3.2

Steve McFee

Engineering - McGill University

3.2
Quality
3.9
Difficulty
N/A
Would Retake
88
Reviews
3.2
Quality
3.9
Difficulty
3.1
Helpful
3.3
Clarity

N/A

Would Retake

88

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official
88 total ratings

5

22

4

19

3

24

2

12

1

11

What Students Say

Has Ta's teach class at inferior level

ECSE443 - 3.0 rating

They guy is boring, who would never let anyone have peace

ECSE200 - 1.0 rating
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

50%

Textbook Required

100%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B

59% confidence
Based on 3 grades
Most common grades:
A- (2)
C (1)
Rather_Not_Say (1)
Grade Distribution
A(0)B(0)C(1)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(2)
Based on 4 reported grades
A-: 2
C: 1
Rather_Not_Say: 1
Rating Trend

Stable

-0.03 avg change
May
Oct
Mar
May
Dec
Jan
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

304200

5.0

(2)

ECSE211

5.0

(1)

ECE200

4.0

(3)

ECSE100

4.0

(1)

ECSE443

4.0

(7)
+8 more courses
Difficulty by Course

FEEWITHMCFEE

5.0

ESCE200

5.0

ECSE211

5.0

ECSE220

5.0

AA

5.0

Reviews (86)
5.0
2.0
304200
Nov 27, 2001

Very clear, good slide show.

5.0
2.0
304200
Oct 21, 2002

Makes you understand electricity.

4.0
4.0
ECSE200
Nov 28, 2002

This class is hard work from day one... don't slack off and you'll do fine but

5.0
5.0
ECSE200
Nov 29, 2002

No Comments

3.0
4.0
ECSE200
Dec 6, 2002

No Comments

4.0
2.0
FEE
Dec 24, 2002

No Comments

4.0
4.0
ECSE200
Jan 7, 2003

No Comments

3.0
3.0
FEE
Jan 15, 2003

He's like a army drill instructor but fair.

5.0
5.0
ECSE200
Feb 11, 2003

Understanding is key....don't try to memorize sample questions

5.0
4.0
ECSE200
Feb 17, 2003

Looks like Dennis Miller

2.0
2.0
ECSE200
Apr 14, 2003

not helpful. Tutors are better

5.0
2.0
ECE200
May 22, 2003

Best teacher, I ever had. Make you understand the concept and fundamental.

5.0
3.0
ECSE200
Nov 15, 2003

best teacher in EE at McGill

3.0
4.0
ECSE200
Dec 7, 2003

VAgUe! Tutors clear it up a lot.

3.0
4.0
ECSE200
Dec 16, 2003

Good speaker and nice person... but he doesn't teach you much. Tests on randomly chosen topics that are somewhat related to material; confusing notes ("Explain?", "Why?", "Really?" on every page). Impossibly hard

3.0
4.0
ECSE200
Dec 30, 2003

If you close your eyes while this professor speaks, you will feel like a book is being read to you. Speaks very clearly, BUT he is the type that will answer a question by saying : "I will let you think about it..." Hard Hard Hard Final.

4.0
2.0
FEE
Feb 25, 2004

I like the "why?" questions, once you finally can answer all of those, the class is a snap. I know it sucks sometimes, especially when you miss classes since the answers aren't in the notes, but extremely useful.

1.0
5.0
FEE
Mar 6, 2004

This teacher is only interested in his research. Quit and go into your lab!

2.0
5.0
ECSE200
Mar 20, 2004

This teacher should think before he gives us an exam! This maniac fell "sick" before writing the second midterm and final... He was absent for two full months and when we got the exams we saw him miracously healthy!!! And the final made us all f

5.0
4.0
ECSE200
Mar 28, 2004

very nice man; uses clear, compound sentences that are easy to understand. The material on the other hand, is extremly difficult (very high failure rate for this clasS), especially because of his questions which take the following form: WHY?

2.0
5.0
ECSE200
Apr 6, 2004

No Comments

2.0
4.0
FEE
Apr 26, 2004

hah i lauged when i saw this teacher with "good ratings".My advice:know the typed notes VERY well(dont bother with his written ones),dont bother with assignments too much,do past tests and exams a lot and understand them.you'll pass.

2.0
5.0
ECSE200
May 4, 2004

His notes are full of: when, where, how, explain, and think about it! He will come out with something new every exam=dangerous man.

4.0
4.0
FEE
Jul 5, 2004

One of the few profs I've seen that can do decently with a big class. Lots of thinking questions (understand them, and fill in the examples and explanations he leaves blank in the notes, and understand them too). Do lots of past exams.

5.0
2.0
ECSE200
Aug 18, 2004

One of the best profs of the department. Clear notes and asks a lot of questions in class (which forces you to think things through instead of blindly memorizing). A great introductory class to the subject. Just work your butt off for the final ;)

3.0
4.0
FEE
Oct 18, 2004

knows his stuff... but the course it still very hard. i know ppl who failed it twice. do the old finals, and pray... alot.

1.0
5.0
FEE
Oct 28, 2004

goes skiing when he says he's sick

5.0
1.0
ECSE200
Nov 23, 2004

Easy course... breezed through it... as long as u do your work from day 1.. You are set for an easy A; otherwise u'll fail (40% failure rate) So either A or F.

4.0
5.0
ECSE200
Grade: C
Dec 10, 2004

A very good lecturer but not very helpful or patient outside of class.

3.0
4.0
FEE200
Dec 13, 2004

he might be a good teacher, but his notes arent good at all. His exams are tricky and his goal is to make people fail. What a good teacher... hein! anyways, i can't say to avoid him, coz he teaches this course fall winter, summer since hundred of years, so good luck!

3.0
5.0
ECSE200
Grade: Rather_Not_Say
Dec 26, 2004

McFEE=Useless! Sadly, rating this prof is futile since he is the only instructor available for ECSE 200. My recommendation: never attend class (because you will end up falling asleep or talking) and instead devote a couple of hours a week to learning the material (from TA typed notes). Don't cram!

1.0
5.0
FEEWITHMCFEE
Feb 4, 2005

this is not cool...hardest exams with the objective of makin people fail...

1.0
5.0
ECSE200
Feb 12, 2005

He just wans you to fail.If you dont fail he will forcefully make you fail .

1.0
5.0
ECSE200
Mar 1, 2005

Took this course last year. He makes KCL, KVL sounds so hard while you realize at the end that his lectures are completely useless. His objective is to fail people.

4.0
3.0
ECSE200
Mar 6, 2005

It is true that his exams are extraordinarily difficult and are not based on most of his lectures. My only advice is to practice doing his old exams until you know what to expect.

1.0
5.0
FEE
Mar 30, 2005

No good.

3.0
5.0
FEE
Apr 19, 2005

omg just useless, and his exams?? don't bother showing up for class or reading his notes. study the typed TA ones, forget about the assignments, and always come to all tutorials. practice with old finals. this would've been a simple review course had it not been for mcFee.

4.0
2.0
ECSE100
Apr 22, 2005

he's not a bad teacher, he's just trying to make you think like an engineer. His tests aren't actually hard but it's the grading scheme that will fornicate you. There's no Fee without McFee

4.0
5.0
ECSE200
Apr 22, 2005

eerily reminds me of the Canadian Tire dude

3.0
1.0
ECSE200
Apr 23, 2005

1. Don't attend class 2. Dont read his notes ... The only way you can pass this class is by going to the tutorials (both) practicing the previous finals making sure u know them all almost by heart (but make sure u know the theory) dont wait till the end ... good luck

2.0
5.0
ESCE200
Apr 23, 2005

This teacher just wants you to fail the easiest course in elec. engineering... :(

2.0
5.0
ECSE200
Apr 26, 2005

he needs to retire!!!

2.0
5.0
FEE
May 1, 2005

tips: solve circuit analysis questions in the johnson,johnson problems book. do them over and over again for the course of the semester. he likes asking cases when circuits are shorted and opened and ask for v/i/r/power values in these cases.

1.0
5.0
ECSE200
Jul 8, 2005

HAHA. Who needs to wake up?

3.0
5.0
ECSE200
Aug 11, 2005

Know what you're getting into. 1/2 people in your class will fail. The first midterm most people will fail, the second a bit better and the final is something I will remember for the rest of my life. Study EVERY SINGLE practice exam several times. The material in this course is not difficult; the exam questions that McFee invents are just retarded.

5.0
1.0
ECSE200
Aug 24, 2005

he is perfect

4.0
3.0
ECSE200
Oct 7, 2005

he has a lot of potential to teach, he is very helpful, but you have to work hard in order to do well in his course (fundamentals of electrical engineering)

5.0
4.0
ECSE200
Oct 13, 2005

Best teacher ever, work hard you'll get a good mark, do nothing you'll fail for sure!

4.0
4.0
ECSE200
Dec 11, 2005

Easy material, hard exams, hard marker, usually 45 is pass grade due to bell curve. Laters yall

1.0
5.0
ECSE200
Jan 15, 2006

His teaching sucks.......expecting u to know more than what he teaches.....goes on vacation for no reason....misses half of the semester!!!

4.0
4.0
ECSE200
Feb 4, 2006

This guy is tough in marking, yet material for FEE is easy. 45%=C in this course!. You cannot get out of FEE(Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering) if you dont take McFEE! Teaches usually 99% of the semesters.

2.0
5.0
ECE200
Jul 8, 2006

Example of a bad Prof. Just put his picture beside the definition of bad Prof in the dictionary. His job is to fail people and perhaps have a class average of C+...Bravo to the worst Prof in ECE.

5.0
1.0
ECSE200
Aug 10, 2006

this guy is a great teacher yet he does expect 2 much. u WILL NEED TO TAKE HIM!!!! hes not bad. hes tough and will challenge u to yur full potentital on exams and on the hellish midterm he gives.!!!!

5.0
5.0
ECSE211
Aug 15, 2006

Clear prof, incredibly tricky exams. Go to all the lectures and the tutorials (and do all assignments alone) and you'll do OK. Skip anything from day-one onwards and you've got an F- which often happens to you several terms in a row.

3.0
4.0
ECSE200
Sep 26, 2006

this guy is the devil. he wants u to fail. jus try yur hardest and yull get F! or D if he likes u. hes tough yet not impossible

5.0
5.0
ECSE200
Nov 20, 2006

Excellent prof!! Hell make you work theres no doubt about that, but thats because FEE is a filter course anyway. But if make an honest effort, expect a B-. If you really try an A is not impossible.

4.0
2.0
ECSE200
Jan 9, 2007

No Comments

3.0
5.0
ECSE220
Apr 17, 2007

FEE Increadably hard exams, working hard doesnt mean passing with this one

5.0
3.0
ECE200
May 19, 2007

The best professor I have ever had.

2.0
5.0
ECSE200
Jun 21, 2007

The worst professor you could ever have.I highly recommend that you not join the electrical eng department in McGill. all other departments in McGill are better than electrical. worst professors overall and McFee being the worst. His goal is to fail you and enjoys seeing his students suffer during exams.

5.0
1.0
ECSE200
Nov 16, 2007

No Comments

3.0
5.0
ECSE200
Dec 8, 2007

FEE is an extemely hard course and is very demanding. McFee demands a lot of you and his lectures a quite frustrating as he overlooks every problem saying it is trivial, and we should know it already. This year's TA was awesome and taught a lot of the lectures. Also McFee seems a bit full of himself and above undergrad students.

2.0
5.0
ESCE200
Dec 11, 2007

As mentioned, not often there. Incomplete notes. Crazy finals. But good speaker. Learn a lot. And we got an easy final so everything is fine!

5.0
4.0
ECSE200
Dec 11, 2007

Quite honestly, this course has little or nothing to do with whether or not you can do perfect circuit analysis. SO MUCH of it pertains to your ability to actually THINK and be CLEVER. McFee may seem evil, hauty and aloof, but when you realize his goal is to try to get students to actually THINK, then you can't help but agree with him.

4.0
5.0
ECSE200
Dec 19, 2007

One of the best lecturers I've ever had if you can keep up with the course. but not the greatest professor in the world..

4.0
5.0
ECSE200
Dec 25, 2007

The questions in his notes are annoying and useless since you never really try to answer them, the assignments are not graded so we don't do them regularly. However he is a great lecturer, and he is very very nice, maybe the failure rate is high but the departement wants to keep it like that it's not because of him. Generous with partial marks!

3.0
1.0
ECSE200
Apr 5, 2008

No Comments

3.0
5.0
AA
Aug 12, 2008

The course itself isnt that bad. His questions are tricky and make you think. Practice is the key to succeed in this course and the past papers are crucial. He is GREAT lecturer but hard to reach

3.0
5.0
ECSE200
Dec 17, 2008

He's NOT generous in partial marks at all! He's nice and can teach but I don't understand why he wanna fail so many student. I heard he was under probation by the department because he failed a lot of student. And he didnt really teach much about how to analyse circuits, he spent most times taking about history of circuit. (and unrelated stuffs)

5.0
5.0
ECSE443
Apr 4, 2009

Not so bad. Made you think a lot. Prepares you to be a good engineer.

4.0
5.0
ECSE200
Apr 29, 2009

His ability to teach partial differential equations extends far beyond belief.

5.0
5.0
ECSE200
Oct 12, 2009

fait teacher, pretty clear. but expect to work your ass off, else you will fail.

4.0
4.0
ECSE200
Nov 24, 2009

He's a good teacher

1.0
5.0
ECSE200
Dec 6, 2009

his exam is hard

2.0
5.0
ECSE200
Dec 23, 2009

Terrible professor. All that matters are tutorials. I don't think you can get anymore than what's already been explained here. If possible, just go for another prof that teaches the same course. It's possible and it can be done. Just do it!

3.0
5.0
ECSE200
Apr 10, 2010

Prof didn't come to half the lectures. The TAs were more helpful. Attending tutorials is a must if you want to pass.

3.0
5.0
ECSE200
Apr 14, 2011

Very clear in class, but very tricky exams on very easy stuff though. You have to know your material deeply and no partial marks...

5.0
2.0
ECSE443
Apr 18, 2011

Great Professor.Helps a lot to students.Bit tricky but very generous...Lucky to have a Prof. like him...Thank you so much....

4.0
4.0
ECSE200
Apr 22, 2011

I took circuit 1 in my first semester at McGill and I hated him, but now, after going through 3 semesters with different other professors from different courses, I have to say that this teacher is good, a little tricky on the exams, but still easy if you understand the course. Tutorial is a must if you want to understand fully.

3.0
3.0
ECSE443
May 14, 2011

Lots probably fail- super-hard midterm out of nowhere, likes being tricky sometimes. Has Ta's teach class at inferior level.

3.0
4.0
ECSE443
Oct 22, 2011

I had him in my first year for ECSE-200 and then in my last semester for ECSE-443. He is a hard professor and his tests are tricky but you have to respect him as his ultimate goal in the end is to make you think. He tries to challenge your thinking, so you can develop your critical thinking which is necessary in real world/work situations.

5.0
1.0
ECSE443
Mar 16, 2012

Seriously? This teacher is THE BEST ONE I EVER HAD AT MCGILL. He is clear, loves teaching and we are unf lacking teachers like him! His exams are NOT HARD. You can always score a 80% Easily. The best! It was an honour behing your student

3.0
4.0
ECSE443
May 5, 2012

Numerical Methods with Prof. McFee usually has a hard midterm followed by an average difficulty final. Prof. McFee tends to be tricky, so make sure you study all of the material. In his defense though, he will help students and answer questions if you send him an email. Put effort into this course!

1.0
5.0
ECSE200
Dec 4, 2014

They guy is boring, who would never let anyone have peace. He thinks he's too good but he's not. Him being tough at undergraduate level only signifies his so called tyranny as a military dictator but the truth of the matter is he was never able to help a student, he thinks he's too good but he is rubbish as a person and as a teacher!

3.0
2.0
ECSE291
Grade: A-
Jan 17, 2016

He is not bad. Only if he made the lectures in sync with the lab (ie. not a whole week and a half ahead of the lab), it would've been more beneficial showing up for them. So be ready to read up on upcoming labs and take good notes even if you don't understand in order to get anything substantial out of the lectures for the lab.

4.0
4.0
ECSE443
Grade: A-
Jan 29, 2016

Loves to hear himself talk and keeps a good pace. His favourite words are large and technical and his sentences usually end with "but that's beyond the scope of this course" or something similar. He is very concise so you'd better have a good attention span in order the pick out the useful info in an hour long barrage of jargon.

Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

50%

Textbook Required

100%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B

59% confidence
Based on 3 grades
Most common grades:
A- (2)
C (1)
Rather_Not_Say (1)
Grade Distribution
A(0)B(0)C(1)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(2)
Based on 4 reported grades
A-: 2
C: 1
Rather_Not_Say: 1
Rating Trend

Stable

-0.03 avg change
May
Oct
Mar
May
Dec
Jan
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

304200

5.0

(2)

ECSE211

5.0

(1)

ECE200

4.0

(3)

ECSE100

4.0

(1)

ECSE443

4.0

(7)
+8 more courses
Difficulty by Course

FEEWITHMCFEE

5.0

ESCE200

5.0

ECSE211

5.0

ECSE220

5.0

AA

5.0

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