Very clear with concepts, straightforward; will go on if no questions

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it wasnt that hard of a class if you like programming, the programs where fun

Hard class, made things fun to learn and understandable

Good teacher. Explains thing very well. Gives too much work though.

best teacher I've ever had

Great prof! Best in CS dept.

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demands a lot out of his student--but in the end we learn a lot

Good prof.

Very demanding, but excellent teacher. Is helpful out of class but not friendly

teaches despite being ugrad director - hence no time out of class to help

Engaging lecturer, quite a feat considering his material.

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he think's he's the man

Lots of work, but you learn the material.

Great prof, my fav in CS. Ran into a door once to illustrate a concept- very funny. You won't fall asleep in his lectures, and you'll actually *gasp* learn something!

Great Teacher!!! Take his classes if possible

Best CS instructor at Pitt

He is a nice teacher..good to see such ppl

tough but fair, learned a lot

He really knows his stuff and will do his best to help you learn it. A lot of work but worth it.

Ramirez is one of the best professors I've ever had. He understands the material deeply and is very energetic about presenting it. However, sometimes he is difficult to talk to outside of class.

If only more instructors were like this! Outstanding lecturer with interesting and exciting lectures. May be a little difficult to approach outside the classroom.

damn hard

He is an excellent teacher that really knows his stuff. He tends to expect a lot, but if your in CS and you really want to learn something take his class. Be prepared to work, but it is well worth it. He is also extremely helpful in office hours.

Projects are educational and tend to be pretty creative, lecture is good, but also not necessary. Exams are unreasonably difficult, the one bad mark against him as a professor.

Programs were educational and not overly complicated if you payed attention, tests however were another issue all together, really brutal.

Wicked hard tests, programs are hard but coincide nicely with lecture so it's reasonable. Very good at illustrating concepts and very friendly and willing to give extra help if you ask.

like everyone else said, wicked hard tests. you'll be walking funny afterwards. other than that, he is one of the best CS professors. makes the lectures interesting, programs are not too hard, but challenge your thinking.

He is an outstanding teacher. more cs teachers need to be like him. well, maybe easier tests would make him the best. great lectures, difficult but clear assignments. just a good teacher, but extremely difficult.

Ramirez is a great teacher. Very clear, but all of his subjects make you work hard!

Great teacher!

An entertaining lecturer, but doesn't prepare you for the tests. This may make the tests seem hard, but is actually a flaw in his teaching method.

When describing tests, people are confusing 'hard' with 'stupid'. His tests are hard only because they are stupid. Writing whole programs from scratch w/o documentation?!? Does Pitt CS feel this is a valuable skill? Don't waste your hard-e

The class is very helpful if you're interested in programming. I recommend this class.

Ramirez is awesome! He's a great teacher that is ALWAYS willing to help with anything. Explains everything at least twice to get the point across. Knows his java so any question is answered asap!

As many of my piers had said very HARD TESTS, no doubt, but if you go trough his class you know your S***. If you take him hang in there because its worth it. Best CS professor I had. Would have taken him for all my CS classes, but unfortunately he doesn't teach all of them.

His teaching style is elegant, energetic. Lecture notes and example code are very helpful. Projects are a lot of work, but teach you a lot.

Explains things well and with examples.

Excellent teacher. Probably the best I've had in any department(I'm a senior). I've had him for several CS classes. Live, energetic teacher. His classes are fun. Actually teaches the material! Answers tough technical questions off the top of his head. Not afraid to say "I don't Know".

He's famous for being a great CS professor for a reason. Not the most exciting material in the world, but he tries to add some levity and gives lots of grreat examples. His projects are great - they are fun and really educational. Can't recommend him more... and that's rare with CS professors

His assignments are usually very tricky yet not impossible. He will help if you ask him. At the start of every class he sees if there are any questions on any of the material including programs. He repeats stuff alot, which may sound boring but it almost always helps. Take his classes.

Class is not paced well. Quizes are more like what you would expect for a test. Tests are unusual - Ramirez is obsessive compulsive about the material. You will work for every point. Some material on test is phrased poorly. Make sure you study everything - notes, handouts, projects! He makes it harder than it has to be.

He's a good teacher, but he's such a stickler for details. The learning curve in his class is steep, so take CS007 before taking his class or at least have some experience beforehand. He's really enthusiatic and more than willing to help with your assignments. And he makes you write code on paper for tests. Which blows. Otherwise, he's great.

He expects a lot of work to be done in order for you to understand all the material. He goes over things quickly, but wants it to be understood. I learned a lot of things in that class and would definitely choose to have him again

Great Prof. Very knowledgable and you can tell he enjoys teaching. He is humerous and keeps class interesting. His projects are informative and take some thought. The exams are challenging but A's are feesible. Makes CS 445 seem like a piece of cake.

You will work a lot in his class, moreso than you will with almost any other professor in the department. However, unlike with those other professors, you will walk out of his class at the end feeling smarter almost regardless of whatever grade you end up getting in it. I would strongly recommend him to any CS Student, the work is all worth it.

Great, energetic teacher. Presents clear information as well. Be sure to study all details before exams, because they will be tested. Unlike other CS tests I've had, Ramirez requires you to remember definitions, etc.

Very good teacher, teaches the material well. His tests are somewhat hard, and his assignments arent too hard but are alot of work. Good teacher overall

He is the type of teacher who expects a lot from you, but teaches you a lot in return. Only gripe I had was his tendency to ask you to write programs by hand on the test. Still, he is definitley one of the best professors you can take. Very rewarding class. Don't take it if you're not serious about CS, since you'll be learning 4 programming lang's.

Ramirez is a great teacher, but his tests are absolutely retarded. Half the points come from problems where you have to trace code by hand. How is this useful or relevant at all? He gives good projects, but he puts way to much grading weight on the tests. A single code tracing problem on an exam is worth almost as much as a whole project.

Great, fun teacher, but the tests are entirely too hard. Finaly project was also insane.

This class was one of those where it was a very challenging but you learn a lot of stuff about Java. He has a very distinct personality which made lectures very amusing and fun. Tests are very hard to get A's on. Projects are tough but very doable. If you aren't afraid of some work and you want to learn a lot, this is the guy for you.

Very good prof. Explains things very well. Tests are hard, but you learn enough that it doesn't matter. Very helpful. Only complaint is that he would wait until the last minute to post things we really needed.

Ramirez is hands down the best professor in the department, and the best I've had at Pitt. His classes are challenging, but in a good way because he actually teaches the material extremely well(unlike certain other CS professors). If you do the work you will get an A and learn a lot in the process.

Great professor. Has detailed notes and code to illustrate examples. Assignments aren't too bad, and the quizzes and exams are always challenging, but not overly difficult. Grades quite fairly and to top it all off, his lectures are pretty entertaining.

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Overall, he's a great professor. He's very approachable and helpful if you ask for it. He tended to be late most says, but it was a long class, so I didn't mind too much. My only complaint is that he had a tendancy to spend a lot of class time answering individual questions about assignments that should have been asked after class.

Interesting lectures, extremely hard tests!

ramirez is the man

Great teacher. His tests and assignments are fair and interesting. He's definitely approachable. Came out of the class confident about what I learned, which was a lot.

Lectures focus less on writing code than the concepts that will help you program which some didn't like. If you study the vocab and know how to write and debug a program the tests aren't that difficult.

Really good professor. Definitively knows his stuff and by the end of the semester, you will know a lot too. Hard tests and projects can take some time, but he curves accordingly at the end of the term. Going to lectures were really helpful because he was really good at breaking down hard concepts. I would definitively take another one of his cours

easily the best professor i've had my entire collegiate career. he may not have the impressive CV like other profs but he knows his stuff and he really knows how to teach it. lectures are enjoyable and informative. exams and assignments are tough, but beneficial in the long run.

great class, but exams are WAY TOO LONG.... at least, the midterm was. only 2 people had turned it in by the time our time was up. in a class of 40, that's pretty ridiculous. SOme of the assignments are much too big, and one he assigned over spring break, which is lame. other than that, it's a great class and ramirez is a great professor.

One of the best professors I've had in my 3 years here. Extremely clear and teaches the material very well. Exams are long and you definitely need to understand the material, but there are no surprises. Has fair expectations and is a fair grader.

A great professor. Gives interesting lectures, and you can tell he enjoys teaching. His projects take work, but are interesting and you learn a lot from them. I think his tests were fair, not difficult if you study. Most complaints about him probably come from kids who think they're big shots, don't come to class, and fail tests by not studying.

Very good teacher. His exams can be difficult but they are always fair.

Ramirez rules! His lectures are interesting, informative, and even funny at times. He's a smart guy who not only knows his stuff, but knows how to teach it. Makes you want to learn more! I only wish he taught more classes...

A very practical class and Ramirez is a superb prof. He just squeezes in every bit of material he can think of, like threading in Java, hardly related, but allows us to start programming from the start (introducing sockets too). Covers PHP MySQL regex's Ajax XML & DOM. On the last day of class after reviewing for the final, he taught us Perl.

I took this class because I like Ramirez and can count on him for interesting material and a challenging semester. Unfortunately Simulations is pretty much statistics for CS and therefore dry and sometimes boring. Glad to improve my stats but maybe another class would've been more interesting. As usual with Ramirez, helpful hw and fair exams.

You can't go wrong with this prof/class combo. Very grateful to have had Ramirez for this one cause it's so key to CS. Generally interesting lectures and programming assignments. The RSA chat client one bugged the heck out of me tho b/c of Ramirez's delicate server code. As with all Ramirez classes, just go to lecture and do the projects. Easy

Ramirez is an outstanding professor who genuinely cares about his class and students. He is tremendously approachable and is eager to answer questions. He's reachable outside of class, especially through email. His projects are a little lengthy (but not terribly difficult).

Anyone who says Ramirez is a bad teacher clearly does not belong in CS. He is BALLIN'. Not only does he know his stuff, but he's a funny and enthusiastic teacher. By far my favorite CS professor. Take him for 401! He may be tough, but he's fair and will give you a rock solid foundation for the rest of your CS education.

I took 401 without any other programming classes, I'm self-taught. John is incredibly clear, concise and does a fantastic job teaching the material. Anyone who complains about him really shouldn't be in a tech field.

This class required alot of work and was difficult, but I learned a ton. Dr. Ramirez is also very helpful. I plan to take more classes with him in the future.

Great Prof. I came into the class with a self-taught VB background and was able to get a B in this class. It's difficult, but if you are interested in this field the work is rewarding.

Anyone who is bashing Dr. Ramirez should not even consider Computer Science, he is a tough teacher & you need to understand the programming in order to get a good grade in the class, he always has office hours. He also includes students in the class. He is excited and EXTREMELY knowledgeable about programming and he makes his own programs for class

One of the best professors I've ever had - his lectures are interesting, he has a fantastic style, and he breaks down complicated subjects so even the dumbest can understand. The tests are difficult but not impossible, especially if you have a knack for CS and coding.

My favorite teacher ever. Enthusiastic about the material, genuinely interested in teaching, and talented at explaining things. The book was unnecessary because he managed to explain the concepts very well through his lectures and his powerpoints. Programs can be involved but aren't overly difficult, aid in learning the material, and are enjoyable.

Might not be the best person to take a writing section with because he can be a bit ridiculous with grading, but overall a good professor.

I highly recommend Ramirez. He lays out the material through well thought out powerpoint presentations. His projects can be very involved, but utilize the material covered quite well. Tests are so-so, but can be difficult to some, but studying and paying attention will help. I wish Ramirez taught all my courses!

Great teacher, who utilizes slides and limited use of the book. Very helpful in office hours. Extremely tough projects, and test.

Best teacher in the department.

Very enthusiastic, tests are stupid though because you have to write code out by hand, but they aren't difficult. Projects are interesting and in depth but not too difficult

Excellent professor. He's very charismatic. He he knows his material, and is excellent at conveying it. He's very approachable and will try to answer any questions you have. He has an... interesting... sense of humor. You either love it or you hate it. I personally love it. He's definitely one of the best professors in the CS department.

He makes available so many resources for your own benefit that reading the textbook and going to lecture are actually pointless, but go anyway and get to know him. Great guy, incredibly enthusiastic about the subject, and a fair grader. Easily reachable by email, too.

Be prepared to work, because he'll teach you tons, and - oops - expect that you paid attention and can regurgitate it for the test. I worked so hard for my meager "C" and yet I learned so much. This guy may be the most effective teacher I have ever had. He's not easy, but he's fair. I super recommend him if you want to learn the course material.

Professor Ramirez is a great teacher. No matter the level of programming experience that you enter the class with you are going to learn a ton. He is very clear in lecture and gives great examples to explain the material. The test are difficult, but there are plenty of assignments and labs to make up for any mistakes that are made on tests.

Dr. Ramirez is easily the best professor I have ever had. He is extremely organized, accessible, knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, and funny. His examples were always spot-on and he provided many resources for his students. Every part of his class was fair and effective.

One of the Best professors ever.

Very good at explaining things and has excellent examples (and a lot of them). Assignments were tough but definitely manageable. Highly recommend taking him.

There are 5 projects non-stop throughout the semester. 2 quizzes, 1 midterm, 1 final. As long as you get 100% on each project at least, you should be fine and can get an A.

There are 5 projects in the semester non-stop which is annoying; you have no break between them. There are 2 quizzes, 1 midterm, and 1 final, and questions of the day every lecture. I felt like he taught you how to program and less so about data structures (could've learned so much more). Overall, I recommend him but must work hard.

Well structured material. Good lecture. Projects are not easy. Give quiz in every lecture. He really cares about students, respected. Btw, CS department should be an independent school long ago.

Great lectures, its a tough class but should be easy for cs minded people as long as you put the work in

I tagged this as "Lots of Homework" but there are not a lot of assignments, just a few in depth ones. There is a lab every week, and 5 projects spread across the semester. Ramirez knows the material inside and out, yet still makes it interesting when teaching. Very helpful with any problems you're having.

Great professor in terms of explaining the material, giving plenty of resources, and very interested in what he is talking about

Great man. Should take.

Dr. Ramirez keeps lectures that would be dry interesting with his sense of humor. He is readily available outside class to help with projects or go over class examples. Only complaint is that his code was usually more cluttered than it needed to be and was sometimes roundabout, but nothing that couldn't be worked through. Overall a good prof.

Dr. Ramirez is an amazing professor. He is knowledgeable about the course topics and is able to explain them in an easy to understand way. His lectures are thorough and he gives a large amount of handouts and resources for further understanding. The two exams and quizzes are tough but manageable. Programming assignments take a lot of time but help.

He is very passionate about what he teaches and the lectures are usually somewhat entertaining.

His lectures are very interesting and his powerpoints cover the topics well. He puts strict requirements on some of his assignments that require the methods to be very efficient and not waste memory which are very helpful for the sake of learning. Don't buy the textbook unless you're struggling in class. I only used it for circular queues.

He is a great lecturer. He does do turning point (similar to tophat) which means you need to go to lectures, but if you didnt you wouldnt do well in the class anyways. Study before the test and his class isnt too hard. Projects can be tricky be ready to spend a solid amount of time on them, but he gives you 2 weeks so it isnt bad.

One of the best professors I've had. He always managed to hold my attention through the entire 75-minute lecture. He also plays a few songs at the beginning of every class, and he has absolutely FANTASTIC musical taste. He's pretty much the reason I chose to pick up a computer science major. Absolutely take him if you get the chance.

Ramirez is an all around excellent prof, but he has higher expectations and the later projects and labs can be difficult. If you are a CS student and Java is your only hard class, you should absolutely take him. If you are a CoE and are taking 3+ additional hard classes try to take a different teacher unless you have a solid background in java.

The major projects are usually pretty doable but you have to figure out some things yourself. Tests and quizzes can be difficult. He is a clear and engaging lecturer. The textbook is never required, he just makes references to it occasionally, so I would not recommend buying it unless you are really struggling in the class.

Ramirez is extremely knowledgable and very thorough with his explanations. He provides many examples and explains them in detail in an effort to help students. You are required to answer two questions based on the material in the day's lecture. Projects are all very time consuming and rather difficult which can make or break your grade, start early

Fairly tough class but nothing unmanageable. Projects aren't meant to be done in a day like some in other classes, just pace yourself and it will be fine. I would go to lecture since he does questions based on that lecture at the end worth part of your grade. Take good notes and read the slides. He explains good. Don't need the textbook.

His class seemed difficult compared to my friends' xlassss with other professors, but he is a very goos lecturer and does a veey good job explaining/breaking down haed concepts. He definetley prepared me well for the courses to come And, I would definetley consider taking him for other sections.

He really wants to help you pass and he is also really great at helping you figure out what part of your code needs fixed without giving you the answer.

Although I came into his course with almost 5 years of Java already, I did learn many things from him. His projects are fairly straightforward, they just require some time to work through. His lectures can be a little tiring but he covers material in a very easy to understand way.

Ramirez is a great Prof. He makes dry lectures better because of his overwhelming energy (even at 930 am). His lectures are also very thorough, which can be boring if you understand already but generally super useful. Projects are tricky but not absurd - start early though. I did not find the recitations helpful though.

He is the best choice for cs1501. I took his course online. His slides are very clear and well-organized. He is a reasonable grader, gives partial credit.

His lectures were very clear and his projects were realistic and fun. Only complaint is exams are weighed too heavily in comparison to the amount of work you put in for projects, and short answers are nitpicked to death, so make sure you are extremely detail oriented when studying for exams.

Professor Ramirez makes lectures fun and interactive, but he does assign tough projects that will take time. He will have you spend a lot of time coding, but you'll come out better at it. Study for the exams, they are heavy. He doesn't curve, but he will explain common mistakes after so students can prepare for the next exam better.

If you can manage your time to do the projects then you should be fine. The exams and quizzes are kind of rough but as long as you actually put in the work it shouldnt be that bad.

The projects feel unnecessarily tough with methods that go into far greater detail of a specific topic than in lecture. The exams are extensive in what they cover BUT not impossible to do good on. Ramirez is a good guy and a fun lecturer who clearly cares a lot about the material, you just have to work a little harder here than other professors.

Ramirez is overall tough (but somewhat reasonable) but I really solidified my foundational knowledge of Java in this class. I know I wouldn't be doing as well right now had I chose a different professor for data structures. It was my hardest class up to that point but in the long run it benefitted me w/o a doubt. I like his flipped class approach.

CS0445 is a bit of a heavy workload. The projects take a bit of time and can be frustrating and the exams were hard in my opinion, however, Professor Ramirez was really cool and helpful. His lectures are helpful and I feel like I got a lot out of the class and if you have an issue with grading on projects, he is pretty fair if you reach out to him.

Lectures are really laid back and are structured to make sure that you understand the material. Lots of office hours and availability outside of class. For a class like algorithms & data structures, which I've heard are fundamentally important moving forward in CS, I'd highly recommend Dr. Ramirez.

He teaches in a style very similar to Dr. Tan if you had him. There were pre-lecture videos with the lecture serving as a way to test what we did and did not understand about the concepts with Top Hat questions. The projects were enjoyable overall and they helped a lot with becoming good at writing OOP programs.

idk whether it's Pitt's Data Structures & Algorithms course or if it's Dr. Ramirez (it's prob the former), but I think the course is extremely reasonable. If anything, it is pretty easy. I didn't receive an A due to assessment performance (disability issues and my own reticence to ask for more help). Wish the class were harder tbh. Ramirez is great

Dr. Ramirez is a great choice for CS 445. The flipped class structure involved watching a very manageable power point which was then discussed in lecture. Exam questions were all based on material from the power points, quizzes, and top hat questions. Projects were very involved but manageable if you start early.

Professor Ramirez uses a flipped class structure where you watch 30- to 50-minute PowerPoints before coming to lecture. Homework comes in the form of 4 projects over the semester. These projects are difficult and time-consuming. I would not recommend this course for anyone who is not passionate about programming.

The best professor to teach 445. Professor Ramirez goes in-depth on all the topics and explains everything thoroughly. There are 4 projects, each taking a significant amount of time but it def pays off. There are 2 exams which are super fair (MCQ, fill-in blank, and free-response questions). Definitely the best professor I've had.

Definitely the harder section for this class. He uses a flipped class method so you will have to watch a prerecorded lecture before class, which can be time consuming. However, this can help if you need more clarification on a topic, which Professor Rameriz does a good job of explaining. Start early on programs as they are quite long and difficult

Ramirez does a flipped classroom, but you don't actually need to view the video lectures. He does a very good job explaining everything during class time. Grades are mainly 2 tests, 2 quizzes, 4 programs, and recitation attendance. All of which are fairly challenging, so make sure you're prepared. Overall, very good professor, but pretty difficult.

I took this as a Finance major, and it was a detriment to my social life. I spent whole weekends writing his projects and the exams required extreme amount of focus. However, there is a reason Ramirez has an cult following. He's a very enthusiastic guy and very informative. Take this class for the content, not the grade. You will learn a lot.

Ramirez is the undisputed GOAT in the CS department. Very in-depth, engaging and most of all teaches you boatloads of critical topics you will use in CS. Exam averages were pretty bad, but if you make a study guide and look back on Tophat you will ace exams and quizzes. Projects were a little step-up from CS0401, but it's not the end of the world.

By far the best choice for 1501. Not only does Ramirez know pretty much everything there is to know about CS, he also received the Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award in 2012! However, his classes are challenging and designed for CS/CoE majors. If you're not a CS student and are just taking 401 or 445 as an elective, take someone else.

Took CMPINF 401 in 6 weeks in the summer and it was hard to keep up with (I only had Matlab experience going into this). But Dr. Ramirez was a great professor and I learned a lot from him. need to stay on top of your work!! projects are killer...start them EARLY!

Ramirez is a great teacher, by far the best I've had in CS so far. Explains CS concepts clearly and thoroughly. Very good energy in lecture. Simple class structure. Watch recorded lectures w slides, review in class. Coding assignments have clear instructions but still require you to use your brain. I liked them and learned a lot by completing them.

A good lecturer, conveys the material very clearly. He used a flipped classroom format so most of your learning of new concepts would come from PowerPoint presentations with audio attached, but he would do a great job of solidifying those concepts during the lecture so lectures were still very helpful. Funny guy too.

Ramirez is great. He is a very effective teacher in terms of teaching difficult concepts and is very available for help, especially on the assignments, which are tough but graded fairly. The two quizzes and the final were also quite difficult. With that in mind, I feel like I learned a ton from him, and I'd recommend taking this over 0007 first.

This was a very easy class, so I didn't really pay attention during lectures and did my own thing, which is why I really appreciated Ramirez's PowerPoints. They are incredibly informative while being compact So I was able to cram off them before quizzes and midterms.

Professor Ramirez uses an asynchronous style course and uploads the slides to his website, which was useful for studying for exams. His quizzes and exams were difficult but definitely manageable if you study. Also, his projects are much more difficult than they probably need to be, but they were graded very easily.

Mr. Ramirez is very passionate about what he teaches, and he is a great professor to have.

John Ramirez is an extremely excellent lecturer. But his class is definitely more difficult because he expects a lot from his students. The exams can be challenging but the projects save your grades because they are graded pretty nicely. Projects take a while but they help you learn a ton. If you are looking to get a lot out of this class take him.

Prof Ramirez is a passionate lecturer, overall I would say his class is pretty tough. I spent 10+ hours on projects each week (6 week accl summer course) though he does provide a lot of code, and discusses solution approaches in class. Tests were vocab and Powerpoint Slides-heavy. Ramirez's 445 will make you a much better beginner programmer

Keeps lectures interesting and active despite the material. Actually seems to care about the students, and teaches well. His classes can be tough but they always feel fair.

If you have never been exposed to java yet this class can be a bit difficult. I still recommend taking him because he cares about what he teaches and is really passionate. I recommend paying attention in class and really pay attention to all the lectures which you should watch BEFORE class. There are also 4 daily questions per lecture day.

He was a good lecturer, projects weren't too hard, and exams weren't bad either. Very nice man. Taking him again next semester because of how much I liked him.

Ramirez is an amazing professor. Super energetic and great lectures. For 0445, it is a flipped classroom approach where you have to watch some lectures before the actual lecture. Projects were a decent bit of work, but if you start early you should be fine. Tests and quizzes are pretty challenging, but just stay on top of the lectures

Great professor, but heavy on the lectures and homework. He has a flipped classroom approach, each lecture coming with a 30-40 minute video. Prepare to spend 5+ hours per assignment (of which there are 4). More work than other professors, but you will be learning more with him. Overall funny guy and he plays his favorite music before class starts.

One of the best CS professors at Pitt. Really wants you to understand and learn the material. Will take the time to further explain concepts you don't grasp in office hours.

Probably my favorite teacher I've ever had for a cs course. Ramirez really cares and tries his hardest to engage the classroom. Assignments were relatively okay but got harder as the course progressed. Be prepared to spend most of your week re-watching online lectures and answering tophats, which are graded

Top professors for cs. Cant find better for 401 and 445. His lectures are awesome, however they contain a lot of material, so get ready to study it. Do not underestimate the worth of handouts. Start assignments early and do extra credit. Exams are pretty difficult and you actually have to study for them. You really should attend lectures.

BEST instructor for 401 and 445. Get started on projects early. Exams might be difficult. Attend lectures. Actually pay attention in class.

Professor Ramirez is an engaging lecturer who uses a flipped classroom model. The coursework is challenging but rewarding - just stay on top of the pre-lecture videos and projects. Unstuck study proved super helpful for preparing for the exams.

Flipped classroom was a bit annoying but it arguably helped me learn. The projects were pretty fun and he explains the concepts well. Top hat questions in class are very important. The test are graded quickly and he gives good feed back.

Professor Ramirez is an awesome professor! He builds a strong Java foundation for you. Decently rigorous class - 1 weekly lab, 2 exams, 2 quizzes, in-class exercises - but everything is helpful, no busy work. Great help offered during office hours, and a very encouraging, positive, but realistic guy.

Prof. Ramirez is the most passionate teacher I've ever had in my entire life. He cares deeply about the topic matter and is very knowledgeable. Very open to questions. His saying "Bogus" made my day.

Dr. Ramirez is the boss. I took this class with 0 coding experience but as long as you put time into assignments, do well on open-book quizzes (which requires paying attention to all lectures), and study for the exams (which are hard) you can do well in this class. He is funny and kind. Highly recommend taking him for CMPINF 401.

Really nice because he posts all his lecture recordings outside of class. And in the end he was generous with the grade curve, overall great but I hear hoffman might be easier.

He is a very good professor, very energetic and passionate, but his teaching style was certainly not my cup of tea with the flipped lectures. As well as this, his projects and tests are comparatively very difficult and practiced lots of minutia. I would take him if you love programming and want to be challenged, even if you already know Java.

Ramirez was a great, but difficult professor for the classes I took. I took both CMPINF0401 and CS0445 with him. Coming in I didn't have any programming experience, but the class caught me up. It is flipped lecture format, so be prepared for that, but if you watch the lecture videos, do the assignments, and labs you'll do great!

Great professor. Explains the concepts very well during lectures; clear and loud voice. 4 Assignments are easy, can be done in 2-3 hours each, I don't understand why people say they are hard, they're not at all. Exam is very easy as well, no coding, just multiple-choice. Flipped lecture approach isnt my cup of tea, but the concepts arent difficult.

Amazing professor who really cares about your learning! While flipped lectures are not my favourite, after taking other programming classes I'm confident this is the only way!! The class is very well structured with clear deadlines & curriculum. The projects were involved, but really helped with my learning. 10/10 guy!

Flipped lecture with videos of slides to watch outside of class and review of handouts in class. Had a generic formula of tophats due before each class. Projects were difficult but taught me a lot and once I got down how he ran his class I enjoyed it. Great guy very nice and accessible outside class.

Very clear expectations after having him for 401. He doesn't do partial grades, so you can only get an A, B, C, etc. Projects were sometimes difficult but exams felt easy in comparison to 401. I would recommend taking Ramirez for both to make life easier.

If you really want to learn take Ramirez. Great lecturer with good examples and slides. Flipped classroom approach may not be for everyone. Projects can be tough but the time allotted for them is fair. Tests are hard and worth alot of your grade but are fair. Very nice guy and office hours are helpful.

I had him for both 0401 and 0445 and he's probably my favorite professor I've had at Pitt. His class can be tough at times, but he is an amazing lecturer, and both his tests and projects feel fair. He runs a flipped classroom which may not be for everyone, but in my opinion it helps you learn so much better. Best option for 0401 and 0445 imo.

Professor Ramirez uses a flipped classroom to provide the lectures to you before each class. Ramirez is a very strong professor who is extremely knowledgeable with this subject. Be warned, start the projects early! They can be pretty tricky. His exams were a little tricky too, but nothing too concerning. Definitely take Ramirez for 445, he's great.

Always makes the lectures lively and fun. 4 coding assignments, 2 tests, recitation, and in class questions are the main parts of your grade. Go to lecture and pay attention and you'll be good.

If you want to be an SWE or anything in tech, take this professor. He single-handedly is the best prof with the most passionate teaching style at Pitt. Exams aren't overly difficult as long, just study properly. Tophats had great questions to help you further understand the content. Ramirez also teaches one fundamental thing: START PROJECTS EARLY

John Ramirez is a good professor. He's passionate about what he teaches, making lectures engaging; the TopHats reinforce understanding, and assignments are helpful, though sometimes difficult. My only complaints are the tests, which are a mess of random multiple-choice questions, and the flipped classroom style, which can be tedious at times.

This class was challenging for me as someone who wasn't very confident coding in Java. This class helped make everything clear. Professor Ramirez was an amazing lecturer and really wants you to understand the material. Projects were a bit difficult and can be time consuming if you procrastinate starting them. I highly recommened him for 445.

amazing lectures! would be 5 but i found the flipped classroom format annoying. the videos were great when i actually watched them but especially since they were sometimes 1 hour long i wished he would just give the lectures in class; it made it easy to fall behind. SET REMINDERS FOR THE TOPHATS. its so easy to forget to do them.