3.1
Quality3.3
Difficulty56%
Would Retake161
Reviews56%
Would Retake
161
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
42
4
30
3
38
2
31
1
20
What Students Say
“This guy is a horrible professor”
GER160D - 1.0 rating“Lectures are horrible and he focuses way too much on unnecessary German literature”
GER160C - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
92%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
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-0.24 avg changeRatings by Course
UPPERDIVISION
5.0
(1)TRADTRAD
5.0
(1)GER430
5.0
(1)TRAD101
5.0
(1)GER420
5.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
EROT150
5.0
GER160C
4.3
EROTICISMINMA
4.0
GER150
4.0
TRAD160D
4.0
Reviews (161)
The coolest guy - the class is decent but he makes it much better because of the lectures. Good Trad to take (Eroticism and Love In History). Very funny, esp with his German accent.
I came into this class not knowing what to expect and it turned out to be pretty good. There is a lot of reading to do. How well you do depends a lot on the TA you get. The tests are of slighty above average difficulty, less if you have read the stories well. Lectures are good, as he does say jokes.
Very informative and funny. Sometimes the heavy accent is hard to understand
This guy is a really good teacher. He keeps u entertained. He gives 10 tests questions before the test and picks 5 of those to be the actual test. The bad thing is that the TA's grade harder and expect you to go more in depth. Go to study sessions and talk to preceptors and you will do fine! easy A.
This is a very interesting class with a pssionate and fun teacher. The only unfair thing about it is that your grade depends strictly on the TA you get and NOT Classen. I was fortunate enough to have a cool TA who graded my essays fairly. The others were really mean and unfair. Stick with it though, because u can always refute a grade with Classen.
This guy is amazing! He is so fun, and keeps you interested. The class is fun as well, i think that if any other teacher taught it, the class would be a complete bore. Anyway, awesome guy, awesome teacher!
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All I can say, is that he is the master of masters. Pound for pound, he kills all!
he is a good speaker, but his lectures are unorganized. read interesting things, but didn't learn much in the lectures. writing intensive. gives lots of pop quizzes so you need to show up to all the classes for those but also because the notes posted online are just bullets and aren't in the least bit helpful for the quizzes. don't let him learn your name because he will constantly call on you for answers.
hes a funny old german guy, i always like going to his class and the reading is interesting. watch out for pop quizzes, but usually they arent that hard. three major essays kinda suck tho.
This class was mildly interesting. The readings are great, but the lectures were a bit mundane. There are several pop quizzes, so do not take this class if you never plan on actually coming to class. If you do the work, however, the class is not extremely difficult.
This is a great teacher. I found every class to be entertaining. The only thing is you will have to earn your A so be ready to work. There is A LOT of reading, but all in all the work load is definitely managable and you can get an A fairly easily even if you have the worst TA like I did.
if you like SEX and LOVE and pop quizzes,as well as a couple essays sign up! some sexually charged reading... there is a lot of reading but its really entertaining, and about LOVE and SEX
Reading is intensive, but it is at least entertaining. Tests can be relatively difficult, and pop quizzes are a bit harder than average. I didn't learn anything throughout the semester, but I did enjoy the readings. I probably wouldn't recommend this class, but it's not horrible.
eroticism and love was one of the best classes i've ever taken. don't take it, however, if you don't like to read.
He is an extremely amazing professor. He tries really hard. The only problem is that there is a lot of reading. But the reading is extremely interesting. He knows how to teach
Great teacher! He is so fun and entertaining, and got me interested in a class I was initially unenthused about. The class was pretty easy and interesting, though the subject material (German Jesuits) wasn't exactly very useful for anything else. Fun though, especially for upper divison credit. =)
Eroticism and Love was an interesting class. There would be many little readings from the books but they were short and easy. There would be pop quizzes every once in a while on the readings in discussion but they choose the top 5 scores to count. There are 3 essays, 2 inclass exams and take home final. They are easy if you go to class and read.
Professor Classen won an Accolades award for teaching. He is so adorable and really sweet. It is obvious that he has a passion for teaching college students some real life lessons through the literature of the middle ages. I would recommend this class if you don't mind reading a little.
Prof. Classen is a very energetic individual who clearly loves what he's teaching. However, when it comes to grading (with the use of a TA) it is sometimes difficult to understand why you receive the grade you did. And, if you request clarification you have the potential to get a lower grade. Overall, don't take if you don't love, and have time.
The title is not really what it sounds so don't take the class if it's just for the title. The class was alright but if you're honors, do NOT take the honors section. Way too many essays and papers! Not worth the amount of work. He was an okay teacher but he and the TA were picky graders. If you love writing or are good at it, take the class.
Interesting class and professor. The readings were good. Very easy. Courtney is an awesome T.A. I recommend it.
Great professor. Very passionate about teaching and his students. Made for a very interesting class. It is extremely easy if you do all of the readings. The readings can sometimes be a lot, but are easy and often times funny. One of my favorite gen ed classes and made me interested in the topic. Get a good T.A. though, Casey Hayes is great.
Classen is an AMAZING teacher! He is this cute little German guy who is hilarious! There are weekly readings but they are short and entertaining. Pop quizzes in lectures for attendance but very easy if you read the short reading assignment. There were 3 short essays over the semester which are graded fairly. Highly recommend this class!! :)
For the eroticism and love class, attendance isn't mandatory but there are random pop quizzes. he is hilarious and passionate and you can do well as long as u pay attention and do the readings.
interesting lectures, mandatory to do the readings in order to do well on the quizes, you can easily cheat in this class due to the close to 1000 people in the class, agree that he tries to add his opinion in his lectures, often refernces the church in a negative way.
His lectures go no where and are completely irrelevant. He goes off on tangents for an hour straight. Its painful. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. Some times the quizzes are hard even if you do read. But reading is mandatory and each night its about 35-60 pages a night. It sucks. The only good thing about this class is it is easy to cheat.
The people who say he is a bad professor, obviously were not very academically challenge in high school. If you took any AP history class, this class will be a breeze. All you have to do this read, and you will score a high score on the quiz. My only complaint is his text choices are VERY German-centric.
This class is really easy. There are alot of quizzes but if you do the reading they are REALLY easy. You have to read almost everyday before class but the readings are really easy and not that long. If you do the readings and go over the notes it should be an easy A
You just have to be dedicated in order to pass this class. There is a lot of reading and usually once a week, you will have to be quizzed on the reading material. His lectures are hella boring. and the number of students are up to 1200 students. If you don't like boring lectures, large classes, or reading, then don't take this class.
I had him for "Love & Eroticism in the Middle Ages". I did not enjoy the class. It was boring and the tests required you to know ALL the reading material. However, in my 1200 person class we had no Final Exam and had to work in groups to create a portfolio of essays. That was tough. Professor was funny and nice, quite enjoyable to watch teach.
VERY difficult class. Love and Eroticism in the middle ages had some of the most interesting reading assigned. Quizzes almost every class that were quite difficult. 9AMer was difficult, and the group portfolios were a big pain. 1200 people was very interesting but hard toget noticed. Your just a number. Classes is hilarious,I relly likedhislectures
Terrible class. I did all the readings and took notes on every lecture and still did terrible. Impossible quiz questions and the Exams were ever harder. I am a 4.0 student and barely will get a C. This class made me hate my life and school. Would drop out if I had to take this class again.
All you need to do to succeed in this class is do the reading and go to class for the quizzes. The quiz/exam questions are solely irrelevant details from the reading about the plot and NOT off of what he actually discusses in class. Therefore his lectures are pretty useless. His projects are likewise useless but relatively easy to complete.
this class was not completely horrible, although at times i wish i would have dropped while i still had the chance. having 1200 people in class made it very difficult to stay motivated to pay attention. i received an A in the class because of the mini-projects, and think tank that prepared me for the tests. read, finish all the assignments and you
Classen is a wonderful professor. Yes, you have to do the readings if you want to do well in the class. That's a given. He is very dynamic and interested in your input. He welcomes different points of view and really engages with students. One of the best teachers at U of A.
This professor is absolutely insane. He gives random pop quizzes readings, that has nothing to do with his lectures in class. His lectures are just awful. Do not take this class if you are looking for an easy A. You will have to do reading everyday before class. Pop quizzes and random attendance make attending class necessary.
I feel bad for classen. he really wants to teach. but this class is torture. tests and quizzes are all clicker. that's easy. you dont get credit for being there.. unless there is a pop quiz. the material is reaaalllllyyyy boring and classen gets frustrated because he knows a lot of the students dont care about the subject matter as much as he does.
Horrible class, the lectures are boring and long. If you have a question, goodluck getting a response from a TA. All TA's are condescending and don't care about your grade at all. Went in twice to talk about what she expects for the journals, my grade has not improved at all. Tests do not reflect what we learn at all. Don't take.
LOVE THIS PROFESSOR!!!! <3
Classen is an amazing professor who is really passionate about what he does. Do the reading, go to lecture and go to SI Sessions. The class require some work but overall is an easy class if you stay on top the reading
This was one of the worst classes I have ever taken. I was drawn in by the enticing title as are most, however don't be fooled. Textbooks are very expensive and you cannot return them because Classes writes a "new version" each year. Alot of useless work& no one to answer questions. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!It's ridiculous, requires A LOT of reading that is hard to get through and boring. Lectures are long and boring & he gives many random quizzes that don't pertain to his lectures. Required "journals" are so dumb & it is never made clear what they actually expect for them & so you never expect more than a little over 1/2 credit
worst class i hve ever taken. class is like a nazi class no laptops allowed in a 1200 people clas..insane. ta's are arrogant and annoying and he cant teach. STAY AWAY FROM THIS CLASS
His class is really interesting and he is an active scholar meaning that hes up to date with what he is teaching writes books and really knows his stuff. The only complaint that I have is his class is so big (900 people)that its hard to pay attention and his tests are sometimes random with content that you would never pay attention to in the book.
Great teacher, but you have to read everything he gives you. No final, many small in class quizzes and three exams.
Great class! Interesting topic...love and eroticism.. but this may be a little difficult since the teacher won't summarize the texts. I recommend you take this class and GO TO SI SESSIONS, they are VERY helpful!
Classen is really a good teacher with a strong passion for what he is teaching. But his TA's are absolutely disrespectful and make the class unbearable. They are unprofessinoal and act power obsessed, stealing phones out of peoples hands LITERALLY and then snooping through them & laughing @ the front of the class. Tina is the worst. Gross.
The lectures/powerpoints really have nothing to do with the text, so that's frustrating. You really have to depend on yourself in this class. The quizzes can be easy but the tests will be harder than expected. The grades were weighted and that would have been good to know before hand. I wouldn't recommend this class if you want an easy grade.
This class doesn't involve too much work, just reading&5 short papers. The TAs are rude and pretentious but Classen is nice. His powerpoints aren't helpful&though his quizzes are easy his tests are confusing and difficult to study for. The fact that there are 1100 students in the class doesn't help either.But I liked this class nonetheless.
This class was great! The ones who say it wasn't were just the talkative ones who got yelled at all the time. There were less than 1000 people. He can speak english very well and he's an AMAZING person!
GREAT Professor, TERRIBLE class! SO boring and un interesting. It was hard to get the material when you cant get interested.
The exams are hard. SI sessions are useless and he DOESNT cover everything on class even though he says he does.
The exams are hard. SI sessions are useless and he DOESNT cover everything on class even though he says he does.
It's a really pointless class unless you like sex and love, but really the reading is more about tragic inconveniences and the TA's are no helpful. Classen is nice, but he's no good at teaching. If you want this class for the title, just go online and look up well. That stuff.
Dr. Classen is a very nice professor. His lectures are based largely on the readings. You CAN get by w/o doing ALL the readings but you really have to study hard to understand the concepts and review his notes pretty vigorously. He gives you a lot of examples in class (along with page #'s) be sure to jot them down and review them before an exam.
Class was a lot harder than expected. Quizzes were random and specific, exams were hard. The only reason I passed with an A was because of my TA, James Howell, I would read him my notes before class and he'd practically tell me what I should know. Classen was useless, but funny during lectures. A lot of work/reading for a gen-ed. no extra credit
Dont wanna be mean, but this class just sucked. Classen is a funny/sweet man, but his class was boring,uninteresting,and a waste of time. His TAs are so unorganized and serve no purpose. I did everything that I was supposed to, including the extra credits, and I barely passed with a D.
RUN if Tina is your TA!!!!!!
Do not take this class. It is completely uninteresting and their is quite a bit of course work. Attendance is mandatory and the lectures are a waste of time as the class material was never actually discussed.
This class was interesting but be warned it is NOT AN EASY A. I managed to pull one off somehow but only through taking good notes, reading the assigned texts and going to the TA's for reviews. You can absolutely pass this class if you are willing to do a little work but if you're opposed to listening to anything but your ipod in class you'll fail.
Professor Classen is very passionate about the topic which makes it interesting for the students. Everyone complained about the 5 essays, but they were only about two pages double spaced. There is only about 3 exams and if you come to class and prepare for the exams you can easily obtain an A. Plus he provides and opportunity to get extra credit.
The Erotisicm and Love CLass is terrible. The German TA grades hard on papers and messes up your grade. I got a C in this class and read all of the material....DO NOT TAKE THSI CLASS
Classen is a great teacher and he is a great scholar. The TA's are horrible though and some of them grade harshly. If you do all the reading, study well, and abide to all this nonsense rules, it becomes an easy class. Easy A.
Overall, I enjoyed this class. Professor Classen is approachable and knowledgeable. The exams consist of short answer questions and really only require you to understand the basic, general concepts discussed in the readings and in class. The TA graded journal entries and essays very fairly. Extra credit was offered at the end of the semester.
He's a cool professor, and his class was interesting. But, his TA's weren't the best. The critical writings will make or break your grade. The first one I got an A on, but don't expect anything greater after that. ASK FOR HELP ON THEM! I got a B by reading most of the books, and studying hard. No laptops in a 1200 ppl class. That was horrible.
Only got an A because of the extra credit. The TAs are strict. Classen lost control once and screamed at the entire class. Clicker quizzes almost every class either make or break you.
I went into this class thinking it could possibly be very interesting. Theres 800 people, the TA's are constantly walking around trying to catch people on cell phones, the class is boring and uninteresting, and it seems impossibly to recieve an A. I did all the reading and still really struggled. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS
Really good professor,but the TA's ruin the class. All they do is walk around and look for ways to make students mad...The class is pretty hard if you don't pay attention and take notes, but overall he is a great funny guy the class just isn't that intresting.
He is the worst teacher ever... I hope you consider my comments, the stories are so boring TA's are rude. He is the worst Teacher ever! Please don't take it.
Very hard and boring class, don't take it, the exams are very hard, I don't know how anyone can get an A.
Classen is funny sometimes, but writes oddly worded quizzes, the TAs are ANNOYING and distracting. Classen threw a girls phone across the stage once so keep that in mind. If you do the readings youll do okay but you have to pay really good attention to get a good grade on the essays because he doesnt really tell you what to write about.
Very easy class, lectures are boring but sometimes...entertaining...Tests and quizzes are pretty easy as long as you read and take notes on lectures. TA's are just monitors but as long as you aren't doing anything but listening YOU ARE FINE. Overall the stories are very explicit but interesting and Classen is a funny yet abnormal guy. Very old FYI.
He's pretty entertaining to watch during lecture. However, his teaching style is sub-par. I've gone to his office hours countless times, yet I still struggle with the way he words his quiz and test questions. Very subjective. Hard to get an A. Readings are easy--keep up with them. Textbooks expensive. TA's suck. Avoid class if possible.
Absolutely no electronics, will ruin your grade. Quizzes almost everyday, really unclear tests and TA's royally suck. AVOID THIS CLASS AT ALL COSTS. He could care less about helping you, he's only a professor to write books, NOT to teach.. terrible teacher, terrible subject, terrible class.
The ONLY positive thing about him and this class is he can be funny sometimes. Other then that, its all his opinion based. GET OUT OF HIS CLASS AS FAST AS YOU CAN!
He is very funny and nice. I'm not much of a history person, but I really do think that he is a great teacher. Lectures are boring. There are 3 essays, 12 quizzes, and 3 exams, and no final. The exams are kind of tricky if you don't read, but if you do then they are so easy. All of the quizzes are based on the reading material and mere plot.
Eroticism and love class is ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. GET OUT OF IT AS FAST AS YOU CAN. you can not use any electronics. your essays are only worth 4% and 6% of your grade. Your quizzes determine your grade, which can be given any class at any time. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!!!!!
Prof. Classen is stellar. very excited about the material, makes class interesting and extremely approachable. You will love it IF you do the readings etc, otherwise you'll be totally lost and hate it. It's taught in a HUGE auditorium with 700+ students which is very distracting, but also kind of fun if your into that. overall, a UA winner;-)
Being in Dr. Classen's class just energizes me for the rest of my day. He is so much fun and is sincerely passionate about what he teaches. I would HIGHLY recommend that every UA student takes one of his classes. He makes himself very available as well. GREAT professor.
If you can get interested in the material then this class is pretty good. He really enjoys his work, but if you're not going to pay attention and talk don't take this class because youll ruin it for everyone. No electronics, but the class is super easy if you go to the SI sessions, they really help.
Far too much work for a Gen Ed. The tests are all clicker tests, so you have 30 seconds to answer and no chance to fix your answers. The papers and quizzes are easy though.
so this guy is really a great guy. i just dont enjoy his teaching methods. class is very dry. i only went bc i never knew when he would give a quiz, which felt like every class there was one. 3 papers, and 3 exams. not hard just kinda boring. although it is interesting when he catches someone use their cell phones
I do NOT recommend this class to anyone. The TA's basically decide your grade. Two of my friends with last name's P got two 100's on essays while I got C's and I am a decent writer. If you get a good TA, you are golden, otherwise it is a miserable, too much work Gen Ed. Cell phone/laptop use is STRICTLY forbidden or your phone will be thrown!
You can survive this class. Go to EVERY class, AT LEAST skim the readings, TRY on the papers and do EVERY extra credit option (there's 1 extra paper and a time were you can rewrite a paper). The class can be fun and interesting but do not have any electronics..AT ALL!
This class is hard for international student because the class required a lot of reading. And cannot use electric dictionary in class. Every class has the quiz.
This class is interesting. The teacher is really nice and funny but does NOT tolerate cell phone use at all. I would recommend this class as an easy Ged Ed class as long as you do the readings. The quizzes come directly from the short stories.
SO TERRIBLE
I did not read any of the readings and received an A in the class. If you want to do the same go to the SI leader study session literally saved my life. They basically give you all the information you need to know for the test. Oh and Cody is the best leader!
This class is really interesting. The teacher is crazy but he's funny. I would recommend this class. Clickers are used for quizzes and exams, and there are only 3 easy papers to write.
The kids complaining obviously did not put any effort in the class. I did the readings before class and achieved an 87 in the class. Would have been an A if I did the extra credit. He is fair and does live up to his word as it is on the syllabus and in class and students are unwilling to accept that because they want everything handed to them.
Easy A if you just read a whole bunch. Quizzes and tests are crazy easy if u read and the papers u have to turn in can be poorly written and u would still get at least a C on them.
This class is absolutely useless. Each lecture is the same as the last. He claims to enjoy discussion with students, but becomes very angry when students prove him wrong on quizzes, which are weekly. All the books are his, so you're basically paying him even more than you think you are after you buy the textbooks.
The teacher requires no cell phones or laptops in class. He expects group discussion. Grading is based on three essays and three tests. Half of your points comes from the final test and essay. All of the essays and test questions come from the readings.
One thing I really respected about this guy was that he was an educator, first and foremost. He did everything in his power to engage his students in the material. He expects a lot from his students so if you want an A you have to work for it.
Very passionate about what he teaches. Boring class. You basically attend every class because he does random quizzes to check for attendance. A lot of analyzing poems and old writings. Boring/terrible class, but this professor is very nice and cares about what he teaches.
This class was really weird. Albrecht is a strange guy, but the class was kind of interesting. Lots of reading poetry and folkloric german stories. Papers were sort of challenging as were the tests, but you will be fine if you do the readings and go to class.
get to know the TAs because they do everything. i got an A and failed the first exam (3 exams). its possible
This class was one of the best ones ever ! It was so easy because we discuss the readings in class. The professor is very funny and helpful if you need. Get to know him and you will be good. I got a 97 in the class and I loved this class. I recommend this class to everyone no lie.
This professor is soooooo rude! the first class was ok. After that asked signing a agreement for elec devices. He broke totally 3 phones in class and banished 10 percent people just because they were talking a little. Lecture ended but still 3 minutes left, yelled for people who ready to leave... Easy to get an A though...
Doesn't allow electronics in his classroom but overall is a pretty cool guy once you take the time to get to know him.
This was the best class I've had so far and the stories were entertaining as well as the class. He is a very funny and nice guy. Sometimes there is a lot of ready. I highly recommend this course.
Dr. Classen is very passionate about what he is teaching. The TA's are the ones who grade everything and they grade it word for word even though the questions are opinion based. The quizzes are never announced and it is a lot of reading. There are no electronics allowed in the classroom, but his lectures are funny and he is a good quirky.
This class is interesting even though the lectures can at times be boring. Professor Classen is a funny guy and loves teaching. He is very passionate. All you need to do to pass this class is skim through the readings, read the introductions, and go to SI sessions. They give you all that you need to know to get a good grade on exams and essays.
Worst class I've ever taken. This professor is so passionate about this topic and expects you to be too. All tests are based on his opinion. Quizzes are extremely confusing and never about what he says they'll be about. TA's grade super hard too. Words of advice, DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. Trust me.
WORST GEN ED YOU COULD POSSIBLY TAKE. Not only does he grade on his opinion and view point, but the TA's are jerks and grade unfairly. Lectures go on forever, quizzes matter too much, papers have no guidelines and exams are on specific facts and dates. DO NOT TAKE IT unless your amazing at history and 'love' which in this course is considered rape.
This guy is a horrible professor. All graded material is based on his TA and graders opinions, he does not grade anything in this class. If you don't word things exactly how they want or say what they like, you will fail. He is condescending in discussions and very closed minded. This class is very boring and unfortunately you have to show up.
Have to read text book otherwise you will fail. Confusing. Unless you are interested in this subject, I don't recommend taking this course for a General Education.
Very knowledgable professor and is without a doubt passionate about his field, but I would not recommend his class to anyone. He is extremely disrespectful to other people's beliefs and makes jokes about things that should not be joked about.
If you're looking for an easy gen ed credit, do not take this class. The professor is so passionate about what he teaches and is rude if you don't show just as much interest. The TAs grade exams and papers incredibly harshly. Don't recommend this class.
The topic is interesting and Classen loves to talk about it, but he and the TA are very abrasive and rude. Wanted to get a grade check and they sent me back and forth between them until they just said they wouldn't do it. Did fine on the test and papers, but coming to class was scary, since you didn't know when he would go off on you.
This guy is TERRIBLE! He is definitely not made to be a teacher. Yes he knows he is very passionate and knowledgeable about everything that has to deal with the Medieval time period, but he is terrible at sharing his knowledge with others in a way that we can understand. His tests are impossible. Class avg was 35%. Glad I dropped him when I could.
By far the worst teacher I have had. I went in to review a project that I thought I should have received a much higher grade on. I come in to talk to him only to find out he was dropping my grade even lower than it already was!! I have never had a teacher make my grade go even lower when going in to talk to him! So Horrible!!
Great professor, one of the most passionate. Very entertaining lectures, he brings up really philosophical questions that develop into class discussion. Very fun class, enjoyed it, great content, great professor.
Dr. Classen never gives you a straight answer in his lectures so once you get that question on your test you're like well what does it symbolize, love, death, shipwreck? Terrible teacher, and HARSH grader. I would never take it again. He doesn't take attendance but you should still go everyday to try to understand what he is saying.
He is very knowledgeable about the material he is teaching. The stories and poems you have to read are very interesting. The course has to be taken seriously. Don't complain if you fail, you probably did not put enough effort into it. He is very funny and gives second chances to those who care. Be prepared to attend SI sessions. Kind of difficult.
There is a lot of reading and hard quizzes. He is a great guy, pretty funny and nice but the class itself is rather hard for a Gen Ed. I went to MANY SI sessions just to keep up with what was going on in class.
He's one of the most knowledgeable and inspirational professors I've ever had. He's written tons of books and is really good about using the textbook to teach us in a way that college students can understand. When people complain about him (and they do), it's because they didn't put in the effort needed to pass. This class takes a lot of work.
This man tricked me into taking his class. Don't ever walk foot into any lecture or class he teaches. Failure is imminent. He gives difficult quizzes frequently to ensure you attend his class. He is also extremely disrespectful. It's like being in lockdown.
Tons of reading in this class. If you do not read you will probably not pass with a good grade. He is nice, unorganized and loves calling on people randomly. He will know if you don't attend class. SI Sessions are very helpful.
Worst Gen Ed teacher in the history of the U of A! He is very disrespectful and a harsh grader. I thought it would be an interesting class to take and that it would all be alright, but NO!!! Worst decision I have made in my life to take a class teacher by Classen. Would never take another class taught by him ever again. It was such a drag!
I enjoyed this class very much! The professor was funny and willing to go over the material to make sure we understood it.
Just Don't take it.
The professor jumps around a lot and it is extremely unclear as to what he is trying to teach. He frequently does not talk about topics on the exams until the day after they are due so outside research is essential. There is a large amount of reading with a short amount of time to get it done.
Gets off topic a lot. Almost like a philosophy class. We have 3 take home exams and two in class. They weren't hard but you just have to read the material. I never did any of the readings. If your a lazy person and do everything last minute you can still possibly get an A. I wouldn't say he's terrible because he does cares for students.
The tests are fairly easy as long as you go over the material the day before. Lectures are horrible and he focuses way too much on unnecessary German literature. He accepted one of my tests for half credit because I didn't turn in a physical copy, even though is turned it in on time to d2l. The class is easy but not worth taking in my opinion.
Dr. Classes is inspirational and one Of the best professors I've ever had. People who complain obviously don't put in the effort, his grading reflects the effort you show.
Dr. Classen is so intelligent and one of the most inspired professors. In his classes, your grade reflects the efforts you make. He isn't easy, but he does help a lot if you ask-- you shouldn't expect grades to be handed to you. He makes reading difficult texts more understandable and intresting!
Professor Classen is a very nice person, he really cares about his students. The material is very interesting and he is awesome at engaging the class into the lecture. Grading depends on TAs mine turned out to be very generous in grading. Be prepared to read and type three essays about text, create a portfolio and two exams.
Professor Classen is one of the most lively professors I've met. He makes time for each student and makes a point of taking many students under his wing. I took 160D1 and wasn't overly interested in the class topic, but I loved him as a professor, which led me to take a study abroad program with him, touring medieval sites in Europe. Awesome person
Prof. Classen is so funny and lively, he really loves what he does and I don't think there is another teacher like him. However, I wish he would use a clicker instead of tophat because you need to pay extra while other classes use clickers too. Also, his syllabus is unclear in some ways and his exams and essays aren't fun.
Amazing instructor and passionate about what he talks about. Very few things he grades, such as tests and essays. You have 3 essays and 3 tests throughout the semester. Just read the stories and go to the lectures and you will get an A.
Extremely enthusiastic guy. His extreme interest in the subject inspires you to want to work hard, although sometimes it seems that he has such a complex understanding of what he is teaching that there may be a disconnect from what he conveys and what his students take away. TopHat is a great tool to ensure you actually show up and participate.
This class is not difficult whatsoever as long as you pay attention in class and take notes. That's all it is. Classen does not really rely on PowerPoint so you actually have to listen to what he is saying. Record what questions he asks on TopHat because they are usually relevant to tests and essays. He is extremely passionate and intelligent.
Dr. Classen is an amazing professor. He displays an enormous interest in the subject he is teaching. I never read any and I passed with an A on everything. Essay class if you pay attention and love literature like myself
Your grade in this class is determine by only a few papers and a few exams, nothing else. The exams are in essay format, and are usually not graded harshly. In order to get an A you must read the stories which are incredibly boring but typically short. His lecturing is also pretty boring but just participate and do the assignments on time!
You do need both books for Erotic Love in the Middle Ages. It is very lecture heavy and he takes attendance via Tophat at the beginning of class and does questions with it throughout class. He is sassy, hard to understand, and too old to be teaching. There is a lot of note taking, and reading. All the stories we read are very old, and boring.
Get ready to read a lot. Exams are nothing like the study guides and his graders were not the best because of how tough they are. I would not recommend this class to anyone.
The best professor in the entire university, and one of the most decent man I know. He has the craziness of a poet, but at the same time he's the kindest person ever. His knowledge of the world is something i would not imagine. Take his class and your life will change.
If I had to pick one class I regret taking, it would most likely be this one. When I saw the title, "Eroticism and Love in the Middle Ages" I was interested and decided to take a 160 that seemed different from the rest, but I think that is what everyone did as well. Be prepared to read 40+ pages of poems and write essays about them. Also, show up.
Disrespectful, not willing to help. Tried to tell people where to sit and take away phones like its high school.
Dr. Classen is indeed a nice person. He will help you with whatever you need. However, this course is pretty much useless. Dr. Classen is a bit arrogant. If your opinion does not agree with his, he would do everything to convince you are wrong You have to buy his books, he said he does not make money out of it, i just dont believe.
Dr. Classen is pretty nice. He is open to help and definately likes what he teaches so he does so with a passion. However, in terms of the actual class, it is a lot of reading most of which is from his own books which you have to buy, and are very long and sometimes a little more difficult to get through.
All you need to do for homework is read, and I didn't do that. We go over the reading in class and the other students' answers pop up on the screen while you answer which helps you answer correctly. You're also in groups and work together. This class is pretty interesting and not hard whatsoever.
The title was clickbaity when the course was called "Love and Eroticism In The Middle Ages." He has good balance between using slides and speaking. Most of the things you are taught were about relationships and how they connect from the Middle Ages to today. A lot of group work makes this class a breeze. Watch out on the papers, they're tricky!
Honestly the professor himself is nice and cares a lot about the subject but the class itself just completely lacked direction. You read tons of poetry and one of his books. He is very unclear as to what he actually wants in regard to the essays you have to write which sucks because 60 percent of your grade is those essays.
Dr. Classen's was great. The topic was very interesting and his passion made the lectures also interesting. He tries to get to know his students. Academically his class isn't hard to understand but there is a lot of reading (but nothing a college kid isn't used to). The essays are short and open ended. The exams (we had 2) were short but subjective
Overall, Dr. Classen was a really nice guy and didn't expect too much out of the students other than to read the course material in the textbooks. However, his TA was pretty awful. I would ask for Dr. Classen to grade your papers personally rather than the TA. He failed two of my papers, whereas Dr. Classen gave me A's on both. Easy A, just listen.
Classen is one of those professors who is brilliant in his field but not in the classroom. His syllabus is very disorganized and you can have conflicting sets of instructions within the same outline for any one assignment. He says he values ideas that oppose his but in reality he tends to ridicule students who don't agree with him. Very frustrating
Look for another prof, he is very boring and mediocre. I wish I would not have to take this class. The books are obviously written by him and I personally did not learn a thing from what I read. Do yourself a favor, and look for another gened.
Dr. Classen is an amazing professor! He is very passionate about what he teaches which makes the class very enjoyable. The only hard part about this class was the papers, but speaking to the grader really helped me to understand what to do better. There is a lot of reading, but they are actually pretty enjoyable!
Prof. Classen is one of the best professors I have had. He answers emails quickly and is very understanding of the circumstances that students go through. He's super passionate about what he talks about, and listens to what the students tell him. If the class tells him we want an extension on a paper, he gives it to us. He uses also uses tophat.
Good professor, hes very kind and helpful!! There is a lot of work but its manageable. He is always willing to work with you! Class consist of buying 2 books, using top hat, reading (a lot), and writing papers. This class is over all easy.
I absolutely lived this class. It was my most engaging and entertaining class, I would definitely take it again. You get to work with your table a lot and the group discussions are the best. He is one of the best and fun professors I recommend taking this class. If you read and get topcoat right you will pass. Amazing class.
I loved this class so much and I will be going out of my way to take another class from him again soon!
I personally found Herr Classen to be the most effective German professor I have ever had. The manner in which he teaches both the content and language itself was very engaging and memorable. I found his humor to be enjoyable, although sometimes unhinged or unpredictable. Good Content that was useful in and out of class.
Albrecht's demeanor of being a kindly, enthusiastic professor is just a facade. It fades if you have well-meaning criticism or question any of the texts that he assigns, and he carries that spite into his grading. If you feed his ego and don't think too hard about what you're reading, you'll do fine - he's clearly just here for the paycheck.
Dr. Classen is an knowledgeable and enthusiastic professor and an engaging lecturer. He will go on long yet educational tangents in order to explain the historical significance of what he teaches in class. If you appreciate academia or literature, you will enjoy this course. His class is easy if you complete the readings and attend the lectures.
Pretty sure I'm getting a B. It was okay, but the essay instructions were confusing sometimes with the word count maximums.
Prof Classen's knowledge and passion for what he teaches are truly inspiring! He is a great professor and will truly engage with the class. Be aware of missing class; attendance really does matter.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
92%
Textbook Required
50%
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