2.6
Quality3.6
Difficulty41%
Would Retake186
Reviews41%
Would Retake
186
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
32
4
30
3
28
2
18
1
78
What Students Say
“I would highly advise you to NOT take this class”
SOCI273 - 1.0 rating“Do yourself a favor and read the news once a week instead of taking this class”
SOC122 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
82%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.25 avg changeRatings by Course
SOCI122273125
5.0
(1)SOCI125
3.9
(11)SOCI274
3.5
(2)SOCI101
3.0
(5)SOCI430
3.0
(3)Difficulty by Course
soci130
4.3
SOC444
4.0
SOCI444
4.0
SOC122
3.9
SOCI273
3.7
Reviews (186)
Dr. Fitzgerald wrote the course textbook, and is very knowledgeable about the subject matter. She takes attendance daily, but her lectures are based on the book, so if you fail to read, you will be able to squeeze by in class. She is very accessible through email and paper heavy. The exams are based almost entirely off her study guides.
Professor Fitzgerald was an outstanding instructor this past semester. She conveys her thoughts clearly, shows up to lecture well prepared, is very accessible outside of class, and even gives a helpful extra credit opportunity that boosts the students' final grades. I definitely would recommend. I will say she does make students work for an A.
Professor Fitzgerald is the best professor I have had at UNC thus far. She is knowledgeable and passionate about the course subject and dedicated to helping her students do the best that they can. Lectures are very clear, and she invites class discussion in a casual way. She offers extra credit and is always available outside of class.
She's accessible outside of class. Gives tons of reading but you don't need to read them (70 big pages a class). Before the tests she will give a study guide with all the key terms you need to know from the readings anyway. Go to class and listen to the lectures and you should be fine.
Be sure to take notes during class time because the exams are dependent upon the lecture. Also, before the exam, there is a study guide. Know this study guide well. Also, she has papers. The papers are not difficult and are graded fairly as long as you know the books.
instead of introduction to sociology, the class should be called introduction to feminist democratic socialism. Not a single thought in her head that some of her students do not share her political views. Also, Some students don't appreciate the police (the men and women who protect us with their lives) being portrayed in such a negative way.
She likes to hear herself talk & your opinion doesn't matter if it's not the same as hers. She is not accommodating to students w/ personal circumstances affecting attendance. She told students they were too superficial when writing about personal experiences in essays. 40+ pgs of reading per class. It's not worth the headache for an easy A.
Amazing Professor! She has inspired me to add a sociology minor and I'm thinking about adding it as a Major. This class is a pretty easy A if you put in an effort. Her lectures are very interesting and she gives you everything you need to succeed.
The class was interesting and she is an entertaining lecturer for the most part. Three short papers (2-4 pages) then a midterm and a final. There is a lot of information to learn on her study guide, but a lot of the class is common sense information.
The class itself is challenging because 3 papers and 2 exams make up your entire grade. But I enjoyed her lecturing and writing style (she wrote the textbook). She was helpful in office hours, and made class time enjoyable. She doesn't take attendance, but i would recommend going to lecture. She welcomes questions, and tries to remember names.
She is an incredibly knowledgeable feminist who eloquently spoke about the many facets of sex and gender. Very interesting books, lectures, and films. She is pretty annoying about her cell phone policy though.
Dr. Fitzgerald is very knowledgable and helps students learn about race in depth. The class is graded on 3 papers, a midterm, and a final. She offered EC if 90% of the class does the course eval. Lecture attendance isn't mandatory, but it is strongly encouraged because sometimes she discusses things that aren't in the textbook and may be on a test.
Dr. Fitzgerald is truly a gem. She's incredibly knowledgeable on every single topic covered and explains everything with great depth. Most of the class is spent listening to essay presentations instead of lectures, and this is extremely useful for understanding the concepts. She's also incredibly caring and a great person outside of class!
Professor Fitzgerald is very knowledgeable but rude. She changed the style of her course so attendance is mandatory and she gives a reading quiz on a random day each week. She doesn't drop any quizzes, so if you miss it you're SOL. The material in this class is interesting and actually important, but her class structure and her attitude ruin it.
Rude, disrespectful, & has an attitude. Cannot have computers or cell phones out & will make a huge deal if she sees one. Is not a good professor & loud all the time. Can also be offensive.
This is the first professor that I have had who acts like she wants her students to fail. She is unbelievably rude and insensitive. Her quizzes are mutiple choice and focus on specific details in a 40 page reading and are often worded in a way where multiple answers could be right. Its almost impossible to succeed and enjoy the class. Don't do it.
Rude attitude, ignored racial groups that she thought were less important to discuss (ie AsAm and Latinx), always thought her opinion was the only right one, has an annoying phone/laptop policy, says biased/offensive information about races that are generalized and inaccurate, teaches a race/ethnic relations class but she's culturally insensitive
She's not the worst lecturer ever, but is very tough on grading. Weekly quizzes on the reading & you don't know what day they're on so you NEED to read on time. A bit condescending when asked questions. Graded on 4 papers, one midterm, final, & weekly quizzes. Takes attendance everyday & is super weird about technology in class. Wouldn't recommend.
Believes that she knows everything about the hardships of POC, especially those who are Black. She wrote a textbook that has SO many grammatical and historical mistakes. Will say stuff to sound woke that shows her ignorance. A friend who is Asian asked her to talk more about other POC & said "I don't think that's as important as you think."
She did not understand why a white person dressed up as a person of color without blackface is wrong and argued with Black students who told her how that made them feel. Mentions other racial/ethnic groups every now and then, but refuses to actually talk about them because she doesn't feel like she needs to. Not sure how she's still a professor
Professor Fitzgerald is very knowledgeable about race and racial movements but is sometimes annoying. She often uses comedy to take away from the subject matter. She gives weekly quizzes based on the readings and there isn't many assignments. Its frustrating that we watch/read white people discussing race, black/ brown voice need to be louder.
I loved this class with all my heart. The books we read were incredibly touching and well thought out, as were the documentaries. I definitely learned without feeling as if I was learning. Go to lecture, take good notes, and you will be fine. Dr. Fitzgerald knows what she's talking about and delivers the info well.
Took this class because it fulfilled a gen-ed credit and I thought that it would be very interesting. She is disrespectful to students and almost wants to see them fail. She or two other TA's grade your papers and if she ends up grading it you are basically guaranteed two letter grades below your peers that had the TA's grade their papers
This is the first class Ive taken where I felt like the professor actually wanted me to fail. Dr. Fitzgerald comes off very abrasive-so much so that I didnt feel comfortable reaching out to her for help. Think of the essays you write as book reports bc she seems to prefer regurgitation over elaboration. Also doesnt answer questions about grading
I really learned a lot from SOCI 122 and would say that content-wise, I really enjoyed the class. However, Prof Fitzgerald can be overbearing, intimidating, and set in her ways, which discouraged me from participating in class and going to her office hours. Overall, it was a very interesting class, but be ready for the prof's strong personality.
I took SOCI 444 with Dr. Fitzgerald last semester. It was my first semester at UNC and it was a terrible experience. She was very rude and her midterm and final were graded very hard. I pass/failed the class because after BOMBING my midterm I could not get more than a C+ in the class. I had all high B's and A's on the rest of my assignments.
Have to read each chapter (50 pg) for the weekly quizzes or else you will fail. She has the eye of a hawk and will catch anyone if they even attempt to cheat. Does not like when people use their phones in class, she will call you out in front of the entire 200 person lecture. Taught good material, it was interesting, but you need to study
Fitzgerald is definitely abrasive but cares a lot about the materiel. Feels a lot like a high school level course in terms of workload, you have to read or you will not pass the weekly quizzes.
If you can get over her being a little condescending, flippant and blunt, she's a really good teacher. I've had two classes with her now and she knows her stuff. The documentaries, websites, and books she makes you watch/read are well thought out and incredible. Essays are easy and if you take good notes/read, you'll be fine on the exams.
DO NOT TAKE THIS WITH FITZGERALD. She is a tough grader and blames poor average grades on the students rather than seeing there is a problem in the way she teaches. Wayyyy too many readings and thinks this is your only class. The material isn't difficult but she grades in a way that makes it seem that way. Unclear grading criteria.
Dr. Fitzgerald sucks! She is a very harsh grader on her papers, she is worse than my ENGLISH professor was. She doesn't help students in any way. We had to teach ourselves the material. I at least had a good TA, which probably saved my ass. I studied hard for the midterm, and still got a C! This class is an entry level soci class but hard as hell.
In this class I read every assigned reading, participated and put in much outside work ,but in the end I was one point away from an A. The class itself is very interesting, the grading is just very particular.
One of the best classes I took at UNC! Great Professor! She really cares for her students. I learned a lot of useful info and I highly recommend! Her grading criteria is clear and organized. Tuesday (quiz based on readings, lecture), Thursday (Movie, lecture). She really cares for her students! Reach out to her, if you need help! I love her!
The material is so cool but this has been such a hard class solely because she is so unorganized. She changed the grading scale 3x, had to resend instructions every time, misspelled so many words on tests you cannot read it. Its the end of the semester and I still don't know whats expected. I disagree that she cares ab her students. She talks AT us
So much work for low payoff. This class is based on a point system and you will not do well without reading every single page of her textbook. Then read it again because she'll pick out the smallest details for quizzes. The TAs grade everything and she often said things that were offensive to the class. I worked too hard to get an A-. So much work!
The material is interesting and I enjoyed her lectures, but the workload is WAY excessive for a 100 level class. Dr. Fitzgerald is also incredibly rude, condescending, and unaccommodating. Seriously, avoid one of her classes! The TA, Madeleine Straubel, was excellent though. She is going to teach the class in the fall so take it with her if you can
I only know from the sociology of sexualities course, that Dr. Fitzgerald is a vital member of our community. The course was inspiring, easy to digest (though eye opening), straight forward, and her energy/ demeanor was passionate. I think its rare to find someone who cares about the whole world, and maybe dont be afraid of the bad reviews! Try!
Very unaccommodating during COVID, refused to look at the chat during zooms despite many students using it. I also asked for a specific reference point and example for a paper and she responded by telling me to use the textbook. Overall, rude and condescending.
Very hostile when students attempt to ask questions or for feedback. When we do poorly on an assignment/test she claims that the entire class was lazy and didn't study when that is not the case. She is unclear on what all she wants in an assignment and takes off points when you don't read her mind. Very easily upset and rude to her students and TA
It was the fact that i did better on my orgo exam than my soci 122 exam for meFr though this class was supposed to be an easy A but the teacher sucks
Easily one of the most unsympathetic, uncaring, and unkind professors I have had at UNC. Grading is extremely inconsistent. If you do poorly on her exams, she considers you "lazy," even if you completed the 30+ page review. Questions about the grading or even the unorganized structure of the course are met with rudeness and unwillingness to help.
Very tough grader, can be stand offish at times but is overall willing to meet you where you are. If you are a good writer on your short answers you are going to be fine for those parts of her exams.
I had Dr. Fitzgerald for SOCI 273 (I think - social and economic justice) and loved her so much I took her twice the next semester for 122 & 125. She can seem stand-offish at first, but she is just no-nonsense. There's not a lot of goof or fluff, but she is kind and helpful. If you do the readings it can be an easy A. I really respect her!
Not the best not the worst. Has good intentions, but can be so condescending at times. She is very opinionated and hard to talk to about opposing opinions because she just shuts you down. However, you can talk one on one and she is great. Work is pretty easy and interesting!
She uses her own textbook and lectures follow it closely so read the chapters and you'll be fine for quizzes. Dr. Fitzgerald is blunt but can be funny- you should have thick skin when interacting with her because she won't baby you. However, she cares about her students. This class made me rethink my major because her content was so interesting.
Avoid this professor! The most condescending and rude professor I've had at UNC. I took a 300 level english class that didn't grade as hard as her if that tells you anything. She's unclear about her grading and is extremely unorganized. I literally only took this class to fulfill a gen-ed and its the only B I'll be getting this semester.
Dr. Fitzgerald was by far one of the worst professors I have ever had. She was rude, inconsiderate, and refused to be lenient or understanding during a global pandemic. I would rather change my major than take another class with her.
I love the content in the class. I find it very interesting. There are times that I disagree with some of the content, but that is based on my personal experiences. Prof Fitzgerald can be impulsive in the way she responds to things tho. Emails can come off as rude at times. As a person, I like her. As a prof, to be determined.
I know youre thinking, it cant be that bad. Well let me tell you, DO NOT TAKE A CLASS WITH THIS PROFESSOR. Were in the middle of a global pandemic but she doesnt seem to understand that. Id rather drop out and work at McDonalds than take a class with her again. I dont even know if I want to take another sociology class because of her.
I don't like how she responds to some of her students. Even with specific questions, students are sometimes scared to ask because of the war that may happen if they do. That is not a good thing! Just... don't.
Dr. Fitzgerald was consistently rude and condescending. Ive never had a professor I felt so disrespected by. I was considering adding sociology as a second major, but I feel an aversion to the department now, which is a shame. I was too afraid to ask questions after she shamed me in class when I did. Dont take her classes.
Prof Fitzgerald is a nice woman, but can come off as condescending at times. Her grading criteria is very ambiguous and there were often times when things were graded differently per student. Overall, an interesting course but students were often confused by assignments. Her emails and tone can come across as hostile, but I believe she means well.
You will see A LOT of bad reviews, but I am going to try to be as honest as possible. She is very standoffish and you will likely be scared to ask questions in class. Not exactly an Easy A class! A lot of people assumed that going into it and were rudely awakened. Do the readings! Only take this class if youre interested in the topic not for an A
The content is amazing, and the workload is manageable. There were not many graded assignments. Grading was based on answering the prompt questions. Dr. Fitzgerald is knowledgeable about this content. Yes, some of her emails were salty, and her tone wasn't great sometimes, but you need some thick skin and know she is not going to hold your hand.
Fitzgerald wasn't the best professor I have ever had but she did a good job with what she was given (being online). Some students say she is a hard grader but they just need to follow the instructions. I really liked the readings and IAAR SLATE events. Writing the papers was actually fun and interesting for me. A broad, but interesting subject
Professor Fitzgerald is a great professor. At first she definitely seems rude. When you get to know her she is great. She is incredibly intelligent, dedicated, and kind. She may seem intimidating but in office hours she is great! 10/10 would recommend her class for her lectures and perspective. She does grade papers harshly so be prepared for that!
While excited to take a race and ethnicity class, I'm sad to say that Professor Fitzgerald wasn't the best option for me. She could be completely condescending, which always seemed off, especially during a pandemic. Other than that, I bought the textbook and never read, but the class itself wasn't horrible. Lots of writing and I don't recommend.
I thought she was a good prof but can see why people would say she was rude. I thought the class was pretty easy like two or three shorts papers, test come directly from notes she delivers in class
This was an awesome class and dr. Fitzgerald was awesome. The class can be intimidating from all the books necessary but if you do your work you can get a good grade easily as the criteria are very clear and she is always available to help. Exam essay questions are given in advance which was very helpful. Very passionate prof!
I'll be honest, she is rude at times. No matter if you have thick skin or not, you can see it. She does mean well at times, but there have been instances when it feels like a battle. People are scared to ask questions at times as well. Overall, good student or not, this class is not as easy as you think it is.
This is by far the worst professor I had at UNC. She is not respectful of her students and if any student has anything to "disagree" with her own they are automatically wrong. It's like since she has the Ph.D. then she knows better than any undergrad could ever. Her tests are absolutely ridiculous and the expectations for those exams are unfair.
She was rude and disrespectful. She wrote the textbook and pushed it out a few weeks before the semester started so it was really inaccessible. She demanded that we needed it, but then her lectures were verbatim her textbook. I stopped going to class after the midterm and still managed to do fine in the class. Her study guide was really good though
Dr. Fitzgerald's class was a mixed bag. She herself is very nice and accommodating, but the grading criteria for her papers (which dominate your grade in the class) were unclear. TAs grade most of your work in the class. HOWEVER, if you bring a question about the grading back to her, she is responsive and flexible. Also, there is extra credit.
Dr. Fitzgerald can be condescending as a lecturer, but she is a good person. Her tests, not too difficult, were based on her lectures and the textbook. Gradings on papers and discussion posts were slightly fastidious for the vague guidelines given. Overall, the class was not too difficult if you show up, skim readings, and put in a good effort.
Whatever you do, DO NOT take this class. I have read the other ratings on her class and I have to say they are completely correct. I had gotten COVID during the semester and she was not accommodating at all. She is extremely rude and does not care about her students whatsoever.
To be honest, I was interested in the subject matter of this class, however, this professor made me never want to take another sociology class ever again. One of the single most rudest professors I have ever had. Do not take this class if you have an opinion that is the slightest bit different from hers...
Professor Fitzgerald expects a lot from her students. Often, her lectures felt condescending toward the students; a lot of class time is used to discuss poor attendance or poor grades. She teaches the material well with good PowerPoint slides, though. Overall, I did not care for this class.
I would highly advise you to NOT take this class. The professor is condescending, handles conflicting opinions rudely. She gives lengthy exam review questions and grades harshly. Do not go in with your own ideas, there is a reason why she's taught at 4 schools with low ratings. Zero empathy during a pandemic given that she teaches social justice.
Despite what other reviews say, I thought this was a great class. She's a tough grader and gives lengthy exams (suggested you write 9-11 essays in prep for midterm/final), but the material was so interesting it was worth it. She is intimidating, but show up to class, do your work, ask questions, don't slack off, and this class will be enjoyable!
I took for EE credit. There is a huge disconnect between the learning & teaching. Dr. Fitzgerald shows no empathy as a social justice professor. One example of this is that one of the course readings emphasized that students shouldn't be graded on their volunteer work, yet she proceeded to make us write 4 reflections about it for 20% of our grade.
I think that Prof Fitzgerald gets a bad rep. She can definitely come off as rude and abrasive but I think that she actually is just a hardass and expects a lot from her students (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). If you want to learn about this topic, take the class. You will learn a lot!
I love her class! She is pretty strict about paying attention in class (i.e she'll call you out if you're texting in class, etc.), but she is very passionate about the subject. She is great to talk to outside of class about class topics as well! The reading is sort of heavy, but worth it if you like this subject.
After reading reviews, I thought people were exaggerating & the class would be totally fine. However, Dr. Fitzgerald is so condescending, insensitive, & invalidating that it's quite ironic that she teaches us empathy on one of the first days of class. If you're struggling, don't take this class. The content is interesting, but she is not worth it.
She is so rude and definitely does not like questions. Take your EE credit with someone else.
Is very clear with her definitions during lectures. A little bit of reading that she quizzes you on. Exams are worth a lot so study hard. She seems pretty passionate about her work. I've never seen her be condescending, but she can be a little rude sometimes one on one. Overall still a great professor if you do what you are supposed to.
The rudest professor I have ever had. Want to learn about the subject and ask questions? don't bother. if you don't know the answer already, don't take the class. Grades harshly on the curve and makes her class way harder than necessary. She is not accomodating to absences and is very vocal about her beliefs regarding that.
She's honestly just rude. I heard other students remark on her being rude and condescending and I didn't think much of it, I just thought she was just passionate. I go to office hours for a few minutes and she was just plain rude. I was actually really interested in sociology and she completely turned off any interest I had.
She is very intelligent and the class is pretty easy. As long as you read the textbook and show up, you will get an A. Her study guides are exactly like the exams, so make sure you use them. Concerns about being 'rude' are minimal. Is she rude or an assertive woman? Sometimes class seemed to drag on because she would regurgitate the textbook.
If you're wiling to put the work in for Fitzgerald's class, it's worth it. It's a good amount of work for a gen ed but the material is very interesting. She's not laid back at all but if you do all the work it's an easy A. Don't take this class if you aren't willing to put the time and effort in. This class was so interesting!
Wow. Where do I begin. If possible, avoid at all costs. I hardly ever rate professors but I felt the need to type about this one. She is "friendly," unless you do/say/think something she doesn't agree with, then she just gets outright rude and hostile. It is honestly SO ironic considering the courses she teaches. Say what she wants to hear I guess.
Really enjoyed Dr. Fitzgerald's class! She gave a lot of opportunities for people to share their own experiences and covered lots of interesting material. Would definitely recommend for all majors who need the credit. Her assignments are fairly easy and lectures are mostly just going over the readings and assignments were straightforward.
Took SOCI of Sexualities because it seemed interesting and was SS credit, but quickly learned I definitely should heed the warnings on here. She's definitely not the worst professor ever, but she's extremely condescending and rude during office hours. The class requires reading a thick textbook and 2 chapter books about 300 pages each.
Quizzes are easy 100s if you read the textbook chapter and their dates are in the syllabus. Only assignments are one essay and a few reflection posts. Provides study guides for midterm & final. Attendance is mandatory and part of participation grade. Easy A if you do the readings and pay attention in class.
Dr. Fitzgerald is a no-nonsense but fair professor. Her lectures are designed to help us take notes, & you'll need to to pass. She's very unwavering on her attendance policy &has no late policy in place which is frustrating. I liked her class though, &the assignments & tests were more than fair. She's not rude, but she'll tell you if you're wrong.
I really enjoyed Soci 125. I think Dr. Fitzgerald is a great professor and I found her lectures to be very interesting and relevant. I think people misunderstand her as coming off a bit abrasive - I though she was very encouraging and understanding. I highly recommend this class, but there is a good bit of reading!
I did not learn that much new information from this class and there were some comments that she made that really put me off.
Awful teacher. Exams are unlike the material learned in class. Exams are very heavy and lengthy and wording is confusing. Study guides are given but they are extensive and vague. Very unhelpful to her students,
I don't understand all these bad reviews about Dr. Fitzgerald- she was great! She is nice and knowledgable about issues of race and ethnicity. She will not hold your hand, and you have to work hard to do well, but that is a good thing. She goes over confusing parts of her textbook in class and is very accessible through weekly office hours.
I had mixed feelings about this class. While the topics were really interesting, Professor Fitzgerald was not very flexible and not always understanding. The textbook used for the class is written by her and so the lectures are basically a repetition of what's been covered in the book. Attendance is mandatory and the reading load is heavy.
The rudest teacher I've ever had. Felt patronized during the times I talked to her and genuinely seemed like she was annoyed to help me. Her exams are basically an extended version of her quizzes, felt like I was taking a trivia test. Usual lectures are just going over her textbook readings. I lowkey regret taking this class.
One of the worst classes & professors I've ever taken. The concept of race was discussed like a high school history class, with emphasis on vocabulary and trivia-esque questions. The worst part was the grading scale - she followed a points system that made it virtually impossible to make an A- or a B+. One mistake will cost you your grade.
Absolutely the worst professor I've had. You are only graded on a few assignments, which are graded arbitrarily at best. Exams tested you not on topics covered in class, but small one off lines mentioned in her book. There is no clear grading criterion, and will take off as many points on free response as she likes to get the distribution she wants
Ive always taken Rate My Professor reviews with a grain of salt since reviews are heavily biased and everyone has different experiences with the Professor depending on their preferred teaching style. Please believe these reviews, they are accurate. Dr. Fitzgerald does not bolster her students properly, and I cannot say I truly learned in her class.
I am a pre-med student who took this course for credit and also because I was genuinely interested. I put in the work and still got an unfair grade. Fitzgerald is not personable, condescending, and outright rude. She wont even bump your grade up one point (points system) from a B+ to an A. Unforgiving and harsh. Do NOT take her. Trust me.
Believe me, when I first read all the bad reviews I was scared to take her too. But she is NOT that bad. She will be slightly rude if you annoy her, like any professor. I got the grade I earned and it was one of the best classes ive taken in terms of content. I barely had communication with her so it wasnt an issue. Take it!! You'll be fine :)
I have never left a review for a professor on here because I have never felt this strongly. I received a wrong attendance grade that ended up costing me a letter grade, and when I kindly came to her asking if she could re-check the attendance papers, she REPEATEDLY refused to even check and was so rude about it. She has no respect for her students.
I loved Dr. Fitzgerald as a person and she was very straightforward about the fact that her class would require a lot more effort than you would expect. I would suggest thorough readings of her assigned texts as you go. I would not suggest her class if you have a lot to juggle already. However, if need-be, her course was manageable in my opinion.
Can be condescending and is not very understanding of students. Success in the class requires remembering very specific details from lectures and text.
The actual course material was very interesting, and I found it easy to pay attention and engage in the lecture. However, Dr. Fitzgerald can be very abrasive and insensitive at times. The material is not difficult, but the exams are tricky. They require you to remember lots of little details and dates.
Ridiculous amount of work and difficulty for an intro class. So absorbed in her own field and gained nothing out of this course. Gave a 70% to our group project, and at most was willing to bump our stupid low grade to a 72%. Pass/Failed this class and drew a giraffe on the final exam you learn more at a community college version of the class
This class was not bad if you are willing to read the textbook and keep up with the lectures. The exams are basically a memorization of vocabulary with a few short answer questions at the end - not bad at all if you pay attention in the lectures. She gives a study guide for each exam which, if you fill out and study from, you will be fine.
This isn't the easiest EE credit, and there is a lot of reading, BUT this was one of the most eye-opening classes I've ever taken. While the midterm and some of the other assignments were difficult, they weren't impossible and honestly when I got things wrong it was because I hadn't read closely or didn't finish a book. Overall fair but harsh!
Please, don't take SOCI 122 with Kathleen Fitzgerald. Course content was very interesting, but she is the wrong professor to take the class with. She has zero respect for her students. If you question the way she graded an assignment be prepared for her disrespectful and defensive response. WRONG person to teach a race and ethnicity class.
dr. fitzgerald can be blunt sometimes, but she is really not that bad of a teacher. do the readings and take notes and you will be fine. quizzes are easy ( i got 5/5 on all of them) and if study her study guides closely, you can easily get an A in the class. very strict about regrades but if you make a good argument she will give points back
She is a very inconsiderate and rude person. To be in a class talking about race no discussions were allowed and she even told one girl her OPINION was wrong. She acts like she is a white supremacist and no other opinions matter but hers. Will never take another one of her classes.
AWFUL! She has zero respect for students, is rude, condescending, and very inconsiderate. Should not be a professor, especially for sociology
This professor should resign. I truly don't understand how the University can allow professors like this to represent the University. She's an embarrassment with no respect for her students. She should get a job not working with students. Genuinely terrible. Words cannot express how ill-fitted she is. Kathleen, quit your job
Took her for SOCI 122 and the class itself was interesting but the amount of detail that she requires you to know for tests and assignments is absurd. The textbook has an abundance of information but she requires you to know minuscule details that you would have to read every footnote of the book to know.
Everyone hates on Fitzgerald BUT she is actually an amazing teacher and very kind, especially when you speak to her in office hours (I recommend). Her classes are difficult and are not an easy A. She is very valuable to learn from and I took some of my favorite classes with her.
She assigns a lot of reading and what she's looking for in papers is unclear. She uses ppts in lectures but goes WAY too fast and doesn't upload them until we're done with the unit. Take REALLY good notes in class because it's pretty much the only thing that's going to help you on midterms and quizzes. She can also be rude to students sometimes.
You read like a chapter of the book for every class. You need a current copy of the textbook. There are 5 quizzes over the text throughout the semester. You have to take great notes bc that's what the midterm and final are on. You have to read a dense 300 page book and write a 6 page report on it-that's 1/5 of your grade. She doesn't grade easily.
She's better one-on-one than in large groups, and people are quick to judge her since race and ethnicity can be a sensitive subject, but she's very knowledgeable and aware about social issues. Class content is extremely interesting to learn about and is very eye-opening. 100% take this class at least once in your time at UNC, you will learn ALOT.
Such a powerful and important class. Lectures were always interesting. I really enjoyed the service opportunities and reflections required for this class. Prof Fitzgerald is passionate and knows what she is teaching. She gave multiple perspectives to issues discussed in class. Not a super easy class but very interesting and engaging.
coming from a nutrition major, do not take this class. she made it hard for no reason and was rude to her students. I tried to participate in class, but she would treat some comments as uneducated and made me hesitant to speak up.
Professor Fitzgerald was very knowledgeable and created a good syllabus that taught me a lot, I'm glad I took this class as I feel as if the topics discussed were very important and applicable to our daily lives. Kind of strict and old-fashioned and a little intimidating but if you do the readings you should be fine.
Dr. Fitzgerald is one of the best professors I have had. She prepares her lectures very well and gives a detailed study guide for her midterms and final, which are VERY useful (rarely will professors give you a study guide that is as helpful as hers). As long as you read and do all the assignments you will most likely do well in this class.
I took this class for the gen ed. Overall, very relevant class; I enjoyed it for the most part. Lectures are basically just going over the readings of the textbook that she wrote. She can be snarky sometimes and micromanage which can get annoying at 8 am but fine enough one-on-one and not a terribly hard class to get an A in.
This class seems fairly easy so far, although lectures move slow and just go over definitions. Attendance sheet is passed around which seems elementary. Fitzgerald seems really knowledgeable and seems to care a lot about the subject, but is just so rude and snarky for no reason- ruins the otherwise really great vibe of an easy and important class.
I like Prof Fitzgerald a lot. She can be stern but she does an amazing job teaching very important information in this class. The readings are really fast-paced and much of the notes from class on the books are discussion based, so read. You have to study for the midterm and final- you won't do well if you don't. I enjoy her lecture style
Professor Fitzgerald isn't horrible, but I probably wouldn't recommend taking a course with her if you can help it. Her class is a little disorganized and she doesn't utilize Sakai well. Her lectures are alright and the class is generally interesting, but she can be a little rude sometimes and she's super uptight about attendance.
snarky, rude, unreasonable. I could go into depth but would like to remain anonymous, just avoid the trouble by no taking a class with this professor
Professor lacks understanding towards student mental health issues/illnesses. Don't miss class
Did not find Dr. Fitzgerald to be rude or uncompromising, but she is blunt, outspoken, and passionate. If you keep up with textbook readings, then lectures may be repetitive/boring as they are summaries of chapters. Study guides provided for tests are tickets to an A. Very little homework, interesting content.
Lectures move slow, but are informative. Attendance is mandatory and the professor can be condescending at times.
SOCI122 is definitely a harder 100 level SOCI class, but the content is important and I think presented well. I do not think Professor Fitzgerald would get the same type of ratings she does if she was a male professor, to quote another review here. If you are interested in the content and want to learn more, do not be afraid to try the class!
Dr. Fitzgerald has some interesting lectures set up, however the class itself is ruined by her attitude towards other students. I often felt discouraged from participating in lecture due to her remarks towards students who spoke.
Dr. Fitzgerald is incredibly rude and discouraging over email and in lectures. She is condescending toward students that choose to participate. She is incredibly inaccessible outside of class, and she and the TAs do not give good feedback on the few assignments that you turn in. Save yourself the trouble, and do not take this class.
Dr. Fitzgerald is really great! Her class was definitely not easy and you had to read the textbook chapter before every class to understand what was going on. There were a few quizzes that were 5 points each, a book review (I didn't read it and got an A), two discussion posts, a midterm and a final. Really important class and learned a lot!
Overall, Professor Fitzgerald was a pretty good professor. The class isn't too difficult, but it's not an easy A if you don't do the work. While the slides she shows during class and the textbook can be helpful for the exams, it's important to listen to what she actually says during lectures as it can give more detail and fix any confusion.
I took her for both Soci 273 and 122 last semester. I worked pretty hard but ended up getting A's in each. I really enjoyed the classes and learned a lot. I found out my dad has terminal cancer a few weeks before finals season and she was really accommodating and kind. She grades papers pretty easy but tests can be hard.
Dr. Fitzgerald is not a bad professor at all. She tries her best and is very knowledgeable about the topic being taught in class. If you think of not going to class, think again. Her lectures are interesting but are quick paced and you have to be able to keep up. Note-taking and reading are crucial and very important if you want to pass the class.
I think she gets a bad rap for sometimes good reason but I think she had good intentions and does care. Besides that as long as you put in effort it's relatively easy to achieve a good grade in this class. Midterm and Final are pretty much whatever she lectured on and multiple choice which helps a lot.
122 & 125- She's incredibly knowledgeable about the material. I Never talked in 122, & only a few times in 125, but I showed up to every class and got 100 for participation in both. She gives study guides for midterm/final that you just have to fill in straight from the textbook/notes.
I was nervous reading reviews but Fitzgerald is really sweet and truly cares about her students' wellbeing! Attendance is not taken but if you miss lecture, read the textbook. The study guides she provides are EXTREMELY helpful, use them! 3 exams (30ish MC and 1-2 SA), 2-3 extracurric. activities, fair amt of reading. You can get away w/ skimming.
Dr. Fitzgerald is an okay professor. She is very knowledgeable but can be passive-aggressive during lectures. Her lectures are boring but interesting at the same time. Her exams are a bit tough but she gives you a study guide, USE IT The study guide is very helpful. READ THE CHAPTERS. The chapters are very important. If you don't read you will fail
Professor Fitzgerald is extremely knowledgeable, and I truly enjoyed taking her class. Students were required to complete a 30 hour learning placement, which is a hefty time commitment, but I thought this facet of the course was imperative to true application of the topic. Professor Fitzgerald was a bit foreboding at times, but also quite funny.
Kathleen isn't that bad when it comes to the content of her course it's just her attitude as a teacher that is unnecessary and disrespectful. Don't even think about emailing her about anything related to the course. She would rather send a snarky comment through email than answer your question. Doesn't allow for discussion that differs from hers.
Professor Fitzgerald ruined my second semester. Her lectures are insightful, but I hated everything else in her class. For a 100 level course, it is absolutely not worth it. DO NOT TAKE SOCI 122. Exams WILL be worth at least 70% of your final grade, and she does not curve. If you want your GPA ruined, I would highly recommend.
Read the prior comments. They are the truth! Would not recommend her class!
Very strange grading scale that left little to no room for mistakes. Participation/attendance wasn't graded, but the lectures are basically mandatory if you want to do well. Grades papers extremely harshly and is not very considerate of student circumstances. Also, a lot of reading if you want to do well.
Professor relied heavily on the textbook, as well as few studies/films only discussed in class? While attendance was not mandatory or recorded, missing the wrong day could mean failing a test.
Fitzgerald is a good lecturer. As long as you read the textbook, you'll be fine! I did not find her exams to be challenging. They are mostly multiple choice with 1-2 short answer. DO THE STUDY GUIDE! It will save you!! While she can be somewhat abrasive, her class was not difficult to follow! But I wouldnt recomend taking her in a small section.
Dr F gets a bad rap but she is an amazing professor, knows her stuff & doesn't take bs.This is the 2nd class I have taken w/ her & I would take a 3rd. Her coursework is interesting and she cares about students! Her book choices for 273 are incredible I would read them again. Produce well-written work + use the study guides and you will get an A
Kathleen was a wonderful professor with clear expectations. If you do the work, engage in class, & follow the study guides you'll do well on the exams and the course. She is understanding when it comes to personal matters and very open to feedback on course materials. If you're looking for an easy A without critical thinking, she's not your prof.
Please listen to other reviews. She is abrasive, and does not seem to care about actually learning anything, which shows in the manner of her exams. Questions all worded horribly. She asks random things to seemingly prove you wrote down her every single word, rather than absorbed info. GPA drop for sure
For a class with such relevant information, you'd think UNC could find literally anyone else to teach it. Do yourself a favor and read the news once a week instead of taking this class. the structure and setup is literally laughable and I'm truly amazed UNC allows it to be taught still.
Lucky for Kathleen RMP is censored! This woman eats puppies for breakfast. My first class with her, I thought she would be a nightmare and I was right. I really liked the assigned books they were so interesting and informative but she is so rude which makes it difficult to enjoy her class. Don't even THINK about sending her an email with questions.
Very disrespectful, and could not care less about her students. No compassion for external circumstances. Very aggressive. Harsh grader of tests she makes, which contain typos (and she admits to purposefully attempting to trick students). This course is graded way too harshly for a 100 level gen-ed. Ruined my GPA. And my mental health. AVOID.
It is an utter shame that UNC allows professors like Kathleen to remain employed. I have never met someone who is so clearly in the wrong profession, an auditor would be better suited for her attitude and evident hate for life. I hope her career is reevaluated. Absolute disgrace to such an admirable institution. I really enjoyed the readings.
Professor Fitzgerald is an amazing instructor who is knowledgable and engaging in her lectures. The content we discuss in this class is important and I think everyone should take it! I enjoyed my service placement as well (despite the time commitment). She does grade harshly and exams are challenging, but these other reviews don't do her justice.
She's a little passive in lectures and a harsh grader. Some test questions arent based on important concepts, but rather minute details she wants you to remember that arent relevant to the course content. I think she has good intentions, it just doesn't always translate. Good person and cares about her students, but was not my favorite professor.
The professor was incredibly rude and snappy. While the content is not difficult, the guidelines that she has in place and the subjectivity of her grading makes it difficult to get an A. Would not recommend for a introductory sociology course.
Rudest professor I have ever had at UNC. If you don't agree with her, she will fight you, and her lectures are the most lengthy, nap-inducing lectures I have ever attended. Grades harsh, little feedback, unavailable outside class, first ever C in my life because of this professor. Do Not Take. These is a reason her classes are always open.
Dr. Fitzgerald cares about the success of her students and wants everyone to take something from the class material. There is quite a bit of reading, but she provides students with a study guide before exams. We didn't get to interact with each other and openly discuss as much as I would have liked.
Professor Fitzgerald is a tough but fair instructor. The class is challenging, but doable with consistent effort. Unstuck ai and the textbook are great study aids to complement the lectures.
I know the other reviews are deterring but I seriously think Dr. Fitzgerald is one of the best professors in the department. She can be tough but you can tell it's coming from a place of wanting her students to succeed. I would definitely recommend her to anyone, she just isn't the type of professor to lie down and give you whatever you want.
I took this class two years ago and never posted about her. I would never ever recommend this class to even my worst enemy. The audacity of this professor is unbelievable. Never met such a rude professional in my life. Please resign and reevaluate the negativities in your life. Do not email her unless you want to deal with a hateful response.
Dr. Fitzgerald is not a bad teacher. Don't pay too much attention to the reviews, if you go to office hours it'll help a lot. Not too hard of a class.
Despite what many of the reviews say, I actually really enjoyed her as a professor and learned a lot from her lectures. She is obviously very passionate about this subject. If you're looking for a “easy” A though this isn't the class for you. Her exams are very detailed and since there aren't a lot of assignments, there's little room for error
By far worst professor I have had at UNC. Condescending, rude, doesn't allow for dissenting opinions. Written assigment prompts are vague and conflict w/ in-class instructions. Received a condescending reply after emailing to discuss a grade. Worst grade I received (3.9 graduating gpa). Shameful that she's allowed to teach such an important topic.
Yeah, no. Fitzgerald is a vindictive, bitter, passive-aggressive person who frequently contradicts the syllabus and detailed expectations. Asserts the use of AI in writing without evidence and grades harshly despite strict adherence to grading rubrics. Lets her persona political views bleed into her Instruction. Find someone else.
Professor Fitzgerald's attitudes and approach to her students and their academic work does not reflect the attitudes and approach of someone with an expertise in sociology.
This was the first class that ever cared about my citations, and I liked that! It was reading and work-heavy but I learned a lot and it felt nice to have a teacher that had expectations. Dr. Fitzgerald is a tough teacher but if you get to know her and actually learn the material, you'll do great! It's a shame so many students just want to use AI.
I haven't taken a super tough writing class at UNC before so I thought this class was annoying when I first got into it, but it's just about understanding what Fitzgerald wants to see. Meet with her on office hours, it helps so much. She is sweet and patient, I had some family issues and she was accommodating. Also, don't be dumb and use AI.
Took her class a few years ago but ended up dropping it with a W. She's hard to forget. Since I had a class on the opposite side of campus, I mentioned it to her that I might show up a little late. She replied, “just run.” The lectures were awful, she read straight from her own book. That class ruined my first semester and my interest in sociology.
The lack of professionalism and care in her approach does not match the amount of academic literature she has produced. Social justice, topics that are deeply meaningful and require thoughtful engagement. The classroom environment offers little room for genuine dialogue, clarity, or growth.
I am currently enrolled in SOCI 130. Doing badly on this midterm basically ruined my grade for the semester because there are only 2 quizzes, a midterm, a final, a paper, and attendance grades, which are all graded very heavily. I would NOT recommend it if you are not the best test taker. This class is also VERY reading/lecture heavy.
Save yourself the time and the effort. The teacher is very rude and will say backhanded comments. You are only graded by a few things, a hard midterm, 2 quizzes and a final paper. Mid-term is really hard, tricky questions and doesn't really explain things, only in her point of view. If you go against her opinion, get ready for an augment.
Save your time and effort for other classes, especially if this one is for a FC. Dr. Fitzgerald is very rude to all students and says backhanded comments to every question asked. the course content is manageable but she makes it 10x more difficult than it is. The midterm was hard and questions that are designed to trick you.
Do not take this class especially for a FC. It is way more difficult than it should be. Unrealistic amounts of reading due throughout the semester, then test questions designed to trick you. She is mean to the students and consistently talks in rude and passive aggressive tones. If you don't agree with her politically, you will not get a good grade
Every single question is worded in a way to trick you, often making one word off and so the whole thing is wrong. She claims all subject matter is science when 100% of the time, the statistics are sketchy, incomplete, or skewed. Very condescending, rude, and often passive aggressive. DO NOT TAKE!
This class feels like it should be 5 credit hours. Dr. Fitzgerald often assigns up to 90 pages of reading in between class periods and with the service-learning requirement this class can be difficult to manage. She is also the most condescending professor I've had at UNC. Lectures are very interesting and midterm was easy with some studying
Having her as one of my professors for my first semester at unc lowered my expectations for the rest of my professors in the future. I have never experienced a teacher so rude. She was mean to everyone exept for the people that were similar to her. Do not take this class unless you want to get yelled at for sharing your thoughts.
I loved this class. Dr. Fitzgerald is clearly passionate about sociology and reparative justice. She is strict about attendance but, other than that, I disagree with the negative reviews. Take this class to learn, not for an easy A. She is clear about her expectations and sticks to the syllabus. She just wants students to genuinely participate.
This class overall felt like a waste of time. The tests are easy as long as you use the study guide, but the lectures themselves felt pointless since she just reiterates what's in the textbook (not everything though-you still need to read it). The best thing about this class was reading Defectors by Paula Ramos which you could do in your own time.
Overall, the professor was okay. I felt like it was difficult to express opinions bc she would push back if she didn't agree. Exams were worded in a way to be intentionally tricky. Most of her lectures were info directly from textbook. Course wasn't terrible and it wasn't hw heavy.
DO NOT ever take Dr. Fitzgerald. The most rude and condescending prof I have had at UNC. She does not seem to have any respect for her students. Her exams and quizzes are designed to trick you, and there are so few grades that it is hard to bounce back from a single bad grade. I would steer FAR away from any of her classes if you can.
DO NOT TAKE, unrealistic amounts of reading for the semester, class is awful with the "facts" you are graded upon being almost straight opinion, some of which can be disproved with a blatant google search. Extremely rude to all students, extremely vague outline for final paper which is 20% of grade, I would rather get the chem dpt from yikyak again
Confused by the harsh ratings on here as Dr. Fitzgerald's class was my favorite all semester. Yes, a lot of reading but that's all you have to do to do well in this class—read the assigned pages, show up to class, and take good notes. She's not condescending, she just won't let people take up class time to talk about irrelevant things! Great class.
Was nervous about her at first but ended up loving Dr. F. She will push back/question your thoughts but not if they're opinions (like these ratings say), only if you misinterpreted something or are simply wrong. Graded on few things but midterm and quizzes are easy as long as you do the reading. I barely studied for them and did fine.
DO NOT TAKE! The instructor with a tunnel vision abuses her power in this class. She does not understand how to organize discussions, contradictory about the paper requirements, her one page requires one thing, but she actually does not want that in the paper! She is unfit to teach as many said here. I like the textbook from which I learned a lot.
VERY reading and lecture heavy. won't get a good grade unless you read the textbook, be prepared to read. Class is based on few grades, kinda hard to pull your grade up. shes a bit passive aggressive but is sweet and passionate about sociology. Just follow her criteria and expectations. Don't take class if you don't wanna read. There's easier FCs
The positive reviews here are so far from true. There is no way these are accurate. Midterm and exam which are really the only grades (plus 1 paper and 2 small quizzes) are SO hard and designed to trick you. Genuinely was so hard and barely scraped out a B. Unsure why she tries to make class impossible and students miserable. Steer VERY clear.
The SOCI122 was super easy, and she didn't seem rude to our class at all. Overall, a great teacher/lecturer. The class was very discussion-based. I only skimmed the texts/textbook after receiving the study guides for the midterm/final. HIGHLY recommend doing and STUDYING the study guide, it will save your grade.
So many negatives about Fitzgerald: a poor lecturer, fuzzy requirements for a final paper, no criteria for evaluation, tests designed to "catch" you, the "textbook" is not academically published, a bunch of essays, no alternative perspectives, no theories, no inspiration, no intellectual depth. She is sick, abusive and should be fired.
AVOID AVOID AVOID! This class was brutal for absolutely no reason. Like so many others said, if you do poorly on one assignment (with vague directions and feedback) it is difficult to make a comeback! Exams weren't terrible but some questions are written purposely to trick you using vague language. Lots of reading. Condescending. Beware.
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3.5
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