DO NOT TAKE MALKAN FOR ASTRO 6 ... I REPEAT ... DO NOT TAKE MALKAN FOR ASTRO 6 ... I am currently sitting in Week 6 of Malkan's class, and let me tell you, it will be the worst class you have ever taken at UCLA. In the beginning, he claims that the class is designed for nonmajors (I'm a polisci major) but is taught in similar ways as he teaches his astronomy major classes, which is the first red flag. However, I thought I had a general enough knowledge of math/science to get through this class (I took AP bio, chem, calc BC, and stats in high school). Boy was I wrong. It wasn't until later in the quarter that I realized unless you have taken college chem and/or physics, you are absolutely screwed for this class. He claims this is not a math-based class, but literally the whole free response is complicated math problems which he doesn't even teach. I have not taken physics, and I was literally screwed for almost all the free response. Mind you I had a 4.46 GPA in high school and took 10 AP classes and 2 community college classes, and I al afraid I'm going to fail the class. Don't put yourself through this.

I truly believe that Prof. Malkan gets way too much hate for no good reason. While, yes, he has the tendency to brush over details, I think he's just SO passionate about the course concepts that he gets carried away a bit. I wouldn't recommend taking this class as a GE to be honest because it is pretty difficult. If you're looking for something to give you an easy A, this is not your class. But, I'm a humanities major who has no background in physics or chem (except for Sophomore year high school) and I'm doing fine. It was a learning curve at first, but now I'm fine. Like yah his tests are hard, but you go to UCLA... get used to it??! I might just be annoying hyping him up like this, but the comments I've seen on bruin walk are so CRAZY. Y'all exaggerated tf out of it.