2.9
Quality4.2
Difficulty46%
Would Retake244
Reviews46%
Would Retake
244
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
57
4
47
3
27
2
52
1
61
What Students Say
“The class itself is not horrible, you can preview by looking up "understanding analysis" and practice”
MATH521 - 1.0 rating“Taking Calculus 3 with this professor was the worst experience of my life”
MATH233 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
40%
Textbook Required
3%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.11 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH381H
4.1
(12)MATH233H
4.0
(3)MATH110
3.6
(17)MAT231
3.5
(4)MATH233
3.2
(68)Difficulty by Course
MATH381
4.5
MATH232
4.4
MATH231
4.3
MATH521
4.2
MATH130
4.1
Reviews (244)
Burkhead was an extremely nice and helpful professor. She tried her best to make sure all the students understood the material. The tests were tough, just because the course material is tough; she did a great job explaining everything though. Go to class, and do a ton of practice problems and you're good. Fair grader.
She's very enthusiastic while lecturing and puts in a lot of effort to make sure the class is understanding the material. All her lectures are very well organized and structured so it's hard to get lost during class. Definitely recommend her as a professor.
This class wasn't easy, but the professor made it as enjoyable as she possibly could. The lectures were very clear and she continually asks the class if there are any questions before moving on to harder material. She is always there for you both during and after class if you need extra help.
She is my favorite professor in the math department! Lectures are super clear and organized. Her tests are extremely fair. If you review your notes and homework, it's very easy to get an A on the exam. If you have any questions she is always willing to help. She brought back my confidence in math!
A stick to her ways kind of teacher which is fine but gets frustrating. No formula sheet on tests, no curves, no solutions to anything except 1 copy of it outside her office, a lot of double penalties when grading, was once way too slow now way too fast in going through the ch. Honestly a disappointing professor after reading these good reviews
Dr. Burkhead is AMAZING! She's fun in class and actually cares about the material she teaches.
Great instructor and very kind person! Dr. Burkhead was very clear and enthuasiastic during lecture, and she also made herself very available for help outside of class. Definitely take a class with her if you can.
Dr. Burkhead is one of the most amazing professors I have ever had. In a lecture of almost 200 students, she worked insanely hard to learn each person's name. Even though I went to office hours once and only spoke up to ask questions during class, she knew my name. Her lectures are great, and she really takes the time to answer any questions.
Professor Burkhead is fantastic. She is very accessible during office hours if you have any questions. Her tests were very fair and were pretty similar to the homework problems. She is also very personal and will learn every person's name in the class. Honestly one of the best professors I've had at UNC.
I love Dr. Burkhead! BY FAR the best math professor I've had at UNC. Although this class is very difficult she gives great lectures, is engaging and really cares about her students! She learned everyone's name in our class of 100 students.
She is a genuinely caring professor that actively reaches out to students; I never went to office hours and never asked questions, but she still knew my name. Tests directly reflect homework material, and the TA's give a lot of partial credit. Lectures are involved and give lots of practice problems, which is good prep for tests.
Great professor who provides lots of practice. When studying for tests, make sure you do the unassigned practice problems as well as the old homework questions. Other than definitions, that is what is expected. Lots to learn, but Dr. Bulkhead made it much easier.
She is an incredible professor. She is very clear when she lectures, and takes the time to make sure all questions are explained thoroughly. Attendance isn't mandatory (PollEverywhere), but the material is hard to learn on your own and she explains it very well in class. Textbook homework is optional but helpful. Great professor!
Prof. Burkhead is great. She's caring and teaches well. She's made it a goal to know every single student's name in her class of 200 people! How exceptional! She's the real-deal. Easy to talk and relate to. Take her class.
Dr. Burkhead is awesome! She is a straightforward professor who teaches in a clear, eloquent manner. She really cares that her students understand and even learned almost every student's name in a class of 100+ students. She is passionate about math and very understanding of any concerns or issues you may have. Makes calc 1 not so scary/bad at all!
Dr. Burkhead is awesome! She is super sweet and very approachable. She does her best to describe topics. Although it is a very fast paced class, she makes sure to start at the very beginning so no one gets too lost! Take Dr. Burkhead for Calc 1
Dr. Burkhead is a very nice lady, and her class is fairly enjoyable because of her passion for calculus. However, it is test-heavy, with 3 midterms making up almost half your grade and a final worth 33%. Flub on the tests and you're kinda screwed. Put in the work, and it should be fine.
She's a really nice, caring person, and you can tell she really loves the subject. However, the grades are contingent pretty much only on midterms and finals. It takes a long time to get grades back, and we didn't have grades back for the first midterm until it was past the deadline for dropping. Her office hours were during my morning classes too.
Dr. Burkhead was very good for Calc 1. It is certainly easier if you've taken any calculus in high school. She was also very enthusiastic which made the class much more enjoyable. However, our class moved slowly and she would sometimes end up proving a concept for the whole class instead of practicing it. Ie- product rule. Great outside of this!
Professor Burkhead was a great professor. We had textbooks but all the information you need is taught in her lectures. Tests are straight forward, and she has office hours if you need further help. If you do the homework and study everyday, you should have no problem doing well in the class. Make sure if you need help, to seek it.
Dr. Burkhead is very empathetic and sweet, and she makes an effort to get to know ever student in a 300+ person lecture. She does her best to help you succeed, and is pretty helpful during her office hours. However, the course is heavily dependent on exams (3 midterms + final) and it's difficult to earn a good grade in her class.
Dr. Burkhead was an amazing teacher! She always came in excited to teach class and made her best to learn everyone's names. She explains calculus very clearly and her tests are fair. Do the homework, show up to class, and ask questions. You will be fine.
Dr. Burkhead is a professor you absolutely cannot pass up. She does a great job explaining everything and is more than willing to answer questions. She works with the class to determine the pace and will adjust the class as needed based on test performance. She'll do ANYTHING (including freestyle rap) to make her class excited about calculus!
Dr. Burkhead moves at a relatively quick pace sometimes, but is far from the worst professor at UNC. A reliable choice for calc 1.
For an intro class like 110, my experience has been terrible. She assumes all students are starting out with a certain level of math knowledge (Im not). Class is entirely taught using ALEKS - in class lessons make no sense in combination with that homework, and the tests are MUCH more difficult than the practice tests prepare for. Completely lost.
A great professor for Calc 1, very enthusiastic about it. I do wish the didn't feel so rushed though, its as if there is just enough time to finish them if you don't go back to recheck your work/thoroughly think about it.
Really the most amazing professor I had this semester. She was funny, never lost her temper (which was a bit unnerving), and knew how to lighten the mood. She remembered my name and face after looking at my OneCard for barely 5 seconds (also a little unnerving but more amazing than anything). Definitely would take again.
AMAZING PROFESSOR. Dr. Burkhead genuinely cares about her students and actually makes an effort to learn everyones names. Super helpful both in and outside of class. Cares more about working hard and learning than grades. Makes it super clear about what is going to be on tests. 10/10 would recommend.... I am even taking her again next semester.
Highly recommend Dr. Burkhead for MATH110. She definitely knows her stuff and she is impeccably smart, so sometimes things get confusing. The exams are hard and there is a ton of homework. Go to tutoring. Take notes from the textbook!! Ask for help on basic skills so they can build on each other.
As someone who's horrible at math and just needed Calc 1 for a prerequisite, Burkhead is your best bet. She really cares about you, and she does a lot of examples in class and is very transparent about the test and final. She goes very fast in lecture so there is a lot of studying at home but it's doable for a Calc course.
This class is designed for students who believe math is not their forte. Most people who take calculus forget the "easy stuff" so this class is definitely necessary before calculus! If you read the textbook and take good notes, go to tutoring, you will do fine. Homework was due around once a week usually through a program called ALEKS.
Dr. Burkhead is amazing. Be aware that we use a program called ALEKS and you will be required to put in hours and hours every night. Other than that, Burkhead is absolutely amazing. She is funny, down-to-earth, and really cares about her students. She WILL learn your name and your face and she values YOUR time. I hope to take her again one day!
Burkhead is really an amazing teacher. She clearly cares a lot for everyone of her students. It is a hard class even if you have taken calculus before because it is so test heavy. The final was a good bit different from her exam... more trick questions kinda. Overall, really recommend her even just to see her excitement about math!
Ive never been the best at math but Dr. Burkhead really makes things easy to understand. She has no problem re-explaining things and you can tell that she truly just wants her students to understand the whys and hows when approaching mathematical concepts.
prof burkhead is an amazing calc 1 instructor! i retook calc in college after not doing so well in high school, and i have a better understanding of it now. she's extremely passionate about the subject and ensures that her students understand the curriculum. you need to work hard in this class, but it's not too bad. try to take calc with burkhead!!
She makes calculus so much fun and gives such amazing feedback and example problems. The recitations can be a little dry but that's mostly because of the students there and not the TAs. Make sure you practice your problems though and I recommend going to some review sessions!
Literally the worst professor in the math department. I would HIGHLY advise you NOT to take this professor. Her reviews look pretty okay but I can promise you that she is not. Her tests are extremely hard for no reason, whereas every other professor has easier tests. If you don't want your gpa to die... do not take Burkhead.
Dr. Burkhead is the best! She gives partial credit on tests (which is SO nice) and cares about her students understanding the material. I took AP Calc in high school so this class wasn't very demanding, but be prepared to spend time outside of class learning the material if you've never taken calc because it's very fast paced and covers a lot.
I took calc AB in high school but Burkhead taught me so much I didn't know and reinforced things I thought I did in different ways! She is so knowledgable, lectures well, and is accessible outside class. Her tests are not too bad with the exception of a difficult question every now and then but she does give VERY generous partial credit. Loved her!
Emily Burkhead is a great professor. She knows everything about math. She is very sweet and does care about her students. However, Math 110 is not the easiest. There is so much homework all the time, and the tests are very hard. Not a class that should be considered a joke because you have to put in a lot of effort to get a good grade.
I absolutely loved Dr. Burkhead. She takes the time to learn the names of almost every student in her lecture which is nothing short of amazing. Her enthusiasm radiates through the room and she truly makes calculus enjoyable. Had I not have been lazy throughout the semester I would've gotten an A. Highly recommend to all.
Dr. Burkhead is an amazing and hilarious math professor. She is super willing to help students and it's obvious that she wants everyone to understand the content. Her office hours are super helpful and she will explain a concept until you understand it. The tests can be difficult but are straightforward and she doesn't try to trick her students.
She teaches the simple problems for every concept and then tests on the most complicated version of that concept. You can feel awesome on the class material, and still fail a midterm.
unless youre the spawn of Albert Einstein, please do not take math231 with Dr B. Her tests are so unnecessarily difficult its kind of ridiculous. You will feel great after taking notes and practicing, but once you get the test it goes down hill from there. Please save yourself the stress of math231 and find another professor besides Dr. Burkhead
Dr. Burkhead is a very nice person. However, her tests are nothing like what you learn in class. She will practice easy questions in class and you will have heart attacks on the exams. Other MATH231 professors' tests I've heard are really easy compared to hers. I don't know how thats fair. Please avoid taking this class with her at all costs!!
She is a very sweet person. However, you will be taking the notes and feel so good about the information. You will get 100 on homeworks and extra practice question then youll get the test and DIE. Her tests are NOTHING like her course and will kill you. Don't take calculus with her if you want to pass.
Not sure why people are complaining about the tests.. they are definitely hard but if you do the practices on the my pearson website you will be ok
She's nice. However, tests are nothing like what you practice, even though I did fine on them. Doesn't really care about your grade, you better just hope you do well on the test. TAs even admitted questions were unfair and apologized bc they were so difficult. Many more predictable and enjoyable calc teachers out there. Would not recommend.
I took calculus first semester with another professor and did so badly on exams even though I knew the material, she just was ridiculous on making the exams so hard. I retook calculus with Burkhead and the exams were not easy but she is very very very clear about what she wants. She even offered an extra point quiz for the lowest exam.
She is a very nice person, and I have loved her lectures. Whenever we go over problems, I feel as if I understand. I have also done all of the practice problems she has given us out of class and thought I understood the material. However, I have found every midterm to be almost completely impossible. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS IF YOU WANT TO PASS 231!
Terrible. she does one or two simple examples at most during class. The types of problems on the exams are unnecessarily difficult, and do not reflect the class, non collected homework or my math lab. Appears nice, but doesnt care if you pass or fail. My TA even said the exam was overly difficult. There are better professors out there.
Dr. Burkhead is a nice lady and will try to help you if you need it. That being said, I always feel like I know the material so well because I do well on the practice problems and homework we are given but then when test day comes I feel like it is significantly harder.
I think Dr. Burkhead made this class harder than it needed to be. The lectures were easy to follow, and she's very enthusiastic when teaching, but the tests were way harder than the simple examples we did in class; the hw was definitely doable though. I truly enjoy math, however now I feel that I've lost confidence in my mathematical abilities.
Although Burkhead is a sweet person overall she's a terrible teacher. She pretty much leads you on in class with very simple examples and then gives you an exam that is 10x harder. She doesn't curve anything and is really no help. Math 130 was a flipped classroom. She taught NOTHING in class so be prepared to teach everything to yourself. BEWARE
Dont get me wrong, Dr. Burkhead is really nice. BUT this class was way too hard and misleading. I took HS precalculus and got an A and felt fairly confident coming into this class but now I have 0 confidence in math. The homework and class work is very easy and doable... but her tests are INSANELY HARD. I went to tutoring weekly and still did bad
Math 231 is not an easy class but Dr. Burkhead is the best!! Her tests are really difficult so you really have to go to lecture and do the optional homework to understand the material well. She is super nice and caring but definitely expects you to put in the work.
I don't understand the Burkhead hate! She is incredibly kind and learns names despite huge lectures. She is always accessible during office hours and wants to see you succeed. It is tough, but definitely doable. If you are struggling, go talk to her!
Tests are hard hard and there are most likely going to be things you have not seen from the lectures. During lectures, all she gives you will be two easy examples which will definitely not appear in midterms. Her finals are there to mess you up and it will change your letter grade (changing like going down bro). RUN AWAY before it's too late.
Dr. Burkhead moved at an extremely fast pace in lecture. Often times she would have already moved on to the next topic before I could write down what she was saying, let alone take a second to comprehend it. She also grades very harsh on tests and takes off major points for minor things.
Dr. Burkhead's lectures move quickly, but she gauges the class's understanding as she goes and is very open to answering questions. The homework for 231 felt a bit daunting at times but it was definitely helpful to make me feel more comfortable and confident with the material. I believe the course was challenging but she is very fair.
The exams were unreasonably difficult and are hard to finish within the class period. I did all of the homework and still struggled with the exams, so her "kindness" just came off as condescending when she made it clear that she couldn't care less about our GPAs at all. Avoid taking her class!
Burkhead is nice and her lectures were fairly easy to follow. I felt like I completely understood all of the topics and did great on the practice problems. However, when I would look at the test questions it looked like a different language. My TA apologized on behalf of the tests because even they believed that they were unfair and very difficult.
Avoid this professor at all costs. I did well in AP calc in high school and still managed to nearly fail all of her tests. She seemed to be proud of how ridiculously hard her exams were and that the class average was a 60... Also did not curve grades and very unhelpful outside of class. Seriously The Worst
She is honestly the mom you wish you had. A healthy mix of tough love and kindness. You can tell she really cares about her students wants every single one of them to succeed. Her class is hard but not so hard that you can't get an A but you will definitely have to work for it.
I loved math with Professor Burkhead! I am not a math person, so I did struggle a bit in this class, however, Professor Burkhead is so helpful and accessible. She did not question when I had technical issues on tests and always did everything she could to make sure my answers would receive. I highly recommend!!
The class is not easy and it is heavily based on tests (3 midterms +final). Professor Burkhead does what she can to help by dropping the lowest grade in each category and allowing the final to replace the lowest midterm. The class is still incredibly hard, but if you're typically good at math and put in the work you can probably get an A or B.
In the crazy online semester we had, Dr. Burkhead designed and led an excellent class that gave students ample opportunity to learn and master the material. I definitely struggled throughout on midterms and quizzes but by the time the final came around I really KNEW calculus and aced it. An incredible professor and a great class, highly recommend!
Burkhead is the most empathetic math teacher and wants to see all of her students succeed. However, that does not mean this class is easy, coming from CALC 2 at a community college two years ago, this class was crazy difficult. Expect to spend 10 hours a week studying/doing homework if you want an A, unless you're a genius
I think shes a great professor. Her lectures were easy to follow and she created multiple opportunities for you to ask questions. She was easy to reach outside of class and took time for those who needed more help on certain topics. Utilizing the ALEKs program was helpful but it was a few hours of work per objective if you didnt split it up.
She gives good lectures but is a strict grader on midterms and final. A couple homework assignments every week that take about 1-2 hours but they help raise your grade in the end. She is very sweet and really cares about all her students, Calc 3 is just a difficult class overall
concepts in the class were easy and i was already familiar with them but the tests were harder and not like the homework. super helpful about test technical difficulties. tended to get off topic and talk about political topics sometimes. required lockdown browser and zoom during test (ik other profs didnt) proud students did bad on test
Good at explaining concepts, and always clearly prepared before class. Grades on tests were lenient, and she gave a fair amount of partial credit for long problems. There's a lot of homework though.
This was seriously the worst class I have EVER taken at UNC. I've done well in every other math course, but Burkhead broke my soul. You think you're prepared going off of the homework and in class notes/examples, then the tests have the most difficult and confusing version of it that you were never even vaguely shown how to calculate. Don't do it.
Burkhead teaches pretty fast in my opinion. The tests are insanely hard and like 75% of your grade so yeah... (including final). Also homework can take a long time. I am not sure if I blame Burkhead for the tests or the math dept. but the tests are brutal.
I've always been good at math, and I took AP Calc in highschool, but I still didn't do the best in this class. Burkhead is so nice and I do feel like she wants her students to succeed. Tests and quizzes though, the shortest tests and quizzes I've ever taken, and the time limit hurt me every time. She said they must be during class though. Oh well
Dr. Burkhead is incredibly enthusiastic and passionate about calculus. She often goes really in-depth with her examples which can get confusing at times, but she always opens the floor to any and all questions for better understanding. Calculus is hard in general, but I really believe Dr. Burkhead is a great option.
Calc is hard, but Prof Burkhead makes it much better. I last took calc 2 years ago, but I was able to do well. Points aren't deducted for arithmetic errors which is nice, & I thought the tests were fair. You probably will have to spend a lot of time studying, but she wants us to succeed & offers help. This class was overall a good environment!
okay class, but the hw would take HOURS TO DO, test are pretty rough
Although I do feel Professor Burkhead did try to make the class more interesting (especially considering it was online), it just wasn't a bearable experience for me.
Dr. Burkhead is an amazing professor! Not an easy A by any means, but if you do the work, attend class, and ask questions, you will be fine. Dr. Burkhead truly wants every student to succeed and is more than happy to help with any troubles you may have. Flipped classrooms aren't great, but Dr. Burkhead made class enjoyable. Take her class!!
I mean, she's not a bad prof, but everyone who has her feels behind the other lectures. The lectures were hard and she writes too small for you to see. Dr. Burkhead is super nice in office hours, but her teaching style is kinda inconvenient and hard to learn. Be prepped to teach yourself and spend way too much time doing math ://
Dr. Burkhead is super nice but her lectures are super confusing. She also writes super small and in light chalk colors on the board which makes it hard to see, and goes way too fast. She takes concepts that could be explained easily and overcomplicates them. recommend getting an outside tutor if u want to do well in this class. hw takes hours
This was my first class coming into UNC and it was extremely hard. Her lectures would jump from one point to the next and we would not even have time to digest what was being told. The grading in the class is also awful with tests being extremely difficult and having nothing to do with what we learned in class. Do not recommend at all.
Such a hard class, lots of work, but Burkhead is such a kind teacher. I enjoy her lectures but not the homework or the class content. But that says more about my aptitude for calculus, not Burkhead herself. She's great.
Professor Burkhead makes you feel like you understand the basic concepts of calculus, until you look at the exam. The exams are always 200% harder than what she teaches in class, and there are 4 exams (including the final). Luckily you can drop one of the exam scores if you do better on the final, but good luck with that.
Do not take her for any math class. I took calc in high school and this was still my hardest class of the semester. She is very vague during her lectures, and the homework and recitation work assigned does not equate to the exams at all. She does not curve exams either, even when the majority of the class is failing.
She cares about her students but it's a flipped classroom which means you teach yourself and then she goes over examples in class. The homework takes hours and the test problems are way harder than anything learned in class. I studied for hours using the study guides and still didn't do great. Exams basically determine your entire grade
Very caring professor, but lectures are hard to follow. Class requires a lot of outside prep, but half the class still fails the tests. No extra credit or curves. Not enough time to complete tests without rushing. HW does not reflect test difficulty.
This teacher does not teach you anything. The class is basically like your given random puzzle pieces that are impossible to put together. The tests are nothing like the practice tests, and are very challenging. She does give partial credit, but without it, it would be impossible. Do not take this class!
Professor Burkhead is an awesome teacher, but her class is hard. Expect the tests to be very difficult, but she does a great job preparing you for the common final. It will be a cakewalk compared to the tests you take in her class. One of the few profs in the math department where you do not need to teach yourself the material.
She does not know how to explain math material. Her lectures are very vague, and she chooses the hardest problems she can on tests. She was glad when we were consistent on tests, getting a class average of 60% on both midterms, no curves. I was out for 2 weeks, she extend my homework deadline but I had 3 weeks of homework due in one night.
Dr. Burkhead's MATH 231 was very difficult. The way she explains concepts in class is very convoluted and hard to understand. There are a few practice problems every week. She recommends that you do an hour of practice problems every night, but even with extra practice, the tests are hard to pass.
Dr Burkhead is a very sweet professor, she is very kindhearted and understanding. The course itself is very difficult, and sometimes she cannot explain things in a way that makes sense, so I struggled a bit in the class.
Very enthusiastic, explains things generally well, although sometimes goes too fast, but this is inevitable during a lecture.
Dr. Burkhead is very sweet and caring, and I really felt like she tried to connect with her students throughout the year. However, she goes through the course material very quickly and most of the time, her explanations of concepts are not clear at all. Problems we did in class were generally MUCH easier than what we were tested on.
Prof Burkhead's class was terrible. She moved extremely quickly and her tests are insanely hard. I've taken calc before in college and got an A yet I did so badly in her class. Would not recommend!!!
She is a good person but is not the best teacher. She moves through material quickly and her class examples are not a good reflection of what will be on the test. The midterms are insanely hard and count for a fair percent in the course grade. You need to attend lectures every class and make sure to put in the work outside class to pass.
Very caring and tries to keep students engaged. Lectures did move fast but thats because theres a lot of content to cover. Understanding and accessible outside of class. Midterms were hard but she did give a lot of partial credit. If you study hard for them, the final will be easy.
Prof. Burkhead is very caring, but her class is the hardest class I've ever had. Coming from higher level maths in high school and getting A's, to this class, I feel stupid. 85% of your grade is uncurved exams. Lectures were often filled with very hard problems. I was scared the whole time and I studied a whole lot. Be prepared to work really hard.
Dr. Burkhead is very supportive: she remembers your name in a sea of hundreds and strives to help every student personally. However, her exam questions are harder than any problem from the homework, lessons, or recitations. Our test averages were consistently D's, but she curved an exam and our final grades. Be prepared to work hard for every test.
I prayed to God to give me a sign if I should droop the class, and during class office hours, someone asked a question to her about HER OWN study guide. Burkhead looked at the question and said "Well, it's worded really weird huh". That's all I needed.
Does the bare minimum to teach the students. She does her job, but not well. She has a passive aggressive attitude every time you see her. Not comfortable to be in her class.
The lectures were very, very boring. She consistently would start lecturing five minutes late and would be finishing up hard concepts as time would run out so we would have to stay past time or leave and miss certain points. One thing I did appreciate was the notes being posted on Sakai. Burkhead is a tough grader, only one test received a curve!
I've never worked harder for an A in my entire life. She says she "doesn't try to trick you on exams" but her exams were much harder than other sections for no reason. She thinks the consistent 60 average on the exams was good. One time, ONLY 1 out of 130 students got an A. Go to Math Plus. An A is possible, but it's a full-time job. Good luck.
Let me preface this by saying I got in A's in both precalculus and calculus in high school... I struggled to pass this class. Dr. Burkhead simply could not teach, her lectures were fast-paced and she relied solely on you doing problems through Learning Catlytics in class and teaching yourself the content before and after each class. Don't take her.
If I could rate her, I'd give her a 0, but that's not possible... so I give her a one.
Dr. Burkhead cares greatly for her students. I think the biggest problem was being able to have enough time in class for every student to understand the topics being taught. I think that is why most students began to fall behind since they couldn't understand.
Burkhead is a nice person, when she isn't teaching calc. To be fair, I never went to office hours or did much outside studying for this class, but that was because the homework took a ridiculous amount of time itself. She powerwalked out of lecture with a smile on her face after telling us our midterm average was a 60, which she was"satisfied with"
Calc at UNC is a challenge no matter which professor you have, but Dr. Burkhead is a good choice. The class is fast paced and work is needed outside of class to grasp the material, but Dr. Burkhead is accessible and more than willing to help. Be sure to do the homework (graded AND non-graded practice) if you want an A.
Dr. Burkhead is the most brilliant person I've met (so far). Wonderful educator, quality lecturer, explains things well, etc.. She gave a lot of homework, so be prepared to work, but it won't impact your grade if you miss a few assignments. She's engaging and, most comfortingly, a lenient grader. 10/10 recommendation.
Math 233 just is not a fun class to begin with, but I was hoping that Dr. Burkhead would make it a little bit easier. I was pleasantly surprised by her energy, and she always has a good attitude. However, often her lectures are hard to understand and her class notes are not very helpful.
Prof Burkhead is a good teacher, but she makes MATH231 so much harder than it needed to be, you would be better off taking it with McCombs.
she is a ok lecturer, however would always feel like I knew everything on the study guide and did well on all the homework's. I was always surprised with how hard the tests were.
I do not know why there are so many good reviews, to be honest. She has. "FLIPPED" classroom essentially so you self-learn, basically. You think that you have the material until you take the exams that are beyond horrendous. Her explanations honestly make little sense to the normal person but probably does to a physicist. She is nice though?
one of my favorite professors so far. the flipped-classroom environment was really nice, she was very helpful during class time if you needed extra clarification. she is also just a very fun and caring professor! would def recommend for precal!
Burkhead is an amazing lecturer- everything we went over in class was clear and she answers questions well. However, her tests go far beyond the scope of what we go over in class, and it takes LOTS of practice and solid understanding to do well. Hardest class I've taken at UNC, but she's very helpful and drops a lot of grades at the end
Dr. Burkhead is a good professor in that she is passionate about her teaching. But there is a lot to cover in Calc3 and she will often rush through a lot of new [and difficult] concepts in her lectures, with some topics taught in recitation only. At least 12-15 hours of homework every week. Not a lot of helpful resources available outside of class.
Dr. Burkhead is nice, but not my style of math teachers. I would say I taught myself everything like actually. I learned through the online textbook, youtube videos, and attending OTHER teacher's office hours. If you vibe with a flip classroom and one 10-minute "lecture video" to teach the lesson then this is the class for you.
Professor Burkhead was overall a great professor. The material covered in math 233 is very hard, but she does a great job explaining it. She holds office hours and makes herself available after class to answer questions. She is a bit heavy on the theory behind things, which can be a plus if you like that. 2 tests and the final were 72% of our grade
No matter your prof, this class SUCKS at UNC. They make it so hard, if you're taking it as a pre-req for HPM, take stor113 instead!!! If I had to take it again, I would take Burkhead or a random TA, not much of a difference. Force yourself to GO TO MATH PLUS!!! boosted my grade up 10 points after I made myself go.
Dr. Burkhead was great overall for 233. Calc 3 is hard as expected, but she had notes laid out on Sakai and was always happy to answer questions after class or in office hours. Sometimes we rushed through things and you have to learn on your own, but it isn't out of the ordinary for a math class. Tests and the final were fair.
Professor Burkhead's lectures were engaging, and she regularly asked the class if we understood the material. She would also walk through the class when we were working on problems to see if she could help explain material to us one-on-one. She had office hours regularly where she really cared if we understood, and replied frequently on piazza.
She assigns a ton of homework(once had ~40 problems in a week) and is very inconsiderate of students' circumstances when it came to granting extensions, even for things such as family deaths and illness.
Dr. Burkhead is a great person, but her teaching style utilizes the flipped classroom. Be prepared to teach yourself all the material before class meets. During class, you will work on review problems on Learning Catalytics that she goes over during the last five minutes of class. Homework is manageable, tests are very short and weighted heavily.
I found Dr. Burkhead's class difficult to succeed in as the course was incredibly test heavy and due to the flipped classroom structure. Very little time in class was spent reviewing the content and the homework usually varied largely from the type of questions we did in class via Learning Catalytics.
She seems nice but I don't like the way she teaches the course (flipped classroom). She over explains things so I resorted to just teaching myself everything outside of class which is difficult to do since I'm busy with other work and activities.
While it is no question Prof Burkhead is very knowledgable, her unwillingness to be flexible with grading is brutal. The flipped classroom style is ok, but leaves very little time to review before moving topics, and this means topics hardly covered make up the majority of midterms and final exams.
Professor Burkhead is exetremly gifted with understanding math, however, the flipped classroom style of teaching meant that you had only one day, maybe a fast office hours visit, to completely grasp concepts that when tested on, are harder than anything ever seen in or outside of class.
Prof. Burkhead is nice but sucks as a professor. I walked into class feeling confident about the material for that day, But, in class, her 10-min review would leave me confused and she would just do learning catalytics. Her use of class time is ineffective. tests are short-answer and she was the only teacher to not curve.
Prof. Burkhead is great at math, but I did not find her to be the same at teaching. Her grading guidelines are insanely narrow, and I found that she was unwilling to listen to student feedback on any aspect of the class. Furthermore, information about the final exam was consistently vague or just wouldn't be communicated at all
I had a B+ until her final (which class avg across all sections was under 70%, and only gave a 3 point curve on) that is worth 33% of the grade took my grade down to a C+. She made me accommodate to her final which threw off my other finals because of make ups. Be prepared to teach yourself at home and then let her half explain in class.
Discrete math is hard, but Dr. Burkhead challenged us and helped us learn. My only complaint is that we spent a lot of time at the beginning of class asking trivial questions, which often turned our 50 minute classes into 40 minute classes.
Dr. Bukhead is a decent professor to take calc with! The only complaint is that she goes pretty fast in class so a lot of time is spent outside of class studying/reviewing the material by yourself if you want to do well. Her in-person office hours were super helpful, but sometimes you could only ask a few questions due to the many students there.
I liked Burkhead. Burkhead tends to make trickier exams and never curves. None of our exams were curved while other precalc professors curved. However, she is much better than the other professors. The classroom is completely flipped, so prepare do all the work outside of class. She does not care about attendance at all. I would recommend her.
Dr. Burkhead was an extremely difficult professor and I would not recommend her. Flipped classroom is difficult and the videos we watch for homework are highly outdated. I also found her grading particularly unfair. She was generous with partial credit but compared to the other Math 130 TAs, she is SO much harder and she took forever to grade.
Dr. Burkhead is a really kind professor. She clearly cares about the students in her class and worked hard to teach this material. The class was a flipped class, and I really enjoyed this format for discrete. I found the class to be challenging but not overly difficult. Would definitely recommend this class!
I didn't put as much effort as I should've in this course. If you attend lectures and take good notes, you should be able to understand the material easier. The worst part is the tests, with questions much more advanced than those covered. Surprisingly, the final was what saved my grade, being the easiest test of the year. Study study study.
ok so burkhead tries really hard-- she's sweet and cares about her students. however, she will explain things in a way that may be confusing to understand for non-mathy people. she doesn't really explain things colloquially. she grades easy, though!! you have to know HOW to solve things more than actually be able to solve them. go to office hours!!
Professor Burkhead has unnecessarily challenging tests compared to other math231 classes. The home and the problems she goes over in class are nowhere near comparable to the difficulty of her tests. Her recitations are another problematic aspect of her course compared to other professors as they are significantly more difficult.
Dr. Burkhead's class was hard and fast paced, but I definitely feel like it was worth it. I was pushed very hard mathematically and I ended up learning a lot. The class is "flipped", so it will be a lot of reading and teaching yourself material, but Dr. Burkhead is very, very smart and great at answering questions so GO TO OFFICE HOURS!
TAKE WITH A TA. Burkhead had a fully flipped classroom but online videos were old and textbook was very confusing. In class examples and homework were not similar to exam questions at all. Did not give out class notes or extra credit like some of the TAs. Took months to grade our projects then gave everyone Cs on the day of the final exam.
She does not do a great job of explaining things in a way that makes sense to non math majors. "I will explain calculus to you but I will not explain algebra". Her tests are insanely hard and are nothing like the practice in class. Four tests count for 40% and the final counts for 33%, if you are not a good test taker do not expect to do well.
She does not accommodate if you are struggling, tests are horrible, thinks an average below 72 is good, does not help when needed, the assignments/test are way harder than any other teachers. She is typically late to respond to emails. The only positive thing is the lowest two MLM are dropped. Be prepared to fail and have no time for other classes.
Went to her review session for the final and genuinely felt like I never took the class. She explains things extremely poorly and overcomplicates everything.
She made the lectures so confusing, I learned everything from youtube. She also has GRADED and TIMED recitation exercises which kind of tanked my grade because I wasn't super comfortable with the content until the day before the test. I would take Miranda Thomas, she is a lot better, but if you have no option, Burkhead is fine too. Currently at B+.
While Professor Burkhead was really kind and genuinely seemed to care about her students, I just did not enjoy the class. 4 tests make up 40% of your grade, and the final 33%. There are recitation quizzes and a lot of homework (to be expected however). The class itself was manageable, and Burkhead was always quick to answer questions on Piazza.
Taken her for MATH 231 and 231. Overall, she is a good teacher and cares about her students.
She dropped the last 2 chapters of the class from the final because we didn't have time to review them. She also pushed back a test by half a week and several of the homeworks. Also a somewhat lenient grader who gives a lot of partial credit. Had to study a LOT outside of class though cuz I found her lectures hard to follow.
I took AP Calc BC my senior year of high school and then took no math for two years, so there was a big learning curve at the beginning. Dr Burkhead is really caring about how her students are doing and will push deadlines when needed. Also she has four midterms compared to other instructors so this helps distribute the weight of tests better.
Dr. Burkhead is incredibly knowledgeable but it's hard to fit all of the content into a semester. She really tried to make each class useful but ultimately I don't think we were given enough support and exam-level practice to succeed. So many tests with very little time and the graded recitation exercises only brought down my grade. Doesn't curve.
Her lecture style is definitely not for everyone. It was hard to understand her, but she cares for her students and wants to see them succeed. The class was unnecessarily hard for a prerequisite. The class is 73% based on tests, the final being 33% and 4 midterms being 40%. Would recommend taking it with a TA.
Dr. Burkhead is a kind person, she has helped me with my major and was usually very nice when students talked to her after class (unless you're asking her to explain what she thinks is basic algebra, which she won't do). She's very knowledgable, but she teaches so conceptually that it's hard to understand how to apply what we need. Tests are hard.
Dr. Burkhead was AWESOME for 233. She was very good with linking theory to examples and walked around the class clearing confusion during example problems. Sure it was a lot of homework, but with calculus doing practice is how you learn it. 4 tests which were all extremely fair (and if you study a bit honestly easy) and a final which was also easy.
Burkhead is very clear on the concepts. ppl hate on her just bc the class is hard but that has nothing to do with her. You really need to practice a lot outside of class though. Exams were pretty straightforward if you did problems outside of the homework.
Her lectures do a poor job covering all the concepts, so A LOT of learning was done in recitation or by doing the homework instead (making the up to 50-problem HW's take even longer). 4 midterms with just a 40 minute time limit, and having all the class/recitation notes + doing the homework does not guarantee you understand everything on the tests.
Calculus is going to be difficult regardless of the teacher. The class can feel fast paced and typically the tests are on questions that are more advanced then the problems we did in class. It's very important that you do the homework and look over non-graded problems as well. Professor Burkhead always did her best to answer all questions.
Personally, I would never take a class with Emily Burkhead again. She continued lecturing during an active shooter on campus and was unaccommodating with moving deadlines for homeworks and piled them with the other due assignments the following week, instead of taking the time to rearrange the schedule (which UNC is advising teachers to do).
She is a nice prof, and her teaching is great. However, it seems that using online textbook she provides is more helpful than the lecture . That understandable because cal 3 is so difficult and covers so many things that she can't manage to go in depth for every concept.
Professor Burkhead comes off as intimidating but she cares about her students. The content of Math 110 was much harder than I expected, but I don't think that is her fault (fast paced lectures). Homework is long and takes a long time! Extra credit is not easy to come by, but tests are manageable (just do the study guides). She does not curve.
This is a hard class. The homework is nothing like the lectures/tests and take hours to complete. No curve and very little extra credit on top of over 60 percent of your grade being tests. Lectures were hard to follow.
She is very nice, accommodating, and explains things fairly well. She does go into theory and proofs a lot which leaves me a bit confused, but it's never on a test. Filled in notes are provided for every chapter which are colored and detailed. Homework harder than tests, but they are pretty easy 100s since you have multiple attempts per question.
Personally, I didn't get much from Dr. Burkhead's lectures and chose to self-teach myself the course since attendance isn't required. Tests are cumulatively worth about 70% of your grade, with recitation quizzes and homework making up the rest. Tough class but if you put in the work you can do ok.
Good lecturer that starts with theory & proof then does worked examples. Lectures were definitely held back by the 50 minute limit but she managed to get most of the content in despite the week of lectures we lost due to the shootings. While her exams are difficult, there are no surprises. Just do her practice problems and you will be fine.
The tests are not like the lectures or homework. Her office hours help for class content but don't prepare you for the test content. If you're no the greatest at math, like me, be prepared to get outside help like peer tutoring. Overall, Dr. Burkhead was very nice but the lectures are quite different from what you are being tested on.
A good lecturer who gives very fair tests. Throughly explains concepts and examples in class so I never found myself having to consult the textbook or Youtube. I found the tests to be very predictable-- if you study all the concepts she goes over in class, there should be no surprises. I never felt like I was "cheated" out of a good grade in class.
Burkhead is kind and caring, but lectures move very fast. The textbook was abysmal, and I started showing improvement in the class when I stopped wasting time with it. If you are fresh on calc 1 and 2 concepts, you'll be fine. If not, it's a fight to keep up in this class. I attended every class and paid attention, and just barely scraped by.
This class was a lot of work but I found it enjoyable and Dr. Burkhead made it even better. She is very forgiving regarding grading, which is helpful because the class is high-speed and requires a lot of deep thinking to understand. The homework questions are harder than anything else in the class but make sure to prepare for every test and quiz.
Dr. Burkhead is an amazing professor, but she is definitely not for everyone. If you are willing to do a lot of textbook problems and reading outside of class, and enjoy being in a very fast paced class, I would highly recommend Dr. Burkhead. Her office hours are very helpful, and she makes herself very available to answer online Piazza questions.
Taking Calculus 3 with this professor was the worst experience of my life. Studying for her exams brought me to tears. The test study guides are an extremely poor representation of the exams and she wrote most of the final so her students did bad on that too. Her class average is a C, while others are an A. Do not take this class! Save your GPA!!!
Calc III is just a hard class in general, but Burkhead does her best to help. She is very accessible outside and inside of class and always has great energy in lecture. Exams are tougher than other sections, but when you leave this class you will learn the material in great detail. Be prepared to make this class a main priority though.
Nice person and good lecturer, but tests were insanely hard for no reason. Our class was averaging low to mid 70s on all midterms, while other classes like Kumar's were averaging 90s. also, we had 4 midterms with 40 minutes each, giving us barely any time. every midterm was a speedrun
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR!! Her lectures are just practice examples and she barely talks about the concepts. You need to read the textbook before coming to class to get a proper understanding. The tests were unnecessarily hard. Our last test average was a 71 while other classes averaged higher. She is really nice, but REALLY hard. SAVE YOUR GPA!
Dr. Burkhead knows what she's talking about. Discrete math is difficult regardless of who teaches it, but I think Dr. Burkhead is truly a passionate, enthusiastic, helpful professor if you seek her out. She covers topics very briefly and only goes in-depth if you show up to office hours or ask during class. She grades relatively easy.
Dr. Burkhead is an extremely nice professor, however, this class for me was very difficult, given that her lectures consist of mainly working practice problems and briefly reviewing textbook contents, as opposed to spending more time teaching the fundamentals of the course contents (which is most conducive for my learning style).
Burkhead is a kind and energetic professor, she really tries to get students passionate about the subject. However, save your GPA. She has 4 midterms, of which she has a 70% average compared to other professors' 90% average, and with HALF the time. After midterms, she goes right back to lecturing. I learned everything through the textbook.
Professor Burkhead is a very good mathematical communicator. She is an amazing person and professor, however, her grading style was slightly harsh. She has 4 midterms each being 10% of your grade as opposed to other professors who only do 2 midterms. Her tests are very conceptual and are easy to loose points on for small mistakes.
Professor Burkhead is amazing at teaching Discrete Math. She's friendly, easy to communicate with, knowledgeable, and brings a lot of charisma to the class to keep it interesting. Her grading structure has a lot of midterms (3) that are worth 13% each, and she gives a lot of partial credit so they are useful to learn from. Beware the final project.
MATH 233 is a difficult class and you're going to have to read the textbook and do the exercises if you want an A, no matter the professor. This isn't your high school calculus class. Midterms were tough but fair. No curve but tests are well-written and the final replaces your lowest midterm. Burkhead is a sweet, understanding, and helpful prof.
Dr. Burkhead is caring, engaging, and good at explaining tough concepts. You'll spend a lot of time reading the book and doing exercises in groups. Tests are hard but fairly graded, and there is a 5-6 page group paper at the end of the class on a topic of your choice. I found the topics fascinating and would highly recommend Dr. Burkhead.
Class is very fast-paced, but Dr. Burkhead does her best to help you understand. She is very kind and utilizing office hours is probably the best shot you have at getting a good grade in the class if algebra isn't your strong suit (I'm terrible at math). The grading is harsh and the extra credit offered does not help you a lot. No curves either.
Dr. Burkhead is a super nice, caring, and sweet person. You can tell that she genuinely cares about teaching the topics and will try her hardest to help you understand. Still, its Multi, calculus is super hard and there is alot of homework which ends up being harder than the tests. Overall, this multi section is the most optimal and forgiving.
One of the cases where flipped classroom style worked well. Investing the time to understand the textbook before she goes over it in class is helpful. Her test reviews are a notch harder than the actual tests (being slightly overprepared = helpful), and she gives a lot of partial credit. Go to office hours and do the HW even if it's not collected.
Dr. Burkhead is the perfect example of good person, terrible professor. Lectures were too rigorous and even continued after exams. Expected students to complete homework on a daily basis. Homework was nothing like the exams. Did not drop enough assignments considering the workload.
Class is fast paced. Personally, I think she doesn't explain concepts clearly or just goes over it too fast, so read your textbook before class. Her notes also unclear at times. Majority of grades from midterms & final. Midterms usually harder than class examples, average scores around 70s. This, however, does make you more prepared for the final.
I thought that Dr, Burkhead was excellent! Don't get me wrong, this was absolutely the hardest class I have taken to this date. Lectures can be confusing but this is not due to Dr. Burkhead, but rather the raw complexity of multivariable calculus. If you're confused, GO TO OFFICE HOURS!!! She gives great explanations and is always happy to help!
Burkhead definitely prepares students the best for the common final, even though her midterms tend to be harder and have lower averages. While her lectures are optional, they tend to be very useful given the difficulty of the material.
I took her math 110 class two years ago, and I still have flashbacks about how awful she was at teaching. I had friends in math 110 who took it with other teachers, and their tests were flat out easier. She made this class unnecessarily hard.
Dr.Burkhead is such a loving human being, but an AWFUL PROFESSOR. Her exams are tough, and homework is tedious and extremely difficult. 4 exams, none dropped. The Final exam determines your whole grade. HER EXAMS ARE TOUGH. The exams are only 45 minutes each. She continues to teach right after the exam time is over. That is inhumane activity.
she is so nice and caring she explains the topics really well. however there was no curve while other professors had a curve and her midterms were significantly harder than the other professors. if you want to understand the content would HIGHLY recommend her just be willing to do homework
The professor didn't explain everything clearly in class. The lecture is fast paced, the recitations are graded according to correctness instead of participation. The final is severely tough with no curve. Dr. Burkhead doesn't want her student to complete the class with descent grade.
The exams are just unnecessarily hard, compared to other MATH 233 professor her class is just hell. DON'T TAKE HER CLASS! Take 233 with the other professors.
Flipped classroom format worked well, as lectures were used primarily to clarify content from the readings, demonstrate proof structure, and work through examples. Dr. Burkhead is definitely one of the harder discrete professors, but she's good at explaining things, gives lots of practice, and writes tests fairly with plenty of partial credit.
This discrete math course has been challenging due to the teaching style. The flipped classroom approach often lacks clear in-class explanations, and questions are met with condescending or rhetorical responses, making it hard to seek help. Office hours haven't been helpful, and un-curved tests feel overly strict.
Average tough prof—you get out what you put in. Grading is rough and slightly unclear since TA grades hw, but she grades midterms—small things, but she's reasonable overall. Her office hours are key for homework but do textbook problems to prep for the midterms. We had a final project and an exam, so get feedback early on the former.
This class is very difficult and the instructor taught the material poorly, but Dr. Burkhead had a great ULA that greatly assisted in my course journey.
Flipped class which makes an already difficult subject that much harder. Test heavy, and she doesn't shy away from making questions more difficult than needed--Be ready to master the material, not just know it well. It is evident that she cares and will try to help you if you're struggling, but just take it with a better prof
Easily the worst teacher I've had at UNC. Acts like she has something to prove and in doing so constantly uses the hardest examples during lectures, for homework, etc. Considering that Calc 2 is arguably the toughest class at UNC by itself, this really doesn't help. Take anyone else.
Very bad professor, a very fast-paced class does not care if you know the material or not. She does not curve tests and she expects you to know everything before class. I would not take this professor again since she grades harshly and does not give you opportunities to show improvement and improve your grade.
Very hard tests and content compared to other profs. Test questions are overly complicated and not enough time is given. She is nothing special as an educator and can be intimidating. I have not had a great experience with UNC math profs, I thought she would be good teacher thats hard. I was wrong. Just take it with another prof she kinda blows.
DO NOT TAKE HER PLEASE!!!! Genuinely take any other professor. Lectures, homework, and recitations never align with the textbook material AND tests. She makes the tests far more difficult than necessary. The averages were always shockingly horrid and she straight up refuses to curve (first midterm had mean of 61) She wants her students to fail!
Why this professor is so against students succeeding, I'll never know. I'm a junior and have never had a teacher so woefully underprepared to assist students during lectures or office hours. Going genuinely was a waste of time, and no one would show up by the end of the semester. The tests are insanely difficult, and the majority of people fail.
In honor of everyone just bombing their finals I can say with absolute confidence: worst teacher at UNC. I studied more than I ever have in the entirety of my life and have nothing to show for it. No one I know did well. She's not a bad person, just a bad teacher.
I feel bad saying this because Dr. Burkhead is genuinely really nice lady but this class just wasn't it. I'm bad at math so I won't talk about how well things were explained but: -Recitations were graded by quizzes that, in my opinion, were harder than the exams. -Our exams were not curved, where other calc professors gave curves
A hard class for sure. Objectively she is a tough grader, and you should expect to put in a lot of time for this class, but she is organized, fair, and provides a lot of resources to help you learn. Also, knew all students by name after the couple of weeks.
Words can not express how unnecessarily difficult she makes everything. My roomate was taking calc 2 but with a different prof and her tests were a million times easier. She's also just kind of patronizing. Don't take her.
My choice for calc 2 was either between Compton or Burkhead and I'm thrilled I chose Burkhead. Compton is an amazing professor but I believe Burkhead really tried to make connections with her students whether in class or outside. She sometimes curves but tries not to if possible. Her homework consists of like 10-20 questions depending on the unit.
Her lectures are barely helpful and I had to teach myself this entire course because I learned nothing in the lecture. She is very kind and offers plenty of resources. The lectures, homework, and tests do not match each other making it hard to study.
Prof. Burkhead is very smart and a good teacher. However, the lectures are very fast-paced. You have to read the textbook before the classes to get the most out of them. The tests are not easy, but they are fair. Expectations for the class are very clear, and she drops a generous amount of assignments from your grade. I would recommend!
Don't take this professor IF YOU CANNOT HANDLE THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM MODEL because she barely teaches anything in class. Your grade is completely dependent of the practice and the reading you do outside of class. There are no lectures, no slides, no notes, so if you are someone who needs those resources, don't take it with her. She doesn't teach.
Very solid Calc 3 professor; very willing to answer questions during lecture. Tests are generally in line with review packets and probably easier than them. Dr. Burkhead is fairly good at explaining the "why" behind things, so you'll be fine if you have a good mind for math and did decently in Calc 1 and 2.
Don't take pls. So hard for no reason compared to other calc 2 profs
Please don't. Your life will be actually horrible with her - she is so hard compared to other calc 3 profs for no reason. 4 tests + recitation quizzes + she writes a horrendous final. Take with literally any one else it will be better.
Incredibly caring towards students and easy to access. Really emphasized the reasoning behind concepts! Tests matched the material decently well but homework felt a little off. Hosted a final review session which I really appreciated :) Hard class but I loved having her as a prof!
This is a really hard class and Burkhead does not make it easier. She spend the entire lecture doing proofs instead of teaching us how to apply the content to questions we will be seeing on the exam. The exams she writes are significantly harder than that of other professors. Nice person, unhelpful professor. Take literally anyone else.
Save your grade and don't take 381 with Burkhead. Inaccessible and hard to approach with questions related to grading or asking her to explain concepts. Asked her many times to explain the material, and was often met with snarky remarks. Office hours are even worse, as she is not much help if you're lost.
this class had me questioning if i was cut out for math in general. don't take, no chance for improvement. i worked super hard too, never have i studied this much... did all the practice problems, read the textbook, maybe i really am not cut out for it lol :(
Worst prof for calc 3. Take literally any other prof. Class averages for exams in her section were 20 points lower compared to other sections, yet there was no curve. For some reason she likes having 40-minute exams and then 35-minute lectures right after. The common final exam was much easier compared to her midterms.
She uses a flipped classroom style, so you kinda have to teach yourself the content. Mandatory reading responses before lectures count towards your grade. She uses no notes and sometimes has a hard time making concepts easy to understand. Relies too much on you understanding the textbook before class. Take someone else if you can. Hard midterms.
Worst prof I've ever had. Other Calc II classes were SO much easier: They had curves, extra credit, easier tests, and their professors were nicer and more accessible. burkhead doesnt care if the test avg is a 40, she will never curve or give extra credit. calc is inherently hard but she makes it so much harder than it needs to be. AVOID AT ALL COST
Lectures were unhelpful and the flipped classroom didn't work well. Homework was confusing, and even ULAs struggled with some questions. The professor helps if you ask but can be belittling. No curve when the class average was ~50, we were only allowed to retake 2 questions for half credit.
Grades super hard and the grading guidelines make no sense at all. Even if you put the answer key word for word, you'd probably get an 80 on an assignment.
Grades harshly on exams, which are mostly memorization. She barely curved at the end of the class but replaced the midterm with a final without mention in the syllabus, intended as a curve, punishing students who performed relatively consistently on exams. Lectures are usually straight out of the textbook.
Dr. Burkhead is very nice and is helpful in office hours. However, tests and homework are graded extremely harsh, and many times I felt like the lectures was just writing the textbook onto the board. Needed to memorize tons of information for tests. Class will be difficult no matter the professor.
Decent lectures but does not care or take time to help students even when they come to office hours. Extremely tough grader especially compared to other professors of same class, who give you opportunities to increase grades outside of tests. Full grade lower on average compared to other professors of same class.
Professor's lectures are verbatim recitations from the textbook; tests prioritize memorization and are graded with a hint of autism.
Lectures were ok, she was a fair grader and gave some partial credit but it was her teaching which was not great. It was mostly a flipped classroom and although other professors may not have taught as well or have been as organized, they at least curved their tests unlike her. I would take another professor if you want a good grade.
Dr. Burkhead's midterms were nearly impossible to finish within a 50-minute period which made them tough. She prepared us well for the final though. Sometimes it was more useful to focus on learning how to earn partial credit than getting the answers right. Not always the easiest to approach with questions but very accessible outside of class.
Carefully assess your abilities. There's no curve for this class at all. It's the only one among 233 courses that requires a weekly exam. Also, I've seen exams from other sections that had only five simple questions in 50 minutes, but Professor Burkhead's test contained more than 20 challenging and time-consuming problems, with no extra time given.
Classes are pretty fast paced, so if you miss one thing she says in lecture, you could be lost for the rest of the class. She tries to describe concepts using analogies that just don't work. I often scan the room after she uses one and I see everyone else in the hall looking at each other confused. If you do the test reviews, exams won't be too bad
The instructor sometimes forgets her notes and stucks in front of the blackboard with no words to say, then the whole class waiting for her to continue; Her notes on board are in a mess. The HW grading criterions are harsh, and no lowest HW drop allowed. 3 midterms with each takes up 16%, maybe no policy to use final replace the lowest one. Regret.
Dr. Burkhead is a solid lecturer, with good notes released afterward. Unfortunately, every assignment or test is brutally difficult, she does not curve, and she is not flexible on any policy. I was unable to get out of bed for a week, and she did not allow any extensions or makeup. I do not recommend taking her class.
She is incredibly passive aggressive and evil. Doesn't curve and is dismissive to students. Each exam was a battle waged with pen and paper that I the student could not win. She writes textbook definitions on the black board so itty bitty that you can't see. You should just open up Khan academy, he will get you right.
From what I have heard, she is the best teacher in terms of explaining the material. The others are more of a learn-it-outside-of-class. However, she is very nitpicky about certain things on the tests. This semester we were the only class to have graded recitation quizzes and 3 midterms. (She doesn't tell you what the quiz is on week to week).
Exams are drier than a camel butt in Sahara desert, the numbers are insane, you'll see 3124pi/15 on the final. Dont take her.
844/15pi as answer? wtf?
Exams are harder than other calc 3 midterms, just harder exams overall.
zhong guo ren bu pian zhong guo ren kuai dian pao hai zi men shang shei de ke dou bi ta de jian dan
The class itself is not horrible, you can preview by looking up "understanding analysis" and practice. Tests decide your grade, not hard if you know how to apply a theorem or prove it. She hates to grade higher for those who improved, and she grades harsh, bonus and curve are almost nothing, I regret taking her hunger game class only for a minor.
She goes so fast and acts like we should get what she is saying on the first attempt. Doesn't help us understand the content. The homework was hard + didn't help you understand the content. It would give you a yes or no with no further input. The tests are hard, and being paired with no curve makes them very difficult. The final is way too big.
She goes so fast and acts like we should get what she is saying on the first attempt. Doesn't help us understand the content. The homework was hard + didn't help you understand the content. It would give you a yes or no with no further input. The tests are hard, and being paired with no curve makes them very difficult. The final is way too big
Clear explanations, though she went a little too quickly. Four tries on every problem, so it's easy to get 100% for your homework grade. Recitation quizzes were annoying but predictable. Midterms were a normal level of difficulty, quick pacing, but she'll let you keep working for a bit after time's up. Hard class, but could be much worse tbh.
Last sem, decided to make our Discrete Class flipped, and made us learn primarily from the textbook which was hard to understand at times. In class she barely went over concepts, and instead forced us to work awkwardly in groups, which didn't seem productive for most people in class. Got tutoring too but could not make up for her lack of teaching.
I gave her a 4/5 when I took her for MATH233. That was a lie. Tests and homework were graded harshly which would have been fine if she curved generously. Given what she said is "on track for an A/B/C" after each midterm, the curve should have been like +13% when it was actually +3%. Ragebait incarnate.
To be honest, if you want to get an A, then don't take her class. Her weekly quizzes and the extremely difficult final exams will make you regret it. Don't make a choice unless you are absolutely sure.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
40%
Textbook Required
3%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.11 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH381H
4.1
(12)MATH233H
4.0
(3)MATH110
3.6
(17)MAT231
3.5
(4)MATH233
3.2
(68)Difficulty by Course
MATH381
4.5
MATH232
4.4
MATH231
4.3
MATH521
4.2
MATH130
4.1