PHILOS 101 introduces students to various philosophical questions and the strategies philosophers use to address them.
The course involves three essays and exams, with grading heavily weighted toward writing assignments and participation, though study guides are provided for tests.
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James Messina is described as engaging and entertaining, using humor and active discussion to make lectures interesting for beginners. Reviewers note his grading is fair and clear, with study guides provided for exams, making the course accessible to those with no prior philosophy background.
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2022: 3.72 GPA, 90.1% A/AB (n=81 letter grades); Fall 2024: 3.76 GPA, 85.3% A/AB (n=68 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.59 GPA, 77.6% A/AB (n=58 letter grades).
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2025: 3.74 GPA, 88.1% A/AB (n=67 letter grades).
No course-specific feedback yet.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2026: 3.63 GPA, 84.6% A/AB (n=65 letter grades).
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2024: 3.77 GPA, 88.9% A/AB (n=63 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.52 GPA, 79.2% A/AB (n=48 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.63 GPA, 87.1% A/AB (n=62 letter grades).
Alexander Roberts is caring and passionate, often learning names and encouraging engagement. He is accessible and eager to answer questions, though some find lectures occasionally dry.
Some students find the phone ban and location-tracking frustrating. Others note lectures are unengaging but accessible, with success relying on attendance and a few assignments.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2024: 3.61 GPA, 81.2% A/AB (n=80 letter grades); Fall 2024: 3.69 GPA, 89.6% A/AB (n=67 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.67 GPA, 82.0% A/AB (n=61 letter grades).
No course-specific feedback yet.
No course-specific feedback yet.
No course-specific feedback yet.
No course-specific feedback yet.
Historical reviews of Arun Baxter, Casey Rufener: Arun Baxter is described as nice with good humor, though lectures can drag, while Casey Rufener offers a low-stress, interesting experience. Both are rated highly for engagement and ease of securing good grades.
ALAN SIDELLE is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2019, Fall 2020, Spring 2022, Fall 2022. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
ALEXANDER ROBERTS is recorded teaching in Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
ANAT SCHECHTMAN is recorded teaching in Fall 2020. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
ANNINA LOETS is recorded teaching in Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
ARUN BAXTER is recorded teaching in Fall 2023, Spring 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
BRUNO WHITTLE is recorded teaching in Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
CASEY RUFENER is recorded teaching in Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Spring 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
DANIELLE CLEVENGER is recorded teaching in Fall 2022, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
EMILY BARRETT is recorded teaching in Fall 2018. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
JAMES MESSINA is recorded teaching in Spring 2013, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2024, Spring 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
JONATHON VANDENHOMBERGH is recorded teaching in Spring 2022. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
JUAN M COMESANA is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
MICHAEL BRUCKNER is recorded teaching in Fall 2021, Fall 2023, Spring 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
MICHAEL TITELBAUM is recorded teaching in Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
PAUL KELLY is recorded teaching in Fall 2021, Fall 2022. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
SARAH PAUL is recorded teaching in Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2017, Spring 2018. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
SHANNON NOLEN is recorded teaching in Spring 2019. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
Schedule loads here as you scroll.
| Section | Mode | Enrolled / capacity | Waitlist |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 002 | Classroom Instruction | 69 / 70 | 0 |
| DIS 301 | Classroom Instruction | 22 / 23 | 0 |
| DIS 302 | Classroom Instruction | 23 / 23 | 0 |
| DIS 303 | Classroom Instruction | 23 / 23 | 0 |
| DIS 321 | Classroom Instruction | 22 / 23 | 0 |
| DIS 323 | Classroom Instruction | 24 / 24 | 0 |
| LEC 001 | Classroom Instruction | 68 / 69 | 0 |
| DIS 322 | Classroom Instruction | 23 / 23 | 0 |
| LEC 003 | Classroom Instruction | 64 / 70 | 6 |
| LEC 004 | Classroom Instruction | 71 / 72 | 2 |
| DIS 331 | Classroom Instruction | 22 / 23 | 0 |
| DIS 333 | Classroom Instruction | 21 / 24 | 2 |
| DIS 341 | Classroom Instruction | 23 / 23 | 0 |
| DIS 342 | Classroom Instruction | 23 / 23 | 2 |
| DIS 343 | Classroom Instruction | 25 / 26 | 0 |
| LEC 005 | Classroom Instruction | 66 / 71 | 5 |
| DIS 351 | Classroom Instruction | 20 / 23 | 0 |
| DIS 352 | Classroom Instruction | 22 / 23 | 2 |
| DIS 353 | Classroom Instruction | 24 / 25 | 3 |
| DIS 332 | Classroom Instruction | 21 / 23 | 4 |
Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.
Reviewers praise current instructors James Messina and Alexander Roberts for their engaging teaching styles and accessibility, though some note Roberts' lectures can be dry.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.57 GPA, 78.9% A/AB (n=350 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.68 GPA, 84.6% A/AB (n=377 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.59 GPA, 79.1% A/AB (n=249 letter grades).
The course involves three essays and exams, with grading heavily weighted toward writing assignments and participation, though study guides are provided for tests.
Some students find Roberts' technology bans and location-tracking requirements frustrating, while others appreciate the accessible handouts and clear expectations.
– average GPA
Approximate 80% prediction interval
The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.
The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.
8 earlier forecasts · 0.16 GPA average error.
Through Fall 2026
Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels
GPA
Higher than % of other courses in this group.
Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range
letter grades
More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.
Typical course in this group: letter grades.
1283 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.
Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.
Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.
Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.
Introduction to Philosophy
Recorded 2026-09-07[
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"course_id": "PHILOS 101",
"course_uid": "course_432c74beba85cb7bdc1287f7",
"term_id": "1272",
"source_course_id": "014674",
"source_subject_id": "736",
"title": "Introduction to Philosophy",
"credits_min": 3,
"credits_max": 4,
"typically_offered": "Fall, Spring, Summer"
}
]Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.
Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.
Explore recorded gradesRecorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.
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