3.1
Quality3.9
Difficulty68%
Would Retake170
Reviews68%
Would Retake
170
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
63
4
19
3
11
2
29
1
48
What Students Say
“Dude, I would've failed this class if I hadn't taken it already in high school”
MATH141 - 2.0 rating“Overall a terrible teacher”
MATH374 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
72%
Textbook Required
66%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+1.75 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH502
4.8
(65)STAT511
4.0
(1)MATH241
2.7
(18)MATH142
2.5
(2)MATH374
2.2
(27)Difficulty by Course
141
5.0
142
5.0
MATH142
5.0
MATH574
5.0
MATH001
5.0
Reviews (170)
Gives too much homework, which definantly helps out with grades (given that you do the homework.) Fairly decent professor, he definantly knows what he is doing but doesn't always stay on topic. I didnt learn much. He completely skipped Greene's theorem, which I think is a requirement for 241..but oh well one less thing to study for the final.
Great, friendly guy and a pretty decent professor. Pretty difficult class but if you want to really learn the subject Josh is perfect for you. His genius is sometimes pretty hard to follow through various integrals and calculations so you have to work hard to keep up in class.
This guy is completely full of himself. His style of teaching is very hard to understand and he often gets off topic about anything he wants. I need this class very badly and I actually had to drop it because our first test average was a 43, and instead of trying to help people to learn the material he blames everyone for doing so bad.
If u don't like homework steer away from! There's TONS of it each week. The tests are hard! (In the class he's teachin now the average grade on the 1st test was F.) He knows what he's talking about but his MIT 5.0 GPA genius is unable to relate to normal students! Don't expect to get bumped up a letter grade EVEN if u're less than 0.5 points away!
This guy has probably the worst superiority complex i have ever seen, he shouldn't even be a teacher at USC. He's a worthless teacher and blames all of his students for his lack of communication and clarity of the subject. I had to drop the class, and now I have officially screwed myself because it's a requirement for my major. Thanks Cooper.
very clear and helpful
He's okay. The class is really boring, but so are most other math classes. Over the summer he gave 4 take-home quizzes, and one final exam. Theres lots of homework, but it's only for practice and isn't turned in. The material was hard to learn, but as long as you go to class everyday you'll do okay.
This teacher is the worst teacher I have ever had. He is full of himself and has self confidence issues. He sends nasty e-mails bashing students telling them how stupid they are. 50% of the people will fail his class and he will not do anything to help. He only does examples from the book in lecture but makes the lecture mandatory. He is awful
The only good things i can say about Cooper are he'll help you during office hrs, and can actually teach. That being said, he's a jerk. 50% of his class will fail. Even if you have a good handle on the material his tests will find a way to screw you up. He doesnt curve even if the test avg is a 44 or 52 like ours were. Avoid him if you can.
Dr. Cooper will teach you loads, but out of 89 student from the first day of class. Only 20 passed with a c or higher.. don't expect a curve. His tests are harder than the given homework in the book. If you really really love math but not picky about your grade then take him. I am very serious about the grading!!! I re took calc and Ace it with an
He was, without a doubt, the worst math professor I have ever had. He clearly knew the material but completely lacked the ability to stay on topic for more than ten minutes. He is almost always late to class and waste the majority of the time talking about random mathematicians he has met. out of my class of 31 math majors, 15 have to retake it.
The worst! Shouldn't be teaching! Always late, never prepared and strays off topic. As useless as they are, you can't afford to miss class b/c he randomly selects people each day to do problems from HW. Grading policy is unfairly distributed. Studying is stressful since there's no SI and the tests are harder than you'd expect. Avoid if possible!!
Late, unprepared, spends about 15 min actually "teaching," and talks behind students' backs. If you're like me, you come from a strong math background(got a 5 on AP Calc exam and an A in Calc II) but none of that matters! He takes an not-so-hard subject and makes it extremely difficult to understand. Very frustrating. DON'T TAKE. End of story.
This class was very difficult. I have mixed feelings about the professor. On one hand he was very helpful and a pretty cool guy. On the other hand he showed up late to class, even on a test day, and after going over homework there wasn't any time to go over new material. Be sure to really buckle down and study.
He does not do a good job of explaining the material. Also his tests are insane and he also grades homework for accuracy. All homework is online and if you submit the wrong answer enough times you don't get any credit at all. Also the tests only had like 6 or 7 insane questions and the partial credit was scarce at best. DON'T TAKE IF YOU CAN AVOID!
He is a TERRIBLE professor and honestly should not be teaching. He spends about fifteen minutes of class actually teaching and his exams are ridiculously hard. I regret taking his course and if at all possible, DO NOT take his class.
Dr. Cooper is a terrible professor, he is arrogant and narcissistic. There were three tests and a final that we're INSANE! 5-7 questions that were brutally hard. He thinks that everybody should be as smart as he is in math. I managed a C+ but as I understand only 15-25 out of 80 passed with a C or higher from my class. AVOID IF POSSIBLE, GPA KILLER
A terrible professor he thinks everyone knows as much about math as he does.His exams were extremely hard and only around 8 questions. My TA tought me more in 15 minutes then he had actually taught me in the previous 3 weeks. DO NOT take him
He's a pretty cool guy and he doesn't check attendance, but the class is just ridiculous! He's not clear in lectures and it's almost like he tries to make the tests impossible! This was by far the most stressful class I've taken. DO NOT TAKE if you can avoid it! If you absolutely have to take this class be ready to go to every class and work HARD!
This guy is brilliant, and having made a 5 on the AP Calc exam, I already knew the material coming into the course. Amazingly, he was able to throw enough kinks and twists into what SHOULD BE example problems, that even I lost track at some points. The tests are also next to impossible- it's as if he wants to fail you! No curve- Do not take!
he's a very nice person, but his way of explaining things isn't very easy to understand. His exams are very hard and are more difficult than examples in class. You should prbably avoid him if possible
Honestly, he's not a bad guy. The material is vaguely covered and you find yourself cheating through most of his easy homework. Exams are DEADLY. They are more difficult than any homework. He thinks they are easy which is usually a lie. Be prepared to have more than your share of difficulty. Good Luck.
A smart guy but he can't break down problems into simple concepts. He's very hard to follow. My biggest problem is he assigns homework- but does not grade/collect it. Instead, he asks randomly selected students to work out random problems on the blackboard. Homework ends up being stressful and you don't even know if you did all of it correctly.
thinks you are just as smart as him. homework is online. tests are IMPOSSIBLE. even after reading the solutions i still didnt understand some of the questions because what he teaches and what he puts on exams are completely different. insulted students in class for getting low grades. i already took calc in hs. TAKE A DIFFERENT SECTION
I've always enjoyed math, but Dr. Cooper ruined that for me. He's terrible at teaching and gets sidetracked constantly. The homework is brutally long and hard. His tests are impossible. The class averages of our two tests were 64 and 46. He doesn't give extra points or curves or anything. Avoid him if at all possible!!
I used to love math, but Cooper ruined it for me. Yes, he is a nice guy and will make himself available to help you with problems. He gives extremely long homeworks, and only teaches theory. It's like he is just here for research and doesn't care about teaching. If you don't want to be teaching yourself, avoid him!!!
WORST teacher ever! If you have to take 141, just wait til you can get a better teacher. He just talks about random stuff at the begining of class and its useless. Im lucky I passed because his tests were the worst! DO NOT TAKE!!!
The Best Professor I ever had. Extremely Helpful and Knowledgeable.
Awesome professor. His background talks really helped me understand what we were going to be tackling in class and how we can apply it to the real world. Awesome to have a professor that can apply what we learn to real life stuff.
Dr.Cooper's class was the most stressful, hard class I have ever had to take. He does not know how to explain complicated concepts and is very confusing. His tests are much harder and different than the material he teaches in class and he gives extremely long, tedious homework assignments. Avoid his class if possible, you will probably fail!
Bad teacher. Avoid.
Tests are definitely hard. Cool guy overall though. Humorous and witty. Long homework assignments. Doesn't always say when homework's are posted through WebAssign which resulted in a couple 0's for me. Class moves very quickly. Would not recommend due to difficulty compared to others. If forced with him, tests encompass a lot of material. Cram.
Nice Guy, terrible teacher
Tests are hard but the problems are identical to the Practice Exam that he posts. He is extremely slow at returning work, and doesn't believe in using the internet to post grades I believe. With that being said, if you keep up with home, you will know how to do the tests and will do just fine.
If you did not take AP Calculus in high school do not take him. He expects you to know how to do everything already. If you have questions about the material go to your TA or SI leader. They taught me more than I learned in lecture. Go to the recitations and ask questions. He only teaches theory and his tests are really hard.
Very hard class, took calculus before and just wanted a refresher for my engineering major but almost failed the class instead. Very helpful if you go to his office hours but in class discussions were confusing and hard to follow. Also a lot of homework and extremely difficult tests.
Doesn't care about his students. I would say he's more concerned about displaying how "intelligent" he is. He seemed to get offended when I called him "Professor" instead of "Doctor" the first week of class. Doesn't curve tests no matter how long/hard he makes them, even if everyone couldn't finish it. I'd highly recommend taking another professor.
I came into this class with a B in calc honors and the class is very tough for me. He forgets to put up the homework up on time then keeps the due date and did not give extra time. Terrible teacher and unprofessional. He is extremely rude sometimes. He wastes so much time that my class is 2 weeks behind every other class. He only teaches theorems.
This man rambles on and on, and will hold class for a few extra minutes afterwords, making it hard to get to your next class on time if you go back-to-back with your classes. He is very unhelpful in his lectures, but if you go to his office hours, I've heard that he is very helpful.
Dr. Cooper is the worst professor I've had at USC. I know Calculus is a hard course, but he made it impossible. He put up online hw days later than he said he would and never changed the due date. Didn't give many useful examples in class, was extremely rude, and didn't care that his pass rate was around low. Half the class dropped after first test
Dr. Cooper expects students to already have knowledge of Calculus, and be ready to do intensive theoretical work. His tests are short but very hard (class average was always C or lower). The lab with the class is useless, and the lab instructor and TA (Harsh Mehta) was useless. Avoid this professor at all costs if you want to keep your GPA up.
Dr. Cooper is a very cool person, speaks perfect English, and is fun in class, but he is not a very good teacher. I have to get most of my help for the class from outside sources. I can't make his office hours, but everyone who has gone has said that he is helpful but rather rude during them. He is an extremely tough grader and gives few A's.
Cooper rambles on about anything and everything other than calculus. He talks about physics, history and even literature before he talks about calculus. He chooses only the hardest examples to show in class and writes extremely fast without explaining anything. The TA was extremely helpful. Seriously, don't take him if it is the last thing you do.
The worst teacher at USC!!!! Does not care about the student, doesn't care that more that half of his class is failing just wants to show how smart he is. Very Rude! Never take again will fail, you don't know what to study, comes to class expecting us to know half the material. Test averages area around 50s and 30s. DO NOT TAKE!!! RUINED MY GPA!!!
Pretty chill person. At times he will side track with stories slightly or not related to the subject. He can come off as rude and try's to show off that's he's smart. Class average on exams were always 30-60 unfortunately. He also takes a few minutes over the class time to finish his lecture. Would not recommend if you struggle with math.
This Teacher was the toughest teacher I had ever seen. He has a serious "god" complex because He graduated from MIT and treats all his students like they are Math Majors and Graduate Students. He himself is a pretty chill person, but as a Teacher, his grading is beyond brutal, and assigns the hardest of work on tests and homework.
The problem with his class is that he stops alot to explain stories that aren't important for this course. Learned most of my material from attending SI sessions and friends who've taken this class before I used to really like math, but Cooper made me question if I still liked it or not. His first words were, "At least 13 of the class will fail".
Basically, in order to pass his class Calculus must be life, but considering the fact that you have other classes that is impossible. Skip class won't pass, come to class still might not pass. I'd say avoid at all cost. Avoid the stress. Calculus is hard enough, Cooper makes it harder than it needs to be.
I'm an engineering major and I took this same course in highschool. In high school I had a 105 average. I just took the final for dr. Cooper and it looks like there's a good chance I won't be moving on to calc 142. If you have the option for an 8:30 am calc class, take that over Dr. Cooper's class.
In order to get the best grade possible Calculus must be your life. Online homework assignments are quite long, he teaches theory to get the messages across, but if you go to his office hours he will answer any questions you have. Attend SI sessions and the TA's office hours. Do practice problems in textbook, extra work will help you tremendously.
Just take someone else...
Professor Cooper's lectures were half on the material and the other half being historical stories that waste class time. Did well on the first test, but the last three were all brutal. Went to almost every class and it did not help, just took lots of notes. What really helped was going to SI sessions.
Take anyone else. His tests are brutal and he doesn't give any type of study guide or any sort of direction of what will be on the tests. Trust me, don't ignore these reviews like i did.. i love math and i consider myself very intelligent but this class kicked my tail. get ready to learn everything on youtube... if you are enrolled. R.I.P
Cant get enough of this class. Love It. Is. My. Life.
Dr. Cooper is the WORST professor at USC. I had to retake math141 with him and I am going to fail again. His tests are impossible (I took his "practice exam" he gave us to a graduate student for help and even he couldn't figure it out!!) He assigns online homework that takes hours to do every week. He is terrible at explaining things!
Dr. Cooper may quite possibly be the devil. His tests are pretty much impossible (class average on the first test 30) does not curve exams, gives hours of hw each week expect 10+ hours a week. He is rude and does not answer questions. Cooper is quite possibly the worst teacher at this University and any good reviews were probably written by him.
Unless you are a math major I would NOT take this class. I spent hours each week on the homework and maple assignments and always studied for exams and ended up with a D. The exams are insane and he refuses to curve them even when the class average to his five question exams were in the 40's.
DrCooper is the worst teacher I have had in my lifetime. He was rude, condescending, and unhelpful. The class average on tests never broke over a 60% and he seemed to be fine with this. You have to put in the work to pass calc but when you're putting in hours a week to just understand the basic material it becomes more a problem with the proffesor
He is a terrible teacher. He does not care if you fail or pass, and he regularly called out students who were failing. He is condescending and does not offer help.
Lectures are difficult to understand unless you know what is going on before the class starts. The only reason I passes was because I had taken calculus before.
He is terrible, and I would not recommend taking him, even if he is the only professor left, wait until the next semester. He was very condescending, rude, and did not care about his students. Lectures were hard to follow. All he would do was write examples on the board or give you a definition and neglect to tell you what it was the definition of.
Dude, I would've failed this class if I hadn't taken it already in high school. He rarely gave us practice problems to do, and we only got two chances to get the online homework correct. He often went on tangents in his lectures, and also cited "mathematical intuition" a lot without actually telling us how to solve the problems.
Solid Professor. Explains concepts well and keeps you engaged. Tests are not hard if you do your homework and study a bit. Would take again.
Solid Choice.
There is a good chance that he is the worst math professor at USC. Every lecture is pretty much pointless to go to because all he does is talk about everything but how to solve the problems on the homework and tests. Oh and he is full of himself, instead of math 242, this class should be called Joshua Cooper 502. Do not take him. DO NOT TAKE HIM.
The worst professor I've had at USC.
MATH 502, Intro To Cooper-ology was a great class. Learned so much. Might be tuff in lower level classses, but I found him great
Best introduction to Cooper-ology there is, you have to work for it and watch a lot of home movies, but it is worth it. Don't leave USC without taking this class!
The only class that matters in the math dept.
Walks into class after the first midterm and said we did better than any other class ever did. Proceeds to show us that half the class failed the first exam. " Anyone who failed should drop now. You won't pass". Has no mercy for missed quizzes/exams and you will fail if you miss more than one or two. Overall a terrible teacher. Shouldn't teach.
took vasquez for this class, got a D. retook it with cooper, got a A. best for this class
love love love cooper for MATH502. he's tots the expert
Came into the class not knowing what a vector space is, came out of this class a fields medalist.
heard a lot of positive stuff about 502 but thought it was just meh.
Dr. Cooper clearly knows what he is talking about. Unfortunately, he can't relay the information well. His tests 80% (including final) are made to check if you're an expert in the subject. He thinks he is God's answer to math. All undergraduate non-math major students should avoid him, even if you have to push the class back a semester.
he basically invented this topic so of course he's the best at teachingit
I'm diggin his class. 374 really isn't hard as-long as you pay attention in his lectures. The quizzes and exams have been very predictable which is nice.
He's extremely smart however, he struggles with actually teaching.
totally crunchy. id recommend to everybody
i liked MATH 504 Intro To Vasquez-ology more than this class, but it was still pretty good. it'd take this if MATH 504 was full.
what more to say. you caught by cooper, the master of cooper-ology
really liked MATH 502. can be tough but you are learning basically the best math topic from its creator
the best topics but its really tough. Cooper goes at supersonic speeds so you really need to go to lecture and go to TA section. I only survived thanks to the TA frank Thorne's help. try to get him
I'll double down having Frank as the TA. Cooper-ology is the best math, and you're being taught by the inventor, but you need somebody to bring it down to earth. Frank is that man. Really liked the class, but not sure if it'd so great with another TA.
you need a good TA and it isn't for non-math people, but this class covers basically the most important math topics. you gotta take it if you want to do more with modern math
you learn a lot of modern math in the class
His grader grades the homework inconsistently with how he grades on tests, which screwed me out of a higher grade in the class. He expects you to understand it like an expert after one complex example. He gives you no good study materials for exams and blames our failure on us. He acts like hes the real deal and has no concern for his students.
great class, great man
my favorite class at South Carolina
dropped after the first exam. wanted to talk more about issac newton than calculus. once told my class he'd rather be doing research than teaching us. also once told us that he spent 15 hours on one problem and never got that type of problem wrong and that's how we should study. sorry, i have other classes and a life. learned nothing about calc.
what's to say. You are learning Cooper-ology from THE Joshua Cooper. Cooper once told told us that he spent 15 hours on one problem. Before taking this class I would have been like "15 hours? that's dumb". Now I'm like, "Can I have some more, sir?" TAKE THIS CLASS!
Professor Cooper is a solid choice. He has high expectations (don't bother trying to pull your phone or laptop out in class), but he is extremely intelligent and cares a lot about his students. He is a tough grader, but explains things well and sets clear expectations. Would definitely take again.
Bra, the Cooper is the BOSS of all calculus classes next year. So he is like the boss of South Carolina math teaching. its gonna be awesome. guy invented new math: Cooper-ology. great teacher. its like learning for math itself
The move to online classes after the wuhan virus hit was mad disappointing. Having Cooper teacher Cooper-ology is like having Moses explain the Ten Commandments to you. Its OK on Zoom, but in person its like a religious experience. Thanks Wuhan virus!!!
I most enjoyed how he mixed sharing his experience in the Israeli army with the math lessons. It helped you understand how the math got used.
Cool class. My favorite part was when President Caslen came in for a guest lecture. Caslen and Cooper traded war stories and then had a push-up contest. Guess who won? (Hint: His name rhyme with Looper.)
Do anything you can to avoid Dr Cooper. He is the hardest, most insensitive, harsh professor Ive ever had. I worked harder in his class than any other class Ive taken and still failed. He assigns homework and then never gives the solutions, therefore you have very little material to study for the exams. Dont take these bad reviews lightly...
I have pretty mixed feelings about Dr. Cooper. His lectures are always just him doing a confusing problem or two, and he provides absolutely no notes or worked-out solutions, so the textbook was the only way to study. On the other hand, he did replace our entire grade with the final at the end of the semester (if it helped).
Awesome
read the other reviews. just dont take him
Super tough grader, never puts in grades in the gradebook
Predictable quizes, homework, and exams. I enjoyed going to class because he clearly knows what hes talking about and always eloborates on the history behind these concepts. Show up to class and pay attention to this smart, funny, handsome Jewish man. Just wish he entered grades in the gradebook and uploaded lecture notes
Alright. Lectures were nothing out of the ordinary. There are quizzes and homework every single week. My biggest gripe with Dr. Cooper, however, is that he never posts grades on Blackboard, so you yourself are responsible for calculating your grade. If you don't do anything else, do the homework; it will save you.
Really loved taking this class with him- it was honors. Vector is hard in general but he did a good job conveying his knowledge to us. I participated in class and he was nothing but helpful and kind any time I needed help or emailed him a question. Super cool guy too, look at his CV. Overall I recommend
Pretty good.
Cool guy, cool topic, cool class
really opened my mind
Math 502 (Introductory to Cooper-ology) teaches you the essentials of data science. These are the ideas that explain how google search works and how AI like Chat GPT does what it does. You really need to take this class to keep up with data science developments. Real treasure that USC offers this class
Math 502 with Dr. Cooper was transformative! Fascinating Cooper-ology concepts explored with passion. Engaging and creative teaching style. Highly recommended!
Prof. Josh is outstanding! Engaging lectures, practical applications, accessible office hours. Highly recommend! 5/5.
Just do yourself a favor and don't take him. lectures are so boring. Just scribbles and does not organize his notes. handwriting is so unclear. Barely passed this class. Takes WEEKS to grade hws and exams! very tough grading on homework. and rude responses to email. The whole math department sucks ngl.
There is one major problem with this course and its the test. They don't reflect the homework and he was always late on study guides. Seems as if he hasn't taught the course in quite a while and it shows I'm walking away with an okay grade but little understanding. He should be better.
This was the hardest class I've ever taken, however he does a great job at explaining these really tough concepts. I think a lot of people need to realize that the professor is not going to do the work for you and you have to put in work yourself. Solid class, solid prof.
Solid professor in terms of choice of homework problems and test prep. Not so great in terms of how he likes to go on tangents about random topics that are relevant, but unnecessary and cause us to be behind other classes in terms of content. Have to pay close attention in class, but that's true for any vector calc class.
Feedback on homework is not at a reasonable time. Even after the final, grades are still not put in completely and tests grades are NEVER put in so you will have no clue exactly how well you did on specific material/ coursework. Never curves grades even when the class average is a low failing grade, so do not depend only on the textbook to study.
Not rude but is ruthless when it comes to the material. His handwriting was so bad that I couldn't read and the notes were so scattered that I didn't know what material to remember, plus no formula sheet. Homework was hard and gave only 2 tries and no redos on the homework in the EOS. TW: NO dropping any test grades(3) or replacing anything.
Professor Cooper is an excellent teacher. The course is tough, but he explains concepts clearly and is always available to help. His passion for the subject is contagious, and he pushes you to think critically. If you're willing to work hard, you'll learn a lot!
If you're not super comfortable with Cooperology, I wouldn't recommend. Otherwise the class is great. Moves through topics pretty quick. Interesting Sidetracks a lot. Tries to throw a more difficult question on quizzes / exams. Good luck
Smart man but terrible professor. Lectures are extremely boring he goes on unrelated tangents often. He gives study guides that are really helpful for exams. However, u have to use the textbook to self study or else you wont pass. Also many reviews on here are fake, MATH 502 is not a real class at ufosc so don't believe those lol
Not sure what's up with the rumor that this is a fake class. I attended it. It is hard but pretty interesting to learn. final is a non cumulative exam (out of 3 total exams). Homework is also free (there is answer key online for like 90%).
Not the best at multi-variable calculus but its a tough class. My friends took him for Math 502, and he's better for that class
Very tough grader. Bragged about his failing on students. Will often say "does it" or "is it" in response to questions. No exceptions to any family matter that isnt directly medical. No homework answers/solutions
ChatGPT Tough but fair grader who really wants you to succeed. He'll say things like “does it?” or “is it?” to get you thinking on your own. Super understanding if you're dealing with real issues, and his office hours are key for extra help since he doesn't give homework answers. Highly recommend if you're ready to work hard and actually learn!
Will not understand why students do poorly on test when the feedback on most homework does not arrive on time. If the professor would help with grading the material so that the students don't have to wait for the TA to give back scores there would be improvement. And please consider posting homework answers immediately after the deadline is past.
I had him last semester for 374. Terrible professor. Guy is ridiculously smart, however that does not translate to adequate teaching skills. Super condescending. Asked us "can you read" after almost everyone failed an exam... then noted how obvious everything was. Gave a meme and one practice problem for exam "studying materials". Do NOT take.
A lot of people hate this class, but I thought Joshua Cooper was awesome. It's a hard class, with hard concepted, but Cooper does an amazing job of making it understandable and awards partial credit whenever he can. Exams are almost copy paste of the weekly quizzed, which are copy past of the homework. Final was basically exam 1 + exam 2.
He needs to reevaluate. He doesnt provide hw solutions unless you attend tutoring or email him, and you wont know your grade in the class until the end of the semester. There are pop quizzes every Thursday and he doesn't care about his students even if most of the class is struggling. 1/3 of the class dropped the course b/c of him.
I took his discrete math class and it was very difficult. I think he is reasonable and his lectures are good. He also wants his students to learn. Some problems I have is that he does not give out HW solutions which makes for bad practice and he stresses me out. I recommend doing the starred questions in the text book to study.
Prof. Cooper's MATH502 class is a game-changer. Engaging lectures, practical applications, and a creative teaching style make it a must-take. Unstuck ai was a lifesaver for study prep - highly recommend this class!
Math 502: Introduction to Cooperology was tough but well-taught. The professor knows his stuff and wants students to succeed. Lectures were clear, but not having HW solutions made studying harder. His focus on precision can be stressful. I recommend doing practice problems from the readings and reviewing class examples carefully
Math 502 professor is amazing! Challenging course with pop quizzes that actually help you learn. Tutoring sessions break down complex concepts. Grading might seem mysterious, but he's invested in real understanding. Risky but rewarding - you'll actually learn math, not just chase a grade. Highly recommend! 5/5
Some people swore by Unstuck ai, but I didn't think it was useful. Just go to the lectures, read the course notes, and you'll do fine.
Math 502 was an amazing class! The material was challenging but engaging, and the professor explained complex concepts clearly. The problem sets were thought-provoking, pushing your understanding to new levels. It's a must-take for anyone looking to deepen their math skills. Highly recommended!
Not sure about the reviews about Math 502. lol. lowkey, for most math classes Cooper is firm but wise
Cares more about his ego than his students, very clearly loves the subject but the teaching aspect needs some work.
Math 502? Lowkey a vibe if you're into mad brain work 💀. Professor's a whole mood tho—helps a ton, but be ready to put in the grind. Concepts are kinda wild, but you'll feel like a genius by the end. Just don't sleep on the homework. Big brain hours 💯.
Prof. is wild. Class is lit but tough. Prof's a genius on good days, vague on bad ones. Assignments are brutal, exams are worse. You'll level up in math but might lose some sleep. 3/5 helpful, 4/5 clear, 1/5 easy. #Math502Survivor
Has no respect for students. My class right before his is on the opposite side of campus and it's impossible to make the trip in 20 minutes, so I let him know that I may be 5-10 minutes late to class. He smiled and said, "Attendance is mandatory, make it happen. Buy a bike."
Straight up the realest prof I've had. I was lowkey struggling with a concept, and instead of leaving me to flop, he actually took time after class to explain it in a way that finally clicked. Bro actually cares?? Wild. Big W, would take again fr.
502 is a hard class, but Cooper makes it bearable. He is really good at explaining the topics and content of the course. The homework is fair, not too hard, not too easy. The tests are hard, but he will curve it to his liking
Lecture heavy, but they are very straightforward. Clear grading criteria and quizzes and exams mirror problems in class and on HW. He can be blunt but he knows the material extremely well.
Cooper is a crazy guy and, Honestly, one of my favorite profs. A little awkward, but he's great in lecture and cares about his students and is very available. Don't expect this prof to hand you any answers: he makes you work to master the ideas
Genuinely don't understand how this man still has a job. Absolutely sucks at teaching. Ended up with an A but had to teach everything myself. 👎 please take someone else if you have the chance. The bad reviews are here for a reason
USC is so lucky to have hired him. Great hire! The Best Teacher. Ended up with an A but I could have learned so much more from him. please take a class from him. The good reviews are the real deal
Understands exactly why students perform well on tests, thanks to the timely and detailed feedback on homework. The professor is actively involved in grading, ensuring students don't have to rely solely on the TA for scores. Homework answers are always posted promptly after the deadline, making it easy to review and improve
HORRIBLE PROFESSOR, DOES NOT CARE ABOUT HIS STUDENTS!!!!!! He does grade fairly, rambles on about random stuff in class not related to discrete structures, very rude and condescending, does not post homework grades on time, no practice exams, loves when students fail, he also loves to write good reviews about himself under the class MATH 502.
Prof. Cooper is unresponsive, doesn't post lectures as promised, and only grades a small portion of HW. Exam dates are unclear, yet 80% of the grade is exams. He's condescending in class, brags about failing students, fakes his own reviews, and review bombs other professors. Avoid at all costs.
Great professor who genuinely cares about his students. He's fair with grading, keeps lectures focused and engaging, and is always respectful. Homework grades are posted on time, and he provides useful practice exams. He wants students to succeed and supports them along the way. Highly recommend his class!
Prof. Cooper is actually solid, man. Always hits us with the lectures on time, grades everything fair and square, and keeps exams chill ‘cause we know what's coming. No power trips, no weird ego—just a dude who wants us to learn. Real groovy vibes in class, super fair. If you're gonna take a class, might as well be his.
Octagon sushi. Nuff said
The. Best. Ever.
this class was like wranglin' a greased hog—tough but weirdly fun. He talks faster than a NASCAR announcer, and the problems hit harder than Darren Hambrick. If you ain't payin' attention, you're toast. Work hard, and you'll learn a ton. Tough but fair. 10/10, would suffer again
His existence in the world is mundane. To the max and beyond
Y'ALL. Dr. Cooper is the quirkiest math prof ever, and I LOVED his class!! 🩷 He talks fast, so if you zone out, bless your heart, you'll be LOST. His tests are HARD, but if you study (and hit office hours), you'll be fine. He's super smart, kinda awkward, but lowkey hilarious. Not an easy A, but totally worth it! 10/10 would recommend!! 🐔💕
This man can easily be mistaken for the inventor of Math 502, he KNOWS every single detail of everything he is talking about, never stops to think when he is asked questions, he has answers at the tips of his fingers! Very good teacher, moves rather fast and can be stubborn when asked for help.
Math 502 or Intro to Cooperology is central to the math behind the AI revolution. Take this class of you want to change the future
he is fire. period.
lectures suck, never posts any notes besides recordings, you will get 0 review material or practice problems for an exam.
If you actually go to lecture, you'll get everything you need. Clear, challenging, and thoughtfully structured. No fluff, no hand-holding—just solid teaching. Great prof if you want to learn, not coast.
humble and wise
Although difficult I did mostly enjoy the lectures and was able to stay engaged and I do feel like I learned a lot. However, he has a huge ego and talks very condescendingly towards his students. He doesn't provide homework answers which was incredibly unhelpful. I went to office hours a couple times and he was late/didn't show every single time.
Pretty cool class. If you are reading these reviews you should know MATH374 is not a real class. Lol
Overall good class but very difficult. I took the pre-req in high school but even with that class it was very hard to keep up with the lectures as he writes extremely fast and zooms through material. Professor is very knowledgeable with the material and has a very clear grading system. Keep up with the homework (given a lot) and you'll do fine
TAKE HIM. He did knew what he was talking about and could clarify any questions asked.
Cooper is tough but fair. Lots of homework & hard tests, BUT he posts detailed OneNote notes and old exams for practice. If you show up, do the work, and study those practice tests, you'll be fine. He actually cares about students who try. You'll learn real math here. Would take again.
Bro gives the longest homework, gives a weeks notice for exams, doesn't even outline what's on the exams, second midterm is the hardest test, no study guides, no cheat sheet nothing, every other professor for this class is better
He's condescending; he asks for participation in class, but the second someone asks a question, he basically laughs at you like an idiot. Smart man but no idea how to actually teach. Also for a small class, hes failed to grade and give feedback on 3/7 homeworks which were handed in 2 months ago + gives us zero prep for the exam at all. Stay away.
He's not the best but his teaching doesn't get in the way of the material. Just learn the content through the textbook and the HW and you'll be fine. Still attend lectures and take notes but know that the best thing those are for is to know which types of problems he cares about most, and filing in the gaps/ getting the general idea of how to solve
Challenging but rewarding course. Prof really knows the material and pushes students to think independently, no spoon-feeding answers. Class discussions are engaging, and exams test real understanding. Not an easy A, but you'll learn a lot if you put in the effort.
Doc Cooper is a great professor. Lectures can be very heavy on group work, which can be tiresome at times, but it did make the content easier and he was always available to answer any questions you might have. He can be a tough grader, especially with the team homework, but overall the doc wants to see you succeed and I'm glad I had him
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
72%
Textbook Required
66%
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