Reviews for Colman J. McCarthy
Average Rating:| Anonymous Course: HONR228T Grade Expected: A+ April 16, 2012, 1:07 am | Professor McCarthy is my favorite teacher of all time. He is the sweetest man ever. He is just so nice and it is incredibly easy to do well in this honors seminar. He is just a nice man in general and I loved having discussion in this class, even if I disagreed with some of the views presented. I mean you have to be a complete fool not to get an A. He makes the class so easy. I fell asleep during some of the videos because he uses vids from the 70s and 80s but it was really awesome. And...the books you use for the course are all compiled writings edited by him. Go figure. I didn't read after the first class and I got an A+. He asks everyone to pick a passage and describe how you felt about it. I would pick something simple before class started because he usually takes a few minutes to get going. Easy A. Take it. It is a 3 credit class that will boost your GPA and you will gain a friend in Professor McCarthy. The last class is the best by far. I love this class and the professor who taught it. Do yourself a favor and take this honors seminar. He is the best. |
| MusickVideo Course: HONR359B Grade Expected: P May 22, 2011, 11:46 pm | Terrific. This professor and course will open you up to a previously-unfamiliar set of peace-related topics, as well as some creative perspectives on a few more familiar topics. Classes are discussion based. They are initially driven by readings that you are supposed to have done ahead of time, but you can just briefly skim them and get the basic idea so that you can contribute to lecture. This is a P/F class, and your grade is basically just based on completion of a 6-ish page paper at the end about whatever topic you're interested in. If you never want to attend, you don't have to, and the professor will not mind (and often won't even notice); he will give you a Passing grade regardless. If you want to attend, you will benefit from the interesting discussions and viewpoints that you (guaranteed) have not gotten (and never again will) in any other class at UMD. |
| Anonymous Course: HONR228T Grade Expected: A May 12, 2011, 10:42 am | Professor McCarthy is truly one of a kind and this class is an amazing experience. He will make you think in ways you have never thought before. Workload is fairly light and grading doesn't seem to be too bad. I am expecting to get an A, but if I don't I will have no regrets about taking this class over one that would have been an easy A. If you have the opportunity, sign up to take a class with Professor McCarthy as he is a part of a dying breed of professors. |
| Anonymous Course: HONR228T Grade Expected: A December 22, 2010, 9:10 am | Professor McCarthy is a great teacher. A lot of classes at college teach you facts that may or may not apply to your life/future. This class is all about application and practicality. You will want to go out and make the world a better place every time after class. There is no one more qualified to teach peace than professor McCarthy. He teaches by example and that is very important. After going through his class, you will be forced to reconsider some stuff that you never thought fully about before. Extremely interesting and endlessly fascinating. The class environment is so relaxing that I find myself looking forward to the 3-hour class every week. A note about the final exam. It's not difficult. At all. Simply mark down quotes that students read aloud during class. Spend an hour memorizing them. You're golden for the final. If you have the opportunity to take this class, then you are extremely lucky. If you get into the class, consider it an honor. |
| ycha Course: HONR228T Grade Expected: A November 30, 2010, 8:59 pm | I always tell my friends that this class is like a mini-therapy session. I admit, there are times when I have fallen asleep in his class. But it's only when he dims down the lights and pops in a video for a good hour or so. Otherwise though, he really is a one of a kind professor. I've never had a professor like him. He's like that grandpa I wish I had. We have one exam, a paper, and a weekly journal. The weekly journal is a pain if you procrastinate--so don't! I'm super proud of the paper he's inspired me to write in this class. I haven't taken the exam yet, but I have no idea how to study for it. I have a bad feeling about it though. He's made me think harder on a lot of issues, and the weekly readings are actually very interesting! I'm also a Vegetarian because of this class now, believe it or not. |
| Anonymous Course: HONR228T Grade Expected: B+ May 11, 2010, 3:43 pm | I agree with all the other reviews about the fact that Professor McCarthy is an outstanding individual. He is a great man, but I was not wholly convinced of his teaching. I found him, at times, to be unrealistically liberal (which I am amazed to say seeing as I would describe myself as very liberal) and although he says he welcomes opposing opinions I would certainly not have wanted to present one. Overall it is a good class and the workload is very manageable. My only complaint is that I don't believe the final was very very. It's a 20 question exam which asks you to match quotations with their authors. These can be drawn from any of the readings throughout the semester and unless you start writing them down from the very first lecture it almost impossible to study for. More importantly, though, matching quotations doesn't have much to do with any of the knowledge I gained in the class. That being said, I scored low enough on this pointless final to get an unwarranted B in the class. Even so, I would recommend this class with the disclaimer that it will definitely challenge your views. |
| deoaro Course: HONR359B Grade Expected: April 27, 2010, 6:50 am | I took McCarthy last semester and I agree with every single comment above. He is probably the most influential professor I've ever met. This guy has met so many famous and important people that its amazing that he purposely chooses not to be some kind of politician. He is an incredible advocate for peace and is morally opposed tests quizzes or any kind of academic assesment. The class can get kind of boring because he is old and his speech has slowed some but he is at least worth listening to. I personally don't agree with his way of thinking but I don't think anyone should be robbed of the opportunity to listen to him. Great class! Great Professor! |
| mreese Course: HONR228T Grade Expected: A December 9, 2009, 10:23 pm | You owe it to yourself to take this class. McCarthy is an incredibly idealistic individual who will challenge your worldview and inspire you to be a better person. He will probably be the most caring and understanding teacher you ever have. The workload is not something to be concerned about: weekly short readings and journal entry plus a 1200 word essay on virtually anything you please. As a stalwart opponent of what he dubs "fear-based learning," McCarthy doesn't even believe in judging students' participation in class. Take this class, and take it seriously. If everybody in the world did, we would all be so much happier. |
| pfiore Course: HONR228T Grade Expected: A December 7, 2009, 9:03 am | The most influential class and teacher I have ever had. Colman becomes the old wise man down the road that all the kids sit down and talk with. He presents convincing arguments on non-violence. The guy is amazing: he has never drank or smoked, eats vegan, rides a bike everywhere, and runs marathons. He is around 85 years old. I will miss Colman more than anyone. Take this seminar and be prepared for an experience. Also its easy A's, Colman hates grading and feels everyone should get an A if they try. |
| Anonymous Course: HONR359B Grade Expected: s January 21, 2009, 6:12 am | This class is excellent. The professor is an awesome older guy who has seen a lot and is a wealth of information. The course opens your eyes to a lot of things and challenges your beliefs and standpoints on a lot of issues by showing you a new side of the argument. The only written assignment is a final paper basically on any topic you want to write about as long as it somehow relates to the class. Besides this, he only asks you to read some essays for the next class. Also, if you really want to take this class and can't get into it for some reason, go to the class and talk to Mr. McCarthy, he won't turn you down and will try to accomodate you as best as possible. |
| lomobecks Course: HONR359B Grade Expected: A December 3, 2008, 7:30 pm | Absolutely phenomenal. Professor McCarthy is a fascinating individual with an incredible wealth of knowledge of events and people. This was a highly enriching class, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone. He never takes life too seriously, and you get a great sense of community within the classroom. His approach to peace and conflict resolution really separates it from the negative stereotype of peace-loving hippie counterculture. Take this class. |
| umd413 Course: HONR228T Grade Expected: A November 6, 2008, 10:12 pm | One of a kind. The class, the professor, the curriculum - a wholly unique experience unlike anything I've ever experienced in school. This is by far the most fulfilling course I've taken to the point that, every thursday after class, i come back to my room and recommend it to everyone I see. It is a true eye-opener that teaches you lessons you would only expect to learn outside the classroom in the real world. McCarthy's got something special - he's a cute old man with a twinkle in his eye, and the class is kind of like hanging out with grandpa for the afternoon. His life experiences and writings are truly amazing and he really makes you think about our role in society and where we place our values. I find myself, after 2.5 hrs of class, never wanting to leave. |