Reviews of professor Brenner Fissell

Rating: 2.0/5, difficulty: 3.0/5
He may be good for crim but he was awful for ethics. He did not teach us at all, it was purely a conversation b/w him & 3/4 students. He would assign a reading, barely go over the reading, discuss 1-2 of the many cases in that reading. I had to learn ethics from quiet possibly the most uninformative book ever published. The MPRE was easier.

Rating: 4.0/5, difficulty: 4.0/5
PROS: Lays out what the elements are, doesn't "hide the ball." Engaging class discussions. Fascinating curriculum he put together. Rewards reading things not discussed in lecture. Engaging and funny lectures. CONS: Brutal cold-caller. No individual feedback on midterms. Not a particularly nice guy.

Rating: 5.0/5, difficulty: 4.0/5
Classes were all discussion oriented with necessary back and forth. Cold called from hell early on but then chilled as the semester went on. Must prepare for his class beforehand! The final was open book essay format; difficult but fair. I enjoyed his class tremendously. Hofstra is lucky to have him!! Looking forward to taking Ethics with him.

Rating: 4.0/5, difficulty: 4.0/5
Professor Fissell is very funny and energetic when teaching. He has a ton of office hours which he encourages students to stop by.

Rating: 5.0/5, difficulty: 3.0/5
The best professor Hofstra has ever had. He is very clear with his grading criteria and makes complex topics seem easy because he explains them so well.

Rating: 5.0/5, difficulty: 3.0/5
I loved Professor Fissell! He was very clear about the readings - everything that was assigned was covered in class. Although his cold calls can be a little scary in the beginning, he's just preparing you for the level of professionalism that is expected. Fantastic lecturer, I really learned a lot about the material. Final was open book.

Rating: 5.0/5, difficulty: 3.0/5
Very fair class. Test is easy & fair since he concisely lays out the tests, standards, & elements for you. All you have to do is spot the issues, apply the law & write well. Do all of the readings, esp. the notes & know details. Cold calls can be easy if you just read. 25-35 pgs of reading per class. You'll definitely know crim pro for the bar.

Rating: 5.0/5, difficulty: 4.0/5
Read all of the homework carefully, esp. notes. The final isn't tricky. No mid-term/quizzes. Make sure you understand what's going on. Don't try to wing it; he'll sense it, cold call you and shred you a new one. He's absolutely hilarious and very smart. I will definitely retake him. Just remember, sea turtles don't swim 1000 miles away from land.