3.8
Quality3.1
Difficulty65%
Would Retake168
Reviews65%
Would Retake
168
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5
53
4
67
3
35
2
7
1
6
What Students Say
“Professor Fleming is fantastic”
GPHIL150 - 5.0 rating“Fleming is one of those professors that you can tell they love what they teach and they get so caught up in it that they forget you don't know what they're talking about”
GPHIL150 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
32%
Textbook Required
30%
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GPHIL160
5.0
(2)PHIL 150
5.0
(1)GPHIL150
4.2
(42)PHIL390
4.1
(8)GPHIL120
4.0
(32)Difficulty by Course
PHIL340
5.0
PHIL 150
4.0
PHIL270
3.5
PHIL390
3.5
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3.4
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GPHIL 120 is a "self paced" course and you really need to keep up with the work/ reading. Tests are scheduled every friday, so you can take a test on unit 2 (for example) twice before moving onto three. Mr. Flemming really stays strictly to the textbook, and it's hard to get another viewpoint on something if you dont understand a concept.
BORING BORING BORING. Class is easy because its "self paced" and you can take the tests over and over again, but the concepts can be confusing sometimes. I only go to class once a week usually and I'm doing fine...he basically just reads the book and makes creepy/weird jokes in class.
He is a nice person but class is very, very BORING. Overall the class is easy because it's self-paced but info is very hard/confusing to understand. He is helpful when you need help. This is class is useless for life but you have to take it G.ed
class is really boring but easy cause it is self-paced.
great class! he is very easy going and going to class helps sooo much! tests arent exactly easy but if you pay attention and actually try, you will have no trouble!!! definitely want him!!!
He is a nice guy and his class is easy. Its self-paced so as long as you read and take advantage of teh test opportunities, you'll do fine.
Self- paced, no attendance required save for tests on friday. 6 tests and 15 fridays in which to take them. go to class 6 fridays and do ok on the tests and you dont even need to take the final. NO FINAL!. if you do poorly on a test you can retake it as many times as you have fridays left. as easy as Gphil 120 gets...exactly what a GenEd should be.
Just like the person below said, this course is very easy. I'll be finished with the class this week. Definitely take this- as long as you put work into it, it's the easiest gphil you can find.
Patrick is so boring but he is also really nice. His class is not hard. I studied about 30 minutes a week and got a B. He is really helpful, and there is no attendance policy, but there are tests every Friday.
Great guy. Helpful with anything you don't understand. Very routine class: lecture on MW, test on F; 6 tests to complete in 15 weeks. A suggested way to get your gened out of the way is by taking this class.
Self-Paced. 6 Tests. 15 Test Times. Test Retakes. With that said... at the start, he will strongly suggest that you stay ahead of the game, and you should. I found myself stressing the last few weeks because I still had tests to take while the kids who planned ahead were already done with the course. If you put in the effort, A's aren't impossible.
Very fair, its a self pace course so there are 6 tests you have to take and every Friday is a test session. You can take each test as many times as you want and he keeps the highest score. This was not the most intresting class but if you want to take the course take it with him!!!
Not the most interesting class, but he is really willing to help you out when you need it and the study guides in the book are exactly what the test is. I really liked him though because he doesn't seem funny but then he whips out something subtle that cracks you up.
like everyone else said, there are only 6 tests which you can take on fridays as many times as you want. dr. fleming moves kind of quickly but the class is still easy. The practice problems in the book are helpful and you can go talk to him about your test before you retake it. i got an a before thanksgiving and didnt have to go to class anymore:)
Take this class. Self-paced. 6 tests and 15 tests sessions to complete them. Do them early so you don't have to go to class anymore. No attendance policy at all, but helps if you go. Fleming is funny, and helps clarify material. TAKE HIM
Not a terrible class. Material is abstract and can be difficult. Midterm and final are short answer and questions are given in advance. One 5 page paper due at end of semester. Lots of reading but he explains everything decently in class. No attendance but go if you want to understand material well. Very tough grader.
I found the topics easy in the class, but I know some had difficulty learning the material. I didn't go to any classes, and showed up only 8 times out of the 15 testing sessions (The class is self-paced). I'm going to average a B in the class, and I taught myself all the information from the book (The textbook is cheap and very helpful).
he is great and very understanding and fair! For such a boring subject he made it better!
Fleming just copies what is in the textbook onto slides and then just reads from them. I didn't feel like going to class helped because he was simply reading from the book. The material can be difficult to grasp. Practice problems in the book definitely help a lot. Finished with a B. Just study and do practice problems.
Class is easy to pull a B with, retakes help alot,if you have difficulty with a chapter his study hours help alot. He seems to care how your doing (he has checkpoints for each chapter to be completed) not very hard if you read the book and do practice in it. HIs got a random sense of humor.
The self-paced class and ability to re-take tests means you decide what grade you get in this course. Everything comes from the book; this guy doesn't seem motivated. He's just reteaching a class he took. However, I'll take an easy A for a stupid gen ed any day.
Awesome guy. Highly recommend him. If you don't do well in this class, you're an idiot, I'm sorry. His quizzes are straight from the hand outs and while the tests are graded tough, participation and quiz grades can bring them up. His lectures were entertaining and his jokes always got a chuckle out of me. Take this class.
This is a great transition class into college. Fleming is really nice, and gives you everything you need to get a good grade. The readings are pointless because he goes over everything in detail during class. As long as you listen an A is easy. Id definitely recommend to take this class.
This is a great transition class into college. Fleming is really nice, and gives you everything you need to get a good grade. The readings are pointless because he goes over everything in detail during class. As long as you listen an A is easy. Id definitely recommend to take this class.
I would definitely recommend this class to anyone, and even though it's a GenEd, it was absolutely my favorite class. He is a hilarious, sarcastic guy and his lectures are fun to listen to and participate in. It's easy to get an A if you listen while he lectures and take notes because he says the answers to the questions on the tests and quizzes.
An extremely interesting guy that lets knows how to relate topics to college students. Quizzes are pretty easy, tests are a little harder. I'd advise him to anyone.
Super funny and VERY helpful. Lectures outline everything you could need for quizes and exams plus he gives detailed handouts for extra help. He makes clases interesting and applicable to general life. TAKE HIS CLASS
Take him! He is funny and super helpful. If you go to his office hours he will tell you exactly what you should include in your essays. The quizzes aren't hard if you do the readings and look over handouts. Such a fun class!
This class was hard at times, but he's a really helpful professor. Go to his office hours and he will guide you through the information. The quizzes/tests weren't that bad, but he gives you handouts to look over that will definitely help you! I def recommend to take him!
Patrick is one of the coolest professors I've had! He's a really down to earth guy, and he loves the subject. He's always willing to help and if you show interest in the class he'll show interest in you and be willing to help you out. He's hilarious. Love his sense of humor. And he doesn't just lecture. He draws awesome stick figures and stuff on his little white board and acts stuff out. Involves the class heavily in the lectures. Great guy, great professor. Take his class!
Beginning of the semester it was hard, never got that much easier...its philosophy what do you expect? He can be helpful but tends to ramble. Cool guy but the tests are impossible. willing to help in office hours but when you go its just awkward. Philosophy in general was hard for me, Patricks probably one of the better teachers but class is HARD
unless you're a PHIL MAJOR (why would anyone ever do that to themselves?!)...you won't do very well. personally, i didn't like P.FLEM or his class but I know a lot of other ppl who loved it. I would recommend a whole other class for that cluster but if you MUST, take P.FLEM for gphil over all the other teachers. he's at least kind of funny.
Easily my favorite teacher this semester. Fleming is funny and likes to draw pictures on the board to illustrate. He talks to us like we're intelligent adults and tries to answer any questions. Plays songs before class. Tests are 2 essays BUT we get the questions like 2 weeks in advance. Weekly quiz is very easy. Great class to express opinions in.
An alright professor, he can be funny and helps you understand the readings with drawings and examples. But he basically reads directly from his handouts which makes it hard to engage yourself in class. He is a hardish grader on essay tests. You have to put your own knowledge into essays, but in class will only talk about philosophers knowledge.
don't take this class. so many of my friends... and I made the mistake of taking a philosophy for a gened. DON'T DO IT. Patrick was OK, but i would recommend a whole other choice for that cluster. TRUST ME. I had him and it wasn't horrible, but his class quickly became my least favorite of the semester. Just don't take ant gphils!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This guy was great, I loved the class. He is funny, smart, and made class interesting. Quiz every friday (true/false) based mostly on notes from class which he always puts up on blackboard. 3 tests (including final & midterm) he's said to grade a bit tough but he gives you the essay questions in advanced and reviews questions before test day.
Fantastic professor. Nice, funny, intelligent. I actually learned something in this GenEd course rather than droning through the class. you won't get an easy A but it is not very difficult to pull a B without stressing.
This is by far my favorite class. He relates everything to modern and interesting topics, unlike other professors of this course. He gives you all the notes you need online, and explains things very well. There are readings from the text and small quizzes, but it's not a big deal. If you study you are sure to get an A!
Not a bad professor. He mostly reads off his typed up notes, which he posts online. He sometimes makes drawings to help you understand the concepts, which was helpful. Somehow he made interesting topics somewhat boring. An A is definitely possible, just be sure to prepare good essays for his tests, he's very picky. Weekly T/F quizzes were easy.
Funny and a great taste in music. Mainly, go to his office hours. It helps tremendously for your understanding before test day, also boosts your participation grade.
He's so awesome! He makes the funniest jokes throughout class and makes them relate to the topic somehow. Sometimes the weekly quizzes can get trick, but a quick look over the notes that he has online can clear that up. Definitely recommend him for philosophy!
he is the best teacher ever!!
The subject itself is pretty boring and confusing, but he presents the information in a way to help you understand. He is very helpful during office hours. You don't have to go to class, but you're just hurting your own grade if you skip. I suggest everyone take Pat Fleming if you have to take gphil
Professor Fleming is amazing. His lectures are extremely interesting and he makes the content very clear and interesting, so it's completely okay to not understand the text the first time through. I would definitely recommend him.
One of the Best/ Easiest professors here at JMU. Don't buy the book! Just print out the handouts because thats what he goes over every test. His office hours are so helful and gives you a majority of the answers on the quiz. Test are a little difficult, study groups help A LOT! oh did i mention he is sexyyy ;)
just finished a semester with him. First few weeks were very confusing since it is new material and I have never taking philosophy. tip: gloss & read the readings 3x. He will ALWAYS help. I messed up super bad toward end of semester on assignment and he was AMAZINGLY reasonable and understanding. He wants you to succeed! Which is hard to come by
He really wants to see everyone succeed and will take whatever time necessary to make sure that you understand the material, whether in class or in office hours. He's also hilarious, and keeps class discussion interesting. Readings aren't necessary, nor are lectures. But quizzes are given once a week, and readings help to understand lectures.
Not too bad. Kind of confusing at points, but he gives you the test questions and you can write up responses and he'll give you feed back. I think it's really easy to get a B.
Lots of writing and lots of reading. Not a bad guy, but way too much work.
Dr. Fleming is not only a very funny and interesting person, he is a wonderful professor as well. He deeply cares about the subject matter and really wants to see his students succeed. He is not an easy grader on the papers for this class but it is a 390 level class so I don't think he should be. He is very clear and funny. Love this guy.
I do not like philosophy and did not want to take another philosophy but I had to. I took Fleming and he is awesome as a teacher. The course is only hard for me because of myself, not him. He is really smart and really loves to teach. You can tell in his classes. He is VERY helpful. I recommend himn for 390.
His class is easy if you just listen to his lectures and take notes. All his quizzes are true or false and his exams are essay based, but he's very willing to help.
The class can be very boring but it is easy and as long as you go to lecture and take notes you can do well. There is a true/false quiz every week and tests are essay based but he gives you the questions ahead of time. Definitely recommend.
Smart smart guy. Somewhat easy class, tells you exactly what you need to know for quizzes and tests and very willing to help. Handouts are on blackboard, I suggest printing them and writing on them for notes. Love him.
Really good professor, definitely recommend. The subject itself is kinda hard but it's pretty interesting. T/F quizzes every week are so easy, tests are a little but harder, really gotta study but he tells you exactly what's on it. Don't waste your money on the textbook.
He's always willing to help and makes everything as straight forward as he can. You have readings each class, but you talk about them in class too. Print off his handouts, they are really helpful. He's really funny, too! I'm not a big fan of philosophy, but he made it enjoyable. Also, there are weekly quizzes. Definitely recommend!
He's a really nice guy! He's a good teacher except for that he talks so fast. If you aren't paying attention the entire time you will be lost. I suggest making friends in the class and getting a study group together. He gives you the test questions prior to the test so you have time to prepare but only chooses two of them!
By far my favorite class this semester. Fleming truly cares about his students, yes he may talk quickly, but he is aware of it and is always open to answering questions. His office hours are also extremely helpful to answering questions and doing well on the tests. A weekly 10 question true false quiz. Just go to class and pay attention.
Best professor I have ever had, ever. He cares about what he's teaching, he makes philosophy relevant to everyday life, and he is always willing to help his students out. And he's really nice, too. Beyond impressed with this guy.
He is always there to help and he makes little cartoons so the students understand easier, but some of the material is hard to understand. The readings are all in the textbook, and the test questions are given before the test day, but he only chooses 2. The quizzes are just 10 tf every week.
TrueFalse quizzes every week. Tests are essay answers, but he gives the essay questions a week or so before the test and picks 3 on the test day then you pick two out of those three. Very helpful and flexible with office hours. Hard concepts but he makes the class interesting with his drawings.
Prof. Fleming is an overall great guy. I found his class to be challenging though. Quizzes every week and the 3 tests are 2 in-class essays each. It's hard to know what he wants you to write for each of the topics, but if you go to office hours he's willing to help you. He talks VERY fast, so it's hard to get all the info down. Wants participation!
Professor Fleming is fantastic. It's a difficult class, but if you put in the work you'll do well. The weekly TF quizzes aren't bad; just pay attention during lecture. He talks fast, but is really helpful during office hours.
I love this guy! He's super funny and is passionate about the subject matter. Although, sometimes I wished he would've made some of the harder concepts more relevant to everyday life and easier to understand. An A is very possible, but he makes you work for it. Never takes attendance, but skipping classes can be detrimental because he teaches a lot
Fleming is a really funny professor. All of the material for his tests are in the lecture supplements he provides. I only showed up to about half of his classes, and I still understood what was going on. Participation matters in his class, and he has a quiz every week. It is also not necessary to read the textbook. His tests are in an essay format.
He's a nice professor, but it's so boring and with attendance not mandatory its difficult to find motivation to come to class. The tests are pretty tricky but only a couple tests and weekly truefalse quizzes. It's not too bad
Professor Fleming is hilarious and makes a grueling subject more entertaining. He knows how students relate to topics and jokes with the class. Quizzes are every thursday, and are very straight forward true or false answers straight from the readings. I definitely recommend this professor.
Fleming is good in that he is funny and engaging. He tries to get debate going in class but usually students dont talk much. You have weekly quizzes and your tests are few. Reading isnt mandatory but it does help. There's a lot of reading though. He provides materials that he uses on canvas. He goes very fast though, so i recommend using a laptop.
You HAVE to read the material in order to pass. Even if you skim you will be significantly better off than not touching the book. You don't have to show up except when there is a quiz, and usually that's on the last day of the week and at the very end of class.
Fleming was awesome. His lectures are clear and he throws in jokes to keep the class alive. The material isn't super easy, but he teaches it once, then reviews it. I would recommend going to class, because the way he explains makes more sense than the way the book does!
Fleming is the funniest guy ever, and he makes class really interesting. However, philosophy is a very tricky subject and it's almost impossible to get an A. B's are attainable if you go to office hours because he's super helpful. All the material was very relevant to real life so that was unique. I would probably take this again.
Fleming's class is tough, but he's a great professor! The material is hard and confusing, but he really tries to help you understand it. He gives weekly quizzes, but the tests count as so much. The tests are confusing because of wording, so it is very important to study. If you get offended easily, then he may not be your fav, but I loved him!
Dr. Fleming is the best! He makes his lectures really interesting and explains everything thoroughly. The course itself can be really confusing but as long as you attend lectures and pay attention you'll be fine. His drawings cracked me up as well, plus there's no textbook. Definitely take this class if you can.
Attendance isn't mandatory but it's totally worth it. The lectures are hilarious and super helpful to understanding the material. If you don't care about your grade in the class don't worry about it but if you want an A go to every class and actually study. You don't really have to do the readings if you go to class since he explains everything.
Very helpful, made a gen ed class interesting
Fleming is one of those professors that you can tell they love what they teach and they get so caught up in it that they forget you don't know what they're talking about. If you try to get an idea of what he's going to talk about in class beforehand, it definitely helps you to be able to follow him in class. Other than that, he's hilarious!
One of my favorite professors, would love to take him again. His classes are easy and I actually want to come. He puts up all the notes on Canvas so it's easy to study. He's also really funny!
Professor Fleming is a very funny and charismatic guy, but that is unfortunately very hard to translate into the material. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed him and his class, and it caused me to confront my thinking and my biases in very introspective ways.
Professor Fleming is a great guy and a good teacher. I learned so much in his class. He gives the essay questions before the test so you can practice and have an idea of the questions he will choose from. 10 question quiz each week wasn't bad at all. He learns your name in a big lecture class which makes you feel good!
Could not have asked for a better professor for a philosophy class. Philosophy is a tough subject but he makes it incredibly interesting and relates it to real life which helps it click a lot. I found the class extremely interesting. He's really funny too. I never dreaded going to this class.
I cannot begin to express how much I loved this class! Take it! Take him! He is so blunt and funny, and I felt like I truly learned a lot. It's clear he adores philosophy and if you do too, you will have no regrets. Also, go into this class with a completely open mind- you'll surprise yourself, have a lot of fun, and get more out of the subject.
Professor Fleming is an awesome lecturer. Attendance isn't required but you should go so you can have an easy time on quizzes and tests. Reading heavy, but they're all interesting & PURPOSEFUL which is important to me (basically you use everything you read, no bs). The only thing I'd suggest to him is to label documents in canvas more specifically
Liked the professor. Didn't like the class. The tests are essays which makes it hard to receive an A.
Hes awesome. So funny and the class is not bad at all. There are weekly true/false quizzes but just look over notes and youre fine. There essay tests because if you go to office hours he is so willing to help you. Take him!
Very interesting class, love his humor and how much he enjoys teaching! Quizzes every other class, however they are 10 question and easy. 3 Tests that are essay type and he grades moderately. He is fair and if you go to class you should be fine!
True/False quizzes every week that weren't too hard if you read over your notes. Three tests which were all essay and harder then expected. You should be prepared to study a lot for this class. Overall, Fleming is a good lecturer but the material pretty much needs to be memorized. Show up to class! He is very good at making things clear.
You can tell that he knows the material that he teaches very well. However, all of his tests are essay type questions and you must answer them in great detail with specific examples. You don't really have to read the articles he gives you because he goes over them in class without quizzing you on them so that's a plus.
This class is fairly easy if you pay attention in lecture. You don't need to do the readings because he'll go over everything in class and summarizes it well enough in the handouts he posts. All quizzes are 10 question true/false and he drops the lowest two. Three written tests, but he gives the questions in advance so you can prepare.
Fleming is a great guy! He made lectures funny and enjoyable so it was easier to learn the material. He doesn't demand attendance, but don't skip a lot. Lectures are really important because all the information talked about in class is what's on the test. Make sure to be ready for the weekly quiz. He offers extra credit and lots of help too.
Loved this class. Attendance isn't mandatory, but there are quizzes once a week. He drops the lowest couple of quiz grades though. Only 3 tests, and he gives you all the test questions weeks in advance so you know EXACTLY what will be on the test. His lectures are awesome and he's super entertaining.
His 120 is an easy summer course. Self-paced, so you can retake tests. Went to half the classes and got a B+
Great teacher. Here's a pros and cons list: Cons: - He grades harshly on tests - Not much class discussions (partly to blame my class though) - Goes over material quick Pros: - VERY smart at philosophy. Dude knows his stuff - Very cool guy, plus he likes Nirvana - If you read the readings, you'll do well - Takes off 2 lowest quizzes - fun topics
Good Professor, interesting, and goes over readings a lot. Handwriting is so hard to read, but only draws. Quizzes every week but for tests he gives you the questions before hand which is helpful.
he is a great professor. Enjoyed going to class ever time. His lectures get boring sometimes but his tests are not too bad. He is a funny guy and would recommend going to his office hours.
Prof. Fleming is a great guy and cares about your success. I recommend going to office hours as he will help tremendously. There are only three tests which are essays but he gives all the questions in advance so you can prepare. There are also T/F quizzes once a week and he drops the lowest two. Lectures can be boring and grading is harsh sometimes
By far my most enjoyable gen-ed class. I dont believe I will have another professor as interesting as Proffesor Fleming! He works with you outside of the class for any additional help, getting an A isnt difficult if you are willing to meet him halfway! If you have the opportunity, take him-he makes tough material interesting!
Fleming is a fairly good professor. Not the best, but you can scrape by. All tests are essay tests and the final isn't cumulative. BUT there is absolutely no way to take notes in his class. Me and the people around me show up and hope to absorb something. So if you aren't a big picture person, maybe choose someone else.
Three essay tests, weekly T/F quizzes (lowest 2 are dropped), non-cumulative final. He has a dry sense of humor that can be quite funny, and he really does try to help students understand some of the more abstract concepts, although his efforts were mostly fruitless in my case. Lectures can be rather boring, so participate in class discussions!
I didnt skip a class, participated regularly, went to office hours, studied hard for tests, and still got a B. My lowest grade this semester. Fleming knows what hes talking about, but lectures are super repetitive. There are weekly quizzes so show up on quiz day. The quizzes are easy 100s but I never got above a B on a test and he doesnt curve.
Overall a good teacher. The tests are all short answer but he gives you the questions way in advance. He is a very tough grader so answer the questions early and go to office hours for feedback. Attendance isn't mandatory but it really does help also. Weekly T/F quizzes on the stuff you learned the week before that are pretty easy if you review
He is super awkward, but it adds to his humor. Lectures can be dry, but does his best to make it fun. Tests are graded harshly, but this is usually made up for by weekly quizzes. Quizzes are five true/false questions that stem from lecture, also gives a study hall the class before a test. Tests are two essays picked from a list given in advance.
Class isn't mandatory at all, but going definitely will give you a higher grade. Tests are graded harshly but you get the questions ahead of time, and if you go to class it should be easy to answer them.
It was an interesting class. Fleming tried to make due with what he could. Class isnt mandatory, but you definitely should go. Too many of my class skipped most lectures. The tests are essay based, but you get the questions beforehand which makes them easy to study for. Not super easy, but not too hard either.
Class is lecture based. In my opinion, very boring. There's a quiz every other class, its 10 T/F. Only 3 exams, including final; all essay based but he gives out the questions beforehand. Very passionate about philosophy so he knows what he's talking about. If you put in the effort, you'll do fine.
He is so funny and uses examples that will help you remember the hard things learned in the class. You have to go to really understand everything but he's lenient with some things if necessary and gives opportunities to boost your grade. He's very passionate about what he teaches I recommend taking him.
Dr. Fleming is a real nice person. I would goto office hours a ton before tests cause he literally will give you the answers if you ask and its all essay tests so if you are thorough it's an easy B+- A-... However if you want a solid A participation is a factor so make yourself known somehow.
Patrick Fleming was okay. Attendance is not mandatory, but his examples in class help you for the free response tests. Quizzes are weekly T/F quizzes that can be tricky at times. Participation is a percentage of your grade so be sure to speak up in class. He is very helpful in office hours but I had a hard time grasping the material.
Take Professor Fleming for PHIL 150! Even though his lectures can be boring, he does his best to make them a little easier/fun to listen to. Three essay based exams (including final), and he will give out essay topics before hand. He does have a participation grade, but go to office hours before each test and you will be fine. Overall nice!
Fleming is a funny and straight forward guy who knows his stuff and tries to make sure everyone finds philosophy as interesting as he does. You need to really work if you want an A in his class- all three of his tests are essays that require you to honestly know what you're talking about. Office hours are a MUST if you want to do well!!!
Fleming is a funny guy & the topics in class are interesting but tests are mini essays & he grades them harshly, you cant bs them. Class isn't mandatory but he grades on participation so when you do go, talk! True & False quizzes on Thursdays & they can be tricky. It is an ok class, the tests just weren't my thing & it affected my grade.
I loved Flemming so much! He never failed to make me laugh, and was genuinely one of the only professors I enjoyed going to class to see. I was never bored in class. Grades are only essay based tests that you receive the prompts for in advance and then weekly "pop" quizzes.
Very nice guy, as long as you show up and do the readings you should have A/B. Highly Recommend.
Funny guy, and the class is interesting. Attendance not mandatory BUT it really helps with understanding concepts so I would not skip. Lot of reading, but if you go to every class, which I preferred, he goes over it in detail so you can get by without reading. Essay tests are hard, but if you know your stuff you'll be fine.
Professor Fleming is pretty east. lectures can get super boring and the weekly quizzes were kinda hard but for the most part there wasnt much work besides studying for the tests.
1 quiz (usually 10 true or false questions) each week based on whatever you're talking about the 1-2 classes before. BY FAR the best professor I've had at JMU. always accessible through email, very open with office hours and would love to have students come by. Essay tests, prompts given ahead of time so you can ask questions, wants you to do well!
He was overall a good professor. For me, it was important to attend lectures in order to understand the material because it was pretty tough to understand just from the readings. Went over material multiple times to make sure we understood it. Quite a few quizzes and 3 essay tests, but overall the class wasn't too hard.
Awesome professor! Always quick to respond to emails, very helpful and understanding. His lectures broke down material so students could understand it well. Take him for phil 150 if you can!!
PF is the worst professor I've had in my time at JMU. PF claims to be incredibly accessible and if you talk to him, you'll do well. This simply wasn't true. I emailed him multiple drafts and came to office hours and the highest paper grade I received was an 80. He's also incredibly contradictory and has no clear criteria for his grading. STAY AWAY
The readings can be hard to understand and although attendance is not mandatory, I highly recommend going. He teaches by drawing pictures and showing videos which I found very helpful. He does not grade on much besides 10 discussion posts and 3 exam essays. He's a bit of a tough grader on the essays. but besides that pick this professor, he's gr8.
Professor Fleming is a pretty good professor. However, there are very few grades in the class. The only grades were online discussion posts, three essay based tests, and a final participation grade. He grades the tests pretty harshly, but will give good feedback if you ask. He's funny and does his best to make the lectures entertaining.
Online with professor Fleming was interesting. He didnt require attendance but you had to get points by participating in discussion posts which were easy. Had three tests which are prompts that you have to write about based on readings, they werent too hard but it was important to read his criteria.
It'll definitely depend on your sense of humor and how you like to learn for you to tell if you like this class. His lectures were interesting in more ways than one especially when we got father in; be sure to take notes. The class was heavy on discussions and when you take the tests be sure to use your notes and readings. Always ask for feedback!
fun class if you enjoy the material. Kind of hard to understand some of the topics because he's a little monotone. I think that he did what he could to make a boring class a little better. three essay tests total of 75% of your grade. Write down what he says in lectures or you'll get lost.
Dr. Fleming is a pretty nice guy and his lectures were generally engaging. However, his enthusiasm for a certain philosopher or lack thereof comes through during the lectures, which means that the lectures on Hume were rather animated while the ones on Spinoza were rather boring. He graded us on 5 papers (15% each) which he will look at drafts of.
Fleming rocks! I came in with really no knowledge of or interest in philosophy but had a great time, he's a really funny, cool dude and cares about what he does. We've had no homework except for just the usual studying, weekly T/F quizzes are super easy and he gives exam prompts two weeks in advance. Consider this your sign to take it.
Fleming is a dense lecturer. You have weekly quizzes on what you are learning and 3 tests. He gives you all of the potential test questions in advance which makes it easier to study. The class is not very hard but it is also not very interesting. If this is for a gened, I would pick a different one.
Professor Fleming is nice, but the course is really heavy. The lectures were dull and boring. Theres 2 readings every week and a quiz every Thursday. Exams are essay questions, which he gives about 7 for you to prepare for. Only 2 questions of the 7 are picked for exam day. He obviously knows a lot about the topic, but doesnt seem interested.
Honestly a decent professor. Grades the handwritten essay exams harshly and does not give A's. In his lectures he tells you everything you need to know for the exams. It is highly recommended that you attend class, even though it is not mandatory. The weekly quizzes are usually pretty easy just pay attention before the quiz and you will do fine.
DONT TAKE I do all of the readings, attend every class, and STILL cannot get an A. Disrespectful, rude, and is unwilling to help students succeed. Quizzes every Thurs but most of the class is graded on HARD tests. Talked way too much about Christianity, and barely answered questions For a freshman GenEd class, I do NOT recommend Professor Fleming.
Test are handwritten essay style and you have a true/false quiz every Thursday. I do everything but philosophy in class, I just grind before the exams.
Fleming is smart but his lectures are so boring. Tests aren't hard but he grades incredibly hard. The material being taught isn't hard to understand but it is not presented to students in an engaging way making it nearly impossible to retain. All class materials are posted online but they have so much information on them it is overwhelming.
i genuinely believe this man deserves a raise. he's incredibly knowledgable and tries his best to make difficult concepts make sense. you just have to pay attention. everyone who says his lectures are boring wanna be spoon-fed and don't know how to think abstractly. he's funny, awkward, and i really enjoyed having him as my professor. take him
He was a good professor to have for philosophy because he made the topic entertaining. There was no textbook for the class, but he provided all the necessary readings for the lectures. All of his tests were papers that we had a few days to work on before turning in.
Class wasn't bad and you honestly have to put in minimal effort to get a good grade. No textbook and he post all the readings on Canvas. T/F quizzes every week and short answer tests but he posts all the questions like two weeks in advance, so you have time to work on them. Lectures are entertaining and he tries to make content easy to understand.
i like his lectures, but remembering all of the information he wants for his essay tests are ridiculous. they're the same format every test and you're given a set of prompts to choose from and write an essay response to. have to get ALL the points to do well. Quiz every thursday, but easy when you attend class. cool dude though, can learn from him.
He helped me learn better as I'm a visual learner and he drew examples on the board. We had quizzes every Thursday, T or F, which were pretty self explanatory; I often overthink them and the lowest I got was a 7/10. He also drops the 2 lowest grades. You also do 2 papers but you can rewrite them for a different grade. The final is multiple choice.
really chill guy. chill class
This man has the most boring and dense lectures. He goes back from power-point, word doc, and hand written chart and diagram but is ineligible. I have adhd and it was really difficult to keep up with the professor and he would NOT want to repeat himself. No textbook, quiz every Thursday, pay attention to the lecture if you can.
Pretty good, I have yet to do a single reading for this class but I went to every lecture. His lectures cover what you need to know for the exams so show up to class, pay attention and you will be fine. Quizzes once a week on lecture topics.
Prof Fleming was nice but his lectures were kind of wild. He would go from doc to handwritten drawing and it was pretty hard to follow. His handwriting is illegible, uses both drawings he makes and references throughout the class and he writes notes about your tests that you have to ask about in office hours to follow. Incredibly hard test grader
Lectures are really boring and hard to follow. easy t/f quizzes once a week and 3 tests. He gives you test questions in advance but you basically have to memorize a bunch of long and confusing paragraphs and he's an extremely hard grader. Way too difficult for a gen ed, take someone else.
1st day told us "if you dont leave more confused than when you walk in, im doing my job wrong". super hard for a gened. quizzes every wednesday. lectures will go from slides to drawing to handwritten notes and theres no chance you will read his handwriting. he's all over the place. you can pass if you work hard but take someone else if possible.
He absolutely knows his stuff and says funny things every now and then, but class was just too boring for me I couldn't pay attention with the way he lectured.
Took the online asynchronous PHIL 101. The entire course was three papers, and the content he gives you is complicated and takes a lot of time to understand. His grading standards are vague, however, he let me email him my papers days before they were due to get feedback so the lowest I ever got was an 88 but not realistic to ever expect a 100
I really enjoy this class. Fleming tries to make it an interesting course. You can tell he knows what he's talking about and enjoys teaching it. Beware tests are essay style, which can be difficult but every week you'll get lo question true/false quizzes which are very easy. Take this professor!
Professor Fleming is a bit eccentric, but his lectures are engaging if you can keep up. The weekly quizzes and essay tests are tough, but using tools like Unstuck AI along with the provided study materials can help you excel. Overall, a challenging but rewarding class.
His lectures are really interesting. He gives true or false quizzes once a week. Attendance is mandatory. His tests are in essay form but aren't too difficult. He is really nice and understanding.
Class is boring and hard to pay attention. He's funny and sometimes says crazy things. Class is only intresting when he says crazy stuff. notes are based on drawings, lecture notes but both doesn't make any sense. Quizzes are difficult at 1st but over time it gets easier but tests are hard. If u hate writing essays, you'll hate taking the tests.
BORING LECTURES, his voice is white noise. Quizzes every Wednesday are the only assignments, exams are handwritten essays. He gives essay question bank before exams so you can prepare but is still a harsh grader and has chicken scratch handwriting. No notes are needed just show up for attendance and quizzes and study for exams. Funny drawings tho
Fleming is chill. The assigned readings aren't necessary if you pay attention during lecture. Tests are essay questions. They can be long and confusing, but he gives you every possible prompt 2 weeks prior which is ample time to prepare. Take advantage of office hours if you're confused. The are weekly T/F quizzes and they're fairly easy.
For a gen ed would definitely not recommend. Class is 75% graded tests which are graded inconsistently. Honestly a coinflip whether u get a good grade or not. Fleming was a great professor and knew his stuff. Made hard topics easy to understand but could never understand what he wanted on the tests.
He is really funny and encourages office hours. His tests are essay style, but gives you the questions in advance. Little to no homework. Not very many assignments besides a quiz every week.
There are weekly T/F quizzes, but they're fairly easy. As long as you pay attention to the lecture, he gives you all the information needed. There are readings but he does make notes that summarize them, which are really helpful in condensing the information. Those handouts notes are the best for the exams.
incoherent lectures, hard grader, doesn't relevantly answer when asked a simple question. harsh on papers, not clear on how to improve. grading: 2 papers,final exam (inclass essay),lecture quizzes. lectures poorly organized+hard to follow. no slides, only PDFs that summarize reading+lectures (also hard to follow/poorly organized). made me feel dumb
tests are graded VERY harshly, but other than that he is fine. i wasn't in to the subject, so it was boring, but decent enough for credit if you are ready to study majorly for the 3 exams
His lectures were incredibly boring at most times, but you can tell he cares about what he teaches. He gives you test questions before the exams so you can study, but the questions are answering two essays. He grades them pretty harshly, but if you put the effort in they're not too bad. Weekly true false 10 question quizzes.
Lectures are a snooze fest, terrible professor.
The proffesor and the class is good, but the grading for the test is VERY hard. I had smart people in my class who understood everything and got C on the test. I got a C on every test even though I went over the tests and reviewed with him. You will have a weekly quiz and get 100 on every one and still get a C in the class. attendence matters
He is very boring, unclear with assignments and material, we are graded on 3 exams and quizzes that don't do anything to your grade. I would not recommend this class.
He says it's a really hard class, but if you study the questions before the in class essay tests you will breeze through them. You will have to dedicate a lot of studying time to this class, but the material is very interesting. True/False quiz every week too. He is a really sweet guy and he is always available in and outside of class.
His classes are him lecturing the entire time. He has terrible handwriting that you can't read. There's weekly, 10 question, true or false quizzes that are easy if you pay attention during class. The tests for each unit are handwritten, in class, essay's from a long essay prompt list that you need to memorize, bc he picks two in class to write.
His lectures were very boring but he's a really nice guy. Weekly true or false quizzes that are easy if you pay attention in class. A handful of times he gives you a 10/10 on the quiz just for showing up. There are three test, each worth 25% of your grade, that he grades really harshly but you get the questions prior.
Exams are essay-based, get ready to write. Lowkey grading seemed arbitrary- my roommate and I took the section together and would have near identical essays, yet she on average scored about 10 points higher than me. Fine for a gened, lots of multiple choice quizzes but they're very easy. Doesn't know how to use canvas, so don't predict your grade.
I personally loved Fleming for my Phil 150 class. He gave weekly true or false quizzes, if you go to class they are very easy. He also gives you the exam questions days before the exams which is really nice. My one con is that he lectures literally all class, but with that being said he's hilarious so it's not too hard to sit through.
This was actually one of my favorite classes. He keeps classes engaging most times and wants you to understand the material. Tests are pretty hard and be ready to understand the content for the weekly quizzes. Overall, super sweet guy a little awkward if you go to office hours but besides that I would recommend this class.
He is a great professor. Very funny, obviously cares about his students, and always available to talk about the class. The only hard part is the tests but if you study the questions ahead of time, they are doable.
Professor Fleming is one of the funniest professors you will ever have. He makes lectures so fun. The tests can be daunting, just make sure to look at the prompts ahead of time and STUDY THEM! Study every single one equally.
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32%
Textbook Required
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