3.7

James Berger

Zoology - University of British Columbia

3.7
Quality
3.3
Difficulty
35%
Would Retake
95
Reviews
3.7
Quality
3.3
Difficulty
3.7
Helpful
3.7
Clarity

35%

Would Retake

95

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

44

4

21

3

10

2

9

1

11

What Students Say

This professor was by far the worst professor I have ever had in my entire life

SCI001 - 1.0 rating

He rarely covers topics efficiently in class, and blows off questions when they are asked

SCI001 - 1.0 rating
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

70%

Textbook Required

46%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

83% confidence
Based on 11 grades
Most common grades:
B (4)
B+ (3)
A- (3)
Grade Distribution
A(1)B(4)C(0)D(1)F(0)A-/B+(6)
Based on 15 reported grades
B: 4
B+: 3
A-: 3
Not sure yet: 2
Common Tags
Tough grader (7)
LOTS OF HOMEWORK (6)
Tough Grader (6)
Participation matters (5)
Accessible outside class (4)
Get ready to read (3)
Respected (3)
Skip class? You won't pass. (3)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.53 avg change
Jul
Oct
Oct
Jan
Jun
Apr
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

BIOL200

4.2

(43)

BIO200

4.2

(16)

SCIE001

4.1

(12)

SCI13

4.0

(1)

SCIE113

3.2

(11)
+6 more courses
Difficulty by Course

BIOL121

5.0

BIOL447

4.0

SCI13

4.0

SCI001

4.0

SCIE113

3.5

Reviews (95)
4.0
4.0
BIOL200
Apr 17, 2002

That man is a live wire, gets very grumpy some days, good effort though!

4.0
3.0
BIOL200
May 15, 2002

No Comments

4.0
3.0
BIOL200
Jun 28, 2002

difficult course, he made a very good effort to make it easier, quirky

5.0
4.0
BIOL200
Nov 2, 2002

No Comments

4.0
3.0
BIOL200
Grade: A
Nov 4, 2002

He's really helpful if you go talk to him.

5.0
4.0
BIOL200
Nov 14, 2002

Might be the BEST PROF EVER... exams are hard though...

1.0
5.0
BIOL121
Nov 23, 2002

Worst prof ever. I don't recommend this guy- v. rude and poor marker.

3.0
3.0
200
Nov 27, 2002

what a grouch!

4.0
5.0
BIO200
Nov 27, 2002

All he does every class is re-write the notes on the internet word for word

5.0
2.0
BIO200
Dec 3, 2002

Suer nice guy, makes effort to help students, good web resources

5.0
2.0
BIO200
Dec 6, 2002

He is one of the best prof I've ever got

5.0
3.0
BIOL200
Jan 11, 2003

Nice notes and lectures, a caring prof

1.0
5.0
BIOL200
Jan 31, 2003

this was the worst course I ever took

5.0
4.0
BIO200
Feb 13, 2003

No Comments

4.0
3.0
BIOL200
Feb 17, 2003

He's a very helpful guy, makes you think. Lectures are pretty fun too

5.0
3.0
BIOL
Mar 26, 2003

really goes out of his way to help u learn...definately worth tuition costs

5.0
2.0
BIO200
May 7, 2003

thumbs up all the way! who needs a textbook if you have Berger!!!

5.0
2.0
BIOL200
May 14, 2003

No Comments

5.0
1.0
BIOL200
Jun 2, 2003

Super nice guy, makes every possible effort to help students, and has awesome web resources. Must have!

5.0
1.0
BIOL200
Jun 23, 2003

Incredible prof; really nice, extremely funny, and most of all, a super teacher

5.0
2.0
BIOL200
Aug 28, 2003

Dr. Berger was awesome. He was so helpful when I asked him questions during his office hours. He really seemed to care about the students. He held all sorts of extra review sessions.

5.0
2.0
BIOL200
Sep 24, 2003

Dr. Berger rocks my socks off.... no, seriously, he is GREAT. Clear, helpful, and very interested in students' success. Classes are engaging (even at 8 am). The best option by far.

5.0
2.0
BIOL200
Sep 29, 2003

This really does care about your education. He replies to online messageboards EVERYDAY and answers every students questions. He is also extremely receptive to questions and very approachable. He is the most valuable resource you can have for bio 200.

5.0
3.0
BIO200
Nov 6, 2003

This guy is an incredible professor. I'm actually taking the time to rate him during midterm time to give him the thumbs up...whats that say about his impression on me? He is very approachable and so interactive! He gives a lot of reading though

5.0
3.0
BIOL200
Dec 5, 2003

invested so much of himself into upgrading this course...and still going at it. redeemed tuition and 8am classes, and that awful ECB textbook.

5.0
3.0
BIOL200
Dec 6, 2003

He puts in a lot of effort teaching biol200. All the comments below says it all. Also, he answers the bulletin board very frequently, which is something that many other profs don't do.

5.0
3.0
BIOL200
Dec 9, 2003

Gotta wonder if he does research on his own cuz he spends SO much time on this course. Thumbs up all the way!

4.0
3.0
BIOL200
Dec 12, 2003

Read the comments below. Then consider this: you will find A, B, C grade-students among us. Yet the comments still stand.

5.0
3.0
BIOL200
Dec 13, 2003

surely shows students the interesting side of biology; very passionate prof

5.0
2.0
BIOL200
Dec 16, 2003

Berger has to be the best teacher at UBC. I've been LARGELY displeased with the teaching here, but Dr. Berger has started to change my views. He clearly cares about his students and maximizing their understanding of the topic.

5.0
3.0
BIO200
Dec 21, 2003

Many ppl will have different opinions about this course but what we can all agree on is how great a prof dr. berger is. whether it be posting on webct EVERY night or just staying after class hours to put on review sessions, he is by far the greatest prof!

5.0
3.0
BIOL200
Dec 31, 2003

i didn't have dr.berger as a prof but i still found him to be so useful for bio 200 because of all his review sessions(which none of the other profs hold. he's awesome! he actually wants students to do well.

3.0
4.0
BIOL200
May 29, 2004

Although I took this course a couple of years ago, I have to say that hes not a bad prof (compared to other profs ive had) but his exams were quite tough. On a brighter note, kudos to him for spending hours answering students questions!

5.0
3.0
BIOL200
May 31, 2004

He's a very dedicated prof, answers your questions on webct day & night! Very helpful, has a passion for teaching, really wants you to enjoy biology, notes helpful, has nice writing, but exams tough & tricky, be careful. Review sessions helpful though:)

1.0
3.0
BIOL
Jan 19, 2005

took a 3rd yr course with him... he is pure evil! so rude and condecending toward students with questions. His exam was super easy.. that was about the only thing he had going for him.

2.0
4.0
BIOL200
Apr 15, 2005

I didn't find him that good. He didn't explain things very well and there was way too much material that he expected us to do on our own. Confusing course content and criteria.

3.0
3.0
BIOL332
Apr 15, 2005

I had him for Biol 200 and he wasn't very good. But for Biol 332 he was a bit better and his notes were much clearer, although he was a bit awkward to talk to.

5.0
3.0
BIO200
Nov 23, 2005

No Comments

2.0
3.0
BIOL200
Dec 2, 2005

Found the lectures useless. He would simply copy the notes that are available online on an overhead projector and he did not add anything that wasn't in the notes. Workshops were useful however.

1.0
2.0
BIO200
Dec 10, 2005

the most annoying prof in ubc

5.0
3.0
BIO200
Dec 14, 2005

Dr. Berger is AWESOME!!!! he always tries to help students and explain material, and is always answering questions and such, not to mention the effort he puts into making sure we understood the material. Best prof ever!

5.0
2.0
BIOL200
Dec 23, 2005

not the politest person I have met, but definitely the most dedicated prof I have ever had

4.0
2.0
BIOL200
Feb 23, 2006

He is very enthusiatic. Loves to teach. Very weird. Gives a lot of extra material that will help you ace the course. If exams are not common, then he makes the hardest one.

5.0
3.0
BIOL200
Nov 1, 2006

I have to give Dr. Berger more credit that what presents here. Greaat professor. very enthusiastic. detailed notes and interesting lecture. Midterm not as hard as you would imagine. reading textbook would also help, but the notes are already very inclusive and helpful. Glad i'm in his class rightnow

5.0
2.0
BIO200
Dec 7, 2006

One of the most helpful profs ever. will go out of his way to answer questions that students have. stimulates students to think. explains course material well. prepares students well for exams

1.0
5.0
BIO200
Dec 7, 2006

No Comments

5.0
3.0
BIOL200
Dec 7, 2006

Hey guys, it is not fair to condemn Dr.Berger just because accident happened. Dr.Berger is a very high-quality educator and a very good person in general. the enthusiasm he showed and, the clarity of the notes and the interesting and interactive classroom atomsphere is far more creditable than one mistake. VERY GOOD PROF !

5.0
1.0
BIOL200
Dec 8, 2006

Great Prof gives you the answers 1 hour before the final! Thanks!

5.0
3.0
BIO200
Dec 14, 2006

A really nice guy. So many profs don't put an eigth of the effort into educating that he does. I feel sad for him that he released the key (but I suspected that he did it by accident of course). I bet he feels pretty bad about it. I'm sure he'll find this situation as hilarious in 3 years as i find it now.

5.0
1.0
BIOL200
Jan 18, 2007

No Comments

3.0
4.0
BIOL447
Jan 26, 2007

Dr. Berger is a good old prof. He is helpful to some extent, nice , but hard grader. If you have an option of someone else then do it, otherwise take him and you will pass.

3.0
5.0
BIOL200
Aug 24, 2007

I actually had a hard time approaching him to ask him questions. There's always an air of awkwardness when you want him to answer you questions. He's very unapproachable. There were 1-2 students who were keen and would approach him every class, but I couldn't do it.

5.0
3.0
BIOL200
Sep 18, 2007

I have been blown away by Dr. Berger's enthusiasm for teaching. In class, he's always trying to engage us, to get us to talk, to get us to participate, and that totally keeps me going, especially when the class is at 8 am twice a week. He gets kudos from me. Awesome prof!

5.0
4.0
BIOL200
Dec 13, 2007

Dr. Berger is a very enthusiastic teacher, and I am honored to be his student. He is very effective in teaching. On the students' part, naturally, we have to continually pay attention in class, attend regularly, and constantly synthesize the material that we're learning. That way, one can get the most out of Dr. Berger's classes.

3.0
5.0
BIOL200
Dec 16, 2007

Dr. Berger tries to engage students in class and tries to make class interesting.His midterm was VERY HARD and there was a real lack of time for the amt of questions.Compared to friends in other sections, they had an easier exam.He sounds like he wants students to see him in office hrs but when I went he seemed very unapproachable and almost rude.

4.0
4.0
BIO200
Dec 18, 2007

Deffinetly endevours to engage his students in discussion. However, the alloted time for the midterm was humourisly inadequate. (what's berger tryin to prove?). Berger then proceeds to explain that if you acheive a mark on your final that is 20% higher than your midterm mark, he'll increase the weight of your final. who does that even apply to??

4.0
2.0
BIOL200
Dec 20, 2007

While in the class i didn't like him, was kinda boring. but he really tried to get his students to do well. not nearly enough time for the midterm, the final was ok.

4.0
3.0
BIOL200
Dec 22, 2007

He encouraged students to engage in discussion and he really wanted us to do well. The midterm, while long, was doable if you watched your time carefully. His lectures, although boring, were very helpful, especially when he went over the workshop questions. He was very quick to respond to the online discussion board. Overall a pretty good prof.

2.0
5.0
BIO200
Jan 2, 2008

Ridiculously hard exams, this class is very easy to fail if you don't work your ass off. Other professors are easier. DO NOT RECOMMEND!

2.0
5.0
BIOL200
Jan 4, 2008

I worked my butt off and still failed and eventhough the ave this year was 7% lower than last year they didn't do anything about it. One year the answers r out and students pass with the grades of their midterm and tutorial and one year the exam is so unreasonable that ave students can't make it. UBC is a mess and profs can get away with anything!

1.0
5.0
BIOL200
Apr 28, 2008

Horrible. Condescending. Often short-tempered. Deliberately wanted a low class average by putting far too many questions on the midterm. Website was overwhelming rather than helpful. Biology 201 was heaven compared to this atrocity. My advice: Stay away from Berger. Choose another section.

5.0
5.0
BIOL200
Apr 28, 2008

Overall, it was the course itself that was hard. Don't let the easy material fool you- it's a common final, and while each prof's midterms are different (easy to hard), every1 ends up with about the same avg anyways due to scaling. Berger's teaching ability is stellar, and he WILL prepare you best for the final.

3.0
3.0
BIOL200
May 26, 2009

I made the mistake of registering for the online version of Bio 200. The constant group work was irritating and bore little resemblance to the class' actual curriculum. Dr. Berger's tele-lectures were in a painful monotone; his writing was unclear and full of simple spelling error (dimers/dimmers, anyone?)

5.0
4.0
BIOL200
Aug 16, 2009

The course itself was hard. Berger made things interesting and challenging so his students can kick ass on the (common) final.

5.0
4.0
BIO200
Jun 29, 2010

I took this course online, The notes were vast and detailed. Yes there is group work, yes it is challenging/ time consuming. It's best if you take this course with a friend. Berger is a mad scientist type, meet him in person, instead of the phone!

4.0
1.0
SCIE113
Oct 16, 2011

Very knowledgeable guy! Really friendly and wow, knows his material... It's just that the classes seem a but redundant since the whole essay-writing thing has been done many times before in highschool for me... The course just started so too early to tell... I can't wait to start learning new things though

4.0
1.0
SCIE001
May 10, 2012

Jim's notes were more useful than his class. Everything he said in class was in his notes, except minor details. He did explain and clarify some things in class, but the textbook was just as helpful. But he tries to make it interesting, and he always answers questions. Likes essay questions.

5.0
2.0
SCIE001
Aug 5, 2012

Jim gives very clear lectures, but maybe not in a style that everybody is used to. You can tell that he has so much knowledge and experience in his field and he is willing to sit down with students one on one to talk about their assignments or exams. Once you get to know him you'll see that he really cares a lot about his students!

4.0
4.0
SCI13
Jan 31, 2013

He definitely has a lot of knowledge to share, however he goes through his slides very quickly and can be a bore if you don't understand the material thoroughly.

2.0
4.0
SCI001
Feb 10, 2013

He has a lot of knowledge but he is very bad at teaching! His lectures are very boring especially if you have no idea what he is talking about and he is not very clear and doesn't answer questions properly. Finally, he goes through slides very quickly! Overall, a relatively bad prof

5.0
2.0
SCIE001
Jun 5, 2013

He definitely knows his stuff. However, his lectures can be dry if you don't already have some idea what he is talking about. I strongly suggest completing the prereadings, or else you will be completely lost, especially if you are lacking in sleep. But it's not that big of a deal if you don't attend: I was lost for all of second term and did fine.

4.0
3.0
SCIE001
Grade: Incomplete
Oct 16, 2013

Jim is very helpful and his lectures are very interesting. We don't write our own notes; he has powerpoints posted and we can print them off prior to attending class. ;)

4.0
4.0
SCIE113
Grade: B+
Aug 25, 2015

This guy is a boss at what he does! Even though the course was really hard and required real hard work, I enjoyed taking classes with him.

5.0
3.0
SCIE113
Nov 26, 2015

If you participate, toe the line, and try to improve, this professor is for you! Animated, hilarious, mad-scientist type who clearly has immense experience in many fields of science, and actually honestly cares about students and learning. For feedback, office hours are a must. A sincerely invested prof with a passion for what he does. 10/10

4.0
4.0
SCIE113
Grade: B
Feb 24, 2016

When I went to talk to him about my research paper he called my paper lame, which really put me down. And in the end when I handed my research paper in I said thank you to him, and he responded with an "I know"

4.0
4.0
SCIE113
Oct 19, 2016
Wouldn't take again

He is a nice friendly guy and is helping but the course has a lot of reading and writing which was sort of hard for me.

Participation matters
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
SO MANY PAPERS
2.0
4.0
SCIE113
Grade: B
Dec 25, 2016
Wouldn't take again

It was really hard to get a satisfied mark from his class and to catch what he wanted from us through papers. If you have different opinion with him, he would make you rewrite papers even whole things.

Tough Grader
Participation matters
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
1.0
3.0
SCI001
Apr 13, 2017
Wouldn't take again

This professor was by far the worst professor I have ever had in my entire life. He was extremely condescending and belittled students repeatedly. For someone who loves teaching so much he sure does not show it. His assignments are very pointless and full with excessive work.

Tough Grader
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
1.0
4.0
SCI001
Apr 13, 2017
Wouldn't take again

James Berger expects a disproportionate amount of effort from his students relative to the amount of actual in class instruction he performs. He rarely covers topics efficiently in class, and blows off questions when they are asked. He is rude and condescending to students, and feels at liberty to insult them when they approach him for help.

Get ready to read
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
5.0
5.0
SCI001
Apr 13, 2017
Would take again

Absolutely brilliant Professor, as both a teacher and researcher. He is incredibly knowledgeable about his discipline, yet his explanations are very clear to the student while being completely rigourous. As someone who doesn't plan on taking more biology, thank you, Professor Berger, for giving me a final glimpse of the vast ocean of your subject.

Tough Grader
Respected
Skip class? You won't pass.
1.0
4.0
SCI001
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 13, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Very condescending. Belittles students when they do not know the answer to questions. Very little instruction during lecture and asks subjective questions that could be up to interpretation but only expects his opinionated answer. Overall not a great atmosphere to learn in.

Tough Grader
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
5.0
4.0
SCIE001
Apr 13, 2017
Would take again

Professor taught material in a way that was very difficult content wise, but focused on critical thinking and integrating material from the whole course into new topics. Honestly seems a better way to learn the material. Can be hard to get a hold of his style, but if you put in effort, a respectable and knowledgeable professor awaits.

Tough Grader
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
Hilarious
3.0
1.0
SCIE113
Grade: B+
Dec 28, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Dr. Berger is an organized and knowledgeable prof who always plans his lesson carefully. However, as for essay grading, he is inevitably subjective (but meeting him for an inspirational talk is definitely encouraged before or after essay due). The course is participation-oriented so prepare to speak out. He is always available outside class.

Gives good feedback
Participation matters
Inspirational
2.0
5.0
SCIE113
May 3, 2018
Wouldn't take again

He's very organized, but can be very condescending. He's a tough marker especially if your opinions don't match his, however if you talk to him, he'll let you know exactly what he's looking for, but still finds a way to find a flaw in your format/structure. Honestly dreaded this class

Tough Grader
Participation matters
Skip class? You won't pass.
2.0
4.0
SCIE113
Grade: B+
Jun 11, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Hard marker for sure. On one hand Its very difficult to fail his class unless you skip all the lectures. On the other hand, I'm fairly certain it is physically impossible to attain a mark higher then 85 percent in the class.

Participation matters
Skip class? You won't pass.
Tough grader
4.0
4.0
SCIE001
Jun 29, 2019
Would take again

I have lots of respect for Him for being retired, yet coming back to teach courses because he loves doing it. The content was definitely challenging, but the flipped classroom format, his willingness to help students out of class (very accessible!), and his focus on big-picture ideas helped. I found his bio/compsci assignments quite interesting.

Respected
Accessible outside class
Tough grader
1.0
4.0
SCI001
Aug 7, 2019
Wouldn't take again

One of the worst professors I have ever had. Belittled students for asking questions and did not take into account how much other work students are already doing in science one for other classes. Expected us to have studied for the quiz and done the readings for the next week before the same lecture. I have never felt so stupid for asking questions

Get ready to read
Test heavy
Tough grader
1.0
5.0
SCIE113
Grade: B
Nov 30, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Literally the hardest marker for this course, take ANYONE but him, as its hard to makes sense of what does he want in a thing. Office hours help GO TO THEM (if you are unfortunate enough to have him). tbh its hard to convince him what your arguments. Best of luck, ig?

Lots of homework
Accessible outside class
Graded by few things
3.0
5.0
SCIE001
Grade: A-
Jul 22, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Lectures very fast paced, expects you to listen to his pre-recorded lectures before coming. Lots of worksheets/weekly quizzes but ultimately they helped me understand concepts better. I regret not going to his office hours because I didn't always get what he said in class

Lots of homework
Beware of pop quizzes
Lecture heavy
4.0
4.0
SCIE113
Grade: A-
Oct 3, 2020
Would take again

He expects a lot from his students, but I feel not an unreasonable amount. He doesn't baby you, and may come across as gruff, but i feel as though he cares about student's learning. Basically, you get out of his classes what you put into it.

Lots of homework
Tough grader
5.0
3.0
SCIE001
Oct 6, 2021
Would take again

He's passionate about teaching. That's all that matters.

Accessible outside class
Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
4.0
5.0
SCIE001
Grade: A-
Jan 7, 2022
Would take again

hardcore. If you are smart and speak up in his class, he will love you. If you have a question that's not an extension question, ask the TAs, not him. If you have a good questions, then ask him (ex. one linking info from another concept in the course) Tough but fair marker. You cannot afford to fall behind on prereading. Get out what you put in :)

Test heavy
Lecture heavy
Tough grader
3.0
5.0
SCIE001
Grade: B
Jun 17, 2022

Jim has a very weird "reverse classroom" teaching style, which means that you'd have to watch prerecorded lectures as pre readings, and he'll go over the same slides again in class at lightning speeds. It is impossible for you to learn in lecture. You'll have to watch the prerecorded lectures in advance, or else you will never know what's going on.

Tough grader
Caring
Respected
2.0
4.0
SCIE001
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
Jun 17, 2022

He's a nice guy, but I was not a fan of his pre-reading/lecture style. He posts prerecorded lectures that you have to watch before class, and then adds small but essential details in the lecture. As someone with ADHD I was stuck spending 3-5 hours every sunday watching pre-recorded videos that are not at all efficient for me (or a biology class).

Tough grader
Accessible outside class
5.0
4.0
SCIE001
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 27, 2023
Would take again

Jim is very knowledgeable and taught us so much not only about biology but also how to approach any manner of difficult problems step-by-step. To learn effectively in his class you definitely need to review all of his pre-recorded lectures BEFORE class, but if you keep up with them and his assigned worksheets then the quizzes are quite manageable.

Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

70%

Textbook Required

46%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

83% confidence
Based on 11 grades
Most common grades:
B (4)
B+ (3)
A- (3)
Grade Distribution
A(1)B(4)C(0)D(1)F(0)A-/B+(6)
Based on 15 reported grades
B: 4
B+: 3
A-: 3
Not sure yet: 2
Common Tags
Tough grader (7)
LOTS OF HOMEWORK (6)
Tough Grader (6)
Participation matters (5)
Accessible outside class (4)
Get ready to read (3)
Respected (3)
Skip class? You won't pass. (3)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.53 avg change
Jul
Oct
Oct
Jan
Jun
Apr
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

BIOL200

4.2

(43)

BIO200

4.2

(16)

SCIE001

4.1

(12)

SCI13

4.0

(1)

SCIE113

3.2

(11)
+6 more courses
Difficulty by Course

BIOL121

5.0

BIOL447

4.0

SCI13

4.0

SCI001

4.0

SCIE113

3.5

Similar Professors