2.8
Quality3.6
Difficulty49%
Would Retake289
Reviews49%
Would Retake
289
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
50
4
58
3
47
2
71
1
63
What Students Say
“Bueckman is so far the worst teacher I've had at UTK”
ECON201 - 2.0 rating“Amazing, caring, interesting lecturer”
ECO201 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
94%
Textbook Required
35%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.51 avg changeRatings by Course
441
4.7
(3)ECON371
4.5
(2)ECON331
4.0
(4)ECON211
3.2
(5)ECO201
3.0
(72)Difficulty by Course
ECON
5.0
ECONSECT
5.0
ECONOMICS201
4.0
ECON200
4.0
ECON201
3.8
Reviews (289)
She's a mom and acts like one in class. Doesn't cover material well at all. Doesn't seem to be very organized. Would highly recommend NOT taking this class .
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Worst teacher I have EVER had. Her class made me change out of business. DO NOT take this class.
Not only does she look like mushroom head from Mario Brothers, but shes the worst teacher ever. Very unorganized. Voice is annoying. But tests are sorta easy to cheat on because you take it in a big lecture hall with only 1 test proctor....DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS
WORST CLASS EVER! She is crazy and class is awful. Stay far far away from this class. Take Baker.
This is the worst class I have ever taken for ECON to be my favorite subject. She CANNOT teach the material!!! Definitely, stay away and I recommend the Department of Economics put this woman under REVIEW NOW!!!!! What a failure to academia!!!
Worst professor I've ever had, and that's saying something. Drop it now.
A nice lady, but terrible teacher
She is clueless and a bad teacher. I learned more by teaching myself than listening to her.
Hard class, good teacher. The others dont know what they are talking about or are just dumb. Will make you work though
Very confusing, no reviews for tests
have fun teaching yourself everything for this class. she talks as if you are already an expert in economic terms. all she does in class is draw graphs that you won't understand the next time you look at them in your notes. her tests are pretty hard and she doesn't help you prepare for them at all. i would not suggest her as a teacher!
Donna Bueckman is definitely one of the worst teachers I have ever had while at UT. The class is terrible, she is unorganized and an awful teacher. I went to every lecture and still only got a C. She is very unhelpful even if you go to her for help. I really don't think she even knows what she is talking about. Take my advice: Don't take the class!
She is very hard. I had to work my butt off to get a C, even with attending every lecture and going to her office several times during the semester. She doesn't review for the exams, and is generally disorganized. She knows economics very well, but has a very hard time teaching it.
Worst teacher I have ever had. Does not know what she is talking about. She teaches the class as if you already know everything about economics. Very unorganized and unhelpful. I went to every lecture and every lab and still only got a C. Take my advice: Don't take econ 201 with donna buckman.
Terrible teacher. I wouldn't take her for a bowling, freshman studies, or any other easy A. She is a stay at home mom and teaches like we are in econ 500. Run. Quickly.
Hardly knew what she was talking about. Don't take her, take ANYONE else.
DO NOT TAKE HER. This lady couldn't teach if her life depended on it. She is a nice woman, but does not know how to teach. She thinks you already know everything and talks like you are an econ expert. She gives no review before tests and never really makes it clear what's on her tests. Saty away from her at all cost.
This was the worst class that I have taken at the University. By far the hardest and most useless work. Nothing she covered was on the exam so the class is just horrible.
worst teacher ever. class is VERY hard.
The class was not insanely difficult if you listen to the lecture (which is hard, considering the subject) and read the book *before* class so you can understand what she is talking about. You can also come up and ask her for help if needed.
Class is done mainly on web. Nothing makes sense. Lectures confuse more than help and often cover material after it is due.
Class was difficult to study for because most assignments and book is online. She's a decent teacher but I think I could have benifitted from someone else.
I thought she was pretty good. If I would have went to the class I would have got an A
This class is not really a hard class but Donna is soooo boring! Everything is online and there's lots of stuff to do, but that also means lots of little grades. Her grading of the online stuff is weird and if she had just done a normal average I would have done better but all in all it's not too bad.
Donna Bueckman is VERY hard. If you dont have time for the online assignments WAIT and take the class later. The Aplia assignments (online hw) is VERY difficult and kills your grade if you miss them. I would recommend BAKER if he teaches it...or wait until you can get Baker.
To this date this is the worst class i have ever taken. I was actually a little interested in Economics until Bueckman came along and killed it. The class is boring, and she is so hard to understand. she makes very little sense and the online homework sucks. this class proved to me that it is the teacher that makes the class.
This class isn't very difficult at all. If you print out the lecture notes, do online assignments and go to class you will be fine. If you want to do VERY well in this class you do need to read the chapters and make your own notes also. You have to understand the concepts not just definitions. She just expects you to do the work and u will be fine.
As long as you take good notes you should have a high C or better
If you have her for lecture, thank god, because the TA's will be able to explain her rambling and near worthless attempts at teaching economics. Whether or not she knows what she's talking about, she has absolutely no idea how to instruct others.
She is confusing and inconsistent.
Not too hard as a teacher. The problem is in the material. You will have about 7 long chapters for each exam. The online hw helps and counts as one test grade. Come to class, do hw, and read the book. You should be fine.
This was one of the worst classes I've ever had. I understood nothing of what she taught. I was so lucky I had a good TA for the labs. I liked her as a person, but she was a terrible teacher. She talked to you like you had a PhD in economics. The tests are very hard and take sooo much time to study for. You also have online weekly homework.
Econ 201 is not an easy class to begin with at UTK. Mrs. Bueckman does her best to cover at least 2 chapters a lecture period, so don't ever plan on getting out early (even on the first day). At times during lectures I was completely lost but the lab instructors are excellent at getting to the point. The book and homework are online /w weekly HW.
This class was a little for me, but thats because I never went. The homework online is very helpful and the book is easy to read and understand. I went to her office hours once and she figured me out as to why I wasn't doing well, not just the material in class that I didn't understand. She seems crazy during lecture, but during office hours, she i
Overall not the worst teacher I have ever had but not the best. The class packs way too much material into it and that is not her fault. What is her fault is the slides which are only half filled out. You spend almost all of the time in class furiously writing and not trying to comprehend. GO TO CLASS! Take notes and then try to get it during lab.
Not a fun class, go for Baker. Doesn't make it fun or make much sense, bounces around, tough to find her interesting
Mrs. Bueckman is a great teacher! She really has a passion for teaching econ. She uses a website called aplia.com for all her assignments. aplia assignments are due once or twice a week, 3 tests and that's it. Lectures are very interesting for the most part.
DO NOT TAKE HER....if you ask her a question or for a recommendation in her office hours she just replies, "weigh your opportunity costs" she is not helpful at all and is very snoody...i was one point away from a B and she did not offer as many EC points as Baker did and doesnt care.
DO NOT TAKE HER! Take Baker! If you take Buekman, all you will do is fill in the blanks on her power point notes. She tries to lecture but you won't ever listen because you will be too busy trying to find which words to fill in the blanks. Baker is the way to go!!!
She does not know how to teach. APLIA online assignments are way too hard sometimes and time consuming. DO NOT TAKE HER!
DO NOT TAKE BUECKMAN FOR ECON! she is not a good professor and not helpful whatsoever. She gives NO REVIEW for the tests which are over 7 chapters each and does not teach but rather gets on her soapbox to put in her 2 cents about the US economic situation. DO NOT TAKE
Absolutely terrible. It doesn't seem that she cares whether you pass or fail. DO NOT TAKE HER!
very very difficult tests. Aplia Hw is hard as well but not unbearable, cannot miss class or get behind
She is terrible. Does not review for her tests one bit. Sends you off blindly to do APLIA assignments. Would not recommend taking her. Had Baker sub in for one class and learned more then than with her all year.
Bueckman is a poor teacher and not interesting to listen to at all. Attendance is not mandatory and the lectures weren't much help anyway. Very small amounts of extra credit. Aplia assignments are annoying but not ridiculous. Take Baker instead.
I usually find economics pretty interesting, but she made it seem very dull and boring. This course covers a lot of material, but she did nothing to make it and easier. There are three exams the whole semester which are quite challenging. We had a person score 100's on all the exams so she curve any of the test, although the class average was 70.
She has helmet hair.
HORRIBLE TEACHER!!! It you have her, switch professors now!! Yes, she has helmet hair. That should be the deciding factor for you.
DO NOT TAKE HER... She is 5 times harder than baker, gives no help on what to know for the test. I go to class everyday and get nothing out of going because she makes econ more confusing than it needs to be. rushes through notes so dont blink. TERRIBLE TEACHER. NEVER TAKE HER, even if she fits in your schedule
Very hard. Sad Times.
RUN AWAY!!! I took her because she fit into my schedule. WORST DECISION EVER! She rushes through the lectures, leaving you with hardly enough time to fill in the blanks on the powerpoints... let along to try and figure out what she is explaining. The discission wasn't any help either becuase the TA who instructed it hardly spoke English.
AWFUL! My wife took Baker, and I took Bueckman. I got the short stick. While my wife had ninjas attacking her class, I listened to dry examples with ficticous words that made no sense. When she wasn't making up words, she did all of her examples in cookies. No help whatsoever. I was hospitalized and she told me I had one week to take my exam. Wow
she was awful.she rushes through lectures and makes them a lot more confusing than they need to be.If you ask for help she has no problem trying to help but she is hard to relate to and to understand. she will also not give you any sort of hints about the test.i do not recommend taking her class at all especially if you struggle with math or econ
she was horrid.she rushes through lectures and makes them a lot more confusing than they need to be.If you ask for help she has no problem trying to help but she is hard to relate to and to understand. she will also not give you any sort of hints about the test.i do not recommend taking her class at all especially if you struggle with math or econ
This class was so hard. You cannot expect to pass her class without attending class and reading the book. She enjoys her subject but I didn't understand anything she taught.
Rushes through her lectures. Doesn't even wait for the kids to fill in the blanks. Class is common sense, involves a lot of math. Wouldnt recommend her if u are horrible at math
if you like horrible teaching and a bowl cut then shes the teacher for you.
Teaches conservative economic theories instead of basic economics. Grading was easy: online homework due twice a week, and 3 non-comprehensive tests. I wouldn't recommend taking her for a lower level course.
Terrible. Absolutely terrible. If you value your GPA the least bit, you'll want to avoid her. I go to every single class (I really don't know why)and attempt to listen and focus but the way she teaches just bores you to death. We're halfway through the semester and I can honestly say this is the first class where I haven't learned 1 thing. Useless.
Absolutely awful. I have attended EVERY single class and lab this semester. And now I will be retaking this course with KEN BAKER! Unless you are GIFTED IN ECON naturally AVOID... It was AWEFUL... I went to every lab, and actually I'm an A student and I failed the first two exams. I have finally given up and I am just going to deal with retaking...
Class is mandatory, but utterly useless. She has a overwhelming inability to explain anything. She does more damage than good. DONT TAKE HER CLASS.
I am not really sure why everyone cannot stand her. I thought her class was very easy. Made an A no problem. Also, she teaches you a lot of non textbook stuff about our economy and tries to open your eyes. Really not a bad teacher. Seriously.
I find this class very frustrating. I was looking forward to learning basic economics, but am not enjoying it at all. The notes are fill in the blank, but there are so many and she goes through them so fast that it is hard to get everything down if you are also making an effort to listen. Her examples seem clear until connected to the topic.
This is the only teacher I have had at UT that consistently answers my emails and will meet with me after class to discuss problems I am having, or even my major in general. If your having trouble with the class, just email her. No the class is not an easy A, it's Econ. Econ is a mix of abstract theory, definitions, and math. It takes effort.
She hardly finished the lectures on time and went on many tangents during class. The TA's were helpful but the way she taught the class didn't click with how they taught the smaller sections. Overall a bad experience, I had to drop the course.
DO NOT TAKE HER unless you have the magical talent of economics. You will screw your GPA. Take KEN BAKER. She uses fill in the blank notes and does hardly any notes of her own, and if she does she does them 1000000000 miles a minutes. Avoid her.
Hard teacher. If I had not taken AP Economics prior to this I would have been completely lost. Tests are hard compared to what she actually lectures over. She is a quick talker and does not go in depth enough.
She is extremely hard, but she will direct you to someone who can help you if you don't understand her.
Very hard if you dont have an AP econ class under your belt. Incomprehensible lectures unless you already know what's being talked about. Notes are pointless and irrelevant to test material. Test averages of 60-75. BAD
Homework makes no sense, lectures hard to understand, moving too fast:((((
She's not THAT bad. I agree that she talks too fast and makes it difficult to listen and take notes at the same time, but I'm managing to do well in this class anyway. She's very enthusiastic about the topic and will answer any question you may have. I made an A on the first test without any prior econ exp. and expect the same for the next two.
She seems nice, but class is her hell child. She makes you shell out an extra $30 for Sapling Learning when we already have Blackboard and a course fee stuffed into our tuition. You'll get your **** rocked on the hw. Example, round to one decimal then when you give up the answer is .75 and cost you 10pts. There is nothing to aid you on them either.
She is a decent teacher that tends to get off topic sometimes and makes it harder for me to actually pay attention in class. As long as you take notes in class and read the chapters in the book, you should do fine. All I do to study for the tests is go over the notes from class and I have made an A&B on the tests. CLickers are used for attendance.
She is terrible. She doesn't make any sort of study guide so you basically have to know all of the material before you get into her class. The way she "helps" is by asking you your own questions. Take this class only as a last resort and be sure to attend all labs if you do take it.
Dr. Bueckman is a great teacher who has a real passion for Economics. Although she is not the "easy" Economics teacher, I highly recommend anyone who is considering taking her class. Dr. Bueckman has not only helped me succeed in her class, but has also inspired me to major in Economics. If you put time and effort into the class, you will succeed.
Nice person but horrible teacher unless you want a career in Economics. She knows her stuff but has trouble teaching it. I went to every lecture and it did not help. Go to labs to understand material and study definitions and summaries from the book for tests. I'd say at lest 95% of test questions were from the book and 5% if that from the homework
Study the book, not homework for tests! Take this teacher as last resort. All other teachers give study guides and use better and more helpful methods of homework while this teacher does not. VERY hard class!
Very displeased with literally how the entire course is taught.
DO NOT TAKE THIS WOMAN. Avoid taking her at all costs. She rambles and goes way too fast in class on the power points. She also asks trick questions for participation points. Be ready to teach yourself. If you do happen to get stuck with her, read the Open Stax book because it will help you on the test.
She goes too fast in class and babbles. The tests do not reflect what she "teaches"... if you can call her lectures teaching that is
Avoid taking this class with prof. Bueckman. She doesn't allow laptops to take notes. She prefers "handwritten" notes but goes too fast on her power points. She laughs at her own jokes. She knows her stuff but doesn't know how to present it. Tests do not even cover what the lectures were about.
Awesome teacher! Would take again and currently trying to take again!
Overall ok professor. Took as gen ed requirement (engineering major). Online homework assignments were main assignments outside of class, usually helped on exams. Endless clicker questions in class, but you only need to get 80% right to get 100% credit for them. Take notes and you should be able to make Bs on tests at least.
Econ has never come easy to me but I felt like I got it with Bueckman - She goes over powerpoints fairly quickly, but I didn't have a problem keeping up. Definitely attend lecture for clicker points and lab for attendance, that helps out with grades. Straightforward grading, very definition-based tests (use the lists at the ends of chapters)
Dr. Bueckman is a very nice teacher. She would try to get to know students before class. The tests are mostly definition based. Go to class because she does clicker questions. Her powerpoints can become very boring but most of the information you will see again on a test. I would take her again if I had to do so.
Very sweet, but very boring. She does not return tests so good luck correcting your mistakes on future tests. Clicker points matter. They really start to add up. She takes participation very seriously--%15 of overall grade... It may change your end grade by an entire letter. Overall material isn't to hard.. If you can stand being bored for hours.
She is very nice but is not the best teacher. Her lectures are long and boring. Clickers are a must. Don't skip classes or labs. However she does use a free book and online homework. Also, I was .22 from a B and she didn't round up my grade. So get ready.
Lectures are really boring. Her class wasn't that bad. The beginning is a lot of common sense, but towards the end it gets kind of hard. You can tell she really cares about what she teaches, so that is nice to see.
Couldn't have passed without attending class. Participation and attendance are one in the same.
Good teacher, really does not cover too much material. Becomes sidetracked pretty easily but is very nice, and always makes you feel welcome. Explains everything! Small class, and an all senior class, so very different from the ECON201 Reviews on here
I hate this class. She's a nice professor but very boring. It's so hard to stay awake or pay attention because she does not explain the concepts well!! She doesn't allow laptops and her slides are so vague. She doesn't even upload the slides on bblearn. Would not suggest taking her
When I went to her office hours she helped me. But that was it. Her lectures are hardly helpful and only confuse students more. If she didn't have such a strict attendance policy I wouldn't even go to class at all. Furthermore she is quick to judge students on being lazy and makes no attempt to help students. As an econ student I would avoid her.
Dr. Bueckman is really helpful if you go to her and let her know you're struggling. She goes a little fast in lectures, but if you actually attend class you shouldn't have an issue because the test material is pretty much exactly what's in lecture.
It is a shame that she has such a low rating. Literally this class was easy. If you go to class like you should and go to lab, you really will do fine. If you put effort into this course and don't do well, maybe college isn't for you. Does well clarifying Econ concepts. Very helpful at office hours. Was scared to take her, was great
Participation is important. As long as you go to class and lab, you should get an A. I skipped a lot and it lowered my grade substantially. The exams and homework are easy. Her lectures are clear cut and material is well explained.
Lectures are boring and seem longer than they are, but that's probably due more to the material than her. They got so boring to the point that I stopped going, and that ruined my grade because I missed the easy clicker point questions. I got 100 on each test, but ended up with a B+ because of my horrible participation grade. Go to class.
Clickers are a must for your grade. Lectures can be long but the tests are mostly definition based so just learn the definitions and you'll be fine!
Here is my take on Dr. Bueckman. If you come to class and try, you will get a B. She does use clickers everyday. She has clear grading in the syllabus which is nice. Overall, she would kind of go off telling a story trying to relate it back to Economics and when she finally did everyone was lost. Go to class, do the homework,& don't FAIL the exams.
Full disclosure, I hate econ. Couldn't care less about it. I'm an engineering major. But she obviously cares A LOT about economics and that made the class decently interesting for me. Pay attention, do the clicker questions, no big deal, nothing too hard. I regret going to "lab", which is a generous title for reciting exactly what was said in class
The tests are very hard. There is a disconnect between what she teaches and what is on the test. She rants during lectures and does not explain concepts. She is unprofessional at times and is incapable of teaching.
Very good professor. Enjoys the subject and the lectures are not terrible considering I have no interest in econ. Uses an online textbook that only costs $30 instead of the $200 book other econ professors use.
Donna is a great teacher. She puts he lectures in very easy to understand terms. Gives great examples during classes and curves her tests so that a majority of people get a high grade. Every class there's clicker questions and you only need +75% of participation to get an A. Great teacher, would take again.
Overall, you could tell that Dr. Bueckman was very passionate about the subject and wanted her students to learn, but the lectures were pretty boring. If you try and go to class you should at least get a B. The exams can be tough and you do have to study a lot, but I did learn a lot from this class.
She was a very nice lady, and she tried to get to know her students. However, her tests are fairly difficult and I never felt very prepared for them. The lectures aren't too bad if you enjoy economics. Labs are terrible, and you can only miss two of them.
I feel like she is an alright teacher.. but I had many problems with this class. The sapling homework website she uses is absolutely terrible. She never gives back tests, offers practice tests, or lets you use laptops in class to take notes. She treats this class like a high school class and it gets old very quick. Plus there are pointless labs.
Bueckman is so far the worst teacher I've had at UTK. Have an 89.9 in the class? Guess what that doesnt get rounded to a 90. Gives the hardest tests of any econ teacher while also being the least helpful
Bueckman knows what she is talking about, but she overcomplicates basic concepts. If you get a 75% in participation it's a 100, but the homework assignments can be tough and the tests often contain things in the book that she did not talk about in class. She gives minimal extra credit, doesn't put notes online, and does not give back tests. Lmao
She is the best Econ professor at UT. I don't know why she has such a low grade on here. If you go to class and do the work then you will get an A. I finished the semester with a 102%. Her lectures are not boring at all and she teaches the subject well. The only bad part about the class is lab. All it is is a repeat of the lectures. It's useless.
She's an extremely nice lady. If you miss class, she'll set up a time to get the notes you missed. She doesn't allow computers, so notes are all by hand. She doesn't post slides online. Labs are useless. Clicker questions aren't hard, but there are a lot and they do count. Tests can be a little difficult, but as long as you study, it's not bad.
Professor Bueckman is an excellent professor, I honestly don't know why her rating is so low. Her tests are not particularly difficult, however, you NEED to study if you want to do well. As long as you follow along with her weekly due and do lists there isn't any way you could get anything less than a B in the course. She cares about her students.
HER TESTS ARE SO HARD!!! No matter how much you study, you will do bad on the test. Her tests are not textbook based and they are worth 75%. So if you screw up on a test, you semester is over.
A fantastic professor. Had 1 problem with my attendance grade and she responded to an email immediately and brought me from a B+ to an A with no hassle. Is readily available and is a great lecturer. Show up to class and you'll learn. Extra credit is built into each exam so it's almost impossible to fail. if you have a pulse you will pass this class
I found Dr. Beuckmans style of teaching very helpful and easy to learn from. She does not let you have electronics out during class so you must hand write notes, but she gives you time to write down the information on the slides as she does not post her PowerPoints online. If you reach the 80% of the participation points she pumps it up to a 100
Donna's not great guys. She will talk the whole 50 mins and you will not pick up one thing. The only way to do well in this class is to learn it yourself but then you will probably still get 70's on the test. Other classes will get curves on the test but you will not.
Bueckman is fantastic! Read the other reviews of her with a grain of salt. The primary reason in my eyes that people give her such poor reviews is because she has a sort of blunt type of humor. She honestly is very nice and caring and she teaches the material very clearly. Show up to class and pay attention and you'll do fine!
Worst professor I have had so far. She is unwilling to help her students, and gives no reviews or ideas to what the tests will be like. This is the first time econ211 has been a class, and she gives no grace or help even though we were all clueless about the class or course material.
People are a little too harsh on Dr. Bueckman. She isn't the worst professor I've had at UT, but in my opinion, she made microeconomics too difficult to understand in her lectures. Her exams weren't too difficult but I think that she lacks clarity in her lectures. If you want an A, you'll have to work for it a little bit.
I already hate econ but Donna made it worse. She was very confusing and I ended up skipping a LOT because I didn't want to drag myself out of bed that early. You're going to have to do a lot of work in Econ regardless, but I wish I would've understood it better so I could actually do my work.
Donna makes class SO boring, so it is easy to zone out. Her tests are not anything like the homework, so I ended up watching youtube videos to learn the material.
Dr. Bueckman is an incredible teacher. I knew nothing about Econ going into the class and now I genuinely understand it and enjoy it. There is little homework and the only attendance is clicker questions that count towards participation. If you get a 75 and up in participation she bumps it to a 100! Tests aren't bad either. Highly recommend!
Donna where do I begin. This is a 200 level class and it is treated as an upper level course. The tests were nothing like the homework. This class was so much more difficult than need be. Any interest I have had in economics has gone down the drain.
I honestly don't know why she has such a bad rating, I loved Dr. Bueckman! She obviously loves what she's teaching and she gave SO many opportunities for extra credit. She's also super willing to sit down and talk with you if you need any help. I changed my major because of her!
I'm at a loss to why she is rated so low. Amazing, caring, interesting lecturer. Tests extremely manageable. Little to no homework. Class tends to be filled with stupid freshman/sophomore greek kids who want to show up high/drunk and pass, probably explaining why her rating is so low. 10/10 would take again - super easy A!
I have taken this teacher for the 1st time, her lectures not only cover what will be on the test, but she reiterates with high inflection things that will be on the test and there is the lab. She and her TA's are available anytime, and she will answer any questions, during or after class. I think people that want an easy A are the complainers.
This class isn't too bad. You can easily make a B without much effort, however if you want an A, I would strongly suggest you voice record lectures and listen to them while looking back at your notes that you took in class and take extra notes from the recording because she does talk very fast.
She speaks very fast and very low. Thank God for microphones..... She grades tests at a huge 70% of your grade, and the tests are very difficult.
Dr. Bueckman, to me, wasn't the best professor I've ever had but she certainly wasn't the worst. Her lectures can drag on for a while but if you're looking for a simple class with a simple teacher that requires moderate effort, then Dr. Bueckman is the one for you.
She's a very fast speaker and loves to disrupt class when she sees anyone taking notes on anything other than paper. This class is harder than many senior level courses. The exams are 70% of your grade. I've honestly learned more from the TA's in our lab. There will also be clicker questions everyday.
Exams are 70% of your grade but the grading scale makes it easy to succeed in the class.
Not recommended. Tests are nothing like homework
The exams are nothing like the homeworks. Exams are worth 70% of your grade so if you mess up on the first one, youre screwed. There are only 35 questions on each exam and she doesnt specify what the exam will be over. There are clickers everyday so have to show up. There are like 10 homework assignments due once a week
She has clickers for daily attendance but if you get over 75% total you get 100% for attendance. Tests are 35 questions but she uploads terms to review in her files and if you look up each one you will pass. She speaks kind of fast so be ready to take notes. Go to every lab and you will learn what you need to at a slower pace.
Hard to go to the lecture sometimes due to how boring they are. However, I wouldve probably got an A if I showed up half the time. Overall its about an average class in difficulty and workload.
For GenEd she might be hard, but as an ECON major I loved her. Good lectures, short & spare homework, overall a nice person. Her exams are hard but if you study from the textbook what she emphasized in the notes you'll do fine. Math is tedious, but gets easier throughout the semester. She will take the time to explain anything confusing.
As an ECON major, I loved Dr. Bueckman! I honestly don't know why she is rated so low on here. She is really enthusiastic about economics and is extremely helpful outside of the lectures.
Dr. Bueckman is a good professor. I believe that an A is very obtainable if you do the homework, go to class, pay attention, and study for the tests at least a little. Her teaching style is pretty straight-forward, and she is always receptive to questions. She is nice to students who put forth an effort, and not lenient for students who don't.
Would not take this class again. The lectures were so boring which made it hard to go to class. The test are worth 70% of your grade and are very difficult. She doesn't give any hint of what would be on the test and they are worded so terribly it makes it hard to understand. Could barley hear her the whole semester because she talks quiet and fast.
She was a great professor. She started to make attendance mandatory when she found out people were doing clickers from home. But when I asked her for a bump she gave it to me. If you do the homework and go to class then it won't be difficult at all.
Bueckman is a chill lady who gives good lectures and rewards you for paying attention. Super easy class if you'll show up, answer clicker questions, and take some notes. Tests are straight out of the notes and homework is just watching videos and answering simple questions. She is accessible out of class and TAs are also helpful! Great SS elective
Exams nothing like homework and adds questions that weren't gone over at all. NEVER AGAIN!!!
she is very lecture heavy. she makes you answer clicker question that counts as both participation and attendance so basically attendance is mandatory. i wouldn't want to take her again but if i had to i would.
I am kinda surprised to see her score so low. Dr. Bueckman's teaching is solid, and if you take notes and do the homework you will get an easy A. If you get 75% of the participation points she just rounds it up to 100% so you can miss some class and be fine. The class itself is kinda boring so you may get sleepy, but she's a good teacher.
The class is boring. The homework is videos and multiple choice questions. The tests are 35 questions and multiple choice. You answer questions from clickers and if you get 75% or more, you get full attendance. She does not allow you to take notes on laptops. You have to use paper. It isn't a hard class if you show up and do the homework.
Wish I wouldve listened to these reviews before taking this course. She prides herself on making the intro level course more difficult than it should be. Tests make up 70% of your grade and are nothing like the homework. Tests are multiple choice and she words them very confusingly. Beware if you take this class expecting an easy A!
Professor Bueckman is a very lecture-heavy professor, but overall her class is very easy to get by in. As long as you pay attention in her lectures- you don't even have to take notes really - you will get at least an A-. There is a good amount of homework, but it is all very easy and can be done quickly.
Everything is easy. Even if it may seem confusing at first
Most students dislike her because of the way she gives lectures because they find it boring, but I love it. She makes the lectures super interesting, and the work is not hard if you actually try. Pay attention in class, take notes, and attend lab. No laptop notes, paper notes are preferred. Clicker questions are done every class for participation.
I attended every lecture and lab and this course was kind of a breeze. Shes very articulate. Just take good notes in lecture and do the homework and youll get an A. I never even had to pay attention in lab.
shes not terrible- her lectures are just really boring and shes not really super engaging in the way that she talks. If I hadnt already taken an Econ class in HS this course mightve been way harder bc she doesnt teach well. Also her tests are hard youll have to study for those. She loves to get on her soap box during lecture and ramble on lol
Sometimes it felt like she was pushing a narrative based on opinion instead of giving all viewpoints. Ex: saying income inequality comes from "Rich people not marrying poor people." She then goes on and does not mention: giant taxbreaks for the wealthy, unions disappearing, and minimum wage not increasing alongside inflation. Just one example
the class wasn't fun or exciting but she did what she could and gave you all the info you need to pass. attendance not necessarily 'mandatory' but does factor into your grade, we used clickers and she rounded your attendance grade up to 100% if you got 75% of the clicker credit throughout the semester. tests were worth alot.
Now that the class is asynchronous, there's a ton of homework: 11-12 assignments per week. The quizzes and assignments are essentially pointless, the Zoom lectures, when she doesn't cancel, have very little to do with what we actually need to know, and the videos she posts in lieu of Zoom could be much more concise.
Lots of busy work with random due dates, that no, you cannot make up if you miss. The class itself is not bad, but be read to do 3+ homework assignments a night. Seriously. The hw given isn't anything that really helps either. Super nice lady, love her, but I wouldn't take a class of hers again.
I am not sure if this class is just terrible because its online now, but oh my god. Exams do not reflect course material or lectures AT ALL, the average is usually in the mid 60's. So many assignments that teach you nothing. I think the issue is she expects that ppl have had an econ class in high school, but a lot of people have not and are lost.
I've had Dr. Bueckman for several classes now and have enjoyed all of them. I really appreciate that she cares about her students. You can tell that she loves economics and wants you to love it too. It's really sad that her rating is so low on her only because she has to teach the intro class to kids that don't care about it.
Exams are insanely hard. She publishes study guides that dont even have the same info as the exam. Half the time the questions on the exams wont have even be covered so its impossible to study for. Avoid her if you want to get a good grade.
DO NOT TAKE HER ECON201. The tests are literally impossible. I spent so many hours studying the study guide THAT SHE GAVE US and it barely helped on at least half of the questions. I just don't understand the thought process of giving students a study guide just for it to not help. Also, tests are 65% of the total grade so assignments don't help
Taking this class, I realized one thing; how much studying you do will probably not be enough for the exams. I have studied so much for this class and received terrible grades because the exams are worded to a point to where you get confused at some of the most simple questions. All the homework you do does not help in any way for the exam.
I loved Dr. Bueckman both times I had her (331 and 201 last spring). She is super passionate about economics and really wants you to be excited too. I think people rate her lower because they didnt try then were upset when they didnt get an A because her classes were not that hard but rather reflective of the lecture material. Give her a chance!
Very caring professor, lectures easy to follow and she has lots of resources available. However, there's a lot of work that isn't worth a lot. 4 exams are worth 65% and the majority of students routinely fail. A lot of studying that sometimes felt useless because tests are v different from other assignments. Reach out and use her resources.
Mrs. Bueckman is a wonderful person in general, but she is a tough professor. I had her class fully online. Get ready for ALOT of homework and studying. Honestly, no matter how hard you study for her tests, you are probably still going to receive a bad grade.
Bueckman was a fine professor. The class is not too hard, just a lot of work each week. If you watch all of the lectures, pay attention to the assignments, and study, you should do fine in the class. She wasn't my favorite, but I wouldn't mind having her again.
Dr. Bueckman is an amazing professor who is very helpful and accessible. Not sure why her rating is so low, but I had nothing but good experiences with her (I even plan to take her again next semester). She's pretty clear about communicating expectations, and she's very reasonable in terms of the workload she gives. Highly recommend!!!!
The WORST professor Ive EVER had. Donna is the most disrespectful professor in class. She would basically call you stupid if you got an answer wrong. She doesnt lecture on anything you will be tested on. Im a visual learner, studying to be a teacher myself. She is the exact opposite of what Im being taught to become a teacher from UTK.
Does not write clear questions, and gets distracted during lecture.
she is no help at all
Exams are worth 75 percent of your final grade. You fail the exams you fail the class. There are no curves for exams. I put in hours of studying for each exam and I finished with a C. Meanwhile I made perfect 100s on every quiz that are worth 10%. Would not recommend
I would recommend you chose another professor. I Tried to receive help studying for one of her exams (70% of the class failed) & she never helped. She seems very passionate about Econ, but not passionate about you succeeding in class. Her lectures are not on the exam, her study tools are very confusing. Her exams are worded & structured poorly
Do not take this class ever unless you want your gpa to fall
Shes really boring. Not too bad. could be worse. wouldnt do it again.
Turn back while you still can: she is very unhelpful when you have questions, has confusing tests, and her lectures are boring and tedious. She is not a good professor.
Her class is hard as a majority of the grade % is based on the exams so if you fail one of them good luck. But thats a class critique and not a professor. While she does drone on a bit, she is passionate abt the subject and her exams are harsh but fair if you study hard. My biggest mistake was studying last min and not building strong foundation
75% of grade is exams so you have to do well. She did switch to all canvas quizzes and no textbook work only readings, so a little easier than before
If I could change one thing in my life it would be choosing this professor for Econ 201. Honestly, her teaching skills aren't even horrible, but exams are 75% of your grade. I studied for every exam using my notes I took in lectures, attending almost all lectures, went to weekly tutoring and still never got above a 74 on an exam. Good luck.
If you want to succeed in college do not take this class, or at least get a different professor. She is not helpful when you ask her questions, and by the way she compartmentalizes her grades, she is almost setting you up for failure. The only thing that matters in this class is exams, and even those she tricks you on. So please save yourself
Dr. Bueckman is an OK professor. Homework is easy. However, tests are hard. Lecture and tests dont really match up. I had to do a lot of extra reading, youtube lectures, and quizlets to keep up. She is engaging with students in the lecture and tries to be funny. but good luck
Do not take this professor. The tests are nothing even remotely related to what you learn and are 75% of your grade. The questions don't even make sense or even have the correct answer. Do not take her for econ 201 and if you have her, switch professors or drop the class.
I know people tend to give Dr. Bueckman bad reviews but she is passionate about Economics and therefore wants her students to get the most out of her class. The TAs for the class are very helpful with making sure you understand the material. The exams are the most important part of your final grade so make sure you study and ask questions!
Lovely lady! If you tend to slack in classes or have a hard time paying attention in lectures, maybe pick a different professor. I don't wanna say her class is hard but I had a hard time understanding her thought processes. HOWEVER I did not read the textbook until day before the tests.. that would help. So maybe my opinion isn't very credible.
This was 100%, my favorite class and professor this semester, she really knows and cares about what she's talking about and works so that you can understand too.
Ms Bueckman's class was very easy, if you show up and pay attention you will get an A. She goes over everything that's on the tests. I think the people who thought she was difficult are just very not smart. One business major girl in my class couldn't figure out how to multiply, she probably wrote a bad review. That tells you something
Professor Bueckman is very nice, but her class can be difficult. Attendance is mandatory and all her lectures are interactive with clicker questions. You have to pay attention because your answers to the clicker questions are graded. You definitely have to take notes and study for the tests.
Professor Bueckman is an amazing econ professor! she is very clear and helpful if you miss assignments!
I don't know who's paying the past couple people to say nice things about this lady but she is the worst teacher I have ever had. She has no regard for you, says she is proud of giving out the most C's at this school, and makes her tests almost impossible to get above a C on. My biggest regret is taking her class, if you have a choice, do not do it
Dr. Bueckman is a great person, and I'm not sure why people dislike her so much. My biggest issue with the class was that it was boring, and there was a good amount of homework. Dr. Bueckman was very willing to explain things, but she's just not great at it. I found the class easy, but her teaching style is not for everyone.
Dr. Bueckman is passionate about economics and is willing to help, you just have to ask for it. I was in a class of 300, and she knew my name because I would participate. You can do well on the exams by studying the lecture notes and the textbook isn't necessary. She uses clickers for attendance but rounds attendance to a 100 if it is above 70%.
I am an animal science major and this was still my fave class. All I did to study was read over my notes and she rounds attendance to 100% if you go and accepts excused absences easily. She knew who I was simply because I went to class. The quizzes are easy and her final is not comprehensive. Also, the textbook is not needed if you attend lecture.
She's a really nice professor but her teaching style and subject can make it easy to fall behind. Her exams aren't the worst, it's just difficult to figure out what exactly to study for. She's a great person in general, but if you're not a math person, you're going to struggle like I have been.
This class is literally so easy. Its just a bunch of buisness majors crying about having to show up to class. Easy A if you arent braindead.
This class is unbelievably easy if you put in a little bit of effort. Probably like 45-60 minutes of homework a week and the tests are all multiple choice based on exactly what is went over in class.
Avoid this professor at all costs. The tests are a big majority of your grade and she doesn't offer any extra credit opportunities. She has a lot of busy work on canvas, which is annoying since a majority of the work is different than what is on the exam. Get ready to buy an old school clicker too. She tracks attendance by it. Just don't take her.
Overall, she's very enthusiastic over what she teaches and really tries to get her students into what it is she's talking about, but the class was insanely boring. Don't skip class because you have to buy an old school clicker to track attendance.
Exam questions SUCK
I. LOVE. HER. She actually teaches and doesn't just sit back and show a PP expecting you to understand. Everything was paper-based, even her lectures, just a projector and her handwriting. I love that! She is not strict but will hold you to what you should know. And if you are struggling, visit her office hours, she is so kind and helpful!
I love Professor Bueckman. She is so sweet and actually teaches the material. She posts her lectures on canvas so it's easy to go back and rewatch them. Clickers are required, but it isn't too bad. She cares for her students and I couldn't say enough good things about her. My experience has been wonderful. I really recommend her.
Spent $40 of my own hard-earned money on a clicker I will never use again because she grades attendance with them. You are not allowed to have a laptop open unless you're in the first two rows. She prides herself on making an easy class hard. Tests are %60 of grades and they hardly match up with the material lectured or assigned. She needs re-elav
I loved prof. Bueckman! She is so enthusiastic considering it's an intro-level class and I love that she always explains the real-world relevance of topics. Tests are VERY doable if you pay attention to lectures and review your notes.
Lectures are heavily based on the book. I would have gone with an online version if that meant I didnt have to sit through the regurgitation of info Ive already learned about. In addition, the course is supposed to be an Intro to Economics, however, at the beginning of the semester, she said it would NOT be taught as an introductory course
Really enjoyed this class and teacher. The content is hard but if you put in the work you can do well in the class.
Donna is very passionate about economics, which makes her a great professor! Her class is hard and you have to put in a ton of effort but she and the TAs are a ton of help and offer so many resources.
honestly, she's not the worst some of these reviews are dramatic. her class is hard to pay attention to and her exams are hard because she gives no guidelines on what to study. if you can take another prof I suggest you do it. she makes an easy class really hard.
Absolutely loved this course! It's not an easy A by any means, but her lectures are interesting and keep you engaged. She gives good feedback and opens the class for participation. Keep in mind that attendance is 100% necessary as she takes attendance EVERY class. If you put in some study hours and stay focused, you'll have no problem!
This class is hard for no reason! The material is simple but she changes the questions up in a way that you do not understand. All her lectures are examples of the economy rarely was it actual definitions.PLEASE take another econ if you have the chance this class will make you work for the grade! I didn't read the book and did ok but it is alot !
Forgot to add she makes you buy a 40 dollar clicker !!! It is really so extra for no reason.
Great professor and lecturer. Some don't like her because she makes you buy a clicker and come to class, but only 2 short assignments a week and exams that you can get an A on with 2 hours of studying. Also a nice woman.
I can tell you that economics can be a challenging subject to learn. It's important to approach your studies with a positive and open mindset and seek out resources and support if you are struggling, which I was. I do not recommend taking this course or if you do, do not take her.
Actually horrible please do not take if you are taking econ. The only grades are the tests which are 100 points each on notes she doesn't even teach about. Have to pay attention to lectures if you even want a C
I love Donna! Her class is not an easy A, but if you put a little work in it should not be a problem. She does require attendance through a $40 clicker, but attending lectures is necessary to pass anyways. I suggest printing her note guides and using them. I study for nothing and got a B, you'll be alright, don't listen to these harsh reviews.
Bueckman isn't great but she isn't terrible. Your grade is almost entirely the test grades. Going and listening to lectures is the only way to succeed in this class. Lab with the TAs are very helpful if you are confused on a topic. She does require a physical clicker and attendance is taken in every lecture and lab with TAs.
I loved her. It is a more challenging class, but if you're willing to put in the effort to do the homework and understand the content you'll do well. She's an excellent teacher and very passionate about the subject. Doesn't show you your grade so you have to calculate it but her expectations for you are clear. You do have to go to class!
When selecting my classes, I was looking forward to this class and this professor because at the time she had decent ratings. My expectations were not met at all. Although Dr. Bueckman is very knowledgeable in her field, she doesn't explain things in a way for everyone to understand. She also goes out of her way to make things more difficult.
Dr. Bueckman is truly a kind person who wants all of her students succeed. She doesn't like laptops or phones out in class & requires a physical clicker, but she always answers questions and goes over things you need for exams. She doesn't do extra credit, but she curves exams if they're bad & you only have to have 70% attendance score it get 100%
There are 4 tests, 65% of grade, lectures suck but you have to go for participation. Labs are boring beyond belief.
Donna is a great professor that is entertaining and helpful. She does go on rants and her exams certainly are not super easy, but there is a lot of homework to help give you a buffer. Very helpful during office hours. The class is pretty easy, if you show up.
If possible, I would try to avoid taking Econ 201 with Bueckman. Attendance is pretty much mandatory because she makes you buy these little 40 dollar clickers that can only track your attendance when you are actually in class. Notes are somewhat helpful, decent amount of Quizzes for homework and News analysis articles. Good with office hours though
Show up to your labs! They can save your grade a little, and they teach you all the things she didn't go over in class. She has fully admitted in class that she will purposefully make the exams extremely hard for us, but "doable" because of the length. Homework doesn't help to learn things, but it can also save your grade.
Honestly, she's just super particular. If you do things her way you should be ok. You'll have to work for a good grade. You have to buy a physical clicker and go to every class for participation. Tests are pretty hard. But she is accessible and does care about her students for sure. She's just picky. Study the clicker questions for tests.
Don't understand a lot of the negative reviews to be fully honest. As long as you read the textbook and do the test prep questions, you should be fine. Tests are basically "you know it or you don't." She's good at explaining things and is passionate about the subject. Not being able to use laptops and having to buy a clicker is annoying though.
GO TO LECTURE AND LAB AND TAKE NOTES! Thats really all you need to do to be successful. Exams are difficult but never anything that she doesn't teach, there is just A LOT of content covered between every exam. She cares about students success and is very accessible. After every exam she blocks a whole day for office hours to go over indivdual exams
This course must have changed as I can not imagine why else there are so many negative reviews. She's a passionate lecturer who knows her stuff, what she covers is what's going to be on the exam, pay attention to clicker questions and not the quizzes when studying for exams, the labs are a great resource to practice concepts. Great class overall.
If you have the option to not take her class, do it. You have to attend class to get participation points from clickers but if you get a question wrong, she docks off points. You have about 3-5 quizzes a week outside of class. Her lectures are hard to fully grasp so you have to teach yourself outside of the class but you have to attend them.
Professor Bueckman isn't TERRIBLE, she's just not great. I would not recommend taking her class. She does not explain the material in a way that the students can understand it, labs help but not much as you don't have enough time to go over everything learned in the three days of lecture. However, she does post lecture videos.
I fairly liked Professor Bueckman. She is passionate about economics. Her lectures are kinda boring but if you take notes and watch all the lecture videos right before the exam you should do fine. There is a lot of online quizzes. I didn't find my TA or lab sessions helpful at all. I was only there for the attendance.
You can tell Dr. Bueckman is very passionate about economics. However, her lectures are very boring, about half the class is on their phone. The labs are useless too; I only went for attendance points. She is a solid teacher, but she fails to grasp a lot of people's attention.
Dr. B is great for Econ. She truly cares about the subject and her lectures are very interesting and not boring. However, for Econ 201, exams are 65% of your grade which could be a problem. Despite this, the class is not hard, I walked away with an A- with minimal studying with an Engineering course load. Also, Dr. B makes you buy a clicker.
Shes nice enough, a little bit strict but not too bad.
If you have the option to not have to take this class with her, do it. I tried so hard to change my professor after multiple people that I knew told me how this class would be with her. Attendance is mandatory and you have to buy the $40 clicker for her to keep track of it. Go to labs. Tests are awful. Good luck
Bueckman was my favorite professor last semester as she is very enthusiastic about economics and the success of her students. Everything you need to know is covered in lecture and she posts her lectures online so you can rewatch. Biggest tips I can give to ace the exams are to study the weekly quizzes and clicker questions. Great professor!
Professor Bueckman does a great job at getting all of the course material to students during lectures and is pretty responsive with emails. The only issue I have with the professor is that if you're sick, you have to find notes somewhere else, as she does not do online meetings or post the notes online.
Lectures are not engaging at all and she gets very off topic. Not good at explains things at their core.
2 quizzes per week (both online): 1 multiple choice quiz with 2 attempts and a news analysis quiz with one attempt. Both are not very difficult. 90% of the course is HS econ review. You need to buy a ~$30 clicker and show up to class for clicker points. Tests are examples over what she talks about in class. Labs are pretty pointless and once a week
Her tests are 65% of your final grade and are impossible
she talks really fast during lectures so it becomes very hard to follow along if you have a hard time focusing in general. you should be fine if you read the text book and go to class and take notes. she takes attendance with a physical clicker which is annoying but you need to go to receive credit. (you can give your clicker to a friend tho)
Dr. Bueckman is no-nonsense but she really cares and wants every student to succeed. You do need to buy a clicker, but the textbook is free (& online), and you can miss a few classes and it won't affect your attendance grade. Just go to class, do the homework and study and you will be fine (and go to office hours).
I did not really like Donna. She requires real clickers, her lectures would never captivate me, she yaps, and she never really effectively taught stuff. I always felt lost in this class and I am an A student. Only Econ teacher that doesn't allow a cheat sheet on exams. Exams are 65% of your grade (most Econ classes are). Go for another professor
She teaches like you already know everything about economics
please whatever you do DO NOT TAKE DONNA. do yourself a favor and take the earlier class with a different prof. she was honestly horrible. makes you buy a clicker. boring lectures. no cheat sheets on exams (every other econ has one). and on top of everything she locks the canvas grade so you dont even know what you have in the class. 0 stars
Donna does care about her students and is willing to answer questions and provide help HOWEVER the way she taught the class was very difficult. She teaches some topics as if we were expected to know them coming in and often I felt I was well prepared for an exam only to get a 70. Hardest class i've taken yet. Don't put yourself through the stress.
Clickers are needed. Dr. Bueckman is very knowledgable about the subject which makes her lectures interesting. She's very organized and it's clear what she expects and when assignments are due. The only thing I didn't like was the labs which were pointless and a waste of time.
Donna's class can be tough, but with the right strategy, you can do well. The lectures move quickly, so staying focused and using tools like unstuckstudy ai alongside the textbook is key. Mandatory attendance with clickers can be a hassle, but the exams are the main challenge.
You have to buy a physical clicker and attendance is mandatory but overall the class isn't that hard. The only real downside is the labs which are horrible and a huge waste of time. They are all taught by foreign TAs which can be hard to understand and all the material that is "taught" the professor goes over the same day in class.
Very difficult and explains nothing. DO NOT take for 311.
DO NOT TAKE HER!!! There are so many better ECON teachers out there. STAY AWAY!
She tries to trick you on every question and then laughs when it works
I was scared when I read the reviews, but this was my easiest class of the semester. If you show up and take good notes the tests will be easy. She makes you buy a physical clicker which sucks, but other than that there is a lot of overreacting on this page. The labs are pointless but the tests are more than fair if you put in minimal study effort.
DO NOT TAKE HER CLASS
She's really not that bad, she is probably the hardest Econ prof at UTK, but Econ is pretty easy in general, so don't drop the class imo. Just study for exams and you'll pass easy. She will answer every question you bring to her and she's actually really nice. Also if you have troubles getting a clicker she will help you.
Dr. Bueckman is a great professor for Econ201, her lectures are engaging and is very helpful both in and outside of class. Labs are a waste of 50 minutes, as all the info the TA's go over are gone over in class. Material isn't too hard, just pay attention during the lecture and do the readings outside of class. Would definitely recommend for 201!
Professor Bueckman is an amazing professor. She is very nice and will answer any question that you ask. You do need to attend every lecture as there are location bases clicker questions. But overall the class is very good.
Dr. Bueckman definitely knows economics. She expects that you should know as much as her on each tests. But, she does care about students and is a nice person. If you are looking to fulfill a credit then avoid her, but if you are interested in economics you will enjoy this class and have no issues.
Professor Bueckman was a very interesting professor. The best way to describe her is super old school "put the work in and you'll be fine". This was true for her class, but she didn't really help us along the way. I found myself watching videos and basically learning the material myself.
Dr. Bueckman clearly cares about her field. She genuinely wants her students to understand economics better. Go to class and pay attention to succeed. Her and her TAs (Go Tommy!) are accessible outside class. Tests are not impossible at all. Note-heavy lectures definitely. It makes sense since the class has hundreds of students. Would recommend.
AVOID AVOID AVOID
Donna Bueckman is one of the worst professors on campus. Not only has she locked grades so that you are unable to determine what you need to receive a passing grade, but she provides no study material for the exams and has openly mocked students mid-lecture for asking. The homework is easy but is not even remotely comparable to niche exam content.
Expects you to know every niche thing she has said throughout her lectures. She continuously says that the class is a gen ed for many students (like engineers) but her exams were weighed heavier than my ME exams were. Grades are hidden so you don't know what you need and has no extra credit to counteract the 65% weight of exams.
A lot of complaining on this page. Dr. B was a very fair professor. I put in minimal effort into this class due to tougher engineering courses and passed with an A easily. Everyone likes to come on here and complain but most of them just go on their phone the whole lecture. Pay attention, take notes, and you will pass with an A in this class.
Despite being an engineering major, I didn't hate Econ 201. Donna is passionate about what she teaches and wants you to also be interested. The only bad thing I have to say about her is that she requires you to buy a $40 clicker and she keeps your grade locked until the end of the semester (but you do get interim grades every once in a while).
I was nervous about taking Dr. Bueckman's course after seeing her bad reviews, but the class was very doable, and she is very passionate about economics. She does clicker questions every lecture, which I found helpful to put the material into context. As long as you show up, take notes, and pay attention, you'll do well in this class. Easy exams.
Dr. Bueckman is very passionate about economics and explains the concepts clearly. If you attend every class, take notes, and pay attention, the exams are very easy. The main downside is you have to buy a physical clicker. I wish that she had provided practice exams to help study, but the class is still very doable and fair.
buekman teaches from a powerpoint every single day (it is recorded and posted) but it's from 3-4 years ago with no updated material. you will never leave class early. attendance is not mandatory, but is worth 10% of your grade with a physical clicker. she stated several times that questions were not meant to trick you, you just had to read them.
Honestly, Econ 201 is a somewhat difficult class, but I am not sure why Bueckman has low reviews. She is smart and has good lectures. The exams are hard because she expects you to know your stuff and you don't get to rely on a cheat sheet like some other econ classes. Do not listen to the bad reviews.
She is a very tough grader. When it comes to formuals she does it the long and difficult way. Another thing is she bad with time management and rushes on lectures plus she is a little shady when it comes to exams they are supposed to be only 20 percent but on canvas they weight as 60 percent and not 20 but in her syllabus they 20 +20+20 = 60.
Lowkey take this class online if you can. I took it in person with her and all I did was play Papas Bakeria the whole time. Just not engaging lectures at all that you can learn from later. I am not an economics person at all so I had little motivation for the class. It is not thatttt hard, just really annoying to take. She can be pretty strict.
good lord, I already wasnt excited to take econ but I dont ever want to have to hear about supply and demand ever again. It was an ok class, but there were like 50 billion people in it so its hard to get 1on1 support and the material is gone over quickly. as someone who is not a econ person I struggled immensely. Not her fault just too many people
Don't let the bad ratings stop you! Dr. Bueckman comes off strong on the first day of class to scare you, but she softens up right after. She is truly passionate about the subject and it makes lectures easy. Its super easy to fail the class if you don't take notes. Seriously though... if you just show up and take notes, then you'll do amazing.
She's awesome. If you actually show up to class and take notes you'll do just fine, I assume the negative reviews are from people who came to college to... not go to class?
I was so scared to take her because of her review on here, and after taking this class I can say the reviews are extremely dramatic. This is a pretty straight forward class and a lot of it's common sense. She genuinely seems to care and wants you to succeed. I will say this course is heavily weighted on the tests so make sure you study.
She's not as bad as people say. Yes the class is difficult and you'll have to put time into it, but she is not evil. Study hard!
Dr. Bueckman gets kind of a bad reputation cause she's pretty strict on her class structure (mostly no laptops, you have to buy a physical clicker). If you're looking for a good education she's the one, and is very nice in her office hours. She's not bad if its the only professor available.
She's over-hated because she makes you get a clicker. It's annoying, but most ppl got one from a friend. This class was not difficult - all I had to do was go to class, do the HW once a week (~1 hour), & study for a couple hours before exams to finish w/ an A+. She was helpful, kind, & clearly cares a lot abt teaching. 75%> attendance bumps to 100%
Professor Bueckman was great, just put in the work. She holds office hours after exams to go over them. She is passionate about economics, but the class is lecture-heavy. Lectures are recorded and posted if you are unable to attend, but labs are not. Use the terms and topics sheet along with the textbook reviews and you'll do well on exams.
This class made me hate school so much I deeply considered dropping out
She's so anti technology that she makes it her entire personality. Even with doing every homework assignment, I still barely manage to get passing test grades despite doing every homework assignment and studying the materials given. It's a fine class to get the credit but you really have to do your homework.
Donna is great. Her class isn't hard but you do have to pay attention. If you're struggling her office hours are super helpful and she's great at answering questions and explaining concepts. All the tests are 35 MCQ and the final isnt cumulative so it's great. She uses clicker questions in class for participation / attendance!
DO NOT TAKE
So much complaining on here for no reason. People expect to not do any work and get good grades. Attend class and take notes. I studied nothing but my in-class notes for an hour or two before exams and passed with an easy A. People either skip the lecture or use their phones the whole time, and then come on here and blame it on the teacher.
I'm genuinely perplexed by these other reviews. Donna was incredible and you can tell she cares. She acts tough on the first day of class, but is genuinely there to help. I studied my notes for a couple hours before each exam and passed with 100% in each. It's easy, you just have to actually try. If attendance is over 75% it is bumped up to 100%.
Bueckman was a great professor and taught the content well. The assignments are very manageable and teach the content. The quizzes are online, and you can retake them. The lab is an hour long each week and serves as a fourth lecture, just summarizing what you learned that week, and there is no homework from that. Tests are completely fair as well.
Teaches like it's a level 400 class, excepts u to know every single thought she's ever had on economics. Doesn't help u prepare for exams and the clicker questions practice quizzes aren't even slightly similar to the exam questions even tho she says to use them to study and that they might show up on the exam. Take online if u can.
My grade plummeted because of attendance and clicker questions that have nothing to do with the exams. Not understanding on sick days or other reasons to miss class. Exams were fair, but I dreaded the class every week. Talks until the VERY last minute too, never expect to get out of this class a millisecond early.
Wanted to like her because she's such a nice person but her class wasn't great. Doesn't post completed notes/slides so good luck is you miss class. Dreaded lectures. Didn't like attendance set up. Test were fair though.
Useless attendance. Lectures full of tangents and info that isnt on test. Get ready for days with 10+ assignments in just this class, if you are in a homework heavy course like engineering, prepare. She gave ~40 assignments a month, I average 150 homework assignments per month with only 16 credit hours. Homework / quizzes due on weekends / breaks.
Took her fall 2025. Attendance is mandatory because she does around 3-6 clicker questions per class, and they are also graded on accuracy, so even if you are there, you still have a chance to not get full points on attendance. Labs are easy and taught by TAs. The exams are confusing and all you are provided with to study is a "Terms and Topics" PDF
Very nice woman but isnt great at teaching for kids who arent econ majors and dont understand econ. Tests are very difficult and dont follow the practice quizzes or clicker questions.
Econ 201 with her honestly wasn't too bad. The class is very lecture heavy, but its manageable as long as you go to class. I studied for only about an hour before each test and always got above an 80. My only problem is she prevents you from seeing your grade in the class until the very end.Its quite annoying.
She gets a bad rap because she used to make students buy a physical clicker. She didnt make my class buy them, and other than that i dont know why she has such a low rating. She lays out expectations clearly, is very clear on what to study for exams, works with you to make sure you understand. There really isnt a downside, she made me love econ.
She is amazing! Her class is challenging, but she's always willing to stay after class, available during office hours, and will walk through exams with you. Bring her a caramel macchiato from Starbucks! Watch the provided recommended videos to understand the graphs and use the fill-in-the-blank notes during the lecture for the concepts.
Very surprised by the ratings - she lays out everything you have to do. Tests are all multiple choice and VERY simple compared to other Econ courses. She did have us buy clickers in the past which she doesn't do now. But all you need to do is pay attention and review the material. Lectures can be boring, but super simple material.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
94%
Textbook Required
35%
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