Class record · MUSP · MCAS

MUSP 1760

Introduction to Improvisation · 1 instructor on record · 8 sections

What the course score is made of

90BC evaluations8 records · weight ×1.0 · Spring 2022 – Spring 2026

—Student reviewsno reviews — does not contribute

—RateMyProfessorsno ratings — does not contribute

That is the class itself, averaged across everyone who taught it. Who taught it, and how each of them scored, is the board below — that is what a student picking a section is actually choosing between.

What the challenge rank is made of

23rdMore challenging than 23% of BC classesranked against every one we hold

85BC — “Intellectually Challenging”8 records · raw score out of 100

Boston College's own “intellectually challenging” question for this class only — students answer it positively about courses that stretched them, so it measures intellectual challenge and NOT grading, workload or quality. Almost every BC class scores high on it, which is why it is shown as a rank rather than a score.

What the workload rank is made of

2ndMore work than 2% of BC classesranked against every one we hold

32BC — “Workload”8 records · raw score out of 100

Boston College reports workload for this class only as one of five bands, not as a number of hours, and it does not publish what the bands mean — so this site will not translate it into hours. Higher means more work, which is not the same as worse.

Improvisation is a central feature of many Western musical styles. This course offers students the opportunity to learn how to improvise in jazz, blues and rock. In a hands-on manner, students are introduced to the fundamental concepts of improvising. No prior experience is necessary, and there is no prerequisite, but you should have at least some experience playing an instrument or singing. In addition to extensive in-class performance, accompaniment recordings are provided for practice outside class.

The only instructor on record

8 sections · nobody else has taught itFull record

Instructor	Overall	Workload	Challenge
Eric KniffinMusic	938 records	2nd	23rd

There is no ranking to read here: Eric Kniffin is the only instructor with evaluation records for MUSP 1760, so the number is a record, not a position.

Also taught by Eric Kniffin

3 other classes

Class	Instructors	Course score
MUSP 1766Intermediate Improvisation	14 records	99
MUSP 2710Advanced Improvisation	13 records	100
MUSP 1750Popular Styles Ensemble	12 records	100

Other MUSP classes

All of them

Class	Instructors	Course score
MUSP 2820Chamber Music Ensembles	420 records	93
MUSP 1660Middle East Astaza! Music Ensemble	314 records	96
MUSP 1670Waaw Waaw Sabar: BC West African Music Ensemble	214 records	95
MUSP 2750Musical Theater Cabaret	214 records	90
MUSP 1770Gospel Music Workshop	28 records	96
MUSP 1842The Boston College Piano Ensemble	18 records	96

The line

All 13 items · means across 8 records

The Professor4 items

Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.

9670th pctl

Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.

9024th pctl

Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.

9672nd pctl

Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.

9773rd pctl

The Course3 items

Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.

9358th pctl

Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.

8725th pctl

Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.

9353rd pctl

Assignments & Feedback3 items

Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.

8728th pctl

Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.

9991st pctl

Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.

9148th pctl

Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings

WorkloadHow much work the course took outside class, on Boston College's five-band scale — the band boundaries are not published, so this is not a number of hours.

322nd pctl

Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.

8523rd pctl

Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.

8830th pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. Every bar is one ink colour — nothing here is graded green or red. The hatched bars are not ratings at all: a higher number on either describes a different course, not a better one.

Game log

8 sections · newest first

Instructor	Term	Sec	Instr	Course	Work
Eric Kniffin	Spring 2026	01	96	100	20
Eric Kniffin	Fall 2025	01	100	100	—
Eric Kniffin	Spring 2025	01	100	98	40
Eric Kniffin	Fall 2024	01	93	95	—
Eric Kniffin	Fall 2023	01	—	—	—
Eric Kniffin	Spring 2023	01	60	60	40
Eric Kniffin	Fall 2022	01	100	80	40
Eric Kniffin	Spring 2022	01	100	100	20

How to read this boardInstructors are ranked on their record in this class only, never on their average across everything they teach. Scores are out of 100 — Boston College's 1–5 agreement scale, ×20, the way these numbers were printed for years. Workload is BC's own five-band figure, not a number of hours, and is shown as a rank. A dash means the question was not reported, and is never a zero.