HLTH377 | PlanetTerp

Information	Review
Jenna Messman HLTH377 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/17/2024	Dr. Messman seems so sweet and passionate about student's learning and the class! This class is one of the easiest I have taken in my time at UMD, but also one of the most interesting! There are weekly lecture videos posted and weekly quizzes/reflections/discussion, but they do not take much time and are very easy! The lecture videos are not too long and very interesting! The midterm and final are all multiple-choice and not hard at all, and the weekly quizzes prepare you for them. There is even 3 opportunities for extra credit and I ended with above a 100%. Even though many take this class for easy credits, I feel that the content in the course is truly helpful for any future healthcare professionals and everyone in general! I learned a lot and this class was one of my favorites!
Jenna Messman HLTH377 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/18/2023	This is probably the easiest 3 credit class I've taken at this school. I would put in around 30 minutes to this class weekly and easily got an A. You have weekly quizzes and reflections, but they are super easy. There were two non-cumulative exams, and many of the questions were similar to quiz questions. Averages were high 90s on them. Only annoying part is you are required to use a lockdown browser.
Jenna Messman HLTH377 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/14/2023	Dr. Messman for HLTH377 was a great professor and caring professor. The course was very informative and manageable with weekly lectures and short multiple choice quizzes. It also consist of 2 exams, a reflection paper and little discussion which was all very simple and easy to do. I would recommend HLTH377 to students that need a elective to take that as a class
Jenna Messman HLTH377 Expecting an A Anonymous 08/12/2023	This class takes me like 2 hours max/week, has super interesting content, is basically an easy A, and is completely asynchronous (except exams- you have a 7 hour window for a 2 hour exam). Dr. Messman did an excellent job making all the lecture video interesting, informative, and actually helpful and relevant to your life. Highly recommend!
Jenna Messman HLTH377 Expecting an A Anonymous 06/06/2023	Streamlined. Perfect asynch class if you have a busy lifestyle, other things to focus on, etc. Did this during the Winter term, which is 3 weeks, and did not feel like I was under a burden at all. Delightful teacher.
Jenna Messman HLTH377 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/21/2023	This is a really great class if you like learning asynchronously and online. All of the topics covered were interesting and useful. The professor and TA were extremely friendly and easy to communicate with.
Jenna Messman HLTH377 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 01/12/2021	I had Dr. Messman for HLTH377 and she was a very good professor. The course was interesting and she did a good job of explaining the material. The class is very straight forward and workload is very straightforward and manageable. I would recommend HLTH377 as a class for those who are looking for a three credit course to take.
Jenna Beckwith HLTH377 Anonymous 12/20/2020	Dr. Messman is super passionate and caring! Class is not difficult and really interesting.
Jenna Beckwith HLTH377 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 11/22/2019	Jenna is super nice, she gives plenty of opportunities for extra credit which can really raise your grade. She delivers the information in an interesting way and wants her students to succeed. A lot of the information is common sense or well known but go to class because the clicker questions make up a significant portion of your grade.
Robin Sawyer HLTH377 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 01/22/2015	I have been trying to find a professor at UMD that genuinely loves what they do. Sawyer has a passion for his work and it is evident through class lectures. I took this class over Winter 2014 and would recommend that anyone take it. As long as you're going to take the time to watch the online lectures and take notes you will do well. All lectures are posted online as soon as the class opens and exams are scheduled for each Friday of the three week course. No need to buy the book for this shortened semester as Sawyer will tell you everything that you need to know. Do yourself a favor and take this class.
Robin Sawyer HLTH377 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 07/03/2014	Prof. Sawyer is awesome and funny. I took his class online during the summer, and basically, you just need to listen to his lectures and take really good notes. Exams are all multiple choice, online, and come directly from what he talks about in class. Don't need the textbook at all. I found it to be a very easy class, also in part because it is also really interesting and the professor is hilarious. Everyone should take this class before they graduate!!!
Robin Sawyer HLTH377 Expecting an A Anonymous 10/31/2012	Literally the best class I've taken at Maryland. Dr. Sawyer is hilarious and if you pay attention, it's an easy A. Take it if you can!
Robin Sawyer HLTH377 Expecting a B vvvvv 05/16/2012	1) This class is overrated but not horrible. 2) Exams are pretty tough because there are only 2 and there is a lot of info to cover. 3) DO NOT TAKE NOTES: 90% of the notes are online for free (http://www.bookholders.com/terpnotes.asp). Print this out and as he lectures all you need to do is read the notes and write down everything he says that is not already on the notes (there are a lot of pages but it will save you a lot of time) 4) go to class because the online notes dont have everyting 5)dont think you need text book. You need some pages from workbook for HW but you can ask someone in class to photocopy (do that early in the semester!) 6)final was harder than the midterm
Robin Sawyer HLTH377 Expecting an A whydidyoueatmyfries 12/17/2011	Sawyer is incredibly funny. He is one of the few teachers who actually brings in GOOD guest speakers. I will say that his exams are kind of annoying and weirdly specific. But, as long as you go to class and take notes you'll be fine. If possible take the class with a friend so that you can compare notes! Oh, and don't bother buying the textbook because his exams are purely based on class lectures.
Robin Sawyer HLTH377 Expecting a B+ Anonymous 12/16/2011	Agreeing with KFuller here. Learned nothing that I hadn't already learned from high school health and Scarleteen. Additionally, while Prof. Sawyer generally knows his stuff with regard to history and more clinical issues like anatomy, sexual functioning, STIs, and sexual dysfunction, he presented particularly bare sections on subjects like queer sexuality, trans issues, and fetishes/kink, where it felt like he was just reading from a textbook. He made lots of little mistakes that I'd think would be absurdly simple for a 30-year sex ed teacher to avoid, like continually confusing 'sex' and 'gender' and misspelling names of the researchers' work he tried to teach about. However, those are smaller issues compared to the manner in which the class was taught. Its main audience is the heterosexual college student who knows little about sex, doesn't talk much to anyone outside their gender, and doesn't communicate well in relationships. Prof. Sawyer often pokes fun of kids who say anything about enjoying sex outside the norm. If you're queer, trans, non-gender-conforming, kinky, or even just female, you're going to feel like an outsider at some point in the class. The tests are also problematic. Each is a 100 point scantron, asking incredibly specific (and often trivial) questions. For example, a test this term included a question asking (I paraphrase), 'Which vole is sluttier, the prairie vole or the montane vole?". You need to attend every lecture, as some of the questions are addressed by neither the posted Powerpoint notes nor the text. Homework is graded (it appears) on completion, and only makes up ~9% of the grade.
Robin Sawyer HLTH377 Expecting a B KFuller 03/29/2011	This course and professor have both been overrated. This is a relatively useless class resembling high school health. It is only good to fulfill advanced core, but there are tons of other, better courses to take. You have to go to class and take notes in order to do well on the tests, and a lot of the questions aren't even presented in lecture. Tests ask very specific questions, so you have to study just about everything and it is very tedious
Robin Sawyer HLTH377 Expecting an A Solei 12/20/2010	Professor Sawyer is my FAVORITE professor by far!! He is the funniest teacher I've ever had in my school career. THIS GUY SHOULD BE FAMOUS! He definitely knows his stuff, too. He's been teaching Sex Education for 30 years or more, and he wrote our book! As mentioned in the other review, it is a bit hard to get in the class but you ABSOLUTELY MUST take this class before you graduate!! The course material is plentiful, but nevertheless very interesting. The exams are easy (not tricky at all) if you take notes on what he lectures and study the slides. Overall, very amazing class and professor, and I would recommend this class to any student regardless of year standing.. I would take this class again if I could!
Robin Sawyer HLTH377 Expecting an A rbterp 12/14/2009	Dr. Sawyer's class is the class you MUST take before you graduate from UMCP (if you can get in...)!!! He is hilarious and obviously, the subject matter is very interesting :) Just a note: I would recommend comparing notes w/a friend or looking on Bookholders for notes b/c he tends to test pretty detailed information that you might not know by looking at only your notes alone. You don't need the textbook, but I would definitely recommend "Sexpertise".

Jenna Messman
HLTH377

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
05/17/2024

Dr. Messman seems so sweet and passionate about student's learning and the class! This class is one of the easiest I have taken in my time at UMD, but also one of the most interesting! There are weekly lecture videos posted and weekly quizzes/reflections/discussion, but they do not take much time and are very easy! The lecture videos are not too long and very interesting! The midterm and final are all multiple-choice and not hard at all, and the weekly quizzes prepare you for them. There is even 3 opportunities for extra credit and I ended with above a 100%. Even though many take this class for easy credits, I feel that the content in the course is truly helpful for any future healthcare professionals and everyone in general! I learned a lot and this class was one of my favorites!

Jenna Messman
HLTH377

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/18/2023

This is probably the easiest 3 credit class I've taken at this school. I would put in around 30 minutes to this class weekly and easily got an A. You have weekly quizzes and reflections, but they are super easy. There were two non-cumulative exams, and many of the questions were similar to quiz questions. Averages were high 90s on them. Only annoying part is you are required to use a lockdown browser.

Jenna Messman
HLTH377

Expecting an A
Anonymous
12/14/2023

Dr. Messman for HLTH377 was a great professor and caring professor. The course was very informative and manageable with weekly lectures and short multiple choice quizzes. It also consist of 2 exams, a reflection paper and little discussion which was all very simple and easy to do. I would recommend HLTH377 to students that need a elective to take that as a class

Jenna Messman
HLTH377

Expecting an A
Anonymous
08/12/2023

This class takes me like 2 hours max/week, has super interesting content, is basically an easy A, and is completely asynchronous (except exams- you have a 7 hour window for a 2 hour exam). Dr. Messman did an excellent job making all the lecture video interesting, informative, and actually helpful and relevant to your life. Highly recommend!

Jenna Messman
HLTH377

Expecting an A
Anonymous
06/06/2023

Streamlined. Perfect asynch class if you have a busy lifestyle, other things to focus on, etc. Did this during the Winter term, which is 3 weeks, and did not feel like I was under a burden at all. Delightful teacher.

Jenna Messman
HLTH377

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
05/21/2023

This is a really great class if you like learning asynchronously and online. All of the topics covered were interesting and useful. The professor and TA were extremely friendly and easy to communicate with.

Jenna Messman
HLTH377

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
01/12/2021

I had Dr. Messman for HLTH377 and she was a very good professor. The course was interesting and she did a good job of explaining the material. The class is very straight forward and workload is very straightforward and manageable. I would recommend HLTH377 as a class for those who are looking for a three credit course to take.

Jenna Beckwith
HLTH377

Anonymous
12/20/2020

Dr. Messman is super passionate and caring! Class is not difficult and really interesting.

Jenna Beckwith
HLTH377

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
11/22/2019

Jenna is super nice, she gives plenty of opportunities for extra credit which can really raise your grade. She delivers the information in an interesting way and wants her students to succeed. A lot of the information is common sense or well known but go to class because the clicker questions make up a significant portion of your grade.

Robin Sawyer
HLTH377

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
01/22/2015

I have been trying to find a professor at UMD that genuinely loves what they do. Sawyer has a passion for his work and it is evident through class lectures. I took this class over Winter 2014 and would recommend that anyone take it. As long as you're going to take the time to watch the online lectures and take notes you will do well. All lectures are posted online as soon as the class opens and exams are scheduled for each Friday of the three week course. No need to buy the book for this shortened semester as Sawyer will tell you everything that you need to know. Do yourself a favor and take this class.

Robin Sawyer
HLTH377

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
07/03/2014

Prof. Sawyer is awesome and funny. I took his class online during the summer, and basically, you just need to listen to his lectures and take really good notes. Exams are all multiple choice, online, and come directly from what he talks about in class. Don't need the textbook at all. I found it to be a very easy class, also in part because it is also really interesting and the professor is hilarious. Everyone should take this class before they graduate!!!

Robin Sawyer
HLTH377

Expecting an A
Anonymous
10/31/2012

Literally the best class I've taken at Maryland. Dr. Sawyer is hilarious and if you pay attention, it's an easy A. Take it if you can!

Robin Sawyer
HLTH377

Expecting a B
vvvvv
05/16/2012

1) This class is overrated but not horrible. 2) Exams are pretty tough because there are only 2 and there is a lot of info to cover. 3) DO NOT TAKE NOTES: 90% of the notes are online for free (http://www.bookholders.com/terpnotes.asp). Print this out and as he lectures all you need to do is read the notes and write down everything he says that is not already on the notes (there are a lot of pages but it will save you a lot of time) 4) go to class because the online notes dont have everyting 5)dont think you need text book. You need some pages from workbook for HW but you can ask someone in class to photocopy (do that early in the semester!) 6)final was harder than the midterm

Robin Sawyer
HLTH377

Expecting an A
whydidyoueatmyfries
12/17/2011

Sawyer is incredibly funny. He is one of the few teachers who actually brings in GOOD guest speakers. I will say that his exams are kind of annoying and weirdly specific. But, as long as you go to class and take notes you'll be fine. If possible take the class with a friend so that you can compare notes! Oh, and don't bother buying the textbook because his exams are purely based on class lectures.

Robin Sawyer
HLTH377

Expecting a B+
Anonymous
12/16/2011

Agreeing with KFuller here. Learned nothing that I hadn't already learned from high school health and Scarleteen. Additionally, while Prof. Sawyer generally knows his stuff with regard to history and more clinical issues like anatomy, sexual functioning, STIs, and sexual dysfunction, he presented particularly bare sections on subjects like queer sexuality, trans issues, and fetishes/kink, where it felt like he was just reading from a textbook. He made lots of little mistakes that I'd think would be absurdly simple for a 30-year sex ed teacher to avoid, like continually confusing 'sex' and 'gender' and misspelling names of the researchers' work he tried to teach about. However, those are smaller issues compared to the manner in which the class was taught. Its main audience is the heterosexual college student who knows little about sex, doesn't talk much to anyone outside their gender, and doesn't communicate well in relationships. Prof. Sawyer often pokes fun of kids who say anything about enjoying sex outside the norm. If you're queer, trans, non-gender-conforming, kinky, or even just female, you're going to feel like an outsider at some point in the class. The tests are also problematic. Each is a 100 point scantron, asking incredibly specific (and often trivial) questions. For example, a test this term included a question asking (I paraphrase), 'Which vole is sluttier, the prairie vole or the montane vole?". You need to attend every lecture, as some of the questions are addressed by neither the posted Powerpoint notes nor the text. Homework is graded (it appears) on completion, and only makes up ~9% of the grade.

Robin Sawyer
HLTH377

Expecting a B
KFuller
03/29/2011

This course and professor have both been overrated. This is a relatively useless class resembling high school health. It is only good to fulfill advanced core, but there are tons of other, better courses to take. You have to go to class and take notes in order to do well on the tests, and a lot of the questions aren't even presented in lecture. Tests ask very specific questions, so you have to study just about everything and it is very tedious

Robin Sawyer
HLTH377

Expecting an A
Solei
12/20/2010

Professor Sawyer is my FAVORITE professor by far!! He is the funniest teacher I've ever had in my school career. THIS GUY SHOULD BE FAMOUS! He definitely knows his stuff, too. He's been teaching Sex Education for 30 years or more, and he wrote our book! As mentioned in the other review, it is a bit hard to get in the class but you ABSOLUTELY MUST take this class before you graduate!! The course material is plentiful, but nevertheless very interesting. The exams are easy (not tricky at all) if you take notes on what he lectures and study the slides. Overall, very amazing class and professor, and I would recommend this class to any student regardless of year standing.. I would take this class again if I could!

Robin Sawyer
HLTH377

Expecting an A
rbterp
12/14/2009

Dr. Sawyer's class is the class you MUST take before you graduate from UMCP (if you can get in...)!!! He is hilarious and obviously, the subject matter is very interesting :) Just a note: I would recommend comparing notes w/a friend or looking on Bookholders for notes b/c he tends to test pretty detailed information that you might not know by looking at only your notes alone. You don't need the textbook, but I would definitely recommend "Sexpertise".

Reviews for HLTH377