2.8
Quality4.0
DifficultyN/A
Would Retake121
ReviewsN/A
Would Retake
121
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
19
4
26
3
24
2
32
1
20
What Students Say
“his lectures are horrible, poorly-taught, boring and ineffective”
BIO111 - 2.0 rating“Tough, but clear and very helpful”
BIO111 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A+
Grade Distribution
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.12 avg changeRatings by Course
BIO104
3.8
(10)BIO325
3.3
(4)BIOLOGY
3.0
(1)BIOL111
3.0
(1)BIO111
2.8
(104)Difficulty by Course
BIO325
4.3
BIO111
4.0
BIOLOGY
4.0
BIOL111
4.0
BIO104
3.1
Reviews (121)
his lectures are horrible, poorly-taught, boring and ineffective
No Comments
Tough, but clear and very helpful. Good prof to take if you want to learn someth
No Comments
He is a good instructor. The class was not overly difficult, but I learned a few things.
He is a boring professor. Gives pop quizzes and his tests are very difficult. Not fun to take. He takes things too indepth!
i love this man! he is adorable and hilarious, not to mention enthusiastic about biology. i thought he was a pretty decent teacher, but even more of a great person :)
Good instructor, easy to talk to, helpful, interesting
You will learn nothing in his class except how to take perfect notes because if you absolutly have to take him just make sure you write down everything, even if you think its unimportant or oblivious cause it'll be on the test!
Very unclear, went way too fast. Everything he says in class is on test. Rarely gives partial credit.
His classes are really tough. In order to get a decent grade on the exams, you have to read all the chapters and memorize the diagrams. He's a nice guy, but sometimes boring because of the material. He gives 8 quizzes(1 per week)and drops the 2 lowest.
Goofy, good guy...but boring :(
Not a very good teacher. Tests are very hard.
expects to much for a gen ed class
HUGE CURVE! The curve was the only thing that saved me. He expects you to know too much for biochem.
Really hard tests...boring professor...had to study way too hard and neglect other classes...too much reading in between the lines...his study guides don't help a lick...too much information to learn for a gen ed
HARD HARD HARD...DONT DONT DONT!
Don't take it; way too hard for a gen ed, he is unclear and just likes to hear the sound of his own voice
This course was split between cowlishaw and some other professor that could hardly speak English. Cowlishaw was okay, but his associate was an idiot.
hes ok
Very challenging, but very fair. He let us know at the 1st class that we had to read and come to class and he wasn't kidding. He knows his stuff and expects you to learn it too. Even funny in lecture. Provides a study guide for every exam. Many quizzes:)
Very hard wants people to fail
Very Hard class, He talks alot and does not really give you room to ask questions in class. Thinks he is funny but isn't so enjoy if you get stuck in his class!
he is hard but fair. if you go to class and read the material you will have no problem in his class. if you do not go to class look out he covers a lot of material not in book!! learned a lot and got study guide before each test.
expects alot but if you put in the work you get a good grade. GO TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION!! don't be lazy and get behind
This class is VERY hard, and gets harder as the semester goes on. The SI helps, but even studying ALL the time doesnt seem to help. GOOD LUCK, and try to get a different professor.
Not one of the best professors. Very boring, not engaging. Do the worksheets and use the old tests online to study from, they help boost your grade! Definitely a hard gen ed.
Holy**** this was a hard class! Well... I never studied, never read, rarely went to SI, but paid close attention to his lectures and got a 2.4. Not too shabby! Course is challenging, but he'll help you. Seems like a cool guy - Thinks people who dont believe in evolution are idiots. He's so right!
Thie class is hard regardless of who teaches it. Prof. Cowlishaw was very helpful and he will do all he can help his students pass if they put in the time & effort. He gives out study guides and they are very helpful in preparing for the test. Overall one of the best prof. I have taken at Oakland.
Hardest Gen Ed class u will hav, but as long as you READ, STUDY, GO TO CLASS & SI, & STUDY THE OLD EXAMS you will do good. Get a study group together it will help out a lot having other people to bounce ideas off of. The lectures are pretty boring, but bring ur book it helps. I got a 3.5.
He tried to teach so that everyone would understand but it did't always work out. It is a hard class and be prepared to study a lot to get a good grade. His tests are sometimes nothing like what he did in class, but he provides tests from last semester, make sure you know how do do everything on it even if it is something he did not cover in class
Excelent professor. Kept things interesting. He was very passionate about what he taught and was concerned about student's performance. I highly recommend his class.
The hardest class ever, hes seriously on crack
No Comments
DO NOT TAKE THIS PROF. Never in my life have i been more aggrivated taking a biology class! His powerpoints are very unclear & he is not very helpful AT ALL! He moves very, very quickly & his exams are very hard. I'm a good student, and I worked my butt off, with a tutor, in SI, doing everything he suggested, and I'm still having a difficult time.
Apparently this is an extremely hard course that many people have to retake. I'm glad I had Cowlishaw. You need to go to class, you cannot get by otherwise. When I was having a problem with a certain topic or concept, he was happy to answer questions. He's a good teacher and I think he enjoys what he does.
This instructor likes the topic, but he wanders off alot. His tests have nothing to do with what he teaches in class. I never used my notes, never went to class. Study the practice tests he puts online, they are 75% the same on the actual test. I studied one day before the test and passed with a 3.0! My advice...avoid him.
I had A+'s in high school when it came to Biology. I used to LOVE the subect. I studied hard for Cowlishaw's quizzes and tests and ended up having to drop before my GPA dropped miserably. He's a good guy and definitely knows his stuff...he's just not very good at delivering the information. I'd look into another bio teacher if I were you.
Well i used to really enjoy biology.... This class was very hard but it is a hard subject. He wasn't very clear about what he wanted you to know for the tests. He didn't teach what he tested on, you had to do it yourself. Although all his notes and power-point was on-line, very helpful! In the end you just have to study, not a bad class just tough.
Stear clear of Cowlishaw.
Cowlishaw is a very nice guy, pleasant classes. He provide lectures online, there are weekly quizzes and worksheets. The tests are pretty difficult, but he curves the grade. You have to work hard and go to class.
Was very helpful and understanding
The best teacher ever, he helped me out a lot. Very helpful if you ask. Weekly quizzes, worksheets due before every test. Test are hard. His powerpoint lectures are online. Go to class, even though its boring. Curves the grade a lot.
Good: teacher is passionate about bio and seems genuinely happy to teach. Bad: though he puts his ppts online, his lectures are useless, his explanations do nothing to really help with tougher concepts. Quizzes are 7 questions long, tests are 60+ questions. Do virtual labs to boost grade. And use study guides and old tests available online.
Very likeable guy. Gives lots of oppurtunities to raise grades, test are a little hard, but if you do the reading you'll be ok, I recommend for gen ed in sci area, or anybody who doesn't want math.
His powerpoints are helpful the majority of the time. I didn't really use the book that much, because he covered a lot in his power point. I wish there were more questions on quizzes, because I would fail those, but pass the tests fairly well. He puts old tests online which are helpful, because he recycles questions.
I never read the book, printed out thepowerpoint and payed full attention in class picked up everyword he said and passed everysingle test and quiz with an A or B...Make sure you do the tests and quizzes from last year that he posts online...he re-uses most of the questions reallllly helpful amazing teacher you'll learn alot take him!
Very difficult indeed. Lectures don't seem to prepare you for the test all that much. Ppt is just a bunch of pictures, it would be more helpful if they also featured text explaining them, instead of him just going over them again. You can guarantee a 50% if you look @ the old quizzes and tests. He is trys to help, but it doesn't really do anything
VERY BORING!!!! Tests are very very hard and you have to work your butt off!!!
This class is moderately hard but gets progressively easier as the semester goes on, as you learn his style. Going to class is fairly important as he does not utilize the book to its entirety but rather skims it. You will read useless info if you don't go. Keeps you just about the whole time. Nice guy, kinda cheesy sometimes, but passionate.
Horrible thats about all i can say because half of the questions on the test arnt taught in class. making it impossible to pass
very tough class. prof doesnt make it any easier. goes through powerpoints very fast... making almost no sense. reuses some quiz/old test questions on his tests but most questions on test are random and not taught in class.
Very passionate. Very organized. Moves at a ridiculously fast pace and tests on info he doesn't teach or hint at. You might do well, but WORK HARD from the very beginning.
His class is very challenging, but he has a lot of helpful tools online ie study guides, powerpoints and practice tests/quizes. If you like a little bit of a challenge I would take him. He teachers a lot of helpful information and I enjoyed his teaching. He always seems to be in a good mood!!! =)
In class, he just goes over the powerpoints in class. I am able to do that in my own home because he puts them all on sail. He trys to give analogies but they just make the whole concept even harder to understand.
VERY HARD CLASS!!! He is so boring and never answered my questions! He makes up stories to help you remember things, but it's hard enough following the stories let alone relating them to the topic. Tests are hard and class does not keep your attention. And the sad thing is...I hear he is the head of the department!
He is an ok guy, but as a teacher he is really boring and just reads what on the powerpoint. He only gives you 5 mins to do quizes, and if you take longer he rushes you. Take him only if you can't get anyone better.
Powerpoint are very helpfull- if you go over each previous test from last semester that is given on the website he gives you- at least 40-50% of the quesions will be on the test. He moves VERY VERY fast, a chapter or more a class, and studying is necessary to to well.
Pathetic excuse for a teacher. Boring and clearly out of touch. He doesn't seem to realize that students don't appreciate his lame jokes. His tests have little to do with the information taught in class. He definitely does not care if his students succeed!
I did not like this teacher at all. He is a really smart guy and knows his stuff, but cannot for the life of him teach a class. If you have to take his class though make sure you USE HIS STUDY GUIDES AND STUDY ALL THE OLD TESTS! He takes a lot of his questions right from there, good luck... you are going to need it!
Very nice guy, always smiling. Tests are hard, although he reuses a lot of questions from previous tests he posts. Took the class at 8:00 am, big mistake! It is a challenging class, but he does try to help with lots of examples and analogies.
The class itself was very difficult but Professer Cowlishaw was really helpful and approachable. Print off the powerpoint and take notes in class. STUDY for tests - they're pretty difficult. Grades pretty leniently and gives extra credit if you continually do better on tests.
Possibly worst teacher ever, avoid him at all costs. He doesnt teach at all. He expects his students to know everything before taking this class. I was excited to take biology, but when I sat in class with this joke of a professor, pretty much ruined it for me. Avoid this professor.
Oh wow.. Where to begin. I loved Biology before taking Cowlishaw's BIO111. He doesn't answer your questions, but merely giggles and continues with his lecture. There's about a 40% drop rate in his class and people constantly complain that they are getting 2.0's or less. I've spoken to other students with better professors. Search elsewhere.
No Comments
This class takes up all of your time. You might as well have the book attached to you because he just stands at his computer and reads off a powerpoint that means nothing..dont even bother with this class. Find a different professor, Professor Hitt came to sub for him and taught way better!
tough class! pay attention! read the text!!
He's not a terrible teacher. Everyone else is just mad because the class itself is difficult and you actually have to work to learn things and do well. He uses powerpoints you can print off, but I just take notes on the important stuff instead of printing all that. He's not bad, but the class is hard, be ready to pay attention/study.
Do not take. Any one can simply read powerpoint slides. He will offer help if you are failing, but it is hard to come out of a low grade. No extra credit, awkward grade curving, (only curves high test scores) and lectures the whole class period. Don't buy the book, he doesn't teach out of it. Take this class with someone else.
Ridiculous. Any 5-yr old can read a powerpoint. If you want to pass you really need to read the text on your own and make sure you know all cycles. Be sure to look at his previous tests and quizzes which are available on the OU Courseweb under his class.
He is a very nice man and he is always happy. He tries very hard to make himself clear and tries to help you understand what he is talking about. His tests are pretty difficult but if you study the slides you can manage decent grades. I liked the class overall and i passed with a b+ :)
This prof was hard to understand, was always using information which was not from the book making it that much harder to study. furthermore he was all over the place when he was teaching and was sometimes so confused that he was incomprehensible
Professor was difficult to understand in and out of class, often conveniently unavailable for personal instruction, sarcastic and rude in e-mails to students, passionate about Biology yet assumes that students have pre-existing knowledge on the subject. Do not take unless you're a biology genius!
DO NOT TAKE. HARD, CONFUSING CLASS.
this professor is absurdly scatter-brained and is completely useless. there is no way to pass this class other than memorizing the information in the almost useless book. the powerpoint presentations are kinda helpful if you like to look at uselessness that just clogs up your documents folder. a child could glean the same info from them. DONOTTAKE!
He was definitely a difficult teacher,but he's fair. He gives 7-question quizzes that are difficult (two wrong is a C) Many Q's are repeats from his past test/quizzes, and also questions straight from the PP. He rewards people who progress, I failed the first two exams, got a 2.5 on the third, and a 3.3 on the final, and a 3.0 as final grade :)
he draws his own pictures and he's all over the place. i tried to pay attention, but that didn't always work. i did well in the class but i studied hard. it's NOT easy
Very hard class. Make sure to understand all the powerpoints...the questions come from them and not the book. Practice quizzes and exams are extremely helpful. He is not the best teacher if you don't have a background in biology and don't understand it.
Read the book, stay through the lecture and you will do fine. There were lots of students that left halfway through class and I'm sure they're the ones complaining on here. I took it over the 6-week summer course and it was pretty intensive but very doable. Nice guy too.
I've done SI for BIO 111 for the last three years and have seen all the OU biology teachers in action. Cowlishaw is the clearest, best teacher I have seen in action. Some may not like him and rate him poorly, but they haven't experienced the other teachers.
This guy sucks w/ his jokes..lol I go to SI and study my butt off but so far it's really not good enough for his tests... :(
This professor is horrible. He never uses anything out of the book, or references the book at all, except when he asks questions from it out of no where on the test. He teaches off of his own powerpoints which are all just pictures that he points at, and talks about. He doesnt teach the class, he simply talks about it like you are already a BIO maj
Hard class (especially his tests), but a really nice guy. Use the power points, moodle quizes and study guides, his grading scale helps out quite a bit too.
This professor, is really not trying to keep his students attention at all. He just reads off his slides and does not answer questions if you have them. He is a nice guy and i think he wants you to understand, so he tries. But he fails epically. This class is difficult, read the book, its better than his class.
This professor is pretty cool from the most part. But his test are hard because it seems like he twists questions around to confuse you alot and the question aren't basis on the textbook which is weird...!!??!! But i caught on to it fast and got a decent grade :-/. But donh't take his class if you really don't understand BIO to begin with!!!
The powerpoint don't make sense; he draws his own point of view as far as the different model we have to learn about; and the tests suck azz flat out. BELIEVE ME THIS IZ AN UP TO DATE RATING(that is stating the facts about this guy) I definitely don't suggest you to take it!!
I think that Cowlishaw is a really fair professor. I current have him for my Bio111 class and if you go to class, do the practice exams, and read, you'll be totally fine. That's right people. You actually have to look at the material and practice to learn, rather than walk out of the lecture half-way through.
He may know a lot about Bio, but is not capable of teaching anything. Don't buy the book, he doesn't use it. If you skip a class you have close to a 0% chance of understanding his power points. If you show up you have about a 30% of understanding (If you can stay awake). Over all avoid him if you can.
The class is graded tough, but just remember the review questions on moodle and you've got most the answers of the quizzes and test... Good curve at the end. Had a 1.7-1.8 all year, got a 2.8 on the final and a 2.4 in the class!
Honestly, it was an extremely difficult class and rather frusterating. There were many times where a few of us didn't even know what to do because we would study a crazy amount of hours for a test and still receive a C. Believe me, there are better professors out there for this class.
Lectures the entire class period with power points. Nothing really on the power points were helpful. The book was a useless buy. Worst professor at Oakland by far. If you can get out of taking him, do so.
All he does is go over his 100 slide powerpoints the whole time. You never ever use the book. You must teach yourself because going to class is pointless. He does grade/curve fairly so i did end up passing with a reasonable grade.
If you want to succeed in this class, TEACH YOURSELF! Otherwise you'll never pass. Cowlishaw spent the entire period going over incomprehensible slides and talking about his barbershop quartet (I kid you not).
This class really sucked for me and everyone I met in it. All he has are powerpoint after powerpoint and needless to say we didn't really even need the book. I definitely wouldn't recommend him especiallly if your a in-coming FRESHY like i was.
WORST TEACHER @ OAKLAND BY FAR...!!!
OU's entire BIO and MATH programs need to be looked into. Poorly taught, horrible tests, worst qualified teachers, and etc.
Tough class. You need to do a lot of outside class studying in order to do well. Tests are not easy, so study prior to it a lot. He's a good guy and is funny, but its a tough subject to begin with.
I thought it as an easy class. Listen to lecture and take a few quizzes and exams. Sorry kiddies, this is not high school bio.
Overall, he's a genuinely nice guy, but IMO, his lectures (aka endless power point diagrams) are virtually incomprehensible. Don't bother purchasing the textbook as 99% of the quiz/exam material originates from lecture material. His exams are challenging (my class had a consistent low "C" average), but he does curve.
Has a lot of energy for being ~70 and really loves what he does! Good professor, very helpful, knowledgeable.
i read all these comments prior to taking the class- i was scared. He is a real nice guy- his tests are extremely hard. Got a 82 on the first one- and 70's on the last 2 i got a 70 on the final. and Still managed to get a 3.0 in the class. his lectures are SO LONG. study the study-guides and his power points. class is so boring.
He's a nice guy, funny at times, but goes on his "old man incomprehensible biology rants." I have a hard time staying awake during his lectures and he doesn't thoroughly explain the material, he just reads from a long @$$ powerpoint. Good luck its a tough one..
Worst professor I have ever had. I didn't learn a single thing from this guy. His powerpoints make no sense and his quizzes and exams are extremely hard. DO NOT TAKE HIM. I used to like science... until this class.
This class in general is a hard class. Cowlishaw really isn't all that bad. He has his own way of teaching just as any other professor will. The class was hard at first but has gotten better over time. He is a very nice guy and very willing to help.
His class is a waste of time. He reads you the powerpoint as though you can't read it yourself. He does not make anything fun at all. You would learn more form just reading the book than going to class. He really sucks.! Over all if you Don't want to fail. DO NOT take his class.
He was a good professor who knows what he's talking about. Granted, the lecture was just powerpoints, but what else is it supposed to be. For how old he is, he has a lot of energy and was always incredibly willing to help. I see all these bad ratings, but maybe he's just being blamed for non-success, no matter who teaches it, I recommend him!!
This professor is actually a cool guy but based on how he teaches the material; I would grade him as having a D- to an F. He never interacts with his class and just reads powerpoints the whole period of class! But as far as tests, quizzes, and exams goes make sure you print out the practice quizzes off of Moodle. Most of those ?'s are on all 3.
Cowlishaw is a very good guy that is willing to help. He is always happy to reply to emails and see you in office hours. That said, this class is absurd. You can attend every lecture and still fail. Exams extremely hard. Read every chapter, go to every SI, and attend every lecture to do well in this class.
He is the worst professor I have ever had in my entire life. He doesn't help at all and never knows what he is talking about. I find it hard to come to his class because I find it so boring. He retired once, he needs to do it again. I would NOT take any class with him ever!
Just don't do it. Don't take him for Bio and you will be a lot happier in life. Go with the other prof that teacher 111 & 113
Extremely difficult. He gets very detailed, and the work load is very heavy. But you will be an expert when it's all over. EXPERT. If you're pre-health sciences and need a solid foundation, he's the one you want. But if you're just trying to get some gen-eds done, you may get more than u bargained for with him.
Just don't take him unless you know your BIO. He seriously lectures about nothing and he is no help. Doesn't offer any other work besides 4 Exams 9 Quizzes and 3 Labs. You will feel lost in the entire course even if you know your bio. The exams and quizzes aren't anything like the lecture or text Don't ever take a BIO class with him. Worst proff.
The course itself is very difficult lectures are only there to solidify the reading material in the book. He is one of the fairest graders and by far one of the most intelligent professors I have ever had. I failed his first exam and ended up with a 3.6 in his class.READ THE BOOK!!!
Very nice guy, who's very smart; he's just not good about teaching. Hes willing to help if you ask, but it doesn't do u any good cuz u won't understand his response. 2 much material in 2 little time. Memorize practice quizzes, make friends in class 2 use their practice quizzes and u will always have all the questions on the exam.
I had the HONOR of accidentally having him. He stepped in out of retirement for us. Materials Crazey BUT he WILL take time! MAKE time to help you suceed! Though I hated most of it, you come away applying this material to life. Also, he COMPLETELY set us up for all Chem 104/201 classes and Bio 307. I'm a 4.0 in Chem and Bio because of him!
This professor is great! If you have to take Bio take it with him! He gives quizzes fairly frequently, but he posts practice quizzes online that are the exact same. He does however cover a large amount of material, but he explains everything fairly well, and it will set you up for later bio/chem classes.
The exams are tough and even with studying the guides and using the book it is hard to get a really good grade but he curves a lot and is a really nice guy.
He fly's through material fairly fast! Exams were extremely tough! He is very knowledgeable on the material he presents, but treated my class as if we were a level 300 class! He does tend to curve slightly. He is a great guy, but overall as a professor not the greatest.
Not a course where you can just coast through and get an A. I got an A by reading when assigned and actually listening to the online lectures. Cowlishaw is very smart. He writes test/quiz questions in a way where all answers sound correct. Quiz/Tests curved (93%+ is a 4.0). Responds to e-mails fast. Seems to care about his students. I liked him.
Tough class. There's a ton of material to cover. Prof. Cowlishaw's lectures are pretty good, but he does go off on tangents sometimes that aren't covered in the text. Expect those tangents to be included on the tests. Test questions are hard, but it is possible to do well in this class, just be ready to put in a TON of work.
The class is a little hard to take online. Be prepared to put in A LOT of time. Mr. Cowlishaw really does his part though. He's one of the few professors I've had that actually gave relevant narrated lectures to his online class. He also responds to questions promptly and effectively.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A+
Grade Distribution
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.12 avg changeRatings by Course
BIO104
3.8
(10)BIO325
3.3
(4)BIOLOGY
3.0
(1)BIOL111
3.0
(1)BIO111
2.8
(104)Difficulty by Course
BIO325
4.3
BIO111
4.0
BIOLOGY
4.0
BIOL111
4.0
BIO104
3.1