Vivian Thomson - University of Virginia

Professor: Vivian Thomson
Department: Science
College: University of Virginia
Rating # 1
Overview:
  • Course: PLAP3500
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Literally so much reading. Have never had to print so many things in my god damn life. And she actively doesn't understand any of the science we talk about, but won't let the climate science professor who coteaches explain anything to us. Honestly a terrible professor.
Rating # 2
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC2030
  • Grade Received: B
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Lectures were soooo boring, she speaks very slowly, reads her notes and just repeats things from the reading. TONS of reading assigned each weak with uninteresting, unnecessary repetitive information. Made us do sing alongs in class. Tests were hard. Never got my final paper or final back so who knows how I got graded.
Rating # 3
Overview:
  • Course: PLAP2030
  • Grade Received: A-
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
The class requires extensive reading but it is very easy to do well in. She has a very generous curve and is willing to work with you to improve from the first exam to the second. Highly recommend.
Rating # 4
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC2030
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
And oh yeah, she'll tell you about 25 times how she was a Fulbright professor. How wonderful; it makes sense considering Europe's affection for unsustainable spending/following illegitimate ideologues/lack of logic. Also, take all her personal writings with a grain of salt (or several) because they mislead more than the other literatureshe espouses
Rating # 5
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC2030
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Everyone on here who says she's a "genius" is clearly not qualified to make that claim. She is one of the most biased professors (or teachers)for that matter I've ever had and every reading/lecture felt like two hours of senseless EPA indoctrination by one of the most far-left leaning people on Grounds. Highly NOT recommended. Quite unprofessional
Rating # 6
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC2010
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Whew. As previously stated, Thomson is clearly a genius. She also has a soothing NPR voice that knocks out a quater of the class immediately (which is funny). Her reading demands are ludicrous, with upwards of 120+ pages PER WEEK. She grades her discussion sections on a bell curve, which lowers the quality. She is unclear and unhelpful. BOOO
Rating # 7
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC4810
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Prof. Thompson is by far the least helpful professor I have ever had in 4 years of college. She is completely unapproachable and unwilling to help students or clarify ANYTHING. I went to her office hours often and each and every time she made me feel like an inconvenience and a bother. She is the sole reason I decided against the ETP major.
Rating # 8
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC2030
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
I agree with all the other ratings that say there is a lot of reading for a 200 level class. But Professor Thomson is absolutely an amazing teacher. She is well over qualified for what she teaches and is one of the smartest people at UVA. She cares about what she teaches and as long as you give her respect she will help you with your grade!
Rating # 9
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC230
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
EVSC 230 is a class that people love or hate. I think that people who took it because they were mildly interested in the subject matter and looking for an "easy" class are definitely disappointed because it is VERY rigorous. But, if you are ACTUALLY interested in policy and/or the environment, it is THE MOST worthwhile class you can take at UVa.
Rating # 10
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC2030
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
This is one of the worst classes taught at UVA. The reading is absolutely boring, and there is so much of it that you won't have time to take it. She is the advisor for the Environmental Thought and Practice Major. So, unless you plant to major in THAT, DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS
Rating # 11
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC465
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
She is clearly brilliant but very intimidating and demanding in class. TONS of readings assigned each week. Definitely pushes you if that's your thing.
Rating # 12
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC230
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
However, I found the lectures to be really interesting-Thomson is organized, extremely clear, and widely knowledgeable.I thought the readings were also really interesting and varied, though...excessive.The class is definitely hard mostly because of the amount of reading and the tests-most questions were unpredictable/completely random
Rating # 13
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC230
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
She is a fantastic lecturer and obviously knows the topic well. I did not feel that she was extremely biased either way. A hard class with lots of reading. But the subject matter is my passion, so I enjoyed reading the articles.
Rating # 14
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC230
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
I thought she was a good teacher. I shared a lot of her beliefs, so I did not find any alarming bias.
Rating # 15
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC215
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
One of the WORST professors at UVA!!! She turns a course on environmental policy into her platform for subjective rants. There is a ridiculous amount of reading for a 200 level course and tests are ridiculously hard. DO NOT TAKE!!!!!
Rating # 16
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC230
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
She is a great lecturer and really knows the subject well. The problem is that the tests encompass everything, including random names and specific details that you might not remember even if you know the topic. The TAs were amazing and very helpful. Ask questions and read everything as assigned. It's a very hard class but so informational!!
Rating # 17
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC465
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
The teacher is one of the worse at UVA. Do not take this class if you want an objective lesson on Env Pol. She just gets on a high horse and talks about random things that have nothing to do with Env. Pol. Too much reading for nothing. Not enough actual discussion on Env. Pol.Instead of focusing on concepts she focuses on names of senators.
Rating # 18
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC230
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Oh, what can I say about Viv? She is arrogant, and somehow managed to turn a course that should be objective into a series of subjective rants. Any passion I had for environmental policy has been replaced with contempt.
Rating # 19
Overview:
  • Course: EVSC230
  • 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 class is not worth the amount of reading, much of which you have to print off of Toolkit...sometimes upwards of ~80pgs per week. Weeks we use actual books reading is even more daunting. Tests are not impossible, but asks multiple choice questions with multiple correct answers. All in all, not worth it for a 200-level class.
Rating # 20
Overview:
  • Course: PLAP480
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
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