Topics in algebra, analysis, applied mathematics, combinatorial mathematics, functional analysis, geometry, statistics, topology, by means of lectures and informal conferences with members of staff.
1 - 6
UnitsOptional
Grading1, 2, 3
PasstimeNone
Level LimitLetters and science
CollegeListen, he's not gonna blow your socks off. His lectures are slightly all over the place but homework is optional but needs to be completed to take exams. His grading is very lenient, which helps with learning the material. Holds office hours regularly, nice guy
My favourite professor at UCSB. I highly recommend taking his class. I took 4A and 124A with him and he was a great lecturer for both and I prefer his course format.
I could not understand anything from his lecture. Everything I learned is from TA, He made many typos in class and lecture notes. He could not explain things clearly. Lecture is totally useless.
Professor Birnir is a nice person, but maybe not a perfect instructor. He is willing to help, but his lecture is basically repeating the textbook (90% is exactly the same). The grading is very very lenient. Higher than 85 is an A. TONS of HW. Extremely difficult knowledge but tests are relatively easy, especially the final. Hard to learn something.
The course is so hard; the material is difficult to understand, and homework can take 10 hours each week if you do it on your own. Lectures are no better than directly reading the textbook. However, exams are open-book, and everything on homework and exams can be found online or in the textbook. So the difficulty really depends on how you learn.
very easy class but did not learn anything