Paul Downes - University of Toronto - St. George Campus

Professor: Paul Downes
Department: English
College: University of Toronto - St. George Campus
Rating # 1
Overview:
  • Course: ENG380
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
By far the hardest marker I have ever come across at UofT. If you don't do well in the beginning of the semester, you might as well drop the course -this is something he casually recommends to his struggling students. Graded by few things. Do bad on your first assignment? It's all downhill from there. Very intimidating and pretentious.
Rating # 2
Overview:
  • Course: ENG358
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
basically talks about nothing for during his lectures. doesnt go into the texts well yet makes attendance a massive chunk of your mark. breaks down your mark into only a few segmants. dont do well on one thing? youre not going to get a good grade. unreasonable marker.
Rating # 3
Overview:
  • Course: ENG366
  • Grade Received: WD
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
I took a numbers of courses with Professor Downes years ago. Amazing. Very knowledgeable. His lectures were great and he had an ability to keep the conversation going, even with very boring material. I found him very approachable and met with him often. The TA marked one of papers quite harshly and he intervened and increased my mark.
Rating # 4
Overview:
  • Course: ENG280
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
I never met with him one-on-one, so I can't speak to whether he is approachable or not, but he was a fascinating lecturer and seemed quite informed. I did not find him to be a hard-marker; in fact, I got an A on my final paper and he used it as an example for the class on how to write a good essay. :P
Rating # 5
Overview:
  • Course: ENG435
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
If you have intentions of going to grad school, P.D.'s classes should not be taken. However, if you want to attend interesting lectures.... The hardest marker. He did try to help us with our essay topics outside of class time, but not too sure that helped much.
Rating # 6
Overview:
  • Course: ENG435
  • 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:
Had him for Literature & the State of Nature. Possibly the most boring material imaginable. He's incredibly rude and pompous. I couldn't email him without getting a snarky comment in the reply. You can tell he knows his stuff and he's passionate, but that's the only thing he's got going for him. Avoid.
Rating # 7
Overview:
  • Course: ENG280
  • 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:
Absolutely brilliant man. Easily the best professor I've had at U of T so far. While he is not the most approachable man in the world, his literary insights more than make up for it. Highly recommended.
Rating # 8
Overview:
  • Course: ENG280
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
aside from his passion for literature and a sexy accent, he seems very arrogant during one-on-one appointments. encouraged students to drop course, difficult marker with pompous comments, lacks willingness to help. not the prof you expect/deserve from such expensive tuition
Rating # 9
Overview:
  • Course: ENG280
  • 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:
Fantastic prof! Yes, he is a difficult marker, but he is charming, engaging, and insightful. He makes difficult concepts easy to understand and gets you to think in a more insightful and creative way. He may seem unapproachable at times, but once you do approach him you realize he's warm and helpful. A wonderful professor and a great class.
Rating # 10
Overview:
  • Course: ENG280
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Very charismatic. Engaging. Usually approachable. Great discussion facilitator. Uniquely insightful. Remarkably good at clarifying complex texts. A bit cavalier about canceling class. Tough marker. Learned more in this course than in any other ENG course at UofT but, though my ego and GPA took a beating, didn't learn how to be a better writer.
Rating # 11
Overview:
  • Course: ENG280
  • 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:
the class i'm taking could easily be dull and pointless. Professor Downes DEFINITELY changed any expectations i had. He's really cute with his mannerisms, imagine a more goofy Hugh Grant, and quite considerate. Most importantly, he is one sexy Brit. Makes 3 hours suddenly interesting.
Rating # 12
Overview:
  • Course: ENG280
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • 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. Professor Downes and his TA are hard markers, and the material is challenging. That being said, this is a rewarding class and I'd recommend it to anyone. No, you probably won't get an A+, but you'll learn a lot if you put in the effort.
Rating # 13
Overview:
  • Course: ENG363
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Didn't like this prof at all - encouraged students to drop the course and marked the first assignment extremely hard so people would drop it - obviously a smart cool guy, just not a good prof - takes out his problems with his department on students, wouldn't take his course again
Rating # 14
Overview:
  • Course: ENG363
  • 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:
A little elitist, tries to get everyone to drop the course by marking first assignment hard, expects people to write amazing papers - wouldn't take his class again
Rating # 15
Overview:
  • Course: ENG366
  • 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:
One of the most potent minds I encountered during my English studies at the UofT. Expressive, lucid, and tremendously intelligent. Conducts very effective discussions. Probably the best English professor at U of T. Tough grader; A+!
Rating # 16
Overview:
  • Course: ENG366
  • 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:
professor downes is a great professor, but his voice was so hypnotic i couldnt concentrate, he was just too damn sexy!
Rating # 17
Overview:
  • Course: ENG366
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
He is really super smart. I was hesitant taking Lit. Theory, but with Paul Downes it is very maneuverable and (surprise) actually fun. His lectures are always interesting and thought provoking. He speaks well and has an academic yet approachable demeanor. One of UofT's finest.
Rating # 18
Overview:
  • Course: ENG366
  • 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:
One of the most amazing English profs at U of T! PD is (like Mary Poppins) practically perfect in every way. Brilliant, funny, passionate about the material. Strict but fair marker. Doesn't coddle students or beg for approval like some other profs. If PD jumped off a bridge, I would too. I can see how someone without a soul would hate him though.
Rating # 19
Overview:
  • Course: ENG366
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Young cute prof, interesting lectures, fairly easy assigments, minimal tests, good course overall
Rating # 20
Overview:
  • Course: ENG213
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Very passionate professor. However, he does not give clear expectations of what he wants your essays to be like. Boring lectures...but approachable.
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