A great professor. Has worked in the field. Explains very well. A little fast but still a great teacher. loved it

great professor. Don't really need the textbook but go to class!!! 2 test 5 quizzes (group) 3 writing assignments (super easy) and gives plenty of opportunities for extra credit.

best professor ever! he is so funny and always happy to teach, he makes so many jokes but he is also brilliant

Best teacher ever! Totally recomend him! He is super passionate to astronomy. And dedicates a lot of time and work to his class.

Not a class if you are lazy. There are quizzes before class and quizzes after class on Blackboard (about 3 questions/ quiz), 5 group quizzes, 3 writing assignments, 1 constellation session, and 2 test including the final. Class is interesting, but dry. Does offer 50 bonus points by the end of semester. He is British and loves Carl Sagan. Good Luck!

Group in-class quizzes and other short quizzes done online. You must keep up with material but the class really isn't too hard. Provides a lot of extra credit too!

BEST PROFESSOR @ UTSA! TAKE HIM FOR THIS COURSE! Course:lots of work(but it's not hard)2 Blackboard assignments due after each class, 5 group quizzes, 2 exams, 1 constellation session. Professor:posts lecture notes on Blackboard after class, makes class fun and easy to understand, gives tons of extra credit! Didn't study often or use book & got a B

Though this class was a bit challenging for me, I enjoyed Prof. Packham. He is REALLY enthusiastic about the subject (I had him for intro to astronomy), and he's just a nice guy in general. Very British.

Fantastic professor. Tests aren't weighted and there are TONS of points to help boost your grade. Daily (short) pre and post class quizzes. Gives loads of bonus points. He's very clear and knows his stuff. Make sure to read and you'll do very well.

One of the most eccentric Professors I have had the pleasure to meet. His classes are entertaining and he covers material well. There are loads of bonus points and all the assignments on BB and MA are easy. He posts power points of all the material covered after class. Do the work and you'll pass; if you fail it's your own doing. Recommended!

Mr. Packham is really cool! He's British and he is a part of some really cool int'l organizations for astronomy. The class is very interesting and fun. If you have harder time understanding basic physics concepts the class might be a little harder but as long as you do the online quizzes and study you will/should get a decent or higher grade

Doctor Packham is an amazing professor who is very passionate about his field, which makes it an absolute pleasure to take his class. He's a Leo and very easy on the eyes, so if you get bored you can just enjoy watching him work. Work is mandatory if you want to pass, and there are many, small homework assignments. A+ Professor!

Dr. Packham is REALLY enthusiastic about his subject and the class is great as well. He's a great professor with interesting lectures. There's a lot of online assignments but they're okay if you read. We have avg 5 group quizzes and only 2 tests. Overall really great class, and very interesting subject. Definitely recommend!

Take him. His class is very clear. The beginning of 1013 requires some physics, but not much. Packham is fun to listen to and loves answering questions. *iCLICKER REQUIRED*

Professor Packham is a VERY good professor. Class is interesting to say the least, but it's not easy. The class is pretty simple though.Class grade is made up of BB quizzes (easy), Mastering Astronomy 2x a week, quizzes in class (groups), 2 tests (midterm & final) both on iclicker. Pretty generous with bonus points. VERY attractive accent as well.

You can tell professor Packham really loves what he does. His classes are to the point and easy to understand. You'll definitely learn a lot from his class. Certainly one of the most enjoyable and worthwhile classes I've taken this year. I highly recommend you take him!

Prof. Packham is an EXCELLENT instructor! He loves what he does and bends over backwards to help his students. He's willing to reopen missed assignments so you can make up points. iClicker 2 is required. Midterm & Final are only worth 25% of overall grade--AWESOME! Highly recommend!!

Great professor. Difficult topics but SI will help a lot. Iclicker questions are a bit challenging so find a smart group to work with. Interesting class, Take It!!!

He was a great professor! Very passionate about what he teaches and is extremely helpful!

This guy really has a passion for astronomy. He is clear and helpful. You will learn a lot from his class. Best science professor at UTSA.

Likable guy, obviously passionate about his work and gives interesting lectures. Group quizzes are fun, tests can be a bit challenging though. Lots of extra credit to be had. He seems to really like Carl Sagan; shows a lot of his videos. The hardest parts of his class were the post class assignments. Keep an eye on those writings too. Great teacher

Super awesome course, I seriously want to major in Astronomy now; he made it so interesting and kept my attention in every class. Great assignments, quizzes, iClicker questions in the middle of lectures. Love all of the Sagan videos too! Totally recommend taking his class to anyone who has the slightest interest in space, stars, the universe, ect.

Dr. Packham is extremely passionate about this subject and teaching . His presentations are insightful and entertaining. The difficult topics he covers are made very easy by how he introduces you to them. If you need your lvl 2 science, it's a no brainer, take this class. You will work for your A, but I guarantee he will set you up for success :)

This guy is good. You'll need to study but he's always there if you need help, and he grades fairly. One of the best professors I've ever had.

Dr. Packham is an amazing professor, he is very helpful and if you show up to class and keep up with the assignments. His lectures are straightforward and he's always extremely engaged with the topics, he enjoys teaching and is very knowledgeable.

Super passionate about astronomy and I thought it was cute when he would nerd out. I am not good at any science and this class has a lot of physics. He does a good job of explaining though and always has videos to better explain. Would take him again.

My favorite professor so far at UTSA! Probably could of skipped class, but lectures were entertaining, and had lots of videos! The material is somewhat hard, but the SI sessions were extremely helpful. The way the grading criteria is set up where its impossible to fail if you do the work. I did all the extra credit and don't have to take the final.

Class is fantastic! Well worth it. Lots of extra credit. Lectures are thrilling. Si are great too! As long as you do the work no reason why you should fail. Seriously though, take this class, it is great. Not boring. You learn a lot. You will enjoy it! Professor Packham is the sweetest. He is always willing to work with you.

He is an excellent professor. Great material. Well prepared. Fun and exciting. Highly recommended.

Take it. This course is great!

He's so very passionate which keeps you interested (besides his lovely accent!). The material is kind of difficult so you really have to study if you want a high grade. He uses iClickers everyday for lexture questions and he also uses them to take quizzes and tests. You can work in groups a lot of the time except for exams. Overall, one of my favs.

Packham is a very good lecturer. He also give a lot of extra credits which is very helpful since the material in this course is hard. you have to study and read the book regularly if you want to do well on in-class quizzes and exams. The materials can be very interesting depend on the topic. Si session is helpful.

You will probably have to read for this class, if only just to refresh on somewhat difficult topics. Nothing is weighed too heavily in grading, so with the extra credit he gives out, you can easily get an A if you do the work.

Professor Packham was really nice and was there to clarify anything if you had questions. The British accent also was a great audio plus. The homeworks are due before every class and they're a good way of keeping knowledge fresh and great prep for quizzes. He uses a lot of videos in class, which are really nice and helpful for illustrating concepts

His British accent is amazing and makes you want to listen to the lectures. The material is hard but he shows a lot of videos to help illustrate and has online reading quizzes due before class and online practice problems after each class. 5 in class quizzes (groups), 3 writing assignments, 2 exams, constellation session... Would take again.

Excellent instructor! He is never math-based, only concept-based and uses many visuals (youtube videos, interactive diagrams, pictures, and charts) to help explain his lectures. Very fun and energetic. He is very clear about the class schedule and due dates. Only a midterm and final, but with so many quizzes to bring up your grade, it's an easy A.

I learned a lot in his class. The three writing assignments are easy. Doesn't have to be in any particular format. Five quizzes in class (group). Get the digital format of the book. His lecture notes, that he provides after each class, are pretty much from the book. Homework helps to study for the in class quizzes and tests.

Superior Instructor! Some of the material can be hard to comprehend but he uses a lot of youtube videos to help explain his lectures. He is always so energetic. He is always available and replies to email in a timely manner. He is very clear about the expectations of the course. There is also extra credit available. BEST ASTRONOMY Professor!

You can definitely tell Professor Packham loves what he does. Astronomy isn't the right way to put his class, it's more like astrophysics. A lot of physics and a little bit of math. But he definitely makes the course digestible! Lots of extra credit opportunities as long as you show up to class. Fantastic professor and very inspirational. Take him!

Dr. Packham is a brilliant professor! His lectures are awesome! Complete all of the quizzes, homework, and go to the constellation session and BAM! You wont even need to perform that well on tests to receive an A. Overall, if you want to maintain a good GPA and learn about the phenomenon of outer space TAKE THIS COURSE. You wont regret it.

Professor Packham has really interested lectures and you can tell he tries to make the material interesting. Really enjoyed his class

He's British and loves space. Carl Sagan and Brian Cox videos are a staple of the class. Overall, subject is tough but he uses great videos, figures, and diagrams to make it understandable. Would take again. EASY A. iClicker 2 required. Group quizzes in class. 2 exams (mid/final). Homework due before every class (Blackboard & Mastering Astronomy)

Great teacher and a great course that he makes even more interesting because you can tell how much he loves astronomy. He uses iClickers in class so participation will get you those easy iClicker points. He posts all the power points online. I would recommend taking Packham. He is there to help you when you need him!

One of the best teachers I've had so far. If you are interested in the class, hell make sure you understand the material. Homeworks are a must! Time consuming but easy and great way to remember stuff for the tests/exams. I definitely recommend him! Although do not take this class for granted

Phenomenal lecturer, clear speaker, well-prepared. The fact that he would play 2-3 Carl Sagan/BBC videos each class on top of the fact that the material was not by any means challenging made the class itself disengaging. Reading assignments, Online quizzes (2 attempts each), Online Homework that cannot be done all at once. Infrequent group quizzes.

If you need a science credit, take Professor Packham! Really cool guy with a cool accent. Only 2 tests, midterm and final. There is 2 homework assignments due before each class but they are quick and easy. There are 5 in class quizzes but you can work in groups! Would definitely take him again.

Packham is a great professor. His lectures go along with a slideshow that he put together. These slideshows have both benefits and detriments. Benefit: he uploads them to Blackboard after class. Detriment: he goes through them quickly so you may not get to finish copying them. So if you need to take notes during class to pay attention, GO FAST!

No no no no no. Don't do it. He has his pros but his cons just overweigh. He is a cool professor with a very cool accent. He does put his powerpoints (from which he lectures off of) onto blackboard after class. BUT his tests don't AT ALL reflect the material in the powerpoints. Some of the stuff you wonder where and when he lectured it. Beware.

Posts notes after class Need iclicker for this class didn't really crack open the book gives out extra credit towards the end of the semester would recommend

Though the tests are difficult (especially for non-majors), there's ONLY 2 of them. The grading criteria is laid out clearly for you, and you can still do well in the class if you just complete the online quizzes and small papers. I got a B in the class, but from missing quizzes, which is my fault. Chris is a great prof, really loves what he does.

His class wasn't bad except for midterm and final (the only two test), those test were difficult. He puts his slides online and even if you don't do too well on the test, you can still get an A. Online work is super easy, I didn't even bother to buy the book and I did well in the class. There are 5 quizzes that he lets you work w/ others on.

Class is a bit difficult for an intro class. Attendance not mandatory,use of i-clicker 2 to do quizzes and exams. The 5 quizzes are done in groups.3 writing assignments fairly easy to do as you just answer the questions. Reading and post-class quizzes can boost your grade. He is very passionate,funny, and uses a lot of videos and graphics to teach.

Amazing teacher! Would highly recommend taking his class(s). He is one of those professor that you want to learn from and you always take away something his class. He's very funny and always draws in your attention with funny pictures and cool videos. Also, he replies to emails right away.

I LOVE Professor Packham! He's so passionate about Astronomy! Shows videos during his slides which helps understand material, there is a lot of work that comes with this class tho, definitely not an easy science course. But he does give lots of time to finish assigments, not really a tough grader and lets you work in groups for the quizzes. 3

Packham is one of the best professors at UTSA. He is very passionate which makes you engaged. Beware there are quizzes every so often that can be difficult as well as the tests. Make sure to attend every class even though it isn't mandatory because there is a lot of information to learn. Don't be afraid to reach out to him either he will help you

Very easy professor! Makes class very interesting,super fun! Makes the rather difficult concepts and uses good visuals.

Great professor. Dr. Packham lets you know what due with time so use that to study ahead. Read through powerpoints. No review sheet for quizzes or final so keep up with the material throughout the semester. He's a nice man and very helpful so don't be afraid to visit during his office hours. GO. TO. CLASS. THE CONCEPTS STICK BETTER THAT WAY.

Class was pretty easy, just manage your time wisely and don't wait to do your work at last minute. Only have 2 exams, but he gives you plenty of extra credit. Quizzes that you take in class are taken in a group so it allows collaborating. Will need an iClicker.

Dr Packham is an amazing professor. You can see the passion in his lectures on what he loves. The videos he shows are quite amazing. He offers extra credit and many opportunities to pass the class. Its tough stuff but his lectures make it easy to understand. His accent is the cherry on top!

Lots of online quizzes, and online practice, but its really not bad. Professor Packham has to be one of the most interesting professors ever. He loves Astronomy more than anyone and he teaches it well. He is someone you could hang out with everyday. I will miss him for sure.

Favorite professor ever! Amazing. Genuinely interested in your well being and success.

Packham is one of the best teachers (not just professors) iv ever had he is a very genuine guy, he's really passionate about what he teaches. His class is very straight forward, you do the work on time you pass. I didn't go to every class nor do all the assignments and still got a B, he makes it very easy to pass the class. Honestly a must take!!!!

Dr. Packham gives around 5 easy in class Iclicker quizzes, gives you plenty of time to study. He posts all his powerpoints online, but coming to class always helps. He has a lot of ways to get points and get a good grade without depending solely on test. Also, very funny and interesting guy, has a British accent. Definitely take him!!!

Easily the best professor Ive had in my college career. Lectures are very interesting and he makes sure you understand everything thats going on while keeping the class fun. Easy hw and tests arent too bad, just make sure to go to class and do the work. After this class I considered changing my major to Astronomy or at least minoring in it!

Dr. Packham was awesome. One of the best professors I ever had. His lectures were awesome; his tests, and homework, or related were more than manageable. He was more than willing to work with students on any matter. Plus he was beyond reasonable. I miss his class. One of the best, most enjoyable classes I ever had.

Professor Packham is an amazing professor. He truly cares about what he is teaching, and cares about his students. While the tests are more difficult than one would expect, professor Packham gives many many many opportunities for bonus points. If you choose to not take advantage of them that's on you. He makes the class easy to get an A,

He is a wonderful passionate professor. Encourages the use of notes and even said he doesn't mind google every once in a while because in the real world we have access to it. Only a few writing assignments, weekly simple short quizzes. 10/110 would reccomend.

He is super chill, and his lectures are great. all quizzes and assignments are due at the end of the semester except for the in-class quizzes and 2 writing assignments. easy class, don't pass him up. his tests are open to everything (including google) and he will tell you that. hard to make anything less than a B in this class.

If you have a science background this is such an easy class. Packham provides a great deal of diversity from many scientist & invites all perceptions into his classroom. Its very obvious Packham cares about students beyond the class room. A very intelligent man with an incredible CV, who brings a great energy to every single class.

Dr. Chris Packham is easily one of the better Physics Professors at UTSA. He clearly enjoys being a Professor and gets excited when presenting material, thus lectures are never boring. Easy A if Physics major, easy C+ or higher if not. Grades based on 1000 point total score - 300 for exams 400 for end of module quizzes 150 Final 150 misc.

Great professor that will work with you, easy class as long as you submit stuff on time.

It was easy to contact the teacher and he was extremely understanding. He would give extensions whenever students asked for and tried to help us. He communicates any change in course, and is very kind. There might be a bit more work compared to other astronomy teachers, but Mr. Packham is so kind and understanding that it's not too bad.

Dr. Packham is an excellent professor and a generally awesome guy to interact with. I felt right at home in this course despite not being a STEM major, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The instruction method and the means of completing homework were both clear and assessible. He even sent us a number of fascinating space news articles just for fun.

Professor Packham is one of the best professors I've ever had. He is very smart and cares a lot about what he teaches as well as the success of all of his students. He makes classes enjoyable and puts students into breakout sessions to discuss problems & talk to each other. Very understanding professor. 10/10 Recommend.

Great prof, he was available every single time I emailed him for something. The class was super fun and easy, I went into this class not knowing anything about astronomy and still did very good. You don't have to know much ,if anything, to do good but you do have to put in some effort. The course was also very clear and easy to follow. 10/10!

I took him online synchronous for Fundamentals of Astronomy. He's a really great professor, responds fast to emails, posts slides before lecture, and overall just makes the course easy & enjoyable. The only downside was the group projects in an online course. One is a presentation, and then one is a video you create.