I admit, he is pretty vague at times, but he gives lots of freedom with assignments. he is ambiguous because it makes us solve our own problems, coming up with our own unique solutions, as we should. he's very willing to answer any questions, although it

I do not care how/what others think about the way he teach/lecture, but to me he is "the 1" that I would recommend for all freshmen/sophomore to take.For those who think he is TOUGH, in my opinion, you R NOT READY for the next studio class(So be prepare!).I'm THANKFUL for his present at UTA.I hope will cont. to stay there for those who NEEDED him

This site seems to be a place for students that can not handle Professor Rusher's class. He is articulate, clear, and demanding. For most freshmen, this is a culture shock. For Students that can not keep up, they are in for a shock at the sophomore level. He prepared me well for the next level.

There was a few times i didn't like him very much. He wasn't very clear in his manner of explaining the objectives for the projects. But after taking Macdonald (Sophmore level), Rusher is a great professor. Once you take anyone from the "Boswell Click", you'll appreciate Rusher's teaching techniques.

Rusher was a great professor you just have to get to the bottom of the his vag explaintions of projects or assignments. Pay attention to what he says because there is a message to success in every jester and statement. He very out side the box as well so be prepared.

Good professor. Can be hard to understand what he is explaining at times. Makes students work hard. You may dislike him when you're in his class, but when you get to upper level studios, you will appreciate him. He is easier in the summer, but you don't get experience with important things like model building needed in the next studio.

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Don't miss a single class and expect to figure out most of it on your own...then you'll see how what he teaches connects. He crams a lot into lecture and you might feel lost until you get the hang of the software but take good notes and don't miss a single day. He's knowledgable and fair...a little in his own world but a good teacher.

Rusher is an extremely brilliant teacher, with an exceedingly equivocal teaching style that really confuses you and yet enables you to go beyond your imaginations. If you don’t dream, or don’t like to risk, stay away from him, or take him for your 3rd or 4th year or graduate classes.

amazing professor for pushing the mental capacity of students. verbal skills above and beyond the intellect of most, however this creates a fostering environment for expanding of the mind.

very intimidating at first, but once you get to know him, he really is very helpful and takes interest in improving your work.

RUSHER IS COOL, I TOOK HIS CLASS FOR A STUDIO AND FOR DESIGN COMMUNICATIONS AND MY ADVICE IS TO NEVER MISS CLASS, OR U WILL GET LEFT BEHIND SO FAST, ITS ALOT OF WORK BUT I ENJOYED IT, JUST MAKE SURE U LEARN AUTO CAD, PHOTOSHOP AND FORM-Z, IF U KNW THESE THEN ULL BE FINE! OH YEA I WOULDNT TAKE HIM WITH A STUDIO, ITS LIKE TAKING TWO STUDIOS AT ONCE

Rusher is a great professor. He teaches with passion and loves it when we have passion in our work. However, this course was insanely hard to do with studio. These projects need lots of time to make them really good. But I have to say that his grading system is very fair considering how much better we could have done if we had spent the time.

Hard class if you're not computer savvy, but you pick it up quick, and once you do it's awesome! He is a great teacher and very helpful.

Rusher is a very intelligent and highly knowledgeable professor. If you want to figure out how Zaha or Corbusier work, this guy will lead you down a rabbit hole to eureka. Fun guy to be around. Remember these words: Continuous/discontinuous spaces, Language of convention, How about that?, Dock your command line, Kill the view cube, Check that out!

people say he is unclear all the time but I realized there is no better way to explain the assignment when the intent is to use your creative mind and imagination as an architect. This is the most interesting part. the assignments are not hard to understand in general; + if you ask him 1k questions, he will give you 2k answers. very helpful. easy A

Very interesting and enjoyable class

Rusher is a great professor, you will definitely learn a lot. His projects do drag over a few weeks and get repetitive, but was long as you do your work you'll see amazing progress. A lot of emphasis on Zaha, cubism, morphologies, and discontinuous/continuous space. Tip: Always pin up whatever you have no matter how far you got in the project.

Amazing professor, he is very helpful, the projects make you use a lot of creativity, I learned many design concepts. He gives fair grades, just do the work.

Professor Rusher is an amazing teacher he's the first professor I'm writing a review for since I been in Architecture, cause he really worth it. He's beyond amazing and fun, you will enjoy him a lot Don't miss class if you want to get an A. He gives good feed back to encourage you and focuses of the good things not the bad unlike other professors!

Professor Rusher is literally the best teacher I have had so far in UTA. You will learn a lot from him, and the best thing about him unlike others is that he always focuses on the best of what you have in any project and then would advise you on what should've been better/right! Awesome teacher!

After completing my Masters of Architecture and reflecting back at my time at UTA, I would say this was one of the best courses I took that brought out design creativity and made me think outside the box.

Gotta love this guy. He shows you the true definition of conceptual design and how it can be used in architecture. Rather than sticking you with new model due each class, the prof allows for multi day projects with a daily critic but rather than roasting you he would motivate you to change and alter your project. Called it massaging the design.

Rusher is great at critiquing. Critiques are always aimed at improving the work, rather than attacking the student. The work is very conceptual, and I liked it because it lets you get out of the traditional architecture mindset and learn how to design more creatively. The work load is fair. Good class to improve model building and digital skills.

This class was very helpful graphically, and the skills I learned in it transferred to other classes. There's an emphasis on learning how to utilize line weights to make clean drawings and learning how to layer smoothly on photoshop. Rusher was very understanding when we were having juries in studio and worked with us on deadlines.

He's a very nice professor, give very good feedback. the class might be confused at first but you will get to create very abstract projects

Overall great professor! Is always willing to give you feedback and push you to produce your best work.

Professor Rusher is one of the Most Creative Dynamic professors at University of Texas in Arlington. His creative and Dynamic style glooms across the studio for students to think outside of The Architectural Box. In studio, you will gain a broad Terminology of Architecture literature that will help you develop critical skills for design

His studio is very insightful and exploratory. His projects push you to rethink what is possible. Throughout the process you learn to create great graphics. He is very descriptive so make sure to take notes. He has so much to offer!

Great designer with a heart of a teacher. Does great critiques & has eyes for details and incorporates personalize twist to his responses to make you think, analyze, and examine tasks from different dimension. His classes are interactive, full of dynamic and fungive him a try!

Prof. Rusher encourages creative thought in projects and individual efforts.

I was a bit scared because I heard his classes are tough. But some professors recommended me to take his course. I am glad I listened. He is one of the best professor at UTA. You will learn a lot. He is very knowledgeable and very smart. I am very comfortable with Arch software because of him.

He is the king of architecture software at UTA. If you take his course, you will be confident with most of architecture software. He was demanding, but I learned a lot. He is brilliant!

Professor Rusher was a great teacher! Very outside of the box and gets your projects to be something different from the ordinary. Participation is key, pin up whatever you have even if its not complete. You can tell he really cares about all his students and how their projects come out. His critiques are great for development of projects.

A challenging, inspirational and passionate educator. I wish that there were more professors like him!

Great studio. Professor Rusher is very helpful when you ask for feedback and studio environment Was fun, also he is very knowledgeable and encouraging you to use your ideas and run with it. You have to attend class and do work progress and you will do good at the end.

Amazing professor, that takes design to the next level! I took Rusher's design studio and his computer design course. I recommend taking his course if you want to explore your design without being held back. Take his course before graduating and will give your portfolio a nice "pop"!

Cool teacher. Challenging course and content. Be prepared to revise and rethink. Learned a lot, excellent course.

Mr. Rusher is a great professor. I would take his class again. Be prepared to produce nice work and learn a lot of new concepts, ideas, and ways of getting things done!

Always has some of the best feedback that will really help your work. Gives plenty of freedom for personal expression while maintaining well thought out projects throughout the semester.

One of the best professors in the ARCH program, and truly wants to see you do well. If you put forth effort you will be rewarded with extremely helpful feedback, also he is open to any conversation you have about your ideas as well. By far the best professor I have taken in my four years and I recommend him very highly.

Professor Rusher is a pretty great professor. All of his lectures were very informational, and he made learning new software easy. What I learn that semester influenced me throughout the rest of my undergrad career.

This was one of my favorite classes. There is a lot of content to learn, I don't recall another time that I learned so much. This course can be challenging, full of learning and pushing your limits, but in the end so worth it. I learned to be resourceful and one of the most fun experiences while in architecture school.

Professor Rusher is one of the few professors in the school who is unashamedly enthusiastic about the subject he teaches. He brings contagious energy to the class which makes lectures and critiques fun rather than degrading. Do the work and engage with him and you will have a fun semester, but if you're looking for an easy A, this is not your guy.

He is very helpful when it comes to learning programs like autocad and photoshop, the pace of the class was also great giving me plenty of time to produce quality work. Nothing to difficult just do the assignments

Tom has the reputation of being abstract with projects. Sometimes it's hard to understand him but keep at it, ask questions and you'll get there. He is very nice and will give you hope in architecture again. Great at teaching CAD. Basically, participate, show up, try your best and you will do just fine.

Tom is a great professor. His approach and technique are not traditional, but I found this to push me to some of my best work throughout my entire undergrad career. He will help if you ask for it, and push you to do more than you think you can, which are some of the best qualities you can hope for. Nice guy too! "squeaky wheel gets the grease" -TOM

The class wasn't difficult, but it wasn't easy either. Professor Rusher makes you really think and analyze the project you are designing, so you have to put a lot of thought into your work! I learned a lot of valuable information in his class when it comes to AutoCAD and Photoshop. Be prepared to think conceptually and to share your work daily!

This professor wants you to reach parts of your creativity you haven't even thought about. He is the most understanding professor as well. If you aren't understanding the material he will give you time to change your project, but only if you come to class with SOMETHING! Never come to class empty handed, and try to talk in class. Great Professor!!

I took Professor Rusher for a freshman studio in 2009 and then for digital design in 2011. He was one of the first to teach me to think in abstract terms. To speak the language of the design. To be fluid and not always affirmative. If you want to learn to think like a designer he will teach you how.

Professor Rusher was a great professor who would always take the time to explain things if you were struggling. In his digital communication class he taught me what it meant to be able to use design techniques through digital media. He will challenge you with difficult work but the results are amazing and worth putting in your portfolio.

I have taken two of his classes (ARCH 2551 & ARCH 3343), and he is by far one of the best professors I've taken. Tom's vocabulary is of great extension, which makes you want to learn more. His projects are phenomenal, though challenging, but definitely worth putting the effort to obtain a marvelous final product. I would indeed take him again!

I really enjoyed his class and plan on taking him for studio if I get a chance. He can be confusing with guidelines for an assignment like using word that contradict each other, but I think he does that to make you be creative. Honestly the fact that he hasn't mentioned Le Corbusier once speaks volumes. He also goes out of his way to help.

I Had Professor Rusher twice already for second year, 2nd semester and now taking him for my fourth year, 1st semester. And he really pushes you to design and invent rather than replicate, which is something different from many other studios. Its a great class to take if you want something new from traditional architecture studios

I thought this class was great! I had professor Rusher for studio my Sophomore and Senior he is a fantastic professor! He is very understanding and is always trying to teach you helpful things when designing and using digital programs. If you take him you will not be disappointed! He is very easy to talk to and makes class fun!

Tom is amazing and the studio opened my eyes to many real world architectural problems and how to deal with them. He also allows you to let your imaginations run wild and will do all he can to help you get better in expressing your ideas and how to make them better.

So, we entered a lot of competitions with him, which I'm really grateful for. 4557 is a point in your undergraduate in which you should know the basics of architecture and just have fun using those skills learned through your education, this is how I took this class. What you take from it is up to you and only you. Great professor!

They are a really great professor to take to learn about abstract concepts when designing with digital media and programs. They have an extensive vocabulary which can make things very confusing, but they allow a lot of room for trial and error and give a lot of individual feedback if you are willing to present your work.

I don't feel like a Revit monkey in his class; we dive into architecture theories and develop organizational logic in design. His detailed feedback will open your eyes to another side of architecture. This class improved my architecture vocabulary, took my digital skills to the next level, and allowed me to view architecture from a different angle.

Professor Rusher really cares about the growth and the process you make each time you come to class, he is basically grading upon that. He is big on using different programs and is always there for guidance.He is considerate of your other classes and really cares about designing and constructing something you could never think you could do.

Professor Rusher is insightful and has deep knowledge over a lot of topics. His style of teaching is very abstract and he helps you to think outside the box. He works with his students to achieve growth by giving daily feedbacks. In this class we use a lot of autocad and photoshop which prepares you for the real architectural work in the firms.

Teaches you alot in a unique way giving tons of room for freedom and creativity. Teaches AutoCAD, photoshop, and phys modeling. Class focuses more on abstract notations and creating dynamic and spatial events. Def show up in class and pinup regularly and have him review your work; he gives helpful and informed insight. Wonderful professor and class

Awesome professor, took him 4 times and I would take him again for sure! Always willing to help you in every way possible, very understanding too.

I took this class in my senior year for BS of Architecture and learned a lot, your participation matters each assigned professor gives 3 iterations to improve and the exciting part is we get to participate and build for a real competition

A lot of the work given turns the gears in your head. The class focuses on the abstract and expressing ideas through computer programs like Rhino and AutoCAD as well as 3D printing. He gives great feedback despite his tangents but they're all worthwhile. Very understanding and well-rounded professor.

I enjoyed this class a lot throughout the semester there was various ways to develop better understanding of the programs like photoshop, auto-cad.I was able to develop a lot of design concepts, start developing my design vocabulary which is important. If you have the opportunity you should definitely him he is an excellent professor.

The appropriate professor to take if you like conceptual thinking and abstract analysis. Will encourage you to develop and improve on your own ideas. In 2 semesters I learned more photoshop and Rhino than I did 6 previous semesters combined. Highly recommend!

Professor Rusher is a GREAT professor. His lectures are always very informative and he often shares readings over different architects/theories which are so helpful and insightful. He is very thoughtful and caring when it comes to his students, always giving advice on outside topics that will help further our careers. 10/10 would recommend :)

I learned more than I did the previous three semesters combined. Knowledgeable, gives great feedback, he can be a little wordy but it really helps immerse you in architectural language. He's also very understanding about your workload outside of studio. You'll do a lot of work in his class but it's worth it. If you get the chance, take his studio!

A class worth taking, it will be fun. Great feedback, I enjoyed having him as my professor, many opportunities to get better at the programs, like auto cad, rhino, photoshop.

One of the best professors you can take in your sophomore year. You'll hit AutoCAD, Photoshop, and build up your architectural/design vocabulary. Be prepared for lots of work, somewhat confusing assignment prompts, and humor. His teaching and curriculum is unique compared to other professors, you'll leave his class w/ a new perspective of design.

A great professor to learn the basics of architectural design! More of an art class IMO! Assignments are on the vague side and will be confusing at first, but once you understand what he is asking for you'll catch on quick! Class time is spent solely on pin-ups and critique, so you'll have to do most of your work outside class. One of the best tho!

Overall Professor Rusher is a great professor! He gives lots of good critique and feedback! I highly recommend taking him at least once while at UTA. The class consists of unique projects that yield great competition results! Overall he is a really great professor and I definitely would recommend taking him!

Professor Rusher is one of the best professors I've ever had! Definitely read his lecture material that are going to help you see modern architecture from a new perspective. His assignments are designed to introduce you to software like AutoCAD and Photoshop. He is very patient, and committed to his students. I highly recommend taking his class!

Professor Rusher has been the most inspirational and caring professor I've had. His dedication to teaching and his genuine concern for his students' success make a lasting impact. The motivation he gives have truly made a difference in my academic journey.

You will definitely develop a strong design vocabulary and likely present updated work each class for feedback. The work can be a little out there so it can be difficult to get into the mindset at times. He appreciates originality, breaking rules, and the idiosyncratic. Be present, do your work, put in honest effort, and you will pass.

Tom is a great resource, super charismatic about exploration with design. I felt challenged in a healthy way through short design exercises. And he works well to help fill gaps in programs so that students can excel. I think that he's extremely accessible knowledgeable and encouraging for all his students pass and present.

Rusher was attentive and supportive throughout the course. He communicated well and was helpful. Our projects were manageable and enjoyable. His passion was brought to every lesson and I'm grateful for this course.

Professor Rusher is an amazing professor. Yes, he will push you, but it's for good reason and always promotes critical thinking and advancement. Definitely a unique studio experience and I still incorporate his teachings into my work.

Professor Rusher is one of CAPPA's best professors. He truly cares about his students success by structuring his studios to help you learn valuable skills for the future. Just show up to class, do the work and you will pass. If you are a second year writing a review complaining that it's too hard and abstract…it gets worse so best you drop out

This class tought me a lot in my professional and acedemic career. Tom Rusher has made me expand my design and he was a very thoughful and dedicated professor. He assisted and help me learn and i channeled his teachings to get into the professional career. He was very much a support for my success.

Rusher is a GREAT professor! He's on the more conceptual side of things but he gives readings at the start of an assignment that correlate to what you're doing. You'll learn a lot of design vocabulary and use programs like Photoshop and Autocad. The proj are super fun and abstract! Overall, he's a really fun professor to take and very understanding

Going into this studio I did find it daunting knowing his projects were very abstract and unusual from what I did in other studios. However, I don't regret it one bit. I've learned so much and have become a better thinker and designer that I believe was crucial to my academics. I know now why people retake his studios, Rusher is one of a kind!

Was initially hard to understand what was being asked but he really worked with us and pushed us so we got it. It was very much a critique and talk about our work kind of class as most of the work was done outside of class with minimal lecture. Absence are a no go so go to class.

Great professor. I took him 3 times and enjoyed each time. He has a heavy emphasis on abstract thought processes / work, I learned a lot and advanced a lot with that. Also a lot of computer programs! Photoshop, autocad, rhino, some lumion. We did competitions as well. Enjoyed his classes a lot, and he really wants you to succeed.

I have taken this professor twice, and I would definitely do it again because he is very motivating, pushes you, projects look amazing in your portfolio but overall, he is a great person, and you will enjoy the class.

Tom is by far my favorite professor so far, yes his class is not the usual conventional architecture stuff he's more abstract stuff than typical Arch but you learn a lot. He's a very strong believer in not having to worry about grades & rather trying stuff you aren't good at & attempting new things & as long as you try you'll get a good grade.

Tom is more on the abstract side so if you like more art-style classes you'll enjoy your time!! You still learn basic design principles and lots of programs but it's more a class designed to make you think architecturally in different, more unconventional contexts. Class time is just critique. He is very welcoming to your ideas as long as you try!

I thought that Professor Rusher's class was really useful in learning softwares and teaching you how to conceptualize. The class is definitely one I'd recommend people to take and is a great class to develop your skills.

Amazing professor! Really made me fall in love with architecture more, his passion for design really showed and motivated me to continue this career path. Would definitely recommend taking him.

Professor Rusher is definitely a professor you should take if given the opportunity! His class really pushes you and it is almost guaranteed that by the end of it you will be a better designer. Professor Rusher really lets you explore your ideas and his critiques are formed around helping you find the best pieces of your ideas to push forward.

For anyone who is reading this, Rusher is a GREAT professor. I would highly recommend taking him, if possible. The class is mainly program-based, like AutoCAD and Photoshop. Class is mostly just a crit; he will never say no to a project, and he never will tell you what he wants. He wants to know what you will come up with and helps from there.

This class challenged me in the best way, and I highly recommend it. Professor Rusher encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone and explore new ways of approaching architecture. His feedback helped strengthen my concepts and ideas to develop unique design solutions. I also learned to use different programs in this class.

Amazing studio! The professor approached the class differently from traditional studios, asking us to use our developing process to design conceptually. It was fascinating to see how those methods shaped our work. The lectures were very insightful and closely connected to the projects, so it's worth taking good notes.

Goated professor. Rusher gives great feedback on projects and uses class time for critiques that motivate everyone to keep pushing. You use AutoCAD and Photoshop early on, which helps through the semester, and he really helps you develop ideas in this conceptual class. He also has many great movies references, even if there a little outdated.