ASTR 3
Nature of Universe
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, two hours. Not open to students with credit for or currently enrolled in course 81 or 82. No special mathematical preparation required beyond that necessary for admission to UCLA in freshman standing. Course for general UCLA students, normally not intending to major in physical sciences, on development of ideas in astronomy and what has been learned of nature of universe, including recent discoveries and developments. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 5.0
Units: 5.0
3 of 4
Most Helpful Review
Spring 2020 - astro 3 with professor petigura was amazing! I liked his lectures and the workload wasn't bad and the material was interesting but above all he was really helpful and caring throughout the entire quarter. our midterm was 24 hr and open note; our final was optional, 48 hr, open note, no harm. the exams were kinda hard though. I also liked that he recorded lectures and uploaded them on ccle. labs were fine, a bit difficult sometimes but the ta (alec) helped a lot. I wouldn't say the class is an easy a but it's also not super intense or anything. either way, astronomy is interesting as hell and I would definitely recommend :)
Spring 2020 - astro 3 with professor petigura was amazing! I liked his lectures and the workload wasn't bad and the material was interesting but above all he was really helpful and caring throughout the entire quarter. our midterm was 24 hr and open note; our final was optional, 48 hr, open note, no harm. the exams were kinda hard though. I also liked that he recorded lectures and uploaded them on ccle. labs were fine, a bit difficult sometimes but the ta (alec) helped a lot. I wouldn't say the class is an easy a but it's also not super intense or anything. either way, astronomy is interesting as hell and I would definitely recommend :)
AD
Most Helpful Review
Dr. Reitzel is awesome. His lectures are not boring. He is so animated: he uses props and demonstrations to help everyone understand. He's super funny, likes cool music and is an all around nice guy. Just don't talk while he's trying to, or he'll get annoyed. This is a good class to get rid of a GE requirement while getting a decent grade. The tests are only 10 multiple choice and 5 short answer so you must know the material or your grade on it can be easily lowered. As long as you attend study sessions and actually re-read lecture notes and homeworks, you should be fine. Ooh, and Peter Plavchan is the best!! I love him, he is the best TA ever. Really nice, really tall... take his section if you can!
Dr. Reitzel is awesome. His lectures are not boring. He is so animated: he uses props and demonstrations to help everyone understand. He's super funny, likes cool music and is an all around nice guy. Just don't talk while he's trying to, or he'll get annoyed. This is a good class to get rid of a GE requirement while getting a decent grade. The tests are only 10 multiple choice and 5 short answer so you must know the material or your grade on it can be easily lowered. As long as you attend study sessions and actually re-read lecture notes and homeworks, you should be fine. Ooh, and Peter Plavchan is the best!! I love him, he is the best TA ever. Really nice, really tall... take his section if you can!
Most Helpful Review
Spring 2020 - NOTE: I took this class during COVID-19 quarantine online. I don't know how different it was from a regular Astro 3 course, but I thought it was relatively easy. -LOTS of online coursework, all answers can be found online. I usually finished within 20-30 mins -Participation isn't necessary with lab sessions, just make sure you turn in the labs every week. One week it was just me and the TA doing my whole lab together. It like office hours and honestly great. -Rich is a boring lecturer, but honestly all the info on the slides are crucial to beating the exams. Just go over each of the slides in depth. Know them all. Strengths- The content of this class is so cool. I looked forward to learning about whatever the new topic was for the week, and it was even more interesting to see how each topic built on one another as the course progressed. Professor Rich is incredibly open to students asking questions and always gave us an opportunity to seek help when we needed it. I really appreciated that. Weaknesses- Professor Rich can be somewhat of a boring lecturer. He sometimes goes off on tangents about something that he discovered that relates to what we're learning, but has no resounding significance to the course. Additionally, the Mastering Astronomy assignments are quite pointless and I don't even see most of that information on tests. Overall, a great class and I would highly recommend it to another student who is looking for an interesting G.E. that will keep them busy with lots of information to take in. Professor Rich is passionate and I enjoyed going to his lectures to listen to him talk about the universe!
Spring 2020 - NOTE: I took this class during COVID-19 quarantine online. I don't know how different it was from a regular Astro 3 course, but I thought it was relatively easy. -LOTS of online coursework, all answers can be found online. I usually finished within 20-30 mins -Participation isn't necessary with lab sessions, just make sure you turn in the labs every week. One week it was just me and the TA doing my whole lab together. It like office hours and honestly great. -Rich is a boring lecturer, but honestly all the info on the slides are crucial to beating the exams. Just go over each of the slides in depth. Know them all. Strengths- The content of this class is so cool. I looked forward to learning about whatever the new topic was for the week, and it was even more interesting to see how each topic built on one another as the course progressed. Professor Rich is incredibly open to students asking questions and always gave us an opportunity to seek help when we needed it. I really appreciated that. Weaknesses- Professor Rich can be somewhat of a boring lecturer. He sometimes goes off on tangents about something that he discovered that relates to what we're learning, but has no resounding significance to the course. Additionally, the Mastering Astronomy assignments are quite pointless and I don't even see most of that information on tests. Overall, a great class and I would highly recommend it to another student who is looking for an interesting G.E. that will keep them busy with lots of information to take in. Professor Rich is passionate and I enjoyed going to his lectures to listen to him talk about the universe!
Most Helpful Review
Do not take this professor. She complicates every subject and doesn't seem to know what she is talking about. Whenever a student would ask her to elaborate on a topic, she would get tongue-tied and flustered, as if answering questions wasn't in the scope of her teaching. She's probably very knowledgeable but her ability to communicate topics can definitely be improved upon. Not only is she ridiculous and convoluted when explaining topics, but she expects more of her students than they can give her, which only so much information that she supplies. AGAIN, do NOT take her for Astro 3. She is absolutely ridiculous.
Do not take this professor. She complicates every subject and doesn't seem to know what she is talking about. Whenever a student would ask her to elaborate on a topic, she would get tongue-tied and flustered, as if answering questions wasn't in the scope of her teaching. She's probably very knowledgeable but her ability to communicate topics can definitely be improved upon. Not only is she ridiculous and convoluted when explaining topics, but she expects more of her students than they can give her, which only so much information that she supplies. AGAIN, do NOT take her for Astro 3. She is absolutely ridiculous.
AD
Most Helpful Review
Spring 2023 - Saltzberg is amazing! He is so fun in the classroom and creates well balanced lectures between slideshows and interactive demos. The class has two midterms and one final all of which were pretty simple, but you do need to study for them especially when the material gets more difficult. Homework and in class assignments were very simple and the TAs really help with labs so you don't have to worry about that. If you want a fun and easy GE defiantly take his class!
Spring 2023 - Saltzberg is amazing! He is so fun in the classroom and creates well balanced lectures between slideshows and interactive demos. The class has two midterms and one final all of which were pretty simple, but you do need to study for them especially when the material gets more difficult. Homework and in class assignments were very simple and the TAs really help with labs so you don't have to worry about that. If you want a fun and easy GE defiantly take his class!
Most Helpful Review
I do not recommend this class if you are simply looking for a physical science GE. Take Atmos Sci instead. Physical science is the worst for me, and this course was not easy. He would incorporate physics into the lectures, but it is assumed that everyone taking the course has no prior knowledge about physics. If you are interested in the universe and such you'll like this course, if not save yourself the pain.
I do not recommend this class if you are simply looking for a physical science GE. Take Atmos Sci instead. Physical science is the worst for me, and this course was not easy. He would incorporate physics into the lectures, but it is assumed that everyone taking the course has no prior knowledge about physics. If you are interested in the universe and such you'll like this course, if not save yourself the pain.
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2022 - • 20% Lab assignments • 10% Homework assignments • 20% First midterm exam (in class) • 20% Second midterm exam (in class) • 30% Final exam The professor for this class is super engaging and fun, but the exams definitely aren't the easiest. The average grade on each of the exams was a C, but Prof Shapley curves the class at the end of the quarter which means you don't have to ace the exams to get an A in the class (I got a C+ and B on the midterms and got an A on the final & ended with an A). She also offers an extra 2% grade boost at the end of the quarter which really helps. Overall, you can definitely get an A in the class if you're willing to put in a little work and study for the exams.
Fall 2022 - • 20% Lab assignments • 10% Homework assignments • 20% First midterm exam (in class) • 20% Second midterm exam (in class) • 30% Final exam The professor for this class is super engaging and fun, but the exams definitely aren't the easiest. The average grade on each of the exams was a C, but Prof Shapley curves the class at the end of the quarter which means you don't have to ace the exams to get an A in the class (I got a C+ and B on the midterms and got an A on the final & ended with an A). She also offers an extra 2% grade boost at the end of the quarter which really helps. Overall, you can definitely get an A in the class if you're willing to put in a little work and study for the exams.
Most Helpful Review
Winter 2023 - Average on first midterm was a 65 and on the second was a 71, and all he could say was that it was surprisingly low and he did not understand why we didn't get it. Granted I spent hours studying just to get both averages. This is supposed to be a science GE, and as an english major I was not expecting to have to know all of physics to be able to complete this course. The labs have nothing to do with the course, the textbook is useless and has actual crash course youtube videos embedded. Professor rips through the lectures so quickly good luck trying to understand anything.
Winter 2023 - Average on first midterm was a 65 and on the second was a 71, and all he could say was that it was surprisingly low and he did not understand why we didn't get it. Granted I spent hours studying just to get both averages. This is supposed to be a science GE, and as an english major I was not expecting to have to know all of physics to be able to complete this course. The labs have nothing to do with the course, the textbook is useless and has actual crash course youtube videos embedded. Professor rips through the lectures so quickly good luck trying to understand anything.
AD
3 of 4
