3.6
Quality3.3
Difficulty65%
Would Retake114
Reviews65%
Would Retake
114
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
53
4
19
3
10
2
11
1
21
What Students Say
“Pop quizzes were annoying as well”
GEO106 - 2.0 rating“The tests are pretty hard and have alot of parts to them”
GEOL160 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
31%
Textbook Required
11%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.06 avg changeRatings by Course
GEO104
5.0
(1)GEOL110L
5.0
(1)GEOL105
4.7
(3)GEOL104
4.5
(4)GEOL106
4.3
(6)Difficulty by Course
GEO1
5.0
ENVRS1
4.5
GEOL108
4.0
GEOL160
3.9
erth303
3.7
Reviews (114)
Charles is an awesome teacher and knows how to crack some really good jokes :)
Charles was tight... end of story.. :)
really helpful! cares about his students, and explains things really well.
NO doubt that he was really considerate of his students but sometimes I thought he forget that he was teaching a 100 level course class. His expectations were a little high at times.
A very Unfair grader. Made class way too hard for its level.
Charles was an awesome professor. The field lab was a lot of fun, especially the overnight trip. Since there are only 4 meetings throughout the semester you have to learn a lot of info on the trips. He is friendly and will work with you to understand concepts. If you like being outdoors take this class, we had so much fun.
You have to attend in order to receive credit. This class is field trips only and was plenty of fun, I'm a geology major though. He might seem supereasy, but for every field trip, he gives you a test, which can make the class seem to be hard if you don't take notes during the trips. The overnight trip gives you a preview of your trips in GEOL 250.
The lab itself was really not very coordinated with the lecture. So it was hard to connect the two. Therefore, this lab is almost like its own class. The class is mainly just exercises and the two trips. He explained what he wanted. To get a good grade in the class just get the work done and write good enough reports and at minimum a you'll get a B
He is great. If there's something you don't understand, he'll work with you until you get it. Just don't forget your lab manual :)
Great teacher. He's so helpful in lab- he explains everything clearly and will give you extra help if needed. He tells you exactly what will be on the tests and looks over your lab work before you leave to make sure you understand everything. The field trips are kinda fun too.
Excellent teacher. I didn't pay attention at all during the field trips and my grade reflected that, so pay attention and don't party the night before. Very helpful and enthusiastic. He inspired me to actually be interested in geology.
Not organized and tricky questions on test
He's such a nice guy that you want to like the class but his teaching style made it very difficult for me. The tests, I feel, did not really correlate with the copious amounts of information he gave us just in one class; you will feel very overwhelmed. You'll pass if you sort of try and you have to really try hard to get an A or a B.
I'm not a big fan of geology, but if you need to take this course I do recommend this professor, he is pretty cool. Shows movies, has weekly quizzes, and the tests, well you have to study, he does provide a study guide & power points but we also used the book a lot.
Prof. Fair is a nice guy, but his teaching style is so confusing and vague -- it's hard to tell what you need to know and what he's just throwing in as a fun fact. Extremely boring class (though that's not his fault). 10-point quizzes pretty much once a week and 4 midterms. Extra credit offered. No papers or projects.
WARNING if you are anything like me and you are looking for an easy class to get a G.E requirement out of the way and have no particular interest in geologynatural disasters... DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS! I regret taking this class. Tests can be hard if you have trouble understanding the lectures and textbook. Plus I do not recommend this professor.
Quizzes almost every week based off of notes from the last lecture. Tests are doable if you study and do the study guides he gives you. He will tell you most of the answers in the class before the test. Very helpful, offers extra credit assignments. Easy B class.
He is horrible. Does not know how to teach. Gives out a study guide but the tests are not even based off the study guide. He's rude when you ask him a question. Do not take, avoid him.
professor fair is a pretty tough grader and a pretty terrible teacher. He is not clear and seems to confuse himself or contradict himself often. I would definitely not recommend taking him as he gets annoyed when students have the audacity to ask questions.
I'm am not a geology person but professor fair is a great guy. he's always making sure that his students understand the material and always interrupts lectures just to ask if we understand and if not, he will take the time to draw out and explain it until we do. he is definitely there for you if you need help but just give him the same respect
GREAT teacher who ask the students against the whole semester, to be sure they understand it. If the students don't get it, he will definitely go over it again!
Prof. fair is a very cool guy but the class itself is boring. Exams are multiple choice and short answers/drawings. Make sure to go to class because he gives pop quizzes at the most random times. If you are struggling he can be very helpful during office hours and will work with you until you get the material. Practice drawing the diagrams.
Exams are based on his lectures and include questions that are not found on the book but said during lecture. He answers questions students make and tries his best to make sure that the class understands what he is teaching. Pay attention in class and go over notes to pass quizzes and tests. 10 quizzes, exams after every three chapters, and final.
Very simple and straightforward, pretty much what you need in a science course. Took him for GEOL110 as well as 102. Very nice man with simple and easily understandable lectures. Geology really isn't hard and he makes it even easier. Tests and quizzes, and that's it. The tests have exactly what you would expect on them, no funny business.
He's a cool guy and a really nice professor. He cares about his students and will go over things multiple times to make sure people understand. But to be honest his teaching style can be a little confusing, he jumps all over the place. But if you read before class it really helps. Study guides really prepare you for the exams and he offers E.C.
awesome professor! his lectures can sometimes be a bit dry but honestly, it's geology so there's not a whole lot of interesting going on in the first place. Quizzes every unit, but they're pretty easy. Gives EC due before each test that can help a lot. Tests are super easy if you just go over the study guide he posts.
Charles was a really nice and funny professor, but his lectures can get a little boring. we have a quiz every thursday so make sure to show up and write notes. His exams are a little difficult because of the short answer questions. Class consists of 3 exams, 1 final, and 10 quizzes with a make up quiz. Never read the book and managed to pass.
You don't need the textbook until the study guide comes out to help fill in the blanks. He has quizzes every Thursday and they will be difficult if you don't read over your notes before. Exams are fine as long as he doesn't make the questions too difficult. Read the textbook for the study guide and it'll help his lectures make more sense.
Very organized, his goal is to pass everyone
very cool class!
Made geology easy
Geology rocks!
He is very real!
Give it a go. Sit in the front
Charles is such a great professor because he is so passionate about the subject he teaches. Its definitely a challenging class and you have to work hard for your grade. There are 5 exams throughout the semester, each exam has a corresponding lab packet (3-4 labs) and a 10-15 page unit packet. You definitely have to read and listen to his lectures.
Had a ball.
Charles fair is my favorite professor so far out of my two years of college. I honestly go to his office hours For fun!!! hes such an amazing professor I decided to just go every time he has office hours. Hes super helpful honestly. If ur struggling in class or the lab, go to him!! Hell honestly help you!!! Hes funny too.
honestly best professor ive ever had. group quizzes and tests is all ur graded on. the final was so easy i stressed for nothing. if u need a science GE take this class!! hes so nice and hilarious and actually helps students
Best class I've taken. Prof. Fair is hilarious and cares about what he is teaching. Group quizzes every week, three tests and a group portion on each. On our last test we wrote jokes for extra credit, wish I could have him for more classes!
Take his class and learn about rocks
Its all about Disasters.
Enjoyable class
Best prof i have ever taken! So funny and caring. You can really tell how much he loves his jobs and wants us to pass. MUST TAKE.
Charles is chill but he does care about being respected. There are lots of pop quizzes and the tests are quite extensive and difficult. I failed the first one but then I studied more and did well. You must study- it's not hard, just a lot of information. The diagrams in the text book are very important for the test. Not too bad but not easy either.
One of the sweetest and funniest professors I've had! He cares about students so much and is super laid-back. Take his Oceanography (harder subject) or Natural Disasters for your physical science.
Love Charles! He truly made online learning this semester so fun!
One of the nicest professors
Super nice guy.. had a great time in his class! Textbook wasn't really necessary he is a pretty amazing teacher. Always stopped for questions and extremely respectful and caring of student's issues. If you have otherwise to say of Charles I think you met a different guy.
Charles is a very caring professor, he will always work with you on any concerns you have. However, he assigns lots of homework and lectures are quite confusing. He is not strict with his grading, but also does not have a clear grading criteria, so don't be surprised if he starts to deduct points on assignments out of nowhere.
Lots of worksheets to do. Lots of labs. Often quizzes. He will use all the hours of class. Even if you take an exam, he will lecture after. He doesn't ask for all the pages of the worksheets just some. If you just do the worksheets, the labs, that'll help your grade. His online class during covid is not that difficult, as long as you do everything.
(During COVID-19) Charles is a great professor! There are a lot of worksheets/labs but he picks certain pages to turn in. He truly cares for his students & genuinely wants them to pass. He's always cracking jokes during lectures but one thing to keep in mind is that it lecture heavy. He doesn't take attendance but there are group quizzes during it.
I really enjoyed taking professor Fair! He is extremely understanding and really cares about his students. We did worksheets, labs, a few group quizzes, and had 3 tests and a final. I will admit it is hard to learn the information in this class online, but as long as you stay on top of your work, participate, and ask questions you'll be fine!
Great class! He explains everything very well!
Professor Charles was such a great professor this semester. His class is a bit of a tougher subject, but if you put in the time and effort to study, then you can maintain an A. He does give a lot of homework, but it's manageable, plus he also offers a lot of extra credit. I would highly suggest this class to fulfill your GE.
Charles is great! You have 10 easy group quizzes, 3 exams, worksheets and labs. the worksheets and labs you do in groups during class time. He gives study guides for the tests, and he is overall very easy and very understanding. He does group pop quizzes so don't skip class. I skipped class and missed like 4 quizzes, still passed. Highly recommend!
The class was difficult for me because he constantly had Fill In the Blanks, and Labs due hours after the class instead of at Midnight. For me the class became overwhelming after not being able to keep up. the second part of his exams were difficult, requiring us to print them out and send them back immediately. Pop quizzes were annoying as well.
Although the first section of his class is lecture heavy, this professor is amazing. Second half of class, consists of you working with your team members on labs and worksheets. He is completely understanding and the pop quizzes were all group quizzes. If you ever had trouble on the worksheets, he was quick to help. 3 exams, 10 group quizzes.
Professor Fair is a super cool professor but this class is difficult. There's worksheets due after every lecture and they're due the same night. His exam's are composed of a multiple choice section and a written portion and they're difficult. He's a nice professor but I wouldn't take this class again.
He was a super nice professor but the class was difficult. Homework is due the same day it's assigned and the tests are decently hard. Use the homework and study guide to study for tests.
I loved this professor he was awesome! Super understanding and helped with struggles in the class
Prof Fair is kind, and knowledgeable but the class is difficult. The tests are pretty hard and have alot of parts to them. Homework every class period due on the same day. He gives extra credit which is nice but not worth a lot, and he can be funny. This is not an easy class though, honestly would not recommend.
This professor was horrible everyone on here says he so nice and understanding but he is so condescending when he speaks to us and was not understanding and when he was it was a little too late. Anyone who is thinking of this class beware and don't listen to any of the good comments because they are all lies!
I took this professor because of this website, but this ended up being my hardest class. Thanks to him I'm failing and have to retake this class when it was my last GE requirement. He gets offended easily if you ask a simple question and never listens to the class. Quizzes are hard with limited time and extra credit is so small it doesn't help.
This class requires a lot of reading and studying and even then it doesn't guarantee a good grade. He doesn't round up anything and take off points for the smallest of things. Lecture wise it was very long and informational but he only focuses on drawing instead of fully diving into the lesson. So when the test comes, I only know about the drawing.
Charles has been my favorite professor by far. He has an amazing energy inside the classroom and is very engaged with the students. I was one of the only people who didn't fail an exam in the class and I hardly studied. Take all of the notes. Everyone that has something bad to say about Charles simply didn't try hard enough or pay attention. 10/10
Maybe it was because it was online, but he was extremely rude when it came to responding for feedback or asking for accommodations. The time limit for the exams and the amount of content covered in it made everything harder because even if you did the study guides, reviewed the textbook and lecture, there was still such a high chance of failing.
Very passionate about learning
I don't know why those previous students give him a 1.0 - my guess they failed and were upset. DO NOT use those as those students are not being honest.
I just took Charles Fair this Fall semester of 2023, he is very old-fashioned. No online homework or assignments but everything is on paper. He gives 2-3 page homework pages you have to print out every week. He teaches this class as if it's your major. If you are an oceanography major, this will be such an amazing class. Otherwise, DONT DO IT!
old-fashion prof where you turn in the homework physically instead of online. his lectures weren't that interesting and his slides were simple. weekly GROUP quizzes where he would basically give you the answer if you ask for help. exams were based on what he lectured and there were group portions for those as well. he was humorous. overall good
Based Charles. He would constantly give us extra credit and freebies. Super nice and made corny jokes
Charles was a breath of fresh air compared to some of my other professors. He clearly loves what he does and it shows when he's teaching. Very understanding and always willing to help or answer questions.
Group quizzes helped to review
Just follow along his lectures and follow direction. You will enjoy this class and pass!
Who wrote know online work? The reason for turning in papers was so he could grade the papers and hand back - why was this important? Because the exams were based on the homework, do it turn them in and get an "A". The person below who complete is just lazy
I LOVED HIM!!! one of my favorite teachers! hw coincides with quizzes and tests, lenient with quizzes, hw points adds up to be worth the same as a test (do the hw!), i could follow along w lecture w/o taking notes, drew clear diagrams that helped a lot, cares abt students, and supa chilllllll. if you study off of hw worksheets, u r good fr
I took this class for a GE requirement and it was not worth it. He teaches the lectures like you are a geology major despite being mostly not being filled with that major. His goes by really fast and goes off topic a lot. Most topics covered in the lecture are not on tests. If you want any grade above a D DO NOT TAKE ANY OF HIS COURSES.
Unless you are a science major do not take any of his courses. His lectures are confusing and go through concepts really fast. He will put a picture of a map and explain way too many concepts. The majority of the questions on the exams were not discussed during lectures. He is also very rude if you try to seek help. Stay away!
i personally thought he was a good professor! he gives homeworks to help raise your grade if you get bad test grades. he makes funny jokes at least for our class. gives us few story times to help us remember the information! i enjoyed going to his class
My first ever B... I took this class for fun, but it was miserable. Weekly worksheets + discussions (20%) and 4 exams (80%). Horrible at answering emails, useless study guides, basically needed to memorize the textbook, lectures, and worksheets. He is NOT a vibe... Averages dropped by 10+% after he randomly included free response questions.
At first the course was pretty straightforward. Things got more difficult when a student was caught using Discord. As a result the exams became harder. Included material that wasn't covered in the study guide. Just so you know theres often homework due, on Saturdays so you'll need to dedicate some time on weekends for it.
Taking any class with Professor Fair is more on the calmer sides to the storm. The homework assignments can be handwritten or typed up and handed in. All exams and quizzes are in person. But he helps answering questions on the quizzes and homework assignments. He is funny and very understanding.
This class was unnecessarily difficult for a GE. I wanted to take a fun class, and it was in fact, not fun. I would avoid if I were you, but doable if you really have to.
trust he is not a good prof. wondering how he has remained as a faculty member for so long tbh
This is the worst professor I have ever had at CSULB. Lectures are confusing, the tests are hard, and a presentation with no rubric. He is a harsh grader and is incredibly rude. He marked my answer on a test wrong because I wrote water instead of waters. SAVE YOURSELF AND DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS!!!
DO NOT TAKE HIS ONLINE CLASS! Try to take it in person. Your grade is dependent on four purposefully difficult and weirdly worded exams, with virtually no way to raise it back up and poor feedback. He gives unplanned assignments over break and will tell you to "just do the work" if you're struggling. Exam scores averaged 60% and are not curved
Charles does not care about his students and made his tests impossible halfway through the semester bc he was convinced people cheated. The test information is 100% unrelated to the textbook, study guide, etc. and the questions are written to be as confusing as possible. He's extremely passive aggressive and doesn't want you to succeed.
class test average was an F so
Charles was such a funny professor! He is super funny which makes the class bearable. He does quizzes every thursday, but they're group quizzes and he helps you out a lot. The worksheets are due before every class but they help with learning the information. You need to study to pass his exams, do the study guides and take notes and you'll be fine
Funny professor! I like his lectures and labs, he helps you out A LOT during exams (4 total)(exams are pretty difficult imo so study!) and quizzes (10 total). Quizzes are with your group! Attendance and Printing and bringing your labs is IMPORTANT. Very slow at responding to emails so I would recommend going to office hours. Overall good prof!
literally the hardest GE possible
Prof grades tests super hard and is very unclear with what he's looking for. Don't take him online its not worth it.
The reviews are NOT exaggThis GE class is ridiculously hard. I got the highest score on midterm 1 and the final exam and still ended with a B.
Discussion every week worth 2 points. 2 powerpoint presentations worth 10 points. Read the textbook - exam questions from testbank, but tweeked them so read the question carefully. 3 Exams + final count for majority of points. Final is cumulative. Good professor, very helpful, need to work for grade. If you take the exam in person he gives hints.
Incredibly hard exams for a GE class. 3 Midterms (65%) Final (22%) 2 PPT (5%) 15 Discussion (8%). Midterms 2 and 3 used difficultly worded questions that even my lab TA could not answer (during final review). The Final Exam was much, much easier. I read the textbook and did the worksheets (~100 Q each) and still struggled. Also, he can be rude.
The semester is not even over yet, but I feel compelled to review. I hate to say he is the worst professor I have ever taken. The way he teaches makes retaining information impossible! He just scribbles on the board and expects everyone to understand it. Makes a lot of jokes about how his teaching must be the problem and I'm like ..yes, exactly..
As others point out he just writes on the board using terms we're all expected to already know. He also goes off on these weird tangents about the president of the university and how she's buying all of this technology he doesn't understand. He also claimed himself he doesn't listen to the feedback he receives at the end of semesters.
Just a sweet old man who wants to teach and help students.
Charles is amazing! If i could take him for my other science courses I would. He really cares for his students and wants all of them to be successful in his course. He loves participation which will make the class way easier. He is also really helpful with labs. I would recommend him!
Charles is one of my favorite professors that I have had during my time at Long Beach State. This is the second course I have taken with him, just because I enjoyed him so much in Oceanography. He is extremely caring and kind, and will work with you. He can get distracted at times but he is always very funny and reels it back in.
Nice guy but just terrible at teaching. All around not just good. Test and quizzes are hard for no reason. Material makes no sense. Needed this class for an elective, but was just extremely hard for no reason. Slides and notes don't really help. Gives group quizzes, but exams are honestly stupidly hard, again, for no reason. Do not take this class.
Charles Fair is a very funny professor. His lectures are genuinely engaging. There are group quizzes every Thursday (you will almost always get 100% on them), and his tests are fairly short. The only annoying thing is that you have to complete homework by hand and turn it in next class, so although attendance isn't mandatory, you have to turn it in
Was super cool and tried hard with the class to bring up participation. Brings life to an otherwise dead system.
This teacher doesn't have a clear grading criteria, does pop quizzes, and gives you the most pointless labs. If you're cool with him he'll pass you but he's very inconsistent and gets salty if you aren't paying attention to your lecture. If you plan on taking this class make sure you show up and interact with him so he can atleast favor you goodluc
Horrible grading criteria.
Charles is a wonderful guy!He is very interactive and funny with the class and gives many opportunities to succeed. He will go back and explain anything to make sure everyone understands a subject. He is very visual/draws with lectures. Quizzes are done as a class and tests are straightforward. Just show up to class and you'll do great!Take him!
Nice guy, silly. But he is so rude over email, is not clear about grading criteria and you need to attend. Miss one class and you're totally lost. Tests are worded strangely, and his lecture slides will not help you on the tests. Be self-sufficient, survival of the fittest I guess.
He's a pretty chill guy. I didn't like the class, but that was more on the actual material rather than the professor. If you need to knock out a GE for the upper-division science, take it with Charles. He is willing to help out if you reach out to him. Plus, he cracks dad jokes so unapologetically.
TAKE CHARLES!!!! I have him for ERTH 160 and if you wanna knock out your physical science GE easily take Charles. He is super helpful, caring, funny, and he wants the best for his students. Attendance isn't required but it's best if you come because he gives out a lot of extra credit which are helpful towards the exam!!! Would take his class again!
Charles is an amazing professor, he really cares about his students to learn in his class. His lectures are okay, the class is not my subject of preference (GE req) but I learn so much and had fun doing it. His class consists of 2 mid terms, one final, and a ppt project. Recommendations, definitely go to his lectures(not mandatory but will be best)
Took him for ERTH 160, intro to ocean fair teacher. He loves the subject and is willing to help out his students as much as possible. Himself is great teacher its just the class material that is confusing.
He's very sweet & makes jokes in class, but kind of disengaging in lecture. It was so hard to focus. He doesn't follow the textbook, was confusing. Lots of weekly group quizzes, which he helps out with. Exam review the class before the exam. Around 4 Exams, which is pretty difficult. He offers lots of extra credit tho. Don't be lazy for this class.
Charles is 10/10 prof. Easy monthly homework which is directly from the book. Only 3 tests ,which can be hard but he goes over everything on the test the class before. He wants his students to succeed. EC all the time. He draws everything out and always reviews topics if needed. Just show up to lecture and this class is a breeze (even for science)
Professor Fair was fine in class, but doesn't know how to use canvas. He operates on only printed materials and refuses to allow you to turn anything in online with NO exceptions. Tests are very difficult for a gen-ed class and require you to memorize lots of unimportant facts and diagrams. Overall, I would not recommend anyone take his class.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
31%
Textbook Required
11%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.06 avg changeRatings by Course
GEO104
5.0
(1)GEOL110L
5.0
(1)GEOL105
4.7
(3)GEOL104
4.5
(4)GEOL106
4.3
(6)Difficulty by Course
GEO1
5.0
ENVRS1
4.5
GEOL108
4.0
GEOL160
3.9
erth303
3.7