3.1
Quality4.0
Difficulty40%
Would Retake150
Reviews40%
Would Retake
150
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
40
4
24
3
33
2
29
1
24
What Students Say
“took the hybrid class and this class was a joke”
ECON160HYBRID - 5.0 rating“If you don't understand ECON its going to be hard to pass”
ECON160HYBRID - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
25%
Textbook Required
57%
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EC600
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4.0
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3.8
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3.5
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3.5
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ECON406
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5.0
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Reviews (150)
Is there a way to give a negative rating?
It's a very interesting topic. It's too bad there isn't anyone else teaching it.
i agree. International Trade is a great topic and very interesting materials, but it's too bad there isn't anyone else teaching it.:-(
She is very smart, lectures well but you have to study HARD! Got an A but was still dissapointed how she handled HW. She gives tons of HW and grades them with high % but she is NOT willing to help at all prior turning it in, not AT ALL!
She is the University Assessment Director! She wants you to earn your grade. She will make you work hard for it. You have to show her, in class and via e-mails, that you are trying your best. Eventually, she will grade on the curve! I got an A after I was so worried that I won’t, especially with two C’s in the mid and the final! Know her note&quiz!
I was so worried about before I took her class due to poor rates that she got before, but she is a good teacher. Also, she explained clearly when you ask a question specifically email question.
Awesome teacher, very good at what she does. She uses excellent examples, and keeps you awake in such a tough class. Pay attention, read the material, use the FAQ's & take the online quizzes. You will get an A if you are willing to work for it.
Nice teacher. For gateway make sure to do the online grading. if u get slackers in your group give them bad grades online and write out why. then the teacher will bump ur grade up and knock theres down. Most grops will have 1 or 2 free loaders which is why gateway is hard. remebr to do online grading, it will help ur grade out a lot
For gateway, she is not as big a challenge as the curriculum itself (which all professors follow). She's not an easy grader, but a very kind and helpful teacher. She makes you earn the grade you get, which, for this class, goes a long way
Great Person very funny- Demands allot from her students and a hard grader!!!!!!!!!
I am a PACE Student and I took Prof's Marcal's 8 week course. The class is hard and she tries her best. During 8 weeks, two exams partially multiple choice and short answer questions. She is nice and approachable but even when she tries to explain a concept it is not always clear.
She will tell you not to worry about your paper and have fun with it. Don't bother having any fun because she will give you a crap grade. Test are beyond difficult; many things not covered in her class. If you find that you are enrolled in her class, drop it like a bad habit. Dr. Marcal is an example of why tenure is not good. Avoid!!!!!!!!!!!
Very hard grader. Helpful but the material is very difficult. Do not miss class or you will miss a lot of material.
Had Prof. Marcal for PACE. Her lectures match notes she makes available on her website. Seems pretty straight-forward but the course does require a lot of studying. She adds things beyond notes in class so attendance does help. Wording on her tests can drive you crazy. Only has a midterm and final. Final is 50% of grade.
Prof. Marcal skipped section on unions because she said they're quickly becoming irrelevant." HUH?? This is coming from a CSU Prof. that is benefitting directly from negotiated contracts by one of the largest unions in the country.
This woman must hate people. Why does a person like this take a career in teaching? I hope that you don't have the misfortune of taking her class or for that matter ever having to speak with her. Leah is a harsh grader who has no care for her students. If she was a better teacher, then people would do better on her tests. Stay away!!!!!!!!!!!!
PACE Course. Prof. Marcal is good and straight forward. She is well prepared for lectures, and handouts consistent with lectures. She prepares you well for the exams. Study, practice hard, ask questions and you'll do well.
Very good teacher
Prof is nice and very helpful. But a very hard grader. You have to study ALOT with her. Weekly quizzes, midterm and final in 6 week course. Overall she is a great teacher you will definitely learn alot but might not get a good greade easily in the class without studying alot.
this teacher is horrible.. worst teacher at csun. she doesnt care or teach anything at all. I had gateway with 2 professors and she never spoke once and expected every paper to be perfect. I am a 3.4 student and I think she is horrible and shouldnt teach! WHAT A BITC*
Extremely nice and wholesome. Loved her lectures. Loved to help explain things using "chunky monkey" as an example. Tests weren't too difficult, unless you didn't study or read the textbook AT ALL. The study quizzes online were some of the questions that showed up on the actual tests..so do THEM!
I would not recommend her. She does not care about anyone wanting to understand the subject. She ZOOMS through the book, like she has memorized the book, and expects the same from you!! Very bad in teaching an MBA class!!
3.4GPA.Leah,tries 2 be nice.very boring.keeps saying "this material is very difficult,hard u guys,u won't understand this."So, very discouraging.Doesn't understand material much without her notes.Extremely tough grader coz she doesn't understand herself:ur answer must be EXACTLY what she is thinking! very nasal voice too and that's annoying.
Really nice lady, but the course was a train wreck. Book was confusing enough, and her lectures are just the powerpoint presentations provided by the publisher! So lecture and homework didn't prepare us for the tests. Perhaps she will improve as the curriculum is adjusted (first semester this class was offered in a one-semester format). Avoid!
Most of the work done in the class is completed in groups. However, group members usually receive different grades. Make sure and kiss her ass. Guys, be careful what you say.
She just wasn't very good at teaching, in my opinion. see the other comments re: the powerpoint and her attitiude. plus, her conservative talk and enthusiasm towards 100% free trade grew to be kind of annoying and unecessary. Like most Econ profs....not exactly personality plus.
very bad attitude. Doesn't care about the students!!
If only she knew what she was doing, I would recommend her. Her attitude is just annoying. Grading was not fair because she had no idea. I liked gateway class, but I wish i have taken another prof.
She is not a good professor. Her thought is in order to test one's education you are supposed to memorize and repeat. That is not teaching. Teaching, especially in a grad level course is to engage and discuss the subject matter. She has an old school way of teaching that is not effective at all. I would avoid her class if you can.
She did not prepare for one class this semester. Read directly off a power point that is from the publish of the book. Mandates you pay to take quizzes every Sunday that she does not read or know the answers to herself. Again quizzes are made by book publisher not her. One lazy professor who complains about her husbands vices constantly. AVIOD!
She did not prepare for one class this semester. She reads off power point created by the publisher of the book. She makes you pay to take quizzes every Sunday, which she does not write nor know the answers to herself. She was never at office hours. She is very lazy and complains about her husbands vices rather than teach. AVOID at all costs!
Pros: she is fair, good attitude, makes jokes, reachable via email. Cons: exams are not easy, you will have to study. Reality-check: economy is a difficult subject no matter who is the teacher. Thus, do not take Economy if you do not want to study.
Tries her best to make a very difficult subject understandable. Still, it is very challenging. Marcal uses Aplia which is not a fun program and for me, I never wanted to read the book from there. I took the hybrid class and it caused me to slack off and not learn anything on time. Take the regular class and it will probably turn out alright.
She's not a bad teacher, I took the hybrid class that met once a week and it wasn't too bad. Everything was pretty easy until the final. I got raped by that final. Man. I gotta go now...
She's a very nice person, and very willing to help you learn. Her tests, however, are completely arbitrary. You can spend entire weekends learning the material, and still do poorly on her tests. She grades exclusively off of her tests, meaning you're grade is completely up-in-the-air until after the final.
She's an okay teacher. Not the worst I've ever had, but not the best either. Personally, she is very nice, and she is always willing to help. But sometimes she doesn't explain things as clearly as she could.
I am shocked to find these comments about my favorite professor this semester. I took her hybrid class & it's perfect for me because I'm self motivated. She dropped the worst 3 Aplia scores & even asks how you did after the midterm. This class is hard, but she's quick to reply by email. You should be good, only if you study A LOT. -RO
Professor is nice, helpful, and explains information well. However the practice questions that she goes over in class do not in anyway prepare you for the online quizzes each week. She mostly focuses on the math portion of the class when there's hardly any math questions on the exams. Study well for this class because it is a tough subject.
GREAT PROFF. EXPLAINS EVERYTHING WELL. TAKE HER HYBRID CLASS SO U WONT NEED TO GO TO CLASS.
I LOVE HER! She explains everything extremely well and she really cares about helping you succeed. I am a hard working student so the class wasn't that difficult. You have to watch lectures every week (if you're in her hybrid class) and take a three question quiz & there are two tests. Not that bad if you don't mind a little work. Take her! :)
Professor Marcal is very nice. She tries to help you with any question you put on the moodle. The class is not easy you have get a hang in the beginning or else you will be lost throughout the whole semester. Midterm is harder than the final. Avg grade in the class is a C. Never used the text so dont buy one we went off her keynote.
Shes very sweet and explains the material really well but its a REALLY HARD class!!Take her hybrid class(half in class half online). She curves BIG TIME. If she didnt I might have gotten a C in the class. I thought I was doing horrible til I saw my grade. Take her
Lectures are interesting and explanations of concepts are excellent.
Marcal is a nice and sweet professor.... but taking her class is the BIGGEST MISTAKE. She admits she is te hardest Econ professor, she admits her graphs and examples are crazy, and she admits she is the only Econ professor to teach things others don't simply because they are so hard! I did not like the hybrid course at all.
One of the favorite & best professors I ever had. While I learned a lot about economics, it was not an easy subject. Grading was fair, lectures were moderately interesting, make sure you do all of the assignments, and practice (a lot). Try to make it fun if you can.
Hybrid is the best way to go. She's cool af && Econ is not as hard as everyone says just pay attention. She's the best teacher for Econ160. She's nice too!
The hybrid course wasn't as difficult as I thought. Just watch her lectures and pay attention in class. Tests will be similar as the questions she goes over during "live" class. Do that and you'll pass with like a B
Very Helpful professor! Cares if the material is understood and very approachable during office hours. Interesting and engaging conversations
Professor Leah understands the material very well! She's very helpful and she replies email within 24 hours. I'm taking the hybrid class and basically you just go to class once a week. Read the lectures online, take notes and do the weekly quiz I'm pretty sure you'll get at least at B- in class. Well econ is NOT an easy subject anyway
She knows her stuff and watching her online videos are NECESSARY to acquire a good grade in class. The only studying I did was watching her online videos and attending the classes; got an ez A on the midterm. I do not feel the book or the online aplia was needed, with a little bias of it lowering my grade due to forgetting to do the quizzes.
I LIKED that class. Instructor is cute :)I do not know my grade yet but I enjoyed lectures and material was easy. Just listen to the lectures and do assignments.
i think she is a great proffessor. like many, cares for her students that show up. why would you care about people that do not show up? if you show up you pass the quizzes. if you pass the quizzes you pass the test. if you want an A here you can get it
Very helpful and clear. She cares about her students. Explains the material very we'll. I like the class as we'll.
The class can be easy and hard. If you watch the video and read the book and have no idea what it means, you have to rewatch the videos. The quizzes can be hard and so is the test it requires total focus for someone who is not 100% likes econ, prof is nice and helpful. But study or you will fail. She does curve the test but not a lot.
I loved the way the course was structured- you can watch the lectures on your own time, then go to class to get actual econ problem practice. The professor was really nice and helpful! Your grade in that class is practically based on two exams (40% and 45%) so if you're not a great test-taker it's time to reevaluate your strategy.
I really enjoyed the way she taught the class, she cares,explains and answers questions clearly. I took the hybrid class read and did well on 90% of the quizzes she drops 3 quizzes and has a midterm and final.
The class is hard but you can pass if you watch her online lectures and go to class meetings once per week. Professor Marcal really wants to help students. She cares about them doing well in the class. Take her hybrid class.
She's so smart and explains well! I really enjoyed her class. However, I don't think the book was useful aside from the weekly quizzes.
She is so nice and friendly. Tells stories and examples that help you understand the assignment.
Lectures & notes confusing. Class notes all over the place, writes 1 on top of other.Topics & quizzes numbered differently than chapters. Talks fast in econ terms, rushes thru lectures, ignores questions, skips breaks 3 hr class to leave early. Only has midterm & final. Exams hard, not like hmwk or quizzes. Ltd ofc hrs/ nice person/not good prof
the opportunity cost of studying for this class makes it difficult to get a good grade. but other than that, explains well and is def cute...
Nice person but horrible teacher! Exams are difficult and nothing like practice quizzes or homework. Only gives midterm & final (easier for her to grade). Covers more material than other econ teachers but offers no other grading opportunities. Needs to break up material. Lectures & graphs very confusing. AVOID IF POSSIBLE!
ECON 310 is a tough class but the exams were fairly easy. Marcal is a good professor. She answers questions quickly online and will help you in office hours.
The most confusing class that i've ever had !! She is a nice person but a bad for being an Econ professor .. Only two exams and research paper .. Exams are super hard .. if you do care about your grade please dont take her . I worked so hard and still didnot pass the class . Haaaard grader and hard class .Avoid it !!
NOt an easy class. sudy guideis baiclly telling you read everything. Aplia quizes are hard if u want to lean quickly not this class. you have to read it on your own
Material starts easy, but grows difficult at the end. Be sure to master the early material, as later material will build on it. Do the practice quizzes and homework that she provides - if you earn an A on the practice material, you will earn an A on the exams.
Poor quality. Very confusing. Lectures are rushed, all over the place, and she ignores questions. Seems like she just wants to get out of class early. Exams extremely hard and nothing like material or online practices quizzes. Find another professor.
Wow, this class was something. Economics is a challenging subject and she does the best in explaining it to us. This class was a fun headache. You will learn and you MUST try hard and not only rely on her in class lectures. Motivate yourself to pass, but she herself is a great instructor. Half online and half in class. No txtbook just aplia.
Hybrid. The class is difficult. If you're not willing to give up a couple of hours every week watching online lectures & an hour every Thursday to take an online quiz; don't take this class. You only have two chances to prove your grade. But the professor is an amazing lady who always answers questions quickly, whether through the forum or emails.
Overall great class, not a boring teacher. If you watch the lectures before you go to class then you should somewhat understand what she is talking about. Her test are hard but if you do her self quizzes on noodle then most of those questions are on the test. If you go to class and pay attention her examples are like the ones on aplia.
Very nice person, but a terrible, professor! She is very confusing! Hard grader, hard exams, one term project that she does NOT explain how to do. Just posts the "instructions" and try figuring it out on your own. Brags about teaching hard material that other professors chose not to... "Because I think that you can do it...". Bottom line: AVOID!
Reading is a must, chapters can be long and dense, if you want a good grade, be prepared to work. This is not an easy A, but it can be done.
Aplia quizzes are extremely hard. The midterm and final are also difficult. The entire class doesn't so well so she curves everything which helps a lot. Doesn't really help when you ask her for it.
I took the hybrid class, her online lectures (you do them on your own time) are fine, but class time, her mathematical explanations are vague, and little unorganized. 1. Lecture notes are poorly organized, lots of scribbling 2. Didn't point out the tutoring hours 3. Sounds nervous, needs speech clarity 4. Would recommend a different prof.
She is a very nice person but the class is hard overall. I took the hybrid class and you're supposed to watch the lectures which tend to be almost an hour overall. Quizzes every Tuesday on Aplia and they are very tough. It's the wording of the questions that throw you off. PAY ATTENTION and don't miss any classes, you will fall behind.
Hybrid class. She's so sweet and wants you to pass, she cares. But this is a tough subject anyway. She clearly states she isn't an easy A course but I think she may be the best prof for this course. The weekly Alia quizzes are killer. Just make sure to watch her lectures. If you don't, at least show up to class. She shows you how to do problems.
She's a really nice and very sweet but her lectures to be honest are boring. You need to watch the power points and do the hw. Often times she'll give extra credit but only in class . Her tests are hard. If you feel you can work on your own then take her but if you think you need more one on one time then i recommend a smaller class.
Love her. She makes it really easy to pass, some people are too silly to realize that. I watched every online lecture, read every chapter, attended every class, and did all the practice quizzes and surprise, I got an A.
Hardest class I have taken by far. It is half in class half online so we watch her lectures online and they are very boring and hard to keep up with. Nothing ever made sense and we have weekly quizzes on APLIA that are also super hard. If it's not for your major especially, DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. 80% of people fail this class, i now see why.
Not an easy subject, but she makes her class structure very simple. Lectures are online, weekly online quizzes, 1 midterm, and final. HUGE curve for entire class. Overall a great professor that genuinely wants you to pass.
I'm a business major and I absolutely could not deal with this class. It was a hybrid class where her lectures were online and even though I could schedule when I felt like watching them, I dreaded it. They're awfully long and boring, and almost theoretic. She doesn't give good enough examples to convey her points and explanations. Don't recommend.
ECON600- mandatory for MBA program. Marcal talks and teaches this class like it's undergrad. There's no engagement or discussion like the other MBA classes which is disappointing. She has no real world experience. She also marks down papers for writing style even though grammatically there's nothing wrong. Is this Econ or an English class?
A lot of people complain, but shes not a bad professor. Just read the book and watch the videos. Be awake in class and actually TRY and you're guaranteed a good grade. It is a lot of work but put in the effort and its an easy A or B.
TOUGH class. Weekly Aplia quizzes are just.. terribly hard. You really need to make an effort to pass this class. Pay attention and study for the midterm and final as the semester goes through - I'm serious. Midterm is 35% of your grade and the final is 40% of your grade. Fact: half the class fails this course. Lucky for you, prof curves.
this professor is amazing. she curves the grades quite a lot. the aplia quizzes are such a drag!!! but two lowest grades are dropped. the online lectures are extremely boring and long but you just have to watch them and learn. a tip for you all: print the powerpoint for the lectures and the self-quizzes before each lecture and you'll do great!
Leah Marcal is a solid professor in the sense that she is passionate about teaching and you can feel that she is trying hard. That being said, her lectures are quite boring and hard to get through. Overall you just have to be diligent and make sure you do all assignments. If you are not good in the class she is very affable and accommodating.
Hardest class I ever took. The lectures have nothing to do with the apilia quizzes. I do not recommend taking it hybrid if you are a business major. Leah is nice and put a big curve on the final and midterm, but those are your main grades. Weekly apilia quizzes which are hard af, and the midterm and final are your only grades.
She has the highest rate on campus of students receiving "D" or "F" grades. The lectures are all online, and her voice is so annoying. The short time we have in class is going over problems that wont be on the quiz. The only things she grades are the applia quizzes, the midterm and the final. Non accessible outside of the classroom.
Friendly, approachable, and explains all concepts very well. I took the hybrid and it was very challenging. My BEST advice: take the weekly aplia quizzes VERY seriously and make sure you can do well the weekly practice quizzes on moodle. The weekly aplia exams are nothing like the midterm/final.
Econ is a hard concept in general and this professor does not make it any easier. The lecture are online and so long, and her voice is annoying so it makes them seem longer. The in-class lecture are pointless because she gives practice problems that confuse everyone. But if you watch the lectures and somewhat understand it, you should pass.
It is important to read the textbook, watch the lectures, and attend class! Professor Marcal is a good and caring teacher. She goes over problems in class to help you understand how to apply the concepts. Her tests are similar to what she discusses in class.
Required to view the video lectures before class, so you can know what she's talking about, but the videos doesn't really help. When she explains something, it's really complicated and hard to understand. Sometimes I leave the class really confused, and I have to watch youtube videos to understand. Alplia (online quizzes) is really tough.
She's okay in a sense of teaching. She makes you watch her power points ahead of class so you could understand the gist of it. they do definitely help if you put time into it. Emailing her can help as well, but not that much. no extra credit is given. Aplia assignments are okay too if you understood the lesson she gives in class. Go to tutoring!
I took Prof. Marcal for Econ160 in Fall 2016 and she is a very kind, happy, makes you think professor. Her class is not hard at all but make sure you do the ungraded self-quizzes before the midterm and final and the reading. If you do the reading from the online textbook off Aplia you should be fine. Her exams are not that hard and chill environ!
Great professor. Really wants you to learn the material. Has practice quizzes on moodle which are identical to the test. Show up to class and study the moodle self quizzes and you will pass.
This is a really hard class. She starts the class with saying most people will get D's or fail!! (who does that?) one midterm worth 35% of your grade and a final worth 45%!! She curves a lot, for example a 45% was a C for the midterm. I got a C- on midterm and D+ on the final and had a B average on Aplia quizzes and got a C in the class.
Marcal is a solid professor. The topic itself is difficult and won't get any easier as you move on. Print out the slides and watch the lectures on your own time. During the in class lectures she goes over each new topic to prepare you for the weekly Aplia quizzes. For the midterm and final I recommend reviewing the self quizzes. She curves a lot.
You must apply yourself. The subject is hard, but she gives you all the resources. Print the slides, watch the lectures, and review the self quizzes before heading to class. She reviews the self quizzes in class and can really help you understand. Use the slides to do the aplia quizzes. STUDY the self quizzes bc similar to midterm and final.
This professor is great and although the class is difficult, an A is definitely attainable. The curve in the class definitely helps but as long as you truly understand her lecture videos you should be able to pass. Those who give negative comments are those who believe they should get handed A's. You need to work for it especially in a hard subject
The hybrid course is well put together. Make sure you read the chapters and watch the lectures before going to class. Professor Marcal is caring and is willing to help with any questions during class sessions and also online. Her tests are usually curved a great amount. There is one midterm and one final.
took the hybrid class and this class was a joke. i never went to class. only watched her lectures online and did the aplia quizzes (which most answers are online lol). She gives a midterm, final, and like 10 aplia quizes. Just study the self quizzes and her old test question section. She curves HEAVY. got a B- on both tests and 95 on the quizzes
Do not take if youre not an Econ major. Professor is alright but class is difficult. You basically have to teach yourself through online lectures and text book, her lectures are just review and practice questions. Aplia and online quizzes are terrible. but curve is heavy.
Prof. Marcal is the sweetest but she just does not explain well AT ALL. If you don't understand ECON its going to be hard to pass. all lectures are online which are boring, quizzes online which are hard, in class she. just lectures on topics that won't be on your quiz, you really have to do a lot of self studying.
Really enjoyed this class; teacher loves what she teaches. There is an abundance of study materials ranging from pre-recorded webcasts, PowerPoints, textbook and Aplia (online learning tool). The tests are straight forward and fair but, yes, they are tough.
Very hilarious teacher, never a dull moment. She does a great job at making the material fun and relatable especially if you do not know much on the business side.
Micro Econ is a tough subject, Prof. Lea does her best of giving you real life examples to help you understand it & has a cheerful attitude. The Aplia hw it's kinda hard & useless. For the Midterm & final she gives study guides, read the summary at the end of each ch. and understand supply and demand, also do the self-quizzes, she curves heavily.
Professor Marcal really cares about her students and does her best to make sure they understand the lessons. Econ was difficult for me but she made it more manageable. Since I took her hybrid class, her lectures were online and we came to class for her to show us practice questions. Grade depends on weekly aplia online quizzes, midterm, and final.
You don't have to go to class but the problems done in class really help with the midterm and the final. I used the textbook but I think that you can get by without it. I personally found the topic hard so just make sure you study a lot.
She has the lectures on canvas and you have to listen to them before class. They can become a little boring. The quizzes are on aplia and they are once a week. The only things she has in the grade book are the quizzes, the midterm, and the final. Not an easy class.
She only grades you on weekly homework, one midterm and one final. She provides practice problems during the lectures and has practice quizzes that you can use before you start the homework. Attendance isn't mandatory, but it is helpful if you are stuck on a concept.
Kind professor. I would have loved to take her for regular lecture rather than hybrid, because she posts her lectures online so I'd prefer not to watch an hour long TEDIOUS lecture when she is a good professor in person. The days we went to class we went over old exam questions on the weekly chapter. Midterm 35% Final 45% weekly Cengage HW 20%
Its a tough class, you really need to work hard. I got A on quizzes, B on midterm, and F for final. My overall is C, most of all her lectures is online which you need to spend most of your free time on it. Plus, her selfquiz on canvas is useless, dont spend time on it.
if you have a good understanding of Econ you will be good but she doesnt explain things very well and the lectures dont really help with the homework and the homework is worded very weird. Has one midterm and one final for tests
She was alright but nothing spectacular. One thing that is really annoying is that she has you do homework on cengage but take the midterm and final on canvas and doesnt apply it to ur grade til the end. I had a B+ on all the homework so I thought I was gna end w a B but then she just applied the two tests and it dropped me a whole letter.
For the hybrid class you basically have to teach yourself all the material and then in class she just goes over practice problems every week instead of actually teaching the material. Her voice is also kinda annoying and she was rude to students during this whole corona thing and kicked out any student who would cough or sneeze or anything like tha
the final is worth 45% of the class, shes kinda mean, and she doesnt really care much about ur students. I wouldn't recommend taking her
Professor Marcal is extremely rude and unwilling to help her students. You basically teach yourself and she vaguely explains questions in her lectures. The midterm and final account for 75% of your grade. If you can take Econ with anyone else I highly suggest you do. This class is horrible, as well as a waste of time and money.
Took the hybrid and it never made sense. I went to the fir at half of the semester until the midterm and I still didnt understand anything. A waste of a class and wouldnt have taken if it wasnt a major prerequisite. She just didnt explain anything well & it was the most confusing math related class Ive ever taken when I usually like math
Probably one of the worst classes I have taken. You are only graded by two things, and she is unwilling to help you pass. Waste of a class, if you can take Econ with anyone else please do!! She does not care about her students passing, and has only made the class system harder since Covid.
She assigns lectures to watch on your own time so she can use actual class time to go over practice problems, reasonable. When it comes to midterm and final it seems like the practice quizzes do almost nothing to help you study. She makes herself out to be there for her students but shes does not give you any other ways to help your grade out.
WORST CLASS EVER!
Lectures were a total waste of time as they are nothing like the homework/tests which are a BIG chunk of your grade. Professor is NOT helpful at all and blames all her mistakes on the students. Don't bother taking this class.
Taken during covid and stopped showing up due to attendance not being mandatory and really wasn't helpful. The homework is on Aplia and is easy however midterms were absolutely ridiculous because of it not being in any of the lectures/hw. She curves really heavy so it's semi-easy to pass this course.
On the first day of class she flat out said that this would be an extremely difficult and boring class, and she wasnt kidding. The exams are very different from the weekly homework assignments and practice quizzes, and her weekly lectures are kinda useless. Be ready to teach yourself a lot of the material.
Class is almost entirely self-taught. Professor Marcal does not teach in lecture, only reviews old review questions, resulting in them being unhelpful for the most part. Very nonchalant attitude and doesn't answer questions well. Do not take if you actually want to learn/understand microeconomics.
Materials discussed in class will not help you to prepare for the final exam. Glosses over important topics that are not on homework or talked about in lecture. Sets students up for failure as mentioned by many other students. Avoid this professor if at all possible. Brutal class.
Professor Marcal was not helpful and didnt teach in an efficient way. She didnt spend anytime making sure people understood what she was saying and went extremely fast. She would seem passive aggressive when anyone would ask for help and made it hard to retain any of the information being taught. The homework is a big part of the grade
In the future I would probably focus more on the textbook than her video lectures. The homework is 3 attempts per problem, but the midterm and final exam are weighed very heavily and are relatively difficult, even with the curve.
No matter what your reasoning may be in as to why you may want to enroll here, simply do not. Junior-high level of teaching ability at most. Significant amount of time used to discuss personal issues and work issues intend of covering material or answering questions. Bounded rationality and has had issues in the past. Director and Dean to monitor
You WILL have to learn everything yourself, her video lectures do not focus on the homework nor do her in person lectures. The tests are very heavy on your grade and all your time and effort in the class relies on them EVEN THOUGH most of what she talks about is NOT in the test. Do not take this class. Your whole semester effort relies on 2 Tests.
I had Professor Marcal for a hybrid class. Attendance wasn't required and all her lectures were posted on canvas. One homework assignment every week, one midterm, one final. It isn't that hard, I don't know why her Rate My Prof is low. You don't even have to try THAT hard. Put in some effort and you're going to be fine. Worth it.
She is a harsh grader & group project evaluations were inaccurate. Only two curved tests. "MyMathLab" for HW & textbook. The last month was taken up by student-led presentations, replacing her teaching. However, these presentations were generally subpar, leaving the class unprepared for the final exam, where the highest score was just 81%
Do NOTTTTT take this professor!!! Graded only by 3 things, cengage homework, midterm, and final. Midterm and final will RUIN your grade. Homework was fine, got a really high A in it. But the midterm and final will DESTROY your grade. Do NOTTT take her!!!! PLEASE
Took her for both 160 and 405, I can genuinely say she's a sweet lady. Both classes I took were hybrid so tests were online and open book. The 405 course was tough but she sets you up for success through group projects and homeworks. Very nice lady, she is one of the more liberal instructors in the economics department but she knows her stuff.
Dr. Marcal is one of the best teachers I have ever had. I learned a lot from her class materials. She is there to help every student because she genuinely cares about every student's to succeed. When you invest time on this class, you will experience that hard work will be paid off. They motivated me to be academically and professionally driven.
This was a hybrid class for me and it was not easy. Sometimes hw can be stressful and but it can save your grade being worth 30 percent of your grade. Her lectures were online and didn't really help me understand the topic and in person we go in review but again didn't help either. But she curves the exams which is useful.
This class was a real struggle. The professor's lectures didn't align with the exams, which heavily impacted the grade. Luckily, Unstuckstudy and the textbook helped me prepare better than the lectures.
Her lectures made the topic easy to understand gor me and this class having optional in person meetings aligned with my schedule perfectly. She also curves everything
Graded by very few assignments which make getting an A without an adequate group project nearly impossible without getting a close to perfect score on Midterm and Final. Substitute professors taught more comprehensibly then her, maintaing close relationships is a must if you want to succeed. Hybrid class models more to be desired.
Nice professor! She answers any questions during her lectures. Attendance was not mandatory for this class because it was a big lecture hall and she didn't take attendance. I didn't show up to most of the lectures, but if you are stuck or need help they are super helpful. It can be confusing but she will help you along the way! She uses cengage BTW
Only teached for 6 out of 16 classes this semester, last 5 weeks were purely group projects that did not add to the topic of the course- International trade in any meaningful manner. This class could have been so much more but falls short. Promised a curve on all assignments in the beggining of the semester, but only gave one for the midterm.
Classmates are gonna complain about the group project but as long as you just study a little bit, don't read from your notes and present confidently, you'll do fine. Midterm and final aren't the hardest. Only went to one class beside the group project. Everything is online so use the resources available and it shouldn't be too stressful.
A very nice professor, but not flexible when it came to grading. Your grade is largely determined by the 2 exams despite how you do on homework. No extra credit, study guides, or make-up opportunities. I recommend finding ways that work for you to study and comprehend the material on your own.
At first it was chill because she delivered the concepts like they were easy and simple, and they were, but then the mid term came which tested you on topics she never talked about and also never went as deep into. Then when you ask a question she doesn't help at all. Same thing for the final. Don't take her, fake-nice professor- horrible class.
Do not take this professor, she is sort of a nice professor but it is a front for a terrible course. She gives one midterm and one final, both of which contain NOTHING she teaches in class, not to mention the homework is borderline impossible. DO NOT TAKE.
DO NOT TAKE HER IF YOU DONT HAVE TO. You won't find a worse teacher
The chances of you passing this class is slim to none,God was on my side.She is a very bad explainer when it comes to her in person lectures.Your grade depend on 2 things Midterm & Final (both are extremely hard) and the practice quizzes, hw, & textbook won't help you the questions arent anywhere near the same.DON'T take her unless you want to fail
This is the worst professor I had in my life, she doesn't teach keeps going over old exam questions only and does nothing else. She's fake and all the class was failing so she had to curve. So many exam questions limited time and attendance is mandatory and you should be on campus for it. Don't watch her lectures has nothing to do with exam questi
Grade depends on only 2 exams (Midterm & Final). Homework & attendance barely touch your grade. Long lectures but don't cover as much of what you need for the exams. Youtube gives better lectures than her. Exams are long, limited in time, and are extremely difficult. She changed the grading scales in order to accommodate most of the class failing.
Lovely professor, genuinely very sweet. However the course material was incredibly hard, most of my class received an average of 40% on our final exam. Definitely would not take unless you are incredibly interested in Econ, it was so so difficult.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
25%
Textbook Required
57%
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B-
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