3.3
Quality3.3
Difficulty56%
Would Retake103
Reviews56%
Would Retake
103
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
44
4
15
3
11
2
8
1
25
What Students Say
“Easily one of the worst professors at the University”
ITA1114 - 1.0 rating“Passionate and downtrodden to students, his 'film' taste is anti-feminist commie socialism”
ITA1113 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
53%
Textbook Required
73%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.47 avg changeRatings by Course
ITA1911
5.0
(3)ITA1900
5.0
(1)CMN1114
5.0
(3)ITA21143901
5.0
(1)ITA1110
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
POL1114
5.0
ITALISECT
5.0
ITA1110
5.0
1911
4.0
ITA21143901
4.0
Reviews (103)
Prof. Ricci will make you smile... added bonus: hot TA.
I love this guy and his course.... makes me want to major in Italian!!!
I really like Franco, he's entertaining
excellent movies; superb prof. everything you ever wanted to know about everythi
inspirational: learned much about myself and heritage
fun course, but learned italian
tremondous class, great films
No Comments
No Comments
Super prof, even better class. Unbelievably knowledgable
His notes are all over the place! Get organized!
No Comments
hot topic, learn something each class
cool prof but his notes are a mess. You really have to be self-motivated.
Really Italian
Ricci is the godfather of profs
No Comments
Very intelligent and engaging. An incredible professor!
He'll screw you on the participation mark - watch out!
WOW! AWESOME COURSE, GREAT PROF
One of the best profs at Ottawa U!!! So passionate. And really really wants you to learn. He's great. If you work hard you can get an A. His class is also a lot of fun
I love his class. He made things really easy to understand.His TA Luca was soooo hot!!! and helpful too.
incredible course, the best I've taken at Ottawa U. Movies are fantastic and prof is engaging. Wish I could take it again!!!
Great prof, lots of work but not difficult, very intersting and informative lectures, they are more like conversations.
Excellent prof!!!I've taken 5 of his courses and each time it was something new and amazing!!!Hands down the best prof in the University!!
No Comments
Very strict and can say stuff that'll offend you, gotta work hard in his class, but he really wants you to learn!
Amazing prof! Just the way he talks! He's so engaging and open about this subject. You'll never watch The Godfather the same way.
Amazing professor, kind of scary and very demanding but if you work and participate you'll get a lot out of his class. He is not afraid of controversial subjects, which may offend some people but he is a guy who obviously loves to learn and loves to teach, if you aren't a pushover, you'll like him
aMAZING ELCTURES. a MUST FOR ANY STUDENT INTERESTED IN LITERATURE
This class gave me project ideas in other calsses. Ricci is an amazing teacher, with a passion for his subject. If he doesn't like you, however, look out! Attend classes and particpate, that's basically all he asks. And you'll end up learning more than just the subject.
Second class i've taken with him. Changed course from description. Never answers E-mails, Not very helpfull, Disappointed in material, watched "God Father" instead of learning about italian haritage. I don't like him
This prof does not deserve all the praise he's received! His lectures are mostly opinion, and his opinions are bordering on offensive. He makes jokes that are not funny, and patronizes his students. He even had the nerve to assert that he was "probably one of the best profs on campus"!
I love this guy. He engages the students like no other proff i've ever had! He is not politically correct which is refreshing becuase everyone else is afraid to open their mouths. He makes me want to be a better student and he is always willing to help.
UGH! Very sleazy. Very offensive. he's too arrogant for his own good. he checks this site and is proud to see that he has been rated hot. i learned nothing from him and he was so extremely rude and unhelpful.
I have learned so much from Franco. And anyone who has posted a "bad" comment on this site has obviously missed what he has to offer. He is brilliant, and when you really learn from him, you're opened to a world larger than Italian studies.
swears too much
Great class. The prof is real. Not some politicaly correct theory spouting idiot like so many others. He makes the class interesting but he doesn't give a bird class you actualy have to work for your grade. A good guy.
awesome class, awesome prof. knows how to teach and is down to earth and real when he teaches. others don't influence what he says in class he speaks his ind and his ideas. AWESOME!
Great guy. Always ready to help. One of the best teachers Ive had, but not the easiest.
this man is an excellent prof. His course on the Sopranos is so innovative and interesting. His approach is very no nonsense which is refreshing. He ALWAYS answers emails within 24 hours and his office is always opened for questions or help. Sorry if anyone had a bad experience but this guy is awesome.
Terrible class. He used the class as a vehicle for his own interests. I learned nothing about Italian culture in North America, but lots about a show I didn't even have an interest in to start with. It was a good con job - the course description was nothing like the actual course.
Mixed feelings. Will challenge you, but is also very arrogant, and despite his claims to respect his students, he's very condescending. I learned nothing at all about Italian culture, but his Italian Cinema class was brilliant, all the movies were excellent. Everything he does is based on his own opinion(s). Take it or leave it-type situation.
Thought he was a good guy from a previous course. Went to see him at his office and was very disrespectful, and not helpful in the least. Found him very condescending, asked if I was a first year student and only when I told him I am in fourth year did he begin to treat me with any respect.
Don't find him very helpful
Unclear on what he wants, God help you if you go to his office for help/clarification. Totally condescending, disrespectful, arrogant. It's a shame he's the be-all end-all for Italian culture studies. He should not still be teaching here.
Horrible Teacher! He is very narrow-minded and not willing to accept others opinion under any circumstances. He is also disrespectful to students. My advice is to avoid him at all cost (By the way, you will learn absolutely nothing in his class).
Horrible Prof. very rude to students. Very vague assignments. Acts like he hates his class. Treats his students like garbage. The films we watched were ok but the degree of analysis was crazy, and if you interpreted the fils diffrently then him you get a 0...do not take Italian Cinema
I love Italian cinema and understand the social context of the films. Do not take this class. I went into this class as a 4th year student who had a lot of intrest in examining these films but Prof. Ricci made the class unbearable. The abuse of students is unacceptable, I have never encountered a prof. so obnoxious. He forces Marxism on students.
I am sure he know his stuff BUT he has no respect for his students. Told one student in class that his comment on a film was "****!" He is arrogant, condescending, not approachable.. and I am not one of those students who just comes on this website to bash Profs. I often left his class enraged on how he treats his students. No respect whatsoeve
heard many ppl who hated him. he wanted each of us to make appt's with him outside of class and only then would he tell u paper requirements. final paper didnt tell us anything he wanted then told a few of us that our papers werent good enuff,no organization in notes..if u like structure and being told whats expected of you, dont take his class
Worst teacher ever, class is totally arbitrary, if you don't go to his office many times don't expect to pass...
no one seems to understand his methods but think about it, he's prep'ing us for thesis prep and other classes in feeling comfy with your prof. i think his method of teaching prep skills goes beyond the classroom. talking to him helps you as a student and your grade! listen to him and maybe show up to class he'll give you the time of day
Take this class if you want an A. Now, everything he says in class is confusing and sometimes offensive. Don't let that discourage you. All you have to do is go to his office and develop a strategy for your paper. Go early in the semester and I guarantee you an A. It's that simple.
Pretty good prof, very laid back; cares but doesnt care at the same time. Pretty easy maker for the most part along with his TA's.
This class is really fun and easy. All you do is watch clips from gangster movies and shows (mainly sopranos) and the proff takes a unique approach to it; really interesting stuff. there are no tests just papers (one book report, one research paper). The research paper is done in steps and is very easy to complete. I recommend taking this!!
Great Prof! Expectations are clear... if you follow what's layed out, it's hard not to get an A. Respects students who ask questions and SHOW UP! He can be condescending, but this is university, he's not there to hold your hand. He's also egotistocal, but it's this charisma that makes him a good prof.
You simply have to know how to "take" Professor Ricci, I prefer with a grain of salt. His absurdist claims ("If you interrupt the film again, I won't teach this class and I'll fail all of you,"), due to their extreme ridiculousness, are hilarious if taken the right way. Just learn to laugh, with, and occasionally at him, and you'll be fine.
Rudest professor I have ever run into. Seems to put on a tough guy front every time he perceives "ignorance". Perhaps if he generalized his vast knowledge of notions of prejudice in Italian films to the way he treats his own students...very quick to group many of them into a category of unmotivated idiots, he would much better off.
Arrogant. Pompous. Ignorant. Offensive. Creepy. It's a shame such a crusty person teaches such a beautiful language. Wake up Ottawa U. Time for a change. Ricci, sei uno stronzo, nel vero senso della parola.
The professor was obnoxious, but he taught his class in a very effective way. In retrospect, I love the knowledge I gained by taking this class. This is the best compliment that can be paid to a professor.
This is quite possibly the most unprofessional professor ever to teach. His classes are bizarre with no real point to them, there is no real intellectual lecturing on any relevant subject. He is also a very rude man. This man should be teaching a Kindergarten class, not a class I pay thousands of dollars to sit in on. Awful teacher. Awful attitude
I read the outline for the course and was so excited. Then I got to the class and found out it was entirely about The Sopranos and was thoroughly disappointed. It was a waste of my time and a waste of my money. Now I have no desire to ever watch the show again and I refuse to take another ITA course during my time at this university.
Two words, HORRIBLE PROFESSOR!!! Do not take this class. Professor Ricci is rude, ignorant, unapproachable, and is a dictator in terms of being the leader of a course. He swears at you if you go see him, makes you feel like you are really stupid and shouldn't be in university, and thinks he's some macho tough guy. I think he's in the mafia.
Before choosing this class, try to find out what topic will be studied. A semester long project and a short book review was the only homework. The prof was not great. The lectures were all over the place and he contradicts himself a lot when explaining what he wants for assignments. Talking to him during office hours didn't help either.
Worst prof I've had. He is rude, contradicts himself and can't explain format for assignments. I don't think he likes first year students. He expects you to see him during office hours but he'll end up making you feel stupid. Take what he says with a grain of salt.
This Professor was amazing. His lectures were brilliant and stretched far beyond the context of the course. I learned so much more than I expected. Sometimes deadlines were a little unclear but his expectations never were.
Professor Ricci is quite frankly the worst professor in the history of teaching. I have had a deeper understanding of Italian Culture in a French class. He generates no interest in his class and does not verify facts - ie the moores invaded Spain in the 900's and my personal favourite - Italian's invented democracy.Cheers for the worst prof. Ever.
If you have a sense of humour you will enjoy this class.
What a jerk!
i like him.
Don't take his Italian Cinema course if you're looking for an easy credit. Do take it if you have a genuine interest in Italian Cinema. He's jaded by first years that don't care and think they're in for an easy ride, but if you show him you're actually interested in his course, I guarantee it will be very rewarding for you.
This prof will make you cry in your seat. However, the movies are extremely good.
Avoid AT ALL COSTS. I was one of the luckier student whom he did not entirely loathe, but I still have NO respect for the man; incessant swearing and personal attacks to MOST students. He will actually ROAST you in his office. AVOID AVOID AVOID- I cannot repeat it enough!
This class was one of my first at the university. It was certainly challenging, but meeting with the professor gave me the kick-in-the-pants that I needed. I learned a lot in the course and I found his teaching style engaging and fascinating. It is definitely not an easy course, but if you do eextra readings and make you can do well.
This prof will embarass you (and many other students) in class. If you go to his office hours (which it is mandatory to do so for project approval etc.) it will only get worse. He will swear at you and make you regret ever being interested in Italian culture.Avoid this class/prof at all costs.
Easily one of the worst professors at the University. He is an intelligent man, but not cut out for teaching. It seemed that any work I submitted was not good enough and deadlines and expectations were EXTREMELY unclear. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
Best prof ever! So daring! I learned a lot! Learned to be autonomous in my work, which is priceless!
wonderful prof. dynamic, inspiring. but tough. does not accept mediocrity. will push you to do your best
Great teacher, once you approach him respectfully and remain aware of deadlines, which are not extremely clear. I didn't touch the text book until it was time to write the take-home final and I managed an A in the class. He prefers to let you learn for yourself which is frustrating but like I said, easy A.
A prof I will never forget! He called me out and embarrassed me in front of entire class, and made me cry in his office hours. But once we saw eyetoeye I truly enjoyed him.He taught me the value of communicating with profs, and also meeting their expectations.Italian culture is important to him, and he tries to scare away those that dont respect it
He has a passion for teaching, but he is going through to much stress in his own life to be teaching.
I really enjoyed this class, looked forward to going. The professor was very enthusiastic and makes the course very easy and entertaining for you if you pay attention.
Follow these steps and you will do well: 1) Swallow your pride and learn to take his criticism 2) Go to his office hours 3) Do what he says
Toughest grader. Isn't clear with what he wants. Would strongly NOT recommend this teacher!
In small setting classes, this professor will care about you- challenge you- and push u to think critically. You put in what you get out, I really real grow as a human. I think i still owe him a copy of one of my third year presentations. Great great teacher, I wasn't even majoring in his field of expertise, take his classes!!
Passionate and downtrodden to students, his 'film' taste is anti-feminist commie socialism. He claims Italia is a matriarchal society which doesn't come through. I went to his office hours thrice and he doesn't offer support, instead belittling you to do it yourself. I wouldn't recommend unless you're willing to cry for him in silence.
Very interesting and unique professor, his lectures are always exciting. Sometimes the content seemed a little arbitrary but if regularly attend class there is an overarching theme. Some of what he says seems a little unfounded and controversial so take it with a grain of salt, but pay close attention whenever he talks about the final project.
Ricci is a prof that you'll either love or hate but no in between. He has an old school but also dynamic teaching style that can be a hard to cope with straight out of high school. I enjoyed his cinema class and I feel like through trial and error from our weekly essays, I was able to improve and succeed in the class. One tip - GO TO HIS OFFICE HRS
Not a great professor. I hoped I would learn about Italian culture like it said on the course outline however the class was mostly arbitrary. also tries to push his agenda onto class. really passionate about what he knows however. Very condescending. will embarrass you or call you out at one point. inflated ego and will call you out for no reason
There is a semester long project. Just meet all the deadlines and genuinely work on it the whole way through, you'll be fine
Whole grade is based on a report and the presentation. He is very passionate about Italy but arrogant af. Creates a toxic atmosphere were if you try and get help or run over ideas he belittles you in his office hours. For replying with ''yes sir'' multiple times I was called an entitled, preppy waste of space. He rages if you mispronounce Medici.
Tres serieux
Watch a movie every week then do a paper on it. He asks a specific question about the film. Be specific beginning to end and you will be fine. It is critical thinking he wants and use of quotes to justify your arguments. He gives really good feedback and will help you if you don't understand something. If you like writing than take it :D
Very spiteful and hateful prof. His lectures are dull and boring. If he doesn't get his way he will make sure you are miserable and it shows how unprofessional he is as a professor. Will definitely never take another class with him ever again.
His lectures are all over the place and highly opinion based, and oddly sexists and stereotypical in the most unnecessary of times. all you need to do is go to office hours and listen to what he says for your report, dont need to listen in class at all. Took ita1114 as well, he prob didnt even read my papers but got an A bc i went to talk to him
Took ITA 2133 in my second year as an elective. During office hours Prof Ricci questioned my existence at university and even told me to drop out altogether. Fast forward to today and I am now graduating Uottawa with cum laude. Avoid this prof if possible. Real profs encourage and inspire. Don't let profs like Ricci bring you down.
If its possible, AVOID this teacher. I got an A- but his way of talking to students is just WOW. Very arrogant and rude, make you feel like you are not worthy of being in university just for a little mistake or a question you asked, and that can make you leave the class and stress. A good teacher encourage students.
Many people including myself dropped this class because the professor gave inconsistent feedback, he was not clear about his expectations. Not worth time as an elective.
Respect Ricci; he is where he is because of hard work and passion. The feedback he provides will directly impact your future submissions in his class, so apply his feedback, or you'll fail, and that's not a joke. Apply the lecture info to the final paper and be as concise as possible; this guy hates when people add "fluff" to their work.
RIP Franco Ricci. This was my only elective this term and I really enjoy his class. He worked alongside Cristina Perissinotto to help organize our classes. His lectures were amazing and you could genuinely tell he loved his culture and his work. Made class worth it and fun! Ciao Franco, you will be missed.
His classes and lectures were incredibly fun and I will miss taking this course. He was a great man and loved his job which reflected in his work making the lectures and content engaging and enjoyable. RIP Ricci.
Ricci truly was a terrible teacher, but such a great person. Totally unclear classes, mostly reflecting opinions based on nothing. Still, if you showed up and tried, you'd basically get an A automatically. He once made me cry, but then gave me candy to make me feel better. He also set me up with my bf, what a weird prof. RIP Franco, never forgotten
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
53%
Textbook Required
73%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.47 avg changeRatings by Course
ITA1911
5.0
(3)ITA1900
5.0
(1)CMN1114
5.0
(3)ITA21143901
5.0
(1)ITA1110
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
POL1114
5.0
ITALISECT
5.0
ITA1110
5.0
1911
4.0
ITA21143901
4.0