Historical instructor

BASIL TIKOFF

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.23/5 from 26 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

What students say

Original student reviews · all captured dates

ILS 153
Quality 2/5Difficulty 3/5
Basil is knowledgeable, and explains things well. He is a very good scientist. However, his assignments are very disconnected and hard to follow, and feedback often contradicts the prompt he gives. He is almost never consistent. Readings are fine, but he is a very subjective, unhelpful, and unclear grader.
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GEO202 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
Basil truly wishes the best for all of his students and makes his free time your time. I really enjoyed his course however it is definitely challenging in ways that were unexpected. Definitely not a course you can skip at all, I don't think you could pass unless you had lots of previous knowledge on the subject while skipping.
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GEO202 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
Basil might be one of the best professors I have ever had. Each course I take now, I hope that he is teaching it. Not only is he able to excellently and clearly articulate difficult spatial problems, he very genuinely cares about his students and their understanding of the topic. He also makes himself extremely available for student support.
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GEO202 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
Basil was my favorite professor I have had in college. He explains complex concepts in a very digestible way. Always open to feedback or explaining things in a different way.
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ILS 153
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
I loved Basil, he is so sweet and impressively knowledgeable in so many different areas. I liked the material in this class, but I sometimes found the expectations for assignments to be unclear and there was often an extreme amount of work, which could be frustrating. However, I would still recommend taking a class with him if you can.
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ILS 153
Quality 4/5Difficulty 2/5
I loved Basil. He's a great prof and a great person. He really cares about his students and cares about their learning and understanding of the topic. He has some issues with technology and with being clear about assignments, but overall gives good lectures. This course was a lot of work, but I feel it was worth it because I learned a lot.
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with BASIL TIKOFF

Covers theory and techniques of geologic mapping through field trips.

No offering record · Spring 2026

with this instructor · course overall, matching historical terms

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2026–Spring 2026 · limited sample
GEOSCI 556

Mountain Belts

Credits unavailable

GEOSCI 556 examines the interaction of tectonic plates and the resulting structures in mountain belts.

No offering record · Spring 2026

with this instructor · course overall, matching historical terms

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Fall 2022 · limited sample

GEOSCI 682 is an individual mentored study course for seniors completing theses for Honors in the Major.

No offering record · Spring 2026

with this instructor · course overall, matching historical terms

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2022 · limited sample

GEOSCI 699 is a directed study course allowing students to conduct independent research or study arranged with a faculty member.

No offering record · Spring 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2022 · limited sample
GEOSCI 990

Research

1–12 credits

GEOSCI 990 is a research course where students conduct supervised independent study projects.

No offering record · Spring 2026

No recorded grade history

Recorded teaching history

Distinct courses recorded per term

Explore courses taught by this instructor →
Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Spring 2026GEOSCI 456Geologic Field Methods
Spring 2026GEOSCI 556Mountain Belts
Spring 2026GEOSCI 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2026GEOSCI 699Directed Study
Spring 2026GEOSCI 990Research
Fall 2025GEOSCI 402Research and Communication in the Geological Sciences
Fall 2025GEOSCI 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2025GEOSCI 699Directed Study
Fall 2025GEOSCI 875Advanced Topics in Geology
Fall 2025GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2025GEOSCI 875Advanced Topics in Geology
Spring 2025GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2025ILS 153Ways of Knowing in the Sciences
Fall 2024GEOSCI 202Introduction to Geologic Structures
Fall 2024GEOSCI 682Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2024GEOSCI 698Directed Study
Fall 2024GEOSCI 699Directed Study
Fall 2024GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2024GEOSCI 681Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2024GEOSCI 699Directed Study
Spring 2024GEOSCI 875Advanced Topics in Geology
Spring 2024GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2024GEOSCI/GLE 455Structural Geology
Spring 2024GEOSCI/HISTSCI 514History of Geologic Thought
Fall 2023GEOSCI 202Introduction to Geologic Structures
Fall 2023GEOSCI 402Research and Communication in the Geological Sciences
Fall 2023GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2023GEOSCI 204Geologic Evolution of the Earth
Spring 2023GEOSCI 691Senior Thesis
Spring 2023GEOSCI 699Directed Study
Spring 2023GEOSCI 875Advanced Topics in Geology
Spring 2023GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2023GEOSCI/GLE 455Structural Geology
Fall 2022GEOSCI 202Introduction to Geologic Structures
Fall 2022GEOSCI 556Mountain Belts
Fall 2022GEOSCI 875Advanced Topics in Geology
Fall 2022GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2022GEOSCI 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2022GEOSCI 875Advanced Topics in Geology
Spring 2022GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2022GEOSCI/GLE 455Structural Geology
Spring 2022ILS 153Ways of Knowing in the Sciences
Fall 2021GEOSCI 202Introduction to Geologic Structures
Fall 2021GEOSCI 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2021GEOSCI 755Advanced Structural Geology
Fall 2021GEOSCI 875Advanced Topics in Geology
Fall 2021GEOSCI 990Research
Fall 2020GEOSCI 202Introduction to Geologic Structures
Fall 2020GEOSCI 402Research and Communication in the Geological Sciences
Fall 2020GEOSCI 691Senior Thesis
Fall 2020GEOSCI 875Advanced Topics in Geology
Fall 2020GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2020GEOSCI 699Directed Study
Spring 2020GEOSCI 990Research
Fall 2019GEOSCI 202Introduction to Geologic Structures
Fall 2019GEOSCI 376Topics in Geology
Fall 2019GEOSCI 699Directed Study
Fall 2019GEOSCI 755Advanced Structural Geology
Fall 2019GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2019GEOSCI 456Geologic Field Methods
Spring 2019GEOSCI 699Directed Study
Spring 2019GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2019GEOSCI/GLE 455Structural Geology
Fall 2018GEOSCI 699Directed Study
Fall 2018GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2018GEOSCI 556Mountain Belts
Spring 2018GEOSCI 692Senior Thesis
Spring 2018GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2018GEOSCI/GLE 455Structural Geology
Spring 2018ILS 153Ways of Knowing in the Sciences
Fall 2017GEOSCI 202Introduction to Geologic Structures
Fall 2017GEOSCI 557Structural Petrology
Fall 2017GEOSCI 691Senior Thesis
Fall 2017GEOSCI 875Advanced Topics in Geology
Fall 2017GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2017GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2017GEOSCI/GLE 455Structural Geology
Spring 2017ILS 153Ways of Knowing in the Sciences
Fall 2016GEOSCI 202Introduction to Geologic Structures
Fall 2016GEOSCI 699Directed Study
Fall 2016GEOSCI 875Advanced Topics in Geology
Fall 2016GEOSCI 990Research
Fall 2016GEOSCI/HISTSCI 514History of Geologic Thought
Spring 2016GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2016GEOSCI/GLE 455Structural Geology
Fall 2015GEOSCI 202Introduction to Geologic Structures
Fall 2015GEOSCI 755Advanced Structural Geology
Fall 2015GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2015GEOSCI 199Directed Study
Spring 2015GEOSCI 204Geologic Evolution of the Earth
Spring 2015GEOSCI 691Senior Thesis
Spring 2015GEOSCI 692Senior Thesis
Spring 2015GEOSCI 875Advanced Topics in Geology
Spring 2015GEOSCI 990Research
Spring 2015GEOSCI/GLE 455Structural Geology
Fall 2014GEOSCI 202Introduction to Geologic Structures
Fall 2014GEOSCI 691Senior Thesis
Fall 2014GEOSCI 875Advanced Topics in Geology
Fall 2014GEOSCI 990Research
Fall 2014GLE 790Master's Research or Thesis

Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.

Instructor identity & provenance
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