Carney Curve

Boston College course evaluations · every published number, ranked class by class

Top of the board1.ECON 9902962.LAWS 8856973.PRTO 3300984.BSLW 2299975.PHIL 4932986.LAWS 8308987.SCWK 9960998.EESC 99011009.MUSP 16609610.UGMG 10109811.UNCP 55119712.SCWK 883197

Positions account for how many records stand behind each number, so one perfect review does not outrank a semester of them. Every score shown is the real average — only the ordering is adjusted.

Instructor record · Philosophy · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026

Thomas Kohler

Concurrent Professor of Law and Philosophy · Philosophy · 20 evaluation records across 5 classes

On each class's board
LAWS 4403only instructor on recordLAWS 6660only instructor on recordPHIL 49322nd of 3 instructorsLAWS 77572nd of 2 instructorsLAWS 21853rd of 3 instructors Provisional
What the overall is made of
85BC evaluations20 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026
—Student reviewsno reviews — does not contribute
—RateMyProfessorsno ratings — does not contribute

Sources are averaged by how much we trust each one and by how many records sit behind it, so a handful of reviews nudges the number rather than replacing it.

What the challenge rank is made of
78thMore challenging than 78% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
92BC — “Intellectually Challenging”20 records · raw score out of 100

Boston College's own “intellectually challenging” question — 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
80thMore work than 80% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
60BC — “Workload”20 records · raw score out of 100

Boston College reports workload 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.

The line

All 13 items · means across 20 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9037th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9355th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9039th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9351st pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8423rd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8732nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9152nd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9060th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9046th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8943rd 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.
6080th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9278th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9268th 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.

Class by class

5 classes · 20 sections

How each position is worked outPositions account for how many records stand behind each number, so one perfect review does not outrank a semester of them. Every score shown is the real average — only the ordering is adjusted.

LAWS 4403 Employment LawOvr78Chal31stWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

5 sections on record · course itself rated 72 out of 100. See the full board for LAWS 4403.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601696060
Spring 202501918660
Spring 202401656160
Spring 202301767460
Spring 202201887860
All 13 items for LAWS 4403
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
838th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8819th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
8615th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
8919th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
777th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8110th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9035th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8830th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8523rd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8212th 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.
6078th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8731st pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8831st 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.

LAWS 6660 Foundations of Western LawOvr90Chal76thWork85th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

5 sections on record · course itself rated 84 out of 100. See the full board for LAWS 6660.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202501918460
Fall 202401898960
Fall 2023019084—
Fall 202201918660
Fall 2021018878100
All 13 items for LAWS 6660
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9347th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9670th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9351st pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9448th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8420th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8829th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9034th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8935th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8627th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8726th 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.
7085th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9576th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9358th 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.

PHIL 4932 Perspectives SeminarOvr95Chal90thWork39th
On this class's board2nd of 3 instructors

5 sections on record · course itself rated 98 out of 100. See the full board for PHIL 4932.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 20250110010060
Fall 2024011009540
Fall 20230190100—
Fall 2022011009540
Fall 2021018710060
All 13 items for PHIL 4932
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9886th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9886th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9885th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9882nd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9679th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9678th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9783rd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9992nd pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9889th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9888th 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.
5039th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9890th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
100100th 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.

LAWS 7757 Labor LawOvr76Chal48thWork78th
On this class's board2nd of 2 instructors

4 sections on record · course itself rated 71 out of 100. See the full board for LAWS 7757.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202501909060
Fall 2023016860—
Fall 202201716560
Fall 202101747160
All 13 items for LAWS 7757
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
8410th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8920th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
827th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
8921st pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
787th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8313th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
8410th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8517th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8626th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8624th 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.
6078th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9048th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8624th 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.

LAWS 2185 Religion Clause Controversies: Past, Present, and FutureOvr87Chal64thWork—
On this class's board3rd of 3 instructors Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 84 out of 100. See the full board for LAWS 2185.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 2025018784—
All 13 items for LAWS 2185
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9345th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9558th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
8719th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9338th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8418th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8520th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9351st pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9150th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9254th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9677th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9364th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9568th 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. 1 of 13 questions were not reported and are left out rather than shown as zero.

How to read this pageScores are out of 100 — Boston College's 1–5 agreement scale, ×20, the way these numbers were printed for years. Almost every class scores high on that scale (the median is about 90), so challenge and workload are shown as a rank against every instructor we hold rather than as a score; the raw figure is in the breakdown above. Neither describes quality, and neither is ever marked better or worse anywhere on this site. A dash means the question was not reported, and is never a zero. The position printed against each class is this instructor's place on that class's own board, computed from the same records the board itself is built from.