Dr. Saalman is a nice guy, but the way this class is laid out is very frustrating. You're only graded on 3 exams and can only get 5/75 questions wrong on each exam to get an A in the course. There are no useful study materials so you basically just have to memorize all the slides, without really understanding what is actually going on. Good luckRate My Professors ↗
Current instructor
Yuri Saalmann
What students say
Original student reviews · all captured dates
The fact that I received a higher grade in Organic Chemistry 2 (CHEM345) than this class says what you need to know about the course. While the professor is nice, he doesn't actually promote much learning of the material because the 3 exams, which are the only things contributing to your grade, strictly test whether you can memorize his slides.Rate My Professors ↗
Although our grades depended solely on 3 exams, Yuri was a great professor. He explained things quite well, and didn't pack a bunch of information in his lecture slides. As long as you attend lecture, you should do well on the exams. He cares more about your learning than grades.Rate My Professors ↗
Yuri is a smart, caring man who has lots of passion for the subject. Psych 454 is graded on strictly three exams which are not difficult, but you must study all the lecture material that is posted online. Very fun guy and makes the lecture seem interesting, with genuine care for all his students.Rate My Professors ↗
Give me 100% for the final because of interruptions. Professsor Saalmann is the best.Rate My Professors ↗
Yuri was fun and his office hours were very helpful. Lectures pack in a lot of information and it can be hard to focus but all lectures are recorded which can be useful for review. Final grade is only based on 3 exams but definitely manageable if you take the time to study. All the info you need is on the lecture slides, don't focus on textbookRate My Professors ↗
Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.
Classes with Yuri Saalmann
Research and Thesis
1–12 creditsResearch and thesis course focusing on independent neuroscience research and broad understanding of general principles.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
Behavioral Neuroscience
3–4 creditsBehavioral Neuroscience covers the biological basis of human and animal behaviors, including perception, action, cognition, social interaction, and disease, using weekly themes to explore neural mechanisms.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Yuri Saalmann
Yuri Saalmann's course depended solely on three exams, and the textbook was not required. Some found exams fair and said memorizing posted slides helped; lecture recordings were also posted, and one said summary slides covered many questions. Others found 75-minute lectures dense or disorganized, and one said no useful study materials meant memorizing slides without real understanding.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Directed Study
1–3 creditsDirected Study is an independent mentored study with a faculty member.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Research
1–12 creditsResearch course involving independent experimental, observational, or statistical investigation under staff supervision.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
Recorded teaching history
Distinct courses recorded per term
Explore courses taught by this instructor →Browse recorded courses
Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.
Instructor identity & provenance
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