2.4
Quality3.9
Difficulty30%
Would Retake86
Reviews30%
Would Retake
86
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
19
4
7
3
6
2
8
1
46
What Students Say
“Whatever you do, do not have this guy”
PHYS1410 - 1.0 rating“Clear, funny, and capable of thoroughly explaining any concepts that might be difficult to understand”
GEN PHYS 101 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
96%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.36 avg changeRatings by Course
GEN PHYS 101
5.0
(1)PHYS103
4.7
(6)phys1040
3.0
(6)PHYS1440
3.0
(6)GENPHYS101
2.7
(7)Difficulty by Course
PHYS1410
4.2
phys1040
4.2
PHYS1030
3.9
PHYS101
3.8
PHYS1440
3.8
Reviews (86)
Cecil's a great instructor! Really gets down to good detail and can explain the concepts very well. He's got a good sense of humor as well, so his Recitation sections are definitely more enjoyable, especially since it's Physics.
good instructor, very clear. At first when i saw him i was afraid he might have an accent and would be hard to follow, but his english accent is suprisingly easy to understand. Would take again.
Fantastic professor. Clear, funny, and capable of thoroughly explaining any concepts that might be difficult to understand.
Cecil is the man.
Cecil is amazing, hes the best physics teacher there could be, he explains the material thoroughly for you to understand.
Cecil's is a very good teacher, especially in recitation. In lecture, he tries to make things interesting with his corny jokes. His lecture style is definitely not boring. In recitation, he is able to explain the material in more depth. Its physics, there's gonna be hw so you can practice.
Amazing professor, I don't know how he does it but he makes physics make sense in an interesting way. He is one of the smartest people I've ever met and his physics class is scaled heavily. Make sure you pay attention and go to class, participation counts.
I took this professor for lecture and recitation and he explained the material very well. There is quite a bit of homework assigned in this course, but its manageable and the grading for the written assignments was not harsh whatsoever. This professor is a solid choice for people that have to take a science as part of a gen ed requirement.
The most unfair professor at UML. He gives free points to the ones who copy and deducts points from the students who are honest and writes on their own.
He is very unfair when it comes to grading, please avoid him if possible.
Professor Joseph explains the concepts taught throughout the course well, always checking in with the class to ensure they're keeping up with him. Although he does give out a few assignments every lecture, they are genuinely helpful in practicing the problems (they're really similar to those on the exams). He's also really understanding and nice!!
prof joseph is super understanding. gives a lot of homework, but if you do the homework then you will be successful on assessments
Took physics with professor Joseph. Great lectures physics is hard but he did an excellent job making the information understandable and applicable to everyday life.. Not the A i was hoping for but thats because I'm not the best at physics. :)
dr. joseph is a very smart man. he makes physics understandable and in a fun yet engaging way. i took him for general physics I lecture this semester and although i was quite nervous, dr. joseph was able to help just about anyone and constantly checks in on us to make sure we're following. his exams cover exactly what's in the lecture & recitation
The best choice of recitation professor for Physics I. Very kind, available at office hours. A few too many breakout groups for my taste, but it's a pandemic, and there only so many options. His quizzes are fair and sometimes they are take-home if he forgets to announce them in the prior class. Overall, a solid choice.
PHYS 1410 Recitation. Only reason I stayed in the class, has a passion.
Horrible DO NOT TAKE his class
Professor does an good job teaching concepts but is hard to understand sometimes. His lectures are pretty good, but I have to fault the homework he gives, which often does not line up with the current material and doesn't give much feedback on it.
Had Prof. Joseph for Physics lecture. Lecture slides were good, however he went through them very quickly during lecture. Moved very fast on the problems he did. Had 3 exams before the final. Hard to understand a lot during lecture. Average grade for 2nd midterm was failing or near failing for a 300+ person class and refused to curve.
Refused to scale grades despite more than 50% of students being in danger of failing the class. Provided an unnecessary 3rd exam which held only two subjects. Lack of textbook coordination. Lectures have mandatory attendance despite lecture hall having poor wifi quality. It would be wise NOT to take physics at Umass Lowell.
Don't care to build relationship with his students to know their names. He is always on a rush while teaching and contents are heavy as well. The class is like a four class combined. Don't base your preparation for exams on study guide because it will back fire. Run away from this prof or talkless of taking physics in uml. Won't scale the exams
Don't care to build relationship with his students to know their names. He is always on a rush while teaching and contents are heavy as well. The class is like a four class combined. Don't base your preparation for exams on study guide because it will back fire. Run away from this prof or talkless of taking physics in uml. Won't scale the exams
I had Dr. Joseph for both semesters. Looking at the positive reviews in the past, I am unsure of what happened to him or why he changed. Gives uncaring responses to very tragic situations. It's appalling to how difficult his exams are, and to have 3 exams (one right before the final) is just plain dumb. He should not continue teaching at UML.
AVOID!!!!!!!
Barely got by Physics II by the skin of my teeth. Talked to my peers about the final, no one knew what was on that exam. Dr. Joseph is a terrible professor and I genuinely believe he thinks he is better than everyone. But it is not a competition. It is being a PROFESSOR, and TEACHING your STUDENTS. Rude and condescending. Avoid at all costs.
What I want everyone to know about Dr. Joseph, is that if you get him, you will cry. He gives these study guides that aren't even including the exams. Why give study guides if you are not going to use them? Should that not be a "siMPLe solUTIon uSIng pROperTIEs oF phySICs"?. Explain that, Dr. Joseph. Final exam was brutal.
I just want everyone to know that Dr. Joseph treats General Physics classes significantly different than Physics classes. Yes, one uses calculus. But to curve and scale Physics classes (when the average for General Physics is the same), provide accurate study guides, and drop much more? Unfair. Don't be a professor if you pick favorites.
I had Dr. Joseph for both semesters of General Physics and I have a lot of respect for him. This class was tricky but it definitely helped me make new study habits that helped in other classes. The content can be a bit heavy but the grade you get truly reflects the effort you put into the class. This class really helped me develop as a student!
I love Cecil. He made physics easy to understand and I actually ended up enjoying it a lot of the time. Sometimes concepts were difficult but the math was usually easy (general physics). If you can take him for recitation do it. He grades HW/in class/ the presentation easily and explains things so well.
Cecil is a great lecture professor. However, your grade heavily depends on exams. For all sections, the averages on the 3 exams were (65,52,50). However, he only drops one and scaled the final exam grade slightly, so a lot of people ended up with a C. In order to succeed, you must study often and perform well on exams.
I think this has been my worst prof since beginning college. Did above average on all the exams (Typically passing) and had an 89 before the final. My grade dropped to a 75 because of the final which he literally said most people would fail. He makes it worth 25% of the grade and makes it so everyone basically gets a C. Do lectures remotely.
I took Gen Phys during the summer, I thought it was well organized. Physics concepts are tough to grasp sometimes, and you will get confused, but in the end bc of how Dr. Joseph guides the class, you WILL end up understanding. Make sure to join a group where you know what's happening and where you can think what to do and not only depend on others
This professor is not professional whatsoever. He only cares about quiz and exam grades and does not feel the need to give a thought to students who are having trouble. His demeanor is very condescending. When he would ask the lecture if we were following no one would answer because he would not give us time to think, additionally he goes too fast.
He does not give any assistance in trying to understand the material. Rude and unprofessional outside of lecture.
Prof Joseph talks too fast and towards the end of lecture when he sees that he is running out of time he crams everything in the last 5 minutes. He doesn't scale any exams, the average for the last exam was 49%, and he just assigned us more quizzes to get our grades up. He doesn't seem to care about the student's stress.
Whatever you do, do not have this guy. He is unprofessional and a rude person in general. When trying to contact this guy, he would not respond to any of the emails. In addition, he doesn't interact with any student outside the class, so beware of trying to ask him things in person.
Dr. Joseph is always willing to help those who put in the effort to understand the material. Lectures were straightforward, as were exams, just review the lecture concept questions and written homework problems beforehand. There is a short paper to boost your grade. The class was overall easy if you attended lectures, paid attention, and practiced.
He is the worst professor. He didn't care about what you are struggling with any topic if you went to his office. The only thing he cares about is the exam.
Doesn't believe in scaling which is understandable. But the fact that majority of the students are getting less than 55% on their tests says a lot.
Just not a good professor. Blames a failing average on the students and not how badly he teaches the material. Half of each lecture is going over the last lecture so everything drags. Even with so much homework and a whole recitation section, maybe it's his fault the average was so low? He's just always stuck up and thinks he's better than everyone
Lectures are short so he goes over material quickly but his explanations are concise and helpful for understanding new concepts in physics. Grade depends heavily on the exams and final. He doesn't scale, but he does drop some assignments/quizzes. His slides are minion themed which is cool. Your grade reflects the effort you put into this class.
His teaching style is extremely difficult to follow. In class he reads the slides extremely fast and doesn't thoroughly go over problems. If you ask a question his response is "think". If you practice problems outside of class you will be okay. I would recommend taking Dr.N if you have the choice to.
"are you with me" x200 a lecture yikes. Cecil's lectures are not bad. His mock exams closely resemble the actual ones, and the questions in the exam align with what we cover in recitation. Master those questions, and you'll be fine. While grading is tough, ask the recitation professor's input if you feel it's unfair. Helpful review sessions too.
The grade you receive purely reflects the effort you put into the class. Cecil is a great, clear lecturer and only tells you what you need to know. Practice the homework, practice the worksheets. Visit office hours or tutoring if you are struggling. Cecil is understanding and kind, but he knows who is serious about the class and who isn't.
"Are you following, are you with me?" - Cecil Definitely one of the teachers of all time
Bad lecturer. Tries to simplify things down but can't. Exams were decent. Online Pearson homework was bad but its all available on chegg. Would make demonstrations in class but didn't really explain how the things worked.
He does not explain stuff well at all. Somehow makes physics more complicated then it already is.
TAKE HIM FOR YOUR RECITATION. Not the most engaging lecturer but great for recitation. He breaks down the material, makes sure you understand as you go through worksheets, and is big on group work for recitation. His recitation groups usually get the highest on exams because he is able to break down what he talked about in lecture pretty easily.
I had the benefit of taking AP physics in high school so luckily I knew the whole subject before coming in. If I didn't then this would have been rough. Cecil moves very fast and doesn't explain much. HW in the class was way more difficult than it should have been. Tests were much easier. Built in 20pt bonus on the final and only need a 40% to pass
In lectures Joseph does a decent of explaining some concepts while doing a poor job of explaining others. If you can, take him for recitation. In recitation you do practice problems in small groups. If you have questions for him, he is good at explaining things one on one and working through problems. Go to practice sessions and do practice exams.
His class is half group work when working in groups he will just come over and say your wrong and not explain anything and just leave. The environment he creates is not open and makes you feel degraded if you get things wrong. Accuses students of cheating on homeworks as an excuse for bad performance. Dresses unprofesionally with his pants sagging
If you want to hear the phrases "with me?" Or "following me?" More than 50 times each class but be ridiculed when you have a genuine question, take him. Will actually not teach. Messy handwriting. STAY AWAY!
I think his lectures were pretty clear - I've had much worse. His tests were reasonable and he provided material for preparation. I think he has a bad rating because physics is a weed out class. The people who do poorly in this class just need to focus and try harder. There are a lot of ragers in these reviews who need to take some accountability.
“With me?” x50 per class. Uncourteous and unprofessional, kind of rude. I had a good foundation in physics coming into this class but I can see why others will struggle. 40% to pass. I had some very important family matters to attend to and I had let him know ahead of time. Complained at me. Does he care? No!! Content is quite simple arguably.
Although physics is truly not difficult (all algebra btw), there's a reason why his classes perform poorly. My biggest issue is with his homework. Though only 10% of your grade, the homework is insanely difficult compared with what actually appears on his "exams" -- more like 3-4 page quizzes. Mastering is garbage Pearson software >:(. Costs $125
Will take off points for doing things not the way he likes. This is not an open learning environment, instead babbling off about "making mistakes is part of the learning process," then why are we so penalized and not allowed to do things differently? Not an open environment. Very stuck up personality.
Curriculum says "calculus-based physics." This class does not use calculus. This class uses all algebra.
Has an attitude problem. Will outright reject different opinions on problems and stifles curiosity and learning.
He's rude.
The people in the ratings giving poor reviews are coping. Prof. Joseph is a great lecturer and is able to explain the phsyics without relying on math alone. He welcomes questions and cares about students' learning. Has office hours and will help you understand the material more. Highly recommend this professor.
The previous review is simping for Cecil. Cecil is not respected. Although his lectures can be meh and can occassionally be useful, he does expects prior knowledge. He's not the most respectful guy and legit thinks he's better than everyone else. Does not provide any meaningful accomodations nor does he tolerate different opinions. Do not take.
Very rude and not approachable, does not accommodate, and does take off points for not doing it his way. Don't take his class
This guy is obnoxious. Keeps insisting that "being wrong is ok---YoU'rE gOiNg To Be WrOnG sO iT's Ok!!!" yet doing things differently irritates him and he deducts points harshly for no reason. The homework has limited attempts. Insane $125 they want for problems made by AI or deprived textbook writers at Pearson.
“ArE yOu WiTh Me???” (In Indian accent)
Runs labs. Gonna rant on the labs but the labs are awful and don't have make ups. Miss one and you're screwed. Expects you to write lab reports on about half of labs but formatted like a dissertation. 12 labs with vaguely guided directions. Atrocious grading policy and inconsistent results. Don't take physics at UML.
His class was a pain to sit through. He thinks he's just better than other people and doesn't care for his students' success. He complains a lot. Does not provide clear lectures or instructions and has brutal grading; unwilling to consider alternative methods. Toxic guy. He will knock off points for not doing it his way. Something changed in him.
"tHiS cLaSs iS a SiMpLe UsAgE oF tHe PrOpErTiEs Of PhYsIcS!!! ArE yOu WiTh Me????" ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Does not provide accomodations >:( He does not explain concepts succinctly. He is disrespectful of a lot of people, and does not allow you to approach problems differently to how he prefers--he knocks off credit for not doing things how he wants it done. He does not like being questioned. Waste of your time taking his class.
How has UML not fired this guy yet?????? He is extremely Rude and Disrespectful to everyone. He constantly acts like he's smarter and better than everyone else, it's honestly unbearable. You can immediately feel how obnoxious he is the moment he talks to you. We ALL Seriously need to write a letter to the Chancellor and push for his removal.
How has UML not fired this guy yet?? He is extremely Rude and Disrespectful to everyone. He constantly acts like he's smarter and better than everyone else, it's honestly unbearable. You can immediately feel how obnoxious he is the moment he talks to you. NOTE: We ALL Seriously need to write a letter to the Chancellor and push for his removal.
This guy ought to be fired. His classes consistently performs poorly and shouldn't be teaching anymore. Disrespectful and disgrace to the name of physics. Because he doesn't care. Doesn't accommodate, like with disabilities, and violates the law. He just doesn't care at all.
Legit doesn't care for your progress or making sure you understand the content; he does not care for his students' success. This man is the hallmark of the inefficiencies physics has in higher education. He's got a high coefficient of friction, because's a frictional pain in the ass to deal with. That'll be a pain to take his class. Gatekeeps.
Messy handwriting? Check. Condescending attitude? Check. Doesn't care? Check. Entitlement? BINGO!! If you like all of these factors in a professor, among unlisted other failures, Cecil is your guy! Sign up tomorrow if you want to hate physics. Bash in your head? Check. Hate it all? Even better. Welcome to Cecilmania and Ceciltopia!!
If Ant Man: Quantumania had a baby that actually knew of physics but only followed it when it wanted to, you're landed at the realm of Cecil's mind. He legit grades with how he feels when he wants to listen to Science.
Bro he has an issue with going to office hours TO BETTER LEARN, yet if you struggle he'll tell you to drop because he wants to gatekeep classes and weed out people. He doesn't give the slightest care in the world if you pass or fail. But he tells you to get better math before coming to office hours...and yet you're there to learn this content!
Has an attitude problem. Maybe put that PhD to good use rather than weeding out people and making everyone's lives miserable. It's physics, it's not supposed to be hard. It's literally high school physics plus, but he makes it harder somehow. He has a supremacy complex. Thinks he's superior. Waste of time to take his class.
Meet the Indian Jimmy Neutron---arrogant and big brained, yet he can't articulate "pHySiCs FoR tHe MoSt BaSiC sTuDeNtS! TeAcHiNg ThE bAsIc PrOpErTiEs Of PhYsIcS!!" This Indian Jimmy Neutron loves to be full of himself, so tread these waters carefully...or beware: He will dock your exam credit for he does not like it any way other than his own!
Bazinga!! Your grade is now an F. Have fun retaking his class.
I'm sorry if you had to take this guy, because he doesn't care if you succeed or fail. If you struggle, he'll tell you to deal with it and that you should have been better prepared, essentially. Rather than providing support, he instead lectures you if you struggle to keep up with his insane workload.
Do NOT take this professor for physics. I promise you there's better out there. This guy makes physics so much more complicated as is. He is very full of himself and will look at you weird if you give him the wrong answer for something. Worst teacher i haven taken yet.
Honestly, alot of these reviews are way too harsh. He teaches physics very well and makes sure you understand not only how to do the math but also conceptually. His tests are just like the worksheets we do in class and the lowest grades for everything get dropped. He is a little bit mean at times, but for sure a prof who cares about you learning
Do NOT take this professor. I constantly felt uncomfortable in his classroom because of the way he talks to his students. He tends to give dirty looks/make weird faces at people if they get a problem wrong. I have nothing good to say about this guy. I lost all respect for him early on in the course.
This class is literally high school physics but somehow worse than you remember.
By the far the best physics professor and the only one where you will actually learn the material. His classes are easily the most prepared for exams. Two lowest quizzes, homeworks, and participation grades are dropped. Exams are extremely reflective of quizzes and homework. The GOAT professor.
One of the most competent professors I've had here at Umass Lowell. His passion for physics definitely leaks into his lectures. The content can be conceptually challenging, but if you do the homework and actively participate in class, you'll be fine. The course load is very manageable and pretty interesting at times.
Mostly lectures and derives formulas, but hardly goes over problem solving. Encourages group discussion to the point where you're the one teaching the concept (if you can understand it). Quizzes can be solo or group. Two midterms and one final. Two lowest quiz, classwork, and hw grades are dropped. Not the worst, but def not good either.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
96%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.36 avg changeRatings by Course
GEN PHYS 101
5.0
(1)PHYS103
4.7
(6)phys1040
3.0
(6)PHYS1440
3.0
(6)GENPHYS101
2.7
(7)Difficulty by Course
PHYS1410
4.2
phys1040
4.2
PHYS1030
3.9
PHYS101
3.8
PHYS1440
3.8