Hung V Pham
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
AD
4.7
Overall Rating
Based on 19 Users
Easiness 2.0 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 4.6 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 3.1 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 4.5 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

TOP TAGS

  • Uses Slides
  • Gives Extra Credit
  • Tolerates Tardiness
  • Is Podcasted
  • Engaging Lectures
  • Often Funny
  • Tough Tests
  • Would Take Again
  • Appropriately Priced Materials
GRADE DISTRIBUTIONS
14.2%
11.8%
9.5%
7.1%
4.7%
2.4%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

16.1%
13.5%
10.8%
8.1%
5.4%
2.7%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

18.5%
15.4%
12.4%
9.3%
6.2%
3.1%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

ENROLLMENT DISTRIBUTIONS
Clear marks

Sorry, no enrollment data is available.

AD

Reviews (16)

1 of 2
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Quarter: Spring 2020
Grade: B+
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Sept. 14, 2020

While this professor has mainly positive reviews, there are some things about this class that deserve attention. Yes, Pham has very organized slides which include the material you need. Yet, this course requires a lot more than attending lecture/discussion to actually do well. For those who had a harder time understanding material, I do not think this professor was of much help AT ALL. He does provide some opportunity for extra credit, but if he was not FORCED to make the final optional during the pandemic, I probably would’ve failed this class because towards the end it was so fast paced and easy to fall behind with concepts. (For reference, I got a C on the midterm). He seemed to discourage asking questions and came off as rude upon confusion in office hours. Idk why this professor is so hyped up honestly.

Helpful?

2 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2019
Grade: C
March 26, 2020

Organic chemistry overall is already a pretty tough subject. I had an A in the course before the final and a C after.
I think it really depends on what type of learner you are if you want to succeed in this class. There are no study guides for tests along with no worksheets other than those made by the TAs and LAs which can be helpful (if you have Jessica as your TA). If you want any type of practice it's hard to decide what is actually worth doing for the class.
Be prepared for lowish averages! 60% for the first midterm and 71% for the second. He said he might scale the average to a B- or B depending on the class, I'm not sure how true that is and do not count on it to save you.
I had multiple difficult classes and since I was doing well in this course I let it fall through the cracks. It didn't help that with the way 30A is structured, the beginning at least to me was very simple but the final 1-2 weeks we started learning around 20 reactions and mechanisms. We were also a little behind so we were rushing through it all.
Pham is a very likable person outside of class. In class, however, he is a lot less pleasant and the same goes for office hours. I went to office hours one time because I was genuinely confused and every question I asked I was given the answer of "you should already know this" and "we already went over this." but isn't the point of office hours to go over things you don't understand just from what you got in the lecture or get help on what isn't clicking?
From reading his reviews I expected him to be the best professor ever but that was definitely not the case, I would avoid taking him if possible but you will be able to survive if he's your only option like he was for me.
The whole class is out of 440 points.
100pts for each midterm (there's 2)
200pts for the final
40pts for online BACON (online quizzes, super easy to get 100%)
He gives out 6pts total of extra credit in the form of post-midterm surveys and the professor review. There are also some extra credit points on the exams but not that many (probably 4pts on each).
Pham is a great and funny person but not the best professor, you can definitely make it through if you try. Good luck!

Helpful?

1 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2020
Grade: A+
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
June 29, 2020

Amazing teacher and insanely caring, wish I had him in person!

Helpful?

2 1 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2024
Grade: A
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
June 14, 2024

Honestly an amazing professor and an amazing class. Went to most if not all office hours and was able to gain a much better understanding of the material. Don't get me wrong, the content for this class is pretty hard, but only if you fall behind. If you stay on pace with the lectures and work on the problem sets when the material is fresh and in increments, the class becomes much more manageable. Dr. Pham's exams are extremely fair, and directly based off of the problem sets and lectures/slides. I would definitely recommend taking the class with Dr. Pham as not only will you gain a great understanding of organic chemistry, but you will also become immersed and interested in organic chemistry as well. Overall, a great teacher.

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0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2019
Grade: A
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
March 4, 2022

Favorite professor at UCLA ! He made organic chemistry understandable and fun. And I love his shirts.

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0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2021
Grade: B+
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Dec. 13, 2021

Ochem is tough, and imo Pham made it more simple. I used to do good in the 20 series, and the reason why I did rather bad in this class is because I didn't study for this class strategically. His papers are mostly related to reactions, so remembering reagents and processes helps a lot. He gives out extra credit in midterms and finals, as well as in surveys. He does accept people asking him questions during office hours and after lectures, and TA sessions help a lot. I wouldn't say that Pham made ochem easier, but at least he made the learning process easier and more entertaining.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2020
Grade: B+
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
June 26, 2020

Dr. Pham is a really good professor who cares a lot for his students. I took this class during all the confusion with the virus and Pham spent time to talk about what professors were being told about the situation and other stuff like that. He gave fun facts every Friday that were separate from the material in the class but were pretty interesting. As for the material, I thought that it was pretty straightforward and if you do all the practice problems (which I should've done more) you should be fine with the exams/homeworks. Overall, I enjoyed this class but just make sure to stay on track once you get into the reactions and synthesis part.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2020
Grade: A
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
June 20, 2020

Pham is an amazing professor. Not only is he great at explaining difficult concepts, he is one of the most caring professors. He really wants his students to be learning and understanding the material. As well, he truly cares about us as individuals. He makes it clear that he wants us to be happy and successful. He also respects every students' opinion. I think those qualities are what makes him amazing. 10/10 recommend.

Helpful?

0 1 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2020
Grade: A+
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
June 18, 2020

Professor Pham is amazing! I admit it's a difficult class, but he explains the material very well with his super organized slides and does his best to help all of his students succeed. He's always more than happy to address any concerns during office hours. He's also very approachable and wears cool chemistry t-shirts.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2020
Grade: A
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
June 14, 2020

Professor Pham is absolutely awesome! Not only is he very accommodating and understanding towards his students, but he is also very passionate about teaching organic chemistry! Please note that his test are very challenging and requires constant attention towards class lectures and contents but it is manageable!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Quarter: Spring 2020
Grade: B+
Sept. 14, 2020

While this professor has mainly positive reviews, there are some things about this class that deserve attention. Yes, Pham has very organized slides which include the material you need. Yet, this course requires a lot more than attending lecture/discussion to actually do well. For those who had a harder time understanding material, I do not think this professor was of much help AT ALL. He does provide some opportunity for extra credit, but if he was not FORCED to make the final optional during the pandemic, I probably would’ve failed this class because towards the end it was so fast paced and easy to fall behind with concepts. (For reference, I got a C on the midterm). He seemed to discourage asking questions and came off as rude upon confusion in office hours. Idk why this professor is so hyped up honestly.

Helpful?

2 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2019
Grade: C
March 26, 2020

Organic chemistry overall is already a pretty tough subject. I had an A in the course before the final and a C after.
I think it really depends on what type of learner you are if you want to succeed in this class. There are no study guides for tests along with no worksheets other than those made by the TAs and LAs which can be helpful (if you have Jessica as your TA). If you want any type of practice it's hard to decide what is actually worth doing for the class.
Be prepared for lowish averages! 60% for the first midterm and 71% for the second. He said he might scale the average to a B- or B depending on the class, I'm not sure how true that is and do not count on it to save you.
I had multiple difficult classes and since I was doing well in this course I let it fall through the cracks. It didn't help that with the way 30A is structured, the beginning at least to me was very simple but the final 1-2 weeks we started learning around 20 reactions and mechanisms. We were also a little behind so we were rushing through it all.
Pham is a very likable person outside of class. In class, however, he is a lot less pleasant and the same goes for office hours. I went to office hours one time because I was genuinely confused and every question I asked I was given the answer of "you should already know this" and "we already went over this." but isn't the point of office hours to go over things you don't understand just from what you got in the lecture or get help on what isn't clicking?
From reading his reviews I expected him to be the best professor ever but that was definitely not the case, I would avoid taking him if possible but you will be able to survive if he's your only option like he was for me.
The whole class is out of 440 points.
100pts for each midterm (there's 2)
200pts for the final
40pts for online BACON (online quizzes, super easy to get 100%)
He gives out 6pts total of extra credit in the form of post-midterm surveys and the professor review. There are also some extra credit points on the exams but not that many (probably 4pts on each).
Pham is a great and funny person but not the best professor, you can definitely make it through if you try. Good luck!

Helpful?

1 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2020
Grade: A+
June 29, 2020

Amazing teacher and insanely caring, wish I had him in person!

Helpful?

2 1 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2024
Grade: A
June 14, 2024

Honestly an amazing professor and an amazing class. Went to most if not all office hours and was able to gain a much better understanding of the material. Don't get me wrong, the content for this class is pretty hard, but only if you fall behind. If you stay on pace with the lectures and work on the problem sets when the material is fresh and in increments, the class becomes much more manageable. Dr. Pham's exams are extremely fair, and directly based off of the problem sets and lectures/slides. I would definitely recommend taking the class with Dr. Pham as not only will you gain a great understanding of organic chemistry, but you will also become immersed and interested in organic chemistry as well. Overall, a great teacher.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Fall 2019
Grade: A
March 4, 2022

Favorite professor at UCLA ! He made organic chemistry understandable and fun. And I love his shirts.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Quarter: Fall 2021
Grade: B+
Dec. 13, 2021

Ochem is tough, and imo Pham made it more simple. I used to do good in the 20 series, and the reason why I did rather bad in this class is because I didn't study for this class strategically. His papers are mostly related to reactions, so remembering reagents and processes helps a lot. He gives out extra credit in midterms and finals, as well as in surveys. He does accept people asking him questions during office hours and after lectures, and TA sessions help a lot. I wouldn't say that Pham made ochem easier, but at least he made the learning process easier and more entertaining.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Quarter: Spring 2020
Grade: B+
June 26, 2020

Dr. Pham is a really good professor who cares a lot for his students. I took this class during all the confusion with the virus and Pham spent time to talk about what professors were being told about the situation and other stuff like that. He gave fun facts every Friday that were separate from the material in the class but were pretty interesting. As for the material, I thought that it was pretty straightforward and if you do all the practice problems (which I should've done more) you should be fine with the exams/homeworks. Overall, I enjoyed this class but just make sure to stay on track once you get into the reactions and synthesis part.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2020
Grade: A
June 20, 2020

Pham is an amazing professor. Not only is he great at explaining difficult concepts, he is one of the most caring professors. He really wants his students to be learning and understanding the material. As well, he truly cares about us as individuals. He makes it clear that he wants us to be happy and successful. He also respects every students' opinion. I think those qualities are what makes him amazing. 10/10 recommend.

Helpful?

0 1 Please log in to provide feedback.
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Quarter: Spring 2020
Grade: A+
June 18, 2020

Professor Pham is amazing! I admit it's a difficult class, but he explains the material very well with his super organized slides and does his best to help all of his students succeed. He's always more than happy to address any concerns during office hours. He's also very approachable and wears cool chemistry t-shirts.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
COVID-19 This review was submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your experience may vary.
Quarter: Spring 2020
Grade: A
June 14, 2020

Professor Pham is absolutely awesome! Not only is he very accommodating and understanding towards his students, but he is also very passionate about teaching organic chemistry! Please note that his test are very challenging and requires constant attention towards class lectures and contents but it is manageable!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
1 of 2
4.7
Overall Rating
Based on 19 Users
Easiness 2.0 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 4.6 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 3.1 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 4.5 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

TOP TAGS

  • Uses Slides
    (14)
  • Gives Extra Credit
    (14)
  • Tolerates Tardiness
    (9)
  • Is Podcasted
    (9)
  • Engaging Lectures
    (11)
  • Often Funny
    (9)
  • Tough Tests
    (11)
  • Would Take Again
    (12)
  • Appropriately Priced Materials
    (8)
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