a passion for what he teaches and does

Brian is a cool guy and he tries to make his lecture times not as boring as normal. They still do get super boring, but at least he tries. When our class was in class he made all the work extra credit, once we went online though he assigned it. The books he assigns are really interesting!

Brian is awesome! He is pretty lecture heavy but they are super interesting and you learn a lot of good stuff. He limits himself on lectures and is super approachable. I was nervous for this class but if you listen and do the readings you'll be fine. His tests are true/false which is a pain, but you get the hang of after the 1st test.

Dr. Smith was an alright professor. All of the tests are true or false. On the tests he will ask questions about random stuff that he talked about in class like how he parents his kids, so make sure to pay close attention. The class is not difficult but I did not really learn that much in class.

Professor Smith was my favorite prof I had this semester. Class participation earned extra credit, and he was able to engage both students online and in the classroom. Tests were T/F format but were fairly easy if you read the textbook, took good notes, and paid attention in class. I hope to take more courses with Professor Smith in the future!

Amazing class! I feel as though I was able to learn a lot and with all the extra credit it's not hard to get an A. He is very easy to talk to and though the lectures can be long you can get a lot of really good information from them.

Great professor. Weird tests that are moderately easy if you actually read and pay attention in class.

Brian is awesome, one of the best. Had him during the pandemic, he was very flexible and understanding, gives tons of extra credit (attending class was extra credit), and genuinely loves teaching. there was lots of reading, 3 books, but it was manageable and the reading was enjoyable

Took this as hyflex last year and I loved it and feel like I learned so much. Brian is so funny and was cracking me up multiple times even through online. I wasn't a fan of how he organized his notes but as long as you are listening you won't have an issue on the exams. He makes class very engaging and even makes an effort to learn everyone's names

SUCH a sweetheart. So respectful of pronouns and gender norms, and all of the LGBTQIA+ community. And of course insanely respectful to POC. 10/10, kindest man. Love brian

Brian is the sweetest professor I have ever had. He actually lets everyone talk, and he tries to include everyone. He also makes an effort every class period to know all the names in the class. I would highly recommend Brian. He is very good at not talking for too long, and he is aware that not all the students can be there every day. I love Brian!

Dr.Smith is one of the best professors at CMU! He is caring, funny, and very accommodating. This class is based on a complex topic, and he teaches in a way that makes it very interesting and fun to learn. If you are thinking about taking a class with Brian, please do!

Nicest professor ever. He takes the time to get to know everyone by name. He lectures a lot but is self aware and gives lots of breaks. The exams are a little tricky but he is a very fair grader. I learned a lot of useful information from this class.

Very understanding, works with students where they are. Lots of reading and long assignments but they are easy. discussions are important and participation is expected.

so sweet and understanding. will give you his number in case you need help during your 2 online (non-lockdown) exams. Attend lecture because it counts toward your grade and he will ask about things he said during the exams. exams are kinda hard bc theyre long and a bit random but not terrible. the rest of the hw is easy. Lots of extra credit

Brian is such a funny guy and he makes sure to send reminder emails for turning in work, his assignments are straightforward, but his class will definitely keep you guessing, but in a very entertaining way, I think he's a great professor and if I have the chance to take another class with him again I will.

he is a very fun professor to have. his work can be time-consuming sometimes, but nothing too stressful. there are a lot of things to read/watch, but the concepts that are taught are easy to understand and Brian loves questions and class participation. overall an amazing professor.

You get 3 assignment skips & 3 class skips. Goes out of his way to get to know his students. He appreciates class discussion. Only two tests, nothing cumulative, all true/false questions and open book/notes/internet. Cool guy

Brian is a bit of a strange guy but he's very sweet. If you need help it's easy to get and if you just put in a bit of effort you'll pass this class easily. There are weekly assignments that you will have to do but they're easy as long as you read what's assigned.

Definitely a professor I want to learn from!

Good class! The Crash Course videos were very helpful. The word count requirement is low and only one reply is necessary. The textbook chapters are right in the Blackboard shell, so you don't need to buy the textbook. I loved this class.

Discussion-based lectures