Great teacher who really cares about his students!

Professor Van den Steen is passionate about what he teaches and seeks to ensure that students excel in his course. He more than meets students halfway. He frequently goes far beyond normal instructor deliverables to provide students with resources to assist in their learning. His teaching style is engaging and approachable. Students only need ask!

Dr. Nils is a professor that actually cares about his students' success. He is willing to work one on one as much as needed, and will carefully go through previous assignments with you. He is understanding of your time and always takes you opinion into consideration. He is approachable and respected by all students. However, his can be tough.

I never really found out how to pronounce his whole name so I call him Dr. Belgium lol, but I would recommend him to literally anyone. Hes an awesome professor that really listens to his students concerns and makes sure we really understand the material and do well on all the assignments and exams. I hope he finds his bike

Professor Van den Steen is such a wonderful and kind professor! It's obvious he really cares about the success of his students and wants to make the class a great experience for everyone. Not too much homework, tests are straightforward and even the online operations games are kindof fun. If you have to take ITOM be sure to pick his class!

I couldn't recommend Professor Van den Steen more highly for ITOM3306. He's an incredible teacher who is dedicated, makes class enjoyable with his high energy and some jokes sprinkled in, and explains the concepts in a succinct way for all students to understand. He is also always willing to meet and help students do well with the material.

Professor Van Den Steen is a superb teacher. The class was overall easily manageable. The tests can be difficult (the mean on tests is about 80% ish). The most difficult part of the course though is McMillian Learning Game Modules (specifically modules 4 and 5). They are extremely time-consuming and I found it difficult to meet the dollar goals.

Really nice guy and cares about his students doing well

Professor Van den Steen is one of my favorite professors of all time - super caring and one of the most reasonable, flexible professors. He brings a ton of energy to a dry topic and is more than willing to work with students one on one. Meeting him after exams is also really helpful - you won't regret it. Runs a great class.

This class is not my area of interest but this is prob one of the best professors at SMU. Many people make 100's on the exams not because the material is not difficult but because he really sets you up to succeed. Engaging lectures, you can definitely get an A if you put in the work (even though the cutoff is a 94), and not too much homework. 10/10

Good lectures, give plenty of practice problems.

Prof. Van den Steen is a teacher worth building your schedule around so you can take him, plain and simple. The material itself varies in difficulty and how interesting it is, but he always keeps his lectures engaging by including real life examples and humor. He is very clear on his grading criteria, and cares that you understand the material.

Amazing! Take his class you won't regret it!

Professor Van den Steen is the best professor I've had at SMU. He really cares about his students and tries to make learning fun and engaging. If you don't understand something, he will make sure to explain it a different way. Tests are challenging but if you pay attention you will be fine. If I could take him for every class in Cox, I would.

Professor Nils was an incredible teacher throughout the semester. His outward passion for the subject and class was expressed creating an atmosphere that allowed students to find interest in the subject. I would 100% take Dr. Nils again especially as a Cox class. His ability to simplify a challenging topic proves his outstanding ability to teach.

The best professor I've had at SMU. He genuinely cares about every student and wants you to do well. He is always available for help outside class and will even email you detailed examples if you ask. He is funny and entertaining in class and makes jokes to keep people engaged. I wish I could take him again!

Prof Van den Steen is a slam dunk for ITOM 3306. I gave him a 3 because the homeworks are easy and he is extremely good at teaching the concepts, but in my opinion his tests can be a little difficult. Nothing too crazy, just harder than the homeworks. However, he's an incredible teacher and lets you take an optional final to drop one exam.

My favorite professor I've had in Cox! Super engaging and enjoyable class with very relevant material that Professor Van den Steen made it easy to understand. I considered changing my major because I enjoyed this class so much

Probably my favorite professor I have had at SMU. He is an incredible professor who really cares about this students and is always available outside of class. Teaches the material in a very understandable manner and makes the classes very engaging. I will recommend Professor Van den Steen until the day I die. Absolute SMU Cox icon!

Created a rate my professor account just so I could rate him well. I absolutely love Nils. He is my favorite professor I have ever had at SMU, and he actually takes time out of his life to get to know students on a personal level. He never makes attendance mandatory, but he is so funny and such a good guy that you won't want to miss it.

Professor Van den Steen makes the ITOM lectures very interesting, and he has a great sense of humor. He is very clear about what is expected on the tests, and he offers helpful review materials. He is willing to meet outside of class to discuss class material. It is clear that he cares about his students. The homework is very reasonable.

His teaching style is super interactive and engaging. Attendance being optional is a godsend, but class is never boring and is always informative. Nils really takes the time to explain the intuition behind concepts. As a bonus, he's dripped out in the coolest vests you've ever seen. Definitely recommend for anyone taking ITOM!

Do whatever you can to take Prof Nils. He's super fun and engaging in each of his lectures and he really cares about his students succeeding in class. He's constantly making genuinely funny jokes and is able to relate to students really well. Class definitely isn't mandatory but he makes it fun so it's often enjoyable. Definitely take him!

Professor Van den Steen is an amazing, genuine, kind, and caring professor. I was able to learn so much in his class while still feeling understood and supported. I also had fun with the in-class discussions they were always very entertaining. While attendance was not required, his class was enjoyable to go to and his lectures were helpful.

TAKE HIM! He is honestly one of the most caring professors I have come across at SMU. He is very fair when It comes to tests and homework and is very upfront with what he expects. You will not regret taking him for ITOM.

Dr. Nils makes SMU a better place. I've never had a professor more caring and fun. Attendance isn't mandatory, but most people still come because of how great he is. I had little interest in the subject matter going into it, but he kept me engaged every single day and now I love learning about operations. I wish I could take this class again!

He is such a great professor! His lectures are very interesting. I found the tests kind of hard even though I would study. The multiple-choice questions were confusing. But he's so funny and a great teacher. Attendance isn't mandatory, but you should go to class because its very hard to learn the material if you miss class.

Professor Nils is one of the best at SMU. His lectures are engaging and he really takes the time to make sure everyone understands the topic before he moves on. Class itself is not too hard but you CAN'T fall behind or you will not succeed. This is by far the best ITOM 3306 professor!

I really enjoyed taking his class. He is actually the most hilarious and amazing professor here at SMU. I appreciate his commitment and care to the students and his job. The material wasn't the easiest for me but he help and explained everything in-depth. Best professor!

Guys- he's awesome. Tests are through the connect online platform, so only your answer matters- meaning no partial credit w work. If this ends up hurting your grade- go see him! He's generous with the partial credit and will walk you through where you went wrong. Overall, great class- super fun and engaging guy with passion for what he does.

Nils is the absolute GOAT! He's truly one of the kindest professors that I've had in my four years at SMU. He genuinely cares about his students and is willing to go above and beyond to help you learn. 10/10 recommend taking his class- he's so funny, helpful, and empathetic!

Professor Van den Steen, where do I begin? To say he cares about his students would be an understatement. He makes it a point to learn every student's name in a class of 55 people. His lectures are engaging (and funny), and his storytelling makes hard concepts interesting and understandable. His classes fill up fast for a reason. Take this class!

Nils is an amazing professor. I tend to use class time to do homework for other classes (sorry mom), but Nils made it difficult, because I was too engaged with the class. This is a topic that I was required to take and did not think I would enjoy, but Nils made it fun and exciting. He is so nice, and very funny. Success is not hard if you show up.

If you pay attention in class you will be fine. His tests are straight from what he teaches in class.

One of my favorite professors at SMU. All of his tests are straightforward, gives you weeks/month to complete homeworks that are very manageable to begin with. He teaches things in a way that you can understand what it means in the real world. Overall, he is so nice and fair. You have to study for the tests and you'll do well.

This man deserves the world!! I've never had a professor that cares as much about his students' well-being as well as their academic success. If you go to class you'll be fine, and the information I've learned is some of the most applicable and valuable I've learned in my entire 4 years without being unnecessarily challenging.

ITOM 3306 was a really hard course for me in general but Professor Van den Steen took the time to make sure all students understood the content and fundamentals. He really cares and clearly wants to make sure every student is not only successful in his class but enjoys it as well - great at translating content and putting concepts into context!

My favorite professor at SMU. Very entertaining classes that are informative. If you go to class the tests are fairly easy. Would definitely take again for another class.

Professor Van den Steen may be the best professor that I have had at SMU. Everything about his class is presented in a way that makes sense and doesn't waste your time. Also all of the homework doesn't take a long time and is there to help you understand the concepts discussed in class. He is super nice and actually respects your time.

His lectures are p hype, you'd genuinely enjoy going to them although they are not mandatory. It speaks volumes when you have other professors that don't mandate attendance with empty classrooms. Regarding the material, it's pretty self-explanatory & putting an honest effort will get you the grade you wish.

The lectures included example questions that the class worked through together, which was very helpful. The professor is great at teaching the material in a way that helps students understand & is accessible. There is a study guide provided for exams, which helps a lot and allowed me to do well on exams. I enjoyed the lectures, & highly recommend!

I truly do not have enough good things to say about Prof Van Den Steen. He is funny, engaging, creative, and truly wants to make sure those who want to learn will- and if you don't want to learn or go to class, he doesn't care and you still get participation points. Best professor I have ever had, wish he taught every cox class!!!

There's a reason he has a 5/5 rating.

AMAZING! Definitely take for Itom 3306. Engaging lectures with clear procedures, steps, definitions, etc. Homeworks are great preparation for the exams. Really cares about his job and his students.

Prof. Nils cares about all of his students, and makes an active effort to learn more about them outside of class -- there were multiple instances where I noticed him attending other org meetings, just because some of his students asked him. This class isn't hard, and attendance isn't *mandatory*, but it definitely does help you build on concepts!

He was fantastic, with great energy and very reasonable tests!

If you get less than a B in this class it is completely on you. Top 3 professor at SMU. Gives real world examples with everything he teaches. Tests aren't hard. Nicest and coolest professor I've ever had.

Best professor ever! Attendance optional but wanted to go because he gave such engaging lectures. Fun prof and very clear abt what is on tests (with practice problems) so you can do super super well in his class. Cheat sheets allowed for every test, optional final to replace lowest test grade. Best prof I've taken at SMU.

The homework was extremely minimal. This teacher is amazing- he is hilarious and very engaging during lectures. This makes the difficult material easier to grasp. The textbook is required but it is an online textbook through McGraw Hill. Participation is not required.

Professor Van den Steen an excellent instructor as he cares for students and gives engaging lectures. Attending class significantly aids understanding the material. He is generous with partial credit on exams, especially during review sessions so show your work. I'd recommend studying from the lecture slides, homework, and practice problems.

Great professor, funny and knowledgable about subject. Tests aren't hard if you read through the slides and ask questions.

Prof. Nils is awesome! He's funny and his classes are a breeze if you show up. Tests are chill, just study the slides and ask questions when needed. Linear programming can be tricky but he has office hours to help out.

AWESOME

Very chill professor, easy to learn a lot if you got class which is not required. Tests are not incredibly easy but you are given more than enough to prepare with and a front and back note sheet. Highly recommend for anyone

One of the best professors at SMU. I have no idea what the negative comments are talking about. His classes are optional but so enjoyable that you won't want to miss them. Definitely take him if you can.

Whoever doesn't give Nils a 4 or 5 is salty because they didn't go to class and couldn't teach themselves the material. Nils knows his content well, explains it well, and makes an effort to use examples his students understand and relate to. If you go to most classes and put in some effort you will get the grade you want. Take Nils, top 5 prof @smu

Hands down best professor I have ever taken. Nils allowed me to reschedule an exam during mental hardship which other professors did not honor. Class is not the easiest nor hardest, but if you attend class and prepare accordingly an A is achievable. Go to class, perfect your cheat sheets, and you will succeed.

super nice guy with fair tests. unlimited HW attempts. attendance optional. optional final.

Best professor at SMU! attendance is optional but you won't want to miss class. Class is enjoyable and Prof Nils makes the content very easy to digest. As long as you attend class and make a good cheat sheet, you'll do great!

Great professor! Made all his lectures interesting and attendance wasn't mandatory. Cared a lot about his students and always made time to meet with them outside of class. Was one of my favorite teachers at SMU

one of the kindest professors at smu, makes the class enjoyable for all majors, very flexible with you missing class, great person overall and will give advice outside of class, leaves tons of room for partial credit, exams are very similar to review slides and practice problems with a few twists

Clear expectation. Took time to get to know his students. Was flexible with meeting students after class for help.

Really great professor. He makes learning the material easy. Take him if you can!

Does everything to help you succeed. He is an amazing professor.

This professor is an amazing guy and I found him to be a great teacher. He cares about his lessons and making sure you understand through participation and positivity.

Tests are based off HW assigned and powerpoints. Clear and straightfoward class and really nice professor. One of my last classes at SMU and appreciated his passion for teaching as my time here comes to a close. Made a summer class seem like a breeze.

Prof. Van den Steen knows how to engage his students and made learning the material easy. You wont regret taking him. 10/10!

Nils has been one of my favorite professors at SMU. His lectures were fun and engaging, and he always made the class laugh. Even though it was a morning class, I always wanted to make it to class. He genuinely cares about his students and makes an effort to know everyone.

Can't recommend this professor more, he is so nice and caring, he really wants you to succeed. He posts extra help videos online and is always available if you have questions. Attendence is not required but I always went to class because his positive attitude and humor is contagious. Everyone loves this guy! 10000/10

Nils is a very caring and straightforward professor. If you get stuck on a test, he will help you work through your problem. He does not have an attendance policy which some people like, but if you go to his class and participate you will do well.

Love nils. Attendance wasn't mandatory but I still went because you shouldn't go into the tests blindly.... He makes everything easy to understand and wants you to succeed, options for points back on tests too. Definitely take him. WERK NILS!

One of my favorite professors at SMU. Truly cares about his students, has great humor, engaging lectures. Def take him!!!!

Great professor, very straightforward. Attendance not mandatory but heavily encouraged to be on good side and know what will be on tests. If you attend, be engaged, and do the homework, you will do well. His lectures are hilarious and very engaging. One of the top professors at this school so if you need to wait to take him, it's worth the wait!

Nils was by far my favorite Cox professor so far, amazing lectures, he cares not only about the class but about you too. Had everybody's names in the section memorized by 2nd or 3rd week of class. He does cold call but won't press you if you're just not having it that day. Very chill guy and wish i could take him again.

I loved Nils' class!! Very straightforward grading criteria and you don't have to go to class at all. The homework is really easy and the tests are like verbatim what he says they'll be so can't complain.

Nils is a super nice professor who is more than willing to help his students. With the right amount of effort and studying the class is easy and you are allowed to do test corrections and he is super accessable outside of class. Def take for ITOM!

His lectures were entertaining, especially helpful when you're doing some of the math later in the semester. I'd recommend reading the textbook as exam prep. After every exam, go review with Nils! He might give you points back. You get a one-sided cheatsheet. Oh, and he does take attendance into consideration at the end of the semester for rounding

I can't speak highly enough of Nils! I genuinely look forward to his lecture every week, he's so fun and makes the content truly engaging. The content of his exams is not easy, but as long as you attend class and put in the work you will do well. Take this class if you can!

I couldn't recommend him more, I'm always invested in his lectures, there's never a moment where my questions go unanswered.

I always looked forward to going to this class. He is very engaging with the class and keeps lectures enjoyable to listen to. I learned a lot in this class; if you feel like you didn't, you probably never attended class. Exams are not crazy hard, if you show up to class and pay attention, they are fairly easy. 1/3 of the class don't show up.

I love Professor Nils. He genuinely cares about his students and is accessible outside of class. Attendance isn't mandatory but it helps to get to know him and to better understand the material. He makes learning the information fun and knows how to keep the class involved/entertained.

Okay... I think that he's a great professor. He does teach the concepts very well. However, he is very unprofessional. Seriously, why are we dropping the F-word and the CU*T around class?

This is a hard class, but Nils is the best teacher for it! He cares, is engaging, and goes out of his way to support his students. Put the work in, and the material can be grasped. You can just easily tell who puts the work in and who does not care just based on grades! I loved his course! I suggest going to class even though it's optional.

Outstanding professor. He excels at teaching and breaking down complex concepts. While his style is somewhat informal, it never detracts from the learning experience. He focuses on what truly matters and ensures students grasp the material. I genuinely had a great time in his class and learned a lot.

The Goat of ITOM, take him if you can

GOAT prof, some of the most insane lectures simply cause of audacity and connects everything to real life. Unlike other reviews the class gets better every sem and no mistakes made and he's just a very chill guy to talk with.

He is the best professor you can take at SMU for this class!!!! HE is AWESOME

Such a great professor and human. Attendance isn't mandatory, but you honestly get so much more out of the class if you actually attend. While I think his lectures can sometimes go off topic, he does a great job of making them apply to the real world. If you show effort and meet with him if you're confused, the class is straightforward.

Great guy. Attendance not mandatory and I still got As on every exam. Warns you ahead of time of the homework and how to do it to get 100s. Super funny lectures. Sometimes gets off track with side topics but you can count on it being entertaining. Would def take again for this class.

A professor who actually cares. Good class, had a lot of educational fun.