Caitlin Brown
Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences
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4.4
Overall Rating
Based on 41 Users
Easiness 4.2 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 4.3 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 4.2 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 4.6 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

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  • Uses Slides
GRADE DISTRIBUTIONS
53.4%
44.5%
35.6%
26.7%
17.8%
8.9%
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.

37.5%
31.2%
25.0%
18.7%
12.5%
6.2%
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.

22.4%
18.6%
14.9%
11.2%
7.5%
3.7%
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.

ENROLLMENT DISTRIBUTIONS
Clear marks

Sorry, no enrollment data is available.

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Reviews (36)

2 of 4
2 of 4
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Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: A+
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
June 27, 2023

I'm an engineering major, I took this just to fulfill GE requirements but I loved this class. I found it incredibly interesting and super easy. Most of your grade is basically given to you for free. Tips: 1. Ask your TA's if you're not sure on lab answers. They will probably just give you the answer. 2. Don't overthink the lab quizzes. They're not designed to trick you. 3. Go over the study guide and lecture slides a couple times for the tests and you'll ace them. She curves them too, but you shouldn't need it, everything in this class is super easy. Take the class! You'll have fun and have almost no work to do for it ever.

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Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: N/A
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
June 18, 2023

this class is interesting, the tests are easy, the professor is nice, the grade distribution is generous, and the only homework you have is weekly five-question quizzes that you can take as many times as you want until you get a 5/5. I can't recommend this class enough.

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Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
April 28, 2023

This class was randomly so difficult this quarter. I know this is supposed to be an easy science GE but I just did NOT feel that way. There was a LOT of memorization to be done for the exams (I think this was the first quarter that this class was going to be back in person for lectures, exams, etc.) and it was so much information that I just genuinely was not interested in at all for a GE.

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Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
April 5, 2023

I was a total dinosaur kid in elementary school so this was the perfect science ge to take, especially since I'm really really really bad at science. Labs were really fun since we just looked at fossils and pictures of dinosaurs. The midterm and final were pretty easy as well, especially since they were online (although this might have been because of covid idk). We also had weekly online quizzes with unlimited retakes. Honestly I didn't need the textbook, just go to lecture! Professor Brown is really cool too, and we got to learn about her work with the La Brea Tar Pits!

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Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: B-
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
July 31, 2022

Okay so this class did not dissapoint. I loved it from begining to end. Professor Brown is an awsome lecturer, though sometimes she does gove a lot of information and goes through it pretty quickly. Regardless, learning about dinosaurs and what actually qualifies as one in more detail is pretty freaking awsome. Before every lecture started she'd play a scene from the Land Before Time or from the Jurassic Park/World movies. I also really enjoyed the labs and how at the very first lab she took us on a walk around campus to mirror a timline of ancient life on earth. There was a lot of information to sort through, but I'd take this class again. She was also very helpful to answer questions during office hours and broke down any concepts I had issues with. After class if something is bothering you from lectures or your confused don't be afraid to go up to her and ask. She'll definitely answer your question.

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Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A+
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
July 27, 2022

BEST CLASS I HAVE EVER TAKEN AT UCLA. Take this at all costs! This class was absolutely fascinating. Labs were like group projects where you got to analyze real dinosaur bones! The workload of the class was easy and our midterm and final was open note. I wish i could untake the class so i can take it again. I went to see Jurassic World after the class and I could name every dinosaur and say facts about each! Also, Professor Brown is freaking HILARIOUS. She had us all laughing our heads off.

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Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A+
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
June 25, 2022

This is a great course for a science GE. You certainly learn a lot about dinosaurs and their relatives- species, anatomy, ecology, etc. Brown is a pretty good professor. Her lectures are easy to follow and she presents information clearly. Grading is fair and is based on weekly reading quizzes, labs, lab quizzes, a midterm, and a final. Quizzes can be done without the readings, but the two books she assigns are very insightful for the course so I recommend reading them. Labs are interesting but can be tough. The midterm and final require studying- in my opinion, the midterm was a lot harder than the final. All in all, a good GE, especially for non-STEM majors.

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Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
June 22, 2022

I thought that this class was great overall. Professor Brown was super accommodating and friendly during Covid times since our midterm and final were all online. The only thing is that she talks pretty fast during lectures, so it can be a little difficult to keep up with her while writing notes. However, she posts her lectures on Canvas and the slides, so I wouldn't worry about that aspect. The midterm and the final were pretty fair, but I felt like I got lucky with the tests being online because some of the questions were slightly difficult if you did not study. With that being said, the final/midterm will most likely be in-person after the spring 2022 quarter, so keep that in mind.

The labs were very easy and the grading was extremely generous. Shoutout to my TA Leslie!!! She was super sweet, kept the labs super engaging, and helped us every step of the way. She definitely made this more of a fun class rather than a GE you have to mindlessly take. The lab quizzes were straightforward since Dr.Brown let us use the lab answer keys to answer questions and they were 5 questions/multiple choice. There are also readings, but to be honest, I never read anything and still got an A at the end of the quarter. Overall, I would recommend taking this class because of the interesting content, friendly professor, and chill TAs. However, if the exams are in person, make sure to really study!

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Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A
June 19, 2022

Prof. Brown was so cool! This class is a great GE. It's definitely worth taking if you're trying to fulfill a lab requirement, and the material was super interesting.

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Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A-
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
June 17, 2022

I took this class, like many, as a science G.E. Honestly it was more of a pain that I expected, but in the end I would still recommend it given that an A- or above I think is easily attainable if you put the work in and go to class and pay attention (honestly though, I didn't even pay attention that much). Professor Brown is so sweet. She is really funny, smart, and really cares about her students. You can tell she is passionate and knowledgeable about dinosaurs and teaching, and that makes for really engaging lectures. However, honestly, I found the content to be really bland. It had nothing to do with Professor Brown's teaching style, but I really just didn't connect to the science concepts like bio and looking at bones, etc. etc. You will basically get full credit on labs as long as you show up, but they can be a little frustrating to do. My TA Jason was more or less helpful (lol) but overall super easy points. My lab never went over an hour even though it was scheduled for two. The tests were fair. A ton of questions from the final were literally taken directly from a practice reading quiz she had sent out, so I highly recommend reviewing any materials she sends before midterms/tests. Overall, this is a decent class that works well for a science GE (especially coming from a North Campus major) and it's kind of interesting to learn about dinos... but probably not as much as you think . :)

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Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: A+
June 27, 2023

I'm an engineering major, I took this just to fulfill GE requirements but I loved this class. I found it incredibly interesting and super easy. Most of your grade is basically given to you for free. Tips: 1. Ask your TA's if you're not sure on lab answers. They will probably just give you the answer. 2. Don't overthink the lab quizzes. They're not designed to trick you. 3. Go over the study guide and lecture slides a couple times for the tests and you'll ace them. She curves them too, but you shouldn't need it, everything in this class is super easy. Take the class! You'll have fun and have almost no work to do for it ever.

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0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2023
Grade: N/A
June 18, 2023

this class is interesting, the tests are easy, the professor is nice, the grade distribution is generous, and the only homework you have is weekly five-question quizzes that you can take as many times as you want until you get a 5/5. I can't recommend this class enough.

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Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A
April 28, 2023

This class was randomly so difficult this quarter. I know this is supposed to be an easy science GE but I just did NOT feel that way. There was a LOT of memorization to be done for the exams (I think this was the first quarter that this class was going to be back in person for lectures, exams, etc.) and it was so much information that I just genuinely was not interested in at all for a GE.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A
April 5, 2023

I was a total dinosaur kid in elementary school so this was the perfect science ge to take, especially since I'm really really really bad at science. Labs were really fun since we just looked at fossils and pictures of dinosaurs. The midterm and final were pretty easy as well, especially since they were online (although this might have been because of covid idk). We also had weekly online quizzes with unlimited retakes. Honestly I didn't need the textbook, just go to lecture! Professor Brown is really cool too, and we got to learn about her work with the La Brea Tar Pits!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: B-
July 31, 2022

Okay so this class did not dissapoint. I loved it from begining to end. Professor Brown is an awsome lecturer, though sometimes she does gove a lot of information and goes through it pretty quickly. Regardless, learning about dinosaurs and what actually qualifies as one in more detail is pretty freaking awsome. Before every lecture started she'd play a scene from the Land Before Time or from the Jurassic Park/World movies. I also really enjoyed the labs and how at the very first lab she took us on a walk around campus to mirror a timline of ancient life on earth. There was a lot of information to sort through, but I'd take this class again. She was also very helpful to answer questions during office hours and broke down any concepts I had issues with. After class if something is bothering you from lectures or your confused don't be afraid to go up to her and ask. She'll definitely answer your question.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A+
July 27, 2022

BEST CLASS I HAVE EVER TAKEN AT UCLA. Take this at all costs! This class was absolutely fascinating. Labs were like group projects where you got to analyze real dinosaur bones! The workload of the class was easy and our midterm and final was open note. I wish i could untake the class so i can take it again. I went to see Jurassic World after the class and I could name every dinosaur and say facts about each! Also, Professor Brown is freaking HILARIOUS. She had us all laughing our heads off.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A+
June 25, 2022

This is a great course for a science GE. You certainly learn a lot about dinosaurs and their relatives- species, anatomy, ecology, etc. Brown is a pretty good professor. Her lectures are easy to follow and she presents information clearly. Grading is fair and is based on weekly reading quizzes, labs, lab quizzes, a midterm, and a final. Quizzes can be done without the readings, but the two books she assigns are very insightful for the course so I recommend reading them. Labs are interesting but can be tough. The midterm and final require studying- in my opinion, the midterm was a lot harder than the final. All in all, a good GE, especially for non-STEM majors.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A
June 22, 2022

I thought that this class was great overall. Professor Brown was super accommodating and friendly during Covid times since our midterm and final were all online. The only thing is that she talks pretty fast during lectures, so it can be a little difficult to keep up with her while writing notes. However, she posts her lectures on Canvas and the slides, so I wouldn't worry about that aspect. The midterm and the final were pretty fair, but I felt like I got lucky with the tests being online because some of the questions were slightly difficult if you did not study. With that being said, the final/midterm will most likely be in-person after the spring 2022 quarter, so keep that in mind.

The labs were very easy and the grading was extremely generous. Shoutout to my TA Leslie!!! She was super sweet, kept the labs super engaging, and helped us every step of the way. She definitely made this more of a fun class rather than a GE you have to mindlessly take. The lab quizzes were straightforward since Dr.Brown let us use the lab answer keys to answer questions and they were 5 questions/multiple choice. There are also readings, but to be honest, I never read anything and still got an A at the end of the quarter. Overall, I would recommend taking this class because of the interesting content, friendly professor, and chill TAs. However, if the exams are in person, make sure to really study!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A
June 19, 2022

Prof. Brown was so cool! This class is a great GE. It's definitely worth taking if you're trying to fulfill a lab requirement, and the material was super interesting.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Spring 2022
Grade: A-
June 17, 2022

I took this class, like many, as a science G.E. Honestly it was more of a pain that I expected, but in the end I would still recommend it given that an A- or above I think is easily attainable if you put the work in and go to class and pay attention (honestly though, I didn't even pay attention that much). Professor Brown is so sweet. She is really funny, smart, and really cares about her students. You can tell she is passionate and knowledgeable about dinosaurs and teaching, and that makes for really engaging lectures. However, honestly, I found the content to be really bland. It had nothing to do with Professor Brown's teaching style, but I really just didn't connect to the science concepts like bio and looking at bones, etc. etc. You will basically get full credit on labs as long as you show up, but they can be a little frustrating to do. My TA Jason was more or less helpful (lol) but overall super easy points. My lab never went over an hour even though it was scheduled for two. The tests were fair. A ton of questions from the final were literally taken directly from a practice reading quiz she had sent out, so I highly recommend reviewing any materials she sends before midterms/tests. Overall, this is a decent class that works well for a science GE (especially coming from a North Campus major) and it's kind of interesting to learn about dinos... but probably not as much as you think . :)

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
2 of 4
4.4
Overall Rating
Based on 41 Users
Easiness 4.2 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 4.3 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 4.2 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 4.6 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

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  • Uses Slides
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