2.7
Quality3.0
Difficulty46%
Would Retake111
Reviews46%
Would Retake
111
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
111 total ratings5
21
4
11
3
26
2
29
1
24
What Students Say
“Shook was possibly one of the worst professors I have had at WUSTL”
CSE131 - 1.0 rating“The snarkiest, most unhelpful teacher I've ever had”
CSE131 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
41%
Textbook Required
30%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.43 avg changeRatings by Course
CSE431
5.0
(6)CSE438S
5.0
(1)CSE566S
4.0
(1)237S
4.0
(1)CSE260
3.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
237S
4.0
CSE260
3.5
CSE132
3.5
CSE431
3.3
CSE131
3.0
Reviews (110)
Doug Shook is by far the worst instructor I've ever had. You won't learn anything from him-he clearly doesn't know the material. He reads off another professor's ppt slides and never explains anything in detail. He even got the easiest question wrong on his own final! I am embarrassed for the WUSTL computer science department for letting him teach.
Shook is surprisingly passionate about compilers. He answers questions on piazza and grades really fast, which is remarkable considering there are no TAs. He expects people to do the readings/work, but I managed to get by only using the textbook sparingly. He is a hard, but its the type of difficulty where you can figure it out with time.
He is an engaging lecturer. Very, very accessible outside of class and on Piazza. His powerpoint slides can be sparse, which makes it difficult to review material after class if you don't take good notes. Once you get your head wrapped around the abstract concepts in the class, the homeworks and labs aren't too hard.
He is the worst professor. He thinks he is the man but really its the TAs that help you with the class. And do not copy labs because he will send out an stupid email saying that he is going to find you and report you. But in fact if you copy the lab and understand it then you will be fine for exams
Do prep work before taking this class. Lots of kids have already taken comp sci and they move through pretty smoothly, but talk to anyone who hasn't already taken any programming courses, and you'll find that everyone is confused and struggling. Not good for a so called intro class.
I do not recommend him at all. I learned virtually everything on my own by looking on the internet. I actually came into this class very interested in computer science, but this class killed all of the interest that I had. For me, this was not a good introduction to computer science.
This was my first computer science class, and I thought Professor Shook did a good job of teaching java to a beginner, and his lectures were engaging. The material does get more challenging towards the end, so if you can, keep up with your extensions, and do a couple for each unit to get enough practice with the material.
Professor Shook was consistently available to help and was always able to explain a problem clearly. Every time I went to him for help, I left knowing more about computer science. He did an exceptionally good job of explaining problems in such a way that you could arrive at the conclusion at your own pace. I hope I take a class taught by him again.
The snarkiest, most unhelpful teacher I've ever had. He never gives a straight answer when people ask questions and then posts mean comments on Piazza about being disappointed with our exam grades. This class is supposedly for beginners but anyone who didn't have a background in programming was totally clueless. 1010 would not recommend.
I really learnt a lot from him but he can be pretty mean at times when he gets overwhelmed with questions. Lectures are quite helpful though.
Professor Shook is an unbelievably strong lecturer and is very reasonable with grading on quizzes, exams, and labs. You should absolutely take 431 if he is teaching it. As long as you go to class and pay attention, not only will you do well in the class, but you will enjoy the material. Could not recommend this more.
You can tell that Prof. Shook really cares about his students and wants to make sure they learn the material. He's extremely accessible outside of class and has the fastest Piazza response time I've ever seen.
Basically a required course for me (there were two other worse options for me), but Shook seems to be incredibly passionate about the material (understandable, considering he has a Comp. Eng. degree). I'm not at all interested in compilers, but I can say Shook is incredibly skilled at teaching. I wish he taught some courses I'm interested in.
I took this as a summer course, hence, group assignments were an integral part of the grading. Its a nice course where you get to learn about a lot of new concepts. There is aslo an exposure to several tools to analyze codes. As long as you work sincerely and meet the deadlines, its a very good course to score well.
He's a pretty great lecturer and made the subject really enjoyable. Exams are open notes so it's not hard to get a good grade. He is also incredibly helpful outside of class and responds to Piazza posts SUPER fast.
Shook is the man. An expert at what he teaches, not afraid to share his vast knowledge, and do it in a fantastic way. He teaches material very approachably, and is a nice guy all around.
Shook was possibly one of the worst professors I have had at WUSTL. During an exam, he stood in front of the classroom and said, "If you have any questions, go ahead and raise your hand, but I probably won't answer them." Whenever I have asked a question or clarification, he has audibly scoffed at me like I am a waste of his time.
Supposedly he's helpful during office hours, but he is really sassy whenever he responds to a question. Basically leaves most of the learning up to you with the course website, doesn't really teach.
Shook is a pretty average professor. His lecture videos get the core concepts for studio/lab across. He can be sassy in answering questions, but when he's not he's often pretty helpful. The homework projects can be pretty big time-sinks, and grading is often done by T.A.s. Exams grading is also precise.
Does not teach the course, unhelpful
If you're at wash u looking on this webstite because you're scared to take 131 because you have no comp sci experience, don't be scared. The class is basically all self taught, so it really doesn't matter how great or horrible the proffessors are. Shook was helpful during office hours though, and I really recommend this class!
had for 131 as well, clearly cares about the education of his students. is incredibly helpful in office hours (go to them!!!), but can occasionally come off as harsh/sassy due to... concise wording. can tell if you put in the effort before asking a question. was a good teacher in 237S because he really likes the material. respects effort the most.
Really good course. Learn a lot. The project is not very difficult.
This semester he gives unlimited extensions to all homework to the last day of class, which is good in a COVID season. However, the homework's tests are not well structured and some hw like B+ tree is very hard. It is not hard to get an A though but you may not learn a lot of database as you expect. A mediocre class overall.
The class is fairly easy in my opinion. But if you have zero experience coding then you will probably need to go to TA hours often which are pretty busy. The class is basically self taught and you barely see Shook (maybe only during studios). The class is basically led by TAs and you only need to attend class on studio days
Shook doesnt teach his own class and has his TAs who are absolutely clueless teach his class for him. Nobody in the class does the work themselves, everyone you ask will say they got it from someone else so if you put in the time to learn it youre put at a disadvantage. Youll learn a lot from this class and do well but its not because of Shook.
The teacher (Doug Shook) does NOT teach, and your grade depends on how chill your TA is. If you don't have a background in compsci, you should RUN because every assignment, you have to do on your own. It is like a puzzle but you don't know what the pieces are. Even if you pass, this class will drain you of any interest you ever had in compsci. HATE
He is the best professor I have ever had class with ! He made my semester, really understanding and helping each student..
This course is just an online self-teaching one. If you have no CS background, you will still be fine. Shook cares his students so much and keeps a flexible policy towards the class schedule. This is an easy A course that would not make you stressful. Just take this course as a freshman in CS!
This class is so fun!!! Literally just do all the assignements, and extensions and you will be fine. As long as you put in the work and start stuff early you should get a high A!
Shook for 131 is hard to rate as the class is mainly self-taught with lots of help from TA's. 131 is set up with very clear and consistent expectations and is generally a pretty simple introduction to coding. You do not need any previous experience coding to take this class. Shook seemed helpful but I hardly interacted with him.
Doesn't actively teach the course so you won't see him apart from Thursday labs where he walks around and answers some questions but very accessible during office hours and genuinely kind professor.
Class is almost completely self-taught. Assignments can take a while if you have never coded before. Many of the students in the class have coding experience and make the class look easy. Exams get progressively harder throughout semester, but if you study for a few days before the exam and go to the required weekly studios, you'll get an A.
Bruh this mans was mad funny. Literally saw him twice so he is really not involved with the class. Shout out to the TAs they carry this class.
Hi so basically he doesn't give any lectures and you kind of see him once in a while or during in-office hours. However, if you make the effort to reach out to him and have questions he is very receptive and willing to help. He's more like a resource than a professor. He's also a very nice guy outside of class.
I have Shook for both 237 and 435 (which was 530s). While he introduced a lot of useful concepts in 237, 435 is just a terrible class IMO. You learn more from CMU database lectures on youtube. The B+ tree assignment is unnecessarily difficult and is not worthwhile. Guidelines for projects can be a lot more comprehensive and detailed.
not choice the professor, never teach, only outside lean everything and not friendly for new learner
Get ready for any concerns to be dismissed by him. In his mind, the class has been taught so many times that there's no way that someone is struggling. He doesn't understand that one size doesn't fit all, and he claims to want to help students while simultaneously acting defensive and dismissive when someone dares to question the course layout.
Professor Shook doesn't provide any lectures throughout the semester, the TAs carry the class, all you have is a pre-studio, then a studio, then an assignment that is significantly more difficult and unrelated to the studio. The class says that you need no prior comp sci knowledge and that a lie, the class should be called intermediate comp sci.
I honestly have not seen him at all. There is NO lecture, basically a self-taught class. If you have no coding background YOU WILL SUFFER.
If you take this class, you will rarely see the professors as the class is TA-led. He is a good teacher when you see him, but it is just very rare that he will show up.
Honestly he wasn't the best professor but because he doesn't actually teach the course (you do textbook readings, then do studios/assignments with TAs) it doesn't really matter. He was always great to meet with after exams though!
No lectures and no teaching which makes the course more confusing and difficult than necessary for a beginner. TAs basically answer all your questions during class and do all the "teaching" so take advantage of office hours early. Don't let it steer you from CSE because it's hard to fail. Basically a DIY become a coder in 12 weeks bootcamp
Only saw prof 3 times over the semester for review (was good at helping us review but that's it). Class was ran by TAs with minimal help by prof.
Shook is fine but this is a TA taught class. Definitely a grind with no CS background.
Definitely not a beginner friendly course. You can get by through office hours and receiving help from TAs, but if you really want to learn how to code your best bet is to look elsewhere. Professor was helpful once every exam cycle by providing review sessions, but besides that he is not really present.
Saw the professor about three times during the semester, he held helpful review sessions before each exam. Ngl in order to get a good grade, you're most likely gonna have to be at office hours a lot. I was there more than I was in class. Assignments are the hardest part of the class, do all of those and the exams and you should get a good grade.
Solid guy for 131. In my opinion, the exams were very easy but the projects were fairly time consuming and going to TA hours helps a lot.
The class itself is almost completely self-taught and I barely interacted with the professor at all. He was helpful during test prep periods but not any other time during the class. Do not take class if not planning on going into Comp Sci!
This class was very much student-led. I don't think I've ever talked to him once because he's never in class. The TAs are more the professor than he is. It's a teach-it-yourself type of thing because he is useless. So many people drop this class. You will only pass this class if you have friends
Getting a good grade is easy in the sense that if you do all the assignments correctly, you'll prob get a good grade. The tests are much simpler than the assignments. I hated the nonexistent teaching, which made it extremely difficult as someone w/o any CS experience. Had to spend literal hours outside of class teaching myself and in office hrs.
My rating is for Doug, but the following is for the course: Overall, CSE131 is a great class. I enjoy having the ability to learn on my own, so how Doug didn't exactly teach didn't bother me. Also, if you can, refrain from relying solely on office hours (unless needed). This can be a rewarding class if you struggle on your own for a bit.
You will probably see him once the entire semester; but as a class, 131 is very relaxed and they set it up so there are lots of opportunities to improve your grade even if the content doesn't come to you easily. Very self-taught class, but plenty of opportunities to meet with TAs if you need help.
This class is basically run by TAs. GO TAs!
Very reasonable guy, always understands if something's going on as long as you communicate. That being said, he's not the greatest at teaching -- I came into the class with prior knowledge but even then felt like he didn't explain concepts very clearly. Lectures felt dry/useless, I ended up going to only half of them and self-studying the rest.
So incredibly condescending. He lectures now yeah, but its uninformative and he hates "stupid questions" (aka questions he deems under his expertise). DO NOT ASK ABOUT THE FORMAT OF THE EXAMS. Good luck soldier.
He does not teach. Lectures are useless. He also is very condescending when students ask questions that he deems as "irrelevant", when they're just common questions students ask in order to understand. If you have no prior coding knowledge, don't even think about taking this course bc you have to teach yourself. There's nothing intro about it.
Doug is so funny and the class is so fun!
I'd only take him again because the class is required. If you take this class, skip lectures he is incredibly condescending and won't go over anything useful. The weekly studios are required and a good place to learn and demo your work at with a TA you know well. Overall not a hard course, just do the assignments honestly and you will be fine.
Professor Shook was extremely bad at teaching, I would not recommend attending the lectures at all for this course. I was already vaguely familiar with the content of the course and I found that when I went to lectures, I left more confused than when I started. He also is just kinda rude. At the end of the day class was extremely easy, but bad prof
This class isn't made for those who've never taken a computer science course. It goes very quickly and there is little help to learn everything. The assignments are difficult and Shook's lectures are very poor. Often when you ask basic questions, he claims we should already know them and does not answer. This class is entirely run by TA's.
I don't have much Java coding experience, but I thought the class was pretty easy and straightforward and you have a lot of time to think through your answers on tests. Shook doesn't go over anything useful in lectures though so just do the module readings and talk to TAs. He also is super stingy about talking about the test format/content
This class definitely NOT meant for those who had no coding experience before. The homework assignments are hard and take very long time to complete.
Prof. Shook is not the best prof to take your first computer science class as it might make you question your major. He's also rude and judgmental when answering students answer in lecture. I also want to take the time to thank the amazing TA that helped me for hw and pass this class but Prof. Shook...
Doug Shook's CSE 131 is a class run by TAs. The lectures are helpful to some people but most will just skip them. I highly recommend doing the code and not using chat gpt because you will fall behind otherwise. Pretty boring teacher honestly but atleast grading is clear and fair.
Professor Shook was actually better than I expected. I found that doing the modules before going to lecture/while in lecture and going to his lectures was the most helpful for me. If you follow along during class and do not get distracted, you will notice the content isn't difficult. If you need help, you can go to TAs office hours.
I personally found it boring, but probably because I do not like CS, as it turns out. Assignments can be tough, but tests are easier and are pretty fair. Shook has days where he is super passionate and some days where he is kind of hard to follow and less passionate. He hates it if you ask about tests, but overall he is just fine.
He manages to turn even the simplest of classes into a scripture-reciting session. His class is an unparalleled cure for insomnia. It's a rare talent to amass such a collection of poor reviews for teaching what should be the easiest of all CS courses.
Prof Shook was nice enough, and the lectures were helpful when he did code writing problems. As others have stated the assignments are very difficult, but the tests are much easier. I didn't really enjoy the class, but it was easy enough to get an A.
Shook was quite condescending and didn't really take well to questions. The TAs pretty much run 131 and the exams are pretty easy so you'll be fine, though.
Shook doesn't really play a big role in his class. CS TA's will carry you and you have to appreciate them. My only interactions with him were through lectures where he was repeatedly passive aggressive towards students. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt since TA's have a high opinion of him. Reach out to him and I'm sure he'd be down to help.
The class itself is well designed in my opinion but Professor Shook doesn't really help much with it. Rather, the TAs are the ones who are helpful. I will say though that it is somewhat difficult to rank Professor Shook since you will interact with TAs far more than you will with him, but my few interactions with him were fine.
Prof Shook don't even teach the class, he never showed up and there's no communication whatsoever. However, his TAs are amazing. The class was easy for me so I never had to ask questions, but if the content is new for you it might be hard.
Professor Shook is not a good lecturer. The TAs basically teach the course for him. He also is not understanding or flexible at all, and will not accommodate personal situations in the classroom. Tests and assignments are mostly easy for this course though.
He was condescending and unfair to students, especially with his course policies which were very strict (no makeup exams for almost any reason). Also, many students felt uncomfortable around him. His TAs basically led the class and were amazing in answering all of the questions that he failed to teach us. Easy to do well with office hours.
Shook didn't teach much at all. The lectures are a waste of time if you read the textbook, which is also terrible. I taught myself CS last semester, and it's embarrassing that WashU or Doug Shook might think they had anything to do with it.
He doesn't teach at all. His TAs try to help with assignments but sometimes even they struggle to explain it, so assignments and studios take a lot of time to finish. Test is straightforward. Nobody comes to his lecture.
This was my first intro class to computer science. In the first lecture, Professor Shook claimed you hadn't needed to know a line of code prior to this class. Complete lie. For someone who has never coded, this class is a complete nightmare. I was planning to major in computer science, but this class alone turned me away. Horribly designed class.
I have no coding experience and I have been doing pretty well in the class. The class is set up in a way that is mostly asynchronous so he does not teach you very much, but seems like a pretty nice guy. Everything is pretty chill except the exams are a little hard, but you get a cheat sheet!
He was really kind to me when I talked him during office hours actually a really nice guy but the class is hard and he doesn't teach well. The professor before him was so well and I use that canvas page because it has slides and videos and other resources. Dough is not a good teacher dont take this class if youre not ready to teach yourself
I just took the class in fall 2024, and I think Prof. Shook is not as bad as the rating. He teaches everything in the module, maybe a bit slow paced, but he always answers any questions in lecture and does a revision session before each exam. It could be a bit hard for people with zero coding experience, especially the last few modules.
he did me dirty rahhhhhhhh
I came into this class with zero coding experience, so it felt like a big jump, especially since Shook only goes over the exercises in the module and not the actual concepts themselves. My main recommendations are to go over the recitation recordings for studying said concepts and to go to TA office hours. Tests were fine, nothing too unexpected.
I had no coding experience whatsoever, and the class was okay. I think the best thing is to try your best. Go to TA office hours, helps so much -- I went all the time for assignments. The actual professor is not involved, but the TAs are great. Wish the class did rounding though and extra credit for late coupons too.
Great professor. Lectures are clear with interesting examples (attendance is not mandatory and recordings are available). Much self-learning in the course but materials are abundant for understanding and practice (if you do all the exercises and assignments, then you will have no problem with the tests). 2% extra credit. You can drop the final!
Never coded before in my life, so it was pretty hard to manage at first esp since it's so focused on independent practice. I would say still go to lectures because the tests tend to mirror the exercises a bit, but also def go to office hours. Tests were fine as long as you have a basic understanding of the material.
Boring, kind of rude, but class is easy. Also his name is Gary supposedly
Pretty easy class, you have to work to get a score as low as mine. 90% of the learning is done on your own outside of class, I high-key just didn't feel like doing the learning. Turn in the assignments and it's impossible to not get an A. If you want to learn and not just farm GPA, I suggest learning Java on your own time and skipping 131.
Shook definitely doesn't suffer fools gladly. I learned through doing the assignments and going to TA office hours, lectures are very skippable
I didn't go to his lectures because I didn't find them helpful, but that isn't necessarily a bad reflection on him. He was a nice guy but had a condescending tone of voice (whether intentional or not). He was really helpful when I had an issue with late credits and gave me more.
Fine professor. There's really no need to go to class and almost all learning is done in the labs and on HW.
Absolutely no need to go to lecture whatsoever. Easy to get an A in the class. Exams aren't weighted that heavily. Studios are graded on being there.
he's not very understanding and won't help you if you need it
Shook isn't a bad professor at all. I stopped going to lectures after the first few weeks and did just fine. Studios in labs are required, but lectures aren't necessary. Everything you need to know is online. Shook seems interested in what he's teaching, but he does seem strict with some things, such as detailing what's going to be on a future test
Professor Shook's class was engaging, and the lectures were helpful, though not absolutely necessary to succeed. Even without prior computer science experience, I was able to follow along and earn an A. The material was manageable, and the class was a good introduction to the subject.
Lecture was very monotonous and largely not helpful. While the class was pretty easy to figure out by yourself, everyone would have benefitted from more useful lectures.
It isn't a difficult class at all, but I question the way it is organized. Lectures are entirely unnecessary and a waste of time. Assignments seem good in theory, but the way they are set up and the instructions are very confusing, making them take more time than they should. Studios aren't really helpful and the tests are easy if you study.
lectures were helpful and he went through example problems in all the lectures. His style of teaching made the content easy to grasp and the tests were easy.
While his class wasn't hard, it doesn't mean he's good professor at all- I think people who rated him high don't realize that. Shook is not a good professor and is SO disrespectful to students. I had horrible interactions and witness him yell at students multiple times. I do not understand why he is allowed to teach if he hates the responsibility.
I had no particular issues with Professor Shook, and considering I knew absolutely nothing about Java before this class, I found his lectures resourceful and clear. Grading is very lenient, making this course easy, but the material itself can be frustrating for beginners. The test reviews he provided in lectures were most useful for exam studying.
Prof Shook's class is pretty easy, but he's so unresonably condescending, disrespectful, and uncooperative to students seeking assistance. I almost had to file an accomodations grievance with dr.
Not terribly hard if you put the work in, but lectures are boring (maybe me just not liking CS), and he is snappy with students. Not the end of the world if you have to take his classes, but not the highlight of my week.
I personally don't like the design of the course, especially the fact that there are quizzes every class and you never know what's going to be on the quiz( concepts, what will be printed, or short written code). I found myself studying for the quiz than actually focusing on the lecture for a lot of times.
I personally struggled with this class, since I don't have any previous background with CS and Java. Based on the fact that we are taking quizzes every class at the end of the session, a lot of times I just found myself reviewing for the quizzes during the class. The time I do listen to the class, I found the explanation to be a bit confusing.
Attendance isn't mandatory but you have to be there for the quizzes. I had no prior cs experience and I found it challenging at first. I spent 90% of my exam studying making the cheat sheet and I didn't really understand the material. Doing the exam prep questions and having that on the cheat sheet is all that you need to do well on the exams.
Rude, childish, disrespectful, and low-tempered. The course was structured poorly. Quizzes at the end of lecture make it so that you spend lecture thinking about old content and not learning new material. Lots of cram coding before tests. Having no CS experience, this class was difficult at first. Def a class that requires some attention!
Shook lectures pretty well, but it can be boring. Exams are not bad if you put the work in, however, writing out large chunks of code can be brutal. Not the end of the world if you get him, but not the highlight of my week. Also, people might call him snappy, but only when you're twenty minutes late; he's not rude if you're a decent student.
Shook is a nice man from far away but deeply unpleasant when you need one on one help. His lectures are decently clear but very slow paced and boring. Studios are helpful though, just pray you got stuck with a ta that doesn't treat you like a child.
He had great analogies, and was easy to understand in lectures. I liked his enthusiasm for the subject. Although the class is pretty much self-taught, he clarifies material really well.
While very easy, this class was a nightmare. Lectures, which are unhelpful and boring, are basically required as they give a quiz at the end of each one. The class is so large that you will interact almost entirely with TAs. Studios were not helpful. Uses an online textbook. If you have never coded before, beware - this class will not teach you.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
41%
Textbook Required
30%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.43 avg changeRatings by Course
CSE431
5.0
(6)CSE438S
5.0
(1)CSE566S
4.0
(1)237S
4.0
(1)CSE260
3.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
237S
4.0
CSE260
3.5
CSE132
3.5
CSE431
3.3
CSE131
3.0