Never fallen asleep in this class, entertaining and enthusiastic prof. :)

One of the best profs i've ever had.

Really knows his stuff. Slides for most lectures make class like a nature show.

great class

very enthusiastic and knowledgeable

Knowledgeable, keen and comical. Hard tests. Early class sucks though.

Fantastic Prof. -absolutely worth it. Funny, knows his stuff, great lectures.

Great prof and a great guy.

Great prof. Always interesting, can be inspiring. Never fall asleep

he's a hypocrite...tells us to be vegetarians and he's not!

Great teacher. Knows his stuff. Hard tests though.

interesting, funny, knows his subject well

Very interesting and engaging

totally passionate about the topics; very inspiring and funny!

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he is my idol! wonderful course!!! should be mandatory!

This course has changed my life for the better. Highly recommend.

Great class, he inspired me to take up geog

i don't know if i leave the class inspired or depressed by how awful the worldis

Tough exams, great lectures, depressing and inspirational. I'd take it again...

This guy tells it like it is. Some people may find it depressing but it's true!

Tough marker, will make you work. But h's great, got a standing O at last class

His class aproach really prepares you for real world issues. Highly recommended!

There are no words to describe Dr. Dearden. He is so inspiring and what a wonderful teacher, this man can really teach! The course is not hard if you attend lecture and you do have to study for tests but theya re not that tough if you understand the conce

Wonderful teacher! Made you really think. You should really take this class! It is not to hard if you go to the lectures

Question: WHY isn't Dearden teaching all of the 357 courses? The "Other Prof" uses Dearden's book {without openly letting the students in on it}. Maybe that was just a coincidence? Anyhow Would rather have the quality info straight from

Very good orator. Made lectures an enjoyable experience. Highly recommended

Dearden taught me about 10 years ago. I used to get profoundly depressed by his lectures. According to him, the world should have ended by about now. Guess you were wrong Phil. Spoke as a high priest of deep ecology but commuted to campus by car.

This guy is brimming with info...you better get ready to read tho! Awesome slides to go with lecture!

Excellent teacher, well informed, good speaker, clearly very passionate about the environment, offers some hope for the future

Really good speaker, and makes the material interesting. Yea, he may be pessimistic, but he backs it up with good reason. He isn't close minded as he frequently opens the class up to hear what the students think. He will NEVER say that he is right.

Inspiring. Presents arguments with style and allows for much class discussion, although allowed some people to speak TOO much without shutting them up.

Really passionate about the suject area and his test are really easy if you go to class and listen. Great prof for first year students!

Interesting class but at 8:30 am on Monday - it's just too much! But...GO TO CLASS! More than half the exams are on stuff he has said in class and not in the text. Would probably be better in an upper level course. Be prepared, the "labs" suck!

he should be more positive and careful not to fill our heads with ideas to prove his own theories.

good prof overall and good class. Way too much reading (be selective), slides in class and personal stories interesting.I hope you're good at taking notes cause he doesn't give you any. details details!no text,midterm,final not in exam time a plus and bookreport on a novel (entertaining assignment).

okay so everyone else writing about him probably didnt go to class and are bitter, sure the exams are hard but go to class do the readings and you'll do fine. he a very enthusiastic teacher and very interesting lectures. Overall hes a great teacher. I learned alot from him

Very sexy

best prof I've had at this school.Very inspiring-sometimes a bit depressing too, really makes you think. But Dearden rocks. Be sure to get a good lab TA- will make a difference in how well you do for sure. I had Rainbow. She got us through with extra review sessions. Exams are tricky- study hard

If you're as angry as he is about the state of the world you'll get along fine. He's in my top 5! Completely awesome.

he is very into what he teaches, as he has had first hand experience travelling the world! he is inspiring and helpful.

Smart guy, travels alot, his new book is pretty good. Liked the class...

Excellent resource. How refreshing not to have yet another PowerPoint presentation. His stories are great. His lectures are NEVER boring or dull. I always look forward to going to class. But he's tough! Like the subject matter, I guess.

Just gotta go to lectures and take notes on msot things he said. Most of the exam consist of things he said in lectures. Just read and memorize the lecture notes, and do some required readings, then this course and the exam should be fairly easy..i dun understand how some ppl would go to his lectures and still fail miserably on the midterm.

An interesting teacher, very passionate. Everyone complains about how hard his test were but I've got a big hint. USE ZAP and find the old explains. A lot of the questions on midterms or finals were the same. He did want very specific information but there was little else to test on in 101A. Loved the vests!

He is an amazing teacher! I would never miss a lecture. If you study your notes and go to class and the test are just fine. He knows his stuff and he is really passionate about what he is teaching. The class had a major impact on me, mainly because of the great professor.

First year classes with Phil are a cakewalk... the upper year ones will eat you alive if you can't keep up with the readings. (there are alot!)

amazing prof! really inspiring... love his odd stories. i would totally recommend him to anyone. i hope i get him again someday...

He is fascinating guy and amazing public speaker. I could watch his slideshows of places he has been for hours on end. The class was hard because I didn't study the textbook definitions. Do that, and you're sure to get at least a B on the midterm.

Very passionate professor with a large wealth of knowledge. Very interesting lectures using powerpoint.I enjoyed his many stories relating to his field work abroad. Lab component is time consuming and boring at times. Exams are difficult, but not impossible as long as you show up to the lectures and read the required readings. Know your stuff!!

One of the Best Profs I have ever had. TAKE A CLASS WITH HIM. They are hard but so interesting. Dearden is the best

Dearden has been teaching this course for longer than I've been alive. Although he bias and completely ecocentric, you can't beat this learning experience. After 101A with Dearden you will cruise through the 200 level courses that follow.

really great! had so many experiences to tell

Awesome Prof! Knows what he's talking about and is really good at sharing that knowledge. His class was so good, I changed my major :)

Decent prof. Interesting most of the time but midterms are impossible. The final was way easier just be sure to find and go over past exams and you can do 100% since they're identical!

I honestly don't see what the fuss about him is. Sure his lectures are interesting, but his classes are as biased as you can possibly get. Midterms aren't really that hard as long as you write down every definition he uses. Use the textbook only for biogeochemical cycles-don't bother with anything else.Finals are exactly the same as his past exam

This class is extremely easy if you know how to go about it. The midterm is comprised of terms he explains in class, so attendance is mandatory, but the midterm is very hard. The final, however; is extremely easy just get 2 past exams and study those and most questions are exactly the same. Dearden is a solid guy and makes the class engageing

Dearden was awesome. I had virtually no interest in Geography upon taking his class, now it's very likely to be my major. He wrote the textbook and I still have it.

Probably the best prof I've ever had... super inspiring & motivating. Can be a little mean though if you show up late/don't pay attention in class. Has tons of real world experience, class is interesting and fun. He wrote the textbook so there were no contradictions between text and lectures. Great prof!!! :)

Dearden is a genius

Super hilarious, and clearly knows what he's talking about. The midterm was difficult, but the class is worth taking for sure. Content is relevant and fun to learn!

Awesome prof. So funny and inspiring, you have to go to class! Tons of real world experience, really opens your eyes to whats happening around us. Writes a hard midterm, so that you study hard for the final, which was pretty good. Great prof, recommend this class!

He's witty and love his accents. I think that's they reason why I was so engaged in learning. He has been to many parts of the world. One thing about him is that you have to attend his classes and listen to get a good mark in midterm and final exam. If you do well in your lab, that's also a plus too.

Dearden is one of my fav. profs! His passion for the material comes off in class. He allows everyone to discuss major issues in the world. Attendence is MANDATORY as he gives the occasional hint for exams. Make sure you read the textbook! In the lecture he explains everything well and provides applicable examples from his work to the class.

Dearden is by far, head and shoulders above any professor I have had in any faculty on any subject. He is what made me change my major to geog in my 4th year. class is very interesting and engaging. Incredibly knowledgable, as his 31 years of teaching this class might show. Am unable to comprehend how anyone has anything bad to say about him. Best

Hands down the most inspiring professor I have ever had. You will set in that class with your jaw wide open the whole way. The man knows everything about the environment and is more than welcome to answer any of your questions.

He is a really great prof and really cares about the environment and his research. However, it is unclear as to what is testable material. Definitely read the textbook (he wrote it)!

The man knows his stuff. Has many years of real life experience in the field. He is a captivating speaker. The only thing I disliked was that his tests were hard. My advice: study past years' exams.

favourite course this year. dearden is very passionate about what he talks about, which made his lectures fantastic. I never missed a lecture, they were always so interesting. midterm is really hard though.

Prof. Dearden is the best! His lectures are interesting and entertaining. Its important to do the readings and lab work for his class because his exams cover everything, not just what he talked about in class. Use old finals for practice! Prof. Dearden is very opinionated, but he knows his stuff- especially conservation issues in Asia.

Dearden is the man. He is the reason I switched my major to geography.

I LOVE Dearden! One of the best teachers I've ever had! He's the reason I switched my major to Geography. The class and labs were so interesting and I'm sad they're over. Midterm was a bit hard but the final went pretty well because I went through previous exams

He wrote the textbook, so he does not post any slides. Very tough midterm. Attend lectures - take notes on everything. He tests literally everything. Do the readings, and set aside a lot of time for the lab work. Dearden is a great speaker, but condescending and arrogant about our lives in developed countries, so take it with a grain of salt.

He's da bomb. He has so much passion, it will seep into you! Read the textbook, it will help you out for the midterm and final. I suggest buying past exams too, really helped me out for the final. Cool prof though, I would take other courses with him in the future.

Dearden is a fantastic professor. While his classes are not easy, he is inspiring, informative, passionate and interesting. Warning: He might be your inspiration to change majors and become a geographer.

Favorite course, absolutely inspiring (and depressing), good examples of his personal travels, great class, tough lab (find good people or it will not be fun) The midterm is hard because it tests all the random facts throughout the course. Definitely know what is written on the board and explained. Also know the big ideas that connect every thing.

Dearden is a captivating lecturer and very knowledgeable of the subjects he teaches. don't skip class and take good notes since there are no slides, but he is clear about the most important topics. get as many practice exams as you can and read the textbook

Very inspiring to listen to, best lecturer I've had

This is one of the best classes I have ever taken. He cares about how much we learn and that is so awesome. It is hard, but I feel like I have learned so much. I would take a class with Dr. Dearden again in a second. So great!

I enjoyed having Dearden as a prof. That being said, he is definitely not for everyone. His lectures can be hard to follow, so be sure to take very good notes, and the labs are a lot of work for a first year course. On the positive side, the midterm and final aren't hard, as long as you study for them! I'd recommend buying old exams to study with.

Lectures were engaging and lowkey life changing. He provides anecdotes that are interesting but also relevant to the course material. Phil is actually the coolest guy I know and has done so many things. He also really knows his stuff, he literally wrote the textbook. If u have any interest in the environment take this course!!

Lectures are unbelievably engaging, as he is often speaking for his own experiences. 1hour 20min lectures are to long though, because you need to be able to pay attention every second. The class will give you a whole new outlook on life. The labs are SUPER easy, lots of group work, and worth a lot of the course! MUST read text book and go to class.

If you take this class it will change how you view the environment and the world. Dr. Dearden is extremely passionate and engaging. You will need to take detailed notes and read basically a whole textbook but it is possible to do well if you put in the work - I got 53% on the first midterm but my final grade was a B+.

Phil Dearden is an inspiration - I would take his class just to broaden my knowledge of the world. Lectures are engaging from start to finish as he tells stories and shows pictures from his life experiences. The exams were straightforward as long as you paid attention in class and studied the stuff he hinted at as being important.

Dearden is inspiring, but I found his teaching inconsistent. Many lectures were truly amazing, while others were confusing and dry. If you want to do well, read his textbook (the chapter summaries help, and use the link for extra practice Q's). He reuses questions from previous years on finals, so study old exams from Zap. The lab is fun but heavy.

He is the best prof I have had so far at UVic. I hope he doesn't retire soon because I want to take some more of his classes. They are a joy and an inspiration to me. Each lecture were like a mini-conference. Dearden certainly is a great prof no matter what other people say. We also do a lot of fun labs (except for the natural areas project). Enjoy

A class on the environment that everyone should take. I definitely enjoyed the lab component more, but lectures were interesting. Dearden is charismatic, has neat field stories, facilitates great discussions, and is occasionally condescending. Taking notes is important, although they won't be neat because his lectures are not organized for it.

A brilliant and kind man and very passionate lecturer!! At times the lectures can feel long but that's expected with 80 minute lectures. The lab is decent, depends on the TA. Kinga is amazing! Midterm was hard but not impossible, especially if you study. At first it seems like the lab will be a lot of work, but it's set up so you'll do well.

GEOG 101A is such a great course. The lectures are always amazing and Dearden has a lot of experience in the field to share. The labs were great too and the TA was energetic and a fair marker. Mandatory for geography students but definitely a great class to take otherwise! Labs have quite a few assignments so be prepared for this.

A lot of people on here have given really negative feedback on this class. Bottom line, yes, it is probably one of the hardest geography classes, and you cannot walk out with an 'A' solely by doing the work he says you should do. You need to go beyond this, after all, an 'A' requires that you exceed expectations, right? Phil is great, and funny.