I took intoro to philosophy and Dr. McGowan really makes the class fun and worth coming to. Very laid back class and style of teaching making it really easy to participate in class discussions. It's obvious that philosophy is his passion, great class and professor all around. Highly recommend.

I have taken 2 classes Ethics and Philosophy, I definitely like Ethics better bc it is more controversial. Highly recommend him, he assigns 5 projects throughout the year (800-1000) words and 3 to choose from each section. Educating in Philosophy is his passion and you will not be disappointed. He lets you have your opinion while challenging you.

Professor McGowan is awesome! His lectures are interesting and he makes it super easy to feel comfortable interacting and voicing your opinion. You have 5 papers to write (easy 2 pg papers), a midtermfinal and a presentation. Participate in class and he will love you. Had him for Ethics and Philosophy. Definitely recommend!

Awesome teacher. He's super nice and laid back and goes to almost any length to help you. Easy assignments (5 two-page informal writing assignments). Had him for world religions and loved the class. Taking him again next semester! Would definitely recommend!

I loved Prof. McGowan! His midterm is basically copypasted the final exam, and his lectures are clear-cut and unbiased. He really seems to care about his students and loves to hear stories about their personal lives. He was honestly my favorite professor of the semester, and I am looking forward to taking Ethics with him next year!

He was super nice and super down to earth. He loves his students and wants to get to know them. He also provided an unjudging, unbiased classroom in which to learn.

A really chill prof and a really laid back dude. If you do the essays and speak up in class a couple of times, you'll pass, although everyone agrees that things are a hell lot more interesting if someone sparks a debate. Watching conflicting viewpoints is super entertaining, but he also teaches to respect all viewpoints, which is really good.

This Professor turned out to be such a disappointment, only wearing plaid shirts and khakis, like really? And don't even get me started on the shoes he wore... everyday.. YAWN! Just kidding... Professor McGowan cared about his class, he was passionate about the subject, and gave us freedom to share our views. I learned so much this year, Seth Rogen

awesome teacher, gives good advice, and always gives students the opportunity to voice their opinions

Easily the best professor on campus! Work load is very manageable and you'll always leave class in a good mood. Prof. McGowan is entertaining while also presenting a clear, and understandable lesson. Definitely recommend to anyone interested in philosophyethics etc!

I loved this class so much! McGowan truly loves teaching and is very good at what he does. I would definitely recommended especially if you enjoy expressing your own views. Even though philosophy was not my cup of tea, I am more interested and inspired by it after taking this class

Okay Dr. McGowan is awesome, His class is great and he makes learning philosophy not boring. I failed philosophy once before because the class was too boring, but with Dr. McGowan I never wanted to miss class. I would take any of his classes multiple times. I Highly recommend him. Study each Philosopher if you want to pass his tests.

Great professor totally recommend. Very cool professor and you barely use the book. Most of his class regards more in the power points he will provide for you. Projects are a huge amount of your grade, one mid-term and final. Show up to class and enjoy, the class is mostly discussion based in which most of the time it gets really interesting. :)

He's such an amazing professor. He's very understanding.

Professor McGowan was an awesome teacher. He is very clear about what he wants and as long as you pay attention and put forth some effort, you'll do fine. This class gives you a chance to express your opinion on many issues and the professor encourages it very much. Amazing teacher, fun and interesting class! I would recommend it (:

Awesome Professor !!! If I could take him again I would. He made this subject very interesting and class time went by very fast. You do not really need the book, he provides you with power points that you are able to have for any references or reviews. Take him, you'll enjoy it !

McGowan is hands down the greatest professor I've ever had. If you just show up and add your voice every now and then, you'll pass. You actually want to go to his classes. I've taken all 3 and would totally recommend all three. He loves what he does, so he makes it enjoyable. And he's attractive ;)

Great teacher! He's very understanding and teaches very well. 1010 stars haha

Professor McGowan is a great professor!!! He really wants his students to do well. McGowan is an interesting professor and he gives his students multiple chances to speak their mind and ask him questions. It is clear that McGowan loves teaching at the college level; he is very enthusiastic every class. I would definitely take him again!

Dr. McGowan is really down to Earth and loves what he does. He is pretty much Seth Rogan, but with two master's degrees and a doctorate. Class is interesting, and the essays were almost fun to write. I would defiantly recommend and I wish I was able to take more of his classes.

Dr. McGowan is a wonderful professor, and person at that matter. Gives every student his 100% dedication and teaches with love and passion. I highly recommend him and definitely would take him again! Everyone should at least take one of his courses, will stay with me as I go into the real world! Thank you Professor for a wonderful semester!

This class was incredibly applicable to life and helped me develop my own ethical beliefs on controversial issues. Discussions were always entertaining. Show up, participate in discussions, and take notes. Tests on everything covered in class and essay topics are interesting! Prof. McGowan is understandingfunnychill. Think educated Seth Rogan

Dr. McGowan is one of the best professors here at FSW. Not only is he passionate about the subject, but he also cares about all his students. He makes class very interesting and makes you not want to miss a lecture. GREAT PROF!!!

Professor McGowan is an extremely helpful teacher in the field of Philosophy and Ethics. He values everyone's opinion in class so, everyone will have a chance to speak if you wish. He's easy on deadlines, but hard on absentees. Show up to class, enjoy the lectures, do your work, and you will do wonderful. You'll also enjoy yourself.

Professor McGowan is the best professor i had so far at FSW i had him for World Religion and Ethics for spring semester his lectures are very clear and interesting unlike other professors his lectures are never boring and he loves hearing stories from his students . to get a good grade all u have to do his show up and pay attention to his lectures

Great teacher. I had him for Ethics and I enjoyed it but I wish the classmates would speak more. Professor McGowan is really good at making you think and he listens to your point of view on issues. Really is no homework but do take notes because it gets a little tricky on tests. Research papers have great topics too.

I'm a person who tends to ask a lot of questions about life., whether morals count for the better or for the worse. Decisions between right or wrong and whether what I believe is truly something I believe or designed to believed. His lectures are great, respectable professor, not mono toned at all, always has a joke up his sleeve, and encourages.

All opinions on contemporary ethical issues are welcome. Super nice guy.

Really great speaker and there are a lot of readings but interesting in my opinion. Try to speak more to get the class going. I felt like I was the only one in the class trying to get conversations out of topics we went through. What will interest him is you getting involved.

Ethics was one of my favorite classes I've taken because of McGowan. He's super nice and funny and you can tell he loves teaching. You don't really need to read the book (it's mainly essential for good discussions) but it is pretty interesting, so I do recommend you keep up with the readings.

Took online class and he posted awesome lecture videos every week on the topic that were super cool. Each week a 200 word discussion post is due and a 50 question quiz is due. Both super simple if you read the book. Easy A, but beware the assignments due at the end: A powerpoint project w/ 1500 words in the notes, a long paper, and a final exam

He's a great Professor. Respect him and he'll respect you. He is a fun guy to be around and he is laid back. He loves Philosophy and enjoys the differences within the class. I worked hard to get a high A but getting an A isn't too hard. Do all of the work well and it'll be fun and easy.

Dr. McGowan was a great professor. Interesting lectures that usually ended early, 3 papers and 3 exams, and he's pretty funny. Class was never boring and I can actually say I learned quite a bit by just sitting and listening (a rare occurrence).

This class was very interesting and easy. I would definitely recommend Professor McGowan. You have 3 tests, 3 essays and the final. All of the tests are easy and straight forward. He also wasn't strict about due dates. He would let you turn it in for full credit whenever. He was funny and nice. I would definitely take him again.

Amazing professor, he is really passionate and inspiring and really tries to engage us in the lecture. Class time is mostly him presenting the material, then asking for our opinions on the matter. The class can become a little challenging if you slack off or are never there. Show up, participate and you will be fine.

Professor McGowan truly loves what he does. He makes the course so interesting! He takes attendance, but you don't want to miss! Always has guest speakers of each religion which helped a lot. I would recommend him for my peers and take his courses again!

Dr. McGowan is a really cool professor! I looked forward to going to his class, and if you're interested in the subject you will probably love his class. He isn't strict about due dates and the class is predictable- it's mostly lecture based but he makes it really interesting. Would definitely take his class again!

This class is very interesting.. He brings in guest speakers and isn't biased with any religion. He kinda reminds me of Seth Rogan so that was great all semester.

The most down to earth professor I'ever seen. Very open minded, listens to each and everyone's point of view. Be prepared to participate, and discuss interesting topics. I would definitely takes his class again, if I had to.

Amazing professor, wish I could take more classes with him. He is very lenient with due dates but make sure not to take advantage you'll end up with a ton of stuff due all at the end of the semester. Overall great class

Amazing teacher Loves his job Inspirational

Super easy class. Pretty much just a reading, a participation in online discussion every week and a weekly open book quiz.

very Awesome professor, very laid back and understanding he does not give much work and tests. He allows you to turn in late work. I wouldn't mind taking him again for another class.

Amazing professor, would definitely take his class again!

Dr. McGowan was great. Would definitely recommend this class. His lectures are interesting, he's funny, and easy to listen to. A few essays were required but that's it. All you have to do is listen in class. Very enjoyable!!

AWESOME PROFESSOR VERY INTERACTED WITH CLASS. IS ENTHUTIASTIC AND MAKES IT SIMPLE AND FUN TO LEARN. VERY DEDICATED TO CLASS LECTURES AND GETS TO THE POINT ON WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND MCGOWEN, MICHAEL

You should take this class with him. It is a very simple class, and being an ethics class there is no right or wrong , mostly opinions. he is a funny and understanding professor. he looks and sounds like Seth Rogan... My favorite professor so far!

He isn't there to shove his person beliefs down your throat, but shows you how to think about what you believe, not what you should believe. He loves group discussion and hearing how we view topics. He's super lenient on due dates; everything's due the last day of class. Just get it in by then. Fantastic professor with interesting lectures!!!

McGowan is the best professor at FSW. World Religions was the third class I had taken with him and it was just as great as the other two. He's not a tough grader, just do your best and you'll do well. He's very open minded and the lectures are really interesting. We regularly had a guest speaker, most of which were great! Would take again!

I first took Ethics and the course was very "easy" but enlightening. He respected everyone's opinions and the class atmosphere was very open. I purposely returned for world religions and enjoyed it just as much, just a little more reading. By far favorite and most inspiring professor.

Professor McGowan is really relaxed and gives fantastic lectures. He really changes the way you think and see the world. There's no due dates and the very few assignments you do are interesting.

He's a great dude. You don't have to do the readings, but I did simply because I like this course. You only have 3 projects to do, 1 presentation, and 2 tests. Super simple class, just pay attention in class and you'll get an A.

An amazing professor who encouraged us to think critically and develop an argument based on logic, rather than tradition and sentimentality. He presents both sides of an issue and challenges the students to make their own decisions about it and share our thoughts with him and the class. I always looked forward to this class. McGowanRulezzzz

This class was a great class. It was more discussion than reading. Honestly most of the class didn't read until the tests were due. All tests are online. You get maybe 3 papers that you definitely need to read to complete. Kinda tough grader and he takes a while to grade your papers so you don't know how you did until wayy after.

very helpful professor and caring.

A great teacher with an open mind and caring heart for his students. He wants you to leave class with the ability to listen and accept others. He is still trying to organize his class flow and may switch things up at times. 10/10 would take again.

This course is heavy on writing, but if you read the text and listen to the lectures, there is no reason you cannot complete the writing assignments, most of which are discussion board posts. Cite your sources. Take the feedback you get seriously. This class allows you to share ideas and opinions and you are given every tool you need to excel.

Honestly, I dont know why Professor McGowan has such horrible reviews. This was such a great and simple class (World Religions). He grades quickly if you have any questions, he writes back promptly and is honestly just an all around amazing teacher. All you need to do is show effort, read a little, and he will back you up and make sure you pass.

My favorite professor of the semester. I was worried about taking a philosophy course that the professor would push his views. He does a very good job of not doing that. He creates an environment for you to develop your own opinion and know how to defend it.

Professor McGowan makes Philosophy a fun class to take. His lectures are great and they really go in depth. He also grants us the atmosphere to say how we truly feel about a particular subject without having to worry about someone else disrespecting our point of view.

Dr. McGowan's class is fun, his lectures are intriguing and clear. He has a good sense of humor. Very flexible with deadlines. And has very well-organized PowerPoint presentations to use as a review for the test or when citing your papers. Overall, he is a great professor.

Professor McGowan is such a laid back professor who doesn't judge you. There are discussions during class, but they are not those boring discussions you hear in your history class or your bio class. Things can get heated and very controversial during these discussions but everyone is respectful towards each other. He's a great professor! :D :) :P

Professor McGowan was overall an easy class. Must attend class , it is a grade. His papers are kind of difficult because your source must come from the book. His lectures are very interesting, he does good discussions that are very interesting. Does not Judge. I really enjoyed his class.

THERE ARE NO HARD DUE DATES!!! His lectures are actually interesting if you get involved and he's a chill, funny guide. There are only 3 papers and he gives you freebies on the tests, which are all online. There are a variety of options for the papers you can write, and they're not that hard. Easy grader, fun class!

Professor McGowan was really great. Not only as a professor but also a really cool person. He understands the struggles of a college student. He doesn't give ridiculously difficult assignments but he wants you to learn. His talks about life & his experiences made lectures fun and easy to pay attention to. Do your work and show up. You'll get an A.

Hands down best professor I have ever experienced. Class is always a moving lesson, he is so realistic and wants you to do well. I took this teacher for world religion, philosophy and plan on taking him for ethics.

One of the best professors I've ever had! His class lessons are by far the most interesting & educational. He truly appreciates everyone's feedback which makes you feel completely comfortable speaking in front of everyone. The projects are fun & I would retake his class again because he's that awesome. Thank you professor for a great class!

There's 3 projects and 3 exams that I did for the summer. Very lenient on class assignments, great lectures with group disscussions and Overall a great professor!

Dr. McGowan made a class, that could've been preachy and lecture heavy, relevant, interactive, and fun.

This guy is great! He's funny and you can tell he is very passionate about what he teaches. He cares about you have to say and makes you feel confident expressing your opinions in class. I'll be taking his religion class next semester.

Dr. McGowan is a great professor. He will listen to what anyone has to say and really make you feel like you matter in the class. His notes are pretty straight forward and he makes the content fun.

Amazing professor, doesn't force any opinions on you. However the projects are a little on the difficult side as far as grading. Tests are easy if you attend class and pay attention though

Dr. McGowan is an awesome professor, and he doesn't try to indoctrinate his beliefs into his students. He wants his students to come up with their own ideas and beliefs so much that he won't reveal any of his personal beliefs until the last day of class. I only took this class to get credit, but I loved this class and will take his ethics class.

Definitely makes the situation one where you are comfortable interacting in. He likes to make you think. Don't just give an answer you think he wants, be prepared to back it up with your reasoning. Take lots of notes and make sure you UNDERSTAND the material presented, you WILL see it on the test. Fun class.

Professor McGowan is a wonderful person who cares about his students. I was able to have him as a teacher for Ethics which was really cool. He respects your opinions on each topic and will make sure that no one disrespects you. The class is very interesting and involves a ton of participation and group assignments. I would recommend his class.

I took this religion class online and found it extremely interesting. He was kind of a slow grader so that got me nervous when turning it heavy weight assignments. Other than that, he was very easy to email and answered questions

I was bummed out when his on-campus class filled up, but I'm glad I decided to take his online course. I enjoyed listening to his video lectures. However, the highlight was the discussions. They got a bit heated at times, but everyone was respectful. Only 2 assignments due every 2 weeks! Grading was a bit slow, but I didn't mind. Great class!

Dr. McGowan is definitely one of the coolest people I've ever met. He seems really interested in getting everyone involved and hearing various opinions. The class never felt like a chore, it was something I genuinely enjoyed showing up to. I'm really glad I took it and 120% would take it again (o:

I enjoyed taking this class. Dr. McGowan was very knowledgeable and is clear with the assignments. We were required to post responses to a class discussion and then reply to two of our classmates. Dr. McGowan replies promptly to emails but takes forever to grade assignments. His grading assignments late is the only negative thing about him.

Took this course for Mini B, it was very easy. We are assigned two projects and the rest are quizzes and section discussions. He takes forever to grade assignments but he is a good professor. Highly recommend

I took this class online, interesting discussions and assignments. You will need your textbook. Other that the course was a breeze for me just stay on top of every assignment and you'll be fine.

This class is both funny and inspiring. 3 projects and 2 exams, all submitted online are all due at the end of the year. One presentation on one of the projects was worth 5 points. Very interesting concepts and explanation by Mr. McGowan made them very easy to understand. Read the assigned chapters before coming to class. it helps.

Really nice Professor, interesting lectures, really makes you think. Responds in a timely fashion and is understanding.

Professor McGowan was an amazing professor! I learned so much more about the world that I didn't think mattered before, but his class opened my eyes. Take PHI 2010 with McGowan, he's a very understanding and knowledgeable teacher, you won't regret it!

One of the best professor at Fsw. Caring and a great human being. Love his class, and definitely, I will retake him.

This was a great class. The professor did the most to make sure that complex topics were easy to learn even over the computer. The class is very discussion based. Only 5 discussions in the semester so each weighs a lot. He used video PowerPoints as well as additional materials to help support the topics.

Dr. McGowan is an amazing professor. This was my 2nd time taking him, and his methodology is the same. You have 1 DQ for every chapter of the module, and 3 Lengthy Quizzes. YOU MUST READ THE BOOK TO ANSWER THE DQs CORRECTLY. Dr. McGowan advises you to work ahead, as you can finish the (online) class as early as you'd like.

Dr. McGowan is an amazing professor. Each module is set up the same, you have 1 DQ for every chapter of the module, and 3 Lengthy Quizzes. YOU MUST READ THE BOOK TO ANSWER THE DQs CORRECTLY. Dr. McGowan advises you to work ahead, as you can finish the (online) class as early as you'd like. If you need or want to, take him for Philosophy also.

I would definitely recommend this professor. You'll need the textbook but he has very clear grading criteria and leaves fantastic feedback after discussion posts. I am a stay at home mother with a very active infant and was able to complete this course without much headache. I also took it as a mini semester.

Professor McGowan was an amazing professor and he is definitely a good professor to take for ethics class. He does group discussions at the beginning of some of the lectures, which is good to get some debates going. His class is very easy if you do the assignments.

This dude is cool. Sarcastic, funny, says things like they are. Understanding. As long as you show up and make an effort to participate and speak in class youll be fine

Professor Mcgowan was a real joy to have. He made the subject of philosophy, something that is usually seen as boring, as fun and engaging. I found myself disappointed when I had to miss a class because of an illness . In terms of assignments, he grades not on how well you answer the question but how well you argue your point.

Dr. McGowan is clearly very knowledgeable in what he teaches (philosophy, religion, and humanities). Yes there are a quite a few projects you will be assigned but if you pay close attention to the class and try to have fun nothing he assigns will be unnecessarily difficult. Dr. McGowan is also very respectful with his students.

Dr. McGowan was best prof I ever had at FSW. Long as you follow his syllabus you not going to have issue passing his class. He is very straight forward what he accepts from students. All you have to do is write three papers and take three open notes and book online test. Outstanding professor Dr. McGowan.

After hearing others talk about Professor McGowan on how great he is to take for any subject he teaches, I just had to take Ethics. This man is hands down one of the best professors I had. He's not strict, he's got an organized laid back class. Just take notes when he says to and make sure you show up.

Dr. McGown is very knowledgeable and kind. He has awesome class lectures/discussions, so I always looked forward to attending class. Very easy going and chill professor. Stay on top of your 3 essays, show up, pay attention, participate, review for quizzes/exams, and you're guaranteed to pass. I highly recommend taking any class with McGowan.

Prof. Mcgowan is incredible. One of the better Professors I've had online. He takes time to discuss and breakdown each unit in video lectures on youtube. There are five units, each with a 300-word disc and two 150 word response. The TEXTBOOK IS KEY, all the discussions and quizzes use the textbook and its reference materials.

Professor McGowan's class was my favorite. I took him for Summer Mini-B and the assignments were relatively easy. He has a couple of quizzes and about 5 discussions. The quizzes are based off of the readings from the book -- so make sure you purchase the book. I loved the discussions and topics. He is a thorough grader and gives amazing feedback!

I loved going to his class. He made ethics interesting & fun. Such a great professor!

Professor McGowan had great lectures that were easy to understand. He provided examples for topics through both stories and historical figures. Had an amazing understanding of different philosophical views. You could tell he loved teaching on the topic.

Overall, he is a terrific professor. His lectures were always engaging and intriguing to attend. He genuinely cared about the students and made sure that if they had any problems, they could come to him and he would try to help them.

This class was exceptionally easy. All you had to do was watch the lectures and read the material that he gave you, so you can use some of it as evidence for your discussion posts. He gives you great feedback, so you know what and what not to do for future discussions. His tests are extremely easy and they're not proctored.

Dr. McGowan's class was one of my favorites so far. His lectures were interesting and engaging and really helped me to keep an open mind and think more deeply. His expectations were clear and his grading was fair. He seems like the kind of educator that really enjoys his work and you can tell as a part of his class. This was a fun one to take!

If you are thinking about taking Dr.McGowan for philosophy class, DO IT. He will not give you an easy A, but you will learn a lot. When I took him this fall, he would constantly post about real-world events that we could rate what we were currently learning to. In order to do well in his class, you need to watch the videos he uploads.

Easily one of my favorite professors I've taken in FSW. He is super engaging and you can tell he is passionate about his work. He gets you to critically think and be open to different religions and beliefs. I definitely recommend him for philosophy or even any course he teaches.

Great professor that really wants to learn morality. Class only consisted of 5 discussions and 5 quizzes for ethics.

Took him for philosophy and he's a great professor. Dr. McGowan makes philosophy interesting and genuinely loves teaching/ the subject he teaches. You don't have to worry too much about deadlines he is very flexible and most of our grades came from attendance and tests. Would definitely take again for an in-person class.

Let me just say, this class should probably be mandatory not an elective. Professor McGowan has been one of my favorites so far at FSW. The lectures were easy to understand and I greatly appreciated how he made us think deeply about issues we face today. The quizzes are fairly easy, the discussions are highly introspective. Highly recommend!

Professor McGowan makes philosophy engaging and thought-provoking. His class is manageable with clear expectations, and unstuckstudy proved helpful for exam prep. Definitely recommend if you're interested in the subject.

He's amazing! Probably the best professor I've had in 2 years.

Dr. McGowan was amazing!!! He is so funny and he will let you do extra credit but you have to argue with him on why you think you deserve extra credit. He is one of the best professors I have had. I would take his classes over and over again if I could! Take his course!!!!!