Harsh is very excited about biology and is focused on helping prepare us to teach science (this is a class mostly for pre-service teachers). The class is a mix of activities, questioning (he asks a lot of questions), and lecture. I feel the class is challenging in a goodfun way and I have learned a lot - definitely take this class!

A breath of fresh air compared to some of the other professors teaching this course. Clear with expectations, fair on grading, easy to talk to, and enthusiastic about the subject matter. The material is also surprisingly interesting. He also gives some group work, but nothing over the top. Just an FYI. Solid class, solid professor.

Echoing an earlier review, solid class - solid professor. In comparison to other IdLS science classes, this one helped me understand concepts found in the standards. If you want to learn to be able to teach students (both in terms of content and good teaching practices), take Harsh. If you only want to be given activities, this class is not for you

This class focused on current topics like antibiotic resistance and genetic diseases to learn biology. We didn't go overly in-depth on some topics but I felt that was okay as we learned the "nuts and bolts" of the problem and why it matters at a level useful for nonmajors. Dr. Harsh is a very enthusiastic professor & made the class interesting

Harsh is great. He always has lots of energy even when he didn't get any sleep. He's relatively young, mid 30s probably. He's pretty helpful but not the absolute best. Since it's bio there is lots of confusing topics but he makes the lab part enjoyable so I would definitely recommend. Some say he treats us like 1st graders, which is kind of true

He's a good teacher, very energetic. He doesn't put grades besides homework, so u have to guess/calculate for urself. His class feels very long, but he makes most of it enjoyable. His lectures get a little confusing but he'll explain it better once he finishes the entire lecture which kinda sucks. Overall, it's your basic high school biology class

Take him! Basic bio course, not what I expected but I liked it. Check canvas! He has online assignments that are due before class sometimes. He doesn't put in your test grades on canvas so you have to sort of guess your grade. Overall good class.

The class felt long but we did fun things. Quizzes and tests were sometimes overly confusing (weird wording to try to trip you up but be extra careful and you should do alright if you know your stuff) and I spent like 60% of the class confused and then I would have an "aha" moment. The little assignments really add up but Harsh is a good prof

Prof. Harsh will keep you as interested in biology as can be. He obviously cares about the subject. The class is very group-centered, so make sure that you pick the right group on the first day of class. His tests aren't hard as long as you study, and he is a very fair grader. If you do the work and come to class, I guarantee you'll have a blast!

Awesome prof. Harsh is super engaging and does everything he can to help students learn. Group work yup, accessible out of class yup, more doing than listening yup, applying everything to real-world problems dbl yup, high energy yup. If you want to sit and listen, not a prof for you; if you want to really learn bio - he's the man.

There is awesome. There is super awesome. And then there is Harsh.

Best professor I've had at JMU. He is so passionate about what he teaches, really cares about his students learning, and is just a great person in general. His lectures are based off of the textbook but he loves to relate the topics to real-world situations. Participation is very important in class and there's a bunch of group work.

LOVE Harsh!! So caring about the subject as well as his students! By far one of my favorite professors I have ever had. He made me want to come to class every day. Now, I will say, the class is challenging so be ready to read and prepare for his exams! Other than that, nothing negative to say. Great guy!

Dr. Harsh is amazing!!! You do have to work for your grade so dont expect an easy A but, there are tons of fluff grades he gives throughout the course. He truly cares if everyone understands the material and even though its a longer class he makes the lecture portion really interesting. 10/10 recommend!!!

Dr. Harsh is the best teacher/professor I have ever had in my life. He knows exactly what he is talking about, and gives time for questions so that everyone in the class is on the same page. He cares so much about making sure his students understand, he is a phenomenal teacher. He applies science to the real world, and I know I learned so much.

He really knows what he's talking about. Insanely smart, knowledgeable, knows a lot about the topic. That said, the class is very difficult and you can't BS the tests, so make sure you do all the little assignments to boost your grade. It's a long class but his personality makes it bearable. If you need to take ISCI173 I would definitely take him!

I loved Dr. Harsh. His lectures are interesting and taking notes helps! Lot of group work but you get to choose your group. Exams are pretty straight forward- applying what you know to examples, theres a group portion. Super friendly and wants to see you succeed! Super engaging, loved this class!!

Really good professor! He makes lectures super interesting , engages with his students, and is really personable and funny. Homework is always easy and takes no time to complete. Tests/quizzes are a little difficult but as long as you study you're fine. Definitely recommend!!

Dr. Harsh is really great. He is so passionate about science and really tries to encourage his students to love it too. His classes are very lecture heavy so it can be hard if you miss class, but he is great about helping you when needed and really cares about his students. I would definitely take him again!

Dr. Harsh is a great professor. Attendance isn't a part of your grade but if you go to class and pay attention you will definitely get at least a B. He does such a good job of explaining material and always invites questions. We have small homework assignments that i've always gotten full credit on. Basically just go to class and review your notes!

Dr. Harsh is very knowledgeable; he can answer almost every question. He has a true passion for science and preparing future science teachers. He has an analogy for almost every concept which makes them easy to remember. The tests really make you think and you definitely have to study, but I have learned so much in his class.

Dr. Harsh is my favorite professor I have ever had. He is SO smart and he makes his lectures fun. He really cares about his students and is constantly checking for understanding. His main goal in the class is to "teach us to the point that he would want us to teach his own children". TAKE HIM.

Dr. Harsh is very welcoming, humorous, and caring for his students. He likes to have open class discussions and assigns a good amount of homework, but it's all very manageable and you can get a good great if you just put in a solid effort. He makes his lectures interesting and his exams are straightforward. He is my favorite professor I've had.

Dr. Harsh makes everything really easy to understand during his lectures. He posts the powerpoints online for you to look at. He is very heavy on group work so expect to do a lot of group activities that are graded hard. You may think you understand the material, and you might even feel good about your test after you take it, but it's always lower

Dr Harsh is THE best biology professor you could possibly have, he is so insanely caring and loves teaching so much he always makes time for students who are struggling. He studies on the side on how students learn better thats how much he cares, singlehandedly a great teacher and a great person. Biology 150 is hard but i 1000% recommend harsh.

Dr. Harsh is super cool and is very passionate about teaching the subject. He provides guided notes that you will only be able to fill in class. There are also clicker questions that he uses for attendance purposes. He likes when students participate. Lots of group work. Tests are both individual and group sections!

Dr. Harsh is the best option for BIO 150. He's really big on participation in class so he'll love you if you participate. Go to PASS, the PASS leader is extremely helpful and knows what Dr. Harsh looks for on tests. Go to office hours and ask questions, it really makes a difference when preparing for exams. Take him if you can!!

Harsh is a great professor. He is super passionate about what he teaches and it's very contagious. He cares about students in a personal way and engages the entire class to participate. I really enjoyed having him. Get ready to learn and apply what you learn.

Dr. Harsh is one special dude! Although I was never interested in Biology, he makes the concepts really easy to understand. And don't get me started with his enthusiasm. He really loves what he does! Every time I left the class, I was always was more curious to learn more. He inspires us (education majors) to lead the future of our generation!

Dr. Harsh is very passionate about what he teaches and wants his students to succeed. Sometimes class was boring, but he tries his best to make it fun and interactive. The tests are a little tricky and the homework was overwhelming sometimes, but if you do it all it will really boost your grade.

Dr. Harsh was a very engaging teacher and has a real gift for teaching. his tests were very application based and I struggle with them a lot. despite this he truly wants the best for students and is good with responding to emails!

It's difficult for everyone during online classes, but he was very understanding and wants everyone to succeed. It's nice to see him so interested in what he's teaching and it goes a long way. He gave us brain breaks so we could have a break from computer screens and go outside. Lots of little assignments so they boost your grade. Highly recommend

Prof. Harsh is definitely passionate about the subject. He has very detailed answers to any question you could ever have. He is very caring & wants everyone to truly understand the material. He can be a tough grader; he just wants detailed explanations. I'm not a science person, so it was hard, but definitely too hard. Very encouraging, take him!

I had Harsh for an online class and he honestly handled it really well. The class was almost 2 hours long, so the lectures were pretty long, but other than that he was great! A few homeworks a week and a test and quiz for every unit. He really does care about his students and wants you to do well. Would totally take him again!

Dr. Harsh is definitely a good choice for 150. Biology just tends to be hard as I have seen so far at JMU, but he does a good job with teaching the material. Tests are application-based, which can be challenging but they are reasonable.

Barely paid attention in his class but still was able to get a B-. If you follow his online notes and do the assignment you will be fine. Responds to emails the day you send them and is really understanding of any situations you may have. Each chapter is intertwined so make sure you know what you are doing. All in all good professor.

Mr Harsh is: nice/understanding, and explains things well (he goes kinda fast tho). Exams are open note, but the questions are application based so you need to know what youre doing. This class can be a lot of work and requires a good amount of thinking. He accepts late work, and posts the notes of you miss class but they arent as good. TAKE NOTES

Dr. Harsh is a great professor, he is super passionate about biology and does an amazing job with explaining concepts and applying them, when it comes to the tests they are concept based and difficult to process. exams are all open note, but still difficult. many small assignments, that do not take long and have helped my grade a lot.

Dr. Harsh is a great professor. He really cares about his students. If you keep up with the lectures and take good notes you should be fine on the exams. YOU NEED TO STUDY this class is application based so you really need an understanding of the concepts to do well in the class.

Dr. Harsh is clearly passionate about biology and the active learning process. However, the exams were hard and 100% application based so you NEED to study. The averages on the tests were low like around 70%, but sometimes he would give a couple points back. There were many small assignments like quizzes, but they helped my grade a good amount!

He is a super nice guy and I definitely respect him. He is very smart and definitely cares a lot about teaching and the teaching process. The class is very lecture heavy and you need to pay attention for the entire class. Beware of the exams. They are incredibly difficult even though you are given open note and textbook.

Dr. Harsh is a amazing professor. He clearly knows what he is talking about and cares about Biology. He is a tough grader and his exams are all application based. They are fine if you study.

He is a great professor but there's short discussions in class but it is mostly him standing in front of class and talking about the posted slides. He's super nice but classwork is so much.

Dr. Harsh was great! He knew how to make the material interesting and thought through the course structure. He covers a lot of material in the lecture and there was good amount of homework, but none was busy work. The exams were mostly based on applying the concepts to situations. This course was one of the harder ISCI, but I learned more from it.

Professor Harsh was a very helpful teacher. There is a lot of information to cover in the class and it moves at a decently fast pace, but he is very kind and is there to help. It is a fun class and I really enjoyed having him.

Dr. Harsh is an amazing professor! He made lectures really engaging by connecting them to real world topics that helped us understand the concepts. He made sure that we collaborated with our groups and gave us plenty of opportunities to ask questions. He's always willing to answer questions and use them as learning opportunities. Great guy!

I had him for ISCI 173 and the class was pretty average if you paid attention and put effort into homework. There is a lot of homework. As a professor he was really caring and understood we had other classes and things outside his class.

Dr. Harsh is an amazing lecturer, he keeps everyone pulled in and makes a sometimes boring class interesting. He is caring and funny and is willing to work with students one on one if you need help. You are graded by many things so it all evens out, and tests are open note but very application based so be prepared to study anyways.

He was a really good professor, but he can be tricky with his wording. He allows one-page(F+B) for tests, which is helpful. The biggest areas where you can lose points are his homework quizzes and his tests. The best advice I can think for those is to think how he would want the question answered and that's helped me ace his exams

He is very nice. His exams are pretty hard. He tries to make is lectures engaging which I liked.

One of the best professors I have ever had. Connects all of the material to relatable stuff outside of class. Gives a page front and back of a help sheet for exams. Very knowledgeable of the material and is super helpful when you need help.

Professor Harsh is amazing and very considerate when grading. His class is difficult and you have to pay attention. He allows you to have a cheat sheet for each test but you need to have a good understanding of the material to pass the exams because they are hard application based questions. Normally gives points back on each test.

He is a very knowledgeable professor who loves what he teaches. Exams are heavily application-based. He allows a front and back cheat sheet, but this tends to be useless unless you understand the material well. However, he is very accessible and willing to help students. Do the small assignments, they have more impact on your grade than you think.

I really enjoyed being in Dr. Harsh's class this semester. He exceeded my expectations and this is one of the classes where your input is your output. The exams are application heavy, but he provides a cheat sheet which is helpful. In addition, his lectures are entertaining, but beware of awkward partner conversations. I 100% recommend him.

Dr. Harsh is really nice and understanding! This class is definitely difficult and the exams are very hard but he's a great professor that obviously loves what he does. If you're looking for an engaging and fun class for bio he's a great choice.

He tries to make the lecture fun and most of the time he succeeds. He tries to make everyone engaged in the class, which is really nice. The class is hard overall, but he is not a difficult professor to work with. He gives a lot of homework to bring your grade up, and you get to have a cheat sheet for each exam, final exam is included as well!

He goes back and forth between topics and has additional slides (which aren't in notes), which confuses me sometimes. All of his tests are application based and have about 2-3 scenarios on each test (he provides beforehand). The textbook is optional to buy. He gives some in-class assignments and more out of class assignments to do.

I really liked Prof. Harsh. He's an engaging lecturer and gives lots of chances during class to discuss learning material with peers. The tests can be hard because they're application based but if you understand the concepts really well, you'll do great. There are lots of little assignments, but they add up so don't skip them. Definitely take him.

There is homework, but its really short, easy responses. He gives lots of breaks to talk to your group about things like "why are plants green" and things like that. He's VERY passionate about what he teaches and LOVES random questions. He went on a 30 minute tangent about venus flytraps one time and wasn't even upset he wasted class time.

He's a pretty good professor. I've had a good time in the class and there's definitely many opportunities for hands on activities. He treats all students fairly in my opinion and isn't a tough grader. I actually even find some of the activities he assigns outside of class to be really interesting and engaging. He allows cheat sheets on every test.