2.9
Quality3.8
Difficulty69%
Would Retake83
Reviews69%
Would Retake
83
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
19
4
20
3
10
2
13
1
21
What Students Say
“I think what I appreciate most about this class is how short the readings are”
PSYCH2011 - 4.0 rating“Best Prof/class ever if you like this kind of material”
PSYCH2011 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
30%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.39 avg changeRatings by Course
CONSCIOUSN
5.0
(1)CONSCIOUSNESS
5.0
(2)PSYCH330
5.0
(1)PSYCH120
5.0
(1)CONSC570
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
PSYCH376
5.0
ALTERED
5.0
PSYCHO110
5.0
PSY110A
5.0
CONCS3177
5.0
Reviews (83)
Weird. Confused. Arrogant - stay away at all costs
Confusing, creepy and badly organized lectures...
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A little hard to follow, but easy marker and helpful
Very smart. Confusing class.
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He's soooo creepy. He teaches as if he himself is experiencing an altered state of consciousness. AVOID THIS CLASS.
Aww... give him some benefit, it's difficult to teach when you're as brillant as him. Don't take the class unless you're highly analytical!
Putin your hearing aid! He whispers his lectures, but they're pretty confusing so you're not missing much
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This guy seems to know EVERYTHING. While talking about consciousness he'll also talk about math, logic, physics, quantum mechanics, philosophy, classical music, etc etc. I swear, ANY topic that comes up in class, he knows it. I'm in awe. My fave prof ever
Imagine reading a course description that sounds like the absolute bird, and signing up for it knowing you will fly through. Then imagine finding out that it's one of the most difficult and obscure courses ever created, even for myself, an A/A+ student.
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worst prof ever. worst course ever. reading about it in the course calandar, it sounded interesting. its not, its horrible. the text is sooo hard to get through just cause he rambles about seeing wierd things in his dreams. save urself the trouble.
you guys should've said earlier...I failed that bloody course. you are right, he is very creepy
Frankly, I think most of the people rating Dr. Baruss are inept morons who think a third year course on consciousness is going to be easy. He is an excellent professor who presents a very difficult vast field of study in clear and easy manner. If you want to take an easy class may I suggest DeVry.
If he cares about the material and our understanding of it, then that's what he should test us on instead of having us memorize random percentages, the EDITOR of the text book, and umimportant trivial details in the text that have nothing to do with our understanding. Also fairly rude.
i liked him, all you had to do was read the text and know it
think this class will be easy? GUESS AGAIN! even if you do manage to grasp the vague material, its not likely going to matter on the exams because instead you're supposed to know random statistics and numbers from the text!! WHO CARES!!! save yourself the confusion and stay away from Psych 110A!!!
One of the most interesting classes I've taken. You can't expect it to be a bird course though, you've got to be able to understand heavy readings.
the class was interesting and so was he but on test he would ask for the most ridiculous details like the name of the person that had this dream or this drug experience, regular people. and other things that are not important int he slitest and that you don't need to know. frustrating.
A really interesting guy. definately knows what he is teaching. The exams can be quite specific, but if you go to class and do the readings before the lectures, you'll find the exams quite fair.
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Good luck!
took psych 110 and 330. He writes very specific exams so you need to know intricate details. Very smart and objective in presenting material. I'm not a big believer in some of the things presented in class, but I've definitely opened my mind and that alone makes the class worthwhile.
The class is not really interesting, sometimes the content became fun, but it was a rarity. I try not to sleep in class, but Imants did a decent job. Exams are bruutal, he wrote the textbook, so you really have to know it front to back.
Incredible Prof - had him for Altered States. Made the class interesting, insightful, and useful. I wish he was still teaching.
Even if you learn the material, only done by reading the book due to his insanely random lectures, he will destroy you on his exams. He will show you previous exams to help entice to keep course, but totally useless as he pulls out the most random stats ever. Also, wrote the book and adds irrelevant personal stories he later quizes you on.
Take at own risk!! He wrote his own textbook and asks completely random questions from it. Take if you want to fail. Recommendation: take the class, but with a different prof.
Very interesting course. He's very intelligent, but I find he has difficulty simplifying the material. If you read the text, you are set. He does ask very, very specific details from the text on his exams. I can understand why people struggle with the course, but it is not an impossible course. If you study the text you should do fine!
He wrote the textbook and knows every detail.. which means YOU have to know every detail to pass the exams. Also, a lot of it is just weird stories. I highly recommend NOT taking this class. No, seriously.. I just wasted $500.
Don't bother attending class, unless you want to listen to a deadbeat fool tell personal stories about his cat, girlfriend?, and experiences. Buy the textbook and study it because he pulls useless facts from it for the exam. Imants is a joke.
This prof was one of my favorites in university, if you are closed-minded you shouldn't take this course. If you are willing to be open-minded this prof is one of the more brilliant people I have encountered. He tells you his experiences because they are crazy, and because they made him wise! You learn about everything from drugs to death to aliens
This prof was one of my favorites in university, if you are closed-minded you shouldn't take this course. If you are willing to be openminded this prof is one of the more brilliant people I have encountered. He tells you his experiences because they are crazy, and because they made him wise! You learn about everything from drugs to death to aliens!
Worst professor I have ever had. Beyond biased and subjective, all he ever wants to do is talk about HIS beliefs and HIS experiences and HIS views/theories on things, and if you disagree with him...well there goes your grade buddy. He is also not organized in the least bit and his classes drag on for eternity. NEVER take a class with him.
The problem with this course is not that the course itself is bad, on the contrary its really interesting. The problem is the teacher. I think that main problem was that he is so smart and he literally wrote the book. I don't think he knows how to dumb down the material to teach it to us who aren't geniuses with phd's which makes it frustrating
I found this course incredibly interesting. Read the syllabus to know if you're interested. The textbook is like a second lecture, so read it to do well. Enjoy the lectures and open your mind. University should be about more than just bird courses and grades, if you want to learn about these topics you'll enjoy the class and do well.
I thought this class was quite interesting, much more than I anticipated. However, his textbook was a little too old-fashioned for me...too many useless statistics but overall it was alright. If you are interested in some "controversial" topics (hypnosis, alien abductions, etc) you will like the class, otherwise I would probably avoid it.
interesting class, got much better after the 3rd chapter when it starts to come together. He uses a lot of big words, moves quickly and seems that a portion of each test is on unimportant facts from the book (like details from an experience, or the name of a book someone wrote). Does not use power point which is refreshing.
Dr.Baruss is a wonderful professor. He taught me to think astractly and made me believe that anything is possible. The consciousness course was incredibly enlightening and I highly recommend it if you are open to learning controversial things. It was a life experience, not just a class. He is so kind and brilliant! I loved him, such a great prof!
great class, super interesting. however the material is difficult at first. as long as you attend every class and do the readings you will do okay. the average is never high but the material is difficult so that's probably why
Baruss is a tough Psych prof. He writes his own text book(s) and it will become your LIFE LINE in order to do well in the class. It's all pseudo-science based on his own studies & experiments. Nothing you learn is backed up by any legitimate studies. His tests are tough, his lectures are skeletal and weak. You'll talk about Aleins, drugs, etc..
HE SHOULD STOP TEACHING.His lectures are less about the topic the course should cover and more about his mystical experiences that have no relation to the material. He will constantly go off topic and refuses to accept any evidence against his own. He constantly promotes authentic science but does not practice it himself, he is not authentic.
Awesome Prof. Great lectures. Like most classes the key is showing up, doing the readings and asking for help if you need it. Material is explained in an understandable fashion, even for a student without a psych background. I strongly recommend this class to anyone looking for an interesting course and a bit of a challenge.
Very confusing. I ended up dropping the course before the midterm because I was so lost while trying to study for it. He is not good at explaining things in general terms, just in his own words. Read the textbook chapters over and over again and I'm sure you will be OK.
One of the most interesting people I have ever met. His classes require Lots of work and open minded was but he is by far my favorite professor . His classes aren't for everyone but I can say that if you are interested in the subject matter he will blow you away !
I loved Imants Baruss. His topics are interesting and unconventional. He pushes a lot of peoples boundaries and makes you think outside the box. I found the tests very fair, and enjoyed the lectures. My only criticism is that his textbook could be written in simpler language and still convey the same message. Overall a very brilliant man.
The worst prof I've ever encountered. Be prepared to memorize every insignificant detail in his textbook (wrote it himself), he will test you on meaningless statistics. Take a real class, with legitimate studies, not this garbage.
DO NOT take this course. This professor makes claims that cannot be supported and discredits anyone who's opinion does not directly reflect his own. He turns this course into a philosophy course when it is supposed to be a psychology course. He wrote the textbook and it has no empirical evidence to prove his extraordinary claims.
I almost switched out of this course based on the reviews. SO glad I didn't. Read the textbook and you will do great. If you don't read it you'll end up like all the rest of these disgruntled reviewers. Tests are fair/easy if you actually read the textbook. READ. THE. TEXTBOOK. The chapters are very short + only 3 per exam p.s. read the textbook
He speak very fats and can sometimes be hard to understand, his lectures are not structured and there is no slideshow while he is speaking. All the tests/exams are multiple choice and are quite difficult.
I am interested in the subject material of this class, but the way he explains it in the textbook is IMPOSSIBLE to understand. I didn't miss a lecture at all - but tests are all about the textbook. I read the book and understood the bigger picture, but he doesn't test on that! He tests on details that are mentioned ONCE in the book. Wtf.
Absolutely terrible professor. Book is insanely complicated, terribly written. Facts have little to no factual back-up. Pseudo-Science at best. The course wouldn't be that bad if he didn't focus on statistics the for virtually 25% of all the exam questions. Be ready to remember stupid meaningless numbers because his material is worthless.
Lots of pseudoscience and confusing jargon at the start, but later you realize that the course is just there to present a view of what people see alterations of conscious as being. There is no hard science here as it's a 2000 level course but there's enough open discussion that science, faith etc, is explored, but also not confirmed, nor denied.
Best professor I've had at western during my 4 years. Imants has opened my eyes; I look at life differently now. He definitely had more to teach than just his textbook. You must read his book as a story instead of trying to memorize if you want to do well. Go to lectures! He is so caring and will help you anytime you need it! Overall amazing course
Honestly I found the class super interesting and you could tell Prof Barurss is super smart and really knows his stuff (he literally wrote the textbook). This class will blow your mind, just be prepared to know the textbook inside and out. Also only 2 hour lectures which is sweet.
This professor was by far the worst professor I have ever had in my undergrad. I was in my fourth year when I took his class, and it was nearly impossible to do well. His lectures were interesting, but that was the only positive thing about his class. The exams consisted of material directly from the textbook, and extremely specific.
There is no need to attend lectures. Vast majority of exam questions are straight from the textbook (written by him), and what's not in the text, he posts on his website. Exam questions are extremely specific and focus on trivial details, meaning that you have to know the textbook inside and out.
Amazing professor and I love that he worked straight out of the textbook! Classes are not mandatory and participation marks are not recorded which is nice. Read the textbook inside and out if you want to to good! This is a mind opening class.
Professor Baruss is a great combination of lighthearted and humarous as well as knowledgeable and idea driven.
Best Prof/class ever if you like this kind of material!
I think what I appreciate most about this class is how short the readings are! You do have to know specific details for the exams, but the chapters are literally 12 pages, so you can easily retain it all if you look over it a couple times. Overall, Baruss was definitely unlike any other prof I've ever had, but I'd say it was a fair course.
Just read the book and you'll get a solid 80% or higher! He doesn't try to trick you in the multiple choice, so if you know the gist of something, it should stand out very clearly! His lectures come straight from the textbook, so I wouldn't say you HAVE to go to lecture, but hearing him talk about it does help understand it better. FAIR PROF!!!
One of those professors you'll remember 20 years from now. Most interesting material I have come across on campus. Tests can be tricky, although he gives you effective tools to succeed. Make cue cards for statistics, read and understand the textbook, and you'll do fine.
He bases all of the exams off of the textbook he wrote if you want a good grade in this course read all of the course material and attend all lectures. The multiple choice exams are fair and straight forward if you have read the text.
One of the most interesting people I have ever met in my whole life. He frames his class in a very philosophical way and brings up topics that are often considered controversial. His class changed my life and I dont think Ill ever forget the things he lectured about. As long as you memorize your facts you will do fine. 100% worth it.
If you can memorize textbook statistics word for word you'll do fine. However I'm not one of those people. Psychology is meant to be empirical not philosophical. Do yourself a favor and pick a different class altogether.
This class is an unforgettable experience. I made cue cards on any specific details to memorize. You NEED to read the textbook. Definitely dont need to attend class, but helpful to unpack and understand textbook. A few additional added from lecture as well. This is not a course for people who have trouble memorizing!
I loved Prof. Barušs! He's clearly passionate about the subject matter and the subject matter is indeed fascinating! I appreciated that the essays were straight forward. If you did the readings and read through his textbook like a story, you can easily come out on top!
Took this class as an elective and Imants is one of my favourite profs that I've had! Super passionate about what he's teaching and it shows. Lot's of reading but the material is really interesting and easy to engage with. Also a really manageable workload with straightforward assignments so a really great online class
Do not take this course unless you are physically able to memorize word for word textbooks. The textbook is a book he wrote himself and tries to trick you on exams. The first midterm was moderately hard the second 30% of the class if not more failed. The final was based word for word on the textbook from the first page of the book to the last.
I like him because he is very knowledgeable and passionate about the material that he teaches. I find his courses to be really interesting!
Read the textbook very carefully and engage with the content. Some of the most interesting stuff I have ever learned about!
Amazing prof! love his lectures. He is incredibly accommodating; your grades will improve if you listen to his feedback! Highly recommend this course, he is so insightful and it was really fun to take. The readings helped me connect with myself more personally and made me think a lot more about life.
content is fairly easy to remember due to the stories and examples he implements in them, plus he isn't just reading off of the slides. Pay attention to the stories because they really help recall important info on exams. Easy to do well as 90% of the exam is textbook based, the rest comes from previous exams which he gives you
Truly my favourite professor during my under grad! I have never met someone so passionate about what he is teaching and is so incredibly kind. The concepts are so interesting I took both his psychology of altered states of consciousness death class, and the one on spirituality and religion and both were my favourite courses I have taken.
Very interesting guy! I think he takes pride in being a hard marker though—maybe out of hubris. That's fine if it's standardized and fair, but writing his own 300-page textbook and focusing on cumulative memorization of obscure, irrelevant details over core concepts left something to be desired. Seemed like lots dropped it.
He is kind of rude, instead of any constructive criticism. It is just criticism from him. In the consciousness class I am taking from him, we have weekly assignments due instead of a final exam. His feedback feels more like he is picking on you than anything.
Decent personality but kinda weird/quirky. Extremely technical, runs off on his own tangents. Really isn't the best at explaining and bases a LOT of the information he grades you on from his own textbook. Goes out of his way to confusingly word exam questions, almost twisting them into riddles. And takes pride in having low test averages strangely.
very nice guy who cares about what he teaches. the textbook and his lectures are very similar which makes the textbook really easy to understand. 3 multiple choice tests that were not easy but no overly hard. really nice and passionate teacher.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
30%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.39 avg changeRatings by Course
CONSCIOUSN
5.0
(1)CONSCIOUSNESS
5.0
(2)PSYCH330
5.0
(1)PSYCH120
5.0
(1)CONSC570
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
PSYCH376
5.0
ALTERED
5.0
PSYCHO110
5.0
PSY110A
5.0
CONCS3177
5.0