4.0

Robert Harris

Zoology - University of British Columbia

4.0
Quality
3.1
Difficulty
57%
Would Retake
147
Reviews
4.0
Quality
3.1
Difficulty
4.1
Helpful
3.9
Clarity

57%

Would Retake

147

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official
147 total ratings

5

82

4

29

3

19

2

7

1

10

What Students Say

Funny, loves his wife and his students a lot

BIOL153 - 5.0 rating

But 157 labs has a extremely heavy memorization load

157 - 5.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

40%

Textbook Required

40%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

95% confidence
Based on 21 grades
Most common grades:
A (8)
A+ (5)
Not sure yet (4)
Grade Distribution
A(13)B(3)C(1)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(4)
Based on 25 reported grades
A: 8
A+: 5
Not sure yet: 4
A-: 3
Common Tags
Lecture heavy (13)
Respected (9)
Test heavy (9)
Hilarious (7)
Graded by few things (6)
Amazing lectures (4)
LECTURE HEAVY (4)
Skip class? You won't pass. (3)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.58 avg change
Jul
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

157

5.0

(1)

ENG

5.0

(1)

BIO01

5.0

(1)

BIOL153

4.6

(34)

BIO153

4.4

(31)
+8 more courses
Difficulty by Course

BUIL153

5.0

BIO361

4.5

155

4.0

BIO01

4.0

BIO153

3.3

Reviews (146)
3.0
4.0
BIOL456
Feb 10, 2002

No Comments

3.0
3.0
BIOL456
May 15, 2002

No Comments

5.0
1.0
BIOL153
Jun 15, 2002

very helpful; exams aren't too bad; made material interesting

5.0
3.0
BIOL456
Sep 5, 2002

alot of information, but tries to be fair with what is expected

5.0
2.0
BIO153
Oct 12, 2002

tries to make material interesting...nice prof...funny

4.0
3.0
BIO153
Dec 7, 2002

Lots of material, but tests are fair.

4.0
3.0
BIO153
Dec 9, 2002

Material can be overwhelming but he is very helpful during tutorials

5.0
1.0
BIO153
Dec 11, 2002

sexy..very very sexy... hard to concentrate... ;)

2.0
3.0
BIO153
Jan 15, 2003

Nice guy, knew his stuff but could NOT teach!

5.0
2.0
BIOL153
Feb 21, 2003

best prof., very nice, funny, makes course interesting, very very helpful, fair

5.0
3.0
BIO153
Mar 9, 2003

he's a good guy, very funny and an he can keep us awake. he looks into stuff that he doens't know which is a good thing because that shows he actually cares about helping us out.

4.0
3.0
BIO153
Apr 4, 2003

nice teacher, and makes the class ineresting, gives tests that people who aren't keeners can still do well on

4.0
2.0
BIOL155
Jun 2, 2003

easy midterms, he teaches well, but DO NOT take this as a summer course...very overwhelming, and sometimes hard to stay awake.

4.0
3.0
BIO155
Jun 2, 2003

I took this class over the summer, not recommended, you don't get any time for review and everything you learn in one week is equivalent to a months worth. The summer class had an average of 62, normally the class will have an average of 72.

3.0
5.0
BIOL155
Jun 13, 2003

My hardest course all year and one of my favorite profs...odd. He holds tutorials and tries to help you understand but content of the course is unbelievably over-whelming. If you aren't a nurse or bio dork stay away, stay far far away!

5.0
2.0
BIOL155
Jun 14, 2003

If you work your ass off and it's in the summer you will get an A. But if you slack off for a few days you will fall far behind. Having said that, Dr. Harris is one of the better profs I have encountered, VERY helpful and clear.

5.0
1.0
BIOL155
Jun 21, 2003

Awesome prof, and easy midterms and final. Pretty much tells you which questions will be on them. Down side -lots of info, but if you can memorize well, then it's an easy course!

5.0
2.0
BIOL155
Jun 27, 2003

Really really nice teacher with a sense of humor...very clear..but the course itself is very intense but interesting..the prof gives fair tests..

3.0
2.0
BIOL155
Jul 5, 2003

Easy tests if you know much of anything. Bad during the summer bc. it's hard to stay awake. Knows perhaps too much about the subject, but is helpful. Needs to learn how to use his powerpoint.

5.0
2.0
BIO155
Aug 5, 2003

he's a really nice guy. really helpful, funny... makes a potentially boring course interesting. very intense course though. PAY ATTENTION TO HIS HINTS!

4.0
2.0
BIOL153
Oct 31, 2003

really good prof! super nice guy and so approachable! the material itself is NOT easy but he explains it as best he can and makes lessons enjoyable!

4.0
3.0
BIOL153
Nov 3, 2003

Good prof, but a lot of material to cover in a short amount of time.

5.0
2.0
BIOL155
Nov 6, 2003

Very interesting class! Very good prof! The material is hard and you HAVE TO study but no obscure questions on the exams! VERY enjoyable class!

4.0
3.0
BIOL155
Nov 16, 2003

Very funny prof! You got to love this guy. The course itself is really hard but if you paid attention in class, you should be fine. Give lots of HINTS for the tests so listen to them VERY carefully.

5.0
4.0
BIOL153
Nov 20, 2003

This course is actually really hard. But the prof is really great. And I like this course despite its difficulty (way too much information). Ah... Harris is my favourite prof.

5.0
4.0
BIOL155
Dec 6, 2003

A LOT of info. Tests aren't particularily hard, but he's a tough marker. Not the most exciting material in the world, though. Hard to stay awake in class.

3.0
3.0
BIOL155
Dec 7, 2003

uses old exams over and over; find someone who has taken it before and get their tests then the course will be a joke

4.0
2.0
BIOL155
Dec 10, 2003

Overall pretty helpful in class. Does not seem to answer e-mails outside of class. The class itself is basically like Biology 12 but a little more intense, so it is mostly a breeze.

5.0
2.0
BIOL153
Dec 15, 2003

great teacher, test are not super hard. Intense course and a lot of material to absorb. He makes the material interesting to learn. Funny prof. He gives good hint for his test, pay attention.

3.0
3.0
BIO155
Dec 18, 2003

attention to all: this course is easy if you are in the nursing faculty and have old exams which is practically cheating. if you aren't in nursing but still study hard you'll barely pass. bottom line: he needs to make new tests to make things fair!!

5.0
3.0
BIO155
Dec 31, 2003

Like Gr12 Bio, but intense. Lots of material, but very interesting. Wonderful, wonderful professor. Very clear, helpful, interesting. Course isn't hard, but requires lots of time for studying/review.

3.0
3.0
BIOL153
Jan 5, 2004

Very interesting course and Dr Harris makes it fun, except it causes me to start studying last minute. Still a fun course though.

5.0
3.0
BIO153
Feb 6, 2004

it really all does come down to the denim... harris is a GREAT prof

5.0
3.0
BIOL153
Feb 7, 2004

Dr. Harris is super cool - pay attention to those hints... they always show up on exams... fun guy, cool comics, nice prof.

5.0
4.0
BIO153
Feb 7, 2004

yup, harris is cool

4.0
4.0
BIOL153
Feb 8, 2004

at first he seems super intimidating with all the material that's expected of us, but then you really begin to warm up to it all and start to love the guy and the course itself.. lots of work, but well worth it - the first-year jitters wear off soon!!

4.0
3.0
BIO155
Feb 23, 2004

when he says "hint hint" you had better be listening! nice prof, clear lecturer, good sense of humor and you've gotta love those past exams!

5.0
2.0
BIOL153
Grade: C+
Mar 3, 2004

Really nice guy, he is fun and makes the material somewhat enjoyable. Exams are very straight forward, all short answer but he will tell you exactly what he wants you to write. Highly recommended.

5.0
3.0
ENG
Mar 6, 2004

Cool professor!

4.0
3.0
BIO15355
Mar 9, 2004

Really nice guy; cracks funny jokes, cool comics. This class has TONS of material so be prepared for lots of studying. Pay attention to his "hint hint"s, they are almost always on the test. Not an easy class, but a pretty cool prof.

5.0
4.0
BIO155
Mar 12, 2004

Easy going, helpful, efficient, not uptight and stuffy....the comics help alot

5.0
2.0
BIOL155
Mar 14, 2004

He is the best professor I've had at UBC so far. Very helpful, makes a confusing subject clear and understandable.

5.0
2.0
BIOL153
Apr 20, 2004

cool professor,helpful in all the questions,hint's would certainly wake up sleeping students and would quiet down loud ones,best professor i had in ubc

5.0
3.0
BIOL155
May 6, 2004

material is overwelming, though very similar to biol 12 (only way harder) but if u study his online lecture notes and slides and listen to his "hints hints", u'll not fail... i'm not a biol whiz but i passed with a 60sth % ~ btw, there's a bonus

5.0
3.0
BIOL155
Jul 21, 2004

Before every test I would go in and see him with any questions I had. It was a class of over 200 students, but he always had time to sit down and graciously help me with anything. Really good, funny guy!

5.0
2.0
BIOL153
Aug 15, 2004

Excellent. Class notes all online.

5.0
3.0
BIOL153
Aug 30, 2004

NO doubt, the course is intense. LOTS of materials covered. But he is the BEST prof ever. Very patience, and willing to answer any questions about the course material. He's funny and make the course very interesting and good at hinting questions on exams

5.0
3.0
BIOL155
Sep 30, 2004

Excellent proffessor. Lectures are insightful. He knows the material and how to teach it. Excellent online notes and powerpoints but students should still attend lectures for the *hint hint*s and for his solid explanations. Highly Recommeneded.

5.0
3.0
BIOL155
Oct 1, 2004

Amazing prof. Incredibly helpful and loves his beer.

5.0
3.0
BIOL155
Dec 2, 2004

Very solid prof. Friendly, patient with questions, and gives no-bull lectures. Puts up a ton of handy powerpoint notes online. If you're going to have trouble with this course (and you might), it'll be due to the heavy course load, not him.

5.0
3.0
BIOL155
Jan 4, 2005

long exams but very clear. excellent lecturer and very approachable. nice guy.

5.0
2.0
BIO153
Apr 18, 2005

Harris is an awesome prof! Well worth taking the course (but choose 155 if you have the option (ie not in nursing) b/c the labs suck)Hes very very helpful & will anwser all the questions posed to him...people are right and the old exams do help, but they are NOT the only option Study! A Great Prof!!

5.0
4.0
BIOL153
May 4, 2005

a superb prof, knows the material very well and is very receptive to questions. He DOES change exam questions from year to year so you DO need to study, especially lecture notes and powerpoints! He's not lazy, 200 students for this detailed course is hard to teach!

5.0
3.0
BIOL153
May 5, 2005

Great Prof. Easy to talk to. He actually cares what you think. Don't just use the power points provided to study, go get your own notes. makes a huge diff. If you think the class is too much, get out asap.

1.0
5.0
BIOL155
May 5, 2005

He himself said that we only need to study the powerpoints NOT the lecture notes. I don't know why this other user is spreading false information. There really isn't all that much info in his powerpoints. And NO, he does not change exams.

5.0
4.0
BIOL153
May 8, 2005

Very helpful guy.

5.0
1.0
BIOL153
May 18, 2005

Very easy...ended up with high A+...during the summer too when he goes thru 3 organ systems in one week. Just make sure to study his notes well & exams are straight memorisations. Really devoted to teaching. i liked his cool visual tools...highly recommended.

4.0
5.0
BIOL155
May 20, 2005

a nice prof but the course is very hard

5.0
2.0
BIOL155
Jun 6, 2005

His class is hard because he is training NURSES in a short period. The department has set ridiculous expectations. The material is straight forward and direct, although complicated because of its inherent nature, not the prof or book or course outline. Beer + friday = short class. YAY!

5.0
2.0
BIOL155
Jun 11, 2005

Great prof, great course. Be prepared to study a lot if you take the course in the summer- long exams.

4.0
3.0
BIO153
Nov 1, 2005

He is a very good prof since he answers lots of questions

5.0
4.0
BIOL153
Dec 20, 2005

Very knowledgeable in his field! Down-to-earth, approachable, real, and straightforward. Is open to questions and answers them well. Has a great sense of humor! He's not easy but he won't try to trick you or get you on minor details in his exams. Study hard and you'll be rewarded.

3.0
4.0
BIOL153
Dec 22, 2005

I don't like his "undetailed" powerpoint slides.He's helpful in that he will give you "hint hints" about what's on the midterm/final (pay attention to that! which means u gotta go to class!).Try not to ask questions in class(cuz he might put it on the final or something)..Ask in email!:DYou must learn to write things down fast as he speaks.

4.0
3.0
BIOL153
Jul 22, 2006

Class can be easy if you use old exams and listen to his 'hint hint's. Talks extremely fast and his powerpoint slides aren't that helpful, but he is very approachable and the key is: USE HIS OLD EXAMS. Textbook is helpful at explaining things his slides didn't. Lab mostly sucks, but is a good mark booster.

5.0
4.0
BIOL153
Aug 10, 2006

Great prof! i took the course in the summer and was still able to learn alot. he is so precise and clear in class that there is no need to study if u listen in the lecture. But be ware of the exams, he is VERY picky.overall an amzaing teacher. there should more profs like him :).

5.0
3.0
BIOL155
Sep 13, 2006

i took this class winter 2005, he's a great prof, but i don't recommend this course as an elective, it is super hard, you'll learn so much about the biology, any prior love for biology before will be all gone by the end of the course

5.0
3.0
BIOL456
May 12, 2007

One of the best profs at UBC.

5.0
4.0
BIOL153
May 28, 2007

Prof. Harris is an excellent lecturer. Topics are interesting, but exams are very detailed and quite difficult. If you're looking to truly learn human biology, take this class. If you're thinking it will be an easy elective, stay away because it won't be!

5.0
2.0
BIOL153
Nov 13, 2007

No Comments

5.0
4.0
BIOL155
Dec 7, 2007

Fabulous. Awesome, knowledgeable prof with a great sense of humor. Exams are detailed and difficult but fair. Helpful in office hours, passionate about his subject. Loved this course - probably my fav so far. Not an easy elective class, this is tough course that will give you an excellent grounding in Human Bio.

5.0
2.0
BIOL153
Dec 10, 2007

An excellent lecturer, very understandable, very helpful, very open to questions and even off topic discussions. A nice guy who loves what he does and it comes across in his lectures. Worth taking his class.

4.0
4.0
BIOL153
Apr 13, 2008

Lectures: Very fast paced, hard to keep up at times; Exams: Difficult, and many deeper thinking questions, rather than factual ones; As a person: Pretty good personality and very helpful; Side notes: 60% is a pass! He'll give hints for the exams, so take note.

4.0
5.0
BIO153
Apr 16, 2008

Dr Harris is an experienced human biology prof. He has taught this course for over 10 years and it shows. It is a very time consuming course with alot of detail. The final exam was cumulative from the September, and was quite difficult. Gives alot of hints of exam questions during lecture, so attendance was very important!

3.0
5.0
BUIL153
Apr 25, 2008

Hardest class I have taken in a long time. You have to go to every lecture to have a chance. THe lab section was a joke. Most labs were silly little quizes about anatomy. We only did five real labs the entire year. And I use "real" loosely. I did more advanced labs in high school. Harris never seemed to have updated slides either.

5.0
3.0
BIOL153
Jun 10, 2008

He is a superb lecturer--explanations are easy to understand, good illustrative examples, and even gives you hints about whats going to be on the exams. Exams wise, the questions focuses on understanding, not pure memorization, although that may help. You need to work for your mark, but it's a worthwhile class to take.

5.0
3.0
BIOL155
Jul 2, 2008

Dr. Harris is a great prof; he's funny and helps you remember things with his jokes in class. His instructions are very straightforward. As long as you PAY ATTENTION, take notes, go to class, and study hard, you can do well. Note of caution: you have to be prepared to study. This was my favourite class last year, and I learned the most from it.

5.0
4.0
BIOL155
Jul 7, 2008

Great prof, hard course. STUDY CONSTANTLY and I really mean it especially if ur taking it in SUMMER! Although his teaching's usually crystal clear, but ask questions! His friendly, humorous and always helpful, however...do not abuse his email! Only send him one if u need to, or else u won't even get a reply! XDDD

5.0
4.0
BIOL155
Jul 7, 2008

Great prof, hard course. STUDY CONSTANTLY and I really mean it especially if ur taking it in SUMMER! Although his teaching's usually crystal clear, but ask questions! His friendly, humorous and always helpful, however...do not abuse his email! Only send him one if u need to, or else u won't even get a reply! XDDD

2.0
5.0
BIOL361
Oct 17, 2008

yes, he's a great lecturer and brings a bit of interest to the material. but the guy took until the WEEK BEFORE the 45% midterm to finally tell us what he THOUGHT the date of the test was, with no intention of talking about format, content, etc. are you kidding?? this guy is a huge pain in the neck if you actually care about your grades.

5.0
4.0
BIO01
Nov 22, 2008

He's very helpful and understanding.

3.0
3.0
BIOL361
Nov 28, 2008

He DOES have great knowledge. However, I don't think he gives a clear direction in his lecture. I give him 10/5 for laziness. He doesn't completely answer questions, and his MT which he asserts he made is QUITE similar to the last year's. Also, he's terrible at time-controlling: we are supposed to know parts that he failed to give lectures on.

2.0
4.0
BIO361
Dec 17, 2008

He seems like a really nice guy, but he's a worthless professor. His lectures are disjointed and random and he adds slides to his lectures right before he gives them, so don't bother printing them out beforehand. Seems like he doesn't really know what he's talking about, but that he's just talking from the book. Avoid his class if you can.

1.0
5.0
BIO361
Dec 19, 2008

A complete travesty of the educational system. Harris' interest is not teaching, it is conducting hour-long conversations with himself. Out of class he is a brilliant and affable character. In class, his shotgun-style teaching is absurdly ineffective. I would only recommend this if I meant it: Don't bother going to lectures. Depend on the text.

5.0
4.0
BIO153
Mar 20, 2009

Great Prof. Really cares about his students. Hard course but if you pay attention and take good notes then you will pass. Take advantage of tutorial sessions.

2.0
4.0
BIOL361
Mar 27, 2009

notice that all of his good reviews are from BIOL 153/155. for BIOL 361 he was ABSOLUTELY USELESS. he used another prof's slides the whole time and would "joke" about never having opened the textbook. getting him to tell us what the tests would cover was like pulling teeth. his test questions were out of nowhere. hate him, lazy prof.

5.0
3.0
BIO153
Jul 4, 2009

great prof! very understanding and helps students a lot. He explains concepts over and over until you understand. very helpful for learning and cares a lot about students education !!! GREAT PROF!

5.0
4.0
BIO155
Jul 8, 2009

Took this as a condensed summer course (9 hours of lecture per week). Course takes a lot of work but it will pay off with a good grade. Tests are all written, no m/c, and difficult but very fair. Harris does a good job keeping lectures interesting with his wide knowledge of the subject & great sense of humor. Excellent prof, highly recommended

5.0
4.0
BIO153
Jul 14, 2009

GREAT PROF!! my favorite so far at UBC. His class is super interesting but challenging. MUST go to class, tested on lectures not really on the book. SUPER helpful, available all the time for one on one meetings! really cares about how his students do!!

5.0
2.0
BIOL155
Sep 10, 2009

Biol 153 and 155 have the same lecture. Prof. Harris is great! He posted slides where i just printed and brought to class and added on extra notes he explains. Midterms were easy. The Final was a bit tougher but i ended up with 84 in that class =) Easy 6 credits for me!

5.0
2.0
BIOL155
Jul 4, 2010

Class was fun to attend.Went pretty quickly through his slides though so write fast. Must go to class to understand material. Exams are easy if you just listen in class. Uses good examples and has good sense of humor.

4.0
3.0
BIO155
Jul 12, 2010

Wonderful, wonderful person and prof. DO attend lecture, and DO take good notes, consider re-writing them when you get home or recording them. Very helpful outside of class, and makes the class enjoyable and fun. Will make you want to be a biologist; loved this class.

5.0
5.0
BIOL153
Sep 10, 2010

I loved his class and was looking for other classes he taught to take after my course finished. Knows his subject through and through and is generous in sharing that knowledge. I also liked his genuineness about the things he vented about (e.g. students arguing about some marks on a question in the mid-term without even thinking about it first).

4.0
3.0
BIO153
Nov 25, 2010

This was a difficult course. However, he is a fun professor. He lacks polish, but will get the job done. He is also incredibly NICE. Would recommend him.

5.0
1.0
BIOL361
Jan 29, 2011

I don't know why everyone who is rating Harris for BIOL 361 gives him bad ratings. This prof is the best! Exams are super easy and fair and I spent ONE day studying for the final and ended up with an A+ in the class. He knows his stuff and is pretty much a genius. As long as you listen in class, you can get an A.

1.0
5.0
BIOL155
Jun 22, 2011

Assumes prior science knowledge in his lectures. Talks too fast. Not as friendly as he appears to be.

5.0
4.0
BIOL153
Jul 17, 2011

Prof. Harris is very thorough and teaches well. This is a very intense class to take in the summer. He goes through a lot of material each class. Exams are ALL written and no MC. Final is cumulative and more difficult than the midterms. Labs are a def. GPA booster!!! Also, go to class to get his "Hints" as they will be on the exam for sure :)

5.0
3.0
BIOL155
Apr 20, 2012

I took this as an arts student to fulfil my science credit because I liked biology in high school, and it was so tough! But, Dr. Harris is really nice and would meet with me every week to go over what we'd discussed in class. He goes fast in class and seems a bit gruff but he's really friendly and helpful if you go to his office!

5.0
5.0
BIOL153
Sep 5, 2012

One of the best lecturers I've ever had. He's clear and to the point. He explains concepts in understandable terms. His tests are hard but fair. Attend class and you'll do fine. He's a prof, not a friend. He seems gruff but he teaches you the material. Knowledge of material > class experience (it's a lecture)

4.0
5.0
BIO153
Apr 26, 2013

Dr. Harris majority of the time is chill but he did teach the materials fairly well. A lot and I mean A LOT of material is covered which resulted in some difficult exams. Labs were fairly straight forward, overall an enjoyable course to take!

5.0
4.0
BIO153
Nov 21, 2013

THIS CLASS IS MY HOLY GRAIL.

5.0
3.0
BIO153
Apr 18, 2014

He is a very nice guy. His teaching method doesn't work for all students but if you pay attention to his lectures, you are fine for the exams. He drops many hints on what to know and looks out for the best interest of his class.

5.0
3.0
BIOL153
Sep 2, 2014

Dr Harris has taught BIOL 153 for several years and provides great resources (notes, slides) on his website. His lectures are very informative and takes time to answer questions in class and in his office. It's a demanding course but manageable if you put in the time.

5.0
4.0
BIO153
Mar 13, 2015

Tough class, lots to know, but Dr. Harris is clearly passionate about this subject and has fun with the material. He is fair. Don't expect to breeze through but if you are willing to work hard and are as passionate about the subject as him you will be motivated and do well in this class.

3.0
4.0
155
Mar 14, 2015

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS UNLESS YOU NEED IT! It's a very engaging class, and can be interesting at times but it is a huge time commitment as there is so much content. The tests count for 100% of your grade, and the final is cumulative (from September to April) It's purely memorization of like every process in the human body. Dr. Harris is a funny guy

4.0
4.0
BIO155
Apr 23, 2015

Dr. Harris was an AMAZING prof! This was one of my absolute favourite courses this year! There is a lot of material for this course and you really need to know it all in depth if you want to do well, but it is absolutely doable if you put the work in. Dr. Harris makes it interesting and he clearly explains everything. I loved this class!

3.0
4.0
BIOL153
Apr 29, 2015

This is probably the hardest class I've taken at UBC so far. It's probably fairly easy to get a good mark if you only take 2 other classes with it but there is a TON of material to learn and it's super fast-paced. That being said, Dr. Harris is clear and lets you know his expectations and gives you tips on how to succeed. The lab is a breeze.

4.0
3.0
BIOL153
May 21, 2015

Definitely the hardest class I've taken so far. BIOL 153 covers a lot of material, but Dr. Harris does a really good job in explaining the info. He also drops a lot of hints in his lectures about what's going to be on the exams, so make sure you pay attention! Final was hard because it covers everything from sept-april, so be prepared.

5.0
3.0
157
Grade: B-
Sep 16, 2015

But 157 labs has a extremely heavy memorization load.

5.0
3.0
BIOL153
Apr 8, 2016

Biology is my favourite subject so I REALLY enjoyed taking this course. He's fast and concise during lectures; you know he's a genius w/ the way he describes things. EXTREMELY fair! If you go to his exam reviews, you're all set. What you learn during review IS the exam. Funny, loves his wife and his students a lot. Will miss him!!

5.0
4.0
BIO153
Dec 15, 2016
Would take again

Best prof I've had thus far. Lectures are amazing, and his asides will contribute to your understanding of the material. He does go very quickly though, so take an audio recording to make sure you get everything (there's A LOT of material). Tests are all short-answer, but the questions are fair and his review sessions will prepare you for them.

Skip class? You won't pass.
Inspirational
Hilarious
5.0
3.0
BIO153
Dec 25, 2016
Would take again

Knows his stuff, explains material concisely and interestingly. Exam is basically the exam review and any hints he gives during the lectures using the words "hint hint". Has frequent office hours, highly recommend you go for extra clarification. Only downside is that there's a lot of material to cover and tests are cumulative and all written.

Respected
Skip class? You won't pass.
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
5.0
3.0
BIOL155
Grade: A-
Jan 3, 2017
Would take again

Highly recommend taking the class in the summer (as I did). Harris is an AMAZING professor and that cannot be emphasized enough. He is the best professor I've had the pleasure to meet at UBC so far. Don't skip class, there is a lot to remember, but he is super helpful, hilarious, easy to approach, and super helpful in conceptual understanding.

Respected
Hilarious
Amazing lectures
5.0
4.0
BIO153
Jan 18, 2017
Would take again

Dr. Harris is a fantastic prof, he is funny, brilliant and easy to talk to. This class is very fast paced so you really have to keep up with the lecture and readings. Content heavy so be prepared for lots of studying, ideal to take 3 courses with this course.

Tough Grader
Respected
LECTURE HEAVY
4.0
4.0
BIO153
Mar 9, 2017
Would take again

Dr. Harris is a fantastic prof. This course has an insane amount of material so it isn't his fault for how fast faced the course is. He makes sure he is clear for everything and gives you tips and hints on what to study for the final. This course is very material heavy so don't take a full course load with it.

Get ready to read
Hilarious
Amazing lectures
4.0
4.0
BIO153
Mar 10, 2017
Would take again

Amazing dude tho, hard class tho.

Tough Grader
Skip class? You won't pass.
LECTURE HEAVY
5.0
3.0
BIO155
Grade: A
Jan 4, 2018
Would take again

Great Professor! Has lots of stories to tell that help you remember the small details. he assumes you have prior bio knowledge though. Course was fun for me. Easy to talk to Dr. Harris. He good at explaining things and he posts the lectures online before hand. Pre-read before hand so you can ask him question in lecture

Respected
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
LECTURE HEAVY
3.0
4.0
BIOL155
Grade: A
Apr 21, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Thank god for youtube. As an arts student taking this class for my science requirement (yes, huge mistake) Dr. Harris made it impossible to understand anything in class and went off on irrelevant tangents. Easy enough class if you read the textbook and his review slides are exactly what are on the exams. But, he won't teach you a thing.

LOTS OF HOMEWORK
Clear grading criteria
TEST HEAVY
3.0
3.0
BIOL155
May 22, 2018
Wouldn't take again

FOCUS. ON. THE. REVIEW. SLIDES. I skipped almost 50% of class in the last term (this was a year long class...I could not take it anymore...) and I still did well on the final just by going to the review session and review slides. Dr. Harris means well by just talking through the class slides, but it just gets so boring and isn't engaging.

Respected
Clear grading criteria
4.0
3.0
BIO153
Grade: A
Jul 5, 2018
Would take again

Lectures are interesting, but sometimes may get a little bit boring. Harris is a pretty funny prof, and he's always at his office so you could always pop up and ask him questions. Lecture goes into a lot of detail that won't be tested in exams. As long as you keep brief notes and go to review sections, you'll do well. Really enjoyed this class!

ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Hilarious
LECTURE HEAVY
5.0
4.0
BIOL155
Grade: A+
Sep 2, 2018
Would take again

Great prof who tells entertaining stories and loves what he teaches. The lectures can be quite dense, but you will do well on the exams as long as you focus on his review material. Definitely go to his office hours because he will explain things in great detail.

1.0
1.0
BIO155
Grade: A+
Apr 12, 2019
Wouldn't take again

His lectures are not engaging at all! The only reason I was able to score As and A+s for both midterms and finals is because I focused ONLY on the material in the review slides, which is exactly what comes out on the exams. I stopped attending his lectures as I'd rather make use of the time to self-study.

1.0
2.0
BIOL155
Grade: A
Apr 25, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Only the review lecture (1 before each test) is what you need to know for exams. Regurgitation valued over actual critical thinking for sure. Skipped most lectures and got an A. Super lazy teaching, no learning objectives given or key terms, slides usually out of order and are mostly just images without captions.

Graded by few things
Test heavy
5.0
4.0
BIO155
Grade: B
May 8, 2019
Wouldn't take again

No hw

3.0
4.0
BIO153
Grade: A
May 12, 2019
Wouldn't take again

easy to get overwhelmed with the huge amount of info. stay on top of body systems as theyre taught so when midterm/final ssn comes around youll be prepared with the review slides

Test heavy
Lecture heavy
5.0
3.0
BIO153
Grade: B+
May 13, 2019
Would take again

Prof Harris is a great lecturer and tries to make them more interesting by adding personal stories and jokes. Although his slides are a bit outdated and lectures can be content heavy, he is always easily accessible and ready to help. Exams are covered through review and labs are fun as well!

Respected
Accessible outside class
Amazing lectures
5.0
4.0
BIOL153
Grade: A
May 13, 2019
Would take again

GO. TO. THE. REVIEW. SESSION! This has 99% of the material on the exams if not all. Other than that he is an amazing prof! Despite almost most of the material being on the review slides, sometimes he will rarely whip out questions from in class lectures (only about 2 questions from the whole school year with 4 exams). Great prof!

Respected
Accessible outside class
Hilarious
5.0
4.0
BIOL155
Nov 21, 2019
Would take again

one of my favourite profs and rekindled my interest in biology

Respected
Inspirational
Lecture heavy
1.0
3.0
BIO155
Grade: A
Nov 22, 2019
Wouldn't take again

He is very rude and has insulted my religion in his class lectures. It was very disrespectful. And his talks about sex were very awkward and could be misconstrued as personal stories. Overall not the greatest

3.0
1.0
BIOL155
Dec 21, 2019
Would take again

The course is content-heavy. Boring lectures; Dr. Harris rambles a lot and repeats what's on the slides, but does explain the diagrams that will be tested. Easy A if you go to his review session, it contains only the content that will be tested. Tests are all written, luckily, he reuses test questions so ask previous students for their tests.

Graded by few things
Test heavy
Lecture heavy
4.0
2.0
BIOL155
Grade: A+
Jan 24, 2020
Would take again

Dr. Harris is funny & super smart. Most of his lectures are pretty interesting. What he says in the reviews is EXACTLY what will be on the exam. Also, he reuses questions from previous years so just ask students from last year to study off their exams (since he hands them back after they're graded). Solid prof.

Respected
Hilarious
Amazing lectures
5.0
4.0
BIO155
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 12, 2020
Would take again

This guy is like a textbook. He is one of the most knowledgeable profs I have ever encountered. If you take the time to ask him questions outside of class he will take the time to really explain things to you. The class is exam heavy, but I left feeling that I really learned the material.

Gives good feedback
Test heavy
Lecture heavy
3.0
4.0
BIO155
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 15, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Class isn't fully fair because exams don''t change and some students have access to past exams. Basically just lectures for 1.5 hours, which is fine because the content of the course is interesting, but there are no efforts to make the class engaging. Procrastination is essentially forced with review sessions. Overall poor experience with online.

Graded by few things
Test heavy
Lecture heavy
2.0
4.0
BIOL155
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 17, 2020
Wouldn't take again

would not recommend, no offence bc he's such a fun dude but I wish it was interactive. his classes are just him talking in a monotone voice I also don't get how this class is for first years, there is so much information to remember. if it wasn't for review session I would have failed

Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
Tough grader
2.0
3.0
BIO153
Apr 26, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Didn't pay attention or go to most of the classes but I managed to do well by studying the review class material.

Lecture heavy
5.0
1.0
BIO155
Grade: A-
Apr 29, 2020
Would take again

Attending lectures is not mandatory since he does a review session before every exam but it's worth it because he is just so knowledgable. The content is super interesting though 1.5 hours of him just talking can get boring. Honestly my favourite class this year! If you have a good memory and interest in physiology, I highly recommend.

Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
Caring
3.0
2.0
BIO153
Grade: A+
May 14, 2020
Would take again

Lectures are dull, but it's not hard to do well in this course especially if you take 153 instead of 155. 153 is more work bc of the lab BUT the lab is easy to do well in which will boost your mark. Exams are not bad, his review sessions are exactly what's on the exams. Literally stopped going to class, just studied review sessions and got an A+

4.0
4.0
BIOL155
Grade: A-
Jul 15, 2020
Would take again

Super nice guy. Knew the class had so much material, to help us out he would have a review before midterms that covers everything on the exam. Sometimes his lectures can be a little boring, but he really does know the material well and reiterates important points so you can remember them.

1.0
1.0
BIO155
Grade: B
Jul 29, 2020
Wouldn't take again

His lectures are so extremely boring with him just lecturing without really stopping for questions. However, best part of this class is he does review sessions right before the midterms/final exam where he tells you literally everything that is going to be on the exam word for word, so you're not stuck trying to memorize months of content.

Test heavy
1.0
3.0
BIO155
Dec 6, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Do not take this course. The prof regularly goes 20-30min overtime each lecture and even 1 hour extra on a specific lecture. Doesnt write down any notes, so most of the time your spending time just wasting away writing down what the prof speaks rather than focusing on the concepts. Horrible prof

5.0
3.0
BIOL155
Grade: A+
Dec 18, 2020
Would take again

Great Prof, really enjoyed watching lectures. However, since it is a first year anatomy and physiology course, alot of people may get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information. Fortunately he does a review lecture before every test which lightens the load ALOT. Also very reasonable, he responds to regrade requests as long as they're reasonable

Clear grading criteria
Hilarious
Lecture heavy
3.0
3.0
BIOL155
Jan 22, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Dr. Harris's lectures have become increasingly content-dense AND gone 20-30 minutes overtime often. He insists on not having detailed slides, which means you have to frantically write stuff down. I'd rather have reasonable lectures than review sessions (the only thing keeping the average up) because they're a shortcut for unprepared students.

Test heavy
Lecture heavy
1.0
3.0
BIOL155
Jan 26, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Consistently goes over time with his lectures by at least 20-30 minutes and sometimes even an hour. His slides are quite old and I find his material to be disorganized. The course is quite content heavy, and I'm not sure if that's because he tends to ramble on about things. He spends a lot of time going into unnecessary detail.

Lecture heavy
1.0
4.0
BIO155
Feb 25, 2021
Wouldn't take again

this is just terrible online...

Test heavy
Lecture heavy
Tough grader
2.0
3.0
BIO155
Mar 31, 2021
Wouldn't take again

Sitting through the online lectures was painful because he talks with a monotone voice. He tends to go overtime in lectures as well. The class itself is not difficult but not very enjoyable.

Graded by few things
Test heavy
Lecture heavy
5.0
3.0
BIO153
Grade: Not sure yet
Apr 16, 2021
Would take again

*taking this online* Yes he went overtime a lot, but his review lectures literally saved me. I barely attended any of the lectures and did pretty good on all the exams (1 more to go). Unfortunately, he is retiring this year so idk if future students will be getting these review classes but this guy is extremely knowledgeable and I respect him a lot

4.0
2.0
BIOL155
Grade: A
Apr 17, 2021
Would take again

dont worry about his lectures being disorganized and over time: if you just only watch the review lectures the class is easy trust

Accessible outside class
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

40%

Textbook Required

40%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

95% confidence
Based on 21 grades
Most common grades:
A (8)
A+ (5)
Not sure yet (4)
Grade Distribution
A(13)B(3)C(1)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(4)
Based on 25 reported grades
A: 8
A+: 5
Not sure yet: 4
A-: 3
Common Tags
Lecture heavy (13)
Respected (9)
Test heavy (9)
Hilarious (7)
Graded by few things (6)
Amazing lectures (4)
LECTURE HEAVY (4)
Skip class? You won't pass. (3)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.58 avg change
Jul
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

157

5.0

(1)

ENG

5.0

(1)

BIO01

5.0

(1)

BIOL153

4.6

(34)

BIO153

4.4

(31)
+8 more courses
Difficulty by Course

BUIL153

5.0

BIO361

4.5

155

4.0

BIO01

4.0

BIO153

3.3

Similar Professors