intriguing lectures. really wants you to understand, but expects a lot. if you don't get it, that's all bad. homework is challenging. very knowledgeable teacher.

He definitely knows the material. His lectures are extremely organized though his formality may intimidate some students. The homework is much harder than the tests, but he will go over almost any problem (and will make sure you understand) if you take the time to go to his office hours or simply ask him after class.

One of the best teachers in ECS department. He really spends time with you to make sure you understand the material. You have choice of research or normal projects. He gives great big picture as well as details. He has great public presentation skill. I entered the class with nearly no interest, but totally changed after the 3 months in his class.

Great Teacher. Really understands what is important. Open book tests because wants you to understand. It is more difficult for me because its PC based and I use macs.

Excellent professor. He has a way of explaining things and he can explain computer and programming concept very well. Also his class and lectures are very well organized. He's a very nice and approachable person too. Take his class if you're interested in Computers.

As you can see, Professor Koehl seems a bit easier in the introductory ECS 15 class, but other "real" ECS class reviews have much more difficult ratings. But the consensus is clear--he is a splendid lecturer, and goes out of his way to make sure all his students gain interest in computers and bioinformatics.

Basically a math course in CS form, you'll learn quite a few useful things. If you go to class and do the homework, the rest of it is cake. Proofs are a bit difficult, but that is it. Grading is fair.

He is a very good professor. His lectures are clear and organized and helped me get a better understanding of computer programming. The labs are somewhat tricky, but he helps you out with them if you email him about it. It's an overall good class. The term paper is pretty easy too.

Professor Koehl is a great instructor. He knows what he is talking about during lecture. Very friendly and is easy to communicate with. Very helpful for labs and any other questions you have. The midterm and final was open notes and "open computer". Overall easy.

It's impossible to fail this class. Term paper is very easy, although it is 2500 words/10 pages. Tests are open note/open laptop. (the best thing that's happened to exams)... but python labs were quite difficult. He tends to ramble though =X

I signed up for this class thinking that computer programming is going to be hard, but Professor Koehl makes it super easy; all the exams are open notes and he basically holds your hand throughout the quarter with the term paper and labs. Lectures aren't mandatory, but helpful for lab work. Overall, great lecturer and fair/generous grader.

Loved this teacher!!! inspired me to look into a career in computers. He loves to teach and wants everyone to come out learning something new! Class includes a ten page paper 11pt font and some coding with python. You need to work hard in this class.

Koehl is a hilarious professor who really wants to see his students do well. He is very irritable, so do not act too annoying. But he is extremely helpful and makes sure his students completely understand the material. The class itself is fairly easy: labs are easy to ace, tests are fair, paper is easy. DO NOT BUY TEXTBOOKS! I strongly recommend.

Highly recommend taking this class! Labs are easy and the grading is generous. The midterm is not easy, even if it is open note. The exams are longer than the practice exams. Professor has an accent, but his lectures are great.

I really enjoyed Prof. Koehls class. Lectures are entertaining and informative. He posts lecture notes online, but the most important info you will need for exams & lab are given in lecture only, so attendance is key. Labs & term paper are easy but exams can be difficult. Books unnecessary but can be helpful for exams since they are open book/notes

Very good professor, with a nice French accent. This class is an easy A even if you halfass it. There is a 10-page essay, but it can be about anything you want. He goes on a tangent at times, but there is meaning in what he says. If you're not sure whether to take this class or not, take it!

Attending lectures is helpful. Posts labs and presentations online but explains it in class. don't worry about the paper. he gives exam examples with their answers; study those and you'll pass.

Amazing lecturer. Takes the time to thoroughly explain the material, which is a breath of fresh air in comparison to the typical CS class.

Interesting class for those who are not familiar with computer science and programming. Koehl tends to rant on about random stuff but in the end he gets to the point. Pay attention in class, understand the programming labs, and do all the practice exams and you'll get an A. Programming labs can get a little confusing and frustrating but they're fun

Best lecturer I've had. Really funny and passionate about the subject. On the flip side, he is irritable, has zero patience for incompetence, and on several occasions, he unjustly humiliated students. So watch out. Taught number theory and counting for days but never tested us on it, so I never learned them. Exams were difficult. Too many proofs.

He's a good person overall. Every time i ask for help he would help. Homework and the final was a nightmare to me. Every Friday i would have to go to the csif tutoring place for help. Final was basically all proofs, a few easy ones but some pretty challenging ones as well. I think i put the most time in this class and still might not pass it lol.

never missed any of his lectures. he is amazing. the most difficult parts to me are number theory and counting but he didn't test on them. final has a lot proofs, especially by induction. I did all the homework by myself so final is not a big deal.

Koehl is an incredible lecturer, but if you don't attend lectures don't expect to pass as he doesn't use a textbook at all. The material is difficult and engaging yet not too hard. He has clear requirements and expected ways of doing things and as long as you adhere to them you will do well in this class. Grading is fair and feedback is plentiful.

Patrice seems harsh and cold sometimes due to his lack of tolerance for incompetence which makes him somewhat intimidating. However, he is actually really helpful. I went to every single office hours and he would also answer questions after class. Tests are not easy, but I studied really hard for them so I did well. Hard work will pay off.

Was pretty easy. Most people should've learned logical expressions and sets before. Test averages were 67 and 73 for midterm 1 and 2 respectively. The final was not like the practice final, but the midterms were similar to practice midterms. Nice curve. Curves at end of course not midterms. Final was out of 120 but he curved it to be out of 100.

One of the best profs I've had at the university. Has high standards for students so show up with your A-game. For one of the few non-technical classes in CS, this is the professor to have to get the most valuable experience.

Koehl is a great professor that truly cares about students. The class had engaging discussions and was a good break from the other upper div ECS classes. He tries his hardest to make lecture engaging and it shows. This is one of the few classes that I actually looked forward to going to every day. I highly recommend this professor.

Koehl is was an awesome lecturer and he knows his stuff. 129 was a fun class and I felt no previous bio knowledge was needed to do well. Koehl is also incredibly helpful in office hours and he clearly walks through the steps to solve problems. Overall, Koehl is the professor that I wish more professors in the CS department would be like.

Dr. Koehl is extremely passionate and enthusiastic. The class is really easy if you have prior experience in biology and computer science. I enjoyed the class. His enthusiasm was contagious.

Easily the best computer science professor at UC Davis. Not only is he very passionate about what he teaches, but he makes the class very exciting. I never skipped class and always enjoyed going to the lecture.

I love this professor. He clearly cares about his students and wants everyone to do well. His tests are more than fair (open note) and gives plenty of time for homework to be completed. He runs the discussion sections and does a thorough job of teaching the material. DO NOT skip lectures. They are very important. I cannot emphasize this enough.

Prof. Koehl is a very good lecturer. 9 homework assignments due every week and he drops the lowest one. If you go to discussion, attend lectures and do the homework by yourself, the midterms and the final should be fairly easy/doable. Would love to take him again!

He's an amazing lecturer and an incredible prof. I went to every class and really enjoyed his lectures. There were 9 assignments and 2 midterms. He really cares about his students and truly wants you to learn. Go to his OH to get help if you don't understand something. He may be intimidating at first but really helpful. Take him!

Professor Koehl is the best thing that has happened to Davis. This school is lucky to have him and you'd be lucky to be in his class. If you need any help at all you can go to office hours and if you can't make it, he is in his office all the time for help. He never turns students away. He respects students(emails back,accommodates). He's a genius.

I have had Professor Koehl for both ECS 20 when I first came to UCDavis and ECS 188 which I currently just completed with him. In respect to grading he is tough but fair. If you attempt your best at the work assigned you will be reward such. He is a very fair professor as well as a great educator. Definitely would recommend.

Great professor. Really solidifies the important concepts through lecture, discussion, and homework. He clearly cares A LOT about students (he leads all of the discussion sections.) His second midterm was a pretty tough (a bit too long for 50 minutes), but he compensated with a fair final. Koehl's class will truly teach you how to think.

Professor Koehl is the best CS/Math teacher I have ever had. He is passionate in the material he teaches and put a lot of effort into making sure his students understand. His homework and tests are not easy but as long as you study and pay attention in class you will do fine. The class has a gracious curve. Also, he got an amazing accent.

He's hands down the best professor I've ever had. I was always super excited to go to class even though attendance wasn't mandatory. Go to discussion sections and make sure you do all of the problems he goes over in class again on your own time. Tests aren't too hard if you put in the effort.

He makes the concept easy to understand and he teach discussion himself. In discussion he goes over examples on how to apply what he teaches in lecture, fpre-midterm1 material is easy but after it gets harder. Just make sure to take a small portion of your time to study and understand concepts. Theres extra credit, hw , 2 midterms, and a final

One of the best professors at UC Davis. Speaks slowly, but it's truly for the better. Lectures are very organized, and tests are open note. He is good at getting students to develop a mathematical intuition for proofs, something that is new to most students taking the class.

Really cares about you putting in effort and succeeding. Discussions are basically extended lectures. No required text. I found the first half of class to be really easy but was lost towards the end. Make sure to stay on top of it and do the hw. Best teacher to take 20 with. By the end of his class you can recognize his voice anywhere hahah

Gr8 prof I had to start off my freshmen year with. Lectures are really important and I just can't emphasize enough on the word 'really'. He comes to all the discussion sessions as well so make sure you give your 100% to this class as he does the same for you. Definitely a hard class but best prof to take this class with. Will take again!

He is an amazing lecturer. Don't expect to learn anything without attending lectures and discussions. Homework is hard and time consuming, but its doable in a week. I found that the tests were pretty difficult, but apparently he curves, so hopefully it will save my grade. He grades pretty harsh but his review sessions go over what he wants to see.

Professor Koehl Is a great professor for ECS 20, he teaches really well, and has ample opportunity for help outside of class. He puts a significant amount of effort into the class and he expects students to do the same. He has a fair amount of homework due weekly and tests that are very hard to finish in the alotted time. Though a gracious curve.

Professor Koehl put a lot of effort in his lectures and makes it a point to be available to students outside of class. The content can be exceedingly difficult at times, but homework and past exams are very available to study from. He grades harder than other professors to specifically to prepare you for ECS 120 and 122. Gracious curve indeed.

Even though the class was very difficult, he is always there to help. Don't skip any lectures or discussion periods and don't slack off on the homework. Make use of office hours.

Best professor at UC Davis. You need to show up to class, need to go to office hours, and need to do all the homework and extra credit. Never turns a student away and works extremely hard since he runs the discussion sections himself and grades all the midterms and finals himself. Puts lots of efforts expects you to also. Sometimes he is scary.

ECS 20 is just a tough class. Koehl really knows his stuff, like REALLY knows it. I think this might make overestimate what most can learn in 10 weeks. Really generous curve, he knows his class is hard and doesn't want to wreck your GPA. Don't be afraid of him, he barks, but he really means well. Cares about your success greatly. Will take again!

This is the most passionate professor I have ever had. This guy goes hard,in addition to lecture he goes to all discussions and grades all the tests by himself. He puts in alot of work and expects students to do the same, which is definitely fair. This is a class where going to class and office hours will pay off huge. Would definitely take again.

I took ECS 20 with Professor Koehl during Fall 2017, which was my first quarter at UC Davis. He's a very inspiring teacher with a great knowledge of his subject. I felt that attending lectures is very important in his ECS 20 class. The hw's were hard but interesting. His midterms and finals were fair.

Great professor! He's really passionate about bio and cs. Definitely a great lecturer. Your entire grade is 50% project and 50% final. He had a very generous curve and the tests were not that bad even for cs majors. Highly recommend!

Prof. Koehl is really knowledgeable in these areas and cares about his students! Lectures are interesting and office hours are very helpful for group projects. No matter which major you are from you'll learn a lot in this class; highly recommend it with prof. Koehl!

He's a real hard head, but worth it. This is a challenging course that actually makes you think. He has a great style and is helpful in office hours. The class is hard, but he is a strong professor. He makes you work, but that is the only way to do well.

Professor Koehl is a great professor. He works really hard and he expects students to work just as hard. Students hate him because they only want good grades without work. He teaches all the discussion sections himself, other professors have their TA teach the discussion sections. He has multiple hours of office hours a week, he puts so much effort

Dr Koehl is a great teacher, the grading is hard and it takes a lot of work to get good grades in the midterm, but this is useful preparation for future CS classes. He works really hard and puts a lot of effort for his student's success. Amazing guy.

Really, really good professor. He gives excellent lecture and the homework is really helpful.

Good teacher in general, but it feels like he does not teach enough, so you'll need to spend extra time going to office hours to learn more. Homework are easy at the start, but they get much more difficult as the class progresses. Tests are hard, so you did a good job if you get over 50%. You can let the curve carry you to a good grade.

The best professor I have so far! He has high expectation about his students. The class is challenging, but also rewarding. He grades all midterms and finals, plus teaching every discussion session. He finished graded all 200+ finals the second day after we took the test.

Koehl is a great lecturer and puts in a lot of effort, but this class is difficult. Homework every week that is long, and gets more difficult. Tests are pretty hard (averages in the 40-50s). Definitely need to attend every lecture, discussion, review session, do all HW to do good. The curve was pretty generous, but don't rely on it. Book not needed

Professor Koehl is really an amazing lecturer. No textbook necessary. He does try his best to make sure students understand the concepts. Tests are hard but do-able. Must attend all lectures, discussions, and review sessions to do well. If you're really interested, you will never look at the time on your phone during his lectures.

Prof. Koehl is AMAZING! There is always a lot of information he teaches in each lecture, but he makes sure you understand everything he says completely. Even though the tests were hard, Koehl has a generous curve at the end. You have to put in a lot of time & effort to get the most out of the class, and at the end, you'll know it was worth it.

This class made me feel dumb, but the curve is great. For reference, I got 100% on the homework,around 40-50% on every exam, and I got a C. The homework is hard, understanding a concept is not enough as there are curve-ball questions on the exams. Make sure you do all the homework assignments and extra-credit, you'll need it to pad your grade.

Really cares but the tests are really hard. Curves well at the end

Wonderful professor, funny guy. Gives countless examples during lectures, and conducts the discussions himself. GO TO OFFICE HOURS, he is extremely helpful. His exams are BRUTAL, and he will definitely make you work for your grade in this class, but he teaches so well, and I will never forget anything he has taught me. Would highly recommend him.

Prof Koehl really cares about his students learning. He's passionate about the things he teaches and this shows in every lecture and discussion. If you go to his office hours, he's happy to go over your questions and even talk about them more in depth. He's super knowledgeable and inspiring. I highly recommend. He's one of my favorite professors.

Prof Koehl is SO passionate and knowledgeable about what he teaches! He leads engaging discussions about bioethics or goes over additional example problems similar to exam problems. He gives optional practice quizzes which are very similar to the final exam. Class is based on 2 midterms and the final group project (5 options for the project). Love!

You can find lots of his papers online. He is truly knowledgeable about the subject and willing to teach. I was one of the 2 people on the waitlist during the 2nd week of class and he fought to get us in :D. 2 midterms (50%) and 1 final project (50%). Exams are not difficult as long as you do the practice quizzes and exams. MT1 is bis2a knowledge.

Grade: 50% from 2 midterms, 50% final project (group if you want). He's knowledgeable and lectures are clear. Tests have few items so if you mess up your grade will go down. Exams are open notes but make sure you review before turning in; small mistakes cost a lot. Class is better if the subject interests you. Doesn't record lectures so must attend

Good professor, he is very passionate about the field and makes lectures interesting. 2 midterms and a final project. Midterms were easy but he is an unreasonably harsh grader on the final project.

Great professor. You can tell he truly cares about the course material. Although this class is less technical than many other ECS upper-divs, it is just as important. You will be forced to think about the ethics involved with Computer Science, and you will no doubt draw inspiration from this class when making decisions in your future.

Great professor. He is fair and cares about the course materials. I personally think this class is really helpful because it forces you to think about ethical issues related to technology. Overall, I would recommend people to take his class.

Super passionate about teaching ECS129. Grade consisted of a midterm, a group project, and a final. His lecture material is on his website and he provides practice exams. If you take lecture notes and study, you'll do well on the exams. The project consists of a coding portion and a written report. He only gives 100s to exceptional projects.

The class was a little disorganized because the TA and the prof had a different view of how stuff should be graded. The paper was 35% of our grade and the presentation of that paper was another 25%. I barely got an A, most students ended up with an A-. If you work hard, an A is obtainable. Overall not a bad class.

The homie is goated

Professor Koehl is AMAZING! He is passionate about the content and is truly one of the best professors I have had. Is his class hard? Yes, the content is not straightforward and 90% of your grade is exam-based, however, if you attend the discussion sections, go to lectures, and go to his office hours, you will get a good grade in the class.

Professor Koehl is very passionate about his work and teaching. His lectures are more engaging than most and very informative. He teaches each concept using examples which is highly effective. Midterms and final were both open notes, open books. If you fall behind in lectures the homework might be tricky, so keep up and use the discussion problems.

The class itself was pretty difficult; content wise and the professor was a very harsh grader. However Professor Koehl had lots of helpful office hours and answered students questions well. His lectures are very interesting and his way of teaching focuses more on learning the content rather than just memorization.

Professor Koehl is by far the best professor I have taken at Davis. I didn't study much outside of class but got an A on all exams because his lectures were so clear and easy to understand. He is very passionate about what he teaches and truly wants you to learn. Would definitely recommend!

Geronimo! What a professor man. When im in his class, i think to myself I needed this. Holy guacomole he's just different for real for real. Shiver me timbers, those tests are different!

Amazing professor, cares about our success - hard tests, but they're open-note - amazing lectures - runs discussion too, those are super helpful. Repetition of lecture content - super helpful office hours - puts you on the spot sometimes, but it's for your own good! He wants to help you learn Made tough content digestible, take him!

Professor Koehl cares about his students and working hard. It was difficult getting a high grade in this class, but I didn't study much. I'm not a CS/DS major (art) so I had no experience taking this class. The professor has a lot of interesting lectures and discussions sections are all taught by him. Tests were curved but are difficult.

Super passionate and genuinely cares about his students grasping concepts. Sometimes was unclear what would be covered on the tests, but if you go to Office Hours he usually tells you what content to study. Lectures aren't recorded but you can miss a few and still be alright because he goes over concepts slowly to make sure we really grasp them.

Great Human! Although not mandatory, please go to lectures. He truly wants the best for the students!

Hands down my favorite class of freshman year, passionate guy who really does utilize his lectures to teach the material. Makes the material as interesting as he can, and does it easily. He cares about the class and you can tell, and on top of that he teaches it very well. Hard homework, concepts, and tests, but if you attend lectures you're good.

Prof. Koehl was such a great professor! He had 4 hours of office hours per week which is unheard of for Davis, and rarely relied on TAs. Definitely attend lectures and office hours if needed, since he gives very valuable information for exams. Examples gone over in discussions also may appear on exams as well. I would love to take him again!!

chill guy. very manegable class. i feel like i genuinely learned something & what i learned will stick with me rest of my life. lectures are entertaining. very expressive & passionate

easy class, but pop quizzes were actually difficult even if you did the readings. final paper was super easy as well, just enjoy the class and you'll get an A. good guy professor, passionate about his work and students and great energy.

Prof. Koehl is awesome - super engaging lectures and hands-on discussions. Tests are challenging but doable if you attend class and use resources like Unstuckstudy for study prep. Definitely take this course!

Very methodical with lectures and work, dedicates a lot of hours to help students, definitely show up to class & discussions cuz he says a lot that's not written down. Also gives practice exams and good advice for our future in the job market. Proofs are hard but he's pushing you for a good reason.

Good professor, I got an A with 90%, you can also drop one quiz score, the test is not that hard, so take his class!

Lectures aren't mandatory but if you want to pass, then go. Tests aren't terrible, very similar to problems he will give on practice tests. There are pop quizzes, but many times he'll tell you when they are and its just one problem from the homework. Pretty easy class, just show up and put a decent amount of effort in the work and studying.

Prof Koehl is super passionate about ECS17! Best thing to do is go to lectures and discussions as he takes the time to really explain the concepts. Study a lot for midterms and go to OH! He provides 4 hrs of OH and is extremely helpful. He will put you on the spot, but being put on the spot helps! He also provides plenty of practice materials.

Prof. Koehl is one of the most genuine professors I've had! He truly wants his students to succeed and his lectures reflect that passion! Please show up to lectures - it truly makes the learning experience a 1000 times a better. There are weekly quizzes (1 random question from hwk) and the midterms and finals are similar to the lecture examples.

Lectures were informative and interesting. If you are interested in anything ethics related, definitely take this class. There were around 7 quizzes based on readings he assigns you (very easy if you actually read). Some were short, some were long but doable. There were 2 in class essays and a final group paper. If you do the work, you'll be fine.

Most passionate and energetic professor of all time. Least amount of time I've ever put into a course. Read once the night before or morning of guaranteed at least 8/10 on quizzes. No assignments on lecture material only short readings. Group essay at end graded kindly. First in class essay graded shockingly harsh by TA but rest were fair.

He's a great engaging lecturer and the topics covered are super interesting but I let the quarter get ahead of me and stopped putting effort in near the back end, only two in class writing assignments, in class quizzes every week on a reading, and a group term paper so overall not bad in terms of time

Chill elective for upper-div CS students. 8 quizzes (2 dropped), 2 in-class writing assignments, group paper. Graded a bit harshly, but the class is the definition of "what you put in is what you get out." Professor himself is a super nice guy, clearly passionate about the stuff he teaches. If you have an ethical compass, you'll pull up to class.