Tom Collier - University of Washington

Professor: Tom Collier
Department: Music
College: University of Washington
Rating # 1
Overview:
  • Course: MUSIC131
  • Grade Received: A+
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Bland course design. Made learning jazz (I'm a musician and a music enthusiast) lifeless and difficult at times due to the format of the class. However, I am sympathetic due to the online nature of it.
Rating # 2
Overview:
  • Course: MUSIC131
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 1.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Very easy grader, but bad online teacher. his lectures are great but he makes you buy two textbooks, one of them his own that he wrote that is not offered as an ebook and is $100. oh, and his book is a spiral notebook. homework consists of weekly discussion posts, one paper, two concert reports, and three midterms, all are easy with lenient grades
Rating # 3
Overview:
  • Course: MUSIC131
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 1.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
music 131 is a very easy class, but Collier barely taught anything. He released ALL 10 weeks of lessons before the quarter even started and rarely sent anything structural. He had his syllabus on canvas in five different places, and only one of the syllabus was accurate. If you like classes with zero structure and zero communication then take this
Rating # 4
Overview:
  • Course: MUS131
  • Grade Received: A+
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
You don't need a background in jazz or a deep understanding of music theory to do well in this class. However, you probably should be a fan of jazz - as you'll be doing a lot of listening. All of the exam answers are taken word-for-word from Collier's textbook, get it and study it religiously and you'll do fine. Great lectures too!
Rating # 5
Overview:
  • Course: MUSIC131
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Collier is a chill dude, but his class is ridiculously hard for a introductory music class. Took Music 131 - History of Jazz with him, expecting an easy 4.0 VLPA, not the case at all. Unless you are willing to put in 10+ hrs a week or have a previous background of extremely technical music theory, DO NOT TAKE.
Rating # 6
Overview:
  • Course: MUSIC131
  • Grade Received: Not sure yet
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS IF YOU DONT LIKE OR UNDERSTAND JAZZ/MUSIC STYLES AND RHYTHMS. I took this class for an easy 4.0 with a VLPA credit. Unless you go every day, do all the readings, and understand technical music styles, you will not do too well in this class.
Rating # 7
Overview:
  • Course: MUS131
  • Grade Received: A+
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 1.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Show up to class every day, and you'll 4.0. Read his textbook he wrote and writes exams directly out of, and you'll definitely 4.0. Go to his TA's exam review sessions where they literally give you answers to the tests, and it'll be pretty hard not to 4.0. Very easy class if you don't treat it like an easy class and skip or don't study.
Rating # 8
Overview:
  • Course: MUS331
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
The class is pretty straight forward. There's a lot of content to learn for the exams and it's really on yourself to do well and keep up. I think the class is a lot more difficult than it's supposed to be. Professors and TAs are strict and don't really answer emails for questions.
Rating # 9
Overview:
  • Course: MUSIC131
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
There's no doubt that he's an expert in his field, but his lectures are boring and he often goes off on irrelevant tangents. Don't buy the textbook if you plan on attending class; your best bet is to show up, listen, and read the course manual (or take notes in class if you can write really fast). The textbooks are $100 EACH!
Rating # 10
Overview:
  • Course: MUSIC131
  • Grade Received: A+
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
This class entails a lot of work and takes a lot of time. You must do the readings, and study for the tests. If you pay attention to the uploaded lectures and test ques. you'll get the hang of it. The midterms averaged around 67% but there were extra credit opportunities. Tom is an amazing musician and def knows what he's doing, so prepare!
Rating # 11
Overview:
  • Course: MUS131
  • Grade Received: A+
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Don't take this thinking it's an easy A- Collier is a music pro and throws a lot of theory in. If you like jazz and have a music background, like me, you will enjoy this class thoroughly. He's like your awkward grandpa that you only see at holidays and likes to ramble on about his life a lot. But he's accomplished a lot so I'm not complaining!
Rating # 12
Overview:
  • Course: MUSIC331
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
He's a 300 level music theory professor so the history of jazz class was more music concepts than history. decent lectures and did learn a lot though, just not what I expected. Tests are every memorization heavy and expect to know more than just the songs' titles and artists.
Rating # 13
Overview:
  • Course: MUS131
  • Grade Received: B+
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
This guy is really into jazz music, so if you are not, like me, you will be BORED. however, i realized the testing strategy for the final and i recommend you memorize facts about the songs to the title and artist. I tried memorizing every song to the artist and title, but that was actually useless!
Rating # 14
Overview:
  • Course: MUS131
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Collier is a great professor if you are actually interested in jazz, don't take this as a gpa booster. My strategy has been to just listen to as much music as possible for the tests, which is understandably difficult if you don't like jazz. I chose to attend lectures and skip the readings, but either option is sufficient to pass the tests.
Rating # 15
Overview:
  • Course: MUSIC331
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 1.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Collier is a fantastic musician who really knows his stuff. He is really passionate about this music. If you are not interested in jazz, the class may be boring but everything on the test is in the lecture slides. All this class takes is listening to music and memorizing why different songs are important. Very easy, very interesting class.
Rating # 16
Overview:
  • Course: MUSIC331
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 1.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Tom Collier is simply amazing. He is a great lecturer and shows obvious passion in what he is teaching. Today he performed several duets for us with Marc Seales, and it's clear that he not only is a great teacher but also a fantastic musician. Definitely take History of Jazz with him. Oh yeah.... and the tests are really easy :)
Rating # 17
Overview:
  • Course: MUSIC331
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
this is not an easy class. take history of jazz with a different professor not with tom collier. he is a very nice man but the tests are hard and if you get 88%, you get a 3.3, which is very low for a music class. avoid taking this class
Rating # 18
Overview:
  • Course: MUSIC331
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Class was pretty easy -- grade considered of only midterm/final and two concert reports. Tests were based off entirely off his course manual. Tests were pretty easy, but you had to score at least a 94% to get a 3.8. Overall, good professor. Depending on your level of interest, however, this class may be very boring.
Rating # 19
Overview:
  • Course: MUS331
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 1.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Professor Collier is a really nice teacher. He explains jazz history well and knows a lot. He adds in stuff aside from the textbook that makes learning even more interesting. To get a good grade, you must attend class! His tests are based off of what he has said in class. I didn't even need to read the textbook to get an A.
Rating # 20
Overview:
  • Course: MUS331
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 1.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Side note: Besides midterm and final, there is the requirement of attending 2 concerts of your approved choice and writing reports for them. BUT the "concert report" consists of a handout with questions to answer (in detail, of course). That's all for homework besides studying.
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