2.7
Quality4.2
Difficulty18%
Would Retake143
Reviews18%
Would Retake
143
Reviews
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5
33
4
22
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What Students Say
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FYS1015 - 1.0 rating“DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS, EVER”
FYSHOL - 1.0 ratingClass Info
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Attendance Mandatory
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Textbook Required
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HST101
5.0
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5.0
(1)GNDBASEBALL
5.0
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HISTORYTO1500
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Reviews (143)
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very knowledgable - often tells history like a story - which really draws you in and makes you interested. tests are hard as anything and you often don't know what to expect of his tests. but smart guy, good teacher nonetheless.
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Wild and crazy guy
Very Knowledgeable and Entertaining. Generous with grades. Friendly guy with a real passion for teaching!
This guy knows it all. He always has a lot of energy and his class is fast paced. His test are hard b/c you cover so much material, but he does give study guides to help.
The best history professor at Belmont. His depth and thoroughness are astounding. Excellent clarity. Lively and entertaining. Passionate about history. A human encyclopedia. Take his classes.
Dr. Bisson is very smart and it shows. This class was difficult, but I definately learned a lot. If you're willing to work hard in his classes, he's going to give you the credit you deserve.
Very excentric professor! Very knowledgeable about subject matter. The way he grades his papers are strict, so do not make any mistakes. Good professor though.
As many people say, he knows exactly what he's talking about. Bisson is one of the smartest people I've encountered. His class is difficult at times, and he expects a lot, but you'll come out of it knowing so much more.
Bisson definately gets stuff out of you!! You must work extremely hard. i do not reccomend him if you hate to read and write many journals!! Although, i do feel more prepared to encounter many college experiences down the line.
One of the greats if you came to learn. In fact, opened his class with test-taking tips. Slackers need not apply. My highest recommendation, and it is a privilege to study under him hands-down.
Dr. Bisson's class ROCKS!! Lots of reading but you will learn so much.
He is very strict on papers. Compared to the rest of the seminars, he is by far the hardest. Don't expect to get higher than a C on a test or a paper. He is hard to get a hold of and his directions are unclear. I don't reccommend this one.
Good teacher, rough class. He is amazingly strict, workload is intense, and his grading is harsh. You'll learn alot, but you might end up with a C or below anyway.
Dr. Bisson is GREAT TEACHER. Lazy students need not apply, though. He demands the best from students and often gets it. The best teacher I have ever had anywhere.
Doug Bisson is really a good teacher, I can tell you rght away that you will never feel asleep in his class. You also should be prepared to work A LOT, his essays are not easy, neither are his test, but overall he is a great teacher and very helpful.
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He seems cool so far. Waiting to see his grading harshness like yall have said. Luckily I love baseball so this seminar is great so far, even with the 8 book workload.....
D. Bisson was hands-down my hardest professor. He was also one of the very best and I highly recommend his class. It's worth the effort.
He is CRAZY
Joint class also taught by Dr. Monteverde... awful. An elective 3 hour class that they wanted me to put more work into than any other class (including 6 hour honors clases). both of them are out of touch
Overall a good class. But he was a little pushy with his own beliefs in some areas. And could use some fact checking on his Biblical knowledge. But as far as history classes go this one wasn't bad.
He rocks
Awesome class about Baseball and American history. He knows so much and the videos are cool. I got an A on the first paper, so I don't know if he is a hard grader or not.
Great teacher, has reputation of being hard. But if you keep up with the reading and ask questions, you will do OK.
Mixed opinion on this one. Seems to really know his stuff but the work load is demanding. my major complaint is that he is unclear, unorganized in his lecture style, and a complete **** to deal with if you have a problem! He comes off as very arrogant and belittleing.
Best class I have had at Belmont. Prof. Bisson makes history really come alive. You feel like you are IN Dublin during Easter 1916. Definitely recommend this class.
Great class
He was great but not for everyone. His tests are very difficult. Not much discussion in class. He answers questions but lectures constantly. This is good because he knows everything about the subject and has great stories. I'd take a class of his again.
HARD!! If you do not LOVE history, then do NOT take his class. He assigns a ton of reading and it can be very tedious and time consuming. His tests are essays over things you probably won't recall discussing during class....of course you will never discuss anything because the entire class is lecture style- can we say BORING!!!
THis class is awesome, you just have to get past the first couple of weeks. It's good if you have an interest in the medieval world. It's challenging at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's cool
He's definitely a VERY knowledgable guy - but I found his class very difficult. His lectures aren't organized and his tests are very hard. He's very helpful though, so if you take this class, don't be afraid to ask him for help - and do all of the assigned work!
If you are really into history then I guess he would be ok. His test are difficult and he grades harshly. I would avoid taking a class with him if at all possible
Saying he's hard is an understatement. I'm a Dean's List student and this class screwed my over this semester. He grades overly-tough, rips your papers apart, including snide comments that have no need to be included. His tests are awful. He doesn't understand people take his class as Gen Ed.
Dr. Bisson is hard and expects you to put in the work, but he's always willing to help you if you have a question. He's also surprisingly funny and a nice guy! He really wants everyone to learn the material and have a good time. I've really enjoyed his class, even though it's been more difficult than I had anticipated. Take him!
I took his Tudor Monarchy class as a Freshman because I really enjoyed it in High school... he made me hate it. He knows an overwhelming amount but doesn't teach it well at all. I took at least 4 pages of notes each day and still didn't understand what was going on in the class. I ended up getting a WP because I knew I would fail the midterm.
If you have any other option, I would NOT take his class for Freshman seminar. His class is extremely difficult and time consuming, and he is a merciless grader!
FYS - Holocaust Denial Very difficult and demanding class. Bisson is very helpful; but this class must be your main focus. Watch out for the huge essay paper.
I agree that Dr. Bisson is an extremely difficult professor and that he make take his classes a little too seriously. However, with that all being said, I still believe that he was a good teacher and as long as one applies oneself to the class they will do fine, but it is no walk in the park. A lot of reading and very difficult tests and papers.
Douglas Bisson is such a hard professor. He assigned a 3000 word paper, and then made the class write journal entries over a page for the entire time it was assigned. If this was my only class, that would be okay. He takes it way too seriously. The other seminars do next to nothing. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS WITH BISS!
I took medival world with Bisson and it really was not that bad. There are frequent journal entires but they are short. Reading not reall necessary. Tests can be hard if you dont study at all...but he gives you a study with exactly whats on the tests. He's a really nice guy too
Decent Class. Lectures are boring, but unless you pay attention you will not be able to get much more than a C (it is possible to wikipedia search the study guide terms and pull off a B- ) Whatever you do, don't watch Superbad instead of studying the night before a test...it took my grade from a B+ to a D- Learn from my mistake. Bisson's a good guy
Bisson is a good teacher He's interesting. Gave us study sheets before every test. Gave crazy scary quizzes that didn't actually count for anything. And had us write essays and journals, but those were graded so leniently. All of the Essays were given hundreds just for being turned in. At first I thought he was really hard but now I think it wasnt
Bisson is intimidating at 1st. He knows lots, and you will learn a lot in his class. Its is a challenge but nothing you can't handle if you got into college. Study for tests, read, if you have any questions or need help go to him. It gets you brownie points and he is really helpful. Harder than the other first year seminars, but taught me so much!
He's extremely smart, intimidatingly so. His standards are unbelievably high. If you take his class, be prepared for the stress you will be under.
This class was difficult. There is a lot of reading and studying. He is extremely smart and a nice guy. He will go out of his way to help you but sometimes his answers go completely around the answer without addressing what you need to know. If you're willing to do the work you will definitely learn something from him.
Simply the GREATEST professor who has ever lived!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh Dougie Bisson. He comes off as a nice guy, and he is sometimes. He's very intimidating, and you often wonder what the hell he is talking about. Knows a lot of stuff, expects you to be able to analyze history at his level. If you don't want to work hard, don't take him. If he wasn't a Buckeyes fan, this rating would be much worse.
DON'T DO IT. This was the absolute worst class/professor I have ever experienced. Save yourself the tears and heartache.
Great Roman history class with incredibly smart prof. Lots of lecture but really interesting. Got to watch the film SPARTACUS two days in class!!
WORST. CLASS. EVER. Most work. Most difficult. Most stressful. Bisson is not clear with anything he says, and his grading standards are incomprehensible. I put so much time and work into this class, and I'm scraping by with a C. Avoid his class at all costs if you don't want to cry yourself to sleep every night.
Is extremely smart. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. Won't tell you your grade until it's over. If you want to stress over a class that it doesn't matter to anything, go for it. Also, if you plan on taking this class, I would suggest starting your research paper now... And if he tells you your thesis statement is great- REWRITE IT.
Be extremely cautious if you choose to take this professor. He is a very smart man who knows his stuff, but is much too difficult. He does not tell you your grades, and expects an inordinate amount of work, even from non-major classes. Extremely tough grader. Only likes answers that agree with his opinion exactly. I strongly do not recommend him.
Some of the comments on here are a little overdramatic. Bisson's class is very difficult, but if you do your work and actually study its not hard to do well in his class. He is more than willing to meet with you during his office hours and will answer all your questions. I really enjoyed his class and he is probably my favorite professor.
If you are interesting in history at all (major or not), definitely take Douglas Bisson's Roman World course. He demands much out of his students, but it is not impossible. He is extremely interesting and funny, and I would take his course again if I had the chance. If you don't want to do any work though, I would shy away from Professor Bisson.
History of Ireland was difficult but ultimately rewarding. Bisson is extremely knowledgeable about Irish history and knows much about Irish literature and music as well.
Bisson was probably my favorite teacher. Don't take his Roman World class if you are looking for an easy credit. You will have to work hard for your grade, but I found his class very rewarding. Interesting lectures, amazingly knowledgeable guy. Take advantage of his office hours-willing to help. Make sure to ask at least one question every lecture.
He is very smart, but overly strict about how his clasroom should be run. His tests are hard, but do-able. I made an A- in the course and studied about 4 hours for each test. Do the journals on time and make the wrod count because he will not accept them late. and he will not tell you the grades you make on them. If you really like history,take him
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!!!! There are no words for how much i hated this class. He is condescendingly smart and makes you feel like an idiot. Save yourself. No matter how great of a writer you are, he will rip your research paper apart. Just dont do it. DON'T DO IT!!
Dr. Bisson's Medieval World class is definitely the class I worked the hardest in this semester. I enjoy history, so I found this class interesting, but hard. He does not accept late work, so make sure you do your journals on time. Take very detailed notes, he will mention something once, and it will be on the test. He is strict, but funny.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS, EVER. HE IS THE MOST UNREASONABLE PERSON I HAVE EVER MET. HE IS UNCLEAR WHILE LECTURING AND HE ALSO HAS A HABIT OF ANSWERING A QUESTION WITH ANOTHER QUESTION. HE USES HIS INTELLIGENCE TO BELITTLE HIS STUDENTS AND OFFERS LITTLE TO NO HELP WHILE IN THE CLASSROOM. HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO FULFILL HIS ROLE AS A TEACHER.
This professor has a passion for history and nothing else. He is neither approachable, helpful, nor is he considerate. AVOID his class at all costs unless you wish to major/minor in History. One word: misery.
Bisson is incredibly smart, which makes him incredibly condescending. He is NOT there to help you, nor will he make an attempt to. He is fantastic at making students feel awful and loading them down with work, and I mean ridiculous amounts of it. He demands a higher level of academia than should be expected for an irrelevant GenEd history course.
I liked this class because I like history, but those who didn't had a really hard time. He's a bit rough around the edges, but knowledgeable and will help you if YOU make the effort. Quizzes don't actually count and pretty sure he doesn't read the journals. Disappointed with how strict he was about classroom etiquette but I still loved this class.
Incredibly rude for a class that was supposed to be enjoyable. Sent me a rude email telling me that i did not read the book when in fact i read the book and used outside sources and went to the writing center
The course content is not that difficult and he is very willing to help; he just has a very roundabout way of speaking. You might have to restate your question to get the answer you need. He is a little harsh, but only to ensure that you do the best you can. He does not ever intend to be mean.
Very intelligent man. Expects a lot out of students.
Dr. Bisson is a nice man don't get me wrong but his denying the holocaust class should not be a first year seminar. It is extremely difficult and sometimes, no, a lot of the time you want to just give up and cry. If you love history and writing excruciatingly long papers, then go for it. Otherwise, take an easy seminar.
The topic for my class was denying the holocaust. This class seemed more like a history class rather than a seminar class. The work is overwhelming compared to the other seminar teachers. He is not very easy to communicate with as he looks down on you most of the time. He is a very knowledgable person, but not a good teacher. Don't take this class.
Dr. Bisson's class is challenging, but you learn so much. He has an unparalleled command of the topics. I have never met anyone who has a memory as good as his. If you are interested in the subject he is teaching, I cannot recommend him enough. You will learn more than you expected to. His expectations are always very clear.
Avoid this professor at all costs. Seriously. I took him for Denying the Holocaust FYS class, which sounded super interesting, and it would have been with any other prof. He tested over material that hadn't been assigned yet--frequently. He was condescending and unhelpful, and assigned three times as much work as any other FYS class.
Dr. Bisson is one of my all time favorite professors here at Belmont. I've learned so much in his classes and he has taught me to always strive to be the best! Always participate in class and go out of your way to meet with him out of class. He recognizes students who put forth a lot of effort, and will reward you for it in the long run.
He's a little bit odd, but he really knows what he is talking about. Take good notes, and do all the reading. You need it to pass the tests. There is a LOT of reading but seriously, do it. Being a class on the Holocaust, it can get to be kind of overwhelming. There's a lot to take in. But he explains it really well. Also: 10 page paper at the end.
Dr. Bisson is an interesting professor. He is one of the most knowledgable professors I've ever come across. However, he is one of the toughest. If you want to get schooled (literally) in the subject that you sign up for, take his class. It's a higher level class by far. Overall, I would choose Bisson over most.
Dr. Bisson has been one of my favorite professors at Belmont! He is so nice, and will help you out if you just put forth the effort. If you try in his class it is not hard at all, but he knows who does and doesn't try. I would take him again for sure!
I took the Medieval World class. If you are just taking his class for a credit and aren't genuinely interested in the material, really consider taking another course. The lectures are long and difficult to pay attention to. He knows his material, but I would not recommend taking his class unless you are willing to dedicate a lot of time and energy.
I took him for First Year Sem. "Denying the Holocaust". Dr. Bisson is easily the toughest professor I've ever had. He is a very knowledgable man, which makes him quite condescending. Prepare to do daily journal entries over multiple chapters in a book. Class participation is MANDATORY!!
Tough class. Seems like it is almost impossible to get things right sometimes. Need to read EVERYTHING assigned in DETAIL and take notes in order to understand the entire concept. Definitely not a class to blow off. Start studying at least a week before tests. On the bright side, there is always a study guide.
I had Prof. Bisson for the Denying the Holocaust seminar this past semester. I was shocked at how much work this introductory freshman class entailed. While I like a challenge in the classroom, this class was not what I signed up for, as this could have easily been a history class, not a First Year Seminar.
Dr. Bisson is the type of professor who gives back exactly what you put in. If you are willing to put forth effort, he will see that and reward you. I thought he was very kind and understanding. Participation is the key to success in his class!
IMPOSSIBLY TOUGH. Took this as a freshman seminar class and it was the hardest of all my courses. Bisson knows it all and expects that his students do as well, so if you aren't keeping up with the readings good luck! He assigns a research paper and no matter how hard you work on it and A is nearly unachievable. way too difficult for a seminar.
I have never taken a class as difficult as this and I love school. I absolutely love studying and reading but it seems nearly impossible to be right in his class. He has an overwhelming amount of knowledge about the Medieval World that he expects all students to also have. Impossible, very blunt and lecture based teaching style.
He is extremely smart. Write down almost everything he says. He does give you study guides but it basically is just words and names. It's not that this class is hard, it's that the tests are hard. He's a great teacher. Kind of old school, but if you ever have questions just ask him. He's a great guy and funny too. You get out what you put in.
Dr. Bisson is one of the smartest people I know. He is extremely knowledgable of the Roman World and it shows in his lectures. His passion about the topic makes class more enjoyable, even though it's a lot of information. Very lecture heavy with no powerpoints, so take REALLY good notes. If you participate, he will love you! Study lots for tests!
Only take this class if you are up for a challenge. If you work hard Bisson will reward you. Participation isn't detrimental to your grade like Bisson stresses in the beginning of the semester. Reading is not optional. Bisson is very educated in this area and he will expect you to keep up. He can be quite intimidating and condescending at times.
Oh man I had no idea how hard this class would be! Dr. Bisson is a really great and knowledgeable professor... for a history course. But for a freshman seminar, he was way too demanding with reading, writing, and level of knowledge. Great guy who cares a lot, but the Holocaust is already a harsh subject. I recommend this become a history course.
Overly strict & even rude at times
For a first year seminar class this was definitely not what I was expecting. There was a ridiculous amount of work and reading compared to other FYS classes and the research paper required near the end of the course is also in addition to the essay on the final, journal entries on the readings, and all short answer quizzes. Don't take this class.
He is a terrible teacher. Save yourself and don't take his class. He's very rude, interrupts you while you're talking, and it's almost impossible to get an A. The most stressful class so far.
Just finished first semester of freshmen year with his Holocaust denial FYS. I really enjoy learning about WWII and the Holocaust, but the way he taught and the amount that we had to read and respond was just insane. This wasn't a freshmen level entry course, it was a junior level history class. Don't take this class if huge papers give you anxiety
Homework after every class (at least an hours worth). For the final essay we had 2500 word research paper- all other FYS classes had 1500 and got to pick their topic and we also had a pretty difficult short answer final and essay on the final day while most FYS didn't even have a final. WAY too difficult for a FYS should be an easy class like rest.
If you want an easy A on the way to your degree take someone else. If you want to make the most of your degree and are willing to do the work this is the class for you
Doug Bission is the epitome of difficult. He is a very bright individual, and has a great knowledge of what he is talking about. That being said, his expectations are unrealistic, and demands more busy work than any professor I have ever had. If you don't want sleep, crave eternal stress, and enjoy frequent work induced breakdowns, Doug is the man!
this class isnt nearly as bad as the other reviews make it out to be, but doug bisson is definitely just plain horrible. so condescending and has no respect for his students. there is no reason this man should talk to anyone the way he does. i leave class every day feeling so disappointed in myself. no reason this man should be teaching.
Worst teacher ever. I don't even understand how they can let this man keep teaching. His lectures make no sense, making it impossible to take good notes and the content on his tests aren't even close to what you supposedly learn in class. Don't take this class if you value your sanity.
Never take this class unless it is your only option. This is by far my hardest class and FYS is not supposed to be that for a first semester student. The Final Exam is ridiculously hard and the final paper is 2500 words, while every other class is only 1500.
Wow. Worst professor I have ever had! Bisson is crazy and very passionate about the Holocaust. He can spend class time showing you videos of actual Jews being hung, yelling at your class in German, or simply overloading you with too much work for a Pass/ Fail class! 0 out of 10 would recommend.
I spent the first half of my freshman year dreading every second spent in this class. DO NOT take him for FYS. This class is intense and depressing and if you ask a question about objectivity, he will insinuate in front of the whole class that you like Nazis. He picks favorite (usually men). He is mean prideful & will yell at your class in German.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. Lot's of reading and assignments. Too many things going on at once. Assignments, papers and readings assigned on top of each other. You'll never know your standing in the class, assignments will not be graded until after the final. The Seminar paper requirement is twice as much as any of the other FYS classes. do not take
I love how passionate Dr B is about what he teaches but he is a very hard grader. This was my second class with him and every other week we had to read an entire book and write and essay about it. The amount of information you learn is overwhelming (really interesting, but too much) and almost impossible to remember all for exams.
Professor Bisson is a well educated man who knows a lot about what he's talking about. That being said he is VERY political, and brings this into class a lot of the time. He is left leaning and will say crude remarks about those who believe different. That being said his class is tough but good. You will learn a lot, but you will have to earn it.
Dr. Bisson was rude to me in emails when asking about clarification on assignments. He lectures the whole class and often gets off of topic or doesn't clarify anything when questions were asked. There is A LOT of reading for this class and you will be lost if you don't read it.
Professor Bisson was EXTREMLY rude in responding to emails. His lectures are a true waste of time as he begins to talk about things that do not matter to the subject at hand. He does not give ANY dates or timeline of when certain events are happening. If you can learn in a very traditional manner you'll be fine.
Mr. Bission is a very knowledgeable, well educated professor who clearly is very passionate about his subject of teaching. He knows alot about what he's talking about, and does a really good job explaining it in ways students can easily understand. at time it can be hard to follow along but he is very open to questions and kind when answering!
incredibly smart and knowledgeable, but without a doubt the rudest teacher I've ever met. he got mad when anyone had a question. he went on so many tangents in lectures it was impossible to take notes. he would yell at anyone who so much as checked the time on their phone. when he left the room people would exclaim how much they hated him...
Dr. Bisson is one of the worst teachers I have ever had. He is a tough grader and very rude to students. Overall, choose a different class if you can because the class will start off easy but the final essay and final exam are horrible. Good luck!
Dr. Bisson is condescending If you dont know the material. He doesnt put any grades into blackboard, so you dont know if you are passing or failing. The class is made up of journal entries, 2500 word essay and a final exam. Hard to find outside of class. Good luck youll need it if you take this course.
do not take this class or any other class taught by this man. even if you think you can do it, don't. it is such a nuisance. please just drop it. I worked so hard for my grade and this man is mean and scary
Douglas Bisson does not put in grades. It has now been a week after the final and I only now know where I stand in that class. There have been no grades put in until this point. You don't use the seminar book you pay for, it became a history class after the first week, and Dr. Bisson is insanely strict. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS
Professor Bisson is very knowledgeable when it comes to WW2. This class taught me a lot, but was also a lot of work. If you are signing up for this class, be prepared to work your hardest when it comes to the main paper as well as the final. This man also does not in put grades, make sure to check in with him if you want to know how you are doing.
Dr. Bisson scared me at first! Lectures are complex but interesting. See Dr. Bisson outside of class! He can come off as a grumpy old professor in class but he's really sweet. He wants the best for students & is passionate about history. Reading is interesting and seemed reasonable for college. Had to work a bit, but learned a lot.
He is very passionate about the material, but he expects you to know everything he does from the one class. Insanely tough grader, and his explanations rarely make sense. Would not take another class with him.
I do not recommend worst professor I have had at belmont. H does not clarify anything and is very rude. He grades very harshly on anything you submit. he does not care for his students he is there to "teach" and grade and thats it. It should not be this way I do not know how this guy is still teaching at belmont.
Do not take unless you absolutely have to. The class is just lectures where he does not even say everything that is on the exams, and he often says different things than what the textbook says. His grading is insanely specific and subjective. I would recommend going to meet with him if you do take this class.
Do NOT take this class unless you absolutely HAVE to! He wrote some questions for AP exams, his tests are harder than the AP exams. There are only three of them (including the final). He repeatedly disrespects and screams at a special needs person in our class. There are barely any assignments and he grades them so harsh. He is so RUDE.
Bisson is very intense. All of his classes are lectures which are hard to follow. His exams are HARD so study and take good notes. He does stress that he is available outside of class for help. He is a nice guy but a very intense and intimidating professor, I probably won't take another one of his courses again because of this.
Grades were only based off journals and exams. Doing the journals and actually trying was enough to help your grade plus he gave an extra credit journal. His exams are weighed heavily but they're exactly like the study guide but still pay attention to the lectures and take good notes so you understand how the study guide terms correlate.
Dr. Bisson is a very hard professor. He doesn't make note taking easy (which can be very hard for people with learning disabilities like myself) and it's extremely hard to follow along with his teaching. His tests are extremely hard (he wrote questions for AP exams) so I would try to find an easier professor, unless you want a challenge.
If you see this Professor IMMEDIATELY don't sign up for the class
Super hard grader. Lots of reading.
Hard grader, hard to work with. with dr. bisson you're never right. workload is harder than other first year seminars and even some honors classes.homework is usually reading and writing responses (reading 100+ pages and writing 500+ words) multiple times a week. final is 2500 word paper, in class exam, and 1000 word essay.disappointed with content
This man made my freshman year a living hell. It is extremely unfair for a FYS class to be this hard. Every day I regret for being interested in the holocaust when picking classes. The essay is 2500 words for other FYS it's only 1200 words. For other FYS class you may not have a final but for this devil you have TWO PARTS including another ESSAY.
Dr Bisson is everything that is wrong with Belmont. He gives ridiculous journal entries for homework on books that are very difficult to understand, they are graded harshly and there are not enough of them to get a fair grade in the class. Does not except any late work, and is fairly rude and full of himself. he does not respond to emails.
Professor Bisson's class is intense, with heavy emphasis on exams and journals. While his lectures can be hard to follow, using tools like Unstuck study alongside the textbook and taking good notes can help. He's available for extra help, but the grading is quite specific.
STAY AWAY!!! Dr. Bisson is truly terrible, his lectures are impossible to follow, no one ever knows what he is talking about, he is all over the place. We had to take three exams per semester which were graded extremely harshly even when following every direction exactly. He pretends to be the chill cool teacher, but he is rude and should not teach
STAY FAR FAR AWAY Dr. Bisson's class was absurdly difficult for a freshman level class that is a required first year seminar. There were 3 required books that I ended up reading each one at least twice. Extremely difficult grading and he was never pleased with any work. One of those classes where he acts like this is your only class. Frustrating.
extremely rude. he will literally yell at you if you ask a clarifying question and makes you feel dumb in his class. he wants participation but refuses to let anyone talk or state their opinion even tho it was a seminar class. had to write 3000 words in total for the essays on the final exam for a gen ed freshman class. do not take him.
I love this man so much as a professor for history; he's incredibly knowledgeable yet subtly funny. That being said, he is a harsh grader for written assignments, but this is balanced out by giving study guides for his exams. I would recommend him if you're passionate about the class he's teaching, I wouldn't recommend if not.
his class is too hard.he doesn't even teach us.he goes on rampages that have nothing to do with anything. He got mad at us when we weren't responding a lot to his questions and he got mad and kicked us out of the class.If you need to email him, 9/10 he will make you sound dumb and ignore your emails.He grades way too harsh. the exams are too hard.
This class was impossible. I literally could not score higher than a 68% on a single test no matter how hard I studied. So many of the test questions weren't clear and even if you answered it correctly, you would get points off if it wasn't worded how he would word it. If you just need a history credit take his wife's class instead.
From what I've been able to gather, your experience with Dr. Bisson really depends on what time of day you have his class. I took one of his classes in the morning and another in the afternoon, and I found him a lot more pleasant and animated during the latter. Just for the love of God, don't be on your phone, he WILL stop class to tell you off.
I wouldn't recommend taking him for a morning class. We got kicked out once after only the same three people were answering him and he stopped calling on them. Personally I haven't had an issue with the journals, but the exams can be difficult to study for because the study guides aren't comprehensive. Be prepared to read and re-read the textbooks.
He doesn't have any notes anywhere; he rambles on. Hard to take notes and digest what he says. The final is ridiculous; I had to study more for the final than for any of my other classes, even my major-oriented ones. You need to digest everything he says to pass the final. This is an essay packed with all the information from the unit.
Douglas Bisson is the definition of a cranky old man. He clearly knows a lot about what he teaches and isn't a bad person, but he has no flexibility if you are not the exact type of student he wants. Don't take him if you're not ready to pour your entire existence into the subject.
I had an impossible time in his Irish history class. Some things he seemingly only brought up once or twice. I got accused of using AI and my grade never recovered.
Lectures are hard to follow along to, making it difficult to take good notes. The lectures weren't always helpful because he would go on side tangents often. However, he did give us the essay prompts before the final exam, which was helpful. He does answer question during class.
THIS MAN WANTS TO CATCH THESE HANDS!!!!!! He is so rude and thinks he's so funny and smart; he will make you feel dumb and unprepared after he mentions one little thing in a lecture, acting like a peasant in medieval times. And the exams it got to the point where I would just, close my eyes and circle the random answers at times.
I genuinely can't. I have always been a very good student and never had a problem with any of my teachers, but this man is on another level. He contradicts himself constantly, provides feedback that is not legible, and is just flat awful. First Year Seminar is going to be my first B of my life. I am devastated and very very pissed off. -1000000/10.
This first-year seminar is much harder than other FYS classes, which are meant to be easy classes. You will have homework after every class, and the final exam and main essay basically determine your final grade, even if you do well on every other assignment. If you value your time, DO NOT take this FYS class.
He is honestly not a great teacher. I tried to give him so much grace throughout the semester but it did not help. He wants the students to care but the class is impossible to get an A. There are 4 books you have to read, 2 essays, and one test. Not a good class and I was really excited for it too. Don't take his class.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
99%
Textbook Required
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HST101
5.0
(3)HISMANY
5.0
(1)FYS
5.0
(1)GNDBASEBALL
5.0
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HISTORYTO1500
5.0
WESTERNCIV
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