2.6
Quality3.9
Difficulty11%
Would Retake171
Reviews11%
Would Retake
171
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
19
4
35
3
40
2
37
1
40
What Students Say
“he can be hard to understand sometimes, but overall i think hes a great prof”
BMS290 - 4.0 rating“Really really wants students to succeed”
BMS290 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
46%
Textbook Required
40%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.96 avg changeRatings by Course
HS28028
5.0
(1)HS111
4.8
(5)HS2801H
4.0
(1)HS281
3.9
(7)HS290291
3.7
(3)Difficulty by Course
HS290AND291
5.0
BMS508
5.0
PHYS290
5.0
BMS301
5.0
BIO290
4.3
Reviews (171)
Have to learn out of book..Not lecturing in class...
No Comments
very hard to understaed and not will prepared
Horribly unprepared and very rude. Couldn't pay me to take him again.
Nice guy. Don't have to go to class if you do well on tests.
Interesting Prof
Easy class. Nice professor.
Straightforward class....you memorize...you get an A
He is the worst teacher I have ever had. He is the rudest person.
Impossible tests! worst prof i have ever had
Very cocky and arrogant. 1st time teaching 280 so it was pretty crappy
class is made difficult by this prof (and powerpoint), get a different professor
He's the best professor I've ever had. He actually cares about the students
Horrible prof, does nothing but confuse the entire class-- bail out if you get h
No Comments
Is very willing to help,cares about grades,pays attention to who really tries
Very unstanding and cares about students learning, helpful go talk to him
He's nice, but his tests and quizes are very hard. Study, study, study!!!!
Not a very good prof... but he's very willing to help students who want help.
terrible, confusing, thinks you know as much as he does about the material
He is a goofy one, but he is really cool as well
goes through everything VERY fast, but he is a really friendly guy
poor lecturer, rammbles on and on. loves to hear himself talk
Talks a lot, but is very willing to help you out. Devotes a lot of his time.
Likes to talk alot, picky on grading. Helpful.
Goes WAY TOO FAST and powerpoint makes things difficult. Hard tests!
get out now, sign up for the other prof! very hard
went WAY too fast
No Comments
No Comments
I liked being in Dr. Burg's lab. He was funny and willing to work with students. Just visit him during his office hours and hes willing to help you out. Understanding and if you just do your work and put forth the effort you'll pass. I liked him as a prof
the material is difficult, but he tries to make it fun and easy to understand. Dr. Burg is VERY, VERY helpful if you are struggling or need help. the review sessions are extremely helpful. would take him for future classes.
He is a very hard teacher. He is confusing and extremely boring, plus he is incredibly picky on his test which are half essay. Take another prof!!!
The class is hard, but he is a good teacher. Go to class and go to his office if u have questions. Very willing to help u if not doing good in class. take lab with class, it is alot easier
OH MY GOSH! His tests are terrible! Gives essay questions in science??? Lectures are boring because he posts notes on BB and then reads them during lecture! Insulting if you talk to him 1 on 1. DONT TAKE THIS PROF
RUN! He is insulting to students that do not understand.Tests are IMPOSSIBLE to pass unless you have either taken the course before or can memorize every single word of your 200 pages of notes and be able to put them into essay form on tests. RUN
He's friendly and willing to help, but can be a little confusing at times. There are 8 people my lab, so it is very informal and can actually be fun.
This class is a killer, but he is an amazing instructor who will help you to no end! Ask endless questions, review sessions are a must! Go to class...study hard and all will be well!
He struggles. He knows his stuff but I dont find him helpful at all, and even if you ask questions it hard to get a straight answer from him. He is an ok prof. but i would take from another if that is an option
Tests are horrible, no points except the tests, not very clear, helps some students and not others, take someone else if at all possible!
HORRIBLE! He may know his material, but he doesn't teach it. Just reads off the powerpoint notes. Notes not helpful, just info to memorize. I learned more from the book than from him. Lecture was a waste- just fill in the blanks while he mumbles...
mumbels too much. only is willing to help certain people otherwise you are insulted when visiting him to ask questions. tests excruiatingly painful.
RUN AWAY - RUN FAR FAR AWAY!
avoid him at all costs...do not take him!! horrible prof and is very very rude! knows what he is talking about but is too scatter brained to teach it!!!!
Not the best teacher I've ever had. I've learned more from a cereal box!! Quite rude and not very helpful. He did offer quite a few review sessions and homework assignments to supplement grades. If you want to actually learn from lecture - stay out!!
Awful, Awful professor. Too smart for his own good. Made you feel stupid if you didn't know the material before he taught it. Offered Many review sessions but made you feel like you were wasting his time when you attended.Switch Professors if want to pass
Two words: NAP TIME! You won't understand even if you pay attention, so whats the point? Take someone else if you can!
Love the eyebrows! Funny guy, but he'll put you to sleep. He just lectures off of his extensive powerpoint notes.
He mumbles. Can't undestand him at all. It's a struggle to understand what he is talking about in class. He is a very smart man but it's like he is too smart to teach it to other students.
As a person, I like this guy. He's funny, in a strange way, but I've seen him dismiss students by staring blankly for 10 secs then turning his back. Liked the class; he really knows physiology, but I felt like I was expected to already know it, too.
Nice guy, but you would probably learn more not going to class(but he does take attendance occasionally) and just studying the book,know the objectives he gives you backwards and forwards
I liked the course over all. But he lectures by powerpoint & a microphone, very distracting. He is sometimes hard to follow and his exams are tough but i feel that I learned a lot. He is a funny guy but not really a good prof for the class.
Weird guy, but I believe he wants you to pass and do well. Very hard to pay attention to! If I can pass with Burg, than so can you! Prove to him you learned somthing and your trying like crazy, and he'll give you free points!
I don't feel that Burg is a bad professor, i just feel that the class is tough and that he coudl TRY and make it a little easier. You have to know a LOT of information and apply it. I never used the book and i got a B in the class - goodluck and STUDY.
He definately knows his stuff, but he goes way too fast. He does give extra credit, but 5 pts for a 100qst study guide? That could be upped. When you go to him for help, he will sometimes talk to you like you are dumb. Try to get into another sect
Even though he may seem like a nice guy, he doesn't give extra credit, his tests are hard, and if you go see him for help he expects you to know everything. Change profs if you can!!
Dr. Burg is a strange guy who likes to mumble and say weird things, BUT, he sure knows his stuff. I got an A- in the class, but had to study my butt off. If he knows you are trying, he will help you with some extra points or even re-taking an exam.
He begins his sentences clearly, then tends to mumble off. Very hard tests. If he doesnt care for you he will ignore your questions if you have any. Only willing to help certain people and not others.
The class isn't that hard. Infact it's quite boring. There are only two tests and no final. The only perk is that you really get to carry out your own research project. But, the whole time I felt like I was being taught by Barney.
This is a pretty easy class but don't expect any help from him. He is too conceited and into his Dr. title to listen to students. He looses papers often so keep papers saved and don't expect anything back earlier than 3 wks from the time u hand it in
Very smart man but also a very creepy man and not such a good teacher. Lectures straight off of powerpoints that you have right in front of you, very boring. Tests aren't to bad.
This class sould be called Dr.Burg 101, he LOVES talking about himself and his research. The class itself isnt too hard but he loses your work and gets weeks behind. Dont expect to learn much.
Dr. Burg is just weird. I think he might be too smart to teach this class. He definitely knows what he's talking about, but sometimes he doesn't understand why we just don't get it. There's A LOT of info to know and his tests are intimidating.
He is really rude, one of the worst profs i have had so far
I had him for 290 and 301, a ton of work in 290, but 301 was easy, he is just unorganized and is definitely a talker, don't ask him a question unless you have 30minutes to waste.
challenging tests but fair as they aren't just memorized trivial pursuit questions, essay format.
This class is hard, but if you read and keep up with the notes, there is no chance you will fail. Dr. Burg is a bit odd, but willing to help you out. If you are going into the health profession, this class will benefit you greatly.
No Comments
Test are all of powerpoint that he gives you. The most boring class I've had so far. Take this class if you want to get a ton of information about phys and dig an old dude with overactive eyebrows.
Well, it could be worse. Dr. Burg is a real nice guy. Lectures do get boring. Sit near the front, as he is a soft talker, even with the clip on mic. Exams are scary at first, but all follow the same format. The guy is GREAT for lab, take him if you can.
Dr. Burg is the worst professor that I have had in my entire college career.He brags constantly about himself & complains about GVSU and his low salary.He is unorganized and uses threats to get things done when he wants.DO NOT TAKE HIM!
It was his first time teaching this class, it was a real trip. I think I learned more about college politics than research, but in the end the politics were interesting. Really nice guy but quirky. Knows his stuff, just listen and what you need to know
Awesome prof for this class...Let's you call the shots...You can make up tests and quizzes. He knows his stuff and can help you relate it to everyday situations. A bit silly at times, but definitely worth it!
The course was interesting but Burg sucks the life out of the class...Kipp isn't any better though so you're screwed no matter what. Good luck.
When you go to him for help, he will talk to you about his life, he rambles in class and runs through the material even if no one understands... covers a lot in short time he favors women I worked hard for a C, I don't recommend him to anyone!
I would highly recommend Prof. Kipp over Burg for this class (I had to retake the class and got an easy A with Kipp as my prof.) Burg's essay questions were way to hard on the exams, and his "reviews" don't help AT ALL. AVOID HIM LIKE THE PLAGUE
Rediculous. Very unprofessional, always complains about how tired and stressed he is, and how HS301 is always at the bottom of his priority list. If he is going to treat the class like a blow off, than why shouldn't the students? Do a non-human based research project, and memorize notes for exams.
He isn't good at expaining physiology. His lectures aren't very good, and his tests are much harder than the material calls for and according to the notes that he gives us. Dr. Kipp is a good teacher and I would reccomend him over Dr. Burg. It is possible to get an A or A-, but not many do.
Complains all the time about how much homework he has to grade-we complain because he gives us the homework that takes a lot of time. He is very unclear in lectures. Doesn't care about others. He made a student cry in his office. Good luck
Very unusual and boring. But first two tests go down like butter, if you dont get lazy on the last two you will be fine. Staying awake hardest task in this class, does complain about grading, but I don't know why people complain about it, ignore, ignore. Great for lab though.
ok, i had burg for lect. and lab. i got to know him very well. he is crazy and rambles a lot, but he has good intentions. lect does challenge you to stay awake, i had to take a nap before every one. the class is hard no matter who you take it with. suck it up and study, burg will help you!!
Boring! Talks about how much work he has to do and how far behind he is. Always last class that he grades assignments for. If you memorize the material you will do fine on the two test. One group project that spans the semsters culminating in prest. and research paper. Graded with critical eye!
This is a tough one - difficult to stay awake in lecture - I suspect that he is harder than the other profs, but he does force you to learn the material which is a good thing - he offers many opportunities to earn additional points to boost your grade a little.
I had Dr. Burg for lecture and lab. He is a character, but he is nice and does care about how students are doing. Class is a lot of work, but isn't every science class?
I thought he did a good job for teaching research and in the end the project kept the class intersting. He is always wanting you to do good and will always help you out if you just ask and take the time to talk to him!
A tough grader. It took all my energy to stay focused during lecture..it is possible if you listen to every word he says (and he does ramble sometimes). He's not a bad guy...just a bit quirky (annoying big exhalations into his lecture microphone). But he does care about his students. If I had to do it again I would try to get a different professor.
I'm not sorry I had him. He loves short answers and essays, but if you take the time to do the objectives that he gives, you'll do fine on the exams. He pretty much lays out for you what you have to know, AND he even has review sessions 2 to 3 nights during the week of each exam - for everyone to come and ask questions. I'm glad I had him
Really nice guy, tests are insane very hard! Study ALL the time if you have him!
He has an extremely unorganized office which is slightly unprofessional and he isn't that helpful in his study sessions and office hours. He tells stories that are sorta funny but he gets off track and just reads off the powerpoint slides. He offers extra credit but it's only to make up for his unbarable exams. Take someone else.
Pray every night that God will be with you because I am convinced this guy is satan. I swear I saw him breathe fire from his mouth and incinerated a student right to the desk. He invites you to his office only to bash you. He invites questions in lecture, again only to bash you. He does offer extra credit, but you'll fail all the exams.
Professor Burg is a very unique indiviual. He is very funny, and a bit quirky. He definatley takes the time to help his students in any way... but that is because his exams are EXTREMLY difficult. Taking him means you will have to work hard, but you will also truly learn the material if you manage to get better than a "C".
Switch out of his class if you have him for intro to research or physiology. I got the feeling that grading was biased. Depending on his mood he can be demeaning towards students who ask general or "simple" questions. Also, his lectures are unorganized and boring. I did better reading the book.
Many students do not like him. His sense of humor gets old, because he reuses many analogies. However he is a very good professor for the course. He beats into your head why you need to know. There really aren't any surprises on exams. This man really does want to help students! He allows extra credit for doing the review that will only help you!
Dr. Burg is hard, but he makes you learn a lot. Don't go to office hours if you don't want to be there a while talking. For pre-med students, TAKE HIM, he's hard but gives insanely good reviews for schools! He also helped me get a job! Great contact to know!
Worst teacher I've ever had. Lectures were unorganized, boring, confusing, and enjoyed talking about himself, how he didn't make enough money and about fruitflies. He babbles, gets off subject, complains about his life, very verbally abusive and cruel. He should get a job that involves working at the morgue where he can deal with the nonliving.
Terrible professor! RUN if you still can. He is very boring in lecture with his monotone voice. His tests are extremely hard and those are the only points in the class. He is very demeaning to his students and puts them down when asking questions. He will make you cry if you go to his office. Loves to talk about himself and thinks he is hilarious.
Dr. Burg is not as bad as everyone says. His exams are what they should be for a physiology class. However, I would suggest not talking to him in his office...very rude, mean, gives you terrible looks, and is just arrogant. However, the class isn't a surprise. If you do the work, you will be fine, it's as simple as that.
The tests aren't as hard as everyone is saying they are. If you study and actually know the notes the tests are very reasonable, but you do have to KNOW the notes. Kinda ****ed and weird sometimes but overall a decently funny guy. Someone told me the final was impossible, I actually walked out smiling, if you know your stuff you will do fine.
dr. burg is hard, but it is almost a 300 level course. of course you need to study but you MUST know his notes in DEPTH, down to the littlest details.. tests werent impossible BUT he is rude whenever questions are asked.. knows his stuff just cannot communicate it well .. i wouldnt recommend him.
He is a legend in his own mind. Most positive comments on this board are written by him (... -> quite a few like this). Unprofessional in the way he treats students who ask for help. Not qualified to teach, that's why he's at Grand Valley & he's very unhappy with it, that is why he always complains. God help his new students coming in.
He is a legend in his own mind. Unprofessional in the way he treats students who ask for help. Grand Valley is the only place that would hire him & that's why he is unhappy & always complains. Most positive comments are written by him (... -> quite a few like this). God help his new studetns coming in. You will learn nothing.
Dr. Burg is definitely a character and very weird. However, his class is defined very well in the syllabus. If you study hard and read the book, it's not bad at all. I was able to do both of those things and nail a 99% on his final and A overall in the class...just do the work. What do you expect at college?
Not as bad as you hear. I was worried after reading these comments, but tests were not bad at all if you can master the notes. Lecture on the other hand is quite hard to follow....he goes off on tangents sometimes. He's a good guy, a little different, but not a bad professor at all. I had 100% going into the final...he gives extra credit!
This class is not a cake walk. You will learn a ton, but need to put some effort forth. You earn your grade, which makes it worth it. He's corny, but his tuft of hair and wiggly eyebrows can be entertaining.
This class is not easy, but Burg makes it more difficult than it needs to be. He wants you to ask the "right questions" when asking for help which is impossible if you're just plain confused. His lectures are disjointed. His tests are doable if you study HARD. Beware--the final dropped my A- to a B+ overall. be ready to teach yourself after class!
prepare to teach yourself everything. he talks way to fast during lecture - hard to follow... dorky/dry humor is distracting. tolerable, but if you have a choice, get someone else. lab teacher for 291 taught me 1000 times more than he has.
He is kind of quarky. But over all a great guy. Really understanding if you have a difficult situation. Yes his tests are hard, study your notes and read the book. He tells you what pages to read.Overall he really is a great prof and i learned a ton in this class.
This is definately a tough course, but burg made it tolerable. he provides an extra credit opportunity with every exam, which made it possible for me to get an A. he offers review sessions all the time... definatly take advantage of that! he can be hard to understand sometimes, but overall i think hes a great prof. i recommend him.
Comes off a bit pretentious as first, but once you get to know him you realize it may just be a little eccentric self-consciousness. He does require you to learn a lot of information but never questions beyond the powerpoints. Using the book is a personal choice if clarification is needed. Really really wants students to succeed.
Very helpful when you ask for it. Uses great analogies, and explains things very clearly. Will set up study sessions on the weekends before a test and spend as much time answering questions as you'd like. Gives 3 pt. extra credit toward 100pt. test if review sheet completed. About 5 homework assing. per semester. pts. come close to extra test
If you are taking BMS 290 because you want to be a doctor/PA/Dentist or whatever in the medical field take Dr. Burg. He prepares you for what is to come. He doesn't let those that cram and spit it out on the exam only to forget about it succeed. Learned/taught myself a lot in this class. Highly recommend
Physiology is a difficult class to begin with and this professor expected a lot from his students. He spoke fast during lecture but did offer office hours. He knows the subject but cannot teach it well to a student body. I would not recommend him. I learned more effectively from my lab professor.
Would not recommend him at all! Condescending, and overall very jerky guy. He knows his subject material very well but is extremely hard to follow in lecture. Tests are killer! Switch if you can. The class itself is very tough but he makes it 10x worse.
Just study the powerpoint slides and know them VERY well.
I don't know why he gets bad ratings. This is a 200 level college science class, it's going to be challenging. If you're going for anything medical related, this class helps tremendously. I'm a 3.5 avg gpa student and still had no problem getting a 98%, he gives extra credit. Stop complaining about "hard teachers" and do the work, it's college.
Overall, he's a pretty good professor. I'm not going to lie. It's a very hard course w/ an overwhelming amount of material to cover and it demands a lot of effort. Dr. Burg did his best to make it fun. In order to do well in this class you will need to not only need to know the material but you will also be able to apply it to real life situations.
I would not recommend Dr. Burg as a professor. He is very knowledgeable about physiology but expects you to know the material at the same level. Many times I would try to ask questions and he would make me feel like an idiot. His analogies have nothing to do with anatomy. It's a hard class but he definitely doesn't make it any easier to pass.
I was very disappointed with this professor. He was not easy to talk to and rarely answered questions when asked. I studied so hard and never got above a C on his exams. And he was rude. I would definitely not recommend him at all, and switch out if you can.
Burg is a great professor. He can be intimidating but there are perks to taking his class. You get 3 extra credit points for answering the study guide questions per exam, he sets up a study session on the weekend before the exam, and all the exam material is from lecture. Its a hard class regardless. I would recommend him.
Okay really...he's pretty good. I don't know how people do bad unless they just completely don't care and don't study. My lowest exam was a 94% and I nailed a 146/150 on the final. Now I'm either freaking amazing or I simply put the appropriate amount of effort and time into this intrinsically difficult class. I think the later...
Do not reccommend. Started the semeser w/ 24 students, ended with 10. It wasn't just bc the subject material was difficult; Burg wasn't great. I would go to his office to have him look over reports, he would make a bunch of changes and correct 'mistakes'. After I turned it in, my paper would be completely marked up on changes he made. Awful prof.
Really hes not bad, the class requires a lots of studying and reading ( i would read the chapters a few times) but once you got them the concepts weren't hard. Understanding the stuff in the beginning is important in understanding the stuff in the end so dont fall behind. He gives extra credit, the class is passable dont panic
Very unapproachable, grading scale is unclear, uses fill-in-the-blank powerpoint which is a difficult method to learn from. Uploads 3-4 online assignments 5 days before the exam which is ridiculous. I got a 4.0 in the lab (291) with Bergman and could barely hold a B+ in this class. However, the tests aren't terrible if you can learn the material.
I actually liked professor burg. he talks a lot. but he is super nice and is willing to help if you need it. the class is hard because there are a ton of lab reports but he will let you turn them in early and make corrections to them so when you turn in the final lab report there is no reason you shouldn't get an A. i would recommend him.
He lectures off of fill in the blank powerpoints, which I didn't mind. I used the textbook a bit to supplement the information he provides. There are review questions before each exam that you can turn in for extra credit. They help a lot with studying. He's a good professor, but you will have to put in extra effort outside of class
Incredibly difficult to have as a professor. Started lab with 20 student ended with 11. He does not prepare you as well for the midterm and final as other professors and is more focused on his research then clarifying concepts for students. Would not recommend.
Horrible professor. Literally reads off of the slides and doesn't teach. He uploads his powerpoints to BB but uses blanks so you have to go to class to get what he took out. However if you like very little homework I would suggest Burg.
Run. Do not take Burg. He will tell you how unimportant this class is to him compared to his Physiology class. I am a straight A student and will most likely get a B or even a C in class. I have attended every lecture, taken notes and studied hard. He is so unclear what he wants from you and is incredibly arrogant. The finalimpossible.
Burg is awful-can't break down concepts for students to learn. Tests are hard, and his grading is terrible. My roommates and I did homework together and we each would have a different grade. His answers would also be different on each of our assignments. When asked why he had different answers for each of us, he blew us off and never explained why.
I took an Anatomy and Physiology class in high school and got an A. I took BMS 202 and got an A. I took BMS 208 and got an A-. I took MOV 304 and got an A. I am expecting an A in BMS 291. In this class I think I am going to get a B or a B+. I think if I had had a different professor I would have enjoyed the class and done well.
This professor is super boring. His voice is like a lullaby, and his powerpoints are walls of text. That being said, he does make a sacrificial effort to help students by providing extra study times in the evening where he answers questions. Study hard for this class, if possible take with lab so you can get double study time, and you will be fine.
Awful. BMS 290 is tough regardless of the prof, but of the 3 times I took it, Burg was the worst. Each prof specializes in a topic, his being action potentials. However, the amount of lecture spent covering A.P.'s wasn't commensurately represented on his exams. Exams used tricky wording to trip you up, and insanely long essays. Scatterbrained.
Professor Burg set up study groups 2x a week and was more than willing to meet any time he was available. He offers extra credit for exam reviews as well as online homework and in-class homework assignments. The exams are ROUGH and he's not always the greatest at clarifying. Get a study partner and you'll make it!
I would not say that Dr. Burg is well-respected by students. His lectures are LONG and dry. His analogies make minimal sense, but I will say that a majority of the questions on exams come from knowing what he lectures on and being able to apply it. His notes are fill in the blank, so attending lectures is a must. Do the objectives, and study hard.
Prepare to spend a lot of time outside of classing preparing for his exams. The notes are very unorganized and require quite a bit of effort to try and understand them. They are fill in the blank so attendance to lecture is a must.
He is my first and only professor I have ever had to drop. Test averages were 65%, no curve. He was just thee hardest grader. He did not give good feedback, or explain things thoroughly. Most of the time he hardly acted like he cared because of the large class size. His lectures were always off topic and he was always behind
It's definitely possible to do fairly well in class, but it's not easy. Lectures are long and dull, and his explanations aren't very good or helpful. I would recommend doing the review questions and reading the book after going to lecture to try to understand the material better. Pretty much everything discussed in lecture is on the exams.
Burg is an awful prof. He treated the class like a 400 level instead of 200 and had unrealistic expectations. He's a nice guy and makes himself overly available to students but his exams are impossible. Exams have essays and short answer and if you don't say EXACTLY what he expects you fail. 290 is a difficult class but he makes it so much worse.
DO NOT TAKE HIM. He makes you memorize pointless mechanisms and is unclear with all of his criteria for the class. He is arrogant and has a monotone voice that will put you right to sleep. He makes himself seem available, but his office hours are pointless, he just talks about himself. He saves loads of homework for the week before the test.
It takes a lot for me to say I'm doing better in organic chemistry than this class. which should not be the case. he reads from the slides and exams are very difficult. I get good grades in everything yet this class I will have to retake. also, he saves homework for the weekend before exams
I think there are some truths in past reviews but take that with a grain of salt. Dr. Burgs class is difficult at times but he makes you learn in a way that you'll be very proficient in the material. Some people really don't like him but I thought he was a nice guy who honestly cared about you succeeding if yo showed that you wanted to put effort
Seemed to expect us to be experts on everything before he even talked about it in class. Tests were very difficult and specific.
Would never take a class with him again
This class was AMAZING!!! Dr. Burg won't take your crap but makes sure you know the material and will give you research opportunities. Great introduction to research projects and genomics. You are not actually working with flies.
one of the worst prof's Ive ever had.
He is a chemistry professor teaching physiology and that is very evident. Very, very hard and boring.
Literally the worst professor, extremely rude and horrible at explaining. Avoid him at all costs. Doing better in orgo than his class.
I came into this class after reading prior ratings thinking he would be awful. He definitely has improved this year. He uses fill ins on his slideshows but you can only see them if you show up to class. His lectures are everywhere though so you're better to just read the book. Heavy tests but a few HW assignments help. Extra credit is offered.
His tests are insane difficult. Got a D on every single exam and cried in his office multiple times. Would not recommend.
Wow, this class was the hardest class I have taken. Prof. Burg's lectures are so heavy and wordy that it is hard to focus. Although most dates are stated in the syllabus, he does not remind you of due dates for assignments so BE AWARE ! Exam's are about 40% multiple choice and 60% short answer/ essay, this is what hurt my grade the most.
DON'T DO IT. You can tell that Burg is very smart, but is a terrible professor. He has four exams throughout the semester, and all of them have very low class averages. They are extremely specific, and if you don't write exactly what he wants to hear in the essay questions, he won't give you credit. I recommend finding someone else for physiology.
DO NOT take Burg! He was by far the worst professor I have ever had at gvsu. His lectures are beyond boring, as he reads his slides word for word in a monotone voice. When it comes to the tests, he expects you to be a genius and the exams are very difficult. He is very rude to his students and he is not very helpful during his office hours.
Martin Burg was the worst professor I have ever had at GVSU. He expected us to be all knowing and marked down everything he could. He told me I should study harder and spend more time studying when I went to him but I had a tutor, study group, and studied more than any other class. He only cares about his flies. AVOID AT ALL COSTS! He ruined me.
Exams are pretty tough and very detailed. Lectures can be pretty boring and often go on a tangent. I personally just didnt enjoy him as a professor.
Prof. Burg is very quiet in his lectures and mumbles often. I sat in the 5th row of the lecture hall and had a very hard time hearing him speak. He is very accessible to his students but when I asked him questions I oftentimes felt he was too smart to put the material into simpler terms for me. Be prepared to study A LOT.
DON'T TAKE HIM. In lecture, he just reads the slides word for word. His lectures are so hard to pay attention to because he makes it so boring. When you want to ask him a question he's very rude about it and makes you feel dumb. He expects all of his students to be geniuses. His tests are also very difficult & have mostly written parts.
In person discussions were a waste of time. Someone would ask a question and he would never answer it yet talk for 10 minutes. During a discussion he asked if I had started the hw that was due in four days, I said no. He told me that I should be more on track and scolded me in front of everyone. He is much more patient with his white students.
Professor burg has been my worst professor in college. He expects you to watch 2+ hr lectures a week and attend class in which both he reads directly off of the slides. He gets mad when people dont ask questions but makes you feel stupid if you do. He is rarely on topic, talks about himself a lot, mumbles, and is extremely cocky. Switch out!
Professor Burg was extremely rude and made this subject way more harder than it had to be. Yes I understand this class was never supposed to be a cake walk however, he turned one of my most favorite subject and made me hate it. Has no empathy whatsoever, makes you feel dumb and his lecture videos were so boring. He even threatened our careers.
The majority of the ratings on Prof. Burg are from the uncommitted. Put in work and its not that hard to get an A. Requires maybe 6 hours a week of studying. Hypes up the tests like they are going to be hard but they end up being very simple and straight forward. Skipped multiple classes and still ended up with over 100% in the class.
Its possible to get an A, just for maybe a handful of students. You either need to be gifted or studying for at least 4-5 hours a day to receive a good grade. He believes in one learning style and believes that students that dont that dont watch his hours of lectures outside of class to prepare for the class dont want to succeed. Heavy course.
Do not take this class, or this professor for anything. If you have to pick between Burg and Kurjiaka though, pick Burg.
You will not get an A, prof makes it a point too that no one will get an A. There was way to much work required for this course and it was impossible to stay on top of everything. Grades are not clear to student, exams are literally impossible, and too much homework and reading. He offers extra credit, but this was the hardest class by far.
Yeah, this professor is by far the worst one i've ever encountered. Doesn't even answer any of your questions and acts better than you even though you're his student he makes sure you know he's smart. Don't take this class.
If you take this professor get ready to spend a lot of time studying for exams. There were four exams total with the last one being cumulative. When our class performed in the 50s for the class average for an exam he came to the next period and told us that it was our fault and not his fault. Doesn't answer questions very well, especially for OH.
Study and you will do fine, but getting an A will be difficult. His unit guides make everything clear that will be on the exam and you can turn them in for EC. Not an easy class but keeping up with lecture and using the textbook helps.
This class with Professor Burg is a real challenge. The exams are tough, and he expects a lot of studying. But using unstuckstudy and the textbook can help you get through it. Attend class, stay focused, and you may just pull off a decent grade.
I had Dr. Burg last semester for this lab and I'm still mad at him. He was horrible at answering questions, would not show up to his own office hours, and would give the most condescending answers when you asked him about something. I would give a 0 but that's not an option.
He shouldn't be a professor. He may be a good person and know his stuff, but he doesn't care about students actually learning. Lectures aren't helpful, expectations aren't clear, and I leave class teaching myself. Even for college, I expect the time in class to be worth it. Youtube videos are more helpful than he is. I am so disappointed.
Bros slideshows did not make sense at all lol. I spent a lot of time teaching myself with youtube videos to understand what was going on.
Would not take as a professor again. I have been an all A student since high school and throughout college, and barely managed to get a C+ in this course. He does not teach, makes promises he does not uphold, and his lectures make no sense. He didn't responded to multiple of my emails, and is very condescending when you manage to meet with him.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
46%
Textbook Required
40%
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