Prof. K is amazing! He is brilliant (and v hot). I was in his Life Science class in LS, and was not looking forward to a science course, but he made it interesting without being very technical. He's all about teaching you how to think like a scientist, not be one. Be ready: the conclusion of his lectures will blow your mind!

Absolutely loved this class. Wish I could take him again. He is very passionate about what he is teaching and does an excellent job. Midterm/Final are open note - and you better take good notes. He offers extra credit. Participation is optional, but those who participate the most get automatic A for second essay which is sweet. Also good looking.

This was my favorite class by far. His lectures will literally blow your mind, and he always finished them with something that will make you think about the entire world differently. His midterm and final are open note which helps alot, graded on a curve too. he offers and automatic 100 on the final essay for good participation grade. Amazing prof

take him.

TAKE HIM. Lectures are thought-provoking, captivating and informative. Very laid-back atmosphere, yet its very clear he loves to teach and takes it very seriously. His class is such a great experience!

Great teacher, really obvious that he loves the topic. All quizzes and tests are open note.

Absolutely amazing class! I'm not a huge fan of hard sciences, but he made it so interesting because he focused more on the life aspect of it. Take his class! I thought I'd hate it, but it ended up being my favorite, most thought-provoking class. All tests and quizzes are open notes. His lectures are incredible, will blow your mind! No textbook.

Everyone should take his class if you need to take Life Science. As someone who is not particularly interested in biology I was surprised how much I enjoyed this class. Professor Kukushkin is extremely intelligent and it is clear that he loves the subject and teaching. All exams are open notes and the essay prompts are quite interesting

One of the best profs I've had at NYU. Kukushkin is engaging and entertaining, truly passionate about the class and wants the students to do well. The midterm & final are open book (make sure you take good notes in class!), and then there are two essays (he wants a deeper meaning on these - check your topics with him before). Would 100% take again!

Professor Kukushkin teaches life science in an interesting way and encourages creativity in essays. While the exams are open book and not too difficult, the essay does encourage some thinking. He is a fair grader and encourages creative thinking.

smartest guy at NYU. He knows so much about everything & makes life sci so simple for idiots like me who never understood science before. Gives reading assignments but he'll tell you which ones are on the exams which are open book. tough papers but is available for help on them. You could tell this dude is super passionate about what he does.

I'm not a huge fan of science, but he actually made my Life Sci req enjoyable. Not only were hey intriguing and thought-provoking, but they really made me rethink about the way I think at life and about the world. He makes it very clear through the sem that this is his goal--mission accomplished. Definitely one of the best professors I've ever had.

Kukushkin is amazing! I don't even like science but I loved his class. His lectures are fascinating and his essay topics are interesting and fun to write about. I would definitely recommend his class.

He's a really personable teacher and very kind. He is extremely intelligent and every time he lectures I really feel enlightened and like I learned new info. Very interesting course material with not too much homework.

He is truly one of the most amazing professors. I am not into science and he made it so interesting and accessible to me when it felt like something I'd never be good at or enjoy. His lectures blow my mind and change my entire world view in just one class. I'm so impressed by his intellect and care for his subject. Take him and change your life.

Come to class, and take notes and you will be fine. All tests are open note. He gives great feedback, and is such a nice person,

Nikolay is the BEST PROFESSOR. He is so organized, kind, fair, and absurdly intelligent, but not intimidating about it. TAKE THIS CLASS!!!! WORTH THE 8 AM! There is a group project that is 25% of the grade but it's not hard and if you ask for help, he'll tell you exactly what he wants. Exams open book. Participate in class to exempt essay

Nikolay Kukushkin is a real enigma. He's such a good natured professor, but beware but because he's pretty strict and abrasive in his moments (only when you've messed up or something). But he makes you really want to work for your grade. Not to mention his lectures are so amazing! All exams open note. Interesting essay topics. TAKE HIM!

Dr. Kukushkin is THE BEST!!!! Loved showing up for the 8AM, which was so worth it! Mind-blowing lectures. Kind, fair, reasonable, BRILLIANT guy. TAKE HIM. His class got me excited for college and he helped me figure out my major! If you go to his office hours, he's very clear about his expectations and SUPER helpful. Best class and best professor.

You see all these ratings. It's true. There's no better science professor for humanities kids. Got 100 on both papers and you probably will too if you do what he says. So stimulating, inspiring, interesting class. Some concepts can take time to grasp and it can be hard to find time to ask Qs, but whatever. Worth it. I'd take it again.

Prof. Kukushkin was, by far, my favorite professor this semester. You can tell that he put a lot of time and effort into making his lectures as exciting as possible with everything being online. He is very organized and clear about what he expects from his students assignments. While it was a lot of work, it was also very rewarding. Amazing Prof.!

I didnt appreciate what Professor Kukushkin had to offer during the first few weeks of class, but as time went on I can now say his class was the most interesting and informative class I have ever taken. A lot of group projects and the lectures and truly remarkable. The concepts discussed develop critical thinking skills and are relevant.

Highly recommend if you are not a science person, avoid if you hate group works. You do not have to know everything he talks about in class to do great, because lots of the assignments are about creativity. I know nothing about science but got good grades in most assignments. Do the extra credits, you will be fine. Also, he's a nice guy

He's one of the most organized and knowledgable professors in liberal studies - he knows so much about every facet of every topic. Class covers many diverse topics. Exams are almost based entirely on lecture content. My only complaint is the tons of group work. But he is extremely understanding (to an unexpected level), intelligent, and in-depth.

kind & understanding professor, will give you an extension on big papers (if it is reasonable) and he was very accommodating for time zone differences. likes when students ask questions, replies to emails fast. very good at explaining concepts. his lectures are actually interesting (speaking as a non-stem person!). pay attention and youll get an A.

There are lots of assignments that requires creativity. The work are a little intense, but they are manageable. I feel like this is the course that I have gained the most personal growth from.

Some of the content of the course is a bit heavy and not having a textbook made it harder, but it's definitely manageable. Professor Kukushkin is very, very smart, accessible, and made this class a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. This class is also very organized, and the extra credit assignments are really helpful.

Probably one of the smartest human beings I've ever met. Also a very organized professor who grades generously and gives quick feedback. However, don't take his life science class unless you're prepared for lots of writing assignments that require effort and creativity. I don't mind spending time for an A, but his assignments can be a real pain.

His lectures are amazing, it is very clear he puts his whole heart into teaching. He is very kind and understanding, there is no daily homework assignments except for google forum quizzes that are graded for participation. You won't pass if you skip lectures since there is no textbook and he doesn't provide extra resources to study for exams.

This was a truly interesting course that makes traditionally logistical sciences very fun and interactive. Excellent professor who very clearly cares for his students. He provides great feedback on all his assignments and if you ask for his advice on projects, he will tell you and it is a very easy A. Awesome prof and I highly recommend his class!

Despite the group work can be sometimes heavy, it is definitely manageable and he is very lenient on grading. Midterms and Finals are open book and it is not like a traditional biology class. TAKE HIS CLASS!

Good professor, but get ready for doing projects

So, this is probably one of the lightest science classes at NYU, and yet people are still complaining about the light work load? This is a COLLEGE SCIENCE class. But anyways, yeah take this class because the professor is super nice and funny, and all of the papers/essays/group projects are graded really lightly.

Nikolay is one of the best professors I have encountered in my life so far. Almost teared up during his speech at the end of the semester. Clearly cares a lot about his students and tries to make everything in class understandable and useful outside of just university. Workload can get a bit heavy, but everything is take-home so it is manageable.

Took him a few years ago I can see why some ppl dislike him. Sometimes he would be pretty impatient (reasonable leave of impatience) but most of the time he would be really nice. I still keep some of his long emails because they were just well-written. I hate those group projects too and believe to learn biology you really don't need to do those.

Professor Kukushkin is fair but his class isn't an easy A. He expects precision on exams and he has a no-tech policy so be prepared to handwrite your notes. There was an essay, an individual project, and a group project with a presentation, but the midterm and final were both online. He always answers emails and is knowledgeable in his field.

While his class isn't an easy A, Prof is fair and clearly cares/is passionate about his class. He is strong about his no tech policy, but I think I benefitted from it. The workload isn't that intense at all, and the midterm/final is all online, he is pretty clear about his grading. Overall a great guy, don't let the bad reviews scare you off

He was fantastic! He was passionate about the material, and he tried to make sure that the material was engaging and relevant. He was also extremely accommodating and considerate towards everyone. The workload was manageable and doable for those not knowledgeable about science. Definitely not an easy A, but he's worth it. Take him if you can!

Not an easy A, but still Prof Kukushkin makes the topics he teaches digestible for someone who doesn't like science. There is a big group project where you do not get to pick your partners which can be worrisome. If your lucky you'll be put with people who do their work, but if you don't, idk what to tell you.

The best prof ever. I miss him fr y'all. Very passionate, funny and caring toward his class. I MISS YOU PROF KUKUSHKIN!!

Easier than most AP classes you would take in high school. The professor is super communicative and clear with his assignments and grading. On top of that, hes a really chill and organized guy. Grading consisted of quizzes midterm and finals (which are all done online and are based off lecture material), and also a few papers. (some group work)

God amongst men. If u gotta take life science, take him. type to get it over with without taking a piece of ur soul, literally. Lecture heavy and no tech but u will learn a thing or two. group project wasn't the best idea, but u gotta be on top or ur independent work (pay attention to deadlines and u aight). everything was super straightforward.

One of the best professors I've had in NYU! Very intelligent human being, who taught life science clear. Excellent teaching method. Average difficulty, you'll regret for not taking his class in the college. If anyone thinks it's a nightmare level difficulty class, kindergarten might be a better place for him/her to move on.

One of the best professors I have ever met! TAKE HIM. The lectures are amazing! You do have to put effort into the course to get an A but it is not impossible.

the lectures are super organized and interesting and the case studies/examples included are always great. the group project isn't all too hard, and he gives good feedback on it. the quizzes and tests were all take home and online but they were kind of hard so make sure to pay attention in class. overall he's a great guy and good lecturer. TAKE HIM!

TAKE HIM! He's so inspirational and friendly!

Reading other reviews, I strongly disagree that Professor Kukushkin's class is boring or that he doesn't care about his students. His lectures are some of the most interesting science topics I have ever learned; this was the only 8 a.m. I looked forward to. He expects the same effort that he puts in, and appreciates students who want to learn.

He's one of the best professors in Liberal Studies, if not the best. His passion and enthusiasm for biology make every lecture interesting and exciting. The class is hard work, but your grade reflects your effort; the tests are relatively easy and are heavily curved. If you care about actually learning in college, Kukushkin is your gu

All I can say is that if you show up to class, you will be good. Attendance is all that matters as the tests are all based on lectures, nothing else. Amazing professor, learned so much from him and this course, highly recommend if you want an intelligent guy who will care as long as you show up and care as well. Great extra credit too.

He gives chances to do XC. He's super fair even if the class is hard. You actually learn and have an interesting professor. At the end of the sem he gives you his instagram, and he posts literally the best things. 100% would take again.

The midterm and final are brutal, but he was genuinely such a nice and cool professor. It was hard (especially if you're bad at taking tests like me) but the projects and lectures are SO interesting. If you want a challenge take this class! Also was so genuinely respectful of my Moses Center accommodations and went out of his way to meet them!

Every assessment is based solely on the lectures. As long as you come to class and take good notes, the exams should be easy. He also allows cheat sheets for the midterm and final, although the questions are mostly conceptual. If you go to his office hours, he will also hint at certain important topics for exams.

He was one of my favorite professors I've had here. Super knowledgeable and his lectures were great and I really feel like I learned a lot in this class. Some people didn't like him because they found the class difficult, but everything we learned about was so interesting. If you want to learn, I highly recommend. He's also just a very nice guy

He is the most inspirational guy ever. love him with my whole heart, but the workload is heavy. Lots of assignments, very difficult midterm. I'm not a science person, but he really made me interested in the material - his lectures are really interesting. I wouldn't take him again because it's very time-consuming, but he's a fantastic professor.

Professor Kukushkin is a kind human and an excellent Professor! He is clearly very knowledgeable about the material he teaches and cares for his students. His exams are very challenging, and his quizzes, though online, can still be tricky at times. Nonetheless, you will learn a lot in his class.

He is the best and most interesting professor I've ever had! His lectures are extremely interesting, and his content is very comprehensive. The only thing is that his midterms and finals are hard but he grades the essays very fairly,

Favorite professor ever! This was the only science class that has ever made me interested in the subject. The lectures are packed, but he's very engaging and makes it digestible—take good, detailed notes in class for exams. He's clear with his expectations and fairly generous with grading projects. Also very accessible through email. TAKE HIM!

Professor Kukushkin is by far one of the best professors in the LS department, if not in all of NYU. The MOST important thing is to come to class. I came to every class and barely had to study for the exams. Truly, the only way to do well in class is to come to lectures and take careful notes. He truly changed my perspective on the world around me.

Professor Kukushkin is very inspiring and makes learning biology, evolution etc. fulfilling and inspiring. I was never confident in STEM courses, but his lectures are honestly beautiful and interesting. His course is definitely hard, but if you put in real work, it will reflect in your grade. Take notes and participate! He's genuinely a cool guy

The midterm and final are challenging, even with a cheat sheet, so studying and keeping good notes are important. If you put in consistent effort and stay engaged in class, you can do well and learn a lot.