Good course for non-major requirement. Spend some time for the paper and that's it.Rate My Professors ↗
Historical instructor
FRANZ HIMPSEL
What students say
Original student reviews · all captured dates
Quality 3/5Difficulty 1/5
Quality 1/5Difficulty 1/5
The most pointless class ever. 2 midterms and a final- lowest score dropped. The hardest part of the class is staying awake as he tends to drone on. However, if you can deal with this, Franz has a great heart and he is genuinely a nice guy. This class is also very easy especially for non-science majors- almost no math involved at all.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 1/5Difficulty 1/5
This guy is pointless. His lectures are the most agonizing thing in the entire world. He stands there and talks nonsense for 50 min. HOWEVER, the class is super easy. All homework is 12 mc questions and exams are 24 mc questions, and you have to write 1 4-5 page paper. As long as you don't screw up the homework you'll be fine.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 3/5Difficulty 4/5
Not being the greatest math student took 107. However there was quite a bit of math. Also, Himpsel was ABSOLUTELY USELESS when a student had a question! Studying for the exam is worthless, just do your allowed cheat sheet with all the homework problems. If you have any prior physics, then don't bother attending lecture.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 4/5Difficulty 1/5
Quite possibly the easiest class I've taken so far at the UW. I'm horrible at science, and even I got an A. Would definitely recommend to any non-science major.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 2/5Difficulty 1/5
A houghty toughty intellectual. He has little ear for student questions. His class is super easy though as long as you do the work. Some studying is necessary, but if you get it you will do well.Rate My Professors ↗
Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.
Classes with FRANZ HIMPSEL
PHYSICS 299
Directed Study
1–3 creditsPHYSICS 299 is a directed study offering an intermediate-level mentored research project in physics.
No offering record · Spring 2015
No recorded grade history
Recorded teaching history
Distinct courses recorded per term
Explore courses taught by this instructor →Browse recorded courses
| Term | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2015 | PHYSICS 299 | Directed Study |
| Fall 2014 | PHYSICS 551 | Solid State Physics |
| Spring 2014 | PHYSICS 551 | Solid State Physics |
| Spring 2014 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Fall 2013 | PHYSICS 551 | Solid State Physics |
| Fall 2013 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Spring 2013 | PHYSICS 107 | The Ideas of Modern Physics |
| Spring 2013 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Fall 2012 | PHYSICS 107 | The Ideas of Modern Physics |
| Fall 2012 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Spring 2012 | PHYSICS 551 | Solid State Physics |
| Spring 2012 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Fall 2011 | PHYSICS 551 | Solid State Physics |
| Fall 2011 | PHYSICS 900 | Colloquium |
| Fall 2011 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Spring 2011 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Fall 2010 | PHYSICS 551 | Solid State Physics |
| Fall 2010 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Spring 2010 | ECE/PHYSICS 235 | Introduction to Solid State Electronics |
| Spring 2010 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Fall 2009 | PHYSICS 805 | Special Topics in Physics |
| Spring 2009 | PHYSICS 107 | The Ideas of Modern Physics |
| Spring 2009 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Fall 2008 | PHYSICS 107 | The Ideas of Modern Physics |
| Fall 2008 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Spring 2008 | PHYSICS 107 | The Ideas of Modern Physics |
| Spring 2008 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Fall 2007 | PHYSICS 107 | The Ideas of Modern Physics |
| Fall 2007 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Spring 2007 | PHYSICS 551 | Solid State Physics |
| Spring 2007 | PHYSICS 682 | Senior Honors Thesis |
| Spring 2007 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
| Fall 2006 | PHYSICS 551 | Solid State Physics |
| Fall 2006 | PHYSICS 681 | Senior Honors Thesis |
| Fall 2006 | PHYSICS 990 | Research |
Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.
Instructor identity & provenance
{
"instructor_uid": "instructor_1549d1eeca87f83894cef694",
"source": "madgrades",
"source_instructor_id": "2600240",
"identity_basis": "source_id",
"identity_status": "source_identified",
"name": "FRANZ HIMPSEL",
"email": null,
"first_observed_at": "2026-09-06 23:14:58.172943+00:00",
"last_observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
"ratings": {
"review_count": 7,
"quality": 2.43,
"difficulty": 1.43,
"quality_count": 7,
"difficulty_count": 7,
"profile_id": "rmp:1256097",
"source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1256097",
"match_basis": "exact_name",
"observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:39:03.620536+00:00",
"courses": {},
"bayesian_quality": 3.3408783581826635,
"prior_mean": 3.6596857835465957,
"prior_weight": 20
},
"grade_statistics": {
"gpa": 3.549,
"graded": 639,
"counts": [
285,
191,
128,
18,
13,
4,
0
],
"sections": 35
},
"current": false,
"courses": [],
"revision": "e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349",
"instructor_url": "/instructors/FRANZ_HIMPSEL"
}