3.6
Quality2.9
Difficulty63%
Would Retake101
Reviews63%
Would Retake
101
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
49
4
14
3
12
2
17
1
9
What Students Say
“Difficult to find your actual marks in the class as she is bad at informing students about scaling”
PSYC430 - 3.0 rating“Largely slideshow but skips through most”
PSYC430 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
58%
Textbook Required
33%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.05 avg changeRatings by Course
111
5.0
(1)PSYCHOLOGY111
5.0
(2)PSYC111112
5.0
(1)PSYC440
5.0
(1)PSYCH300A
4.5
(2)Difficulty by Course
300AB
5.0
PSYC432
3.8
PSYC430
3.7
PSYC300A
3.7
PSYCH300A
3.5
Reviews (101)
Melanie is a very fun prof BUT her first test was REALLY hard. Mind you, it is the first class that she has taught at Malaspina.
Melanie is a fantastic prof and a great new addition to MalU! She cares about how her students do and makes a point of letting them know it -- It's true that the first test was hard, but it wasn't as if she didn't give the class ample warning of what was going to be on it.. I love the Powerpoints!
Melanie is a FANTASTIC prof who has TOTALY made Psych fun!!! This is my favorite class!!! Sure, the first was a little hard, but the second wasn't as bad -- she really wants to see us do well and makes it VERY clear.. I don't thikn I've ever had a prof at MalU that cared soo much.. she's awesome!
If you are planning on studying psychology at Malaspina, I highly recommend Mel as an instructor. Given the dry subject matter (statistics) it is incredible that anyone could make the subject interesting. I can't wait for the second half of the course. Take classes from Mel!
melane is super nice, but mabey needs to be more willing to walk ppl through the info if they are having problems instead of telling them which page to look at . other than that she is great
good prof. hard class. she cares about students but the final was too hard. but i will take another class from her. would be better teaching other psych courses.
Whiners! Everyone heard the rumors of how hard it was and it wouldn't have been any easier with Leanne. Mel is a great prof. For you who are in Psych 111 or 112 with Mel: you have a great prof. She will prepare you well for upper level. The looks she gives to you who don't clue in... Priceless.
very hard class. she cairs bout students but shouldn't teech 100 level classes. she is nice thow
VERY GOOD PROF. A PERFECTIONIST. SHE PUTS A LOT OF TIME PREPARING FOR EACH LECTURE. LECTURES ARE VERY CLEAR AND SHE TELLS YOU WHAT IS ON THE EXAMS. I WILL TAKE ANOTHER CLASS FROM HER. YOU SHOULD TOO.
No Comments
Wow! I'm amazed at how low everyone has rated this professor. This is my third year in Uni and she kicks ass. She loves psych and it shows. Sure you have to work in her class (It isn't that bad. Try sitting in a class of 300 at UVic. Mel actually knows our names!) I agree, STOP WHINING!
agree with bellow. great prof.
This teacher is da' bomb. She knows her shiznack and actually makes it fun. Pop and chips to demonstrate hypothesis making. Dude! You can't go wrong. Hell, I'd change my major if all psych courses were this bombdigidy.
Fab professor! I enjoyed coming to class. She's a little caught up on OCD and Phobias though and seems to be a little overcritical of students and their cabillity to learn course material though. That being said, she is funny in an odd way and I would recommend her class. I learned lots.
greet teaching style. easy to follow. overall wunderful lady. she likes to help studints to. i like how she related things to reel life. it made the stuff easyer to understand.
nice person. she reads notes right from the overhead and you get a copy of it so there is no point in going to class. i do like her as a person but as a teacher she sucks. i think she chooses favorites too. if you can get on her good side you'll be fine. if not watch out
She is an empitome of the ideal professor and MalU is fortunate to have her expertice. She is warm,funny, and has an earnest desire to see all of her students grasp the material. Her dedication to Psychology is evident trhough the enthusiasm she brings to the class. Simply put, fantastic prof.
Very helpfull and eager. A good prof who is able to explain things to all levels of understanding.
Fun prof and fun class. She tries to adress class' individual needs and makes a point to encourage students to do their best.
The absolute best professor I have ever had. She honestly cares about how well her students do, she is always available to help, and she is very fair. On top of that she is an extremely nice person and has a great sense of humour!
Extremly nice and will do anything to help you out, if you study at all will do pretty well in this class. Tries to make class interesting on bland topics, overall very good and lectures notes are a dream come true because you don't have to read the text.
Melanie is a wonderful teacher. She is very understanding and caring. She's willing to help you out whenever you need it and cares if you do well. She's always friendly and pleasant to be around and she's just an all around awsome teacher. MELANIE RULES!
Very down to earth and remembers what it was like to be a student. She looks for the best in people and encourages students to work hard. She sees student's potential and encourages them to reach beyond their normal expectations. She has a true gift for teaching.
Damn good Professor. Very interactive with the class and makes the lectures interesting. Tests were a little tricky.
I would failed the course if it weren't for Melanie. She is super nice and understanding and cares about us.
Not the greatest teacher I've ever had. She gives out the notes, which is great, but she doesn't elaborate on them as much as she probably should. There isn't much point in going to class because of this. Nice lady though.
Mel is by far the BEST prof that I have had thus far. Be prepared to laugh in her class! She is ALWAYS avalailable for help if you need it (or if you don't). She is genuine and wants to see students succeed... ... ... ... SERIOUSLY... no joke.. her class is BY FAR my favorite :-) Good times!!!!
I liked her class. She is very helpful, she practically hands you your test in the outline. so if you can study at all you will pass this class with flying colours. Nice and is always worried about her classes anxiety :D
I did NOT like Melanie's teaching style. She is totally biased, and makes really judgmental comments about class members. Her lectures were very boring and involved WAY too much group work. As well, I found the tests very hard for a first year intro class.
This prof was great. Sure, her tests were difficult, but she gave an exhaustive list of material to learn prior to each exam. All information for the exam was pulled directly from the textbook and test-bank. Plus, she's always available for help when students need it. Mel rocks!
Melaine is AWESOME, Tests are really fair, very clear, AWSOME PORJECTS. Melaine is an great teacher and i would definetly take any class with her, knows her stuff. Class was always very intresting.
I liked this class so much. Would have been better if we could have done the group assignment on our own. I wish I had asked for help but I was scared to ask. She is so smart that it was too scary to go ask.
No Comments
Melanie is very critical of her students
Mel was not a good prof at all. It was clear that she was just picking things up as she went along. She's too biased, and she's an extremely unreliable marker (beware of written response answers on tests). Plus, the fact that all her exams are literally coppied from the study guide means that any idiot can pass the class even if they don't go. Bah!
Hmmm for her field in Anxiety she seems really ackward and nervous... perhaps her students scare her but... just her dispositions ob this gives me the creeps. First day of class and she tells us to read each chapter x2 or we'll fail! what a loser!
Mel's that best teacher ever, her class was so much fun.
I can't believe I actually like a math class!
Mel isn't particularly helpful, and she doesn't actually "teach" anything - just gives you the slides and tells you to read the book! She's SO nice as a person, but not a good teacher: you'll learn more from the TA and your classmates.
She's alright, makes the class go by pretty easily. Tests aren't really extremly hard or extremly easy...
Going to Melanie's class was always so much fun, I learned a bit bit I think it was mostly self taught. The whole lecture/slide/read thing is alright. Shes a great person, totally hillarious, and a not bad teacher.
This woman is f#?!ing awesome! She brings a refreshing change to MUC. Anyone stupid enough to 'dis the miss should drop out of school now.
can't go there
Coming from a straight A student, I found her to be the most frustrating, unclear, and unhelpful prof ever. I'd recommend avoiding her.
Mel was a good teacher. I liked her slides, you really didn't need to attend class to get a good mark and there were no assignments. She's a lot of fun. Sometimes however, she is way off the mark on some topics--she needs to be more open minded.
Melanie can be very sweet and friendly but needs to spend less time trying to be friends with her students and more time working on class material. I found her to be quite biased at times and she deffinately chooses favorites and "not-so-favorites". Theses biases get in the way of teaching and she does little to accomodate differing learning styl
If you're taking a course to learn something from the prof, dont' take from her! She does not deviate from the textbook and despite being in her office during office hours does not provide adequate help to students who ask for it. If you can, take from someone else. You will learn more from reading the textbook than going to class.
Agree with the previous comment. She has this idea that she's out to save Malaspina or something and makes a point of telling students how her approach to Psychology is the right way and that everyone else is wrong. She's far too preoccupied with what others think of her and has a habit of picking favorites.
easy tests, but she always picks favourties, even though she claims she doesnt...just a teacher who started off as really awesome, and now makes a big deal of everything
I felt that her comments for assignments were way out there and that she looked for reasons to mark you down and critisize you. She wasn't helpful when I asked for advice on the assignment, doesn't return emails, and didn't show interest in students. She was also very opinionated and contradicted the textbook on several occasions.
agree with previous comments. she definitely has her favorites whether she is willing to admit it or not. she basically teaches the class to them, and not to anyone else. she expects a lot and doesn't actually teach what she expects you to know for exams. if possible i will avoid her classes in the future.
This was my first time having this teacher and I wasn't impressed. I agree whole-heartedly with other comments on this page. She is very cold to students who she does not like (making it very obvious to the rest of the class) and explains the assignments one way and then marks them the other way. Needs to take a refresher on how to talk talk to us
In a word...RUN!!! She ruined this class for me, she is unreliable and totally biased your mark is a direct reflection of how much you gossip with her - not professional. BAD TEACHER!
HORRIBLE TEACHER, i was looking forward to psych, and she just ruined it, she doesnt clarify things, she just uses power point and does have favourites in the class even though one of our rules we all created together was not to pick favourites, i would highly not reccomend her!...pick a diff psych teacher!
I agree 100% with the other comments. She picks favorites in the class and makes it really obvious. In class all you do is listen to her read off of her powerpoint slides in front of you and then do really useless group activities. If you arn't on her top 10 list she will embarass you when you ask questions and roll her eyes etc. avoid this chick.
I really enjoyed the class. This prof made class really fun and I liked her teaching style and found I learned a lot. If you want to have a bit of fun and learn at the same time, take this class.
This class really helped me decide what I want to do with my life - be a therapist. Good teaching and had lots of great guest lecturers come in.
Cool prof, test weren't easy though. Lots of group work and interesting activities. Would definitely recommend.
Melanie is super AWESOME - prof is totally amazing. Take her class - you will be missing out otherwise!!
Good class. Good prof. Exams weren't easy but grading was more than fair.
Fun course!
I'm just out of high school and I'm so glad to be in this class. You know this prof cares and its the only class I actually like!!
Awesome teacher. Loved her class, keeps the class interesting and fun, great learning environment. tests on the other hand, u have to know ur stuff, but i guess thats what psychs all about right? as long as u know it all have a good handle on it youll do fine. totally recommed this teacher.
I am so acing this class. Gotta love it. Lively discussions and neat assignments.
like the class, good teached
This was a great class. The exams were always challenging but I guess that means you have to study. I actually feel like I learned a little something.
EXCELLENT teacher shes amazing so much fun, its really easy to meet people in her class too unlike most classes, test are challanging ...use the website it helps alot
I LOVE HER!!!! She is such an amazing teacher. She is very passionate about her work, which is inspiring. Her classes are fun and she makes you feel very comfortable when talking in front of your peers. She is very helpful towards her students and is easy to approach. I will take many more classes with her!!
I love her, favourite prof so far.. Very funny and kind, but it serious about psychology
Great professor. Passionate, knowledgeable, helpful, interesting, and funny. Always took opportunities to engage students and make them feel a part of the class. Created an environment where it was both easy to learn and to make friends.
Great teacher and person!
Melanie is very clear and her notes are organized and easy to learn. Her projects are great if you don't get stuck with a crappy group, so make sure you try to team up with the keeners. Her class was worth it, even though it was stressful.
I felt rather dismissed when I asked questions. Difficult to choose a good group on the 1st or 2nd class when you know no one! I think I may have been less confused if I just did the textbook (which is really good). Sparked my interest in stats though, which came as a surprise.
Melanie is engaging and passionate about psychology, however she expels anxiousness so much you can feel it. Her exams are incredibly tough and a little unfair (lots of trick and specific stat Q's), but she genuinely wants her students to do well. Make sure you read the textbook. She creates a comfortable and social environment is her classes.
Melanie is a great prof. I'll take any class she teaches. She is hilarious and personable which makes lectures a breeze. Group projects and presentations are a downfall. Lots of case studies on tests so know the material very well. Over all she is my favourite.
Melanie was a bit intimidating at first. I've heard she can be difficult but I found myself really enjoying her classes. She's incredibly educated and legitimately cares about her students exhausting all the opportunities the uni can offer them. I had to work hard for my mark but she's a fair grader and I would take her class again!
i loved my class with her. she was kind and open to questions. her lectures were interesting and she had good study guides and easy tests if you do the work. would definitely take this class again
Melanie is an exceptional professor! She has an immense passion for psychology. She cares deeply for her students and wants each student to succeed. The group work aspect of her class worried me since I'm a shy person, however collaborating with other students is a great way to build connections! Everyday I looked forward to attending her class!
Melanie is a very nice person, she is very caring and concerned about your well being. Class was very simple, assignments were super easy, and test were all multiple choice. Lectures were a bit scattered but in-class assignments with peers were pretty irrelevant and contrived. Lots of video clips and heavy use of power point.
TESTS entirely on the textbook, dont believe when she says she tests from the slides. She uses a textbook testbank, and the tests are mostly multiple choice. Despite this, she expects you in every class. She is nice, but misleading and scatterbrained. Difficult to find your actual marks in the class as she is bad at informing students about scaling
Doesn't answer emails, scatterbrained, tests ENTIRELY from the textbook (despite saying otherwise- she included a chapter we didnt cover), emphasized things in lecture she didn't test on. Too bad bc lectures were great. She expects a lot but doesn't tell you what. Talk to past students to see what she wants! Pleasant and knowledgable, but yikes.
Largely slideshow but skips through most. Misses a lot of classes. Exams are heavy with textbook content but she'll tell you to focus on the slides mostly. Difficult to contact her outside of class time. It's hit & miss. Lazy at the end. Cancelled our final. Not sure how she will manage teaching online. Uses D2L only to post slides.
Melanie is super nice and cares a lot about her students. Her marking isn't overally hard if you try. Her tests are pretty much just based off her slides with a few textbook questions. She is very helpful outside of class too.
Melanie is a phenomenal professor. Her lectures are informative, and her classes have an experiential focus which is highly engaging. You will learn so much from her! Beyond her academics and clinical experience, she is also an incredibly caring person and each student and their wellness/success genuinely matters to her. If you can, take her!! :)
Melanie is an amazing professor. Lectures were always meaningful and cemented learning concepts through discussion (which were often hilarious). She is incredibly caring of every student, and I'd say it was easily the best class I took. Make sure to attend every class, as it is fast-paced and always worthwhile.
amazing
Lectures were great and informative. Exams were difficult but easily done well on if material was studied.
I had Melanie for Abnormal Psyc and she was an absolute delight. I looked forward to attending her class every week and genuinely enjoyed her lectures and feedback. She is professional and hilarious- knows when to be serious and empathetic but can make the best jokes and ensure you're engaged in learning. Would recommend her class to anyone!
I liked the content of psyc 430 but did not enjoy Professor O'Neill's teaching. Instructions were very unclear, tests were super hard and she seemed to enjoy having her students anxious. I will avoid taking classes with her in the future.
Good lectures with lots of real life experience and stories to engage students in the material. Tests were multiple choice and covered the material well. Just wish the in-class and group projects were more interesting.
Dr. O'Neill is one of my favourite profs at VIU! She is very knowledgeable and honestly could easily be a prof at a better university. Go to every class and participate, which is easy because the content is so fascinating! She makes lectures fun and use both her slides and the textbook to study! Overall, show that you care and be professional :)
Much of the lecture time for this course was spent on topics other than those we were examined on. I found Professor O'Neill's teaching style haphazard and uninformative, and we were very pressed for time as the term was cut short by four weeks to make time for very long group presentations. However, the topics in this class were interesting.
Melanie is a great person who cares about her students' success and health. However, we were always behind schedule and lectures were crammed very quickly. She is very difficult to access and rarely spends time at the university. Her exams are nightmares. They are mostly based on textbook material. The stuff you are not likely to study...
I found Melanie's teaching style to be chaotic and unpredictable. As someone who is not typically anxious, I felt nervous walking into her classroom, which is ironic as she specializes in treating anxiety. She assigns massive group projects, so be prepared to be put into groups of 5 or more. She is minimally accessible for help outside class.
All in all nice professor, would take another class with her. But would only talk about 3/4 of the lecture slides still having questions on tests from things she didn't talk about. Would do random assignments in-class, if you missed a class on that day you had no way of knowing there was an assignment till after as she wouldnt post about it.
Really bad teacher. She is a good person but seems like she has too much going on to put effort into her teaching. You are expected to know all textbook and lecture material, even though she doesn't teach anything. She also picks and chooses favourites and it is very obvious. Prepare to teach yourself everything if you take her.
The most unorganized teacher I have ever met. Was constantly 10 minutes late to every class. If she was cancelling class she would let us know by email about 5 minutes into class as we are all sitting there waiting for her. Exams were almost as chaotic as her, her lectures turned into her talking about her life the entire semester
As others have said- Melanie is extremely unorganized and often distracted. She's a lovely person and very intelligent but it's clear she does not have the time to handle both teaching and her clinical practice. Her lectures were often irrelevant and rushed so be prepared to teach yourself from the textbook.
I found Melanie to be a great professor. Her classes were always engaging and full of energy.
Nice prof. taken a few of her courses and had a good time in both. Easy going but lots of group discussion and participation is necessary.
Melanie is a complicated person. I don't think she's fit to teach. Doesn't follow ethical practices - though she made us print out the Ethics Code, it's clear she doesn't apply them. Picks favourites and has major biases. I do appreciate her emphasis on preparing us for graduation, but the professional world she exists in is undesirable.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
58%
Textbook Required
33%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.05 avg changeRatings by Course
111
5.0
(1)PSYCHOLOGY111
5.0
(2)PSYC111112
5.0
(1)PSYC440
5.0
(1)PSYCH300A
4.5
(2)Difficulty by Course
300AB
5.0
PSYC432
3.8
PSYC430
3.7
PSYC300A
3.7
PSYCH300A
3.5