Historical instructor

ROBERT MCDERMOTT

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 2.17/5 from 12 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

PHYSICS · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 2/5
Took him for PHYSICS 779, didn't care at all, assigned difficult homeworks that weren't related to lecture at all, but graded them leniently.
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PHYS103 · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 4/5
I would give this professor a negative 7 stars if I could. He is a boring lecturer. He talks at like 1/4 the speed of a normal person and does not teach you anything that will be on his exams. His exams did not reflect the lecture material or discussion material. 80% of our class failed his exam.
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PHYS104 · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 4/5
The worst class I've taken at UW. Lectures are insanely confusing. He does not explain any of the material in any significant way. Test had absolutely nothing to do with the lectures. Goes over the easiest question in a section and moves on. I understand the transition to online is probably tough, but this was a horrible excuse of a class.
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PHYS103 · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 5/5
I have never been so bored or confused in lectures. He explains absolutely nothing. In fact, I would just watch khan academy or something during lecture because that's probably a better use of your time. All I can say is good luck. This class is horrible. I miss Daniel Thurs.
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PHY103 · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 5/5
Horrible professor. Horrible explanations. Horrible class. Physics is supposed to be like a fun math class, but he makes the tests unlike any of the problems you will see. Honestly, there's no point to studying for these exams because there's nothing you can do to prepare. get ready for curve balls- tests aren't a reflection of learning at all....
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PHYS103 · course not matched
Quality 1/5Difficulty 4/5
He made the exams way harder than ive ever seen. and he didnt care that people that did amazing on the first exam (made by a different professor) failed the second exam(one by McDermott). dosent care about you or your grade, cares about making the class rediculously hard for no reason at all. the exam was nothing i had seen before or knew how to do
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with ROBERT MCDERMOTT

No teaching recorded in Fall 2026.

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Recorded teaching history

Distinct courses recorded per term

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Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Spring 2026PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2025PHYSICS 799Independent Study
Fall 2025PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2025PHYSICS 779Advanced Quantum Computing
Spring 2025PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2024PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2024PHYSICS 531Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
Spring 2024PHYSICS 799Independent Study
Spring 2024PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2023PHYSICS 799Independent Study
Fall 2023PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2023PHYSICS 499Directed Study
Spring 2023PHYSICS 799Independent Study
Spring 2023PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2022PHYSICS 701Graduate Introductory Seminars
Fall 2022PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2022PHYSICS 301Physics Today
Spring 2022PHYSICS 799Independent Study
Spring 2022PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2021PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2020PHYSICS 103General Physics
Fall 2020PHYSICS 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2020PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2020PHYSICS 407Advanced Laboratory
Spring 2020PHYSICS 498Directed Study
Spring 2020PHYSICS 499Directed Study
Spring 2020PHYSICS 799Independent Study
Spring 2020PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2019PHYSICS 531Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
Fall 2019PHYSICS 799Independent Study
Fall 2019PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2019PHYSICS 531Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
Spring 2019PHYSICS 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2019PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2018PHYSICS 551Solid State Physics
Fall 2018PHYSICS 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2018PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2018PHYSICS 407Advanced Laboratory
Spring 2018PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2017PHYSICS 298Directed Study
Fall 2017PHYSICS 623Electronic AIDS to Measurement
Fall 2017PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2017PHYSICS 407Advanced Laboratory
Spring 2017PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2016PHYSICS 623Electronic AIDS to Measurement
Fall 2016PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2016PHYSICS 407Advanced Laboratory
Spring 2016PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2015PHYSICS 321Electric Circuits and Electronics
Fall 2015PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2015PHYSICS 407Advanced Laboratory
Spring 2015PHYSICS 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2015PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2014PHYSICS 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2014PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2014PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2013PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2013PHYSICS 407Advanced Laboratory
Spring 2013PHYSICS 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2013PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2012PHYSICS 321Electric Circuits and Electronics
Fall 2012PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2012PHYSICS 407Advanced Laboratory
Spring 2012PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2011PHYSICS 321Electric Circuits and Electronics
Fall 2011PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2011PHYSICS 407Advanced Laboratory
Spring 2011PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2010PHYSICS 623Electronic AIDS to Measurement
Fall 2010PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2010PHYSICS 407Advanced Laboratory
Spring 2010PHYSICS 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2010PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2009PHYSICS 623Electronic AIDS to Measurement
Fall 2009PHYSICS 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2009PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2009PHYSICS 407Advanced Laboratory
Spring 2009PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2008PHYSICS 623Electronic AIDS to Measurement
Fall 2008PHYSICS 990Research
Spring 2008PHYSICS 990Research
Fall 2007PHYSICS 321Electric Circuits and Electronics
Spring 2007PHYSICS 407Advanced Laboratory
Spring 2007POPHLTH 699Independent Reading

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

Instructor identity & provenance 
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