3.0
Quality4.0
Difficulty52%
Would Retake83
Reviews52%
Would Retake
83
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
13
4
21
3
19
2
23
1
7
What Students Say
“Do WHATEVER you have to to avoid taking a class from Dr”
MUSIC302 - 1.0 rating“He doesn't have a final, however he has 10 midterms”
MUSIC202 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
23%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.15 avg changeRatings by Course
MUSIC3012
5.0
(1)MUS2012
5.0
(1)MUSIC305
5.0
(1)MUSIC304
4.0
(2)MUSI201H
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
MUSICHIST
5.0
MUS306
5.0
MUS303
5.0
MUS101
4.5
MUSIC304
4.5
Reviews (83)
Don't take this class from him if you can avoid it.
Great teacher because he likes students who want to LEARN. If you want an easy class, look somewhere else, because the class is ALL about business. I learned more in this class than almost any other class at BYU.
He's a grouch who will not answer questions or help you at all! He tests are rediculously hard for a 100 level class. I have over 10 years of music background, attended every class, took meticulous notes, did the reading and averaged 60-70% on tests. :P
He was quite rude to the students and wasn't at all approachable. The class was abnormally hard and we had something like major ten tests in all. If he's the only professor left, take your civ credit next semester!
Dr. Johnson is an awesome teacher. He is very passionate about visual arts, literature, and music. Definitely my favorite teacher of last year. Class is only hard is you make it that way. Read and study and it's impossible to not get an A.
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This class is one of the hardest I have taken at BYU but it just requires a lot of studying. More than you would think. Going to the class helps out a ton too! He explains things in more detail and we usually have discussions in class(which I love) Tough but very interesting class.
The tests are difficult, his lectures consist of powerpoint slides, he favors those students that are music majors, he's abrasive, and I felt like he thought we were a waste of his time. Take this class from a different teacher.
Run sceaming for the hills. Class is intense and difficult and unnecessarily so. He doesn't bother with silly details such as speaking audibly or listening to students - get friendly with the TAs and go to review sessions - they're your only hope of surviving this academic apocalypse.
This class is difficult despite who teaches it. I felt the knowledge was worth suffering for, however; the material is great. But frankly, he scared me some days. Really unapproachable. If Howard is available, take from him.
Contrary to many of the posted comments, I found Dr. Johnson to be a fascinating teacher. Also, the class isn't incredibly hard if you attend the lectures and do your homework. If you want to learn, take this class.
Very demanding and unapproachable in class. Nice guy out of class. VERY passionate about 20th century music: his redeeming quality. If you aren't sure you have the right answer, keep your hand down. If you're wrong, he'll make you feel like an idiot before you can say "Who really cares about Minimalism anyway?" Remember, bring your scores or die!
My grandma passed away early in the semester and I emailed Dr. Johnson asking if I could take the first exam early. His response was: the syllabus outlines your options. Those options were, take the test at the appointed time, or drop the class. He was extremely insensitive, and reduced me to tears in class. I dropped the class.
Horrible teacher. He's so rude to students and makes the class miserable. He once told us to have a discussion, then when we all didn't stop talking in like two seconds he yelled at us. class is extremely hard. If you have to take this class, know the art. Oh, and dont' ever let him know you forgot to bring your book to class, he makes you leave.
Dr. Johnson is brillant when it comes to music and art, but what he lacks is people skills. I found that if you can read his mind you do well, but if you can't, you're screwed. What he had to say about the subject matter was very interesting and I learned alot from him, but I had a very difficult time dealing with him being rude and insensitive
He lacks the ability to understand that the course is only intro. He attempts to make students learn things well beyond the acceptable range for introduction to the topic
I thought Professor Johnson was a great teacher. I was nervous after the comments I found here but I enjoyed his sense of humor and the information. His tests were very hard but he gave a generous curve. He was also very approachable-one of my tests got lost and he was very accommadating. Know the actual music and genres for the tests.
I thought he was a really good teacher. He knows what the subject very well and tries to teach us what he knows. If you do you homework and attend lecture, it's not too bad. It is an honors class, so it's supposed to be hard.
I took this class thinking that it was 101...o wait, it was! He made it way too hard for a class of students who don't actually study music. The tests were brutal and he offers extra credit but can't be bothered to tell you what you should do. If you are only taking it for your arts credit, find someone else!
This class was not taught on a 101 level. I will probably never use most of the material covered. Boring! I remember most classes, I could look around and at least half the class was asleep. The test are a pain in the rear. He doesn't give any preperation to what is going to be on them. You must memorize everything.
Hands down the worst teacher I've ever had. I thought the 101 class would broaden and expand my views about music. instead Johnson's class left me wishing i'd never heard of music in the first place. His lectures are boring and his tests are ridiculous. Only take this class if you are a die hard music student, or you like to be miserable.
For someone who's expecting basic introduction to music, this really is little more than that. Worked like a horse for the course. I don't know what is an A but whoever got it must have worked extremely extremely hard. You really learn a lot from the course. The teacher is good but the tests way too hard.
Hard class, but I learned a ton. I took Music 201 from someone else before I had Johnson--Johnson takes a lot more work, but I learned so much more. Definitely worth it. I'm neither a music major or an honors student and I got an A in this class.
It's a tough class. You will learn a lot. This is college. He doesn't hold your hand, and he's not teaching so that you memorize; those trying to learn so that they can regurgitate memorized facts will have difficulty. Those that are independent enough to keep up with the work and are capable of reading the syllabus will be fine.
His class is not easy, but I loved it! I learned so much! He is slightly biased towards music majors though. 201 has a lot less music than 202, but both also focus on music and literature. I took both halves and even though studying for the tests was a lot of work, I'm so glad I took the classes.
ok, so first off this is an honors class, all grades are in the tests, he does not spoon feed things, but he does make his tests straight from the textbook and his lectures, take good notes, get in with the TA's honestly not that bad of a class, and he is NOT nicer to music majors, just to ppl who participate if he knows your name, its a good thing
Subject was interesting, tests okay if you study, but him being "unapproachable" is a euphemism. Seems to think that students are not worth his time, and won't take five seconds to answer your question (but he can tell you in those five seconds how little you are worth his time). Absolutely the rudest and most insensitive teacher I have ever had.
This class made me lose interest in music. I took evening time and it is hard to focus on. Exams are hard.
Johnson is the best music history professor I've had so far. I really looked forward to his lectures. He always comes to class very prepared (his power points are extremely helpful) and he is very sincere about his love of music. The tests weren't hard, but the essays were difficult. I actually felt like I learned something.
Dr. Johnson's class was one of my hardest, but also most interesting. Tests are intense, but the multiple choice is straight from the lectures and book, and the TA's grade the essays, so just go to review sessions. Dr. Johnson is extremely knowledgeable and I learned so much from him. If you really want to learn, take from him.
His class, though hard, really opened my eyes and piqued my interest in modern music. The best way that I have heard his class described was "I wish I could take all of the [music history] classes from him without his tests." GO TO OFFICE HOURS WITH QUESTIONS. Come prepared with intelligent questions and he will help you(not during class).
Prof. Johnson seemed to be getting by with the minimum effort possible which resulted in the class being more of a "memorize and regurgitate" class instead of understanding or learning to appreciate music. When I asked him for clarification on something he said, he responded in a demeaning manner.
Extremely experienced in his field. Plans lessons meticulously. It's a hard class because there's a lot to learn in a short amount of time, but it's doable if you keep up with it (actually do the reading and listening). If you come to office hours he's really helpful.
Time consuming class. I learned a lot, but it was stressful and had copious amounts of art to memorize. The TAs grade the essays/tests, so go to the reviews. He can be extremely unfriendly if you ask a question he doesn't want to answer, or if you have a different opinion from him... speak out at your own risk. Do the extra credit assignments!
Very knowledgeable in his field and passionate about musicology, but he is not tolerant of other opinions. He requires a great deal of focus/preparation for his lectures. The tests were challenging but manageable if you prepared well. He was not professional in giving criticism, singling students out in front of the class. Go to class prepared!
His honors Music 201 class is extremely time consuming and very difficult. Your grade is based only on 7 tests. He is disconnected from his students, so you have to go to the TAs if you want to knkow what's going on. He definitely knows a lot and is funny sometimes, but I would advise only taking his class if you love ancient art and music.
Dr. Johnson is a good man, but he can be difficult to get along with. He makes no effort to conceal his occasional anger with the class. His 7 tests are long, time-consuming, tedious, and rarely about music. The extra credit assignments help. This class is doable, I promise, but make sure you know what you're getting into before you sign up.
Dr. Johnson, on a good day, seems to want to help you, but his course is structured very poorly. Your grade is based on 7 tests, which can be studied for independent of class, so it feels like coming to class is a waste of time. He can get very angry, and lost his temper more than a few times. Tests are time consuming and practically irrelevant.
Dr. Johnson is very knowledgeable about his field, but often makes demeaning comments to students who do not see things as he does. Tests are given 3 at a time, are laboriously long and cover material not taught in class. He does not tolerate talking in class, even relevant conversations. Recognize the music and memorize the scores to do well.
Johnson's class is overload of information that could be helpful, but tries to get through too much material and ultimately you are left just trying to memorizing pointless facts about each piece and not enjoying the material. This has been easily the most time consuming class I have ever taken at BYU and I graduate this this semester.
Graduate school is bound to be a cinch after these classes. It is possible to pass and to get good grades, but the study required to get a good grade is exorbitant. He is a great guy and a great teacher, but arguably the worst test writer ever.
The lectures are stellar, but the tests are a kick in the face. He doesn't have a final, however he has 10 midterms. Personally, I had to study for each as if it were a final. I spent over 16 hours in the testing center total. You can decide if it is worth it to you.
LOVED the class. One of the most interesting classes I've ever taken. Johnson is very passionate about the subject he teaches and makes the class very interesting, however he is not very personable. Go to the TA reviews, they'll save you.
Professor Johnson is very knowledgable and passionate about what he teaches. I really liked the material, and the tests were not that hard. However, he's not the nicest professor. I was afraid to ask him questions because he could be demeaning and cold. But overall, I enjoyed his lectures and I value the knowledge I gained from his class.
This is already a hard class, and Prof Johnson makes it harder. He is very knowledgeable and knows what he's talking about, but the tests are HARD, LONG, and frequent (I think 10?). His lectures are jam-packed and useful, but textbook material is on the tests too. Overall, heard better things about other Music Civ professor.
Don't take Music 201 with Johnson. Every test has at least 6 essay questions about works of artarchitecturemusic, and the textbook is like three inches thick, and you're gonna read it all. Not to mention he seems to like making his students feel stupid, asking for their opinion and then callously shooting them down or bluntly contradicting them.
So everything everyone has said is true. He is difficult to work with and his tests are difficult. He covers too much material too fast. I had a conflict on the final exam which was scheduled and he would not work with me to resolve it. He told me that I had to come no matter what. Not a fun class and not important to my major.
Lectures are informative but overloaded with facts and details of around 1500 years of art, literature, architecture, and music. There are a ton of facts you're expected to memorize and regurgitate in the tests. By the way, there are 6 tests that are one after the other, so there's no stopping.
This class was challenging, yes, but if you study and do the reading, then it pays off. Professor Johnson is really passionate about what he teaches, and his lectures are really insightful and interesting. The grading is based on test scores and optional homework essays that count for additional points.
Dr. Johnson's class was incredibly hard, and though the TAs were helpful, he definitely was not. His lectures are useless for the test, 100% of the test questions come from his textbook that he wrote himself. The tests have several essays, and you have to just regurgitate exactly what he said about the subject in the textbook or you lose points.
So I had a lot of people in my class that really didn't like this teacher. For me, he wasn't really a problem--I figured out how to do well on his tests, did some of the extra credit, did alright. I did best and ended up studying the least at the end when I read the material, and then went to class for his lectures (which are OK). That's key.
Do WHATEVER you have to to avoid taking a class from Dr. Johnson. The tests are 100x harder than they need to be and you're so worried about passing the test that you don't learn anything. He doesn't give you any info about the tests, he contradicts himself regularly, and it is clear that he doesn't actually care about his students doing well.
If you feel comfortable writing essays though, he's the easiest music history professor at BYU (but he's still tough). He is gruff in class, but is among the most personable professors when you meet with him out of class. Phenomenal lectures. Only read the scores and essays - NOT the other textbook. It won't help.
I really liked Johnson as a teacher. The class could be pretty boring if you're not interested and engaged in art or history. You definitely need to take notes. When I had him, there were four tough, long exams (with essays), and that's it. No other homework except reading, which you better do. There are extra credit essays that are helpful.
I had Dr. Johnson for Music 302 and 303. He can be incredibly gruff, rude, brash, and it often seems that he hates his students. He has made me cry before and is just generally insensitive and rude. However, he does know the subject material. Grades come from tests only, so take them seriously. He gives you the essays beforehand, so plan them well!
You are only graded on quizzes and test. Lectures everyday, but the lectures are really good. He teaches exactly what is on the test. There is a quiz before every class.
Johnson makes this class passable. Open book outside of class reading quizzes and 10 midterms are the only assignments in the grade book. There are 6 extra credit 600 word responses that boost your grade if you bomb a midterm. That being said, the class is unorganized and Johnson is a very hands off prof, only lecturing and gives NO info on exams.
Yes, he is difficult, however, I came away learning more about music and history than any other music faculty member. If you do the reading and meet with the TA you will be fine. He's tough but you come away from his class knowing your stuff. If you are interested in learning material he is the way to go.
Great extra credit opportunity which is good because the tests are impossibly hard. Online quiz before each class which a TA who doesn't attend the lectures makes so sometimes they don't line up. Really passionate about what he talks about but sometimes when students ask questions he curtly says "we don't have time for that." That happens often.
Dr. Johnson can come across as a little gruff at times, but he's actually a nice guy. He is very enthusiastic about the material, but there is a lot, so he tends to move quickly. If you do the reading and and the quizzes before class and take notes you'll be fine.
Although his lectures sometimes dragged on, they did have to do with what the subject of the class was. Its not hard, you just gotta take notes and study the book before the tests. he has more tests, yes, but that means that they cover less info. other teachers give you fewer tests but with loads more info to study for. He does answer q's.
Dr. Johnson is extremely knowledgable in his field and had personal experience with most material. He is an older professor so he's more old school. The TA's are extremely useful and are willing to help. Extra credit helps boost your grade. If you do the readings and take good notes you'll do great. Out of class he's really nice and personable.
I have really enjoyed this independent study class. There are a lot of papers and quizzes to go along with the reading, but I'm grateful for the frequency. As someone said on another review - it's nice to be tested on smaller amounts of information. I have already signed up for his other online class. The learning is great!
Looking for a fun music class? Music 201 may not be what you had in mind. Steven Johnson is a good instructor, but this class covers all of the arts. There are large tests every other week and they are difficult. It's doable, but not easy A material.
He knows the material well, and has a passion for it. The grading/scheduling can be confusing, so make sure you get the syllabus and know when the quizzes are due. There's a lot of reading, but it goes right along with the test because he wrote the textbook used. There's also an extra credit EXAM and it saved my life. Go to the essay exam reviews.
I took this class through BYU Independent Study. You just read the textbook and take notes from that and the supplemental material. The quizzes on each lesson can be tough. The papers weren't horrible but I felt I didn't understand enough to write about the subjects. Study for the midterm and final and study hard for the listening portion.
If you like excessive workloads for a general credit class, take Professor Johnson, you won't be disappointed. His tests are incredibly specific to the point where if you forget a minuscule detail of a work, you will probably miss a question on the test. Couple that with long readings and you have an enormous amount of random fact memorizing. Yep.
Had him for Music 201 and 202. He's not that bad, but there isn't much to write home about. 3 days a week you read about 10 pages of the textbook, then watch a 1 hour lecture of him talking and you can't speed it up bc it's on powerpoint. Exam reviews don't help bc it doesn't cover what will actually be on the exam. Loved the content though
Pretentious! He has a lot of opinions on art, and those are all you are required to know for the class. The format was ridiculous (powerpoints with audio - so you have to download huge files), and it takes a really long time for things to be graded. Not an awful class, but I definitely did not enjoy it.
Don't do it. Literally just don't. He seems to think that 8 midterms and 3 weekly quizzes and tons of pages of reading is an appropriate amount of work for a general Ed course. The amount of reading and exams made me hate this class. His lectures are also incredibly boring. Definitely worst class/professor I've ever had. I still got an A though.
I LOVE professor Johnson! I don't know why he's rated so low--maybe because of online classes? but I had him this fall semester and he was fantastic! Very caring and passionate about what he teaches. The course material is clear and if you do the readings and pay attention in class you're sure to pass with a good grade!
Quite a bit of reading, but the class is pretty easy. Professor Johnson is a great teacher, and his lectures are very accurate to the test. If you come to class and read, you will do great! I would definitely recommend and take it again!
Professor Johnson is seriously the nicest guy! I definitely recommend this class. Professor Johnson is very passionate about the subject and wants you to love it too. The tests are very similar to the lectures/textbook readings and he wants you to succeed. The TA's offer great review sessions as well.
There are a lot of tests for the class, but they are not bad. As long as you read and attend the lectures, the tests are fairly attainable. Professor Johnson is very nice and quite funny, you can tell he loves what he teaches.
The Professor is very engaged, loves what he teaches, and helps students a lot whenever possible! However- there are so many tests and quizzes. So many. 3 quizzes a week (open note but still), lots of readings for each quiz, and 8 exams! The exams even overlap a little bit in content but aren't super cumulative. The workload is pretty insane.
8 exams! They are difficult and if you don't do the readings you won't do well on the quizzes or the exams. I put in a lot of time with a study group and each of us felt that the exam scores we got didn't reflect what we were learning. He was a great lecturer and he is really passionate about the material but I'd take this class from another prof.
Professor Johnson is very knowledgable and passionate about music history and I came away learning a lot. You are only graded on 4 exams. I personally did not find them to be as challenging as they were made out to be. As long as you do the readings, are attentive in the lectures, and listen to/study the music, it is possible to succeed.
He is such a great professor! I am so glad I decided to take his class last minute! He really cares about what he teaches! There are a lot of tests but he prepares you for them. If you attend the lectures and read, you will be totally fine:)
I took this class to fulfill a GE. I found it really intersting a wish I had time in my schedule to take the part two course. The professor is really passionate a knowledgeable of everything he talks about. I was amazed at the facts he knew. If you love learning about music and history then take this class. I really enjoyed it!
8 midterms and over 30 quizzes are the only grades in the grade book. I completed every reading and attended class, but am not a good test taker, and this class broke my 4.0. Very time consuming for a general. It is a constant stressor because there is always a test to study for, and the test format is hard. Get on Dr. Howard's waitlist instead.
8 testing center exams in one semester. All "Not" questions, and some had essays. The only reason I did well was due to the amazing TAs! Attend every test review. You have to learn literature, art, music and more for this class. Pretty difficult for a general, but if you're a good test-taker, it's not the worst. I got 64% on the first and 90+ after
He is a nice guy, but his tests are SO hard. You have to know everything to do well on tests. You learn about architecture, art, music, literature, etc. The TA's do test reviews which are lifesaving. You'll do fine if you go to class and take notes on almost everything and also read the textbook and study the material in there.
As a person, I enjoyed his passion for music. As a teacher, I wouldn't take this class again because the way knowledge is tested is outdated and ineffective, which makes it difficult to actually do well. He expects his class to be the main focus of your semester, even though it's a GE.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
23%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
+0.15 avg changeRatings by Course
MUSIC3012
5.0
(1)MUS2012
5.0
(1)MUSIC305
5.0
(1)MUSIC304
4.0
(2)MUSI201H
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
MUSICHIST
5.0
MUS306
5.0
MUS303
5.0
MUS101
4.5
MUSIC304
4.5