2.5

Piotr Trela

Biology - Memorial University of Newfoundland

2.5
Quality
3.6
Difficulty
36%
Would Retake
136
Reviews
2.5
Quality
3.6
Difficulty
2.5
Helpful
2.5
Clarity

36%

Would Retake

136

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

21

4

20

3

20

2

22

1

53

What Students Say

By far the most wretched, god awful, terrible tests possible

BIO1001 - 1.0 rating

Absolutely brutal tests, u can study for hours, hours and hours, feel 100% comfortable with the exam

BIO1001 - 1.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

31%

Textbook Required

29%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 64 grades
Most common grades:
Not sure yet (21)
A (20)
B (11)
Grade Distribution
A(28)B(13)C(7)D(2)F(2)A-/B+(12)
Based on 90 reported grades
Not sure yet: 21
A: 20
B: 11
A+: 8
Common Tags
Tough grader (31)
Test heavy (31)
Graded by few things (30)
Get ready to read (25)
Lecture heavy (24)
Caring (15)
Accessible outside class (13)
Gives good feedback (10)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.27 avg change
Jan
Apr
May
Oct
Nov
Dec
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

BIO2120

5.0

(2)

ENVS6003

5.0

(2)

BIOL2010

4.5

(2)

BIO2041

3.9

(9)

EASC1000

3.5

(2)
+12 more courses
Difficulty by Course

BIO2600

4.3

OCSC2100

4.3

BIOL3710

4.0

BIO10O1

4.0

CHEM2610

4.0

Reviews (136)
2.0
4.0
BIOL3710
Feb 16, 2010

HORRIBLE. Avoid at all costs! Loves the sound of his own voice.

4.0
3.0
BIOL2041
Apr 26, 2010

great prof, shows good interest in students doing well. Attend class if you want a good mark because a lot of the notes are incomplete and you have to fill them in with what he says in class

4.0
2.0
BIO2041
Aug 25, 2010

One of the best profs I have had at MUN, very easy course and exams are easy as long as you go to class and pay attention. I would take any class he teaches again!

5.0
1.0
BIO2120
Oct 26, 2011

Great prof, really knows his stuff. If you go to class, listen and ask questions, you will do well in this course. If you listened in class, you can more or less determine what will be on the exams/ tests. Prof is willing to help if you show an interest in the course!

2.0
3.0
EASC2502
Nov 15, 2011

He's a little bit off his rocker sometimes but his class is okay to attend. He is a biology prof so he is probably better at bio than Geochem.

1.0
5.0
BIOL2041
Apr 5, 2012

Just don't. Don't do it. Probably the worst course of my degree and I took it in my last term... FML

1.0
5.0
BIOL2041
Apr 5, 2012

course without any pre reqs was the worst course I have taken in my entire degree.... you know when your looking for an elective at the beginning of the term that will be easy and you see a 2nd level bio one and decide to take it......DONT DO THAT FOR THIS COURSE!! it is terrible

1.0
5.0
BIO2600
Dec 6, 2012

Worst prof ever! Notes don't make any sense, exams are a joke. Do not take his course!!!!!

5.0
3.0
BIO2041
Jan 5, 2013

Great prof! He reviews tests after they've been passed back and encourages questions that students have on his grading. His notes follow the textbook, but the text because he tends to give some specific questions on the exams (ex. exact data). Attending class is a must because he has blanks in the class slides. Overall, great course!

5.0
2.0
BIOL2010
Feb 12, 2013

I love this man! Has been my favorite bio proff thus far. He is always making jokes and making things fun to keep you interested! Almost gives you the test questions in your notes; makes it clear what he wants from you. Some say there is a language barrier but i disagree! Great teaching style and great guy.

4.0
2.0
BIOL2010
Apr 9, 2013

Can't say enough nice things about him! If you rely solely on his notes you're screwed, but they're written to be used with the text and any answers to his notes can be found there. He's very friendly, makes classes relatively interesting, and very helpful. His methods are always the same so once you get used to it you don't have to keep changing!

1.0
5.0
ENVS6002
Grade: A-
Mar 14, 2014

BY FAR THE WORST PROF IVE HAD AT 7 YEARS AT MUN. AVOID AT ALL COST. HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW THE MATERIAL.

3.0
3.0
EASC1000
Dec 10, 2014

Dr. Trela is a kind professor who really cares about his students. He is a fairly easy marker who gives bonus points if the question was written wrong. However, the way he teaches is really quite confusing. Sometimes, he isn't clear at all.

4.0
2.0
EASC1000
Grade: A+
Mar 30, 2015

Decent guy. Good course. Make sure you do your work.

3.0
2.0
BIOL2041
Grade: A
Apr 13, 2015

Classes are extremely boring which is to be expected for a course on environmental science. He is a fairly easy grader, tries to help his students with bonus questions, marking the test out of less total marks if there were common errors among the class, will to drop your lowest mark after final, etc. Sometimes a little hard to understand.

4.0
2.0
BIOL1002
Jul 22, 2015

Go to class, follow the notes, and you'll be fine. Great at making connections between the material in the book and the real world -- I found his lectures interesting and at times quite funny. If you're confused, he'll happily explain concepts again -- very helpful inside and outside of class.

5.0
2.0
BIOL1002
Grade: A
Feb 6, 2016

A lot of people complain about his accent but honestly it's not bad at all. Had him for 1002 and while the material was dry he made it interesting by cracking a lot of jokes! Would recommend!

3.0
3.0
BIO1002
Grade: B+
Feb 11, 2016

Lectures are long, boring. I find his accent difficult to understand. I find he didn't give clear expectations for the midterm or any review.

1.0
5.0
BIOL1002
Grade: Not sure yet
Feb 14, 2016

He's awful, very hard to understand and unclear about what is going to be tested. Would of changed classes if another professor was teaching the course. I went to class and studied a lot and biology comes easy to me, but his notes weren't good and the test scores were bad.

5.0
3.0
BIO2041
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 10, 2016

Great prof! Lectures are long but he makes it interesting. Clearly passionate about the subject he teaches. Tests are fair but can be difficult since he expects you to integrate different concepts. Graphs and figures are important, so make sure you study them for tests.

3.0
4.0
BIOL1002
Grade: B+
Apr 26, 2016

Dr. Trela is a good, funny prof and easy to understand, very interested in the subject material, but the midterm was challenging. I studied extremely hard and felt confident going in but it was a smack in the face. He doesn't give any clues as to what you should expect on tests and what he emphasizes in class does not appear on tests.

4.0
4.0
BIOL1002
Grade: A
May 7, 2016

slight accent barrier. knowledgeable and does his best with a very dry syllabus. most people who don't like him simply don't like the course material. funny guy, if you can catch his subtle jokes. notes are very detailed and do not require additional reading. lectures are recorded. exams are all multiple choice and very hard.

3.0
4.0
BIOL1002
Grade: B
Jun 22, 2016
Would take again

his tests are very hard and detailed, will drop the lowest mark on one of the tests, sometimes he takes more than 50 mins on lectures, you need to focus in class or else you're not gonna get a thing, you can't only depend on lectures to pass the course, he will give you more information than you need to know, funny man and cares about students

5.0
3.0
BIO1002
Jun 15, 2017
Would take again

Professor Trela is awesome professor and an approachable person. The course material is difficult, so attendance is require. Dr. Trela posts questions in his slides which are answered during the classes.

Gives good feedback
Respected
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Grade: Not sure yet
Oct 4, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Absolutely brutal tests, u can study for hours, hours and hours, feel 100% comfortable with the exam. Then you go into his exams and not have a clue what the question is asking or looking for, finding yourself contemplating whether you even learned such specific information.

Tough Grader
TEST HEAVY
LECTURE HEAVY
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Oct 4, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Awful. Worst Bio prof I have ever had. Notes he gives are a joke and the tests are way more detailed. Even with all the additional reading and plenty hours of study tests are impossible. Questions dont even make sense, and things never once mentioned by or seen in the textbook are tested. You should stay far away from Trela if you want to pass.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Grade: Incomplete
Oct 4, 2017
Wouldn't take again

By far the most wretched, god awful, terrible tests possible!!!! you can study for two weeks+ before the exam, feel completely confident, and material featured won't be from online, the text book, or his brief and frankly pathetic notes. If you strive to succeed in bio run at the site of Dr. Trela for this course

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
TEST HEAVY
3.0
4.0
BIOL1001
Oct 15, 2017
Wouldn't take again

If you're not used to having to decipher what your professor is saying due to a thick accent, I don't recommend registering for any of his courses. However, he does like to add in a joke here and there that make the lectures bearable. Attending lectures is a must, because if you don't attend, you may miss an analogy that can help your understanding

Skip class? You won't pass.
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
LECTURE HEAVY
2.0
4.0
BIO1001
Oct 17, 2017
Wouldn't take again

has an accent but not too bad the you cant understand. that is when he actually talks at pace that you can hear the actual words coming out of his mouth. he knows his stuff, but he has little to no idea how to explain it. tests are sometimes unfair but just complain to him and he'll change your mark.

1.0
4.0
BIOL1002
Oct 20, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Hard to understand, goes very fast and tests don't make sense

4.0
3.0
BIO1001
Oct 26, 2017
Would take again

He has a very thick accent but easy to get used to. He makes amazing analogies which definitely help in your understanding. Most of the time he just reads off the slides, so attendance isn't mandatory. Our 1st midterm was brutal but he realized that after & got rid of a few questions boosting my mark enormously. Overall, very caring & knowledgable.

Tough Grader
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
LECTURE HEAVY
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Grade: C-
Nov 1, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Reads directly from the slides so if you don't show up you aren't missing much

Tough Grader
TEST HEAVY
LECTURE HEAVY
2.0
3.0
BIO1001
Nov 1, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Could not stand going to his lectures. Talked very quickly and it was very hard to hear him in the lecture hall, got way more out of watching the lectures off lecture capture. He tries his best and does try to make jokes to engage the class but nobody ever understood them. I would not take another one of his classes if i could help it.

5.0
4.0
BIOL1002
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 4, 2017
Would take again

At first the accent may be difficult to deal with, but once you get used to it, you can tell he really knows what he's talking about. He tends to read directly from the slides, but he elaborates well and usually gets the point across. If there is anything you don't understand, he 'll answer any questions.

Participation matters
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
LECTURE HEAVY
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Nov 4, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Trelas accent is very heavy so its hard to understand what hes saying sometimes. He mumbles, some of the english on his slideshows isnt correct, and his tests are extremely hard. my midterm with him was very difficult, the grammar wasnt great, there wasnt a lot of space to write, and afterwards they werent even graded correctly.

Tough Grader
TEST HEAVY
1.0
4.0
BIO1001
Nov 9, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Going to lectures is pointless because his notes miss half the material. I basically self taught myself through the textbook.

TEST HEAVY
1.0
4.0
BIO10O1
Grade: B+
Nov 12, 2017
Wouldn't take again

You might as well teach yourself the entire course, because he doesn't explain it very well. Most of the knowledge from the textbook aren't even on his slides.

TEST HEAVY
LECTURE HEAVY
1.0
5.0
BIOL1001
Dec 3, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Accent is heavy, lecture notes are terrible, reads from slideshow. Learned the course material myself.

Tough Grader
TEST HEAVY
LECTURE HEAVY
3.0
2.0
BIOL1001
Grade: A+
Dec 9, 2017
Would take again

Heart in the right place. When there are grading errors on tests he is willing to fix them, when a question was poorly worded he retroactively made it a bonus question which was a nice boost on the trickier parts of the tests. His lectures are pretty boring but his notes are clear and cover relevant material, and he posts lecture recordings.

GRADED BY FEW THINGS
EXTRA CREDIT
Tests are tough
1.0
4.0
BIOL1001
Grade: B
Dec 20, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Not a bad guy in any regard, but went at too quick a pace in lectures and gave unreasonably difficult midterms. Wouldn't take again.

Get ready to read
Tests are tough
LECTURE HEAVY
3.0
3.0
BIOL1001
Grade: F
Jan 2, 2018
Wouldn't take again

His tests were particularly hard with several correcting errors but he was willing to fix them all. Very nice man and his jokes are really funny if you can pick up on them.

ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Hilarious
Tests are tough
2.0
4.0
BIO1001
Grade: A
Jan 3, 2018
Wouldn't take again

I found the lectures extremely boring and hard to listen to, I often spent all class on my phone or computer. The first midterm was brutally hard even though I felt prepared going in, although he did a grade curve and the second midterm was much easier. The slideshows are long and I learned all the material on my own.

Get ready to read
TEST HEAVY
Tests are tough
5.0
4.0
BIOL1002
Grade: A
Jun 26, 2018
Would take again

Trela is tough but also very fair if you go to him afterwards. Usually you can get a couple more marks on a midterm. His participation marks are for showing up and there is even bonus marks for answering questions, easy marks right there. Can go too in depth and lose track of time occasionally but he is a funny guy and knows the material well!

Gives good feedback
Hilarious
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
3.0
3.0
BIOL1001
Grade: A
Jun 27, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Would not recommend him as a first-year prof. He doesn't explain the material well and uses a strange format for testing so you end up having to teach yourself the material. He is however accessible outside of class and is able to clarify concepts if you speak to him one on one. Gives bonus questions on tests.

2.0
5.0
BIOL3710
Nov 22, 2018
Wouldn't take again

We only received notices about the content of the labs and lectures less than 4 hours before class. Graded assignments and test are not given back and no grades except for the first lab and first test were known less than 2 weeks before end of lectures. We completed 5 labs and 2 tests.

Tough Grader
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
LECTURE HEAVY
5.0
1.0
BIO2120
Dec 7, 2018
Would take again

Material is heavy but if you show up to class you'll do well.

Respected
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Caring
1.0
4.0
BIO1001
Grade: C
Mar 28, 2019
Wouldn't take again

For first year students I would pass on this prof. The only way to pass his tests are to memorise the textbook. He was hard to follow and his slideshows are all over the place. His tests are just as unorganised. I found this course very challenging compared to other second or third year biology courses.

Get ready to read
Graded by few things
Tough grader
1.0
5.0
BIO1002
Oct 31, 2019
Wouldn't take again

The most boring lectures you'll ever see and it's basically him reading his from his own slides, and slides are a mess, incomplete and really hard to understand... Exams are extremely difficult, The first midterm was so difficult that most of the class didn't even show up for it...

Test heavy
Tough grader
1.0
1.0
BIO1002
Grade: C+
Nov 11, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Worst prof that I ever had in my life. Avoid at all costs. I would never recommend him to anyone. Made me actually want to cry every class through the semester!

Get ready to read
Test heavy
Tough grader
2.0
3.0
BIOL3710
Nov 19, 2019
Wouldn't take again

He will regularly move due dates if you ask him to or mention all of the work upcoming for other classes. HOWEVER, he is disorganized and does not grade anything in a timely fashion. Only 1 midterm mark given, 12% of the final grade, and 4 labs not graded with the first one handed in 2 months ago, as of the last two weeks of classes. DO NOT TAKE.

2.0
4.0
BIO1002
Grade: B+
Jan 7, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Terrible lectures, his English is not the best. His tests are difficult and the wording is tricky for questions as he cannot create a proper sentence in English. He is very passionate which would be amazing if you could hear him.

Test heavy
Tough grader
1.0
4.0
BIOL1002
Grade: B
Mar 8, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Avoid at all costs if possible. His lectures are super heavy and his inability to speak english well reflects well in his notes. His midterms are full of spelling errors and grammatical errors making hard to comprehend and do well. Not to mention he took 5 weeks to return the grades of our first midterm. AVOID HIM!

Skip class? You won't pass.
Test heavy
Lecture heavy
5.0
4.0
BIOL1002
Mar 13, 2020
Would take again

He has a bad rating but he's honestly one of the nicest and most knowledgable profs I've ever had. His accent is thick, but it isn't impossible to understand if you pay attention. Ultimately, Bio 1002 is designed to be very difficult to deter people who are not 100% committed to majoring in biology. He's a good prof given a bad rep by a hard course

Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
Caring
4.0
3.0
BIOL2041
Grade: A
Apr 15, 2020
Would take again

Prof Trela was great; very passionate. Knows his material. If you don't understand a concept and ask him directed Qs, he will explain using a variety of examples. Makes himself very accessible via office hours + email communications. Listens to feedback and makes adjustments to suit. Exams focus on combining concepts. Know your graphs/charts!

Gives good feedback
Accessible outside class
Participation matters
3.0
4.0
BIOL1002
Apr 18, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Dr. Trela is a pretty good prof despite some of these ratings. To do well in his course, you definitely have to study his notes well, and pay attention to the questions he has written in red within the notes. His exams are a little tough as they're hard to understand, but if you're willing to put in the effort, you'll do well!

Accessible outside class
Graded by few things
5.0
3.0
BIO2041
Grade: A-
May 4, 2020
Would take again

If you do bad, its all on you. He is one of the only profs at MUN I have had that cares so much for his students. He made sure that he helped me as much as possible and he is so passionate about what he talks about. You may question somethings he talks about but he is over all so good and he tends to add humour into his Lectures.

Gives good feedback
Skip class? You won't pass.
Caring
4.0
3.0
BIOL1002
Grade: B+
Aug 9, 2020
Would take again

Ive had him twice so far, once in bio and once in marine geo. Some people might find the Russian accent hard to understand, but hes always happy to answer questions and gives fair exams based on the lectures and class notes

Gives good feedback
Lecture heavy
Caring
2.0
4.0
BIOL1002
Grade: A+
Aug 29, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Trela is definitely very smart but also hard to understand with his accent. His tests were very difficult but he is open to accepting multiple answers to multiple choice is confronted about it. Attendance is crucial for knowing how to answer his long answers on tests because he talks about how to answer them and doesnt post what he talks about.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Lecture heavy
5.0
2.0
ENVS6003
Grade: A
Nov 6, 2020
Would take again

Dr. Trela is one of the best profs I've ever had. He is very knowledgeable and would answer any questions you have. Also, if you understand the figures and are able to interpret them, you will get an A. Dr. Trela has a thick accent, but he sounds very clear to me.

Gives good feedback
Respected
Caring
2.0
3.0
BIO2041
Dec 11, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Piotr is hands down the worst prof i've had so far to handle remote classes. All he does is post power points and lecture captures from winter semester last year and his grading is unnecessarily hard for an elective . Deff do not recommend.

Graded by few things
Test heavy
Tough grader
4.0
4.0
BIOL3710
Grade: A-
Dec 16, 2020
Would take again

Dr. Trela is one of the nicest profs I have ever had. Although he is a tough grader, his questions are fair and he gives extra review classes before each exam. During the remote semester, he pushed back both of our midterms, as well as subsequent labs/presentations so that we could focus on studying. If you put in the work, you will do well.

1.0
3.0
BIO2041
Grade: D-
Dec 19, 2020
Wouldn't take again

I received my 2nd midterm grade ONE day before my final. I was promised my final project mark back before courses ended (nope). He posted LAST YEAR's lectures, effectively taking this semester off. Easier than recording new stuff/creating a new curriculum I guess? Lackluster prof, poor communication, terrible grading speed. Would not recommend.

Participation matters
Skip class? You won't pass.
Tough grader
5.0
4.0
BIOL3710
Grade: Incomplete
Dec 4, 2021
Would take again

Dr. Trela was an amazing prof. The course had 2 midterms, a final, labs, and a term project that consisted of a presentation and a Wikipedia entry. He does this to give you skills you'll need once you graduate. He is a hard marker on midterms but lays out a clear guideline of his expectations and does review classes. He's super nice and funny!

Gives good feedback
Accessible outside class
Skip class? You won't pass.
5.0
3.0
BIO2041
Grade: C
Dec 6, 2021
Would take again

Hes awesome! Very knowledgeable yet so humble. Lectures are so interesting, his stories he throws in are pretty funny too lol! You can tell he cares and hes really just inspirational and admirable. Hes really about the life he teaches, climate change, and he bikes! Hes so cool lol�� did I say knowledgeable? But so humble!

Inspirational
Amazing lectures
Caring
1.0
4.0
CHEM2610
Grade: B
Apr 16, 2022

Dr. Trela is one of the most unprofessional and disorganized professors I have ever had for a course. He relies heavily on lecture slideshows that someone else made with diagrams taken from google images. Graded on only 3 midterms and a final; the material is easy, Dr. Trela's blatant disregard for his students makes this course very difficult.

Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
4.0
CHEM2610
Grade: C
Apr 21, 2022

Disorganized. Not clear. Messy is just a few words to describe him. While he could be funny, this course (I've heard that this isn't the only one) was a state. Grammatical errors covered the notes and exams. He randomly took out 15% assm. and added it to something else. Some emails I sent were never responded to. Exams were insanely long. Awful.

Tough grader
Graded by few things
5.0
3.0
CHEM2610
Grade: A
Apr 29, 2022
Would take again

Other reviews for this course don't reflect Dr. Trela. He wants students to do well & is very knowledgeable. Always took time to explain the content in detail if there was confusion. He's just very busy teaching so many heavy courses with little help from TAs. He graded all midterms on a curve and gave extra marks if you had a problem with grades.

Tough grader
Gives good feedback
Accessible outside class
5.0
3.0
BIO2041
May 3, 2022
Would take again

If attend the lectures and take notes on the topics in the red front, you should have no problem with his class. There were multiple tests, and they directly ask about those topics. When classes went back to in person, he still gave live recordings for students who weren't comfortable coming in. Only fault is he's really slow posting test grades.

1.0
4.0
BIOL3710
Grade: B
Nov 9, 2022

The most disorganized professor. 5 labs this semester, but in the middle of November there are no templates for them, no due dates, and no guidelines. He answered questions about the first midterm in the middle of the night before the test. Never gives clear answers for assignments, never gives guidelines. Difficult to understand and follow.

Lecture heavy
Test heavy
Graded by few things
3.0
5.0
BIO1001
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 13, 2022

I do not like Dr. Trela's teaching style. But he is 100% a very nice man, if you have questions in class he is happy to help you but his lectures are very dry and purely him reading word for word off slides. He does not explain concepts very well unless asked directly about the topic. Also, his exams are unnecessarily hard.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Graded by few things
3.0
3.0
BIO1001
Nov 15, 2022
Would take again

Trela isn't a horrible prof but I found his exams to be very tough and his lecture notes did not properly prepare me for what was going to be on the exams. Attending lectures is definitely not mandatory because all he does is read word for word from his slides. His lectures are pretty dry and boring but does give feedback when you ask questions.

Graded by few things
2.0
4.0
BIO1001
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 29, 2022

No doubt he knows his biology. Small language barrier and he just reads notes off the lecture slides in class, so classes can be super boring. I didn't find his lectures or slides prepared you for the exams, which he made extremely difficult.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Test heavy
5.0
3.0
BIO1001
Grade: B
Dec 2, 2022
Would take again

Professor Trela is very knowledgable and a overall great prof! His lectures are very informative and he covers a lot of material in a short period of time. He is good at explaining and has lots of stories and ways to remember terms! Lots of material on the course shell to help. Only downfall is grades are posted slow.

Test heavy
Graded by few things
Accessible outside class
1.0
4.0
BIO1001
Dec 3, 2022

No. Not a fan. Never again. Nope.

1.0
3.0
BIO1001
Dec 7, 2022

Buddy has no organization skills and can't teach for anything.

2.0
4.0
BIO1001
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 9, 2022

there is no doubt that Trela knows his stuff, but was just awful at teaching it. it is hard to get a good grade in this class if you have other heavy courses as you are graded on 2 midterms and a final. midterms were tough and all he does is read off of slides. i would feel much more prepared if there were practice finals or assignments.

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
4.0
4.0
BIO1001
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 13, 2022
Would take again

Piotr is very knowledgeable about biology, especially fungi. I did find it hard to follow along, but he had the lectures recorded & posted online which I found helpful. Everyone giving him low reviews doesn't realize any intro bio prof u get will be the same in how they cover material. He's a great guy & is good for being flexible on midterm marks.

Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Grade: B
Dec 21, 2022

The worst teachers I've had, you taught the class to yourself, during lectures he would mumble and you couldn't understand him. His midterms and finals were extremally hard and half the material on them weren't even in the notes. I had to put so much work into this class compared to my other ones, I would not recommended to have him as a teacher.

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
3.0
4.0
OCSC2100
Grade: A-
Mar 22, 2023
Would take again

Despite hearing bad things about Trela I really didn't mind either course I took with him. He's a hard grader, but answers every question thoroughly. He's also very fair with extensions. Beware if you take a long time to write a test however, they're super long! Not my favorite prof, but overall I would take again.

Tough grader
Clear grading criteria
Gives good feedback
4.0
1.0
BIO1001
Grade: A+
Jul 14, 2023
Would take again

Good teacher with easily understandable lecture notes. Read lecture notes, answer MCQs at the end of each chapter in the textbook, and do the online quizzes and you'll be good to go. Attendance is not mandatory and gradings are quite considerate.

Get ready to read
Caring
Accessible outside class
3.0
3.0
BIO1001
Grade: A
Jul 22, 2023
Would take again

Dr. Trela is an okay prof. Lectures are pretty much just reading off the slides but will answer any questions clearly and in detail. I would take again.

Lecture heavy
Test heavy
Accessible outside class
4.0
4.0
BIO1001
Grade: A
Aug 19, 2023
Would take again

I enjoyed having Dr. Trela as a professor! This isn't going to be an easy science elective by any means, and it definitely falls into the "weed out" category of classes, but you ultimately get what you put into it! Piotr is a very nice and caring man and truly wants his students to succeed. I would take his class again knowing how it operates now.

Tough grader
Test heavy
Accessible outside class
1.0
4.0
BIO1002
Grade: Rather not say
Dec 20, 2023

My time with Piotr Trela for biology 1001 and 1002 was extremely unpleasant. The course was needlessly challenging, relying solely on lab and exam grades. Labs barely touched on essential concepts, with no assignments to improve exam scores. Review questions rarely appeared on exams, making it a frustrating learning experience.

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
4.0
3.0
BIO1001
Dec 29, 2023
Would take again

After having Dr. Trela for 3 semesters he is great. I would not rely on lecture notes for studying, and definitely read the textbook, but his exams were fair and even. He is compensating for your grade as he will adjust the weighting of exams to your benefit.

Get ready to read
Graded by few things
3.0
3.0
BIO2041
Apr 12, 2024
Would take again

Had this professor for 3 courses. We didn't fully get through any of them, he is often late for classes and exams and the notes can be confusing at times. But he's an easy grader, tests are fair and all you have to do is study the notes and you will do well.

1.0
5.0
CHEM2610
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 14, 2024

I am usually pretty restrained when submitting a review for a prof. But honestly this guy shouldn't have a job teaching people at uni. I am a senior student taking this course for an elective and this guy is unorganized unlike anyone else I have ever seen which makes it impossible to even figure out what his questions are asking you on tests.

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
4.0
3.0
BIO1002
Grade: A
Apr 24, 2024
Would take again

I have taken BIO 1001 and BIO 1002 with Dr. Trela and really enjoyed both courses. You will need to put effort to do well. My advice is to print all the review questions and answer them as you study the material. Tests are not easy, but they are fair. Make sure you prepare for the diagrams questions. Go to office hours if you have questions.

Caring
Test heavy
Accessible outside class
2.0
4.0
CHEM2610
Grade: B-
May 21, 2024

Unfortunately this was the only prof available for OCSC 2100 / CHEM 2610. He was late to exams and lectures and returns things in an untimely manner (months late). His slides and notes are unintelligible and the assignments and exams have poor spelling and posed questions that do not make sense. Good luck if you're stuck with him, use the textbook.

Graded by few things
2.0
5.0
BIO1001
Grade: Not sure yet
Oct 2, 2024

Can't understand a single word he says, and I like bio

Get ready to read
1.0
2.0
BIO1001
Grade: Not sure yet
Oct 21, 2024

hard to understand, contridicts himself while explaining and shows up to lecture multiple minutes late. i just took my midterm and found multiple spelling mistakes along with questions about material he told us would not be on the exam.

1.0
1.0
BIO1001
Oct 30, 2024

Very strong language barrier. Online quizzes and the exams have spelling mistakes and don't have proper grammar. Like he used google translate. Just reads off the board

Lecture heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO1002
Nov 1, 2024

Exams make absolutely no sense. I have heard from multiple students that he uses a text translator when he makes these exams. Spent weeks studying for my first midterm and yet still failed. He will put the blame on the students for “not preparing” but we have taken every opportunity to do well. it is impossible to do good in this course.

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Nov 4, 2024

He blames us students for poor marks when he expects us to teach our self's. He reads off the slides, midterms and quizzes have a lot of spelling mistakes, can't understand him.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO1002
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 4, 2024

awful! always late to class, reads straight off the board, and can barely understand him. he gave us the outline for the midterm and it ended up being nothing like it. exams makes no sense, full of spelling mistakes and errors. if you want to teach yourself then this is the prof for you. never. again.

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
4.0
BIO1001
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 5, 2024

Does not teach the course, more so just reads from slides. Theirs absolutely nothing available to help boost your mark, and no guidance toward exams/tests. I began not showing up to class as all it is, is reading from slides which i can do myself! DO NOT TAKE THIS COURSE WITH HIM.

Get ready to read
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Nov 18, 2024

I've never seen so many typos/mistakes in an exam before. So hard to focus when you have to stop every 5 minutes because he can fix the mistake and try and explain it

Lecture heavy
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 18, 2024

Late to exams, had to stop the midterm 4 different times to correct his own mistakes. Questions he said would not be on the midterm were on the exam.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Graded by few things
1.0
4.0
BIO1001
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 18, 2024

Professor Trela is constantly late to class and teaches past the end of class on a usual basis. The first term test was difficult with a class average of 42%. The second term test seemed to be easier but required a lot of self study. He reads off of the slideshow with little to no input making the lectures very dull.

Tough grader
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Grade: Incomplete
Nov 19, 2024

My major problem with him is how bad the midterms are. The first midterm has a class average of 42%, you can tell he just Google translates it And we wrote the second midterm yesterday and he POSTED Midterm 2 REVIEW DURING MIDTERM 2. This is so crazy and unbelievably frustrating when you're paying for him to TEACH me and I'm teaching myself.

Get ready to read
Test heavy
Accessible outside class
2.0
3.0
BIO1001
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 21, 2024
Would take again

Can be hard to understand content. Tests are long and can be tricky if you don't know material really well. Go to PAL review. Sarah has helpful practice q's and knows what she's talking about

Lecture heavy
Test heavy
3.0
4.0
BIO1001
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 29, 2024
Would take again

People dramatize his accent, I don't struggle at all understanding him. definitely a heavy course but he gives lots of review sources and hints on what you'll be tested on. Make sure to not fall behind. I don't notice spelling mistakes like others have so if there are mistakes you are still able to understand. He's Really nice. Make sure to study.

Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Grade: C
Dec 3, 2024

Avoid taking Trela's class at all costs. His lectures were terrible and he never sounded like he knew what he was talking about. He just read word for word off a slideshow. He gave 2 assignments so your mark was pretty well dependent on exams which were always awful. I counted the days to the end of the semester so I could be done with him. AVOID!!

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Grade: B
Dec 3, 2024

Prof. Trela shows up late to lectures, and forgets to post class material online before class. Be prepared to teach yourself a lot of the material learned in this course.

4.0
1.0
BIO1002
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 5, 2024
Would take again

He loves what he teaches. Biology can be bulky but he tries to make it fun and relatable by adding videos.

Lecture heavy
Accessible outside class
Online Savvy
5.0
3.0
ENVS6002
Dec 7, 2024
Would take again

Piotr ALWAYS went above and beyond for our class. He held review sessions, adjusted exam times; you can tell he wants you to succeed. He really cares about the environment, which shows in his lectures. He can be long-winded at times, but he really knows the content and will take the time to explain it to you. He is a gem.

Inspirational
Hilarious
Caring
2.0
3.0
BIO1001
Dec 10, 2024

Trela's lectures are useless. You can't hear a word he's saying, he's always 5-10 mins late to class and all he does is read off the slides. Be prepared to teach yourself the whole course. He didn't post our second midterm review UNTIL WE WERE WRITING IT. Oh and he's gonna be late even on test days. However he's eating with the final review so...

Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Grade: B
Dec 11, 2024

Dr. Trela is hard to understand, seems like he doesn't even know the subject himself just reading of the slides, and quite frequently skips many at a time, but of course you still need to know what was on them. The final consisted of 44MC, 4 diagrams, 2 tables, and 16 'short' answers (some are 3 words, some are a paragraph) across 14 units.

Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 12, 2024

Do not take any classes with him, there is too much information to know for the final and no matter how much you study you will not do good, his test questions make no sense and have many errors as well as his final and the other bio 1001 profs midterms/ finals are no where near equal Trela's are much harder and cover way more info. DO NOT TAKE!

Tough grader
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Dec 14, 2024

Incoherent tests, no structure to them at all. Topics covered on said test are so in depth for a level 1 course, unnecessarily difficult, lectures are useless where he only reads off slides, you will be teaching most of the course material to yourself.

Tough grader
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Dec 18, 2024

Dr Trela was terrible. Couldn't understand a word he said. Always showed up late to class. Very hard midterms and finals. Avoid taking any classes with him!!

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
2.0
4.0
BIO1001
Dec 19, 2024

Trela's lecture were extremely difficult to follow, the language barrier was apparent but his pace at which he taught was the main issue. I gave up going to his lectures because there was no benefit so prepare to teach yourself the course. His test were also unnecessarily difficult and very wordy. I recommend avoiding trela if possible

1.0
4.0
BIO1001
Grade: A-
Dec 19, 2024

During his lectures, he mumbles and already has an accent, which makes it almost impossible to understand him. All of his slides, along with his midterms and finals, have typos. He has to stop midterms and correct his mistakes. He takes 3 weeks to grade midterms. He did not have our final done on time to give it back on the right day.

2.0
4.0
BIO1001
Grade: A
Dec 20, 2024

Lectures were mostly unengaging, as Trela often read solely from his slideshows. However, missing one of his lectures isn't the end of the world, as everything remotely noteworthy about his classes is in the Brightspace shell with his slides. Not an immediate drop, but not a prof you will look back on with fond memeories.

Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
2.0
4.0
BIO1002
Grade: A
Dec 20, 2024

Professor Trela was an okay prof. I didn't find his accent that hard to understand but his lectures were pretty dry. The first midterm was very hard but the second midterm was better. Final was okay but make sure to review what was on the midterms as it was repeated on the final.

Accessible outside class
3.0
2.0
BIO1001
Grade: A
Dec 22, 2024
Would take again

There's a lot of content in this course and it can be pretty dry overall (some interesting) He does his best to provide the resources needed to succeed, if you use them you will be fine. Biggest complaint is errors in the exams, but if you ask he will clarify. If taking him for Bio1001, use EVERYTHING he provides to prepare for assessment.

1.0
5.0
BIO1001
Grade: C
Dec 29, 2024

This guy didn't know how to teach please choose a different job

Tough grader
Test heavy
Graded by few things
3.0
3.0
ENVS6002
Grade: A+
Dec 29, 2024

Heavy on in-class explanations and stories that help with understanding the material. You cannot afford to miss classes.

Participation matters
Clear grading criteria
Lecture heavy
4.0
1.0
BIOL1002
Grade: A
Dec 31, 2024
Would take again

Dr. Trela will always make time for students if they have questions. He constantly provided opportunities to improve grades, whether it was earning extra points for attending lectures or shifting midterm weights to the final. My advice - go to office hours if you're confused, and if that still doesn't help, look it up.

Gives good feedback
Caring
Graded by few things
2.0
3.0
BIO1001
Grade: B
Jan 1, 2025

Very boring lectures, no practice tests, hates talking during lectures, mumbles and doesn't know how to use mic. After everyone failed the first midterm he let us replace it and get better grades for the second one. Lots to study and very easy to fall behind.

Lecture heavy
4.0
3.0
BIO1001
Grade: A-
Jan 6, 2025
Would take again

His lectures were boring but useful and he tries to give extra credit. Even had an extra class during finals to help see what questions you got wrong on the two midterms to help out for the final exam. You will need to study a lot on your own due to the amount of material in this course but he is honestly a sweet and wants to help students out.

Get ready to read
EXTRA CREDIT
Lecture heavy
1.0
4.0
BIO1001
Grade: A
Jan 7, 2025

by far the worst prof i've had, super hard to understand in lectures as he mumbles under his breath all the time and is the most unorganized person i've met. don't know where he left off and ends up skipping tons of material because of it. the few times i interacted with him he was just straight up rude. if you can, get into another bio class!!

Get ready to read
Graded by few things
5.0
2.0
BIO1001
Grade: A+
Jan 8, 2025
Would take again

Professor Trela was the one and only professor I've had at Mun who actually cares. A very sweet and understanding man. He gave super straight forward midterms & finals, loads of extra practice questions and is a easy grader. He has a thick accent, which can be hard at first but you get used to it very quickly. 10/10 I definitely recommend him.

Caring
Accessible outside class
1.0
3.0
BIO1001
Grade: A
Jan 18, 2025

Gave very boring lectures, pretty much only read off the slides which were hard to understand. Mark based on very few things, 3 of which being exams. Not a lot to bump up your mark if you're not a good test taker. Any advice I have after a semester with him would be to just skip the lectures and use the time to go to the library and teach yourself.

Get ready to read
3.0
2.0
BIO1001
Grade: B-
Jan 29, 2025
Would take again

Very sweet guy, he genuinely cares about all of his students, and offers opportunities for extra credit. However despite this, his lectures were so boring, he just read off of the slides. That being said, he kindly hosted sessions after the midterms to give students an opportunity to review the questions. You will have to read a lot for this course

Get ready to read
Caring
Graded by few things
5.0
2.0
BIO1001
Grade: A
Apr 3, 2025
Would take again

Dr. Trela was a very caring professor, giving many opportunities for extra credit. His lectures can be boring and sometimes hard to understand, but overall, the lectures helped cut down on my study time. His midterms were quite simple and he let us pick some of the short answer questions. Very easy if you study for the midterms!

EXTRA CREDIT
Caring
Respected
1.0
4.0
OCSC2100
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 20, 2025

Nice man, but painfully unorganized. Told us the incorrect dates for BOTH midterms, needed students to tell him the actual dates. Gave us the second assignment to do during the final exam period when we're all busy studying. Lectures were boring, slow, and more often than not completely off the topic at hand. Made the course unnecessarily painful

Get ready to read
Caring
1.0
5.0
OCSC2100
Grade: F
Apr 23, 2025

Makes it so difficult to pass his exams! Instead of just asking Q's straight up, he uses every chance to trick you. Exams are SO long with WAY too many questions with word heavy”explanations” on how to answer his questions. Had us do an assignment after the final exam on excel (which he never taught us how to use correctly in the matter needed)

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Test heavy
4.0
4.0
CHEM2610
Grade: A
Apr 29, 2025
Would take again

Although I found this course somewhat challenging, I enjoyed it with Dr. Trela. Overall, a very kind and knowledgeable man who wants students to succeed. I found assessments to be very fair and came from what was explained in class and the notes. He is accessible outside of class and was transparent on what we were expected to know.

Caring
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
3.0
2.0
BIO1001
Grade: A+
May 3, 2025
Would take again

went to all of three classes, finished with a 99%. study the lecture notes comprehensively, read the textbook, and mastering bio is helpful. right down everything you know on the exam and he gives bonus points. lectures were dry, and he has a thick accent (what do i know, i didn't go) but course is definitely manageable.

4.0
4.0
OCSC2100
Grade: B+
May 19, 2025
Would take again

The content of his lectures is very important and involves the exam. There is a lot of content to review, but as long as you write down the key points in the exam, you will get a satisfactory score. I have taken four courses. His courses require time investment.

Participation matters
Lecture heavy
5.0
1.0
ENVS6003
Grade: A+
Oct 23, 2025
Would take again

This guy is awesome. Maybe people don't like the accent??? He's polish but I don't find the accent too bad; maybe because my grand father is german? We had two midterms and a final exam (BIO4306); ENVS6003 had a project). He gave us review slides before the exams and it was more or less word for word the same questions / material from the slides.

Clear grading criteria
Test heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
4.0
BIO1001
Grade: Rather not say
Nov 4, 2025

Took Trela for first two levels of bio, please don't follow in my footsteps if possible. Very hard to understand, showed up late a lot, overall did not care for students and blamed the class for doing horrible on exams when he was the reason. He makes mc so complicated when it does not need to be, proving he is trying to confuse students.

Tough grader
Test heavy
1.0
4.0
BIO2600
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 14, 2025

STAY AWAY. This professor chooses the most TINY details in the lecture notes to put on the exams. He also makes his multiple choice as "NONE OF THE ABOVE" for every question, which is ridiculous and is a very tough grader. I took this course because it was supposed to be easy to understand but he makes it overly complicated. very disappointed

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Test heavy
2.0
1.0
BIO1002
Dec 1, 2025

Do not take this prof if possible! He speeds through material to try and get it all covered in time and does not explain his concepts well enough because of it. He's exams are also very oddly formatted, making it challenging to follow and understand what is being asked in the questions. I don't recommend his class

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
5.0
BIO1002
Grade: D
Dec 4, 2025

This prof thinks this is the only course you're taking in the whole semester. This is supposed to be intro level BIO. I'm in my fourth year in a science related field and this is the most content heavy course I've ever taken. I studied a lot for mid term and didnt even get anything close to what I studied. Make sure to know everything word by word.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
Lecture heavy
2.0
4.0
BIO2600
Grade: B
Dec 15, 2025

Makes test extremely difficult, never get work back within a reasonable time frame

Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

31%

Textbook Required

29%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B+

95% confidence
Based on 64 grades
Most common grades:
Not sure yet (21)
A (20)
B (11)
Grade Distribution
A(28)B(13)C(7)D(2)F(2)A-/B+(12)
Based on 90 reported grades
Not sure yet: 21
A: 20
B: 11
A+: 8
Common Tags
Tough grader (31)
Test heavy (31)
Graded by few things (30)
Get ready to read (25)
Lecture heavy (24)
Caring (15)
Accessible outside class (13)
Gives good feedback (10)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.27 avg change
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Ratings by Course

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5.0

(2)

ENVS6003

5.0

(2)

BIOL2010

4.5

(2)

BIO2041

3.9

(9)

EASC1000

3.5

(2)
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Difficulty by Course

BIO2600

4.3

OCSC2100

4.3

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4.0

BIO10O1

4.0

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4.0

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