2.0
Quality4.6
Difficulty18%
Would Retake87
Reviews18%
Would Retake
87
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
9
4
6
3
11
2
14
1
47
What Students Say
“There is no such thing as a great job done on an assignment in this class”
COMM3326 - 1.0 rating“This professor expects TOO much work out of you”
COMM3311 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
90%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.62 avg changeRatings by Course
COMM3313
4.0
(1)COMM3325
4.0
(2)SPCH4322
3.0
(1)COOM3326
3.0
(1)COMM4314
2.9
(7)Difficulty by Course
3326
5.0
COMM3315
5.0
SPCH1315
5.0
COMMTHEO
5.0
SPCH3325
5.0
Reviews (87)
Way too many projects, please realize 5 hours per assignment is way too much to ask for from students, this is not the only class we have signed up for. This class was a big waste of my $ and will lower my GPA due to lack of time spent on course. My other classes needed attention so I had to let this one go. Not a good idea for pass/fail........
Be prepared for A LOT of writing! I ended up writing a total of 77 single spaced pages for this class throughout the semester! The only grades are discussions and papers. I definitely learned a lot, but it was a *VERY* time consuming class and I will not take another class offered by him. You will read your entire book so be prepared!!
WORST TEACHER EVER! He doesnt teach. He sits there and watches the students give "speeches" over the chapters. He puts you in groups at the beginning and you have to rely on them to help put yalls speech together. I didnt learn anything in this class other than how to put together a powerpoint. Ive dropped him twice. Hes also very picky on grading.
DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS! Worst ever! He gives a lot of work, but the bad part isn't that, most of it is pretty easy. But he's too picky, takes points off for every little mistake. He grades really hard. A lot of the students are failing his class. take speech with the other teacher.
This professor is HARD! Be prepared to be put down about your writing in front of the entire class. I don't think he has another job because he gives this class 200% of his self. He will knit pick you to death. So if you take him you will definetly lose a lot of sleep and shead a lot of tears. We started out with 22 students and ended up with 6!
He admits he taught the class as an honors or graduate course instead of a class all under-grads must take. Does NOT teach, only grades, provided no original teaching except when grading. Majority of info is from the text or copies from other books. Simply put, find another professor, especially if taking online. Textbook is garbage.
Big disapointment. Instructor grades harshly, provides only critical feedback. If you're a communications major, and concerned about your GPA, you will have to take this guy; either change schools or change majors. At 2.2 his score if overrated.
Grades very harshly,and unreasonable expectations!
He also a professional writer. Grades according to his high level of self-perfection. His course is NOT a capstone. The administrators should align him into a class where students expect such demands upon them, and where the instructor's demands are justified. This experience ruined my joy for learning COMM theory.
He piles on work which is not beneficial to the learning process. He is more concerned with controlling the class than teaching it. He sticks with the textbook, but then makes the process as difficult as possible with a whole set of his own customized policies, which have nothing to do with learning.
No! Not a good instructor. An obstacle to be hurdled. Not a good experience for the money put into it. NO!
Unnecessary strict rules and hard correction. Lost interest in the subject after the class.
Don't take Dr. Ward if you have a full course load or are a working professional. Way too much material & assignments. For example: assignments for one week included reading 3 chapters, mini essays on reading topics, daily discussion posts, weekly meeting for group assignment and an additional writing assignment.
I do not recommend Dr. Ward's class to anyone. Syllabus was 26 pages long, he requires 1-2 discussions each week (he says 300 words but its more like 800). If you have to take his class, expect to spend hours doing the work up to his standards and only to get a C or D on most assignments. He is a tough grader and does not give partial credit at all
This teacher is the worst teacher I have ever taken in my LIFE!! He is the worst grader and will not give you partial credit for anything. He makes you write 300 word discussions every single week on top on 2 assignments. His discussions say 300 words but he wants more like 1,000,000 words. Your work will never be good enough for him!
If you want a class that you don't have to put much effort into, stay away! This instructor seems to require graduate level work out of his undergraduate students. He has impossibly high standards and is unforgiving if you fall short. Tons of writing--weekly discussion posts.
This is the Hardest professor I have had so far. Assignments are never good enough. His work takes a lot of time. He assigns 300 word essays weekly along with replies to other classmates essays. There are also several projects throughout semester. I have lost all my confidence in the idea of going back to school. Would not want to take him again.
His syllabus says 300 word discussion posts (that will earn you a C) & 4 replies to classmates. That will earn you a C. any less & you are looking at D's & F's. Critical feedback & harsh criticism killed my interest in participating in class. I wish I would have listened to other reviewers here and changed schools & had credit transferred back over
Very difficult Professor. Hardly anything you do is good enough. He demands too much. He expects a novel out of each paper. Weekly posting, discussions, follow ups, responses, observations, applications, etc just too much. Avoid him at all cost.
Dr Ward tells you exactly what he expects during the Entire course on day one in his 26 page syllabus (yes, its grueling to read, but its a life saver). If you write 6 posts a week (initial+5) and turn in all of the assignments then you'll get an A. Unlike other professors, Dr Ward is very good about relying to any emails with concerns or questions
Prof Ward is very structured. From day one you know what is expected on every single assignment during the semester but you MUST read the syllabus (28pgs). He is helpful, answers emails quickly and gives good feedback on assignments. However, be sure to do 6 discussions a week if you want an A. No tests. Half of the class is a group project.
Ward is excellent in that you will learn the material very well, but expect to work for your grade- he has high expectations. Ward communicates quickly via BB, and provides feedback quickly. All assignments were written: discussion board posts and a paper. He also does pass/fail assignments to balance out his harsh grading.
Ward is excellent in that you will learn the material very well, but expect to work for your grade- he has high expectations. Ward communicates quickly via BB, and provides feedback quickly. No tests, all assignments were written: discussion board posts and a paper. He also does pass/fail assignments to balance out his harsh grading.
Professor Ward is extremely hard would not recommend taking his class unless you don't mind a lot of work. He treats undergraduate class as a graduate level class. This class is a required class for all majors not just communication majors but not treated that way. I'm sure he is very intelligent but he makes class to difficult.
This was a hard course but it was very beneficial. This is not an easy blow through it type class. You will work and be frustrated, but it will make you a better student. I hated the class at first, but now i am a better student for having taken it. Persistence is a virtue. If you stick it through to the end you will make it and appreciate it.
Although this is labeled an undergraduate course, Dr. Ward treats it at a graduate level. There are no texts but we have weekly discussion postings that must be answered like something he would write. Beware he is a tough grader but throws us a bone every now and then with pass/fail assignments. He assigns us articles that he has written himself.
Requires 2 weekly readings with minimum 6 discussion posts (each post he wants a book sized post), 25+ page research paper, but no tests. He graded my first discussion a 40% when I spent days and even had it proofed with no explanation. He expects too much which shows in his 30 page syllabus and isn't even clear. AVOID IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR GPA!!!
Professor cares about students, extra credit offered, get to read but overall he is a great teacher
This professor expects TOO much work out of you. It takes more time to complete his assignments than all my other courses put together. I am an A student, and although I earned an A in his class, it put me in a deep depression trying to get it. He is a nice person with good intentions-I think-but he asks for TOO much work. It's unbearable.
This professor makes this course unbearable. The 22 page syllabus is just the beginning. I can't tell you what I retained from this course, as the focus was NOT on the subject, rather, the focus was on what criteria you followed. Hard grader. Not engaging. I've never felt more stressed/anxious in all of my college years, than this.
Great Professor. Tough Class.
This class was intimidating but Dr. Ward is a great professor. He responds quickly to emails and is a fair grader. He gives opportunities throughout the semester to earn extra credit and reminds students of those opportunities as they approach. This class was hard and time consuming, but Dr Ward was there to answer questions and provide feedback.
This is the second time I have taken a class with him and it is a nightmare. While there are no tests in his class he piles on the writing assignments like there is no tomorrow. He does not believe in giving partial credit, it is all or nothing. I would not recommend taking one of his classes unless you like torture.
Dr. Ward and his Intercultural Communication class is very tough but I honestly am a better student because of him. He is a very tough grader and his assignments are so tough I wanted to rip my hair out. But Dr. Ward is VERY CLEAR with his instructions and expectations and he replies quickly to emails. If you slack off you will fail.
I'm currently taking this course online and it is beyond frustrating. I understand that he has all the right intentions, but this is ridiculous, and the group assignment is so annoying and time consuming.
I took Dr. Ward for Comm4314. The first red flag was the 22 page syllabus. It was very daunting. Every week there is a lengthy discussion and an observation assignment. He is pass/fail and does not believe in partial credit. The paper assignments were lengthy and tedious as well. And he did not provide good feedback on improving your grade.
Took Dr. Ward over the summer with intimidating expectations. He is a very literal professor and states what is expected of an upper class student. Although the class was tough, I am a much better student because of him along with gaining valuable information over the subject of Communication.
Good professor. Made professional speaking manageable for a person with speech anxiety.
Took Dr. Ward in the summer for Comm 3326. His syllabus is extremely long and his class schedule is ridiculous. Expect loads of homework every week and to be criticized on just about everything you do. There is no such thing as a great job done on an assignment in this class. Grades extremely tough on assignments. DO NOT RECOMMEND HIM ONE BIT.
hardest class I have ever taken, 22 pages syllabus. you would think that would help right? no its way too much detail that it makes the work unclear. its just overwhelming, heavy DB's. everything is pass or fail. I have consistently gotten C,D, AND F in this class so far. im so overwheled that im going to lose my scholarship over this class.
I have taken Dr. Ward for two classes thus far and I would have to say that they were the hardest classes I have ever taken in my entire life. However, he is also the best professor I've ever had. He's very particular but he cares. He's very demanding but he gives guidance. He wants you to succeed but you have to show him that you want to as well.
The nicest, most caring professor I have ever had. He's helpful & understanding. Many students don't like him because he expects a lot of work & grades a bit harder than other instructors. But as long as you do the work & follow his instruction, you WILL pass. No quizzes or exams, just group work (which is done mostly in class) & simple writing.
Most hardest grading professor I've EVER hard. The work is too overwhelming and he expects too much. No matter how hard I improve my work I keep getting D's and F's. Save yourself and look for another comm professor if there is even another one at this lousy school .
WORST PROFESSOR EVER!!!!! No matter how hard i try to improve my work he still gives me D's. Super tough grader, gives a lot of work and reading and long pointless group papers. Look for another com professor.
worst professor
SO MUCH WORK/HARD GRADER/But he let you redo almost ALL the assignments/He had a lot of assignment but I took it in the summer/We had ALL the normal assignments in a smaller time/Hes nice but tough/I would never take him again though/The book is needed he requires direct quotes and give examples from the book/Wouldve fail if it wasn't for the redos
Please save yourself the misery and try to use another professor. He will speak to you like you're a stupid child and many assignments are pass/fail so if you even skip one line wrong or forget to capitalize a word, you fail the whole assignment. Worst professor I have ever had.
I do not recommend anyone to take this professor. This guy is such a tough grader, especially on the weekly discussion boards. His syllabus is 26 pages long and he seems more interested in stroking his own ego than fostering student success. Do yourself a favor and take this course with literally any other professor.
By far the most difficult course I have ever had the displeasure of taking. He wants letters written in a very specific way when it comes to formatting, like .66 inch margins. Even the individual group assessment has a two page essay. Oh and its single space. 26 page syllabus. If you have to take, take with no more than one other class.
I worked harder in this course than any course I took during my MBA. Very tough grader. Do not fall for the "pass points" myth - assignments are rarely based on completion. This course is best taken by itself. Push your group to work on the final project early- 40pg length by the time we were done with it. Discussion boards are essay-like.
This gentleman was clearly picked on as a child and has an ax to grind. I've never encountered someone so pedantic in my life. More than anything, he just needs you to be wrong and stupid. He is one of those professors that did not get into it to educate, but to feel superior. You will not believe that you just PAID A LOT OF MONEY for that abuse.
Standard business documents grades like they are a doctoral thesis. Make 1 mistake and you will receive a 0! How you can get the same grade as a person who doesn't submit anything is beyond me. There are times he will allow you to make it up but the things he picks at are ridiculous. There is no guidance just a LONG syllybus as a guide. Demeaning!
tough grader heavy workload lots of reading Advance paper assignment Gives extremely detailed feedback thorough instructions pass or fail assignments
Dr. Ward is an extremely tough professor. That being said, he gives you the tools you need to pass his course. You must actually read and follow the syllabus to succeed in the course. I recommend you stay ahead of the due dates by a week if possible because the papers can creep up quick. He is a very responsive professor. Ask him for clarification.
Professor Ward is a tough professor and a bit anal if you ask me. He grades by the word count rather than the content of the assignment. I would not recommend him if you work 40+ hours a week with children. He expects for you to take at least 20 hours a week to be online. Please do not use any method you've learned before his class.
Dr. Ward provides a detailed syllabus that you will get to know as well as your mother's voice. It is the course bible; no deviations. That's the positive. Lectures focus on the final paper only & never touch on the weekly course content. This means your day-to-day professor is the textbook author. You will teach yourself or need to form a group.
This professor is the most difficult one I have even had. You can do all the work, turn it in on time, make a few mistakes and still get a zero. Never had this happen before until I took his class. I would not recommend him if you work and take other classes. The work is 24/7 and it takes much more time since he expects perfection.
Doesn't respond in a timely manner and when he does, he often has to assert himself as smarter. He doesn't even teach the course rather provides a lengthy syllabus and doesn't deviate from it whatsoever; good luck with receiving feedback that will actually HELP you. 10/10 the worst professor ever. He doesn't teach, only grades.
Prof Ward's class wasn't even hard, he made it harder than it really was. You get extreme amount of work, but if there are mistake's you straight get a zero, no points off, and he gets mad if you question his style of grading. DON'T TAKE HIS CLASS.
Class isn't difficult, but, the assignments are time consuming. Every week you have 1 case analysis (750 words) and 1 Application log (250 words). If youre not a comm major, I do not understand the use for this course. Grading standard is critical on your analysis so be aware. Final is 6 deliverable which are to be done along with your case works
If you take this class in the summer be sure it's the ONLY class you take. Be sure you do all the work and read all the assignments. The teacher expects referencing like no other. Do not think you can do the minimum requirements on the papers assignments. Reference more than what he suggests.
Professor Ward is tough and he expects you to work hard for your grade. This class was hard, but I got a B while taking 2 other summer courses. If you dedicate time to the class and actually put effort he will work with you. Great professor overall.
Very condescending
10 assignments a wk, 4 discussions in the form of case studies&analysis, requires each one to follow strict guidelines, has to be 300 words or more each. Each discussion requires a 200 word response to a classmate.1-2 papers due weekly.End project of a PowerPoint & research paper of about 20+ pages is due. homework heavy & hard grader.
I have never been so physically sick taking a class at UH-VA.
Beware of this Professor!! You will have to write a 1000 word paper w/ references every week for every chapter. Worst class I've ever taken..
A LOT OF WORK!! However, there are LOTS of free points and extra credit. It's nice that the entire class is on discussion boards, so you can be sure you are on the right track. He gives extensions if asked for. Not a bad guy like most of the posts imply, the courseload is just VERY heavy. Given, I was in an 8-week too. Just do all of the work:)
The class was interesting and I liked it. We read 2 chapters a week and wrote an essay on each chapter (min 750 words) that same week. Do your readings and homework ahead of time and you'll be fine. I highly advise against taking other classes while taking this one during the summer. If you do the bare minimum you will get the bare minimum grade.
I wish I had skipped this class based on the reviews. Amount of reading and writing is excessive! Only take this professor if you don't have a job or other responsibilities. Does not provide lectures on assignments, only on paper due at end of semester. Be prepared to do a LOT of readingrit/writing and then additional projects added at his whim.
Dr Ward, while I am sure he is a good person, is a horrible professor. His lesson plans have so many assignments that it makes it impossible to complete them all in the given time. Instructions are always vague, and grading makes no sense. You can get a zero just bc he doesn't like how you worded something. Also, final essay is 5000 words MINIMUM.
Worst professor I have ever had. Do not even think for a second that these reviews are incorrect or from lazy students. I have had a 4.0 term GPA for the last four semesters. His course was my first to fail so miserably on. I studied over 150 hours per WEEK and still barely passed. The college needs to stop his ridiculous number of assignments.
This class was incredibly time consuming and challenging. Every week there is a minimum 2000 words due and that is for one of his classes. There are 1k word papers due each week in addition to doing case studies and reading 30+ page chapters. I took two of his classes this summer and by far the most challenging and difficult class due to workload.
Same thing, 1,000 word papers and 30+ page chapters. Extreme workload, over 4,000 words a week per class and that is for only one class. I took both classes offered by this professor and was studying over 72 hours a week. I was able to finish this course with an A and the other with a B because the single 5,000 page paper brought my grade down alot
Worst semester I ever had in my college career. I got mentally and physically sick thanks to Dr. Ward's class. It was time demanding and very stressful, due to the great amount of work. Also, if the assignments were not perfect, you'll get a zero. Do yourself a favor and do not take his class.
The previous reviews are no joke. While Dr. Ward does seem like a nice person. This course is not for someone who has a full time job and is on the fast track program. I mean these assignments are insane. Do yourself a favor, if you are a fast-track student select another professor. If not, your anxiety levels will spike up.
worst class i've took at UHV. about 20,000 words in writing for the class. its a writing class.
dont take his class
This professor was AWFUL. Lots of homework and a very unfair grader. If you are not ready to write 2500 words at the least a week, I would not advise taking him! Find another professor!!
LOOK FOR ANOTHER PROFESSOR. NOT WORTH IT
Do not even bother taking this class. Honestly, the worst professor; I don't think he was helpful whenever I asked him. I would go above and beyond with each paper and never get a grade above 80%. The class content is enjoyable, BUT not with this professor.
Professor Ward was the HARDEST professor i have had out of all the professors at UHV. He assigned 750 word chapter analysis twice a week with a 250 word application log twice a week. He wants you to use multiple chapter for citations. If you work or have ANY other obligations outside of this class good luck ! I was so stress , he is not worth it
The main thing to keep in mind is that he grades different than most professors. He has very clearly laid out expectations on every assnmt. If you meet every expectation, you'll get a B. If you do more than each expectation, you'll get an A. He's a bit arrogant, but he's consistent, so the class gets easier once you understand his expectations.
If you work full time or can't dedicated as much time to a class as you'd like, please don't take this class. This class requires 24/7 full attention and requires precision and perfection for every assignment. If something is off, for example a wrong indentation, a zero will be given and your assignment will be returned for resubmission.
The workload is insane - basically short essays due every week on top of discussion boards. All had required word counts. Professor is snobby and not helpful at all. Following assignment guidelines perfectly only get you an 80 and one mistake can get you a 0. Terrible class. The professor wants to flunk you so bad.
Very hard grader that has enormous expectations that no one in the class seems to be able to meet. Will give you a low score if you don't exceed the requirements.
The professor has an extremely heavy workload. All assignments are essay-like with very strict requirements. If you don't do something exactly as he stated, you get a zero. This course also has a 5,000 word final paper with rigid requirements. He gives plenty of extra credit opportunities, but those are also like essays. His courses are stressful.
Very hard grader with very minimal feedback, be prepared to write minimum 1000 words a week and reading a chapter a week. No real application to the teachings it's more just read, answer, dump. Furthermore be prepared to also treat each assignment as if you're In an English course as any little mistake will lead to major point deduction.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
90%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.62 avg changeRatings by Course
COMM3313
4.0
(1)COMM3325
4.0
(2)SPCH4322
3.0
(1)COOM3326
3.0
(1)COMM4314
2.9
(7)Difficulty by Course
3326
5.0
COMM3315
5.0
SPCH1315
5.0
COMMTHEO
5.0
SPCH3325
5.0