Cool guy and good teacher. However, his favorite past time must be grading assignments, b/c the amount of assignments he gives is insane. The group project will either make or break your whole semester.

Took this class over the summer and it turned out okay. He gives a ton of homework with problems that take a long time. I probably spent 3 hrs a day doing homework on average. The homework is only graded for completion though which is nice bc it boosts your final grade. His chapter outlines and group quizzes were pretty helpful in my opinion.

I have no accounting background and took Dr. Downen's class as a prereq for the MSA program. He was very thorough in his explanations & emphasized the understanding and application of each topic. It is not an easy A course, but I finished feeling that I had a deeper level of understanding than if I had taken the course with an easy professor.

Dr. Downen is nice and personable, although his tests can be very tricky and certainly will make you think, especially the multiple choice. Study hard and you'll do fine. Enter his class with a strong foundation from previous accounting classes. Overall good professor.

To begin, accounting is already tough material to master. Professor Downen does a fantastic job laying out the material from start to finish so the student has a clear understanding of what is to come. He also puts his own spin on things. Yes the class itself is tough though this is expected in upper level courses.

301 is a tough class, although Downen does an excellent job at clearly explaining the material. He gives you many helpful resources to use, outlines/sample exams etc., that make learning the material easier. He shares his experience in the field and makes the class enjoyable. I would recommend Downen if you want to learn the material well.

Homework every week &a learnsmart, around at least an hour with some taking five hours. He will give pop quizes at the end of chapters or at the start (its a random computer system to generate this)Great teacher, super willing to help just extremely HARD tests that are half Free response so know your concepts!! Does allow notecard size cheatsheets.

Its not an easy class but he did an excellent job of providing relevant in class activities, material to review, and ways to recover your grade. There is extra credit offered. There was some forgiveness on homework assignments. Hes also very approachable if you need help. Its not an easy A but I learned a lot.

Dr. Downen is awesome! I really enjoyed having him as a professor. The course material is very difficult on its own but if you show up to class and put in the time to study you can get an A in his class. His tests are hard but he gives you a ton of material to help you study. Hes really funny and tells a lot of interesting stories.

Dr. Downen is one of the best professors Ive had at UNCW. He explains material very clearly, and offers plenty of practice for exams. Its difficult material, so you definitely have to put in effort to do well. I enjoyed the class.

Great teacher and nice person. His projects are difficult but he provides opportunities for extra credit. Puts a lot of effort into his teaching.

Downen's 301 class was my favorite class this semester! As long as you do the homework and actually study for the tests with the material he gives you (all of his old tests) it should be easy to get an A. I studied for each test at least 5 hours and I almost got a 100 in the class. He prepares you extremely well! Loved the class.

An awesome teacher! This class is a tough one but he does an incredible job explaining the concepts and providing plenty of practice material. If you put in the time to do well in this class, its an easy A. Keeps class very interesting and he's overall just a good and fun guy!

One of the better accounting professors. Very organized and always available outside of class for extra help. He is a great professor and teaches you exactly what you need to know. If you study his notes and practice the in-class examples, you will be able to pass. His tests are straight from his notes.

This has been my toughest MBA class to date. Dr. Downen was excellent. He is a very tough grader who has insane attention to detail. However, as someone in an MBA program, I would expect to be held to a higher standard. This class did have far more homework than any other class, but I learned a lot and I am not a lot more attentive to detail!

Dr Downen is tough but this is a MBA program. Theres a lot of work in this class with lectures, homework, discussions, quizzes and groups work but again, appropriate for course level. Hes approachable and gives good feedback - enjoyed the office hours. Very knowledgeable. If you want to learn about accounting, take his course.

It's accounting so for many it is a mandatory course outside of what they have done before. That being said Dr. Downen took a complex subject matter and made a class that was able to convey that material. No joke, it is a lot of work but very organized with clear criteria and regular feedback.

lots of homework, discussions, lectures- very time intensive course. learned a lot. graded papers harder than english teacher!!!!

Professor Downen conveys the material clearly. He regularly sends emails when updating grades and to give guidance on homework/group projects, while slipping in some humorous memes/gifs to make you laugh.

Accounting was a tough subject for me to comprehend, so only an excellent professor can make a difference in a successful completion. Dr. Downen is an excellent professor, willing to engage and ensure our questions and concerns were addressed completely and in a timely manner.

My only gripe is his grading criteria tends to leave the realm of accounting and get into not only intense, but very specific grammatical scrutiny. I think this level of writing scrutiny should be offset with highly visible and clearly communicated rubrics. Outside of that, this class and the professor were awesome. Fun, genuine nice guy.

Lots of material for a 7 week class, be prepared to work. He lays out in his homework solutions and discussions the key points, be sure to read thoroughly. Very responsive to email and takes time to answer every question during office hours (which are recorded). Group paper grading is tedious but fair, amount of emphasis on writing was surprising.

GREAT PROFESSOR!!! He relates topics that may be difficult to most people to very applicable real word scenarios and certainly wants people to understand and do well. Very helpful and willing to go out of his way to ensure you have everything you need to be successful. Would highly recommend his class just don't be scared to put in the work.

I thought Dr. Downen was great. He was super responsive. The group projects were time-consuming.

OK now here's the honest truth. This was far and away the hardest class I've ever taken. BUT, I learned more in this class than I've learned from any other class ever. Period. It's a graduate level class, folks. Work your butt off and your grade will reflect it. He's fair, a genuinely good professor, and will give you that painfully honest feedback

I learned so much about functional accounting and the only suggestion I have is to be a little more clear in stating expectations for projects. Each paper I found many needed clarification on specifics. I did enjoy the style that is was not set based on one particular book, yet experience. Thank you for your in depth look into accounting.

I have read the critiques-Dr. Downen has clearly made adjustments to his course based on feedback. Very responsive and clearly cares. Tough grader of a difficult/time consuming course, but expected. Outlines provided are key for open note quizzes. Read his discussion feedbacks and you have group project answers and can do well. Hard work pays off!

One of the most hands on professors I have had in the MBA program. Emails us almost daily w/ updates and helpful hints. The class is hard, but you can pass if you put in the work and take advantage of the HUGE amount of resources available. Huge extra credit opportunities twice. 100% would take again. Exactly what you would expect from an MBA class

I found this course to be quite challenging mainly because I have no background in the subject. Dr. Downen was incredibly responsive and helpful throughout the course. I learned so much, but I had to put in the time and effort. Dr. Downen is a top-notch accounting professor, who cares about students. He also has a great sense of humor!

Course notes are designed to promote passing the course, use them and the homework as study tools. This is a difficult class because it dives into business accounting in a way most of us dont see prior to this class. The lectures, notes, homework, and discussions facilitate real learning. Would absolutely take Dr. Downen again, loved this class

Dr. Downen goes out of his way to ensure that his students understand the content. The material is challenging for people without accounting backgrounds, but the quiz questions closely follow the provided unit notes, homework solutions, and practice solutions.

Challenging for people who do not have an accounting degree, but you will walk away with a much better understanding of the accounting world. Provides a lot of support and resources. His office hours are a great resource for having all your questions answered.

The structure of this course was very convenient for me as I was able to work two jobs during the week and do most of the coursework on the weekends. The lectures videos and notes were quite sufficient to get a good grade in the class. Even with no accounting experience, I found that I did not need to attend office hours or meetings. Great class!!

Dr. Downen is a great professor. I enjoyed his accounting class very much. This was my hardest class so far in my MBA program, but I learned accounting. Dr. Downen is nice, fair and teaches well. Accounting is a hard subject in general and time has to be put in to do well. If you put in the effort Dr. Downen will help you succeed. Take him !!

Reading the textbook and taking all of the lectures is important. You will EARN the grade you get in his class. If you are struggling in the class, he provides a weekly office hour and interacts with you directly to help you understand the material. The course was challenging, as expected. I am better off for it, and I would take his course again.

Professor Downen was a GREAT professor!! But don't expect it to be a cake walk. He did a great job at providing help as long as you were willing to learn. I would 100% take another course with Downen. His real world experiences helped the topics stick.

Dr. Downen taught the MBA accounting course. You should not expect his course to be a walk in the park. You can expect to be held accountable, and truly learn in this course. I did not come from a heavy accounting background, so I had to work hard in this course to gain an understanding as to what I was doing. I would recommend him as a professor.

A challenging course but Dr. D is an engaging instructor & gave us what we needed to succeed. Be prepared for & participate in class. Do homework together w/ classmates. Get tutoring at ULC. Utilize office hours. Email questions if you're stuck-he's quick to respond & very helpful in his explanations. DO the practices exams, go to review sessions.

I had a good experience taking class with Professor Downen. The material he teaches is challenging because it is accounting, and it is not everyone's favorite subject, but he taught the material in ways that made sense, and the quizzes were fair even though sometimes challenging. His lectures provided good information to prepare for quizzes.

While an MBA Accounting class can be difficult at times, Professor Downen made learning the material enjoyable. He provided fantastic notes with great examples for each unit, which made learning the material easier. I can confidently say that the topics taught in this class help me at work every week.

I took accounting with Professor Downen - my first accounting course. I did not do well on my first quiz however after reviewing one of his recorded after hours videos (provided weekly)I realized he gave you direct practice for the quizzes in his lecture notes. With some work, I passed with a B+ and got to rap about accounting for extra credit.

I am writing this review after working 1 year in public accounting and as far as benefits - there is not enough space here. I have excelled on my teams and impressed upper management due to the skills learned in Dowden's course. This is a hard course, graded tough, but the lectures, skills, and feedback are top-notch.

This was my first class on my MBA program. This class was exactly what I expected in a graduate course. He's a tough grader but fair. The class is challenging but he was available to clarify any questions during office hours and via email. Best graduate class I took, unfortunately all other classes were mediocre after his. (for a graduate level)

This class is challenging, however, Dr. Downen talks you through it and is supportive. He is in constant communication the whole way and was always available for questions. It was a good class where I learned a lot. Everything in this class will help you professionally.

While challenging, this course was what I wanted and needed from a graduate-level class. The purpose of obtaining an MBA is to advance your knowledge of business topics and to help prepare you for leadership roles. If you want to improve your knowledge and prepare to be successful in current and future roles, you should take this course.

Dr. Downen's course was difficult, but he really takes the time to ensure you learn & absorb the material. You will do fine in this class if you give yourself plenty of time to study for the class exams and actively participate. You can tell he loves and is extremely passionate about what he does. As long as you put in the effort you will do well.

As someone who majored in STEM as an undergrad, taking an accounting course was incredibly daunting. Dr. Downen went above and beyond to provide lecture notes and materials that were thorough and provided examples, and tests on that information provided. He was always available to answer questions, all you had to do was ask! Great professor!

Topics covered are challenging but Tom does a great job of making them relevant and interesting. Case studies and papers prepare you for real world situations.

I had Dr Downen as both a professor and advisor and he was great in both roles! While his classes are hard, the subject matter itself is inherently difficult so the sections he covers will be hard regardless of the instructor. If you put in effort and show up to every class, Tom will ensure your success. Great experience overall.

Took MBA-508 (Accounting) online with Dr. Downen. Class was very difficult but all information was laid out well in lectures and notes that are provided each week.

Professor Downen is a hard professor, but you will learn a lot. These are MBA level courses so a challenge is expected. It's easy to prepare for quizzes and feedback is always available if you seek it. Professor Downen breaks down accounting as best as possible for those who aren't accounting professionals to be able to gain something valuable.

Dr. Downen is a cool dude who will preform accounting themed parodies he wrote himself during class. He's a good teacher but his class is real difficult.

Dr. Downen is a good professor teaching a tough course regardless of who is teaching it. He does a good job of ensuring students have the knowledge to do well in his class and does his best to make sure students have an enjoyable time learning sometimes tedious material.

Professor Downen's clear and practical teaching makes complex accounting principles easily digestible. He is highly responsible, ensuring that course materials are well-organized and accessible to all students. His grading is fair, reflecting an accurate measure of one's understanding of the subject matter. I recommend his classes.

Overall, it was a good class. I had no background in accounting or business at all. You have to take good notes. Weekly quizzes that cover topics directly from the notes. Downen was responsive to emails and held weekly office hours for questions. MBA508 was my first class in the MBA program, so I can not compare any other courses or professors.

Dr. Downen is hilarious and makes class fun and engaging. ACG 302 is a difficult course but he gives you everything you need to do well. There's pre-written notes with blanks that he fills in during class, so you definitely need to attend. Sometimes he strays from the book, so focus on what he gives you.

Dr. Downen is a really great. He teaches a very difficult class but if you simply do the homework and do the practice problems he provides prior to the exams, you will be fine. He gives students every opportunity to succeed.

He is an extremely hard teacher, BUT he is very nice and cares about his students. He will curve exams and the final grades for how he sees fit. If you show up to class, go to the review sessions and ask questions you will not fail the class. You can tell he loves accounting and I found his class entertaining to go to.

This class was pretty painful to get through at times. But as long as you put in the work you will do fine. Dr. Downen is always willing to help as well. He understands that this is a difficult course, but you can tell he cares about his students and wants everyone to do well!

This class is tough no matter who the professor is but Downen is a great funny professor who wants the best for his students and prepares you to work hard! If you go in knowing you can get an A and put in time to read the book and go to review sessions you will do fine!!

This class is tough no matter who the professor is but Downen is a great funny professor who wants the best for his students and prepares you to work hard! If you go in knowing you can get an A and put in time to read the book and go to review sessions you will definitely do fine in the class! He is there to help

He was a good professor and pretty funny. Not sure why

Good professor and funny. Yeah the tests are hard but he gives so many old practice exams that are similar. The homework does take a while and is pretty hard but you only need to get up to 80% complete for full credit. Not a tough grader, will basically give full credit if you have the right idea. He takes attendance but it's not mandatory.

Very tough class, Downen could definitely find ways to make it easier. Going to class is helpful if you want to do well, and often tests what he teaches in class. If you study the practice exams before tests there isn't a reason you shouldn't do well. Gives a giant note card for all exams and curves.

Not as bad as the ratings say. I actually enjoyed his teaching and would take him again! His sample exams are practically the same as his tests

Downen is a tough but fair prof. Exams are challenging, but he provides plenty of practice material. The workload is heavy, but using unstuckstudy and attending review sessions can really help. Overall, a rewarding class if you're willing to put in the effort.

not sure why he has so many bad reviews. I am in 302 right now, show up to class, try your best and LISTEN to what he says about the exam. I am a horrible test taker but he gives you everything you need to succeed. I have a 108 in the class right now. Best I have ever done on exams. He cares about his students. Dont listen to the other reviews!!!!!

2 tests make up 80% of the grade but he gives an elite study guide that will prepare you extremely well for the tests. the concepts are hard but the way he does grading makes this class easily passable as long as you try. Don't let past reviews scare you this class is solid for sure!

Do not listen to the negative reviews. Mr. Downen is a real one. His classes are always fun and engaging. His tests are almost identical to his sample tests and he also gives you a piece of paper you can use for a cheat sheet. He cares about his students and its incredibly easy to do well. I dont know whats up with the other reviews, Downen is a G

attendance is not mandatory but does not post lecture notes/slides so if you want the information you have to go. does a good job at providing fill in blank notes with plenty of inclass examples. the exam reviews are incredibly helpful and if you learn that material you will be fine!

Very nice guy, gives a really good study guide along with a helpful exam review session.