Easy class and chill professor. He brings his dogs to lecture all the time. Textbook is useful. It helped a lot on the exams. Tests were easy. Really interesting class.
Very easy. I think people only showed up to lecture for his adorable dogs. Don't buy the textbook because it's expensive and completely unnecessary to do well on exams. Just read his slides and you'll do fine. Lots of extra credit opportunities, so I recommend doing them if you're worried about your grade.
It's a pretty easy class if you actually go. I barely went to class, but he offers a lot of extra credit opportunities that helped my grade. He is a really nice professor, but the content was kind of boring.
Super awesome professor! Super enthusiastic and brings his dogs to most lectures. Loves teaching and cares about students. Tests aren't completely clear, but he is willing to help.
This is a good class to get a GE done.
Tommy is a genuinely good person and a pretty good professor. He never really assigned any work, which is a plus, but his tests aren't always clear. The questions are worded poorly, but the tests are manageable. This class is an easy A or B, so don't worry too much if you take it. Material isn't too interesting, but he brings his cute dog!
HE BRINGS HIS DOGS TO EVERY LECTURE. The class is really easy and the professor is really nice and tries to be friendly with all of his students. He gives 2 extra credit options that can boost your grade by a whole letter. Even though he doesn't have an iClicker or pop quizzes, going to lecture is required because it helps make the material clear.
One of the nicest professors I have had while at UCSB. His midterm and final are pretty straight forward, he gives us many resources to prepare for them. Pretty easy class and he still offers extra credit.
Awesome class. Awesome professor. Plus he brings Teddy and Lincoln (fluffy polar bears/dogs).
Best professor ever. The class is extremely easy and well worth taking. Just show up to the lectures and you will do great. He brings his dog to lecture everytime, who is super friendly as well. Easiest A I ever got.
All lectures posted online. Only midterm and final. Multiple extra credit opportunities. Brings dogs to lecture. Textbook not really needed.
This class was easy and the teacher is there for you every step of the way! He had tons of extra credit and opportunities to boost your grade. The class itself is pretty interesting, even though sometimes his lectures can be sorta boring. I would take this class again!
Tommy is a super fun professor who really cares about his students! The class itself is easy, but the concepts can get a bit tricky at times. You don't have to attend lecture, but I liked going so that I could better understand the concepts (also because Tommy is an amazing speaker). Overall a good class.
I'm not sure if the tests changed from previous years, but for me I found the midterm hard and the final relatively easy. Overall though, the class isn't really clear. There's tests on captions and other small stuff from the powerpoints you usually wouldn't consider. Lots of ec though and cute dogs!!! Tommy is great himself- just not always clear.
Super awesome professor. Really cares about his students and loves teaching. He's super funny and enthusiastic and brings his adorable dogs to class with him most days. Would love to have this professor again.
I took this for a GE but he is a great professor at SB. He is friendly, funny and is clearly passionate about the subject matter. It was a great class to take as GE; section was interesting and hands-on. He also brings his pet dogs to class!
The Arctic Honors seminar was very interesting. Finally a class where you learn without worrying about testsquizzes. There are short weekly writing assignments, and one powerpoint presentationreport at the end but as long as you put forth effort you should get full credit. Very nice professor and his dogs distract from the stress of school.
Honestly the class is a little dry, but Tommy is awesome and balances the class out. He brings his dogs to class and offers a bunch of extra credit! Only a midterm and final. I would recommend this class. Easy A.
By far one of the greatest professors I have had at my time at UCSB! I rarely went to lecture since he posted them online. There were like 2 or so pop quizzes but he would tell us in advance when we would have them, so I guess they really weren't pop quizzes? haha. I failed both the midterm and final but the extra credit and the curve helped a ton!
Tommy is a very kind and sweet man that brings his cute fluffy dogs to class, but this class was awful. Unless you are very passionate about the reasons for seasons and the motion of the ocean then I would recommend it. Otherwise, the information is boring, and his lectures are typically off-topic.
He is by far one of my favorite professors! He brings his dogs to class every day and his lectures are really easy to follow along to. You don't need the book and the midtermfinal are super easy. He puts all his slides online and there area few short labs you have to do in section. Amazing class!
The professor is a great person, and is passionate about about his subject. But this class is SO BORING. only take this if you're very interested in waves and currents.
Loved going to this class, even on Fridays. He's such a genuine person and showed an admirable amount of interest in his students. I would take another one of his classes in a heartbeat. LOTS OF EXTRA CREDIT
Nicest professor you could possibly have. Very knowledgeable, fair exams. Would certainly recommend.