Thomas W Gillespie
Department of Geography
AD
4.8
Overall Rating
Based on 23 Users
Easiness 3.9 / 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 3.8 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 4.8 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

TOP TAGS

  • Uses Slides
  • Tolerates Tardiness
  • Needs Textbook
  • Engaging Lectures
  • Appropriately Priced Materials
  • Snazzy Dresser
  • Often Funny
  • Would Take Again
  • Has Group Projects
  • Issues PTEs
GRADE DISTRIBUTIONS
44.9%
37.4%
29.9%
22.5%
15.0%
7.5%
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.

46.0%
38.3%
30.7%
23.0%
15.3%
7.7%
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.

37.7%
31.4%
25.1%
18.8%
12.6%
6.3%
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.

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Reviews (16)

1 of 2
1 of 2
Add your review...
Quarter: Fall 2019
Grade: A-
May 20, 2020

Oh my god you need to take his class. This is the best professor at UCLA and it is guaranteed. He is so funny, but also is willing to get to know all 5 million of his students. He is a great guy, and he is so smart. His passion for this subject amazed me. You have to sit front row because he is the most engaging professor I have ever had. You will not regret taking his class. His study guides are really helpful, which is super appreciated. It is hard to write a long review, all you need to know is that taking his class will be the best decision of your life.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2019
Grade: A
Jan. 4, 2020

BEST PROFESSOR EVER! literally trying to take his class every quarter.
I'm selling the textbook for the "indo-pacific coral reef field guide" and "A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics" by Lambertini.

Text me **********

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2018
Grade: A
Aug. 27, 2018

Ok, so Gillespie is like amazing. There are no other words to describe him except phenomenal, amazing, inspiring, motivational, *insert positive adjective here*.
Professor Gillespie truly cares about the world, biodiversity, travel and conservation. His class teaches you a lot of the types of plants, animals and habitats you find in the tropics and you have a midterm, a final, a group project, and a field trip you go on your own time (to the Aquarium of the Pacific). The midterm and final have A LOT of information, however, he tells you EXACTLY what is going to be on it. Like exactly, There are no surprises and the majority of the exams are identifying countries or species via pictures, definitions, short explanations, etc. It is easy to do bad on the exam if you don't study. Sounds like useless advice since it's so obvious but it's true. Make sure you study the long study guide and there is no way you can't get an A. The questions are very straighforward (like is it really that hard to remember 10 names of different plants w/ pictures). Just PUT THE TIME. Lectures are like a free show. Gillespie is very funny and entertaining and always asks questions about where students have traveled to, what they have experienced abroad, etc. Anyone who loves to travel will enjoy hearing his travel stories. He really is like the best professor you can have who cares about student learning over grades. Making his exams as straightforward as possible makes you appreciate lecture, his humor, and the content 100 times more.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2015
Grade: B
March 8, 2016

Selling book: A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics

text: **********

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2015
Grade: A-
Feb. 9, 2016

Selling book, old notes, and old study guides for class
text ********** if interested

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
June 20, 2013

I had the pleasure of having Professor Gillespie my first quarter at UCLA, and now after having him a second time for his Humid Tropics class, I can't get enough! He is so entertaining and so caring of his students! He definitely just wants you to learn and does not try to trick you on his exams. There is a group project, a midterm and a final. The tests are fair and the amount of work given per position in the group projects is more than fair. Would recommend this professor to anyone, and I am not even a Geography major!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
June 20, 2013

Progessor G is an amazing Professor! He is hands down probably the best professor in the department. His lectures are NEVER boring! This is the one of the few classes at UCLA that I truly learned a lot from. His tests are very easy, he gives you a study guide a few days before the tests. Learn the study guide and the test should be no problem!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
June 20, 2011

Although everyone said he is easy, I ended up a bad grade in this class.
Compare to other classes, this class is relatively fewer readings. This class is mostly based on what Professor Gillespie is saying in class.
There is no hw assignments, one midterm worths 30%, final 40% and a group project 25%, the remaining 5% is an Aquarium field trip.
I am not a person that good at recongizing living things. And his test is easy for most of the people because you only have to recongize the types of fishes/trees/corals he talked about in class. I did really bad on this part and most of my points lost on this part in my midterm. I would recommend this class because he is funny in class and he is really helpful during office hour. He knew I did badly on midterm but he didn't ignore or give up his student. I appreciate Dr. Gillespie a lot!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
Nov. 27, 2009

Hands down one of the best professors i have ever had at UCLA. His Humid tropics class 113 is extremely engaging, making it easy to learn the material. His exams are more than fair. He is easy if you get your facts down, basically memorization. Also, he is extremely funny, always making fun of some culture, place, or specific person in the class. Finally if you get the highest grade in the class you get a plane ticket to the tropics... enough said. There needs to be more gillespies...

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
March 21, 2009

Wow! This class was awesome! I learned so much about the tropics and I want to go there like right now. Very approachable and he's very down to earth.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2019
Grade: A-
May 20, 2020

Oh my god you need to take his class. This is the best professor at UCLA and it is guaranteed. He is so funny, but also is willing to get to know all 5 million of his students. He is a great guy, and he is so smart. His passion for this subject amazed me. You have to sit front row because he is the most engaging professor I have ever had. You will not regret taking his class. His study guides are really helpful, which is super appreciated. It is hard to write a long review, all you need to know is that taking his class will be the best decision of your life.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2019
Grade: A
Jan. 4, 2020

BEST PROFESSOR EVER! literally trying to take his class every quarter.
I'm selling the textbook for the "indo-pacific coral reef field guide" and "A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics" by Lambertini.

Text me **********

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2018
Grade: A
Aug. 27, 2018

Ok, so Gillespie is like amazing. There are no other words to describe him except phenomenal, amazing, inspiring, motivational, *insert positive adjective here*.
Professor Gillespie truly cares about the world, biodiversity, travel and conservation. His class teaches you a lot of the types of plants, animals and habitats you find in the tropics and you have a midterm, a final, a group project, and a field trip you go on your own time (to the Aquarium of the Pacific). The midterm and final have A LOT of information, however, he tells you EXACTLY what is going to be on it. Like exactly, There are no surprises and the majority of the exams are identifying countries or species via pictures, definitions, short explanations, etc. It is easy to do bad on the exam if you don't study. Sounds like useless advice since it's so obvious but it's true. Make sure you study the long study guide and there is no way you can't get an A. The questions are very straighforward (like is it really that hard to remember 10 names of different plants w/ pictures). Just PUT THE TIME. Lectures are like a free show. Gillespie is very funny and entertaining and always asks questions about where students have traveled to, what they have experienced abroad, etc. Anyone who loves to travel will enjoy hearing his travel stories. He really is like the best professor you can have who cares about student learning over grades. Making his exams as straightforward as possible makes you appreciate lecture, his humor, and the content 100 times more.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2015
Grade: B
March 8, 2016

Selling book: A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics

text: **********

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2015
Grade: A-
Feb. 9, 2016

Selling book, old notes, and old study guides for class
text ********** if interested

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
June 20, 2013

I had the pleasure of having Professor Gillespie my first quarter at UCLA, and now after having him a second time for his Humid Tropics class, I can't get enough! He is so entertaining and so caring of his students! He definitely just wants you to learn and does not try to trick you on his exams. There is a group project, a midterm and a final. The tests are fair and the amount of work given per position in the group projects is more than fair. Would recommend this professor to anyone, and I am not even a Geography major!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
June 20, 2013

Progessor G is an amazing Professor! He is hands down probably the best professor in the department. His lectures are NEVER boring! This is the one of the few classes at UCLA that I truly learned a lot from. His tests are very easy, he gives you a study guide a few days before the tests. Learn the study guide and the test should be no problem!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
June 20, 2011

Although everyone said he is easy, I ended up a bad grade in this class.
Compare to other classes, this class is relatively fewer readings. This class is mostly based on what Professor Gillespie is saying in class.
There is no hw assignments, one midterm worths 30%, final 40% and a group project 25%, the remaining 5% is an Aquarium field trip.
I am not a person that good at recongizing living things. And his test is easy for most of the people because you only have to recongize the types of fishes/trees/corals he talked about in class. I did really bad on this part and most of my points lost on this part in my midterm. I would recommend this class because he is funny in class and he is really helpful during office hour. He knew I did badly on midterm but he didn't ignore or give up his student. I appreciate Dr. Gillespie a lot!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
Nov. 27, 2009

Hands down one of the best professors i have ever had at UCLA. His Humid tropics class 113 is extremely engaging, making it easy to learn the material. His exams are more than fair. He is easy if you get your facts down, basically memorization. Also, he is extremely funny, always making fun of some culture, place, or specific person in the class. Finally if you get the highest grade in the class you get a plane ticket to the tropics... enough said. There needs to be more gillespies...

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: N/A
Grade: N/A
March 21, 2009

Wow! This class was awesome! I learned so much about the tropics and I want to go there like right now. Very approachable and he's very down to earth.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
1 of 2
4.8
Overall Rating
Based on 23 Users
Easiness 3.9 / 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 3.8 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 4.8 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

TOP TAGS

  • Uses Slides
    (2)
  • Tolerates Tardiness
    (1)
  • Needs Textbook
    (3)
  • Engaging Lectures
    (2)
  • Appropriately Priced Materials
    (2)
  • Snazzy Dresser
    (1)
  • Often Funny
    (2)
  • Would Take Again
    (1)
  • Has Group Projects
    (2)
  • Issues PTEs
    (1)
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