AI Rate Professor

Computer Science

Michele Rousseau

CS1 · CS1A · 283 lifetime ratings

AI rating
58/100
RMP rating
4.0/5
Take again
60.44%
Difficulty
3.7

The decision

if you want deep CS preparation and can spare many weekly hours; skip if you need an easy GE.

Best fit · Hardcore LearnerHeavy WorkloadStrong CS FoundationOrganized CanvasTough But CaringLecture Videos Required
  • Serious learners credit her with building a real programming foundation from zero.
  • Workload is repeatedly called extreme for an intro class with labs, quizzes, and videos.
  • high praise from dedicated students, strong avoid warnings from overwhelmed ones.

Key questions

Four answers before you build your schedule.

Is this an easy A?

HardWork

36/100

As are possible with sustained effort and office hours, but reviewers warn it is not an easy A and many earn lower grades or drop.

Both formats say high reward only after heavy work; a few online students still report A or A+ with dedication.

Is the course easy?

Challenging

28/100

Intro CS is taught rigorously with dense practice, documentation standards, and fast-moving topics.

Difficulty complaints are strong online and in person; content challenge is similar across formats.

Is attendance flexible?

Mandatory

22/100

as mandatory, with participation and pre-class work gating labs and progress.

and in-person reviews.

Is this professor recommended?

Depends

58/100

About 60 percent would take again: seekers.

Recommendation split is present in both formats and depends mainly on student goals and available time.

Course guide

See how this professor fits your week.

Grading

Fair

48/100

and documentation, yet many note end-of-term bonus points and help if you engage.

Format shift

; late-semester EC is mentioned especially online and overall.

Workload

Overwhelming

14/100

Students repeatedly report , and six major assignments.

Format shift

Workload intensity is the most consistent theme online and in person.

Teaching experience

Good

76/100

When students buy in, , and the best CS intro foundation at the college.

Format shift

Teaching praise is strong across formats among survivors; frustrated students focus more on volume than confusion.

Assessment method

Balanced

58/100

Grades combine coding , and a final.

Format shift

Both formats describe and heavily weighted projects.

Luni fit check

Weigh these signals against your actual schedule.

Get help balancing workload, grading, and timing when no option is an obvious fit.

Course format

Compare the in-person and online experience.

Classroom format

In person

29 reviews

High confidence · Best fit for Hardcore Learner

In-person sections still rely on reverse-classroom videos plus class review, with partner labs, frequent quizzes, and .

Main concern

, and partner labs can crush other courses.

What students said

“If you're going to take CS 1A, take Rousseau.”
CS1A
“Half the class dropped because of how time consuming. So much hw!!”
CS1A
“the class is unbelievably difficult & time consuming. 3hrs of work a day if not more”
CS1A

Remote format

Online

21 reviews

High confidence · Best fit for Hardcore Learner

Online students either love the detailed recorded lectures and office-hour support or , and high time demand.

Main concern

Huge outside-class time on videos, exercises, and .

What students said

“If you are a serious student and want to learn to code, then Dr. Rousseau is the .”
CS1A
“ recommend too so much stress”
CS1A
“Easy A+ ngl.”
CS1A

Exam style

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

Exams and ; reviews do not clearly prove Lockdown Browser or webcam proctoring.

Weekly QuizzesTwo MidtermsFinal ExamCoding AssignmentsPartner LabsStyle Rubrics

Assessment risk

Standard

48/100

Low score means less forgiving assessment conditions.

In person

In-person students report weekly quizzes, multiple exams, style-sensitive free response, and ; closed-book software is not clearly stated.

Weekly Quizzes2 Exams Plus FinalStyle Extra CreditPartner Labs Weekly
“ to proper style guidelines in the free response sections.”
CS1A
“The majority of your grades are determined by 6 coding assignments, 2 exams and a final.”
CS1A

Online

Online reviews describe quizzes, exams, and who keep up; proctoring tools are not clearly proven.

Quizzes Similar To ExamsSix AssignmentsPartner LabsEnd Of Term Bonus
“Exams + 6 individual assignments are 80% of your grade; 10% partner lab, 10% quizzes.”
CS1A
“towards the end there is dozens of assignments and the exams.”
CS1A

Student evidence

See what students actually said.

Top student voice

“If you are looking for an easy A, . If you are really interested in !”

Voice snapshots generated from 50 reviews, highlighting foundation payoff versus overwhelming workload. Credibility rating: High.

🎯 Teaching Quality

76/100

“She is the ! If you are serious about learning CS, you won't get a better introduction.”

🔥 Workload Warning

14/100

“This class took up so much of my time, more than ochem, math, physics, or any other higher unit course.”

🧱 Foundation Payoff

70/100

“This class will prepare you for all your other CS classes!”

👍

58/100

“ but Rousseau.”

Theme 1

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

  • and !
  • This is the !
  • Her step by step detailed approach has made a programmer out of me!

Theme 2

📈 About Difficulty And Grades

  • Not an easy A class, but definitely high-risk, high-reward.
  • .
  • as strict as some say and scales grades if you do your work.

Theme 3

⏰ About Workload

  • I averaged 10 hours of hw a week.
  • Very heavy workload, do not take this class in conjunction with any other classes
  • Expect to work, make sure to keep up!

Theme 4

❤️ About Support

  • and spends a lot of time with you in office hours
  • She cares about her students and met with me several times outside of office hours
  • and answers questions through pronto whenever

Data context

See exactly what the AI read.

Analysis sample

50

Recent reviews read by the AI

283

Lifetime ratings

92/100

Evidence confidence

50 recent detailed reviews with a large sample, strong theme consistency, and .

Inside 50 stored ratings

Quality ratings

5 out of 5175
4 out of 527
3 out of 525
2 out of 519
1 out of 537

Course coverage

CS1A48 reviews
CS12 reviews

Reported outcomes

A range results lead the reported letter grades.

48 reported outcomes

A range

22

A+ 2 · A 17 · A- 3

B range

7

B+ 2 · B 5

C range

6

C+ 2 · C 4

D range

1

D 1

F

2

F 2

No letter grade reported

10

Drop/Withdrawal 2 · Not sure yet 7 · Rather not say 1