Dr. Dent was such a great professor...he is VERY clear and makes everyone interested in the topics no matter what their major/interests. Don't be thrown off by the fact that he looks not much older than us, he is really accomplished and knows his stuff. Definetly take his classes if possible!

He is great! Dont stress over the reading. He will basically tell you which readings are important. Class is really interesting, and he randomly gives you points for being there. Take his class. You wont regret it.

Pretty much the best professor I have had at GW...Articulate, smart, witty, encouraging, fair, just all around excellent. Lots of reading but dont worry about it, just as long as you get the bigger pictures. Take his class!!!!

excellent - very encouraging and knows brazil

one of the best professors I've had at GW. very knowledgeable, helpful, and funny. If you have any remote interest in Latin America you should take his class.

Prof. Dent really know his stuff. Sometimes his lectures can get a bit dull, because he is just reiterating the reading, but overall it's a great course.

He is a great teacher and also sooo cute, i spent half the class drooling into my water bottle. He is married I think, wedding ring and all but an awesome guy nonetheless. Also, the first day he came in i assumed he was the TA bc he looks so damn young, but he is super smart and engaging

Professor Dent is the man... never a dull moment in his class because he is funny and makes everything interesting. It seems like a lot of reading at first but you really don't need to do it all because he goes over it in detail in class. He is a pretty easy grader, also. Take his class if you get the chance!!!

Dent is a great professor. Class material's interesting, the readings are great and lectures are engaging. Also, he's super helpful at office hours, and actually and cares about who you are. I loved the class, if you have any interest in language you should definitely take it!

I really like this class a lot. The lectures are very clear and he gives really interesting examples. He's nice and he's helpful and I'm going to be kind of sad when this semester is over. Also, I have a tiny crush on him.

Fluevog wearing Canadian rocker hottie. Loves poetry, physics and mutton, apparently. *sigh* And I agree with all the other posters, except for the one who called him dull. I don't even mind his class being at 8am.

This guy is so hot, both in teaching and aesthetically. I have never had a more organized or clear lecturer. Before every lecture, he hands out an outline OF THE LECTURE and you can literally follow the bullet points as he's talking. You must go to class, but honestly you won't regret it, even at 8am.

AMAZING PROFESSOR, good for all types of learners, he is organized has great slides, lets you see cool clips from movies, listen to awesome music, his experiences abroad are amazing and he is sooo smart but never comes off as pretentious, take this class!

Dent is an absolutely incredible professor. His lectures are very clear and engaging. He makes excellent use of supplements, e.g. videos such as Robert Townsend's Hollywood Shuffle. He is incredibly knowledgeable and he really wants you to learn and take some of what he teaches beyond the classroom. He's pretty much wonderful and my future husband

Really great and engaging professor, and he does make great use of YouTube and visuals that really cement the information. I was really dissappointed by the course's reliance on TAs, since they determine the entire grade and do not always know what they're talking about.

Genuine, smart guy, easy to talk to you, explains things perfectly. Great class.

Prof. Dent is one of the kindest most helpful professors you will ever find. He was my student advisor at U Chicago and is one of the primary reasons that I decided to pursue anthropology as a career. Look out for him, he's going to be super famous one day!

favorite class at GW so far!

Great professor! I honestly learned more about how the world works in his class than in any IA/PSC course. He does speak quickly, but usually repeats the important stuff. Grading wasn't bad - I got Bs on the midterm and final and managed to get an A- for the class. Lecture & dicussion attendance and participation is mandatory. Take his class!

He is crystal clear on course material, policies, EVERYTHING. Really knowledgeable and has done fascinating work. Come to class & discussion and do your reading (which is not long compared to many other classes), and you'll do great. Maureen is an amazing TA - get her if you can! (She's fair and very helpful)

This is a hard class that requires a lot of work, but not impossible to do well. Professor Dent is very clear about this expectations and the TAs are very helpful.

Brilliant, just brilliant man. Has a goatie and tattoos if you see him outside of class--was always helpful and makes the readings INTERESTING. I hate class readings but I loved his about the power of the female voice in phone-sex workers. Good, funny stuff.

Prof. Dent is a very difficult professor but I learned a lot in class. He asks you to think outside the box and memorize almost everything, but if you work hard you can get an A. Careful with the first quiz though, it's HARD. Great class, though! And most importantly, I learned A LOT!

Dent is extremely clear as to what he wants out of his students. Do all of the readings, attend each class (easy to do, he's super interesting and funny), and don't be afraid to ask questions. He'll answer them. If you study language, this class is awesome! A whole new perspective on language and communication. Great class. I'd take it again!

Prof Dent is an amazing and hilarious teacher. Anth 004 is a ton of work, especially for an intro course, but he's excellent at motivating students. Readings are long and dense, but I found most of them to be interesting. His grading system is a bit odd but he directly tells you what will be on the exams. Great if you're willing to do the work.

Very interesting class, he is really interested in his work. He's definitely willing to help and will describes the readings so you don't have to read them. Tests are very detailed and kind of hard (same as in Anth 004), but if you take good notes and pay attention you should be fine.

Hard class. You're best off buttering up your TA, as he/she will do all of the grading. Attendance is mandatory in both lecture and discussion. Learned a lot but studied a ton. Do the extra credit assignment. Go to TA's office hours. And USE THE OUTLINES HE GIVES YOU IN CLASS TO STUDY; if you memorize those, you're in decent shape for the exams.

I loved his class and love Dent. He is a genuine guy who wants his students to learn and do well. Email him and go to his office hours for brownie points.

Wow, people on this site are harsh. Dent is a great teacher. Yes, you have to do the work, but it's not at all excessive. Dent's class is truly enjoyable, he is hilarious and super smart, and yes he is helpful (office hours are better than email). His class won't kill you but it will make you smarter.

I'll admit it's not an easy G-PAC, but as an anthropology major this has been my favorite required foundations class because it really changes your perspective on language. He encourages you to go to office hours and he is really helpful if you ask. I would recommend getting to know him or at least your TA. He's a really funny, personable guy.

Not an easy GPAC, but an interesting one. Fantastic and knows his stuff. Expect the amount of reading you'd expect in a history or other social studies class. 10+ pages usually. If you are interested in the subject matter, take it.

Dent's class is great, partially because the TAs my semester were very easy graders. The lectures were helpful to understand the reading material designed. Dent sometimes gets off topic but nothing that takes away from the lecture. Overall great class and helped me understand language in the world we live in.

Professor Dent and the class, in general, are amazing. You will have to work for the grade you get, and he expects a high level of detail on your tests and quizzes including direct references to the readings. You will learn a lot and he very entertaining in his lecture style. I would take it again given the opportunity.

Professor Dent really knows what he is talking about. He doesn't use power points BUT he hands out outlines for all of his lectures so you know what is important. He does not put these on blackboard so you MUST go to lecture. He remembers everyone's face from lecture (it's truly a gift). I highly recommend getting to know Dent.

Professor Dent is one of the best lecturers I have ever had. He is super excited about the topic and everything you learn is really interesting. Just based on lectures this would be my favorite class. The problem is that he is probably the hardest grader I've ever had. He has unreasonable expectations. Don't take this class or be ready to lower gpa

Absolutely loved Professor Dent! Great lecturer and truly cares about his students. I took this class for a GPAC requirement but it ended up being my favorite class of the semester. He is a tough grader though. Likes a good amount of detail on papers and assignments. Would definitely take him again. Highly recommend him.

Dent is one of the most inspiring and dedicated professors I've had at GWU. He is a critical and tough grader. If you want an A then take detailed notes during lecture, cite readings in essays and discussions, use examples, state clear theses, and do the readings! If you're confused then reach out to Dent via email. Overall this course is worth it!

It's difficult to contact Prof. Dent since he only checks his email once a day (for about an hour or so). He gives good feedback at the beginning of the course since it's very confusing, but too quickly stops giving feedback. Amazing reading and lectures. If you write thorough responses, you will definitely get an A.

Professor Dent still remains as one of my favorite professors at GW. If you are interested in language and culture, his lectures are never dull and there is always something you can learn. As long as you make note of the most important course concepts from lecture and refer to readings on exams/essays, you will do well in this course.

Most of your grade for this course is dependent on the midterm/final, which are both heavily connected to the readings. Because of that, readings are basically mandatory. Likewise, he goes over most of the readings in class and draws on their examples when he's giving lectures, so those are always a big help.

Alex Dent is an amazing professor and person. He doesn't try to make class unnecessarily hard, and is genuinely focused on learning. He loves students coming into office hours even just to chat, and even though he is bad at responding to emails, he is very engaged and receptive to questions. Hard not to get a good grade, very enjoyable class & prof

Professor Dent is great! He is absolutely hilarious and his lectures are very interesting. He's a phenomenal storyteller! However, he tends to get sidetracked sometimes and his classes are reading-heavy.

No need to pull any punches here-- Dent's class is challenging. Readings are essential to success; direct quotes are often necessary on tests and quizzes. You have ZERO chance to succeed if you skim the material or skip class. That being said, Dent is one of my all-time favorites. Super interesting material and a good lecturer. Loved his class.

Such a great professor. He doesn't use lecture slides so you need to go to class, but this isn't a problem at all because he is very easy to follow, he gives you a paper outline of every class and he is very interesting to listen to. 100% recommend!

Amazing! This guy gave GREAT lectures and made me interested in anthropology and linguistics when I was only taking this class to fulfill a requirement. Seriously cannot reccomend this guy or this class enough you will learn so much and he is such a good lecturer and person.

Great professor- really smart guy & I loved hearing his opinions. It seems intimidating during syllabus week, but u get the hang of it after the 1st quiz. GO TO CLASS if you want to do well. I didn't do the readings (there are a lot)- just know the main argument/concepts of each one, which he goes over in class. Highly recommend this course!

Lots of readings, but lectures usually explain them well. Classes were very interesting and really helpful, especially because of the paper outlines. Oral presentations were also pretty easy. While I didnt talk to Professor Dent much, I thought he was a great lecturer and was really interested in what he had to say. Covered lots of diverse topics.

Dr. Dent is the best. If you're a freshman, and he is teaching a Dean's Seminar (I took his Anthropology of the Cellphone class), take it! He truly cares about us (he even brought cookies on the last day) and has a knack for making abstract concepts understandable. I loved this class so much that I'm now considering a major in anthropology.

Dr. Dent is awesome. He's super chill and encourages everyone to go to office hours even if it's just to say hi. He's also very communicative w/ emails. Reading can be dense, but it changes every week because there's no set textbook, so it's interesting. He gives out typed outlines for every lecture too, so you don't have to scramble to take notes!

Professor Dent is very passionate and knowledgable about language (and cellphones). There are lots of interesting readings and also a lot of boring ones, though the lectures themselves are where you learn the most. For a g-pac, it's pretty difficult and I wouldn't take it unless you are really interested in the topic.

Dr. Dent is a really sweet guy and a really good intro anth professor. He clearly really likes anth and linguistics and he is really good at translating it. This class is fairly discussion heavy especially in the discussion sections. One thing I did not like was that I could never get him to respond to my emails.

I can't say enough good things about Prof. Dent, he gives great, funny (and short) lectures, and is very understanding of student circumstances when it comes to extensions. Projects are open-ended in topic and format, so you can do what interests you and be creative or just keep doing papers if you want. Almost all readings are PDFs he provides.

Amazing online class: half asynchronous lectures (heavy reading), half discussion sections. Really enjoyed the latter. Very understanding on participation. Instead of final papers/tests, open-ended assignments that you could do what you wanted for, had such a great time w. them. Also made effort to be engaging and have diverse sources. Super great!

Dent is fantastic! So responsive to students and accessible through office hours and email. As for your grade, it really depends on your TA. I think I would've had an easier time with a different one. The readings are interesting and he makes you think outside of the box. I really enjoyed Dent's class, but grading and feedback depends on the TA.

Professor Dent is amazing -- he genuinely cares for his students and will go out of his way to be the best person he can be. In terms of material, this class was so interesting, and his lectures keep you engaged. The assignments are 2 presentations and 2 open assignments in which you can do whatever you would like (podcast, essay, anything).

This class depends on what TA you get, and I didn't get a great one. It was impossible to get an A and it wasn't just me. Putting this aside, Dent is charismatic and genuinely tries to be the best professor and person he can be. Class is very reading and lecture heavy, but there are only four large assignments. Still recommend since he's amazing.

professor dent is brilliant, his lectures are engaging, and he's a genuinely kind person. the course content and readings are challenging but ultimately your grade depends on your TA. my TA wasn't an easy grader but if you go to office hours you'll be fine. overall this class has changed a lot of my perspectives and i highly recommend it

Dent is an amazing professor, he's incredibly smart, very funny, and so caring. He will make sure everyone feels comfortable in his classroom. I could not recommend taking a class with him more.

TA grades everything, so they determine your grade. Professor Dent is a living legend, though. Take the class both for him and the incredibly interesting content of the course. Really, Professor Dent, if you're reading this, keep being you <3!

If you have the chance to take one of Dent's classes I would highly encourage you to do so. He's so funny and his lectures are really engaging. You can tell that this is a subject that Dent is really passionate and cares about 10/10.

I loved Dent's class. I almost never showed up to the early lecture but did the readings and came to the discussion section and never had an issue. Interesting lectures and readings (posted online, attendance is through online exit tickets), chill discussion section, flexibility on assignments. open assignments instead of exams.

Dent was an amazingly entertaining and qualified lecturer, and you will enjoy the subject material. Attendance and participation mandatory at discussion sections and your grade is determined by your TA so don't be afraid to swap sections if you get a bad one. I had Kai Blevins and he was lenient and understanding.

Dent is the best professor at GW- hilarious, engaging, great lectures and super passionate about subject material. caring and you can tell he really wants students to understand. TA grades everything which can be hit or miss, but Dent is worth it.

interesting, funny, enthusiastic lecturer. assignments are easy and not a lot of work. readings can be hard, but he explains them well. would definitely recommend

I loved this class. Everything is graded by your TA and there are exit tickets after lectures. Dent is very flexible and always willing to work with you. The assignments are diverse and there's so many ways you can succeed in this class. The readings are very dense. The concepts are very interesting and applicable to real life. Take the class.

Take this class! Dent is a great professor and you learn so much. All assignments are doable but require some effort. All work graded by TAs and most are super lenient. Genuinely such an awesome class. Heavy readings but they're explained well in lecture. Very interesting and fair class for GPAC/GenEd credits.

This review is for language in culture and society. This course was definitely a bit of homework! Attendance for discussion is graded. A lot of work, but Prof. Dent is very nice and the TAs that grade it are very lenient. I didn't find every topic that interesting, but it is okay as a whole! He also makes lectures available on BlackBoard.

Dent is literally a genius. Best prof I've had at GW. Lectures are engaging, funny, and genuinely interesting (but big lecture style, no attendance). Grade definitely depends on your TA (Adrienne is very kind and accommodating). Readings were relevant to the course and to modern life, his research is awesome (so is TA Kai's). Must-take and easy.

Dent is amazing! Lectures are definitely not mandatory, but are really interesting and taught me a lot. No tests or exams, only projects that I've gotten all A's on. Discussion is mandatory but helps to summarize the material taught in lecture which helps if you didn't go. Highly recommend if you need to fulfill the oral comm or social science reqs

Overall both himself and the TA's were great, they were all very understanding and accommodating! As long as you attend the lectures and discussions you will do great! No tests only projects which are outlined in the syllabus at the beginning of the year! Would definitely recommend!

Professor Dent was a great lecturer and an even better introduction into the university system at GWU. He is engaging and kind of lets students to do their own thing. Grading took a very long time, but there are only a few things. The readings aren't super necessary, just read for key words. TA was Wade, he was nice, but also new.

He is so kind and knowledgeable. The lectures are very interesting and worth going to. He's also really receptive to feedback, and it's clear he cares. There are no in-class tests--just one take home exam and multiple large projects. As long as you get started on them early enough and brainstorm your ideas with him or your TA, you'll do great.

Prof Dent is so great! He is very passionate and his lectures are interesting, funny, and very applicable to real life. After taking ANTH 1004, my worldview changed, and I anticipate the same thing after completing this course. Highly recommend!

Super easy anthro class. Just projects, no exams. Take this for an oral, it's so easy, even without doing the readings.

I love Prof Dent!!! 100% take 1004 as either oral comm or the Eliiot anthro credit. It is hands down the most interesting and the easiest. You can easily get an A, there are no exams, but all projects. It is super interesting and one of the better intro courses. You don't have to be an expert in anything to do well. Take this one

Dent is a great guy and is very passionate about the topic, however, you dont need to pay attention to succeed. Projects are very open ended and only graded by TAs so use them for help. Skim the readings, participate and go to discussions, go to lecture only for attendance, and try on your projects (only graded by these) and you will get an A.

I love Professor Dent so much!! Class is always engaging and I had a great TA. He's available to help you with anything you need and his advice is practically applicable. The projects are very open-ended, so you can tie in just about any topic you find interesting. I would take this class over and over again, I can't recommend it enough!

Amazing prof, dedicated to DEI in a non-tokenizing or performative way, values perspective, accommodating, great speaker, content spans more topics than expected. Online summer class was daily discussion, 2 video assignments, and a couple other small things. Easy to do well if you give it the time of day. No cons to the class. Take it!

Overall an easy class that provides students with interesting information and viewpoints. There are 5 total assignments: 2 open assignments, 1 short oral presentation, 1 long oral presentation, and 1 AI assignment - they are all very straightforward, open, language-based conversations. Readings were occasionally dense but not too bad.

Prof Dent is very funny and his class is very interesting. The course is a fair amount of work. The only downside are the lectures are a bit all over the place.

exams were difficult, and the readings were really confusing to follow. Go to your discussion, it is helpful. majority of grade is exams and attendance, so make sure your at lecture, but it is not helpful. it is more helpful to take the notes from his lecture and discussion notes to create your own study guide and break it down yourself.

Very enthusiastic about the topic, and super engaging will include lots of relevant personal stories. Lectures are fast but easy to follow, readings are longer and can be quite dense. Grade = 3 tests + 2 recorded presentations + attendance and participation. Class is super interesting and reasonably difficult for an intro course.

If you show up to class and put in minimal effort this class will be very easy. I did well on the tests with minimal effort and studying. The readings are important for the tests but online summaries work just fine. Dent was accessible outside of class and really nice and helpful.

Dent is personable and authentic, the subject matter is genuinely interesting. The readings are long, but you can read in between the lines the scientific studies aren't relevant. Takes attendance randomly 12 times and its 25% of the final grade, so show up to lecture especially near the end of the sem, tests are easy. Loved my TA!

i recommend taking for oral communication credit. 2 recorded presentations, 3 exams, participation, and attendance. extra credit at end of semester is lenient. you will not do well on exams if you don't read the readings. you also won't do well if you don't show up to class and lecture. it is not a hard class if you do your work.

Fantastic, well-rounded guy that is so deeply passionate about his subject and so deeply respectful to his students and the world. I took him in a lecture class but I definitely get the sense that he's ten times more engaging in a smaller, discussion-type setting. The density of readings is annoying but the actual tests themselves aren't too bad.

three exams, two recorded presentations, and attendance. Just study the lecture notes and you'll be fine, don't need to do the readings.

As long as you put in the work and go to class you should be fine!

Professor Dent is passionate and makes this intro anthro class engaging. It's pretty easy - just do the projects and participate in discussions. I found unstuck AI super helpful for prepping and staying on top of the material along with the readings.

This is the second class I've taken with Dent and it was even better than the first! I highly recommend him for anyone interested in linguistics! He loves hearing student perspective, gives amazing feedback, and is highly accessible in office hours. 10/10 professor hands down! Graded on 3 open assignments/projects

Dent himself is an great lecturer, very knowledgable, and approachable. I learned a lot even without a particular interest in the subject. Entire course is based around the readings, which he goes over in class. Readings can be complex and hard to read, but as long as you have a general understanding you will do fine. test easy if you do readings

He's a really nice guy and I enjoyed the content in his lectures a lot. He explains things very clearly and class structure is very chill. The exams are not that difficult, but you should at least be familiar with the reading concepts before you go into them. Lecture checkins for attendance but those aren't hard either. Overall an easy class!

I've taken Professor Dent for 3 classes now, and he's always been a tremendous professor. Really clear and easygoing with his expectations, but also very innovative and flexible. Absurdly respectful and understanding, with pretty interesting lectures too. Participation matters but it's not the end of the world if you don't do it that often.

Amazing professor and intriguing lecture topics. Readings are lengthy, but usually interesting and fun to read. TA's are efficient in grading and helpful in responding to emails and feedback on exams.

Really funny and a great lecturer, make sure you do the readings because the tests and quizzes are completely memory-based. Don't let it scare you though, the grading is pretty generous and the topics are interesting so they're not hard to remember. Super chill guy, highly recommend his class.

Alexander Dent is a fantastic professor; he is passionate about helping students, and the course material is not challenging if you engage with it. Had exams, two online presentations in your discussion sections, and an attendance check-in, but all were simple, and if you communicate with Dent and your TAs, you will do well in your class.

Graded by two presentations and three tests. Make sure you go to class because there are pop quizzes. Assigns a lot of readings, but they are interesting and help with understanding the material. Overall, very easy as long as you follow the reading guides provided.

For an intro class, this class required a decent amount of work. It's not hard content but it is very time consuming. He is a great professor-- super nice, cool, and understanding guy. Nothing but great things about him. You HAVE to do the readings. I learned a lot from this class and readings were interesting.

My favorite professor so far at GWU. Very enthusiastic and compassionate about the subject, and makes lectures engaging and easy to follow. also offers a lot of extra credit opportunities, making it hard to not get a good grade. reading heavy but you can chat most of them, just be sure to follow the reading guide.