3.1
Quality3.6
Difficulty36%
Would Retake104
Reviews36%
Would Retake
104
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
30
4
23
3
16
2
10
1
25
What Students Say
“Professor Fries is awesome”
SOC2490 - 5.0 rating“He talks way too fast to even take notes and that is what is usually on test”
SOC2450 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
80%
Textbook Required
83%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.81 avg changeRatings by Course
77120
5.0
(1)SOCIOLOGY
5.0
(1)SOC3660
5.0
(1)INTROA02
5.0
(1)SOC3540
4.1
(7)Difficulty by Course
77120
5.0
SOC6666
5.0
7640
4.0
12002450
4.0
INTROSOC
4.0
Reviews (104)
overall good guy... easy tests if you study for them. Doesn't make up any tricky questions.Straight forward kind of tests. good clear notes, funny guy, good proff to have
He is an alright teacher. He does try to connect with his students, and learn their names. He says "like" a little too much. His tests are on the simple side, but some of the questions are stupid and very to the point. Some of them are define a term that are in textbooks, and he has never refered to in class. Overall, he is okay.
Tough but fair. Only take him if you want to learn A LOT!!!! Assignments were challenging but there was room for creativity. He's good for providing useful feedback. If you're looking for someone to hold your hand, he's not the prof for you.
He tested on material that was never covered in class, or was mentioned as an off the cuff comment. Assignments aren't hard, but if you miss the point you will get a really bad grade. He handed out 15% in bonus assignments, but they were hard (it saved me from a B-). Didn't answer questions well in class, read from his notes too much, not great
Not a strong lecturer, both in terms of presentation and in terms of answering questions. Often dismissive of alternative theories, his lectures often sounded like a reinteration of talking points rather than an in depth discussion. That said, the class was very easy if you took all the opportunities for bonus assignments and came to class.
I took his class last year and I thought he was amazing. He always has office hours and offers other times for any questions you have, etc. He's very hands on with his lessons and assignments and teaches you things you actually use rather than just dates and theories. Great job!! Highly reccommended!
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I found his class to be quite boring as he usually just reads for a long time without making a specific point. nice guy though.
Too high of expectations of a 2nd year class. Reads his lectures too often Not the best when it comes to answering questions and clarifying However the pressure of his expectations kept me busy and I find I learned the most out of all of my courses. tests are essay and are very easy as long as you do all your massive readings "worth taking!"
He is a very interactive professor, providing great examples in his lectures. He barely teaches out of the textbook. THANK GOODNESS! which makes you feel like you are actually getting what you paid for. Always available outside of class time. Not an easy course but, you actually learn things that mean something. Will definitely his other classes.
I'm a fan of Fries. Extremely well-organized and delivers material in a clear manner. Hands down, the best when it comes to providing feedback. Takes the time and effort to evaluate assignments and gives constructive comments. Reading load is quite demanding and course is heavily theoretical, so forget about slacking. Challenging, but recommended.
an excellent prof. does his best to make lectures interesting, informative and entertaining. shows lots of interesting videos. tests draw heavily on lecture notes and videos. reading load was heavy, but the readings could be avoided with good class attendance. very helpful outside of class. his intro soc is heavy on theory, but still enjoyable.
Thought he was a great intro prof....decided to take one of his second year courses. Once again awesome.....Id marry him if it wasn't unethical. Class was super interesting. Big reading load...but if you actually attend class, everything you need from the readings is gone over. If you don't come to class....good luck!
needs to spend less time talking about himself and the vacations he's been on and more time actually helping to clarify what we should be learning for his test
Fries's class is really challenging but if you do you homework, attend, and see him when you need help, an A is possible. Plus, he actually get's you to think about life.
dr. Fries is very demanding but his expectations produce results: he got me thinking about my life in society in a whole new way. I'm looking forward to more of his classes.
Fries treats his 3rd year course like a seminar and his students like researchers. Be prepared to work hard and learn a lot. Challenges you to think sociologically about health care issues.
He knows his stuff...but only in his own terms. It doesn't seem like he has other views of seeing sociological problems/ideas etc. besides what he was taught and I felt I got a very one-sided approach to the topic. Huge ego and for a soc teacher, not that "in tune". Needs more experience to pass the act.
After reading some of the comments here, I was pleasantly surprised. He is very down to earth, funny, interesting and enthusiastic about Sociology.
Really interesting class, Prof Fries really gets you thinking and actually cares about your opinion. Plus, he wants you to do well, he always gives "hints" about what's going to be on the tests.
Class just fit into my schedule and I ended up really liking it! He's an excellent prof and makes the class interesting so you don't fall asleep. He's very helpful and answers all questions
Very approachable to ask questions. Wants you to do well on tests, so he gives you exact questions and answers in lectures that will be on the test. Has a lot of readings with the course, but lectures go over the points covered in the readings (thus readings are more for clarification, if you even need it after he explains it.) Great prof!
Christopher Fries is way to hard on 1st year students and is aware of it. Power point slides feel useless. Everything is based on class lectures therefore you CANNOT miss class. He speaks too fast while writing notes. His tests are all long and have no multiple choice questions. Pick another prof!!!
Great prof!! Class involved a lot of work, but his tests were more than reasonable and he gave plenty of hints about possible test questions. Used PowerPoint slides but going to class is still necessary to get all the important points. Be prepared to work hard but learn a lot.
Lots of work. Lots of reading and lots of essays. Very Helpful. Remember that the course is in sociology so limit thinking to a sociological perspective (more difficult than think). This course was a seminar-style.
Awesome prof! Some people say he is hard on first year students, but i felt like he was one of the only profs that actually cared about what he was teaching! if your going to take a sociology course - he's definitely the prof to have! interesting lectures and fair tests.
He warns you on the first day of class that there will be a ton of reading and writing... he was not joking! I enjoyed the seminar classroom style, we all got to share out ideas and talk. Just be prepared to write a lot(and write well) and you will do fine.
COMPLETELY AWFUL, especially after class. Went to see him about a test of mine that I feel was ungraded unfairly and he wouldn't listen to a single thing I said. In his mind, everything he thinks is right and everything you say goes right over his head. He lost my bonus assignment and blamed me for it. Horrible. experience.
His lectures aren't terrible. They're organized, and class isn't too boring. The only problem I had was the way he would single kids out in class and pick on them. Also went to see him once and he was pretty rude to me. I wouldn't recommend this professor.
Dr. Fries was hands down my favorite teacher ever! He was the only teacher who put out te effort to know you if you put the effot out in class. We had helpful and interesting conversations during his office hours and his lectures were very interesting! he also doesn't put up with anything, which I like!
I was outside Prof Fries? office when one of these ?kids? (what university student refers to themselves as a child?) was begging him for marks. He patiently explained to this idiot why she bombed the test and wasn?t getting the A her mommy thought she deserved. My advice, grow up! Fries is AWESOME!!!
You must attend class. Much of the tests will focus on class discussions. Take fast notes. Here's the thing with Chris - He is absolutely passionate and educated, very funny and interesting in class, but if you DON'T CARE, he will single you out. He loves his attentive and smart students because they care!
At first I couldn't stand this prof! But by the second semester he was one of my fav! You CANNOT skip class! He is Super passionate about Soc. Tests vary in easiness level. First and last were hard, middle three were easy. Make sure you study! Also, make a point to talk to him in person; it goes a LONG way. I would take another of his classes.
Very disappointed by his tests. The health diary assignment was great, but was not designed by Fries. The tests in class created by him did not test students' understanding of the material; they tested whether or not one attended his classes by asking mostly ridiculous, unreasonable questions that had little to do with understanding the material.
Heavy workload. Tonnes of reading, and if it's not done prior to class he will single you out and embarrass you in front of the class. You cannot miss class with Chris either, otherwise he'll make you pay. Also, be sure not to challenge his opinion about anything; if you do he'll just mark it wrong. Knows his stuff, but I don't reccomend his class.
A very challenging course but also extremely rewarding at the same time - do the work that needs to be done and you'll learn lots. Chris is a very knowledgeable professor and a genuine person, although he doesn't have too much patience with those who are not willing to work hard, so beware... Would recommend him any time!
Im in my 3rd year and he is still one of my top 3 profs. If you go to class and dont come in late or talk he will lecture everything u need to know for tests. They very much reflect his lectures. If you show him respect he'll give you respect. uses a lot of humour
Don't take his class, he is a horrible marker. He teaches the class like its high school and marks it like its grad school. For the sake of your grades, don't take his class.
Chris is super detailed with his instructions and demanding for assignments so make certain to pay close to the drections or he'll fail you
Attend classes, attend classes, attend classes, and ATTEND CLASSES and take good notes and you'll be golden! Tests are very fair. However, I found the assignments were very detailed and the marking was tough. Overall he's very passionate about what he was talking about. and a really good prof!
Prof is slightly arrogant, but knows what he's talking about. He's really passionate about sociology, and tries to instill that passion in his students. It's really important to go to class, because his exams are primarily on the lectures. He often tells you what will be tested on, and will test on things that he repeats multiple times.
Professor Fries is a very passionate professor who really cares and is incredibly intereted in what he's teaching. His tests are nearly all based on lecture notes that ARENT posted online (he posts a basic outlined for us). Readings are a good way to tie course material, but you NEED readings for the big photo essay. Overall, very good prof.
His tests are tough but all the grades I received, I felt were deserved. He makes you work for your mark. I love the way he teaches and the structure of his lectures. You MUST attend class! The lecture notes posted online are only a guide for the things he says! I would definitely recommend either of these classes! He is my favorite prof at uofm!
Dr. Fries is straight forward and gives clear instruction but you better be ready to work because he is a hard grader and expects a lot of his students.
Chris seems like a decent person outside of class, but when he teaches he comes across very arrogant. He told us that he really doesnt care about our opinions. He wrote not even close on a bonus question that I attempted; a zero would have been sufficient. He is also is a very hard marker All in all, I would never take a class by him ever again.
very passionate about sociology, definitely got me more interested in the subject but expects a lot of his students, you have to work really hard in his class but he usually teaches interesting unique courses so the subject matter is never boring you just have to know it really really well.
Chris is an amazing prof! His lectures are incredibly engaging and often incorporates interesting examples to make concepts clearer. He does have high expectations for students and there is quite a bit of reading, but its worth it! This class drastically changed how I think about health and wellness in a very applicable way.
Although lectures involved lots of him reading from notes that were identical to the textbook (that he co-wrote), you must both attend class and read the textbook with a fine tooth comb for test answers. I was on the fence about him being a witty, nice guy or a little arrogant. However the course material is very valuable for health related studies
Professor Fries is awesome! It makes me sad that some people took it that he "doesn't care about our opinions", which is taken completely out of context. He said in class that he doesn't care WHAT your opinion is, as long as it's an informed opinion.... meaning, he open to hearing our views, just wants you support it w/ valid sociological reasoning
Overall tough grader, and no guidance on assignments. Lectures are interesting but found his tests were very challenging. Class average was very low and I ended up disappointed in my final grade
Worst prof i've ever had. Straight A student and got a B and yes, the comment about him "not caring about our opinions" is right. Do not take if you want a good grade. Yes, the content sounds easy and interesting but unless you know every single word of his textbook you won't do well. Very low class average.
He is such a tough marker, his comments on assignments are harsh, his instructions aren't as clear as he thinks they are, his lecture notes are disorganized and he uses lots of quotes and talks about different books from the 1800-1900s which makes studying difficult. He talks way too fast to even take notes and that is what is usually on test.
What others are saying: He actually SAYS he doesn't care about our opinions! What he ACTUALLY said to us: "When I ask questions, I'm not looking for your opinions unless they're supported by SOME material. I don't care which side you chose, as long as your side has some basis in the readings." Some people get so salty when they don't do well.
He asks questions on the exams about irrelevant to anything he taught. You need to know every detail about the textbook he wrote. I thought it would be interesting but he seemed to bring up his research a bit too much. I took this class during the strike and he wasn't accommodating when I chose to not cross the picket line.
His tests don't evaluate whether or not you understand the material but rather if you've memorized his OWN textbook and articles. Gives feedback but its impossible to read. Write down EVERYTHING he says word-for-word and you should be alright. Often test questions will begin with "Based on that story I told in class...". Would not recommend.
Dr. Fries is a great prof. It is mandatory to attend class to get good grades in his class because he tells hints on what would be on the multiple choice questions and bonus questions for the tests. Hes very approachable in and out of the classes, replies fairly quickly to emails if you have any questions.
Im mad I waited so long to take a class with him. He's honestly great. Exams are 6 in class essay's all of which are open book. He's passionate about what he teaches. I knew nothing of the course prior & I love the subject because of him now. The exams are on readings we do in class so you have to read but he gives answers to all questions in class
Fries is great! It's very easy to get a good grade, just come to class, read, and listen to his lectures. Since the open book exams are based on readings, make sure you jot down everything he says in lectures about those readings and you're good. He also knows what he's talking about! The term assignment is also actually pretty interesting too!
I took intro soc with and now the course I am in currently, he is an amazing lecturer; very engaging and obviously passionate about what he teaches. Highly recommend taking his courses, although you will have to work hard and take good notes. He is very attentive to student needs and will help you if you need it.
uses big words that no one understands, just stands at his desk reading a piece of paper. arogant and full of himself. does not understand that we do not have his script with us, so we do not type at his quick reading speed.
This prof was the worst prof i have ever had. He closed UM learn before our final test, he is so inconsistent with his grading - basically chooses when he wants to grade fairly, he never gives any practice questions or any sort of material that gives us any type of idea of what to expect on tests.
The course wasn't to bad the first semester but once second semester hit the tests were basically just on facts from the textbook or on one sentence from a lecture. Unless you memorize everything in the course it's hard to pass. He also cut off the access to the lecture slides right before one of the tests!! I've lost all interest in this faculty.
If I can give him a 0 I will, many of us are international and some are trying to keep a balance to survive here by working, I am one too but no reasoning to this guy, people might have sympathy he doesn't. One of the profs that make a simple topic so complicated and requires, Its been a waste of time plus 3k
he makes a simple topic something else so big you won't understand, unaccessible outside class and arrogant. Whatever he posted on umlearn is already unhelpful, he took them all down before the semester even ended. the worst proffessor ever
Lectures are fairly interesting. The project/assignment are difficult and gives you no insight or information regarding them. Tests are very difficult even when you study textbook and lecture notes. Do not recommend unless it is needed for your degree.
His readings are very clear, then you go to lecture and you're sitting there lost and confused. Makes concepts way too big.
One of the worst profs I've ever had during my 4 years at u of m. His lectures are painful to sit through, but you won't pass the exams if you skip class. Very monotone, nasally, and very repetitive. He repeats what he says in 4 different ways which makes it really confusing. His exams are multiple choice and very difficult.
He is very dismissive, and if you miss class or have a problem and email him about it he provides little to no help. He grades harshly with zero chance for extra credit. If you miss class, you wont pass and his lecture notes contain nothing and are of no help. You will have to read the entire textbook which means you have to buy the textbook.
Worst professor Ive ever had. One test he gave over half the class failed. He also made an inappropriate comment regarding students who came from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Apparently low SES students are unable to write him formal emails. He also took his lecture slides off right before the exam which was a huge problem for some.
Professor Fries is amazing. I don't know where all these bad reviews are coming from. His Intro to Soc class inspired me to go into Sociology. He clearly is very passionate about health sociology and when it comes to that unit, it's heavy but enjoyable. If you come to class prepared to listen and learn you'll be good.
I have never been so disappointed in a professor. I reached out to him during his office hours and was told I was an immature university student for having the work I had questions about, on my iPad, and requested I come back with the work printed on paper. He said You can print it on campus if you have $ if I didnt have access to a printer...
The guy doesn't belong in a university classroom as a professor, he belongs in the classroom as a student. He needs to go back to take courses in ethics. The guy berates his students for having opinions different than his own. He spends most of his time ripping on capitalism and God help you if you have a different opinion than his. 0/10 easy A+
His lectures are all the same he only adds in maybe one or two new things in each lecture which makes it really boring and hard to pay attention to. Basically teaching yourself everything and you have to read and understand all of the textbook terms.
If you don't need this class for your degree, stay out of it. The professor is not helpful at all.
Do not recommend this course unless you absolutely need it for your degree. Lectures are boring and long. Projects are difficult as he gives no guidelines as to what exactly he wants you to do. Is a tough marker, and tests do not seem to be based off lectures, but about studies he have done that are talked about in HIS textbook... Do not recommend.
Be ready to take notes on literally everything. Test questions are based on obscure chapter/lecture details you would not think are important. Very kind professor, and genuinely seems interested in students understanding the course material.
C. Fries seems to be very passionate about Sociology, but all of the questions on the tests were about small/not important information that are hidden in the textbook. None of the major terms were tested, so frustrating! He is very unorganized (multiple wrong due dates) and his grading seems subjective. Would not recommend taking this class.
I really liked Dr. Fries lectures, they were very inspiring and you can tell he is very very passionate about his work. One thing I disliked was that his tests seem to be very hard and he isn't too specific on what he's asking for, but he gives you the chance to gain bonus marks. Overall, I enjoyed watching his lectures this past semester.
Fries is a good professor, hes passionate and cares about the subject. The lectures were engaging, however, they can be long and I found some terms could be explained in fewer words. Tests had questions that weren't relevant, but luckily he gives you bonus questions that are worth a full % and tell you in lectures what they might be. Rating of "OK"
Dr. Fries is a nice guy. However, being nice doesn't make you a good teacher. His courses are incredibly tough with only prerequisites of intro Sociology. I'm in my final year of my degree and have a very good GPA. His course(s) are the worst, he tests on incredibly minor and absurd details. DO NOT TAKE HIS COURSES. YOU ARE NOT SPECIAL.
had to drop his course after his first test. unless you memorized his textbook and lectures word for word youre gonna get blasted. the average for the test was incredibly low. every lecture made me want to cry.
Professor Fries is a nice guy but if you are looking to maintain or boost your gpa id avoid this class. Tough readings as well as extremely difficult tests. Also did not help that he has participated in the strike and is making this semester even more difficult than it already was.
Prof F's area of research is engaging but I wish he formatted the class a bit better. There were concepts that could've been explained sooner that would've made a huge difference. While his tests are hard he does give you hints on what to expect. Didn't like the fact that class list was removed, but he answered emails quickly.
Listen, Professor Fries is very passionate about his work...a bit too passionate. He acts as if we should have the same knowledge as him in such little time. This course is extremely content heavy and the tests are brutal as well as the main project for the course. Despite this, he is very understanding of your personal life and a nice guy.
Extremely hard class, because like previously mentioned, the professor doesn't ease you in. The tests are tricky. I read all the readings (chapters and studies), made notes, listened to lectures and I still had a hard time doing the tests, because of how the questions are worded.
He answers questions and emails very fast! the tests were tricky as you have to read every article and chapter and know everything he says in his lectures. But the bonus section on the tests really help to makeup missed marks. The content is very interesting but I think it was quite hard for only being a second year course. Prof is really great tho
I think that Prof Fries was great! The negative comments are probably coming from people who did not do well on tests. While they are tricky he gives opportunities for bonus marks which really help and the content is super interesting.
Dr. Fries seems like a very passionate individual when it comes to sociology. Unfortunately, he came off a bit condescending and rude in his lectures, and the tone of his voice made it difficult to watch lectures. If there are other options for professors, they would most likely be preferred compared to Dr. Fries
You need to put in the effort for this class. I found the material incredibly interesting, and Dr. Fries adds nuance in his material with guest lecturers, documentaries, etc. which I thought was cool. Tests are multiple choice, but that doesnt mean theyre easy. STUDY. He also always gives 5 bonus marks per test (5 short answer questions).
Sometimes I found this material a bit dry, but I think thats because the course was online. Asynchronous classes can be SO boring. Lectures are long, but necessary for a good grade. The readings too. If you dont study, expect to do poorly in this class. Tests are multiple choice, with 5 bonus marks. Final project is fun photo essay!
Rating Awful as that's how my mental health while taking his course :/ Over half of people failed the first test. The saving grace was the participation marks and group video. Besides those, you will get absolutely demolished in this course. Tests were extremely difficult even with hours and hours of study. Could never subject myself to this again.
Hard to understand his lectures and everything about it in general.
Dr. Fries has been my favourite professor in 4 years at Uofm. He is incredibly passionate and enthusiastic about the material. I found it easy to follow along in class and he was very precise and clear, repeating certain things multiple times to ensure comprehension. I highly recommend taking this course, he is amazing.
Took this and SOC 2450 with him. Overall, very good + caring prof. Tests were very difficult as they focused on obscure details. Assignments weren't too bad and he is VERY willing to help students, very accessible. Pay attention in class and READ the readings. He is very passionate which helps. Tests were just too hard for this level of learning.
Professor Fries was good and his tests are pretty straightforward. He shows a lot of documentaries
I really enjoyed Professor Fries' class! He is super passionate about what he teaches and is really good at keeping you focused on what he is saying. Reading the textbook is pretty important because there was a big assignment in which you had to draw material from the readings. Tests were pretty straightforward with 5 bonus questions provided.
Professor Fries is not too flexible and will test you on the small things. The very small things such as his field of study. This being said, you learn what you are supposed to learn, the lectures could be a bit more engaging. The tests aren't too bad if you take proper notes.
This class was way too tough for an introductory course. The tests had nothing to do with the textbook or his lectures. He was not a good marker for group projects and was not sympathetic at all when group members weren't participating. I did all the readings and attended most lectures and I barely passed this class. Disappointed and boring lecture
Awful experience with professor Fries. Took this introductory 2nd year course as a 4th year student and barely passed. Tests were extremely difficult, focusing on obscure details or just a bunch of questions on his own research. Lectures were spent talking about his research or showing us photos of his tweets responding to health care articles.
I just finished taking this course. Still waiting for my final grade but so far I am on a A grade. My advice to whoever that wants to take this course is : Attend classes, write notes, read the text book (make notes of even the littlest details). Everything he says in class will be on the exam. His exams are easy (only if you read), don't jinx it
Dr. Fries is very passionate about his work and this makes his lectures very engaging and interesting. He is very accessible and willing to help, he wants his students to succeed. Be sure to read the textbook and all additional readings, tests can cover anything from them (even the most obscure details).
Currently taking this and I gotta say, this guy is not it. Makes attendance grade related, so any class you miss, means missed marks. Whole course is repetitive but yet expects you to figure out a new angle to answer literally the same questions over and over again. Inconsiderate is the perfect description- FK
Lots of readings, in class he reviews key points. These are important to use for the essay exams. In the project and essay exams, be sure to include citations for where you're getting your info/thoughts from. Attendance mandatory, kind of difficult to be sure you're hitting the points he wants you to include.
Before registering, I'd seen some negative reviews about him, and was a little hesitant. But I'm SO glad I did. This class was so insanely interesting, and I don't think there was a single lecture I wasn't fully listening. There is a ton of reading to do if you want to succeed, and he doesn't post powerpoints, so attendance is super important!
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
80%
Textbook Required
83%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.81 avg changeRatings by Course
77120
5.0
(1)SOCIOLOGY
5.0
(1)SOC3660
5.0
(1)INTROA02
5.0
(1)SOC3540
4.1
(7)Difficulty by Course
77120
5.0
SOC6666
5.0
7640
4.0
12002450
4.0
INTROSOC
4.0