3.8
Quality2.8
Difficulty59%
Would Retake193
Reviews59%
Would Retake
193
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
107
4
28
3
14
2
15
1
29
What Students Say
“gives students every opportunity to get an A”
PHSYICS131132 - 5.0 rating“Put forth your best faith effort and Heath will reward you”
PHY131 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
53%
Textbook Required
49%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.43 avg changeRatings by Course
PHYSICS13
5.0
(2)PHYSICS
5.0
(1)PHYSICS131132
5.0
(1)PHY151
5.0
(2)ASTR105
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
PHYS151
3.5
PHY131
3.4
PHYS132
3.1
ASTR105
3.0
AST105
3.0
Reviews (193)
He has the canadian humor :-p funny ..sometimes. seems nice as a teacher, but on a one-on-one basis is rather serious. Overall i think he's a good teacher. generous :)
Heath is very personable and easy to communicate with. He is always willing to help and answer questions and provides a lot of examples in class to give students an idea of what will be on exams. Partial grading system boosts scores, as does PRS and OWL
physics is a difficult subject, but he makes it as easy as humanly possible. very generous and a very nice guy in general.
teaches both problem solving a concept of physics. if no one is asking questions, he will ask us a question. he does a lot of fun demos. just come to class, do the owls on-time, and read the lecture notes. he only teaches in once a semester, so try to avoid the other old guy!
Very good professor, fair, willing to listen to students and give the time to students, does problems out for students to understand
Heath is always there for extra help, and he returns emails with the speed of light! Heath made an unbearable subject not suck so bad, and there was actually a petition to keep him around for Physics 132 in the fall. Take 131 with Heath, and you won't be sorry!
I hate physics, but this ended up being one of the most enjoyable classes I'd ever had. He teaches assuming the class is a lot harder than it is, so no one gets left behind. His demos are awesome, often hilarious. He's very approachable, very clear, very helpful, quite awesome.
He is probably the best Professor at that school. He is always more than happy to take the time and make sure you understand the class. Thanks to him I got an A instead of failing like I did in Organic Chem where the professor sucks. If you go there try to
Heath is by far the best professor at Umass. He is so passionate about teaching and having his students learn the material. But he is not one of those crazy professors that make u learn details. He is very understanding and knows that Physics is not the only thing going on in our lives!
time goes by fast in his class. doesnt want anyone to fail. will give an extension no matter what
Great professor, very understanding and good guy.
most of the exam questions are from the lecture. Lecture notes are online, no attendance check, easy test..
He's such a kind and funny man who never fails to answer your questions. He used an amazing scale to make sure that nobody fails. Tests are kinda hard, but I only say that cuz science is at all my thing.
Heath is a very nice teacher! He keeps the attention and respect of his students during class, and teaches in a way that is helpful for life science students! His demo's are a great addition. Homework is good prep for tests. Tests are fair. Very helpful outside of class and through e-mail. If you can, I highly recommend taking his classes!
great teacher! classes are actually kind of fun. the first exam will be a smack in the face, but once you know what he's looking for its a great class, i got an a. also take the final and really study the old exam questions he posts.
he's the man. fun class. interactive demo's. overall a good techer although sometimes i think he makes up the grades
Even if you don't have an interest in physics, Heath's presentation and teaching style of the class will overcome that. He's full of demonstrations to make his points clear (liquid nitrogen bombs, blowing up beakers) and keep the class from being dull. Drops lowest exam score, and allows a full page cheat sheet for all the exams. Recommended.
Great teacher
Fairly easy class, if you attend the lectures...best 3/4 exams count, so the final is optional. Prof. Hatch doesn't really have a good grasp of the underlying concepts and isn't good at explaining difficult (or mathematical) ideas.
AWESOME PROF. Good at explaining, does crazy stuff in class (youtube). Easy A
best physics prof. Easy A. Awesome class. Makes class exciting
One of the best professors I have had! It was a fairly difficult class for me, but the way he grades makes it very possible to get an acceptable grade. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Take this class with Heath!! Highly recommended. He's just so nice and so helpful. Above all, he's understanding that physics isn't easy and if you try he rewards you for it. Do all of the homework and the take home exams as best as you can and you'll probably get an A. Greatest professor I have had at Umass hands down. Funny too :)
Heath is a great proff. He knows how to make the material interesting and engaging. He blows things up in class and does lots of other demos. He gives you PDF notes online, extra credit for all exams, and he records his lectures and posts them online. his exams are completely doable and fair. You probably won't use the book much.
Heath is an awesome teacher. Not only are his lectures totally straightforward, he makes it interesting with demos and real life examples. The best thing about about his teaching style is his fairness- I failed the first exam but got a B overall because of his grading policy. BEST physics teacher.
Good teacher. If you do the work he assigns you'll be fine. Very understandable guy when it comes to late homework or having to make up a test. If you put in a little effort you will get an acceptable grade.
GREAT teacher. As long as you do the work you're fine. Very lenient and has tons of things to help you. Genuinely cares about whether you get this stuff or not.
The guy is the man. Really relaxed and easy to talk to. Definitely take a class with him.
Great teacher. I really enjoy his lectures. Work hard, get an A.
Physics itself is an intimidating subject but Hatch just makes it seem easier. Tests can be a tiny bit tricky if you don't read the questions closely even with poor exams you can still manage at least a high C or B because of homework and prs. Also, i found him pretty helpful if you just ask him.
awesome professor. tries to make everything clear to students and goes out of his way to make the lectures interesting. exams can be a little bit tricky but overall an okay class if you do the work and keep up with the material.
The material in class is not easy, but Heath inspires interest and explains material to students who are not physics oriented in a successful and engaging manner. His hybrid method of delivery is not my cup of tea but it has a benefit of being able to re-watch lectures at home.If you're a UMass student and need Physics 131- take it only with Heath
Heath is an awesome professor. He is willing to help as long as you ask. The book isn't really needed, he posts all of his lecture slides on spark.
Really nice and funny man! Realized way too late that you really don't need to attend class except for the review class before each test, grading scale is SUPER forgiving!! Solid gen ed, def recommend, easy A
Best teacher I've ever had. Nicest guy ever and very understanding with deadlines and homework. Since lectures are taped you don't really have to go to class and you can do prs online too. I did minimal work for an A.
AWESOME teacher! Funny and very helpful. His exams can be hard though but the majority of it is easy. Depending. He makes physics so fun!
Took Physics 131 and 132 with him. He allows you to pick more than one answer for his multiple choice exams (for less points however) and he adjusts the grades in the end. If you are a life science major like me and need to take the class, take it with Heath!
A unique and very special professor. Heath takes the time to help ALL his students not only understand the material but how to think about solving problems in general. I am in medical school today thanks to this teacher. He is a gem.
such an awesome teacher. keep up with the material and you'll do fine. he makes physics interesting and fun to learn about.
Hatch is a great professor. He really knows what he's talking about and makes the class fun and interesting. As long as you keep up the work and do the homeworks/ take home tests you'll do just fine :)
Heath Hatch is the Simply the BEST!!!! never knew I could EVER like Physics, he makes it so interesting and practical. He's always willing to help as well... Great Great Professor!!!!
Great teacher! Highly recommend.
He is the man. Everyone is right. Homework is absurdly easy and quick. Exams are scaled and have a take home portion. He drops the lowest exam (which could mean the final exam!). Take classes he teaches!
Such a great class and a great professor! Highly recommended! He teaches very, very well.
If you plan on taking the MCAT, make sure you take physics 131 and 132 with Hatch. He is an unbelievable professor. He takes the time to make sure every student understand whats being taught. Thats pretty rare in a lecture of this size.
Heath is a great professor. The material is very difficult to understand abut he provides step-by-step examples and his exams are very fair. Does not focus on memorization but instead the major concepts, which is what really matters. I actually enjoyed Physics! I would recommend Hatch to anyone who needs to take Physics 131/132 as a requirement.
Heath Hatch is awesome!!! I dreaded physics for years but I was able to get a good grade with Hatch. Take home exams, cheat sheets, recorded lectures, tons of awesome demos, clear examples- he really knows how to get you to learn!!! He's also pretty funny. Great class overall!!
Online class. The material is hard but very interesting. Heath uses many tools in making sure everyone understands the material. Grading is scaled. He is very fair. Great online pre-req. class to take!
Makes you love Physics
Heath is the reason that I will graduate from college. I've tried taking physics 1 and 2 twice before and withdrew both times. Heath made it interesting, more clear, and at times enjoyable. I ended up with a good grade when I really was just trying to pass. One of the best profs at Umass!!
Hatch is the best professor on campus. He's dedicated to helping out his students and making physics enjoyable. Hatch presents the material in a variety of ways to accommodate different learning styles (demos, problems, real life examples, etc.). It's clear that Hatch is passionate about his job and helping students understand physics. Great man.
AMAZING TEACHER!!!! Class was easy and it was a hybrid course so you didnt have to go to class. He understands that physics isnt easy to understand so he does a take home that factors into the exam. Also he does multi-bubble on his exam. Do the homework because it is worth an exam grade!
Hatch is probably one of the best professors I have had so far at UMass. I was dreading physics but he made physics interesting and now I really like it. I would recommend taking it with him. Hybrid style class too is also a plus.
Very fair so there's no reason not to do well. Do all of your homework early. Read the text but you'll only be tested on class material. Lectures are optional but recommended (they're enjoyable to boot). Very friendly class for anyone new to physics and math. A renowned teacher and great guy, so act your age and be quiet during class. Show respect.
I did pretty poorly on the tests (I just don't have a Physics brain) but I did all the homework and lab reports on time and got all the possible extra credit points. I ended up getting an A- in the class. Basically, do the work and you'll do fine.
Professor really gets students. He is extremely helpful and willing to work with you. The hybrid class set up is awesome! don't take physics unless you can get Heath!
Amazing, simply amazing!
Heath is by far the best teacher i have ever had. He makes physics so interesting and so easy. He does so much to boost your grade from multibubbles (partial credit on tests) a cheat sheet, and a take home. Also if you do all your homework on time you get 24 bonus points. His practice exams are pretty good to study and you don't need to buy the book! Don't take physics unless it's with Hatch. You're guaranteed a good grade for such a hard course.
best professor ever. There is almost no way to fail this class. He understands that none of his students are physics/math majors which is great. I had no interest in physics at all before I started this class and now its literally my favorite subject! Plus, the man is a high-school dropout who is now a lawyer and physicist. talk about inspiring!
IF YOU NEED A PS GEN ED YOU MUST TAKE THIS CLASS! Best class and prof I've ever had. The other reviews don't lie! Best part is this class is 1 day a week and 4 credits.
Ehh...If you decide not to take this class then you gotta stop, look and think right now because you have to be on some sort of liquid stupid if you see all these comments and decide not to take any class with good ole Heath....But really great professor.
One of the best professors I've ever had! lots of class demos and very fair is his grading. at office hours he is so helpful and he really cares. I enjoy going to his class!
Heath is AWESOME! One of the best teachers. He is fair and makes class interesting. Physics is just really fun with him <3
Heath is the best. His class is very easy and he is a great teacher. He offers pyramid exams, hw is very easy and offers extra credit if you do it on time. If you dont get a B- or better in this class then you probably didn't try at all.
Hatch is a chill guy. He's a great professor and gives everyone an opportunity to get an A. He gives tons of extra credit and you don't even have to go to class. The lectures are online and, as long as you actually watch them, you should do just fine. He also gives you cheat sheets on exams.
Hatch's course is a hybrid, so its online and a regular lecture. I personally like the online lectures, it allows you to rewind, because Hatch tends to go quick. But he is a wonderful professor. Makes physics fun and easier to understand. His exams aren't easy, don't take the course lightly, but he does everything possible to help students do well
he gets that we're all not physics majors. the only reason I wouldnt take it with him is if you're pre-med and need physics knowledge for the MCATs. but if you're only taking the DAT -no phys for dental exam, but it is a required pre-req to apply- or not taking anything like that, then just take this class for the A.
TAKE PHYSICS AT UMASS WITH HEATH HATCH. Even if you have to wait a whole year to take physics with him, do it.. its so worth it. One of the easiest A's I've gotten in a science class in my life and i've taken 90% of them
This is a good PS Gen-Ed class! It seems a bit intimidating at first, but it's not. Don't need the book - study the quizzes and you'll be golden for the tests. Heath Hatch is very down to earth and funny.
Heath Hatch is an excellent professor! Very kind,and always happy to help if one has difficulty with coursework. Recommended!
Heath Hatch is one of the best professors! He understands students have other classes and a life, and does everything possible to help! ABSOLUTELY take physics with him! Do HW, do well in labs, and decent on exams and an A is guaranteed! Great, and funny guy
Heath is a god sent professor from the heavens above. But no seriously he is the BEST. He knows physics is hard and he gives you every opportunity to pass his class. He deserves all the praise he gets because he just is that good!
He is an amazing teacher who really wants his students to do well. I love you heath hatch
Heath Hatch is literally the best thing to ever happen to the physics department. I dreaded taking physics but he is the best teacher ever! He makes it impossible for you to do poorly in his class unless you really never try.
Okay, prof Hatch is the man. You can tell he wants students to pass. He makes it so easy to get a good grade. I thought I'd be lucky to get a C in this class because physics isn't my strong subject but I was pleasantly surprised to learn got an A-. He lets you use cheat sheets on every exam and a take home portion which he averages into your grade.
Best professor ever. Dont go to class, all his lectures are online. Not too much hw, and bonus points for doing it on time. Tests are similar to practice exams+cheat sheets. Optional final to replace a low test. Clear, funny, and helpful. Easy A if you try. You learn while getting a good grade!
Heath is thebomb.com. Easiest class ever, and also ver interesting if you go to class. He does a lot of demos and minimal lecturing.
One of the easiest physics classes that I have ever taken! we're allowed cheat sheets on the exams and a take home as well. Most of the practice exam questions are on the actual exams as well. Up to 25 pts extra credit if you do your homework on time! take this class!!!
Very simple material.. Hatch truly makes Physics an interesting topic.
This class was terribly hard. Heath was great but the material was awful.
Hands down one of the best profs I have ever had! Helped SO much during office hours, just ask him for help if you need it he is awesome, I had to work for it but got an A and I am not a smart science person. He's funny, too. Take this class with him and you will do well if you work hard!!!!
All I have to say is I got a 50 on the first exam and came out of the class with an A... nough said. Hatch is a legend.
Simply put, Heath is an incredible professor. He does meaningful but also interesting demonstrations in class and explains the material clearly. Make sure you know how to do all of the OWL questions because he gets a TON of the exam questions from there and the posted practice exams. Copy specific questionsways to do OWL Qs onto your cheat sheet!
Heath Hatch is a great professor. Everyone who takes his class has an opportunity to get an A, if they do all their homework and lab reports on time. Another plus point is you don't even have to go to class. The lectures are all online and, as long as you actually watch them, you should do just fine. He also gives you cheat sheets on exams.
This class is in a hybrid format, meaning all the lectures are posted online. Attendance is not mandatory, but as long as you watch all the lecture videos you should be prepared for exams. The lab is also very easy and straight forward. Watch the Videos, do the OWLs on time, and do well on the lab reports and you will get an A.
One of the best professors ever! He knows how to teach and does it well. He's funny, understanding, and caring. He explains the material clearly and makes it easy to understand. Lectures posted online. 7525 pyramid exams. Reasonable OWL hw. Good amount of extra credit. He actually sparked my interest in physics! 1010 do recommend
Heath is great he's super helpful and funny and wants you to do well. He understands that physics is a requirement for many and treats it as such. Try to take the team based learning section. He does a lot of really fun experiments, labs are submitted as a group, and your homework is your class work. You can have a cheat sheet on all tests too.
Great man. Very helpful, extremely fair grader, very understanding. One of the best teachers Ive had. Even for a TBL class, he makes it work.
Professor Hatch was one of the best teachers I've had at UMass. He makes learning the material fun and easy and there's plenty of chances to get your grade up. There's 3 midterms and a final, and he drops the lowest grade. The only bad thing is he is extrememy hard to reach and barely ever responds to emails.
I had Heath for a TBL class and though the TBL format started off terribly, he fixed it mid semester and it went a lot smoother after that. He's a good lecturer and he's very straightforward on what he expects, which I really appreciated. I sucked at physics in high school and still did really well in his class - there's plenty of EC opportunities.
I still don't know if Professor Hatch is a good teacher or not because this class is TBL. There were 0 lectures and group work everyday. The format is really corrupt. Although he wasn't able to teach because of TBL, he's overall friendly and approachable. He wants you to succeed, but doesn't really help you do that because of TBL.
Learned absolutely nothing in this class. Thank HS physics for helping me get through this TBL class. Hatch is very willing to help but sometimes he's just not very helpful. He also takes forever to respond to emails because P131 is not a high priority in his life. Nice guy though. Lots of scaling due to very little questions on exams.
One of the nicest and fairest professors I have had in college. I missed an exam and a quiz in the same week, and he worked as hard as he could to fit my schedule in order to make it up. He knows not everyone will use this class for their actual majors, and tries to make the class fair.
great professor. gives students every opportunity to get an A. Beware, if you plan on taking the MCAT, make sure you actually try to learn in this class or you'll have to relearn all of physics on your own. Easy to get an A in this class but near IMPOSSIBLE to understand what you're actually doing in this class.
After getting a 36 on the first exam and a 48 on the second exam, I'm amazed at how I still have a chance to get a B- in the class even if I don't do well on the final. With that said, Heath gives loads of extra credit opportunities to help students. Since the course is TBL, most of the material needs to be learned on your own/with your group.
I got a 50 on the first exam and walked out with an A. Trust what he tells you, and your grade will be fine. He is very accommodating and makes the best out of TBL.
Lots of scaling. I did terrible on my first exam and got an A in the class. I'm lucky and had a group I loved working with, so I didn't mind the TBL format. I learn pretty well in a lecture format, so I wish there was more teaching and then group work after, but it varies day to day. He kind of lets you teach yourself first then reinforces after.
The class will get failing grades on easy exams bc he won't teach, and then he'll scale it up to A's and B's anyway. It seems like he cares more about being popular than teaching material. TBL is a broken style and people do badly because they can't teach each other. I have traditional lecture this semester with Toggerson and it's much better.
Heath hatch is the best professor of all time. If you don't like that man than you are confused. A pleasure to be in class every day.
Took 131 and 132 online. 132 is harder, but still doable. You get extra credit for doing all of the homework (with the extra credit, you only need a 91% for an A). You get a cheat sheet on the final. A few exam questions are unfamiliar, but generally fair. Labs are confusing but lab report grades are usually pretty good.
Heath is a good guy, but not the best professor. His lectures teach you nothing, and you get graded on three tests, maybe a couple of class assignments, but everything on the test you will have to teach yourself. However, he makes it very clear that extra credit is available at all times, and he will do everything he can to raise your grade to an A
"Seeing The Light" - Half of the classes were lecture style (Hasbrouck) and half were group work/experiments (ILC) - He wants you to pass, grades on "best faith effort". - Really relaxed in terms of what assignments could be (changed our final to a project instead of a test) - Funny, lots of Bill Nye-esque experiments - Highly recommended
Really chill professor. Doesn't lecture much so most of what you learn is from the hw and group assignments. Exams are all based on hw and assignment problems. Lots of extra credit. Lowest test gets dropped so most people didn't even need to take the final. Put in some effort and it's an easy A.
Put forth your best faith effort and Heath will reward you. Pay attention to the videos and ask questions if you don't understand. Even though physics is a hard course, it is easy to get an A in this class. No textbook, but you have to pay for MasteringPhysics.
Grade consists of 3 things; Class attendance, homework, and exam grades. The first exam is very difficult, but the last 2 (and the final) are very easy. The lowest exam grade also gets dropped. Attend class and do the homework though; I ended up with an A- only because I skipped two days of class when we had an inclass lab.
I did no work in this class and got an A. That being said, I hate that the class is TBL. I pay sooo much money just to sit in a room with a highly qualified professor who does nothing and I have to talk to other students who don't know what's going on. Wish at least some days were lecture...
One of the best professors ever. Truly willing to help out all his students and such an easy going professor. Offers extra credit on exams and you actually learn in his class. It is tbl, so if you don't like that then I would recommend not signing up for it.
Caring professor who will go out of his way for his students to succeed. He is accessible outside of class, and willing to put in a lot of extra work to help his students. This class is VERY challenging, and most people fail the exams or get a D, but they're curved and he gives a lot of extra credit. Skip class? you won't pass. DO THE HOMEWORK.
This class used to be an easy A. IT IS NO LONGER EASY. they changed the class structure, and really messed it up. Our class average for every exam was an F. He also no longer drops the lowest exam, and there is barely any extra credit. Zero lectures, you have to teach yourself. Get a good group and get ready to teach yourself.
Physics 131 with Hatch is a TBL style classroom. This means that although attendance is not mandatory you are constantly doing labs, which need to be uploaded for grading. In my opinion, if you understand the questions that are done during the class period, you should be good for the test. Heath is a great guy and I would definitely recommend!
Physics is a hard subject, and Heath knows that. He's an interesting guy, and may have some unorthodox methods of teaching, but they really work. The group setting is helpful because it makes sure you're actively participating, rather than falling asleep slowly during lectures in a big hall. Overall, it made the subject way more tolerable!
SO freakin stressful. You're basically gambling on exams for a good grade. Go over the in class problems as many times as you can. Great Guy tho
There are no lectures, so be prepared to go to SI sessions, help room, or struggle by yourself. Heath gives motivational speeches on the daily and has a terrible attitude by starting classes with "lets get this misery started" and making claims that we'll never need to use physics anyway. Class is heavily scaled to make up for D to F exam averages.
Do not take this class. This professor has not taught ONE thing. There are no lectures. You teach yourself everything and then you come to class and try your best at difficult in class problems with little help from anyone. I have never been so stressed out in my life and I am very type A. The professor is smug and takes pride in low exam avgs.
Heath understands people are taking his class as gen ed and tries to drill home life-lessons, the kind that matter long term. Scary projects become comfortable, but being an active participant in class is necessary to get anything out of his teaching. He almost does no lecturing, but he is not lazy, making sure every student gets the help they need
I hate the teaching style. I am paying to be taught by a professor and I do not get that. Instead I am paying to discuss random problems with other confused students. He encourages participation but is condescending if you do not understand.
Great professor. I loved the in-class demonstration. The chance to earn back points on an exam can bring you back. The projects and team exams are a walk in the park if you understand at least the smallest fraction of the content. Didn't do the readings and was able to learn by myself through the worksheets in class!
Heath is an awesome professor who cares about student success and growth. That being said if you get a bad team, good luck. His tests are 12 questions but gives you an opportunity to earn 8 points back. Projects seem difficult but ultimately are easy as long as you put effort, in class mini labs raise your grade. Would take Heath again.
He teaches physics and does a pretty good job at it. If physics is hard for you, this will also be hard for you. Overprepare for exams as his testwriting ability is definitely lacking, sometimes too easy and sometimes way too hard (entire class got a 15pt scale type of too hard). Seems like a cool guy though!
Exams and homework are not too difficult. I had his online class and he just posted old lectures and problems, no presence at all.
He just post old lectures from the past. You are not able to see what is he doing with the lab material. The lecture he post is kinda messy. You are all by yourself. BTW, some of the TAs from help sessions are not really helpful. They don't know what they are doing. Some of them are great. Need to really work hard to get an A.
From online classes he was very distant and was super passive aggressive in his emails. I have never met him in person so I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt. If I had a choice I would not take another class with him.
He might be good in person but for the remote learning class during COVID, he is reallyyyy bad. He posts old lectures and expect you to learn from it. Many of his old lecture is uninformative and leave you confused because it is so different from exam. I was able to do well bc I took AP physics in high school. doesn't reply to email/ email is rude.
During COVID, this is probably not the professor to take. First of all, he did not exactly make the effort do live online lectures and to top it all no review sessions. We had to learn everything from the old lectures videos (not very helpful) and the textbook. I feel like the professor wasn't putting effort into the class while the TAs helped.
Heath is not the professor to take during COVID. All his lectures are lectures from the past that he just assigns us to watch. There is little to no structure to his class, even though COVID has made class more flexible. He is completely absent and makes the TAs do everything. This class has frustrated me to no end. Good luck!
never take this mans online class. no idea how he is in person but online he just uploaded videos of himself from 2012 and said good luck, this is when the homework are due (which you have to figure out yourself bc his lectures are very surface level). 3 midterms and a final but only your highest three grades count & his curve made 94.2A not a 93
Heath is a terrible online professor. He just uploaded old videos and practice problems and called it a day. The lecture slides he posts just offer the basic information and the homework is usually way harder than the exams. To get an A just go to the SI sessions and do all the practice problems. He curves your final grade slightly at the end.
The absolute worse, DO NOT take his online class. He posted old videos from years ago and sent out a total of 5 emails this whole semester. 3 saying we had an exam the next day. He has no regard for any of his students and put no effort in being a professor at all. You would need to rely on TAs and si to do well. Homework was way harder than exams
I didn't have a terrible experience with Hatch this semester, but I feel he would be better in person than online. The lecture videos were 8 years old and he wasn't very active in the course and didn't teach. However, he was very nice in accepting late work for homework and the exams weren't very hard. Also he offered a lot of extra credit on HW.
i just took the first exam and i really feel like nothing we "learned" was on it. he just makes us watch useless videos & i don't think they helped at all. exam #1 was so hard in my opinion and the rest of this semester will likely be the same
Do not take this class online. Exam 1 was difficult. Everything we "learned" wasn't really on exam. For TBL, there was no teaching done, not even office hours or review sessions. Learned from homework/textbook/TAs because his lectures were so old and will confuse you even more. Not sure how he is in person but I wouldn't call this "teaching."
he is the worst professor I have ever had. I get all A's in all of my classes, and got a 50 on the first exam. do not take this class with him, especially if its virtual. he does not ever communicate with us, unless its the day before the exam. be careful, its awful.
If I could give this professor a 0 rating I would. He expects you to learn his 13-year-old youtube videos that are filmed at a horrible angle where you can't even see the demos he does in the class. The exams you may ask? Horrible. Absolutely atrocious. Do NOT take him online if you want the will to live or care about your mental health. (: I cry
Do not take this class if you care about your mental health or your grade! Since the second exam, I have cried at least once a week. The averages for the exams are a D- and he is not curving the class. The professor does not have office hours and admits that his TAs (who are physics majors) cannot answers some of his questions on exams. Very unfair
I took this class during COVID and it was the biggest mistake of my life. Just withdrew but but I took exams 1 and 2. The class average was horrible for both. He does not post lectures, only example problems, so you don't learn the concepts. The exams are way harder than any examples he gives. I'll retake it next semester *in person* with him.
Don't take this class. 1. Exams are hard 2. Recorded in person lecture videos from around 1948 are provided at the beginning of the semester, and the professor disappears 3. Never felt more alone for a class, didn't have TA's support, no professor support, never met classmates since there was no communication past syllabus week.
This is the worst class/professor I have had at UMass. The exams are designed to trick you and do not test your knowledge of physics at all. The lectures are really old and not helpful at all. Also, the TAs cannot solve some of the TBL/exam questions. I didn't know I would have to have PhD in physics to do well in this class.
Awful online class. I hardly passed. He uses past years youtube videos and will not teach himself because he's that lazy. He screws you over with his tricky Physics exams that are so hard if you do not know Physics from head to toe. Even then if you're good at it you will be tricked by the questions. Do not take his class, remotely or publicly.
Heath is a reasonable professor, but the exams are extremely difficult. The class is set up so that students can still do well when receiving poor exam scores. I completed all the labs and homework (about 95% for both) and I got about 50% on every single one of my exams but I'll still pass with a C!
Heath Hatch is one of the best.
Im honestly not sure why professor Hatch has a 4/5 overall rating He basically took the whole semester off by just posting old recordings of lectures. Extremely distant, you can barely hear him and the interactions w other students, and it seems like he didnt even know what was in those 2013 lectures when making exams. No guidance on anything.
Agree with what's been said so far. I think what could have been more helpful is having Zoom office hours, Zoom problem-solving sessions or some practice exams. Exams were very different from what we'd been learning and some of the diagrams were very confusing. Definitely think more interaction with the class would have been helpful.
Not terrible, but not good. The entire class struggled to succeed because of the online format which wasn't his fault. There wasn't a lot of help outside of watching the lectures. I've never had to work so hard for a good grade...
If you are disciplined enough to learn on your own and stay on track with the course, you will be fine with his online format. Homework is submitted through Pearson and only the final is proctored through zoom.
This class gave me depression
I'm a freshman business major and this is literally my favorite class of the semester. Heath and Sam are so understanding of the minds of college students; the class is project based with no exams and it is so nice to interact with peers. You truly learn in this class and do not need to force yourself to be interested. Best class here.
Heath and Sam (Grad TA) ran this class extremely well. As someone who hates physics and is not a STEM major, I enjoyed this class. You really get to pick what you want to learn and meet new people while doing it. If you're spending hours going through this website looking for a good PS GenEd, take this class if you can.
For someone who hates physics, Heath made it bearable! Although this class was team based learning, Heath tried his best to give us extra credit and made adjustments to the course so we can do well overall, which I appreciated a lot since I was trying hard in that class and was not doing well! I ended with an A in the course :)
Heath is someone you will learn to love. At first, I was really stressed by the structure of the class. You are put with a group of 5-6 other people and you do HW and problem sets, there are no lectures. Having no lectures was hard at first, but if there is anything this class teaches you, it is problem solving. He adds a decent scale.
Absolutely hated this class at first, it gets way better though. He scaled all of our exams up 20% and basically handed us an A. Homework was never helpful, don't waste your time doing it.
Very easy Gen Ed class consisting of group projects related to aspects of light. Heath is a good guy and you will get an A as long as you even remotely put your share of work into the project.
I almost dropped this class after the first exam bc it was so hard, but it ended up being my best grade this sem (i ended with over a 100). Heath wants you to pass. Lots of extra credit if you show up to class . As long as you have a good group, this class will be a breeze. Don't let the first month scare you, this class is designed for u to pass
I am just starting this class, and I am starting to realize that there is no teaching involved. They just have you do 3 practice problems in class, and then give you 3 hours of homework that you don't know how to do. On the verge of tears every week doing the Pearson Mastering Physics homework. The reading doesn't even help. Good luck, you need it.
There is literally no teaching being done by the prof himself. Instead of teaching us concepts and then assigning homework, each week he assigns hours of readings/videos and homework to be done on material that we haven't learned in class and then grades it on accuracy. Do not recommend if you don't already like physics.
I can't feel more pressured and desperate than ever. Weekly readings, lab questions, and tough grading tests kill me. I took physics courses for interest, and I will no longer take any physics class. This course made me afraid of physics concepts and physics instructors. Please, if you have any other choice, do not take this one.
I think Heath is amazing. Despite many students thinking otherwise, he truly cares about his students. He is super personable and friendly, and always willing to help his students. Becoming one of his TA's was one of the best decisions I have made at UMass.
Heath gets a bad rap because a lot of people disagree with his opinion on COVID. But he's a really understanding and funny guy, and he knows his exams are hard so he gives a TON of extra credit and major grade boosters. The HW is pretty miserable, though, the lab section is about as easy as it gets. Study primarily from the practice exams!
This class gives me severe depression
Hugely overrated professor.
Heath does not deserve this bad of a rep. He is a very caring and funny guy. He rounds up on nearly every grade and gives so much extra credit. I will say lectures aren't helpful, but the TBL and practice exams are exactly what's on the exam - no surprises. Very MATH-heavy course. Study smart, not more. I just went over each type of Q and was fine.
Not a fan of the way the class is set up w TBLs. Attendance is "mandatory"... I didn't go much and got full credit. I hate physics/math - but I did better in this than my other classes. Heath Hatch wants to help you pass. Questions are dropped from exams & you can use a notecard. He was very kind and accommodating when I was struggling.
definitely a hard class and not a good setup but the professor is very caring and accommodating.
Heath is just the best of the best. Best professor at this university hands down.
Very strange set up. Takes a while to adjust. Content is relatively hard to learn because there isn't many explanations for the material. just practice problems. exams can either go really well for people or they are terrible. very strong personality.
The lecture class is optional, but two days a week are TBL sessions where you work through a problem set in groups. Most exam questions are taken from these group sessions, so if you pay attention and understand the problems the class will be easy.
Hate the TBL setup but thats just how the class is set up. Mostly self taught, had to go to TBL twice a week but skipped the once a week lecture and was fine. Class content was just very simple in my opinion so I don't think professor choice would matter that much.
This class is set up in a TBL environment which I absolutely despised. Going to the TBL sections was the most useless thing I've ever had to endure and they were mandatory for a participation grade. This class in my experience was 100% self-taught considering that the lectures that I never went to were very surface-level as well as old recordings.
I didn't enjoy the class setup. The lab component of this course was the biggest waste of time in the world and they were miserable to go to.
Physics can be a difficult subject for those getting into it, but if you have AP courses in high school, it definitely helps. Prof. Hatch teaches physics in a manner that lets you understand topics easily. He also has TBL sessions where we work on problems as a group while supervised by TAs, which is very helpful and conducive to learning.
Totally recommend him! Will be taking his 132 class for sure! Very straightforward class, you will not like the labs but he does not control them.
BEST PROFESSOR IN THE UNIVERSE! WE LOVE YOU HEATH
Heath is the best. He's funny, approachable, and cares about his students. He explains concepts super clearly and his exams are very straight forward. Homework wasn't due until the end of the semester so there wasn't really many deadlines except for exams. He also weights your best exam the most and your worst exam the least. Truly an amazing guy.
You need to practice the concepts if you want to get a good grade. We used Pearson and he gave everyone 3 do-overs on the homework to get full credit. Use them, the practice is good & you boost your grade. Go to TBL, go to the help room. You can get 100s on the exams if you use the practice exams and study, but don't stress if you do poorly on one.
Heath is a nice professor, the lecture is mainly conceptual stuff for understanding and demos of what things like current, waves, etc look like, the HW is on MasteringPhysics, practice it alot u get 3 attempts. Exams are weighted the same in P131 (worst, middle, highest) so they can be scaled. Exam q's will come from practice exam bank.
Heath did a great job teaching the concepts. He does demos during lecture to really help us visualize things. There's homework which is great practice, and the exams aren't crazy hard. Everything is reasonable and based on the practice exam. His final this semester was easy, he's the GOAT. Plus, he actually feels like a person with personality.
Hatch's class made coming to class enjoyable. Optional attendance but rewarded the students that showed up by giving them extra help and clarification. Always answers your questions clearly. Tough class but as long as you put in the work he'll help you succeed.
I was really disappointed by this class. Heath is a great lecturer, but he barely taught anything this semester. He lectured for two weeks. Most of the lectures were done by a coteacher. The coteacher is knowledgeable, but he's not good at communicating information. Because of this, the exams felt pretty difficult and the homework was challenging.
Heath was a very understanding professor who accommodated students with extensions if necessary. You will do well in this class if you watch all lectures, take notes, and study for the exams. The exams are online and open book, so if you take good notes that are easy to navigate AND complete the homework & practice problems, you will do well.
Prof. Hatch's PHY131 is no walk in the park, but if you stay on top of the material and utilize resources like Unstuck ai, you'll be golden. The format takes some getting used to, but the TBL sessions are actually really helpful once you engage with them.
TBL is initially a drag but its not bad later in the semester. HW takes two minutes a week. Exams are short and straightforward. Heath is a kind man and teaches as much as he can in the capacity of a TBL format. Labs are structured with one week of experiment and one week poster presentation for each lab. Take a little thought, but low workload.
Heath is a great professor and great person. The TBL isn't great, but if you have a good group, it works well enough. Be ready to teach yourself a lot of the material- it isn't too hard if you are OK at algebra and conceptual material. The curve is great- if you don't do well on one exam it's okay! Group project final is fun and easy.
Heath is a good guy. I also love the way the class is run as it is completely group based and he doesn't lecture at all - more so he gives group problems and lets them figure it out on their own. I can see why someone wouldn't like this style of class so if you don't like teaching yourself the material then don't take him. Learning is independent.
If you are planning on taking the MCAT, don't rely on this course. There are no in person lectures and all group work with little direction. Prof is nice and class is easy, but disappointed that we didn't learn everything we were supposed to.
TBL is the absolute worst. Super useless. I'm sure Heath is a good lecturer, the few times he did it was helpful. However, he doesn't actually teach anything - each class is usually 10 minutes of him trying to be "inspirational" and then leaving the explaining to his TAs when you inevitably get stuck on the TBL problems. You have to teach yourself
Hatch was a pretty good physics professor, despite the poor stigma surrounding the physics department. We had weekly hw, that only really made up 2 months of the semester, and if you completed it early you got 120% on it. The only thing that sucks is the lack of lecture and it's basically reading the textbook then practicing in a group.
He never lectures EVER... he just puts you into groups and has you solve some the problems with your group. Like how are we supposed to know how to do the problem without it being taught to us? He practically does nothing... Very nice guy, great as a person. Just close to, if not the worst professor I've had.
No teaching was done in this course. Attending this class never felt like a good use of time, all that helped me learn was finding explanations of the problems online. Really frustrating.
I learnt the most about physics in this class. This class felt like a breeze after PHY 152. Grading criteria is clear, and his lectures are amazing. There is an in-person and a take home portion of exam that really helps your grade. Final is a group poster presentation, which can also be done via zoom.
I enjoyed taking a class with Heath. He's a nice guy who would acknowledge that learning physics can be "misery", but that we were going to get through it, and I appreciated that. TBL is not my favorite and he usually only lectures for a very small portion of the class before the TBL problem set. So pre-class prep is important.
No teaching done in class. Midterm was very hard. Teach yourself
Doesn't care about his students wellbeing.
The class felt like walking into a dark room and looking for the light switch. He expected us to watch his old recorded lectures that are 1 hour each instead of teaching content during lectures. During “lecture” time you do two pages of practice problems with your table group for the whole semester even if none of you know how to do them.
this class was kind of tricky to figure out because of how it was structured. i didn't personally like that there were no lectures - i didn't feel like i was able to learn as much as i wanted to.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
53%
Textbook Required
49%
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