2.2
Quality4.3
Difficulty12%
Would Retake85
Reviews12%
Would Retake
85
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
10
4
12
3
8
2
24
1
31
What Students Say
“Very sarcastic, condescending, and rude”
BIO356 - 1.0 rating“Didn't have her for a professor but as for an advisor she is TERRIBLE”
BIO101 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
77%
Textbook Required
30%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.40 avg changeRatings by Course
BIO506
4.5
(2)BIO1
4.0
(1)BIOLO355
4.0
(1)EPISECT
4.0
(1)BIO365
4.0
(3)Difficulty by Course
111
5.0
BIO1
5.0
BIOXXX
5.0
BIOLOGY101
5.0
BIO
5.0
Reviews (85)
Tests are hard and wordy, Katula is very boring and in class goes over topics that have nothing to do with what will be on the test.
Super hard course. Katula is very boring and thinks her students should no everything.
Katula doesn't make any sense! She speaks way above the level at what she should be teaching at. Tests are long and wordy, and don't coincide with the class
She gives study guides that don't even help you on the exam...she expects way to much detail from the chapters that she doesn't even go over...try to avoid her if at all possible!
She tries to explain everything in the hardest way possible, and good luck understanding her powerpoints
I actually liked her, which looks unusual based on the other ratings. Her test are hard, and at least in cell biology are mostly essay, but her teaching style isn't bad.
Katula is tough...I believe that this course could be taught in an easier way (cell bio), but she's not impossible. I don't think I'm stupid, but I'm definitely not making an A soooo. Be prepared to work your butt off.
She is very hard. She had to curve all of the tests.
Sooooooo boring! I learned absolutely nothing in that class. I just fell asleep right when i got in there and studied on my own. I would have failed if it wasn't for the lab grade averaged in.
Dr. Katula has done a great job intructing our lab. She is knowledgable in the field, and makes sure that we know what we are doing before we do it. Seeing as this is a lab course, I have no experience with her in lecture. I do not see where her previous ratings came from. She is excellent.
She is a very demanding insructor who lectures mostly in generalities, but tests on specifics. To some this is unfair, but to me everything is fair game, so prepare well for her exams. You'll be proud of yourself when you do well
steer clear folks...do well on one test, sure be proud of yourself, but when you have 3 other tests and Dr. Katula doesn't proofread her tests you'll screw up and make a C,D,or F. That will put way too much stress on you later on. Just take a Staff member whose teaching BIO 111-may be easier
Great Professor, but not a push-over in 111.One of the most "professional" professors ever.Instills a strong confidence in her ability.In comparison, I'd rather attend Katula's lecture in h*ll wearing a wool sweater, than Julia Loreth's in Bermuda. ps-don't ever plan on getting out of lecture early.
This class was hard and is the reason i am not going into pre-med. her voice is annoying and i hated going to class.
Gave very good class notes on powerpoint.
Dr. Katula knows her stuff and if you have any interest in Biology, this is the professor for you. However, if you are not 100% committed to this class, it will eat you alive.
No Comments
She does not help very much if you go see her and she laughs at herself way too much. She just makes bio so boring
This teacher is so hard!
she doesn't explain anything and it is very hard because she jumps around alot. it is very hard to learn from her
She's extremely hard!!! So if you love biology this is the class for you, but you can NOT half-ass it in here. None of the information she goes over in class is ever on the exams. She's horrible!
Dr Katula is in fact a hard professor, but if you study bio 111 is a passable course. I am not in LOVE with biology but i did attend EVERY S.I.P session and i currently have an 87 in the class (w/o the lab averaged in). The material is challenging but if you study the tests are not tooo difficult. If you want the grade you will put in the work
she sucks! i wish i had known about ratemyprofessor.com before i signed up for biology with her. nothing she says is ever on the exams and she never helps when you ask her to. find another professor
She is very very hard. I currently have 60% in the class and I have tried my best at everything in the class. I studied so much in this class that I caught myself taking all the time and devoting it into biology. Don't take her if you can help it in any way.
Stay away from this lady! I usually go great in science classes and am now busting my butt to get over a 50! I have a tutor and study hall and i still am failing the class. STAY AWAY She doesnt teach and seriously this woman laughs at herself way too much. She treats you like you are an expert at bio when we are clearly not
she is hard. dont take class with her. when ever she go over material u will get confuse. my class average is about 50%
Katula is a very hard professor! DO NOT TAKE HER CLASS. Biology is hard enough as it is, she only makes it worse.
Do not take Biology 111 with this teacher. I am not passing and I study really hard for every test. My class average is a 59 and a lot of people I have talked to are failing. You should really try getting another teacher. She is not a good one at all!!!
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS if you intend on getting a good grade, it isnt gonna happen. Katula goes extremely too fast, and doesnt help anyone. The material is waaaay too hard and c'mon now, the class average is failing. stay away
I think that it is sad that so many people have rated Dr. Katula so badly. This is a very tough class! If you want to be spoon fed then take Mrs. Lamb. If you want a challenge then you will do well in this class. She never put anything on a test that was not discussed in class and she was always very helpful when I needed to speak with her!!
She makes a subject that once was fun very unpleasing and now i find myself retaking the class if you dont want the same results to happen to you don't take this class under this professor
Very hard course & very hard teacher. BUT...I did learn A LOT from this teacher. Dr. Katula is very nice outside of the classroom. If you are looking for a class to skip/sleep through, this is not the one. Attend every class and study HARD for tests and you will do fine. I recommend this teacher if you want a challenge and want to learn a lot.
Katula has the most annoying voice I've ever heard and dont expect better than a C in this class. I went to every class and the help sessions and her tests were still impossible. The only reason I passed was because of my lab grade. Have fun if you have her, you'll wish you got Lamb.
KATULA SUCKS.. IF YOU HAVE HER FOR LECTURE, DROP THIS CLASS. MORE THAN HALF OF THE CLASS FAILED. SHE SUCKS AT TEACHING.
It's actually a bit funny to read some of these comments. No, Dr. Katula does not force feed you information. It sounds like some of these comments were made by students who want information feed to them through an IV. Dr. Katula expects something that many professors and teachers have neglected for far to long: she expects you to, gasp, think.
Katula is used to teaching graduate students, hence she is no good at teaching anything basic without an annoying long explanation about nothing on the test. The comment about thinking is untrue, thinking is an understatement, she requires you to teach yourself if you have any hope of passing.
Horrible teacher - I passed so don't think that I am mad because of that. She just could not grasp the concept that we are in an intro class and not med students. She always talked way above everyone's head - even my Bio Lab teacher didn't know what she was talking about half the time. If you have to take her class - have a tutor ready!
Very unhelpful and sarcastic
Was not willing to help her students out. Made you feel afraid to ask questions, very condescending responses were given to students. Bad professor!
She is a good teacher for upper level students. Very nice. I never had her for lower level stuff, so I can't argue with BIO 111 students. But once you reach the upper levels (it will feel like forever) I would recommend her. She explains a difficult subject matter well.
She has very good power points and does well explaining things. But she'll force people to answer questions in class and then humiate them if they are wrong. Very scary and intimidating to those of us who are not geniuses. If you study hard you will come out okay but this woman got on my nerves because she has an arrogant and cold personality.
knows her stuff... but can be very intimidating! esp when trying to get people to answer questions in front of the enire lecture room. power points and study guides were awesome and VERY helpful. grab a study partner and really study 2 or 3 nights before the test and you'll be ok.
She is a verbally abusive, insecure, condescending, egotistical toad who tries to destroy students. Professors like her are the reason why students DON'T donate to UNCG when they become professionals. She is easily intimidated by bright students and does NOT know her material well, as she becomes uncomfortable when you ask her simple questions.
Very Good teacher
Uses intentional wording tricks on exams and quizzes that have nothing to do with the matreial. Was highly upset that so many people failed her first exam, called the class lazy reliers of powerpoint, but she lectures from power point saying things like "and you will see here ..." making recorded lectures fairly useless.
Dr. Katula is a hard professor.The tests are challenging because they are short answer and require you to know the material. I definitely think that this was a very hard course especially taught by Dr. Katula but I had no problems with her and she was very sweet when I visited with her. Respect her and she will respect you. Expect to work hard.
The exams are somewhat difficult, and a high level of comprehension in regards to terminology is required. I learned a great deal from the course, but most of the knowledge came from the textbook and not from the classes.
very hard! the exams are challenging and the course material is difficult as is. She is.....different, but more kind than most believe her to be. gives no breaks. do not misunderstand your insecurities for her own. she IS human, but dont recommend her if you are not open minded
RUDE! UNPROFESSIONAL!
Not a great professor at all. She does not explain well and could really care less if you perform well as a student. Her exams are crazy, especially the second take home exam. Do not take the course with her!
Cell Bio. I highly recommend, but not for the impatient. Dr. Katula is most certainly an acquired taste, but the investment is WELL worth it. Sit in front, show up regardless of what the other 60% of the class does. As for the tests, keep your answers short, sweet, and to the point. Take the lab with Dr. Leise. Make use of the office hours. Enjoy.
Great professor. Great class!
Dr. Katula Is a great professor. She is very helpful!
She may not seem approachable but she really is, and she is very helpful, to be honest if you know the material you know what the answer on the test is which come straight from the study guide. DO ALL WORKSHEETS, STUDY GUIDES and EXTRA CREDIT..they are basically the test.
The hardest part of the class is the exams because the entire thing is short answer. She says you know it or you don't.
In a word: horrible. Very sarcastic, condescending, and rude. Her favorite phrase "you don't understand". Keeps you as long as possible. Didn't know what she was talking about. DO NOT TAKE HER CLASS/LAB!!
She's easy to get in contact with, and was understanding. Not the easiest class and there aren't that many assignments so you have to know your stuff
She's a good person, rough around the edges when it comes to teaching though. She just seems too impatient and/or too smart for her own good to teach an entry BIO course. Her tests were difficult but not impossible. Class attendance didn't do much for me, I learned almost everything from rigorous study of the book and study guides she posted.
If you are taking BIO 111, find another professor. She does not explain her slides in class, expecting you to already know it and assumes that everyone does. Her tests did not connect with the study guides and went into minute details. You will see genetics and cell bio in the 111 course.
I've taken cell bio twice and she was by far the better teacher . She really helped me understand the material by breaking it down because it is a tough course. Her tests are multiple choice, short answer, and essay. You just have to pay attention in class and take notes and her exams are all off the study guides.
She informed me that she entered the wrong grade she got me and another students name mixed up and my grade went down 10 points. (We dont get our complete exam back) The dates for assignments would be changed last minute. There was an entire test that the day was moved two days before the exam.
Didn't have her for a professor but as for an advisor she is TERRIBLE. Doesn't respond for days or even weeks.
Professor Katula genuinely means well and wants you to succeed in her class. Unfortunately she isn't great at lecturing and doesn't write clear quiz/test questions and answers. I'd recommend going to lecture to get a feel for her teaching style. Absolutely read the textbook; the powerpoints alone are the bare minimum info you need to know.
Awful experience very dull straight from PowerPoint lectures. Test are short answer, essay, and multiple choice only have 50 minutes to complete. The wording on test are confusing often she finds mistakes while your already in the middle of taking her tests. Also she has the most excuses to why she hasn't got to grading assignments.
Katula loves teaching the class. Content is from her PowerPoint and selected research papers. Exams are online but can be tough and may involve additional outside class research. She curves though. She also assigns research papers as presentations and homework. Katula's questions are usually tough but as long as you're prepared, you'll be fine.
In Cell Bio, the grading scale is: Exam 1 - 100 points Exam 2- 100 points Exam 3 - 100 points Exam 4 - 100 points Final Exam - 150 points Online quizzes - 50 points Because the grading scale relies solely on exam grades with very little help from the online quizzes, she is basically setting students up to fail.
Had her for lab and she yelled at me multiple times saying i didnt understand anything, and when i asked to clarify i was yelled at again for basically being stupid and that i should know already. She VERY unprofessional and should NOT be teaching at all. She thinks shes too smart and above her students so wont explain anything
This is by far the worst professor I have ever seen. She cares very little about her students and gives crazy questions. Please choose a different professor.
Yes, Dr. Katula is a tough grader and her classes are hard. If you end up taking any of her classes, go to office hours early and ask for help/tips on how to approach her exams.
An excellent and caring teacher.
Prof. Katula is a great researcher but not a great teacher. Do not take her class, if possible.
ALBSOLUTELY DO NOT take her. Shes horrible and cannot teach at all. Her tests do not match what she teaches and if it does its worded horribly. She doesnt grade your work either so you gotta figure it out yourself. Basically does nothing a professor is supposed to do.
Dr. Katula is a well respected researcher and rightfully so. However, research and teaching are two drastically different things. When it comes to teaching, Katula seriously struggles. Pacing is always an issue and if students have questions the often feel as though they are being thought of as stupid. If taking Bio355, do NOT take with Katula!
Most tests are extremely difficult but she does curve. However, cumulative final is old questions and is easy. Tests 85% of the grade. In class tophat and quizzes make up the rest. Quizzes are easy, tophat questions are hard. Katula moves at a fast pace, is not accommodating and lacks effective teaching skills.
Nice in person but the amount of homework she gives students borders on disrespectful and deranged. The first WEEK of homework had us reading through 2 powerpoints (20+ pages each), 2 scientific articles (20-30 pages each), submitting 2 graphing assignments and a reference practice assignment, and she threw in 2 quizzes because why not.
Look, in her field this woman is intelligent, respected, and has earned her place at the university, but she is clearly a researcher and not an educator. She put down all students in my section who asked genuine questions, she was rude when approached outside of class, and technologically challenged. Don't take for cell bio wait for another teacher
She is the worst. Test are unnecessarily hard. She has lost touch with what undergraduates know. I’m sure she is smart in her field, but horrible at teaching the material. Most of the students I talked to in the class failed her exams. A lot of people dropped, and more will have to retake the class. Just a crap learning environment.
She's a great researcher but a horrible educator. Please do not take her if you don't want to end up teaching yourself and failing!
The only thing that was good about this class was that the exams were multiple choice and administered online. To me, the class was not as difficult as others made it out to be but she is hard to deal with. She belittles her students and often tells us that we are basically stupid. If you can get past that the class is okay.
Dr. Katula is a great researcher but isn't the best educator. She's not tech-savvy. Student grades were not calculated and had to be done by students to figure out whether to drop or not. The course is lecture heavy and 85% of your grade comes from tests. The other 15% is Tophat questions which help understand material and Quizzes before each test.
Dr. Karen Katula is arguably one of the worst professors I have taken a class with. As a person, she is kind, sweet, and straightforward. As a teacher, she lacks the ability to properly convey content in a way conducive to the students actually learning and understanding the material. No practice materials provided and cheating is impossible.
This is coming from a 4.0 honors student ... Karen is the WORST. She rushes through every single lecture but also makes the material very in-depth (then gets confused when no one in the class understands what going on). Tests are 75% of your final grade. Her questions are so confusing that she sometimes doesn't even know the answer herself. RUN!
Worst professor ever, DO NOT taker her. She picks and choses when to reply to emails. Exams are open note and online but the notes are nothing like the exam. She is not flexible at all and talks down to students.
I feel like Dr.Katula is really misunderstood. I do recommend taking her. My best advice is to get to know her as well. Building a student-teacher relationship is really important. She is a very busy busy lady. So if she doesn't respond to your e-mail, stop by at her office hours.
Karen is a horrible professor. Do not take her! She talks down to her students, so I advise you to be stern and clear about how you should be spoken to. When talking with her she will cut you off, she jumps to conclusions. She cannot teach for the life of her; she either rushes through slides or takes a long time on a slide and overloads with info.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
77%
Textbook Required
30%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.40 avg changeRatings by Course
BIO506
4.5
(2)BIO1
4.0
(1)BIOLO355
4.0
(1)EPISECT
4.0
(1)BIO365
4.0
(3)Difficulty by Course
111
5.0
BIO1
5.0
BIOXXX
5.0
BIOLOGY101
5.0
BIO
5.0