ASTR 1290

This was a really interesting course, and I enjoyed learning more about black holes (a subject that a lot of the other lower level astronomy courses gloss over)! Professor Pryal made some changes to the course this semester, so my experience was a bit different than those of friends who previously took the class. I would say that it isn't an easy A like it was in past years, but getting an A is very attainable if you take good notes and are willing to put in a little extra work if math doesn't come easily to you. The lectures were interesting, but Professor Pryal speaks super quickly (just a warning). I found the homework assignments kind of difficult, but they didn't take very long, which was good. The time commitment outside of lectures is very low. Overall, it was a good class. I would recommend it to people who are interested in astronomy and to people who want a class that is low effort week-to-week but are willing to study hard before exams. #tCFS24

This class was very interesting and the professor made the subject matter much less dense than stars and stuff can be. He is very passionate about the topic but is also cognisant that most students are not looking to major or minor in the topic. The class is mostly structured around take home assessments that are about 10-15 questions each and are straightforward, as well as 'blogs' which are really just short writing assignments (~300 words) about specific topics that are graded on completion. There are two midterms and a final, but these are pretty easy to do well on if you study. The class was the perfect combination of interesting material and fair grading. I would highly recommend for those looking to fulfill a requirement and learn more about astronomy.
#tCFS24

I took this class just to fulfill a requirement but it ended up being one of my favorite classes I've taken. Pryal is a fair teacher and understands that a lot of kids taking this class are just doing it to fulfill a requirement so he doesn't make it too hard. The class is really interesting (most of the time) and you learn about some really 'wonky' ideas that kinda make your head hurt( in a good way.) The first half of the class is about theories like special and general relativity. Don't worry, he doesn't go crazy deep into it so don't worry if you aren't a math or science person because I wasn't. It's actually really cool stuff and really makes you think. The second half is actually about black holes and space. Pryal is a really good lecturer and makes hard topics/ boring topics a lot easier to understand. He is also very enthusiastic about the topic so it makes for a fun lecture. Exams aren't too hard and neither were the weekly readings and mini-quizzes. That being said, you need to actually pay attention and take/review notes in order to get an A because it certainly isn't a given but missing a class sometimes isn't a death wish. Pryal is always willing to help though so that's nice. Overall, I'd highly recommend this class to anyone even if you have zero background in astronomy.