Professor profile for Shyamal Mitra
Student reviews of Shyamal Mitra
Review from a student who took C S 303E
Okay, so the course workload isn't too tough in the "Intro to Computing" class, although it might be wise for UT to change the name of the class to "Introduction to Java Programming", then add an asterisk that reads: "Oh, by the way, you won't be getting any on-computer time during class." Perhaps a comp sci. major can handle this, but computer classes become insanely difficult when done as lecture-only classes. The tests were okay, but many of the concepts weren't very well explained. Allow me to make this analogy for the coursework. You remember back in middle school, in pre-algebra or algebra, when the last 2 problems of each 20 problem assignment would require enormous amounts of brainpower to complete? That is, those last 2 problems were hardly ever touched on in class? Yeah, that's nearly every programming assignment in this course. He's a cool guy, Professor Mitra is, I just don't know about this class. I hope this has been helpful.
Okay, so the course workload isn't too tough in the "Intro to Computing" class, although it might be wise for UT to change the name of the class to "Introduction to Java Programming", then add an asterisk that reads: "Oh, by the way, you won't be getting any on-computer time during class." Perhaps a comp sci. major can handle this, but computer classes become insanely difficult when done as lecture-only classes. The tests were okay, but many of the concepts weren't very well explained. Allow me to make this analogy for the coursework. You remember back in middle school, in pre-algebra or algebra, when the last 2 problems of each 20 problem assignment would require enormous amounts of brainpower to complete? That is, those last 2 problems were hardly ever touched on in class? Yeah, that's nearly every programming assignment in this course. He's a cool guy, Professor Mitra is, I just don't know about this class. I hope this has been helpful.
Review from a student who took CS 303E
Dr. Mitra is great. One of the best professors I've ever had. He is really fair and a great lecturer. I took CS 303E and it was one of my favorite classes, and I don't even like comp sci too much. I'm looking forward to taking CS 313E this semester. I highly recommend taking CS with Dr. Mitra.
Dr. Mitra is great. One of the best professors I've ever had. He is really fair and a great lecturer. I took CS 303E and it was one of my favorite classes, and I don't even like comp sci too much. I'm looking forward to taking CS 313E this semester. I highly recommend taking CS with Dr. Mitra.
Review from a student who took CS 303E
Mitra is a nice guy, who really cares about his students. That being said, if you already know how to program, prepare yourself, because this may or may not be painful. The course is designed for people who have never programmed before in their lives, so the assignments are relatively simple and straightforward. All the homework takes <5 min and the programs are 2 hours of work tops (that doesn't mean you should start them the night before). The tests are just like the homework and the programming, so if you do those, then you're set. Attendance is required, and will make up 10% of your grade. If you've never coded before, go to class; if you already know another programming language, bring the crossword.
Mitra is a nice guy, who really cares about his students. That being said, if you already know how to program, prepare yourself, because this may or may not be painful. The course is designed for people who have never programmed before in their lives, so the assignments are relatively simple and straightforward. All the homework takes <5 min and the programs are 2 hours of work tops (that doesn't mean you should start them the night before). The tests are just like the homework and the programming, so if you do those, then you're set. Attendance is required, and will make up 10% of your grade. If you've never coded before, go to class; if you already know another programming language, bring the crossword.
Review from a student who took CS 329E
Mitra is one of the best professors I've taken. Despite his Indian accent, he communicates very clearly with his students. He honestly cares how about you're doing in class, and tries to learn all the students' first names. If you take CS329E (Elements of Web Design) from him, there is a LOT of material, but he covers it very well and it's quite easy. His homework policy is very lenient (he grades easy and you can turn it in at any time for a late grade). The tests are straight-forward, some concept questions and some coding questions. One time, he even asked us to make questions for the midterm, and lo and behold--he really did use our questions. Take him if you can.
Mitra is one of the best professors I've taken. Despite his Indian accent, he communicates very clearly with his students. He honestly cares how about you're doing in class, and tries to learn all the students' first names. If you take CS329E (Elements of Web Design) from him, there is a LOT of material, but he covers it very well and it's quite easy. His homework policy is very lenient (he grades easy and you can turn it in at any time for a late grade). The tests are straight-forward, some concept questions and some coding questions. One time, he even asked us to make questions for the midterm, and lo and behold--he really did use our questions. Take him if you can.
Review from a student who took CS 313E
A superb professor and by far one of the best classes that I have taken at UT! Dr. Mitra's lectures are interesting since he delves into the historical background of computer science. The best part of the lecture is that he does not lecture from PowerPoint presentations like most professors, but interacts with the class. He assigns a weekly program which takes approximately 2-3 hours (40% of final grade). You can even turn in the programs late anytime during the semester for reasonable credit (not really necessary since the programs are easy). There are also two midterms (15% each of final grade). He creates the midterms based on what the class wants to see on them, and does not spring any surprises. Attendance is taken at lectures (10% of final grade). The final contributes the last 20% to your grade. Dr. Mitra's class is an easy A and you learn quite a bit in his class. He is very approachable, enthusiastic, and learns everybody's name. I would highly recommend Dr. Mitra and any class that he teaches.
A superb professor and by far one of the best classes that I have taken at UT! Dr. Mitra's lectures are interesting since he delves into the historical background of computer science. The best part of the lecture is that he does not lecture from PowerPoint presentations like most professors, but interacts with the class. He assigns a weekly program which takes approximately 2-3 hours (40% of final grade). You can even turn in the programs late anytime during the semester for reasonable credit (not really necessary since the programs are easy). There are also two midterms (15% each of final grade). He creates the midterms based on what the class wants to see on them, and does not spring any surprises. Attendance is taken at lectures (10% of final grade). The final contributes the last 20% to your grade. Dr. Mitra's class is an easy A and you learn quite a bit in his class. He is very approachable, enthusiastic, and learns everybody's name. I would highly recommend Dr. Mitra and any class that he teaches.
Review from a student who took CS313E
I took prof Mitra for both 303E and 313E. He is a great professor and i would recommend him to anyone wanting to learn java. He is enthusiastic and encourages his students to learn and ask questions. 303E was a WHOLE LOT EASIER than 313E. We have a program a week and he tries to be reasonable with the material. In 313E, he steps up the class alittle bit and you have to be willing to be on top of things to do well. Computer science is hard but if you get Mitra, he will try and help you learn.
I took prof Mitra for both 303E and 313E. He is a great professor and i would recommend him to anyone wanting to learn java. He is enthusiastic and encourages his students to learn and ask questions. 303E was a WHOLE LOT EASIER than 313E. We have a program a week and he tries to be reasonable with the material. In 313E, he steps up the class alittle bit and you have to be willing to be on top of things to do well. Computer science is hard but if you get Mitra, he will try and help you learn.
Review from a student who took CS 303E
I took 303E with Dr. Mitra and he is simply superb. He goes in a very step-by-step manner explaining each concept thoroughly. He frequently asks the class for answers which means there is much audience participation which in turn helps people to learn and think. The programs are very manegable and take a day or two to complete. Dr. Mitra truly cares for the success of his students and it shines through in his lectures. Near the end of the course he has some lectures on real-life programming scenarios which was interesting. Overall this class is perfect for a non-major who is either A) Interested in computer science or B) needs this course for his/her major. He asks for student questions on some of his tests and actually uses these questions. He is very fair on tests and you leave the class learning a lot. I am taking CS 313 E with him right now. After the first program, he even took a poll of the class on how difficult people thought the assignment was. He either modifies future assignments (either keeps them the same or less difficult) or gives lots of help based on student response. This means if you provide sufficient effort into the class you will be rewarded with an A.
I took 303E with Dr. Mitra and he is simply superb. He goes in a very step-by-step manner explaining each concept thoroughly. He frequently asks the class for answers which means there is much audience participation which in turn helps people to learn and think. The programs are very manegable and take a day or two to complete. Dr. Mitra truly cares for the success of his students and it shines through in his lectures. Near the end of the course he has some lectures on real-life programming scenarios which was interesting. Overall this class is perfect for a non-major who is either A) Interested in computer science or B) needs this course for his/her major. He asks for student questions on some of his tests and actually uses these questions. He is very fair on tests and you leave the class learning a lot. I am taking CS 313 E with him right now. After the first program, he even took a poll of the class on how difficult people thought the assignment was. He either modifies future assignments (either keeps them the same or less difficult) or gives lots of help based on student response. This means if you provide sufficient effort into the class you will be rewarded with an A.
Review from a student who took C S 303E
He has you write one, maybe two programs a week. The courseload is very easy to manage. I'd definitely take another class with him.
He has you write one, maybe two programs a week. The courseload is very easy to manage. I'd definitely take another class with him.
Review from a student who took CS 312
Shyamal Mitra is one of the best professors I have had at UT. His approach to teaching is thorough, steady, and methodical. If students have opinions or concerns, he will listen and is very respectful toward the students. Introduction to Computer Programming was a great class and I enjoyed taking it from Mitra.
Shyamal Mitra is one of the best professors I have had at UT. His approach to teaching is thorough, steady, and methodical. If students have opinions or concerns, he will listen and is very respectful toward the students. Introduction to Computer Programming was a great class and I enjoyed taking it from Mitra.
Review from a student who took CS 312
YOU CAN DO IT! haha, awesome professor, but probably didn't learn as much had I had the opportunity to take Scott.
YOU CAN DO IT! haha, awesome professor, but probably didn't learn as much had I had the opportunity to take Scott.
Review from a student who took CS 303
He doesn't teach very well. Only take this class if you have a good understanding of CS. Otherwise he doesn't talk about how certain things work in much detail. For example he talks about lists for a few minutes and dives into very complicated HW assignments. And he'll make you feel like a remedial student for asking questions.
He doesn't teach very well. Only take this class if you have a good understanding of CS. Otherwise he doesn't talk about how certain things work in much detail. For example he talks about lists for a few minutes and dives into very complicated HW assignments. And he'll make you feel like a remedial student for asking questions.
Review from a student who took CS303E
Do not bother taking a class with Mitra, he does not understand computer science. I've been programming for the last 5 years and the way you learn programming in this class is horrible. At the same time he will show you 'Logic Problems" there is no logic to them. A logic problem can be solved using logic, these problems cannot. Instead he will give you a stupid answer on why the answer he came up with is correct. If you have to take an intro CS class, go to ACC and have it transfer over. It will be cheaper and you will probably learn something instead of wasting your time and money with this class.
Do not bother taking a class with Mitra, he does not understand computer science. I've been programming for the last 5 years and the way you learn programming in this class is horrible. At the same time he will show you 'Logic Problems" there is no logic to them. A logic problem can be solved using logic, these problems cannot. Instead he will give you a stupid answer on why the answer he came up with is correct. If you have to take an intro CS class, go to ACC and have it transfer over. It will be cheaper and you will probably learn something instead of wasting your time and money with this class.
Review from a student who took CS 303E
If you've had some exposure to programming before, this course will probably be fairly straightforward. For those who haven't had any exposure to programming before (i.e. me) this course might be tricky. There is no computer time in lecture and frankly learning how to program by writing it down in my notes is not the best way to learn how to program. The coding bat assignments given were okay. The weekly programming assignments, however, started off quite simple and progressively became more difficult. I didn't mind that too much since I had time to go and edit my code or ask Dr. Mitra/the TA's to help me out. I was also able to look up syntax should I forget it. The exams, however, were the worst part of the course. We could not refer to the Python library for the exact syntax (which is where I lost most of my points). I understood logically how to execute a program, but couldn't remember the exact syntax sometimes and would lose a hefty amount of points for that. I think having us memorize exact syntax to reproduce on a 50-minute exam is not truly learning the material. Programming is an iterative process and taking a written exam doesn't show anything except that I can memorize a bunch of syntax. I'd say if you are a first-time programmer taking this course, make sure you don't have a very heavy course-load since the assignments will eat up a lot of your time.
If you've had some exposure to programming before, this course will probably be fairly straightforward. For those who haven't had any exposure to programming before (i.e. me) this course might be tricky. There is no computer time in lecture and frankly learning how to program by writing it down in my notes is not the best way to learn how to program. The coding bat assignments given were okay. The weekly programming assignments, however, started off quite simple and progressively became more difficult. I didn't mind that too much since I had time to go and edit my code or ask Dr. Mitra/the TA's to help me out. I was also able to look up syntax should I forget it. The exams, however, were the worst part of the course. We could not refer to the Python library for the exact syntax (which is where I lost most of my points). I understood logically how to execute a program, but couldn't remember the exact syntax sometimes and would lose a hefty amount of points for that. I think having us memorize exact syntax to reproduce on a 50-minute exam is not truly learning the material. Programming is an iterative process and taking a written exam doesn't show anything except that I can memorize a bunch of syntax. I'd say if you are a first-time programmer taking this course, make sure you don't have a very heavy course-load since the assignments will eat up a lot of your time.
Review from a student who took CS 303E
Dr. Mitra is an excellent teacher and does his best to teach Python even to students with little programming experience. Sometimes this course is very difficult, but this is a result of the material itself, and not Dr. Mitra.
Dr. Mitra is an excellent teacher and does his best to teach Python even to students with little programming experience. Sometimes this course is very difficult, but this is a result of the material itself, and not Dr. Mitra.
Review from a student who took BFoGmXNCuoBzVTRxevz
IewGot Its hard to find good help I am regularly saying that its difficult to find good help, but here is
IewGot Its hard to find good help I am regularly saying that its difficult to find good help, but here is
Review from a student who took lDpWWWTKou
szlYLH Major thankies for the blog.Thanks Again. Great.
szlYLH Major thankies for the blog.Thanks Again. Great.
Review from a student who took xMmUlNnaBZb
vbn8P2 I'??ve recently started a web site, the information you offer on this site has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
vbn8P2 I'??ve recently started a web site, the information you offer on this site has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
Review from a student who took grGhlZKfdwCtBsgBn
fu0nar Wow! This could be one particular of the most beneficial blogs We ave ever arrive across on this subject. Actually Excellent. I am also an expert in this topic so I can understand your effort.
fu0nar Wow! This could be one particular of the most beneficial blogs We ave ever arrive across on this subject. Actually Excellent. I am also an expert in this topic so I can understand your effort.
Review from a student who took CS 303E
excellent professor!!!!!!!
excellent professor!!!!!!!
Review from a student who took CS 329E Web Programming
Excellent professor!!!!!!!
Excellent professor!!!!!!!
Review from a student who took RpgkWWTFWL
1ufGID Im obliged for the blog article.Thanks Again. Keep writing.
1ufGID Im obliged for the blog article.Thanks Again. Keep writing.
Review from a student who took CS303E
I graduated 3 years ago, and still continue to talk about my time in Mitra's class. He taught me more about how to think and logically solve problems than he did about CS - although his CS lectures were great too. Mitra teaches you how to think and how to structure problems in a way that makes them easy to solve, and I continue to use his techniques and my learnings from his class in my job today. I wish I took more of his lessons, and hope to one day sit in on his lectures again.
I graduated 3 years ago, and still continue to talk about my time in Mitra's class. He taught me more about how to think and logically solve problems than he did about CS - although his CS lectures were great too. Mitra teaches you how to think and how to structure problems in a way that makes them easy to solve, and I continue to use his techniques and my learnings from his class in my job today. I wish I took more of his lessons, and hope to one day sit in on his lectures again.