2.8
Quality3.9
Difficulty36%
Would Retake233
Reviews36%
Would Retake
233
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
37
4
48
3
49
2
57
1
42
What Students Say
“" This is a result of his extremely difficult exams”
PSY1100 - 1.0 rating“He also rambles a lot when he lectures”
PSYCH2200 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
57%
Textbook Required
62%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
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Declining
-0.29 avg changeRatings by Course
PSYCHOLOGY132
5.0
(1)PSYCH257
5.0
(1)PSYC0
5.0
(1)PSYC77
5.0
(1)PSY132
4.5
(2)Difficulty by Course
PSYCH101
5.0
PSYCH76
5.0
PSYCH132
4.5
INTROPSYCH
4.5
PYSCH1100
4.5
Reviews (233)
he's very confusing... and likes to pretend he's a snowflake (?!)
No Comments
this should NOT be an intro course... he sucks at teaching and he tries to confuse you.
BORINGGGGGGGG... not helpful- wont reschedule for missing a test AT ALL. exams are tough
I know it'll sound weird here, but... I loved him! I thought he was really funny sometimes, and I also liked the way he taught. Exams were tough though, true. But he did give us a review.
I was excited about taking psyc, b/c I loved it in high school.But it's so boring.He makes it a little easier by posting the notes ahead of time online, but class is just really boring.The exam was hard, and he doesn't exactly seem approachable.
Too hard
I don't think he's as bad as some ppl say... I mean yea his tests are hard (trust me, i got a D on my first exam...) but he keeps your interest and drops random jokes here and there to keep you awake and interested. if you plan on taking this class, read read read ur book and go to class!
get out if you have him!
He posts exam grades online but its only an "average". My 2 exams fell in what would be a high C and a low C but at the end of the year somehow those two grades ended up being a high D and an F. All year long I thought I had a C average, until my final grade was posted-D+. He is so boring and unfair
He's really smart and knows a lot but the class isnt that great, kind of dull. His jokes have a tendency to bomb.
Sooo much work, way to hard to be an intro class
No Comments
guy is such a jerk. he is very intelligent but does not seem to care about his students. if you study your ass off you'll do pretty well and he seems to curve nicely... but if you can avoid this prof do it.
if you have this man....drop the class and run
The tests are too hard and detailed for an intro. course, and he doesn't care about his students at all. He's also really really boring and talks about his cat alllll the time.
The class was real easy. The tests weren't even a challenge. I don't even like psychology and I still did well. Stop complaining.
This class was NOT as bad as everyone made it out to be. Swadlow was a great prof, but did not seem to care much about his students. If you study, go over your notes and read the book you'll get an A.
i didnt go to class, i never took notes, and i didnt read the book but suprisingly i didnt do well mostly in part to his lack in ability to teach.
No Comments
the man could care less about his students. his exams are fairly hard but he curves which is nice. he's just so damn boring....
Excellent
this man is so unapproachable. if you ask questions in class or out he answers abruptly as if annoyed you would even ask. he makes students hesitant about asking for further guidance. youre graded on 3 exams, and if you dont attend class, its very VERY difficult to get a good grade. exams are heavily based on material covered in class.
Horrible professor. Should be much easier. He's very vague and dull. Refuses to answer e-mails regarding grades, and is not clear as to what you have in the course. SWITCH OUT IF YOU HAVE HIM!
Horrible teacher. Goes off on random tangents about unimportant information but is very vague on the things you actually need to know. Class exams average around 68 because no one understands.
Great prof, but study!
Interesting lectures. Hard exams, but curved a lot at end of course. Excellent.
He puts all his lectures and notes on line, but adds lots of disussion so you do have to come to class. Not an easy class, but he is interesting. The tests are hard, but then he curves at the end. Most people I know got a B or A.
He makes you work, but study and you will do do well. He knows his subject and is much better than people say.
He was an intersting professor. His notes were very clear, and a good majority of the exams comes from the notes/slides/lecture, but reading is necessary. My one complaint is that he didnt really seem overly enthusiastic about helping his students out. He prefered for them to help each other
Interesting professor. He knows his stuff, and expects you to know it to by the test. Study 90% notes, and 10% book, and you should get an A in the class(not necessarily before the curve).
Excellent, but you do need to study!
all you people are whining. this class is incredibly interesting. you gotta go to calss, but he is a funny game and keeps you interested, take notes from waht he says and print out the slides. read the book and study for the exam and you should do fine. he curves his exams too
Alright, If your trying to take physiological psychology Swadlow should be your very last resort. Take this class with fitch if you can, if not, you might want to wait until next semester before trying swadlow. He's really smart but terrible terrible terrible!!!
WORST CLASS EVER!!!!! SOOO HARD! IMPOSSIBLE TO GET AN A!
Keeps class interesting - definitely go to class. I haven't bought the book and i'm pretty sure i'm getting an A. Study for tests, and take notes on what he says- not just the slides. He tries to help everyone and gives some hints about what will be on the tests. he also holds a question session the night before the test to help you - he's good
Harvey loves to talk about animal fornication, and kick kids out of class for being kids. He treats kids like 2nd graders. He divulges into the most unnecessary slides, and skips the imporant ones. Not bad sense of humor, however.
Really smart guy, but often confusing with his irrelevant examples. Hard tests, a lot of work if want to succeed in the class. Other classes are way more effective, take other professors if possible.
Dr. Swadlow is a very smart man who knows his stuff. His exams ARE difficult, but he throws a curve onto each exam and if you study very hard you should have no problems. If you don't plan on studying much, this is definitely NOT the class for you. The exams are tough, but NOT impossible. Also, you can get extra credit for taking part in extra stud
The first day of class he read a review from this sight, in which the student said he would rather have hitler or the devil teach him psychology. I completely agree, this class was hard. Attending lecture is a must (you have to write down all his explanations for slides), 10 hrs of studying for test= C. Only good thing gives extra credit
This class was very interesting, but not easy. Work hard and you'll get an A. Organized and humerous lectures. Hard tests but curved at the end. This is NOT high school psychology. I learned a LOT.
PSYC1100: A little tough but VERY doable. Psychology classes are never easy, and he does a good job at explaining the material. Holds question sessions the night before each exam which is really helpful and generous. Textbook rarely used.. I got an A without buying it (you can look up vocab online). Study and pay attention and you'll prob get an A
He seemed to almost enjoy putting the grade distribution on the board and putting a 0 in the 90-100 range. The class wasn't too bad but the tests were very difficult. In the end he curved the grades a lot and I ended up with a B when I thought I was going to have to re-take the class, so it ended up okay, just stressful along the way
Currently taking this class, I think he's a fantastic teacher. He knows what he's talking about, and the material is very interesting. The lectures are very well thought out, and he gives personal anecdotes to go along with major ideas. Review your notes a couple minutes a night and you'll do fine on the test. Read questions carefully! Great class.
I tried to keep an open mind in this class. Despite what everyone had written on this site. But honestly, DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. I had 100% attendance, I took very lengthy notes, read the book and I would put 2 hours aside each week and read over my notes, and I pulled off a C. Its interesting material- he just makes it impossible to pass.
OK Swadlow is very hard but not impossible. Personally i would prefer having another teacher but the class was definitely passable. The slides are online but you have to attend class for the additional notes. He is also not clear whats gonna be on the test and as a result they are hard.
Hey, don't beleive these guys. Everybody in my study group got an A or B. He posted the final grades and more than half the class got As or Bs. What's the fuss? The lectures are interesting, and the tests come mosty from the posted lecture slides. Duh!
Pretty difficult exams. Three the whole semester. Exams are primarilly lecture notes, with about twenty percent coming from the book. Gave about a 1.5 point curve on the final grade. My suggestion...get an A in the Lab section of this class and it will help your overall grade significantly.
Im in his class right now and it is the most useless thing ive ever attented.
The man is insane, the only thing that keeps me from falling asleep are the weird noises and sound effects he makes.
Clear and humorous lectures, well laid out in his slides which are all on-line. Exam was pretty easy, but you did have to study. Question session before exam was helpfull. Excellent Prof.
This class was extremely difficult. Lectures are from the powerpoints and the book is pretty unecessary. Definitely do the extra credit because it brings your grade up by a lot. Exams are hard but fair.
I have been an honor student my entire life, but upon entering Dr. Swadlow's class I have never received such low grades. It is more of Dr. Swadlow making his exams as difficult as they can be, and also his useless grading assistant. I tryed to get help but Dr. Swadlow doesn't show much interest in helping, and the grading assistant doesn't either.
Very interesting lectures, great class. He is a little quirky, but study his posted notes and come to class and take notes and you will do fine. He says all this in the syllabus, but nobody listens. I met with him twice after class and he was very helpful. People whine about how hard it is, but they don't follow his advice on how to study.
Easy class if you listen to him. Tests seem to come almost all from lectures. Go to class and listen! Good reviews before exams.
so hard. take a different psyc professor if you can
Anything you have read about the curve is total garbage, the curve is only a few points of a difference. If you are thinking about enrolling, DON'T! Biggest mistake of my college career, I read these ratings just like you, and thought I was different, NOPE! And you aren't either, unless you spend hours upon hours on this class.
Great class. Very interesting lectures. Difficult exams but fair grading. You have to study and go to class. Challenging, but more than half the class finished with and A or a B as final grade.
Not nearly as bad as people say. Yes, exams can be tough, but grading is fair. He will answer your questions in class and is plenty approachable. Lectures mandatory to get the notes, but I enjoyed them. Overall, a good professor who knows his stuff. Don't fall behind. Book is a rip off; get it through the lib or ILL. Lectures emphasized most though
This guy is easily one of the worst teachers I've had. My cumulative GPA (highschool and college) is above a 3.7 but I got a C in this class. Pick a different professor.
Very tough test giver, seemed to take pride in this which was frustrating. Although he could be annoying and unhelpful at times his tests were directly from the slides which he provided in full, he gave an opportunity for extra credit and a decent curve. The class definitely requires a ton of studying and was very challenging.
Dr. Swadlow is awesome! He knows his class is hard for a lot of people, and tells students exactly how to succeed in the course: come to class!!! He is fair and interesting, and clearly knows the material. If you're engaged in the class, you have plenty of opportunity to succeed. One of my favorite professors!
Really tough tests. He makes basic psych way harder than it has to be. I'm an A student but got a C in this class. Seriously pick another professor if you can.
Alright... this guy has not taught one thing about Psychology since I've been in his class. He says to add to the power points from things he says in the lecture, but I have yet to find something worth while to write. BURRR
I know everyone says that his class is impossible, but I actually thought that as long as you put the work in it isn't so bad. I'm not a psych major but I went to class every day, made sure I understood the headings in the readings, and studied for the tests and did just fine. As long as you put in the effort you'll do fine. You gotta go to class!
Sometimes lectures are boring, but sometimes they're very interesting. He cares a lot about what he's saying and he's very knowledgable. Even though slides are online, you should go to class because he emphasizes whats important. He expects you to read the book, which makes the tests harder. Tests aren't hard if you attend class and STUDY!
He was extremely boring, and the tests were really hard.
Interesting class! Getting an A is all about the Powerpoint slides (which are available on-line) and his lectures. The book is secondary. He knows his stuff. He lays it down, don't be a clown. Put in the time, and you'll do fine.
Swadlow is a very interesting professor. His exams are based on the slides with only about 10% from the bold headings in the book. Many complain about him being hard, but the course is only tough if you are not prepared and don't go to lectures. He is fair and hints at things to know for the exams. Study a little 1-2 weeks each day before each exam
Everyone gives Swadlow a hard time, sure he's not the most interesting professor in the world, but his class really isn't that bad! I'm not some all around A student, but study hard for 3 days, read the book and go to the lectures and you will be fine. 3 tests, 9 hard days of studying, not bad! everyone needs to lighten up!
Swadlow really isn't as bad as people say. If you go to class and take notes on the power points (like he suggests) you'll be fine. The material isn't bad if you study a week or so before the exam, he curves them if needed and also holds review sessions before exams.
He makes at least 3 multiple choice answers, for every question, almost identical. The slideshows give only a general overview of the material while he tests you on the most specific of details. Defying the rules of statistics, I would bet money that if you filled out your test with random answers, you would still get somewhere in the negatives.
Terrible professor. Tests are incredibly difficult for a basic intro to psychology course. One of the hardest classes at UConn avoid him whatever you do
This class was not easy, only because the exams were so hard. Lecture is straight forward, Prof. Swadlow knows how to explain things well. Be prepared to study really hard for the exams and basically memorize the ppt slides. There is a curve that will help your grade a lot, but it isn't implemented until the end of the semester.
It's impossible to know what material to study for the test and his teaching is ridiculously tangential and unclear. He emphasizes that the book will not be useful because all the important things are covered fully in lecture, but the only way to understand is to read it in the book or the internet. Biggest issue though is the tests.
Excellent class with strong focus on physiology. Clear, thought-provoking lectures. Textbook used as supplement only. Does require a lot of study, but well worth it. Great for bio students.
This is a ridiculous class, especially for an intro level! He's unclear, and most of his info. comes from lecture/lecture slides, yet they're phrased to purposely be confusing, so the only way to understand is to use the book. Extremely unhelpful, almost condescending towards his students. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!!! if you know whats good for you
Horrible class. He is unclear it's not structured. Stay away from him.. I'm a psychology major and after taking this class with him I'm reconsidering
Not a good prof. He tests on whatever random tangents he happens to go off on that have nothing to do with psych. The only way to do well is to go to all lecture and take notes on whatever he says, even if it's not about psychology. Don't buy the book; you'll never need it. I got a 5 in AP psych, but I have a 75 in his class! Avoid at all costs.
Very interesting class. You need to attend lectures, where he elaborates on the powerpoint slides, which are all on line. 80% of tests come right from the slides. Lets you keep the exams to see what you missed. Great knowledge of psychology
HE IS A TERRIBLE TEACHER. DOES NOT HELP OU AT AL. HIS CLASSES ARE POINTLESS, HE TA'S ARE EVEN WORSE AND CAN'T HELP YOU BECUASE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICTAE WITH YOU. THE ONLY WAY YOUR GOING TO GET POINTS IS BY DOING EXTRA RESEARCH.
I thought he was an awesome teacher. He explains everything in depth and I felt I learned a lot. It can be hard, but if you study and pay attention in class it's not too bad.
Make sure you to the lectures because that is the majority of the exams. he inclues things on the exam that aren't even on the slides. His exams are really hard but he makes everything very clear and understandable. He also has a great sense of humor!
Exams were unusually difficult for a psychology class, but he did everything he could to prepare us. I received a 74,on the first one a 79 on the next one, and then an 84 on the final. With the VERY generous curve, lab grade, and 4 extra credit points, I received an A as a final grade. 40% of the class received an A or A-! Shouldn't be complaints.
His tests are hard, but he grades on a generous curve.
Swadlow is the man. He grades with an extremely generous curve when his class is nowhere near as hard as people say it is. Nobody who puts in the effort or studying the night before the exam should have a problem getting an A. He's not a bad lecturer either. All the hate he gets on this site is nowhere near justified. I would recommend him.
As long as you do the reading and study the lecture slides you're fine. The tests are word for word off the lecture slides and from the book. You don't even have to go to class. Try to find someone who took the class before and get their notes. Just put in the work and you're totally fine.
Swadlow is a straight forward dude. He tells you at the beginning of the semester that this class will not be easy but if you put in the time and effort you'll do fine. The tests are hard but he's not trying to trick you in anyway, make sure you read the chapters in the book as thats 20% of material on the test. Take the class
A lot of people warned me about Swadlow but their words did not match my experience. I thought Swadlow was a very engaging lecturer, and an overall cool guy. One day in class he just whipped out a harmonica. He offers plenty of extra credit and doesn't require you to read the whole book, theres also a generous curve. Just go to class and study!
Psych is supposedly an easy class and my sat was 1990 and my gpa is 3.5 and I failed this class. If you are good at memorizing useless facts to get a good grade this is your man. If you prefer being engaged in learning a subject and having to apply what you learned and be productive without memorizing pages of non-sense then stay away.
He is a really good professor, but you really have to study for the tests. If you don't you will fail this class. It isn't very easy, but don't blame the Swad for you doing bad. It's easy if you try.
This professor is hard. He is no help at all and the TAs are even worse. Take with a different professor.
Swadlow says right in the first lecture that his class will not be an easy one, and he means it. The course is full of tricky material. However, he is very fair and grades on a pretty generous curve. If you attend his lectures and take good notes and STUDY you should be able to pass his course with at least a B.
Loved listening to him lecture. He doesn't read verbatim off of each slide like many professors. He curves at the end, so my 81 became a B+. I never studied for any of the exams, never took notes, and I don't own the book. I did; however, go to every class and listen. That should get you a B+.
Harvey's tests wouldn't be so difficult if he didn't word every question differently than he explains it in lecture. His exams are 80% lecture, 20% book, so going to class is definitely a must. The lab sections are super easy, and the experiment credits give you up to 3 extra points on the final. Not a horrible class, just not so easy.
Professor Swadlow is an interesting character nut I had a difficult time following him. The material is so general and he jumped all over the place. He exams are extremely difficult and his class is not worth the stress. It is a very difficult elective with him. Switch professors if possible
REALLY HARD. If you are not good at neurobiology you will rarely know what he is talking about. However he does give a nice curve to the class at the end of the semester.
...If you don't get an A in his class then I don't know what to tell you.. He curves the exams VERY generously AND you can get up to 4 extra credit points on your final grade by completing a few more credits in the research component (which is easy). Take this class if you want to get straight B- on the exams and still get an A.
I believe Swadlow to be an excellent professor. He is definitely a character, but his personality is what stimulates the class and brightens the often boring subject matter. Go to class regularly for lecture; he explains complex ideas with simple analogies. Do the extra credit experiments he offers. Take good notes, study hard- you will do well.
His tests are super hard, especially for a 1000 level course, and the multiple choice questions often have many answers that seem correct. There is extra credit offered but it can only help so much. Definitely hoping the curve will be in my favor for this class because I am going to need it.
Swadlow is a really dry humor funny guy, always made people laugh during lecture. Read off of slides, and that was what the exams were on. But he tends to say one thing and then ask different things on the exam. I ended with an A, but I rewrote my notes a lot. Just study and you'll get a good grade. (He apparently curves a lot too)
Professor Swadlow is a very straight forward professor. You need to study to do well but if you do then you will get an A. You barely need the book, you only need to read the chapter summaries at the end of the chapter. He offers extra credit that can bring your grad up 3 points. Also there is a generous curve at the end (86's were curved to A's)
I loved Swadlow, really funny and nice guy, very smart and knows his stuff. However his exams are very difficult. The material is easy enough but he tests in a very difficult way. You must study and study hard if you want a good grade. There's opportunity for a decent of extra credit. Overall a great class.
A lot of people on here say his class is horrible and he's a horrible professor... this is not true. Yes, his class isn't easy but if you go to the lectures and just review all the slides before the exam you'll get an easy A.
An okay professor. Exams are tricky. You get 2 exams (both 55 multiple choice questions)(Final was 100 questions). Attendance isn't mandatory but its basically essential to passing his exams! Lecture Slides are 80% of test! The Lab is really easy. Need to give a lot of effort into the class! He does curve grades at the end however.
Very intelligent and funny guy. You can tell that he really knows what he is talking about; lectures are engaging. He provides the slides online, but it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to attend lecture because he offers examples and explanations for every bit of material in them. Tough exams, but you only need to study to be successful. Extra credit, too.
I went to every lecture but they were so boring. I only went because your notes in lecture are essential to you passing the exams. He tells you that the book isnt necessary but it is. Exams are tough, i studied 2 weeks in advance and still struggled. would not recommend.
Lectures are super dry, he really loves to talk about the science aspect of psychology ( brain anatomy, nervous system, etc) rather than psychology as a social science
Swadlow is definitely something new for a lot of students. The lectures are mandatory and you have to take a lot of notes. Sometimes it was hard to stay awake but at the end you are amazed at the things you learn. Do not get scared the first day with the test averages. If you review the material and take good notes you will be fine.
Swadlow's a great professor. His tests are honestly not hard if you just read and study. He posts his lecture slides online so that always helps as well. Lecture is more important than the book in my opinion, but the book is definitely needed if you want to pass. The labs sucked though.
If you work REALLY hard in this class you can do well, because he does offer a nice curve. But this class was way too difficult for being a general education course, students with other professors enjoyed this class much more and did better. Professor expects you to remember everything he says, and tends to ramble a lot.
The material is really dense and scientific, which sucks if you're not a science guy. Its possible, but its hard. I got an A but I had to literally study a rough 10 hours total for each exam, and even more for the final. The library was my home for that semester.
I would not recommend this professor if you aren't good at memorization. He claims his class is easy because all you have to do is memorize the slides but all the power points are around 30 slides long and filled with so much useless information. He also rambles a lot when he lectures. You will not pass if you don't study.
lectures are painful to sit through, tests are hard. definitely would not take again
Interesting, clear lectures, and all slides posted on line before hand, lets you keep your exam for study, generous grading curve and easy extra credit available, good humor, available during or after office hours, review sessions night before each exam. BUT, tough multiple choice exams with lots of detail. Lots of studying needed
seems like a nice guy and he gives a nice scale but this was way too hard for a gen ed. seems more science based too so if you aren't good at science, don't take it.
Class is very hard, and he makes you memorize everything you do in class. The tests are hard and cover information from slides and the book. If you don't read or review the book the questions are impossible. He does give up to 3 extra credit points as well as a curve at the end of the course. If you can don't take this class with Swadlow.
I would not recommend taking psych with him, I'm in heavy medical classes and psych was one of my hardest courses. He does not teach his information clearly at all, not a good professor.
Don't really understand everyone's issue with Swadlow. He clearly states at the beginning of the semester that this is a hard course. If you go to lecture and take notes you will easily get a B in this class, start studying at least 3 days in advance and you'll be fine on the exams. Questions come straight from the slides and the book.
Swadlow was a pretty decent professor. His lectures are very boring, but you learn a decent amount. He gives rather easy extra credit, a decent curve and a lab section that is pretty easy that all help your grade, but his exams are pretty tough. I got a D+, B then a C+ on exams and finished with a B+. Go to class and pay attention and you're fine.
I did not like going to his lectures, but I felt that most of the questions on his exam came from things he talked about in class. He is monotone and it is tough not to sleep through his lecture. If I had to take psychology again, I would take it with another professor.
Tests are tough, a ton of information, if you study a lot you will be fine. Not as bad as most people say but definitely not easy.
The tests are based directly off his slides, which is a problem because his slide are very vague. He also does a bad job explaining things. If I didn't take AP Psych in high school I would have struggled.
Great lectures, clear and interesting, with good examples. Exams come strait from lecture slides. Gotta work for this class but it's very straightforward.
I hate this professor and this class. I studied a week in advance, I understood the material, but the exams are hard. They are confusing and so much harder than it has to be and he's quite a difficult person in general. The class itself is interesting but pick a different professor.
This was the hardest class I have taken at UConn. His slides are not worded clearly and they are hard to understand when reviewing them. Exams also have confusing wording. He makes the class more confusing then it needs to be.
Not going to lie, this was one of the harder classes I have taken at UConn. I didn't do the best on the exams, but I still ended with an A-, he gives a pretty good amount of extra credit. His exams are based on both the slides and book, unfortunately, in order to do well you have to write down almost all of what he says in class.
What people are saying on here is a little dramatic. He is a passionate professor and go to lecture because a lot of what he says in lecture is not on the slides. If you take good notes and study well you'll do fine. My B got curved to an A-. Also the lab section quizzes are easy and will bring your grade up. Also there is extra credit!
It's a really easy class: I didn't go to a single lecture and got an A from the curve. I've found most of his tests to be based off the reading and slides he posts online: they're very straight forward. Lots of extra credit and lab boosts your grade a lot.
This class is tough, but not horrible. If you do not go to class, you will probably fail. He basically gives all the material you need in class, except for some things you have to read in the book that he won't go over in class. Not too bad, study for every exam and ASK QUESTIONS. Exams can be tricky. Funny guy, good class overall.
Dr. Swadlow is so precious, has a good sense of humor and genuinely wants you to lean the material, which he knows is difficult. The exams are very challenging, but the final is actually somewhat forgiving. If you don't go to class, you'll miss points about the slides he goes over verbally, and you likely will not pass - a mistake I made on exam 1!
This is a very demanding professor, If you pay attention and are interested in the material you will do well. This professor reminds me of one that I had at the univ of so fl. by the name of Dr Vandercar. I would highly recommend taking this class.
Ugh://///
He's the worst. Get ready to fail. If you hear you have him, get out!
You can study for hours, days even weeks and you will probably fail. Why? Because Harvey Swadlow tells you on the first day of class that "most of you will." This is a result of his extremely difficult exams. The questions are worded in the absolute most confusing way and his lectures DO NOT have as much importance on them as he claims.
He made it clear during the first lecture that it is impossible to do well in this class if you miss the lectures. If you come to all of the classes, take good notes and pay attention, and spend time going through the material again, you will get a good grade. Some of the exam is based on the book, but the lectures are definitely more important.
If you are not good at taking tests then do not take this class. I have studied very hard for this class and still do not get very good grades. Go to class and read the book. Make sure you actually pay attention in class. The lab helps and so does the extra credit when it comes to your final grade, but try not to rely on this.
Harvey's psychology 1100 class was very difficult in comparison to other sections. Grading consists of 3 exams all of which are very lecture heavy, and a lab. Exams are difficult and require a lot of studying.
People saying they studied for weeks and failed are lying. Requires attendance in lectures and time spent out of class studying for exams. Very lecture heavy, and 80% of exams are usually on lecture material, but it can all be found on the slides online. Plenty of ways to boost grade: easy lab, large curve on all exams, extra credit opportunities.
The course is tough don't get me wrong but like any other class what you put in is what you get out of it. The content is interesting and prof. Swadlow tries really hard for everyone to understand it through examples. The tests are challenging and only about 5 of the questions are from the textbook so don't stress over the reading.
I really liked Professor Swadlow. I found his lectures engaging but I would recommend recording them because if you drift off for even a minute you are totally lost. The lab and experimental credits are definitely important I did as many possible extra experiments and that really helped me in the end.
Swadlow wasn't bad; you just really need to study for the exams, go to lectures, and take good notes. The book isn't too necessary since he only bases like 10% of the exams on it and that's only on the headings, so no need to read in-depth. Also, the extra credits and easy lab make a huge difference, so do extra experiments and go to lab!!
Jesus, where do I begin. I sat in the back of the lecture everyday and majority, if not all, students either slept through his exams or surfed the web (trust me I had the eagle eye view). He is (hands down) the worst and most boring prof i've ever had. Not only is he a pretty bad lecturer but has the audacity to make his exams extremely hard. Run
Swadlow says on day one that his class is difficult and sets his students up to fail. His exams are difficult even with a lot of studying because he goes out of his way to make the questions harder than they need to be. The lecture was disorganized and jumped between powerpoints making it very hard to follow what we were learning. Nice curve though
You really do not know what he is talking about when you take the lecture. If you take this class, be prepared to study by yourself!
Good class. Midterm exam was exactly as he said. Nearly all from lecture and slides. Just study as he suggests and you'll do fine.
Harvey Swadlow is one of the absolute worst professors I've ever had at UConn. When he tells you on day one of classes that most of you will fail, he is serious. His tests are very poorly worded and his lectures are a mess. Not only does he constantly side tracks himself in his lectures making note taking a chore he doesn't even follow the course.
Harvey Swadlow was the absolute worst teacher I have ever had in my long years of school. It was clear that he needed kids to fail to fit some sort of agenda, because this guy went out of his way to rig the course to make it extremely difficult. The exams were beyond unfair as many questions were not in the powerpoint or book, and worded terribly.
Literally the worst professor I've ever had. Tests were ridiculously hard, and his lectures were horrible and honestly not even helpful; I didn't learn at all from them. I got an A in AP Psych, and still didn't do extremely well on his exams. He thinks he is the best professor - he isn't. Take literally any other professor.
Everybody complained he was hard, and that is true but it's doable. Also, tests are hard but there is a pretty big curve, and there is extra credit from participating in studies so do those. Overall I liked him. But don't skip lecture
Dr. Swadlow tells you at the beginning of the semester that the course will be hard and that most students won't do well. Your grade is based on three exams that are based souly on the lecture and about 10% book. His lectures are all over the place, he mummbles, he seems confused when he's speaking. He does curve, but the class average was a 60%.
The lecture slides are posted online, so you could skip the lectures but he tends to discuss a FEW things in more depth. Overall, the exams are basically word for word off of the slides so make sure you memorize every slide. You really don't have to read the book especially if you took AP Psych because its all review.
Tests are very specific and easy to misread
Jesus H. Christ this is the hardest course I have ever taken in my life. I took AP Psych in high school and absolutely loved it. I aced the exam; however UCONN doesn't allow students to skip out of General Psych so I had to take this. At first Harvey seems funny but DONT LET THAT FOOL YOU. His tests are hard and lectures are boring.
Tests are very hard mainly because the questions he asked are ambiguous. Comes across as rude and senile. His lectures are extremely boring because he goes on tangents every single lecture. This class is NOT comparable AP Psych, it's much harder (even though it's just an intro psych course).
this guy is the absolute worst. Does nothing to help the students, you have to teach yourself everything by reading his slides (which make no sense). He tests you on material he doesn't teach you, and makes you read the book to learn it (which takes forever). Exams are so hard, he makes it way too hard for an Intro course and wants you to struggle.
This class isn't too bad if you attend lectures and MEMORIZE the PowerPoint slides. Do the extra credit psych studies and you should be fine. He also curves the exams by a substantial amount. I got a B before the curve and a solid A afterward.
Dr. Swadlow does give heavy lectures. However, he also provides you great examples to help you understand. It is not an easy "A" class. But if you go to lecture and review the slides efficiently, you will be fine. Professor gives students solid curve. Definitely do all the extra credits and try to do well in Lab. These will also boost your grade.
Weird guy, tells interesting stories but gives a nice curve at the end of the course. Some exam material covers examples from lecture not on the slides, so attendance is necessary. The textbook is barely used, but material from the book does show up in exams. He's not a bad guy, just interesting to say the least.
Good lectures, interesting class. Lecture slides are available on line, so bring them with u to class. Funny guy. Not an easy class, but very doable. Dont be put off by the whiners on this site who expected an easy A. Nice curve at end. 60% of class got As or Bs. He is good to talk to after class or at office.
Harvey Swadlow is an amazing man that inspired me throughout the semester. 10/10 would recommend him. His tests are pretty hard though.
He is a tough teacher to take this course with. His slides are not made well and he spends lecture just reading straight off of them. Your whole grade is basically based off huge exams that require a lot of studying and are hard!
He is a very nice guy! Would take again
Swadlow was a decent teacher at best. Caring and funny, but the class was very hard. As a 1st semester freshman I underestimated how much work the class required. Make sure to review material frequently to keep up. Only 3 tests and a lab make up the grade. If you have a choice don't take him, but if you do choose him be prepared to work.
a lot of people complain about how hard this class is - those are the people who didn't study enough. Start studying 1.5-2 weeks before each exam, reviewing the slides, making sure you know what every term means, and you'll be fine. and just like he says, make sure you know what the headings mean in the book. I thought he was funny. good curve.
I know Swadlow has a reputation for being hard, but the key is to show up to class and LISTEN TO HIS ADVICE. The exam is 80% lecture. Read the slides, learn the slides, love the slides. I got a 96 and to study I read the bold headings in the book and rewrote all the slides.
Professor Swadlow uses an extensive vocabulary, so make sure you have a thorough understanding of the terminology on his slides. Read the book, but don't spend a lot of time on it. You'll only be tested on about 15% of textbook material. Attend lecture!! If you get distracted easy, make special accommodations for taking exams. Very frustrating.
Has a reputation for being hard. But honestly, if you just show up and do what the syllabus says then his class really isn't bad. His lectures are pretty boring and sometimes he rambles but overall the content is pretty easy. If you can get your hands on tests from previous semesters it really helps, he reuses questions/they are very similar.
Three tests worth 75% of your grade. 80% of the tests are questions right from the slides he presents in class as well as gives to you while 20% is questions from the book. Gives extra credit towards your final grade by doing psychology experiments.
Nice guy, study and prepare, you will be fine.
One of the hardest courses I have ever taken! so much reading and studying, this class was almost like taking BIOL1107 all over again. His lectures are boring and he goes off on tangents, his exams are 90% from lecture so memorize the slides they are also really difficult and very long. Doesn't feel like a intro course, nice guy though.
Dr. S is one of my favorite profs at UCONN. He's a sweet old man who likes to make jokes during class. However, teaching style isn't for everybody. You can't escape memorization!! About 90% of the test info is what he says in class. Test q's are detailed. TALKS ABOUT STUFF NOT MENTIONED IN THE BOOK OR WRITTEN OUT ON THE LECTURE SLIDES.
Intro level class, nowhere near intro level difficult. My 3000 level classes were easier than this. Makes you memorize a bunch of mundane things that don't matter unless you are a psych major, i guess. Would not recommend.
Professor Swadlow had incredibly detailed lectures every class. It was pretty hard to keep up with him. If you take this class, be prepared that the final will be cumulative and have over a hundred questions. Study at least a week in advance if you want a guaranteed A- the tests. He has extra credit, and the lab section is a free grade booster.
Okay, Dr. Swadlow isn't as scary as most people on here claim. His lectures are very detailed and you NEED TO TAKE GOOD NOTES to pass, and you better get ready to memorize the lecture slides for the exams, but he's not that bad (he's actually pretty funny). If you actually do what he says, you'll be fine.
Probably the hardest intro course I have ever taken. You have to memorize pretty much everything to pass the class. He also tends to go a little bit off topic but it is okay. However, he was very funny during class and is extremely passionate about the subject. He focuses mostly on the scientific part of psychology.
Grade is based on 85% lecture (3 exams> 85% lecture/ 15% book questions) 15% lab section. 3 possible extra credit points to total if you do 12 points worth of participant pool. Some questions on test are tricky, study a lot, work hard. Lecture is pretty good, he makes jokes and examples are helpful. Overall, it's not too bad, interesting class.
This was actually a really interesting class and Professor Swadlow Clearly enjoys lecturing he was actually pretty funny. The class was a lot more difficult than I would have expected from an intro class and you need to study a lot but the tests were just pure memorization and not too tricky as long as you put the time in.
Your grade is only based on 3 hard tests. His lectures are boring but fine. Take very detailed notes & begin studying super early. Do extra credit through participant pool-it really helps! This class will feel easy at first bc there's no actual hw & then you'll take the first test and realize it isn't. He's fine but doesn't care about students much
Took this class to cover a credit for sciences had heavily regret it. You can spend days studying for an exam and still fail. Take this course with another professor.
I don't see why people say so he's so terrible. Yes, the class is a lot of information to remember and you definitely need to attend lecture to understand whats going on, but he does a good job of explaining the material, and the rest is told in the textbook. Tests are very straight forward, no trick questions. Just study and you'll be fine
His lectures can really really drag but I don't think he's the WORST professor in the world like other reviewers believe. He has a sense of humor and does a decent job at explaining some complex concepts. Overall the course is a little difficult just because of the content itself, and everything on the exam is from the lectures.
Show up to lectures and skim slides before hand so you are familiar with them. Great class, definitely a challenge but you learn a lot. Lectures feel like ted talks!
I liked Swadlow, although sometimes I wanted to fall asleep during his class. Midterm and final are mostly based on the slides, and some questions are based on the main chapter headlines of the textbook. He does do a curve at the end of the semester, and lab is a joke. Fine professor, I'd take another psych class with him if I had the time.
The class is based on exams. All three exam worth 75% of the grade, and the final is cumulative with 100 questions. Questions are mainly from the slides, so going to the lecture helps you know the concepts in details and helps to memorize. The class is hard, but if you prepare early and study every day, you will be fine.
Not the professor for someone who needs individualized attention. His lecture drag on and somewhat difficult to follow. If you skip class, don't plan on doing well on the exams. Overall he means well but if you don't do well in large lectures you likely wont enjoy his class
doesnt take lightly to christian students, if you have these beliefs, best not take the class.
He only grades you by the 3 exams and final which if you do bad on one exam it pulls your grade down a lot. You have to go to class.
Lectures are very boring, all slides are online. He includes extra notes in class so attending class is necessary. He is occasionally pretty funny however to keep the exams light. His exams require many many hours of studying just to receive a 70 or higher, if lucky. I wouldn't recommend Swadlow for incoming freshmen.
Horrible class. The only requirement to do well is to memorize 120 powerpoint slides for each exam, triple that for the final. I don't know enough about the curriculum to know if it is specifically Professor Swadlow's fault, but avoid this class by any means necessary.
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR! I'm a very good student usually but Swadlow, though his lectures are okay, has a terrible class structure. His class is only based on 3 exams with minimal extra credit that are horrifyingly wordy and filled with typos, focusing on miniscule details from one of hundreds of his slides (not exaggerating) Total GPA-wrecker.
This class was an absolute nightmare. I took AP psychology in high school and passed with a 4 on the exam so I assumed Psych 1100 would feel like a review. However, I was incorrect. You can only understand his slides if you go to every lecture and take thorough notes. If you don't memorize every word on every slide in his wording, you will fail.
Literally just study his slides and your fine. All material is on slides. At least you know whats going to be on test. Not bad as people say.
A lot of people say not to take his class, but I thought he was good at explaining the material. no matter what psych class you take it will be hard and a lot of notes. His tests are exactly what we learn and no surprises and he grades them the same day.
I needed this class as a GenEd requirement and I would say to take any other teacher. I studied as hard as I could for the midterm, final, and other exams and did not do well on any of them. Some of his lectures were interesting while in others I struggled to stay up in the class. I took this as a freshman and it was the hardest class ever for me.
I took this class as a freshman my 1st semester as a gen ed. This was the most difficult course ive ever taken in my life. Way to difficult to be a gen ed. His lectures are painfully boring, exams are absolutely brutal. He says he'll curve but really doesn't, so dont believe him. If you have the opportunity to take any other professor, do so.
Very difficult class if you do not attend lecture. tests are based almost completely on powerpoint slides and class lecture (with an addition of 10 questions based off of bolded headings in book) If you get in the A range for the "lab" portion of the class and average a B-/C for the tests you should be all set to get a B/B+ in the class!
Interesting class and lectures. First, download the lecture slides, then go to class and take notes on the slides. It's not easy, but it's not that hard! Gives good examples and stories in class. There is a good curve for the final grade. At the end about 60% of class got an A or a B. Just don't think it's going to be an easy class.
This class made me cry. I will not lie. Exams are very hard and the first one will make you lose hope if you fail it. Lectures don't make much sense but you have to memorize all slides if you want a chance at passing. Claims he answers questions but ends up repeating what already on the slide. Take with another professor if you can.
Everyone said this professor was super hard (On Rate My Professor)- almost deterred me but he was the only prof available and I needed this as a gen ed. He was actually very straight forward and didn't overload on material. Just study what he puts on his Powerpoint slides and skim textbook and you can't fail.
I think he's not the best professor, but I didn't mind him. If you have good knowledge of psych, you'll be fine.
I don't know why he has such bad reviews, I took his class last semester and LOVED it. He is such a great lecturer, and always stays on topic. It is very test heavy, but if you study and attend the lectures you'll definitely pass. I'm looking forward to taking another one of his classes in the future.
Prof. Swadlow mainly grades you on the three exams you take during the semester. Theres no homework, but when an exam comes around you have to literally memorize every single thing from his lectures. If you do bad on an exam, well good luck. His lectures are pretty tedious but also important if you want to actually understand the content.
If you're an incoming freshman who hasn't figured out how to study yet I would not take this class with Swadlow. His exams cover A LOT of material and if skip lecture or wait last minute to study you will not do well. He curved and offered extra credit, but don't rely on this. Make sure you go to lab. It's an easy A and worth 25% of your grade.
Prof. Swadlow is very straightforward, have to go to class to get notes and listen to lecture. Exams are hard even if you study, sometimes the questions are labeled of where they come from (slides/textbook) but even then, the answers are hard to find and figure out. I think it depends on how well you pick up the material is key to doing good.
He emphasizes that lecture is 80% and the textbook is 20%, but if you pay attention all he really does is take sentences out of the textbook and puts them on lecture slides. The textbook explains it a lot better than he does in class. Use lecture to know what you need to study but the textbook is a lot more helpful than he makes it seem.
Can't say I loved this class, very lecture heavy, so don't think about skipping. 75% of my grade was based on 3 tests (all multiple choice). The other 25% was for lab which is hit or miss depending on how easy your TA is. Have to participate in studies for the grad students. Gives a nice curve at the end of the semester though.
Professor Swadlow is very educated in his field and his lectures can be interesting. However, I do not recommend this course to anyone who has difficulty test taking. Your grade is heavily based on how you do on tests (75%) and the rest is based on how you do in your lab (25%). Please avoid taking an intro psych class with him.
This is the second class I've taken with Dr. Swadlow; his exams are difficult, but doable if you take good lecture notes, and he is telling the truth when he says any textbook questions are from the bold headings/highlighted words. Clearly knows a lot about what he's teaching but explains it so it makes sense, and can be pretty funny at times.
I took a class with Prof Swadlow my freshman year and LOVED it, so I decided to take one of his upper-level classes. Dear god do not take his class if it is online!! The class was asynchronous so he just droned on since there were no time constraints. Tests were also much harder than I remember.
Seems like a decently nice person, but he finds a way to make interesting topics boring and there's a big chunk of material to learn for each exam. Sometimes his emails can be a bit passive-aggressive. Be prepared to cram for the exams, which are closed-notes and count for 75% of your grade. Not an accurate representation of what I learned.
Swadlow was by far the worst Professor Ive ever had. The content itself was intriguing but relied too much on memory. He utilizes lockdown browser for his 3 exams (each with 25%) and sends kinda salty announcements. Wont answer any of your questions unless its on a discussion board. Basically refuses to talk to you the whole time.
I enjoy psychology, but this class kind of ruined that for me. All it consisted of was power points with a little audio icon in the corner of each. He highlighted the parts in the textbook that we needed to focus on, but only a small portion of the book was on exams. There were no assignments to enhance understanding & tests were hard. Worst class.
His class was very hard. It was online so the only content was lectures and text book chapters. The final grade was based on two exam grades ONLY. Essentially you have to ace the exams or you fail. Overall nice guy but definitely a hard class, be prepared for serious studying.
This class was significantly easier for me only because I had taken AP Psychology. If I did not have the background in the subject, the class would have been very difficult. However, if you go to class, take descriptive notes and study a lot you should be relatively fine. Material is really straightforward and textbook Q's always come from the bold
Class was only significantly easier for me because I had taken AP Psych. If the material is new for you, don't skip class and take very descriptive notes. Include not only what's on the slide, but what he says about them because that stuff is the exam content. Textbook Qs come from bolded terms, material is straightforward, study hard and ur good
my portion of this class was online. his slides were not put together well and consisted of all the information on the exam. only 4 exams with nothing else. he is very strict and stubborn. not recommended if you can switch to a different professor.
I'm honestly at shock at how many bad reviews Dr. Swadlow has. Yes, the exams cover a lot of material, but the questions are all fairly easy and straightforward. But don't wait till the last minute to study. If you do the lectures, read the highlighted portions of the book, and study using EFFICIENT study methods, you will get an A. It's doable.
Taken online despite being back in person. Grade is completely based on midterm and final grade. His slides are not always clear, not a lot of effort put into them. He will only talk to you through discussion board. Covers a lot of material. If you can take someone else’s class, definitely do it.
All online. Lectures in form of slides with lots of attached audio. Clearly done. Good use of Husky CT discussion board for questions, and web-ex office hour question meetings once or twice per week. Good for remote learning. 90% of test questions come from the slides, so know them well!
The professor was often off-topic while he was giving the lecture. The course was heavily based on his slide and his test is mostly from his material. He would pause suddenly and the audio has a low tune that will make you feel dizzy. The test only includes minor detail instead of the main content. No Homework, No Participation, Pure Nightmare.
All online class strictly listening to lectures and hard to understand the material. Stay away
I wouldn't take this class. It is all online, lectures are posted. Only 3 exams the whole year and only a few homework that barley count. He curves you final grade but if you do average in the class you will peobably end up with a B.
Swadlow managed to take a pretty easy, entertaining subject and ruin it. I had friends who took this with other profs and loved it, and when they looked at what I was doing they didn't know any of it. The lectures are such a snooze fest, and I could never bring myself to listen to the audio. Tests are unnecessarily difficult.
The professor himself didnt really teach. The whole class is asynchronous and graded on 3 exams and a lab. He has all the information for each exam written on the syllabus that you are required to study but no outline so you need to be very self-motivated and organized. The exams are pretty hard, but as long as you actually study you will be fine.
3 exams throughout the semester, unfocused lectures, he will go on tangents that mean nothing, tests are difficult, be sure to study. Would not take again, find a different professor if you need to take the course.
He is a horrible professor and is rude in his emails and he doesn't care about his students at all. He turned the whole class asynchronous and its so hard to follow his lectures because he just adds audio to his slides. His tests are also so hard and on lockdown. Take another professor if you can.
The class was entirely online which was nice, but the exams were tough. Tougher than I expected. He did, thankfully, drop the lowest test grade. But since the exams were worth 75% and the other 25% was lab, it was needed. Overall, only take it with him if you HAVE to.
Definitely causes loads of first year psych students to switch majors. Teaching is very low on his list of priorities. Has effectively automated this course. Posts old lectures, gives you a few weeks, gives the lockdown exam, and that's it. Referred to us as "humans" one time. Comes off like JP from Grandma's Boy. Just study and you'll do fine.
He responds in a timely manner to questions on discussion boards which is nice. Course is graded on 3 exams but he did offer extra credit and he is dropping our lowest exam grade. You download the lectures and he puts audio clips talking about material. It is very boring and dry and he goes off on tangents a lot. Just study hard for a good grade
Swadlow did a great job with this online course. Clear PowerPoint slides, each with a 5 minute audio lecture. This made it easy to study. Lots to memorize on those slides though, and hard tests. Demanding course, but he dropped your lowest exam and had a useful discussion board for questions, and he always responded immediately. Zoom office hours.
Not an easy psyc course. Very interesting lectures but you have to know them well. Exams are detailed. Study and you will do fine.
The class was online but discussions were in person once a week. The professor was nice but you can't really blame him for the exams. He likes to mention 85% of the material is from the ppt slides and 15% is from the textbook so if you actually do your work and study, this class will be a breeze. You weren't required to do much otherwise in lec/dis
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