The best aspects of the course included the stimulating and applicable topics, as well as the professor’s straightforward and enthusiastic teaching method. The worst aspect of the course was the papers as many students felt they were kind of thrown into the course and not well thought out. Also, the exams were somewhat difficult and were not preceded by any review sessions. The course would improve if the written papers were eliminated and if students were given practice exams or review sessions to help them prepare for the exams. Prospective students should ensure they keep up with al the readings and

The best aspect of this course was Dr. Hendry, whom students felt went above and beyond expectations to help them succeed. They found his lectures to be very engaging, the material to be very interesting, and the tests to test understanding rather than memorization. Students loved the availability of the professor throughout the semester, especial y the Saturday review sessions. However, many students felt that Dr. Zhao’s lectures were a bit difficult to follow, and that the overwhelming amount of material to study made it difficult to prepare for each exam. Suggestions included adding in more study sessions, recording and then posting the lectures online, and assigning homework to allow for additional grade opportunities. Prospective students should be prepared for chal enging but rewarding work and be willing to commit a lot of time and thought into this course.

Students appreciated the interesting and engaging lectures, as well as the availability of numerous online support materials such as PDF’s, videos and lecture notes for this course. Students felt that the quizzes and tests required substantial preparation. They thought the course could be improved by reducing the frequency of quizzes. They also recommend that students considering this course should be prepared for a substantial workload and need to digest al aspects of the course to be successful including lectures, readings and support materials.