Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
Great lectures. I learned a lot in this class. Would definitely recommend taking a class with Cath if you can.Rate My Professors ↗
Current instructor
Catherine Woodward
What students say
Original student reviews · all captured dates
Quality 2/5Difficulty 4/5
She wasn't the worst, but definitely not a professor I would take again. The grading is mostly lab work along with exams. Exams often include minuscule things that you would not think to study. Her lectures are pretty dry; you can definitely tell she has knowledge and passion for the subject, which I respect, but she just is not super engaging.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 1/5Difficulty 3/5
Should never teach this level again. 100% if you aren't in the major, avoid taking her class. The worst lecturer I've ever had. Mandatory $40 textbook that you don't actually ever have to crack open to receive a decent grade. Goes on tangents during lecturing. Weekly Reading Questions in front of class feel like a humiliation tactic.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 3/5Difficulty 4/5
The class description does not match what we actually learned about in this class. Very biology-heavy. The tests are far too difficult for a non-botany major course, especially since it's a 100-level class. She expects you to know far too much about the subjects. She explained topics well, but it was just annoying that attendance was mandatory.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 4/5Difficulty 3/5
I loved this class and really felt like I learned a lot about botany. It was clear that she is very passionate about this topic and the lectures were really interesting, if not a little too fast occasionally. The exams were difficult but you get 2 tries with an averaged score and labs were really fun. If you go and take good notes you'll do wellRate My Professors ↗
Quality 3/5Difficulty 3/5
Cath was a great professor, I feel like she knew how to explain the content well.Rate My Professors ↗
Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.
Classes with Catherine Woodward
BOTANY 265 explores the ecology of rainforests and coral reefs, covering their biological processes and conservation challenges.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Catherine Woodward is described as knowledgeable, nice, and effective at explaining content, with students recommending her office hours and lectures. However, one reviewer notes that online lectures can be tedious compared to in-person sessions, while others highlight the value of her FIG research opportunities.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025 · limited sampleConservation Biology investigates nature protection and biodiversity preservation through biological and socioeconomic factors.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2025: 3.72 GPA, 84.4% A/AB (n=45 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.55 GPA, 70.2% A/AB (n=47 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2025–Spring 2026 · limited sampleENVIRST 699
Directed Study
1–3 creditsENVIRST 699 is a directed study course allowing students to conduct independent work in environmental studies under instructor supervision.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2022 · limited sampleRecorded teaching history
Explore courses taught by this instructor →Browse recorded courses
| Term | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | BOTANY 265 | Rainforests and Coral Reefs |
| Fall 2026 | BOTANY/ENVIRST/F&WECOL/ZOOLOGY 516 | Conservation Biology |
| Fall 2026 | ENVIRST 699 | Directed Study |
Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.
Instructor identity & provenance
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