PSYC 2200

The has made the structure of this course to grades us based on how everyone else in the class does. This grading structure in addition to ridiculously hard tests that require memorization of little details has made it a really frustrating learning experience for me. I have read every chapter and studied consistently, but I still consistently got 60s and 70s on my tests. It just didn't feel like it measured what I learned versus how much I could memorize in a short amount of time. Overall, the content is interesting, but the professor comes off as super inflexible and rigid. I would recommend this class for people who are good at memorizing, can make it to lectures early and consistently, or are super interested in the subject.

He needs to use a mic, have planned lectures and uses ppt slides instead of drawing so many diagrams with chalk. I sat in the front row and couldn't read things he wrote down and missed some of what he said. The tests were by far the worst tests I have ever taken. Study hard and review his practice tests. Also, people will drop and withdraw from the class and he grades on a curve. The class average will then shoot up by a considerable amount near the end, and hurt you if you anywhere but at the top.

Brunjes is a really nice guy but not a good teacher.

Lectures: Brunjes does not use a mic in Gilmer 130, and does not use powerpoints. In some course this would be laudable, but in one with so many definitions and complex diagrams it is a bad choice. He puts up pictures with no explanation on the screen, and scribbles notes on the board that are hard to decipher. I had a friend who missed a couple classes due to illness and I could barely explain the notes to him.

Textbook: The text is what it is, a boring but competent intro neuroscience textbook. Quizlet is your friend, and draw the diagrams. Read the "Psychology Now" and "Experiments" boxes, they are key for tests.

Tests: By far the worst I have ever taken, as a rising fourth year. Brunjes grades on a forced curve (25% A, 55% B, so on), and to accomplish this makes his tests absurd. But not by putting complex but relevant material. Instead, he puts random scientists, experiments, miniscule mumbled points from lecture, etc. on the test for 6-7 of the 30 questions, turning the difference between an A and C into random guesswork. The remaining questions are not easy either, as every question has "none or all of the above" as an answer.

All of this said, by definition 80% of students will get a B- or better. Show up, drink coffee beforehand, study hard for the tests, and hope they get a better professor for such a fundamental course in the major.

This class was definitely hard, but there are ways to succeed. Firstly, the entire class is comprised of 5 exams (~35 MC/ True-false), of which 1 is dropped. To do well, try to the best possible you can on each exam -- do not count on a "dropped exam" to bail you out. Try to do well on the first exam in particular because it is often the worst test for the majority of students. Since the class is graded on a bell curve, you want to try and stand out early. To do well on exams, you must go to every single lecture and either A) write down every word/diagram he draws or B) record each lecture and draw all associated diagrams he draws on the board. If you miss a lecture, get detailed notes from a friend as soon as possible. While in lecture, pay special attention to the times when he stops rambling and goes over to his computer/notebook to see what he has to talk about next/say about the current topic. Usually, these are minute but important points that he doesn't remember to say off the top of his head but do show up on the exams. During his lecture days, it's not mandatory to pre-read the textbook chapters (I found it to be worse because I could forget information come test time). To study for exams, I suggest starting to prepare a week in advance and clear up as much time as possible during the week (finish all other HW and studying for other classes beforehand). When reading the textbook for the first time, make sure you read every single word on every single page and highlights key/interesting facts as you see fit. Make sure to highlight any numbers/percentages that show up as well as anything that you think Brunjes would find interesting. In this case, the more you highlight, the better. If you are in a crunch for time, skip over the "fluffy" parts but make sure to read all objective parts (facts, numbers, percentages, bolded words). Once you finish reading the textbook for the first time (ideally 3 days before exam day), go over all of your in-class notes thoroughly. Read over each word carefully in your notes. 1-2 days before the exam, you should ideally be revisiting highlighted facts in the textbook, reviewing your notes, and taking his posted practice tests. Most of the practice test answers are on quizlet and he often uses questions on his exams that are taken directly from these practice tests. There are numerous other quizlets/question banks posted by the previous textbook used by this class that I highly sugged you run through. Get a group of friends, flip to random pages in the textbook/notes and ask each other rapid-fire questions to help prepare. There is no need to attend the Monday discussion section. During tests, read each word carefully and don't be afraid to go up and ask him questions if you find a question confusing. Also, don't be afraid of choosing option E: None of the above. To get an A in the class, you need to have a test average of around 88+ to be safe. Having an average of ~86+ can get you an A in some semesters. Remember that not all hope is lost if you do bad on one exam -- study harder and more diligently for the next exam. Scores of 50 100 100 100 100 will translate to a 100 (with the drop) in the class while scores of 75 85 75 85 70 will translate to an 80 in the class. Remember, these scores are then curved based on how the class did! TLDR: Read every word in the textbook, Write down every word he says in lecture, review your notes thoroughly/create mnemonics, and make sure to do as many practice questions as possible (google is your best friend :)).

As someone who has never had difficulties being able to retain information for a class if I studied hard enough, I have never been more frustrated. Even if you do alright with the curve you feel awful all semester because the tests are made so that no one does well. Do not take this course. Not only is the information not interesting but simply consists of labeling the million parts of the brain that Brunjes himself acknowledges as tedious. You will spend hours outside of class trying to memorize these minute, irrelevant details.

this has honestly been one of the most unnecessarily difficult classes i've taken at uva. the only things that are graded are your exams. there are five exams including the final, and the lowest score gets dropped. the exams are usually 30 questions multiple choice and 5 true/false (or sometimes more multiple choice). it's usually more from lecture than reading, but the reading is also pretty important. however, the questions are so arbitrary and unimportant. they are about pretty irrelevant details in comparison to the topic overall. he also gives you five practice exams for each test, but doesn't give you the answer key. some of the tests are also based off the old textbook, so it doesn't help much there either. people get 100's on the exams, so it's not impossible but i can't imagine the amount of studying and natural ability put into it. i did the readings and went to every lecture, crammed/studied up to a week before, and still struggle. like others have said, he doesn't use a microphone for his 350-person lecture hall, so it can be difficult to hear especially when he mumbles under his breath. grades are on a bell curve and he sends updates after each exam, but you never really know for sure what grade you're going to get in the class. overall, 10/10 do not recommend.

This guy's like a million years old and refuses to use a mic for a 350 PERSON CLASS. He doesn't use slides, he only uses pictures from a website you can't access off grounds (SDAC ppl good luck getting notes if you miss, I asked and he said "Not my problem"). Exams are extremely hard. This man's a menace. However he grades based on class averages so maybe I'll get an A with like an 80 average. Don't take this just take a different PSYC req or a neuroscience class.

Yike. The whole class is a big yike. The content is interesting but Brunjes' teaching style is terrible and ineffective. He is often disorganized, which usually leaves my notes disorganized as well. He doesn't use powerpoint slides, instead he uses usually random pictures that you have trouble locating when you want to look at them. He also writes on the chalk board, which isn't a problem, but he doesn't organize his thoughts well, which goes back to my previous point. He also refused to use a mic to lecture, which would be fine if our class wasn't in the big lecture hall (Gilmer 130). There are only exams in his class, which were 35 or so hard multiple choice questions that were based off of obscure, insignificant parts of the book or random parts of his lecture. Overall, the class was not worth it. Would not take unless necessart, and would not recommend. I took it to fulfill my psyc requirement and the only alternative was animal minds which had even scarier reviews than this class has.

A extremely hard, yet rewarding class. It is very science based which is difficult for those psych majors who have disdain for anything science related. Brunjes makes the test, and the class itself, annoyingly hard. He refuses to use a microphone, so sit near the front. I found it incredibly helpful to read the textbook sections that will be discussed in class before lecture, so you have some sort of idea that whats coming up. Also, Brunjes does not use any sort of outlines or powerpoints in class, just abstract pictures, so knowing that you're looking at helps to piece the information together as he tends to jump around and seem a little disorganized by his failure to prepare for lecture. Class attendance is not mandatory, but I highly recommending going because although he will post the "slides" from class, but they are just the abstract pictures. To study for the exams, DO THE PRACTICE EXAMS. They are good guides for what the actual exam will be like, and a lot of the time, he will reuse a lot of the same questions. But my biggest advice is read the damn textbook and remember seemingly unimportant details because he likes to use details to test whether students are reading or not. The test are really tricky so be prepare for literally anything even if you havent talked about in class. I didn't find going to office hours super useful because most of the time, he was not there. But at the end of the day, the material was interesting but taught poorly. Thankfully, lowest one of the exams, including the final, will be dropped. Also there is a curve in the class, but you will not know your grade until the very end of the class, as he only curves to make a standard bell curve distribution in the class. That being said, if you are semester that is doing fairly well on the exams, then the class will be curved less than other semesters. I received a 63 on the first exam, but ended the class with a B+, just two points away from an A-. Good luck to all.

If you want the best grade possible you have to go to class and read the textbook. There are around 5 or so questions that come from the textbook on the exam. Do the past years practice tests, it's astounding how close they are to each other, some of the questions are even the same. The information was really interesting once you take the first test and your worst test is dropped. I recommend taking this class and studying with a partner and quizzing each other.

I took this course over the summer, so my experience probably differs from many others, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this course. Prof. Brunjes definitely loves what he does and has a great command over the course material. He lectures from memory without relying on PowerPoint, which made for a more engaging lecture experience. The textbook was interesting and clearly written too (although many sections were quite dense). Once we got past the units on neuroanatomy and sensation, the course material got increasingly more fascinating - especially the chapters on motivation and addiction, hormones and sexual development, and emotion. We were able to ask questions during class on material we were unsure about. Tests were difficult and specific, but he provided all his old exams from the past five years so we could get a feel for how they would be structured. This class definitely takes a lot of effort, but taking diligent notes and making flashcards from the bolded words in the textbook definitely helped to solidify all the information. If you're considering signing up for this course, keep an open mind about Brunjes! I know he's gotten a lot of bad reviews on CourseForum in recent years which almost turned me off from taking this course, but I can say that I actually enjoyed the material a lot and found his lectures very interesting. Plus, he curves the grades at the end so that the top 60% of the class gets B-'s and above, so don't panic if you're getting grades in the mid-70s or 80s. Plus, you get to drop your lowest exam, including the final! Overall, I would recommend taking this class with Brunjes, especially over the summer, which helps with keeping the material fresh in your mind over the shorter timespan.

I would NOT recommend this class to anyone, it has been my least favorite class to date. Given, I am not science-oriented so I should have strayed away from this class in the first place, but I have never been so frustrated with a course. I have been to every single lecture, kept up on every single reading (taking extensive notes each time too), and done all the practice tests and still have received my lowest exam grades of my college career. This class is extremely frustrating because hard work will not necessarily pay not. Brujnes lecture style is a mess. He refuses to use a microphone so it is hard to hear him when he begins mumbling and in addition he jumps around a lot in the material, and does not project any sort of notes, just pictures and diagrams. His multiple choice exams are only 35 questions, but the are super specific, it is never general questions. I think the class may have changed since a few years ago because he switched the textbook, therefore studying the old tests that refer to the old "Kalat" textbook hasn't proved to be too helpful like I had read. Once again, if you are good in science courses you may have a completely different experience, but I personally regret not dropping this class every single day

I would not recommend this class to anyone. Brunjes makes sexist jokes and literally does not know what he's talking about half of the time. He doesn't want students to use laptops but makes it ridiculously hard to follow his lectures while writing notes. He is all over the place and often says the exact opposite of the textbook. Questions are often ambiguous and he always has errors in the keys. Very hard to do well in the class even if you memorize the textbook and lectures because of poorly worded questions. Brunjes is not a good professor and should be avoided.

The content of this course is very interesting if you have any interest in the topic. You definitely learn a lot, and I enjoyed Brunjes as a professor while in lecture. However, the tests are extremely frustrating. It is very nitpicky. You need to know every little detail from lecture so this is not a class to take if you like to skip. You also need to know every little detail from the book- nothing is off limits from the assigned reading, and there is a good deal of reading assigned so do not procrastinate on it. Definitely use the old exams to study with because he will pull questions from there. The curve is really helpful so while the exams could be frustrating, it works out so the vast majority of people pass the class, with the top 60% getting an A or a B. I wouldn't recommend taking this just because, but if you have to take it for Cog Sci or Psych, you will get through it. Just be prepared to put in some effort!

Very hard class. Not gonna lie though, definitely possible to get an A if you know how to grind. 5 short mid-terms, you get to drop the lowest grade. Listen for minute details in lectures, because that's what he likes to put on mid-terms. I found this class very hard because he asks very specific questions that requite an in-depth knowledge of the topics. Definitely do all of the readings when they're due, don't procrastinate otherwise you'll get screwed. Looking back on it, I should've gone to office hours. They are very willing to help you, so take advantage of that.

My only problem with this course is that it seems like the exams are designed to trick you or fail. The professor's goal is obviously for you to learn, but the tests are designed to trip you up and stump you on very-detailed information. Not a huge fan of this type of testing.

He curves the class a ton so don't be discouraged if you get 70s on all the mid-terms.

ALSO DO THE PRACTICE QUIZZES THEY HELP A SHIT TON.

Brunjes's lecture style might not sit well with some people; if you're used to professors who use powerpoints, then Peter's style of teaching might be hard to adjust. You gotta write down ANY word or image he draws on the chalkboard, because there's no way of knowing if it's on the exam. Do NOT assume this is an easy class; otherwise, you'll be one of the people who's giving the people who did study a ride on the curve. READ THE TEXTBOOK, DO NOT CRAM FOR EXAMS.

Real talk: Brunjes is easy. His test are only facts that he said in class and facts in the textbook. Nothing else. You dont have to think outside the box for his questions, nor do you have to apply anything he says or in the book to real life questions (like old Dave Kittlesen). With that said, you absolutely have to go to lecture, memorize your notes, and read the book. You can not do that and get an A. The tests are straightforward. "What does _______ do? The _______ is located in the? If you damaged the ___________, what is the outcome on behavior?"

Brunjes is super fun but this class is pretty hard if you're not a science person. You sorta have to take it if you're a psych major and it's a good choice but just be prepared for the dense reading a the difficult exams.

To be honest this is a good class with silly tests. I say they are silly because if you have a desire to remember tiny details from a text book and lecture and regurgitate them then this is a class for you. Otherwise I would strongly recommend BIOL 3050 with Condron over this course because at least he tests over the information that is relevant and he is organized. With Brunjes I feel like every day is a new day and there is no real order to his lectures. We jump around to different parts of the brain and are expected to remember stuff. In summary take this class if you want silly tests that are hard because they are comprised of obscure questions, not because he teaches at a high level.

Brunjes' class is a terrific class if you are pre-med or a Biology or Psych major. It is a hard class. You MUST go to lecture if you want to get a good grade on the test. The reading is also 100% necessary. Do the practice tests! The class is graded on a bell curve, so your grade will depend on the other people in the class. One test an A was a 92-100 and the next test an A was an 84-100. The tests are all 35 multiple choice questions.

This class is super easy for anyone with a strong biology background. If you are Pre Med, this will be an easy A. I only went to 6 lectures throughout the semester, and was able to get an A based off the textbook and my previous knowledge. Overall, this is an interesting class, however i wish he covered more neuropathology and fewer primitive behaviors.

This is a really fascinating class, and really fun if you are interested about the brain! Some people find the tests really hard, and others really easy. What I learned by the end of the class was the the tests absolutely do not test you on the overall ideas or processes. You can actually know nothing about how a synapse works, but as long as you know the little details and names of the hormones, enzymes, and diseases you will do well! I strongly recommend doing the practice tests, since you have to get used to the types of questions and lots of questions are recycled.

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. I took it because I thought I had some interest in the material and thought if I study that I would do well. It is all about memorizing the textbook and not testing if you know the information or how to apply it all. Studied so much for the class and winded up with a B- which killed my GPA for the semester.

This class was very interesting. His lectures are fairly entertaining but make sure to tune in 100% for the whole class. I studied my butt off for this class and was able to do well. What it comes down to is basically knowing every detail from every page. For example if the textbooks tell a specific story, he will sometimes throw in a question about that minute example. Even if you study like crazy there is no way to know everything for the class. My advice to you, make flashcards for each of your tests and reread the entire reading for each test to have it fresh in your mind the night before the test. If you put in the effort you will do fine but do not fall behind in the reading!

I love professor Brunjes. I think he is witty and clever, and he made me laugh out loud several times. He is very knowledgeable of the subject - he often leaves time during lectures to answer questions. That being said, the material is very complicated and he occasionally confuses himself. He can be a little standoffish when you talk to him in person, but he means the best.
He tells you at the beginning of the year that he will make the tests extremely difficult to separate the students who study the most. The tests are very difficult and require a lot of studying, but they are not impossible (sort of...). Plus, the whole class is curved to the top 25% get an A or A-. Overall, I would recommend this class, even to non-psych majors. I'm a CS major and not having a good psych background did not put me at too big of a disadvantage.

This is a hard class, but if you study you will do fine. His exams are very hard, but you're allowed to drop one out of five- even the final. He cracks jokes throughout lectures and is very passionate. You HAVE to read the textbook and you should definitely go to lectures. The textbook is key to passing class. But don't worry, the readings are sometimes only 3 pages, the biggest we've had was 22. If you're a psych or cog sci major this should be good for you!

This is just a rough class. Professor Brunjes does his best to make it interesting, but is fairly disorganized with lectures (he doesn't use powerpoints). It's essentially a required class for a psych major but be prepared to work hard if you want a decent grade.

This class is entirely based on exams. There are four exams given throughout the semester, and then one final cumulative exam given during the exam period. The lowest of these five exams is dropped, and the other four make up your grade.
The class focused very heavily on memorization of pretty minute details. The test questions are designed to trip you up if you have even the slightest hesitation. Make flashcards, do the the readings, pay attention and take notes in every lecture.
Also, Brunjes started out fairly entertaining, but as we got further into the semester, he seemed more and more distracted. He tripped up his words in lecture a lot. Although he encourages asking questions, I think he struggled to adequately answer many of them.
Despite all this, the subject material is pretty interesting.

Brunjes is pretty funny and he does a decent job at explaining tough points in the material. The only hard part about this class is the multiple-choice exams (these are the only grades in the class), but he drops the lowest one. He really likes the "E. all of the above or none of the above" answer in multiple choice, and the questions are REALLY specific, usually coming from a single lecture or a single page in the textbook rather than general concepts. You'll do fine if you take good notes in lecture and study the textbook. It's tough but you'll learn a lot if you pay attention.
Side note: I found that taking PSYC 2150 (Cognition) and PSYC 2300 (Perception) before this class was really helpful! Probably half the material was review from those classes.

I absolutely loved this class. Of course, I'm a potential cog sci major so I'm a little biased. Brunjes is a great professor who loves what he teaches and makes lectures enjoyable. The exams are pretty tricky; I would compare them to Willingham's psyc 2150 exams. He drops the lowest of the 5 exams which is nice and they are curved.

Pretty straightforward; interesting material. MC tests were a bit difficult, but not bad. Brunjes was a good lecturer.

Brunjes was a good lecturer, but his exams were tricky and often worded in a confusing and ambiguous manner. There were several nit-picky detail-oriented questions on exams, and sometimes I felt that the exams didn't really reflect what was taught in the course. But if you're good at memorizing and interested in bio, this will be a good class for you.

Brunjes can be funny at times, but writes the worst/frustrating tests. Be prepared to know and memorize every single detail about everything. Big picture isn't as important as small, unimportant details for this class.

This course is fascinating if you have any interest in the nuts and bolts working of the brain. The class is heavy on the memorization and some of the test questions are tricky but none are especially so. Know the terms that are in bold for each chapter then just figure out how they are related and you'll do just fine.

This class is a lot of memorization. It is really important to read the book, some test questions literally will have word for word phrases out of the book. He posts all of his old tests, and usually reuses questions or uses very similar questions. Do not be afraid to answer none of the above, usually about 50% of the time that is the right answer. Lectures are important too, if you can't go try to get the notes.

Very difficult course, but the material is interesting. This is more of a bio course than a psyc course (which is why you're getting a science credit for it). Brunjes is a great lecturer, although his tests are notoriously nit-picky.

Brunjes is a great lecturer. He clearly loves what he is teaching. However, his tests are what I would call unfair. They really do not test how well you know the material but rather they test how well you read the test question. There was a 'trick' involved in many of his questions. But, the fact that his testing style isn't the best is definitely made up for by his great lectures.

Brunjes's exams are weird and really don't test how well you understand the material. It took more effort to figure out what he was asking than to demonstrate knowledge of the subject. I don't recommend this class to anyone who feels like they're not so great with poorly-worded multiple choice questions.

This class was very interesting and worthwhile ONLY if you're willing to put in the effort! The readings are not very lengthy, 10-20 pages /lecture or less, and if you really understand and pay attention to what you're learning you'll be fine. I took this ONLY for math/sci req and really enjoyed it and did well. Take it!!

Very interesting class. 5 exams including final, and he drops the lowest grade. Kinda hard but worthwhile. Brunjes is the man!

Excellent prof, very interesting material. Take

DO NOT take this class to fulfill a science/math requirement (i made that mistake). The class is 90% neurobiology and 10% psych. Tests are extremely knit-picky and require A TON of studying. Brunjes is fairly interesting though during lecture. But i wouldn't really recommend taking this class unless you're real good at bio

Loved the material and teacher is excellent. Old tests are helpful, and tests can be tricky but if you put in time you can do well.

Take this if and only if you like the mechanisms behind brain functions. The readings and texts are technical and very specific. It really helps if you are interested in neuroanatomy and have learned some already. For the most part, the exams are based on his lectures, but of the 40 questions, about 3-5 will be from the textbook only. Lectures are wonderful; he makes the material come alive and understandable.

People seem to really enjoy this class, but I only thought it was ok. Lectures and the material in general are pretty interesting, but the midterms drove me crazy. I thought a lot of exam questions were really poorly worded...but maybe that's just me. I got an A, but I wasn't really sure how I stood in the class until the end of the semester because Brunjes uses a curve. The A's in my semester ended up being in the 87%-93% to give you an idea.

All in all - this is an okay class. I would still recommend it.

Prof. Brunjes is a good and knowledgeable professor. Lectures are actually enjoyable. Go to class and read the book and you'll do fine.

This course is all memorization. midterms and finals are very tricky and he will not hesitate to take one sentence out of the book and make it into a test question. Despite the trickery it is possible to get an A with an intense amount of studying before exams start. Not an easy class but enjoyable at times. lectures can be interesting or boring depending upon material. overall it was a worthwhile course but be ready to work

I really enjoyed Brunjes' lecture style, he clearly likes what he is talking about. He only provides pictures/diagrams online, not the entire lecture material so you definitely have to attend his class in order to do well. Unless you are willing to really study the book..

This class was very interesting. Brunjes was your average lecturer but overall not too bad. Definitely look over the practice exams from the previous years. They'll help you see what kinds of questions will be on the test. He also reuses questions sometimes. I thought the optional discussions were helpful. Angie was a great TA and made slideshows to explain information from the week. Overall, I would recommend this class to anyone who is interested in the brain.

The textbook for this class, Biological Psychology by Kalat, is so much fun to read. The lectures for the class are very entertaining. Brunjes looks like Abraham Lincoln.... however, his tests are all he grades you and he pulls the MOST RANDOM specific SHIT for examination instead of the truly important main ideas.... if you can, get this class taught by the other guy, Hill.

Great guy. Hard class.

An interesting class to take if you think the brain is really cool. Brunjes is a funny guy and good lecturer. Make sure you go to class because he doesn't do PowerPoint slides and some test questions are straight from his lectures. Looking through previous years' exams is beneficial.

Witty man. Pretty funny. Old-school lectures (recites everything verbally, occasionally drawing diagrams on the board--beware: his artistic skills aren't very developed). Very difficult tests. I can never figure out the best way to study for his midterms. Basically, you attend lectures, read the textbook, and do practice tests. He repeats a few questions from previously released tests. He puts lecture-only material on his tests (so go to class and pay attention). David Hill, the other Neural Basis of Behavior professor was also really funnier, if not funnier, when he subbed in for Brunjes one day (Hill used a PowerPoint, which I prefer). The class is graded on a curve. I thought the information I learned in the class was interesting, but the tests are a challenge (extremely tricky answer choices & detailed questions).

Brunjes is awesome, and very enthusiastic about the material. You definitely need to read the book since some test material comes from it and go to class, but the reading is only about 10 pages per class and Brunjes makes class entertaining! Plus, the material is really interesting!

Really enjoyed this class, but already had learned much of the material in intro bio courses. (Which made a lot of Brunjes's explanations seem very basic...) Definitley interesting class though.

loved this class. easy if you work hard and love the material

Pretty easy class if you read the book.

This class does have hard tests. However, the practice exams REALLY help a lot. The majority of the information comes from the book. If you pay attention, go over the practice exams and study the reading you will be fine. It's not impossible

Definitely worth it. I loved the professor. No seriously long paper. Just attend the classes and pay attention. Then you will be perfectly fine.

My favorite class at UVA, but definitely requires a lot of attention to keep up.

This class was very interesting but also difficult. Brunjes is very specific and can take one little sentence out of the book to put on the exams. Read carefully, take specific notes, and go to the lectures. The class is definitely worthwhile though, I loved it.

the class is very good. Brunjes is an awesome teacher, he doesn't give notes on the powerpoint but just teaches you outloud.

This class is very interesting and the professor is always enthusiastic.

Good deal of information, but worthwhile

Tests are incredibly hard, but the material is very interesting

This is easily my favorite class at UVA so far. I am a science oriented person though...

Yea the tests are hard, but as long as you do the practice tests you know exactly what to expect. Brunjes is the man...

great class-- Brunjes is a very engaging lecturer with a good sense of humor. Be sure to read the book and review your notes because tests can get really specific and difficult

This is a tough class, but definitely worth it. Brunjes is a great lecturer; even when the material can get kind of boring, he'll insert the occasional joke here and there to keep you awake. Tests are kind of tricky and really test your knowledge (he actually uses the "none of the above" answer choice relatively often on his questions) but if you do the reading and go to lecture you should be fine. Highly recommended; this man made me want to be a neuroscience major.

This is a very hard class... it requires a lot of reading and the tests are hard. Don't take it unless you have to!

Sweet class. Prof is really funny. Tests are medium difficulty. Final was hard.

Psych 220 is a class simply for pointless memorization. It is a very interesting class, and I enjoyed the material and didn't mind the reading, however the exams only tested how well you memorized pages of notes and remembered random facts. Brunjes is enthusiastic and teaches the material well but again I did not like how the exams were, and James Corson was an alright T.A.

Really the difficulty of the class depends on how hard the people in your class study since the class is curved...also...if you get Corson as a TA, don't expect much of a review session or any kind of help at all

Interesting class, but the exams were really hard. Sometimes it seemed like the questions were really obscure facts and missed the bigger picture. Read the book, go to lecture, and do practice tests to study...you'll do alright!

Brunjes is the man. If you like the brain and our behavior to it, then take this class! It is basically reading the book which is a really easy read as well as going to class and taking notes. The tests are alot from the book and some from lecture. Also, make sure you do alot of the practice tests beforehand because 75-85% of the questions on the test are direct from old tests. Also, the final is not mandatory because he will drop it if you do really well during the year.

Brunjes is a special lecturer - take this course! Do the readings you'll be fine in the class.

I really loved this class; the material was interesting and Brunjes is a really nice, goofy guy. He also lectures in an old-school way, no slides, just writing on the board, which I thought was really refreshing. It is not as bad as some say; if you go to class and read, as long as you take detailed notes and study, an A is not at all out of reach; I did it. I loved going to class. Take 220 from Brunjes!

Great class, although this class is much more of a biology class as opposed to a psychology one. The tests are hard, and require a lot of studying, so don't take this course unless you have some interest in the subject material.

I didn't think this class was too bad until after I took the first exam. Even if you take notes during lectures and read the book, you'll have a hard time getting good grades.

Do the reading and go to class. You will get at least a B.

Everyone told me this was such a great class and it was super interesting and whatnot. It's not. Be warned. I fall asleep every class and the tests are VERY nitpicky. You'll be able to rationalize 2-3 of the answers in your head and you'll drive yourself nuts. And if Jim Corson if the TA, run for your life. I've never seen a bigger dimwit in all of my life; if he got into the grad program for UVA Neuroscience, then ANYONE can get into that grad program. He has no idea what he's talking about. And the answers he gives you directly contradict Brunje's answers.

seriously. just don't do it.

Though it is under the label of PSYC, this is basically a biology class. I would not recommend this for those who are not scientifically inclined or for those who are looking for an easy A. Tests are on the tricky side and there is a lot of reading, so you have to put some work in. The class is definitely doable though. Brunjes is great! One of my favorite professors here (:

Brunjes is the man. His lectures are easy to follow, and can be pretty funny. The lectures are only some what identical to the textbook, so it is important to attend class. The catch is the tests are tricky.

Hard class

fun class but hardcore material... not reccommend if your not somewhat interested in it

whats happening!

This is truly a great class! I'm not one to overhype a subject, but this one is really cool. Because of it, I am strongly considering majoring in Psychology. Brunjes knows everything there is to know about biological psychology and gives great lectures. James Corson, his TA, was also very helpful at clearing up tough concepts. You do have to read the chapters carefully, which I HATE as much as the next person, but it's the most painless reading I've done in college. Take the class. You'll enjoy it.

Overall really good class. Four test and a final one gets dropped. Pretty interesting as well definately recommend. Study for test can at times be tricky

Brunjes is humorous, but is oftentimes difficult to take detailed notes from. The grading system for this class is complicated and a bit ridiculous, as everyone is competing against one another for the top grade. You MUST read to do well, and it is advised to set up a reading group for each exam.

I absolutely loved this course. I found the reading to be extremely interesting and Prof. Brunjes was entertaining in lecture. However, I also know people who thought this class was hard. Only take if you enjoy biology as well as psych. Reading was very important.

Great class. Just read the book and you'll do fine. Brunjes is a great engaging lecturer though and he'll make you want to go to class.

Great class -- fascinating material, and Brunjes is an engaging lecturer. Exams cover lectures and the readings, so read your textbook! The course is probably more science-heavy than your average psych class, but don't let that deter you. I'd definitely recommend this class to others; it was my favorite this semester.

The tests were on the difficult side just because it was so specific.. sometimes there was questions on material that appeared in one line in the book. But the class itself was very enjoyable and I liked the lecture.

Great Class!

Professor Brunjes made it very easy to do well in this class. He set 5 midterms, 30 MCQ each. We were allowed to drop the lowest score. This way, everything did NOT ride on one big paper or test. The MCQ midterms were the only assessments. Discussion section was not required, and consisted of a simple review of Brunjes' PPT.

Brunjes is a pretty good teacher. He does not let you ask questions however. You do have to know your stuff for the tests though, as grading is based solely upon exams.

Professor Brunjes is a great teacher, very knowledgable and makes lectures fun. You really do have to go to class because not all the material on the exams is in the reading, but overall, the tests aren't terribly difficult.

I really enjoyed this course. If you want to do well I suggest taking notes in class, taking notes as you read the book, and taking as many practice exams as possible right before the exam - this gives you a lot to study from. It's what I did and I ended up with an A.

Brunjes is a great professor and definitely makes the class very enjoyable. He really knows the material and the book isn't hard to read either. Be thorough and go over the old exams and you should be fine!

Professor Brunjes is very fair. He makes it very possible for his students to get good grades as long as they work hard. It is all very objective. There are five midterms, and you can drop the lowest score. Each is only 30 MC questions. I would recommend this class to others. It is very science-heavy though, and there is a lot of memorization involved!

This class was my favorite class at UVA, mostly because of Professor Brunjes! He's such a good lecturer, I never felt sleepy during his class even though it was in the morning. Entertaining, funny, really knows his stuff. The material isn't too bad either, just read the book thoroughly (it helps to attend lecture because Brunjes explains whatever might be confusing) and take the practice tests. It's an intro to neuro course, so definitely take it if you can!

Brunjes is a great professor. class is enjoyable, but you should only take it if you're prepared to study a lot. always do the practice exams on toolkit (answers are under "announcements"). another tip: he gives one pop quiz a semester. in the fall, it's right before Thanksgiving break. in the spring, it's right before spring break. he could change it around - to be safe, don't skip those classes and do the readings beforehand. (you should be going to class and keeping up with the readings anyway.)

This class was so much fun--definitely only for psych majors though. This is a weed-out course and it truly is. Difficult, but the most enjoyable one I had this past semester. Brunjes is really approachable and dumbs everything down in class. Take it!

The course material is extremely interesting and Brunjes teaches it well. He includes lots of case studies that aren't in the book to help the class understand the concepts. As long as you keep up with the reading, which only consists of a few pages a night, the tests aren't too bad. It's actually kind of nice not having to worry about any homework except studying.

The test format is very specific and is only 35 - 38 questions so it is very easy for someone to know the information to do poorly on the tests. I think this is a fault that runs throughout the psychology department and is fairly disappointing. The information is fairly interesting, however.

HARD AS POOP, but amazing.

Professor Brunjes is very upbeat and enthusiastic. The only grades are from the highest of your five exams (including the final). The material went into more detail than I'd liked as a non-psych major, but it's still fascinating.

When I say "neurobiology" do you get excited? If you do, take the class, if you don't you might do better in one of the other options. PSYC 220 sets you up for a lot of options in other majors at UVA, and Brunjes has a way of keeping you awake and making it interesting. It's a 200 level lecture class so you can last-day cram and still get a decent grade, but book to lecture test questions are maybe 40/60 so make sure you read it eventually. On the up side the book is easy to read and covers a wider range of subjects than lecture can if you are interested in the subject.

Awesome class. Lots of learning. Tough but worthwhile.

AWESOME CLASS!!! Brunjes rocked. Lots of work, you have to study hard to do well, but it is great material and an amazing class

Brunjes is awesome. He's just a funny, old fashioned, somewhat corny prof that really loves the stuff he's teaching and wants you to love it, too. His lectures are a little old-school in that he doesn't use power points or post notes, so you have to go to class and listen. Also do the reading: there isn't a lot of overlap of details between lecture and text, and both are covered equally on exams. If you don't have any background in science, this can be a tough class, but Brunjes does a great job of breaking things down and tying things together. If you do have a background in science, it can be really hard to get motivated to put in the work, because the content is broad and shallow. Don't give in: the tests can get pretty nit-picky and if you don't keep up, you'll basically hate yourself...

It's pretty much a bio class, but he tells all the pre-med kids to take a different class on the first day. Lectures are pretty interesting, and he covers all of the important material, but be prepared to answer test questions about minute details from the textbook that he never addressed.

Professor Brunjes is a genius and knows so much of this subject. His lectures are interesting and sometimes filled with witty humor. However, if you don't do the reading, some of his lectures can get very confusing, as he tends to jump around in explaining certain subjects. This class is quite challenging but if you perserve it is definitely worthwhile. Just be sure to actually do the readings, and go to lectures.

The tests are hard. A fun class, interesting lectures, fair grading.

Just because you don't understand a curve doesn't mean its not fair.

He sets out goals, rules, and format clearly at the beginning of the class, and then follows that format exactly. Ultimately a rewarding class, and worth the time.

Professor Brunjes is an amazing lecturer. He made the class very worthwhile and was extremely informative. He also really knows what he is talking about and is very passionate about the subject matter.

The class is really interesting but the midterms are very difficult. Look through old tests, and study details.

Prof Brunjes is a hilarious guy. He's a good teacher - very clear and approachable. The material is interesting, and he does a good job presenting it.

Peter Brunjes is an amazing professor. He knows the material like the back of his hand and shares his enthusiasm with the class. His exams are VERY HARD. However, if you study hard enough and do the previous exams, you will do very well in the course.

BRUNJES!!!!!
i heart you.

I found this class to be fascinating, and Brunjes was interesting and quite funny at times.

This class is great and I would recommend it to any pre-med student trying to fulfill a social science requirement! Great lecturer and the material is interesting!

This class was soooo boring and the tests seemed like they were deliberately trying to trick you. Brunjes tried to make it interesting and the class is curved so it's not that bad.

Prof Brunjes is a great lecturer! The subject matter is pretty interesting as well.

Prof Brunjes is a great lecturer with a great sense of humor. The class went into greater detail that I expected, but I came out learning so much more than I did in even my BIOL 201 course. Tests were fair, and usually verbatim from the textbook, and he allows you to drop one. He provides ample opportunity for us to ask questions or clarify his points. Lecture is organized without the hassle of copying slides. He is very straightforward and an overall great lecturer! I recommend sitting near the front of the classroom to see the board and his facial expressions.

Brunjes makes lectures fun, even when the material might not be so interesting. Tests were multiple choice and he posts old tests that have some similar questions, but he always seemed to throw in some off the wall questions that you would only get if you read the textbook really carefully. Overall it was a pretty good class, but its probably not the most interesting psych class that is offered.