The best there is. You can't beat those rousing whole-group-discussions.

Surfing '80s rockstar turned sommelier turned literary PHD. Beat that Harvard.

He's one of the best profs I've ever had--he's very helpful, and challenging.

Discuss philosophy with him, he's great.

Ruiz-Velasco creates a challenge but explains perfectly how to meet it. Entertaining, helpful, brilliant, and thought-provoking. "How about that wacky Melville? What's up with him?"

the absolute best - a really mellow and real guy

Take this guy. Fun, cute, laid-back, loves books, and downright chatty. Gives lots of constructive comments on papers for feedback - take that Cal State English faculty!

Chris is smart and really cute. He is one of the original members of the 80's group, Berlin ("Metro")...remember them? Anyhow, he is brilliant professor now and makes literature interesting and fun.

Yeah, he is a really good guy. Sometimes its hard to find the motivation to go to class though since he doesn't take role.

Ruiz-Velasco is the most darling man ever! He is a self-proclaimed nerd and is a ridiculous amount of fun! I would definitely recommend him!

Great guy to talk books with and get to know. Keep those "to be" verbs out of your papers and you'll do fine.

He requires a lot of reading, but it is in manageable chunks. Watch the "to be"'s. and as he says, Go away, and think great thoughts.

Awesome professor! His classes are a ton of fun and I left feeling as though I had spent my time well. I truly wish I could take several more classes from him. How many people can make Puritan sermons interesting and fun?!?

Awesome prof. in the classroom-- he's energetic and makes difficult works fun to discuss. Infuriating in his rules for writing papers, though.

Good teacher...very enthusiastic & interesting, plus his anecdotes are always amusing. anyone who can make even puritan lit a.) interesting and b.) amusing is definitely worth taking.

I have the biggest crush on him! He's adorable and really inspires me to read so much more! Chris actually shows an interest in his students and WANTS you to ask him questions about anything that he can help you with. I <3 him.

He tried to make class fun, but I didnt find much of the reading interesting. He is very passionate about this stuff though and that helps. I took the 4:30 3 hour class and we got out early a lot.

Nice guy; has read a lot; enjoys helping students and is not annoyed by questions. Sometimes his voice resembles Kevin Spacey's. Maintain a good attitude, avoid "to be" verbs, and all should go well.

Chris is awesome! He's that type of nerdy- sarcastic guy girls love. He tries to get the class to love the material. Explains things well so u dont have to do all the reading assigned. Always makes jokes, gives examples, n tries to be a friend! Let him! He's cute for an older guy :) I'd hit that!

very reasonable, kind and patient with his students. plus is knowledgable and passionate, very good teacher who wants u to succeed

Amazing! One of the founding members of the 80s band, BERLIN, Chris Ruiz-Velasco is one of the most intelligent and cool professors I've ever had. I highly reccommend him. His class is a headache, but that's all Foucault and Jauss' fault!

Reading is pretty dense, and there is a lot of. He is very passionate in class. Study guides every class to go over reading, TAKE NOTES. The exam consists of a take home essay, ID's, and short answer. Overall i liked the class and he is great.

Adorable, funny and brilliant! :)

One of the most energetic professors of all time. Extremely approachable and helpful. He has a weird way of grading papers- he doesn’t like to-be form verbs in sentences. Tests were also fairly easy but a little unpredictable. Nevertheless a cool teacher and fun class.

Wonderful professor. Funny, helpful, caring, knowledgable, etc. Watch out for those to be verbs and do your work with some effort and you will do well.

Brilliant teacher who tries to motivate the class with his lectures. Makes you feel more like a friend than a student. And he's got that cute, nerdy thing going on. LOL

... and he plays guitar : )

A great teacher, always willing to re-work things to help you out. Very excited and passionate about his classes. For sure he is that sarcastic guy, but he can be a friend and a mentor, take him if you have the chance! And Berlin Rocks!

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Great professor! Still use his 1-2-3 method to this day! The no "to-be" verbs thing is hard (and trust me he finds them--even if you think you have none there!) but it makes for much better writing. One of my all time favorite professors. Highly recommended!

Class is easy and one learns a lot. Chris is very funny, hilarious, exciting and gets the class into great discussions! Readings are interesting and he gives you enough time to write essays and study 4 tests. More of an enjoyable reading and discussion class than a formal, strict English lecture class! Class very manangeable. Take him!

Prof. Ruiz-Velascois such a nice guy and a great teacher. I am taking 2 of his classes next semester, that's how good he is. There are onloy 3 essays and 3 tests, which u can use 1page of notes, front and back on 1/2 the test!!! Honestly, whta more could u ask for? He's really into literature and truly cares about his students. Highly recommende

Upsides:He is a very nice guy. He is funny. He does let class out early. He is not difficult. Downsides: Don't learn a great deal. To-be verbs are necessary sometimes, and it's ridiculous to write a 5 page paper without a single verb. Extra Note: Despite all of this, def take him over Hollis, at least he is respectful to his students.

Avoiding the verb "to be" is more difficult than it seems, but it does help strengthen one's ability to be creative. Awesome teacher.

I totally agree with this guy-->Two Words: Literary Snob. (Nice but spends too much time talking about books he LOVES and everything else which is crap and he won't pick up, also he diminshes students for mentioning authors who he thinks of as crap, then he infers that students don't read enough. OKAY, nice way to encourage reading mister)

Great class. You read ALOT of material but it's interesting. I'd take him again. In class discussion, lecture, small group work every class makes the class time go by quickly. He's also funny!

I find him to be a very caring teacher and also extremely knowledgeable. He makes himself very available to students. Also his selection of readings are really good. If you aren't good at keeping up with readings and are not going to show up to class don't take him because you miss alot even if you are gone just one day. He is awesome!

This is my second time taking him and I will have him again for 463. I think Chris is great, despite people complaining that we get out early (I don't see that as a problem). Two tests, one paper...not too shabby

I am glad I took Prof. Ruiz-Velasco. His reading selections were interesting despite their droning contemporaries. The class was layed back but he made sure to cover the important aspects the class was meant for. He was a nice guy who took his job at the right level of seriousness. I recommend.

I took this Professor Fall '07 after reading prior ratings here and I was absolutely not disappointed! He does hate to lecture,over does it with group discussions, but he's pretty straight forward and really wants you to learn and not simply memorize. Consistent reading, you get q's ahead for exams and are allowed notes. Essays fairly graded. Easy!

Ruiz-Velasco is amazing! There is a novel a week and they are all so good. As long as you keep up with the reading this will be an easy, enjoyable class. By the way, I read the past opinions of him...he is not a literary snob.

chris is a great professor! reading the works isn't completely neccessary. don't bother doing the weekly study guides because he gives you the mid-term and final study guides (coughQUESTIONScough) beforehand. attendance isn't mandatory, though he frequently give quizzes to start class. very entertaining and extremely personable and helpful.

He IS a snob. So he hates lectures but then what do we need him for if he hates lecturing? He is very smart, he should communicate his knowledge much more thoroughly. Novels ARE awesome. He grades your papers a bit on the hard side. If you don't have the time to read, don't take his class. You will learn a lot if you motivate him to give back.

this professor is so hilarious!! he's sarcastic, yet teaches well. there were a total of 4 papers. you are to buy 3 books. the last one is the best! you learn a lot. it prepares you for the ewp. you will like this professor. take him. however... you will be bored when it comes to the group work :/

RV is amazing! You will love puritans before you're done. Super funny and very caring. Read the books and have fun. Tests are pretty easy just gotta know your works and authors! Will give you time on things if you ask and truly need it! Loved him to death and taking another class from him!

The paper in the end is easy, the books are fun to read. Even if you dont read he goes through everything. I love him, he's the cutest old man everr!!

This guy is great. He knows a ton of stuff about the subject and integrates happenings in mass culture and it's influences upon the material to give it a basis. His papers are not hard so long as you do not wait until the last minute. He gives you the final paper assignment on the first day of class so you have all sememster to work on it.

I love RV! He's so much fun and I wish I could take a third class from him. Take him if you can he's the best teacher ever. I thought the 8-10 page paper was going to be hard but it really wasn't. Do your readings and you'll get 100% on the midterm and final. He's so hot!

He relies on study questions which no one ever does.He has us work in groups and no one really does them&then he talks for like 15 mins and calls that a lecture? This class was boring just because the material was boring... I don't know.I just wish he took lecturing seriously and didn't hand out study questions and leave? Lots of material to read

Definitely one of my favorite professors. He is very knowledgeable, he loves to answer questions, and you can tell he's very passionate about the material. I agree with whoever said that he is the cutest old man. Just make sure to attend class because the mini-quizes will screw you if you miss them. Class isn't too hard.

This class was the best class that I had with him. He is a easy grader and this class is fun. Although you do have to read many novels and you have to write 2 essays and a final. You have quizzes every week but they are easy if you have read the book. The questions are not difficult. THIS IS THE BEST CLASS TO TAKE! I would recommend him to everyone

He makes the reading material interesting and keeps the class entertained. He randomly picks a day to have a quiz but it's only because he wants people to read the material so there could be a proper discussion (although it didn't happen often). Keep up on the reading and final will be easy. Just make sure you don't do essays at the last minute.

This is the second class I took from him, and I'm probably going to take one more. His teaching methods are straight forward and he offers help as long as you ask him for it. I would recommend anyone to take one of his upper division classes if you haven't taken an upper division class before. He's a reasonable grader.

He was extremely helpful, funny, and well spoken. I took this course and the California literature course with him, and was very excited to attend his courses. He grades the papers fairly and, if you have problems, will help you out and explain where you went wrong. He has even reached beyond to help me with letters of rec. Best Eng. Prof @ CSUF.

This class was theory, which could have been boring, but it was awesome. Lots of laughs, lots of conversation. He hands out study questions that are discussed in a big group setting. His classes are about open dialogue amongst each other and interjects to clarify or probe thoughts deeper. He is the best English professor @ CSUF!

Fun teacher! His class was so much fun that it actually made me not hate waking up at 7:30am to attend it. Keeps you interested and is a very fair grader. Take this class. You'll enjoy it!

BEST TEACHER EVER! Random quizzes, be there on time. The quizzes are based off the readings, but the simplest most obvious questions. Requires 2 papers, not very difficult. Very Helpful! Gives the "study guide" for the final...which is the final, and lets you use a page of notes. All you have to do is read, and you'll be fine!

Greatest English professor that I've ever met! He is so helpful and even devoted to his students! You will never find an excellent professor like him also, there's no final for this class just one big paper. If I had the chance to take him again I would.

My favorite professor at CSUF. So funny, ( I have never lol'd so much in class before) so knowledgable. Really enjoys open class discussion. My friends and I had a great time taking classes w/ Prof Velasco and he got to know us and talk w/ us outside of class. He's a really cool person.

Ruiz-Velasco is one of the smartest people I have ever met. He knows everything about everything and inspired me to try to learn as much as I can on my own just so that I could maybe someday be half as knowledgeable as he is.

An extremely intelligent, and easy going professor!

He is an amazing professor. I disliked English. We read a lot of novels and poems throughout the course and he gave me a new outlook on them. He is very knowledgable and has a passion for his class. Must read the books because he does have random quizzes and would only know answer if you read it.

DEFINITELY RECOMMEND ALL STUDENTS TO TAKE HIS CLASS!!! He is an outstanding professor who genuinely loves his career. I advise students to attend regularly because he gives surprise quizzes that can improve your grade as well as drop it. Read assigned pages and you will do well in his class. PS: His lectures are always interesting!

I have taken 3 of his classes before and in all of them, I have received an A. He is very smart and fun. His tests and essays are pretty lenient. Highly recommend his office hours at least once. You would definitely want letter of rec from him. Absolutely amazing and fun easy A.

If you don't read the books you'll probably fail. He's a really good professor and he lectures are really interesting as long as you are into English. If you're not into English, you will probably be bored. He is fair and the quizzes he gives aren't hard. Would recommend.

Chris is amazing! The subject matter may not be the most interesting, but his passion makes you believe it is. He is the sweetest guy ever. Gives quizzes, but they are generally one question and SO easy. A lot to read, I got away with reading only a summary when I needed to. I'm going to miss him when I graduate!

I am not a morning person. Professor Velasco is the only professor who makes me want to get up early in the morning to come to class. He is absolutely hilarious and extremely knowledgable. He won't hesitate to go over things more than once if you don't understand and has a very witty sense of humor. 10/10 would take his class again.

Ruiz-Velasco is an amazing professor. His classes are all structured similarly. Read the assigned texts, answer questions, engage in classroom discussions. It's very lecture-heavy, but also helpful and insightful. For the final, you get to bring a completed study guide since he prioritizes learning over rote memorization. Wonderful instructor

Chris is the best! We love Chris. He is so hilarious and inspirational. He is SUCH an interesting person. You can learn a lot from him, and not just from books. He is a philosophical thinker and has many wise perspectives to offer. His classes are structured very relaxed but you need to attend class for the quizzes. He is very kind and helpful.

His class is easy, the reading isn't too bad, only thing you gotta look out for are the pop quizzes. Two papers to write, both fairly easy, and the final exam is super easy. He's super nice and friendly, and talks a lot. Most of the time you just get a list of questions and you discuss them in class. Always willing to answer questions.

A great professor! Most of his assigned readings were interesting and class was based on discussion and answering questions that he would hand out. Arrive to class on time because pop quizzes would begin right when class starts. Discussions were interesting and provides great clarification.

Honestly one of the best professors at CSUF! This is the second time I take one of his classes and he was just as inspirational, funny, and passionate as he was when I took his class for the first time. He gives you study questions on the readings of the day, which are more than likely to show up on the final. Highly recommend taking his classes!

Absolute sweetheart. He gives the class a set of questions and lets the class do what they want, but when he gets to teaching hes fantastic. He obviously knows a lot about the subjects hes teaching. He can talk to you about practically anything, very easy going.

This semester was his first time teaching online so I'm not sure how his class would be in person but for his first time, it was great. just the one thing, for his syllabus, it lacks information. the assignments on there aren't explained in detail but he is super accessible to ask questions.

This is the 2nd time i've taken a class with him, he's an amazing Professor! he likes to give simple quizzes, and 1 essay. He is very enthusiastic, approachable, and very fair with his grading. I wish we had more Instructors like him :)

Professor Velasco is great. He is very nice and accomodating. He genuinely loves his job and it shows with the way that he treats his students. I have learned a lot from this class.

really one of the best professors i had. he is always so sweet and open to conversation. he really knows what he is talking about and can talk about a book forever and it is always so interesting. assigns essays and quizzes but they are easy nothing to difficult. he's the best and definitely a class where you can get an easy a.

I absolutely loved him. If any of my future classes are being taught by him, I will definitely take them. The only thing I would suggest is to actually keep up with the readings and the guided questions for the readings, they will definitely help you come finals. I always hated American lit, but he made it enjoyable!

I loved this class! Professor Velasco is a real gem! His class does require a lot of reading, so be prepared! The books though are enjoyable if you love reading you'll have no problem. We had two essays, and there was also reading quizzes. The quizzes were nothing to stress about.

Velasco is an amazing professor & really cares about his students. He was in Germany for the semester & STILL responded to emails quickly. Theres 10 quizzes based on stories we read, a final and he gives us the study guide for the final with the exact questions in advance. 2 papers, he gives great feedback and grades fairly quickly. Take him!

Easy quizzes straight from reading. Literally easiest questions. one final of a ten page paper. a second small paper throughout the semester of 3-5 pages. accessible outside of class and very helpful when constructing your papers. very recommended.

Professor Chris was great! He has a lot of knowledge and really wants his students to pass! I definitely recommend taking him at CSUF!

Reasonable workload but do not wait to get started on the paper. It's two drafts and a final version - 10 pgs. minimum plus scholarly source materials. Research first. Then write. Go to office hourshe is helpful and straightforward. Also, show up for classpop quizzes are not difficult if you do the readings but can't be made up. Class is fun.

Very kind and caring professor! He assigns readings every week and will typically have a pop quiz to see if you did the reading, but the quizzes are just one question and are super easy (he usually just gives everybody an A). There is two papers and a final exam but they are fairly easy. Overall, an easy A as well as an enjoyable class! (:

I also took his 300 simultaneous to 221, each class had the same syllabus, just different subject criteria. The workload is beyond attainable and manageable. Professor RV is so considerate, and passionate about what he teaches. He even helped me research during his office hours. I already signed up for another class with him next semester. TAKE HIM

He is awesome. One of few professors to come up to you and ask you how you are doing. The essays and quizzes are fairly easy and pretty short as well.

for more than half of the quizzes, he just gives you a 30/30 as long as you're there for class.

The best professor I have ever had. Take any class you can with this man. One question quiz for the books we read in class and only two papers. Class is very fun and he genuinely cares about his students and wants them to succeed. I love Chris Ruiz-Velasco.

Professor Ruiz is an awesome professor. Class was very easy. The quizzes he gave out were one question and was very lenient on them as he gave full or partial credit if we had some idea. 2 Essays, 1 Informal, and 1 research paper, but he grades them leniently as well. Final Exam was also easy as well. You will read a lot, but the books are fun.

Such a sweet man! very easy going, graded by few things, attendance is not mandatory but he has pop quizzes that are worth lots of points and theyre the easiest quizzes but if you miss them your missing out on lots of easy points. would absolutely take him again hes super chill, some days we hardly do anything and others we have full conversations.

graded by few things, 10-12 pop-quizzes, 2 essays, 1 two-part final exam (online, open note). Such a kind guy and just along for the ride. Class consists of peer group discussions on previous reading and then overall discussion led by RV. Pop-quizzes are one random question related to reading that he announces at beginning of class on random days.

I really enjoyed Velasco. He does assign a lot of books but it's nothing to stress about. His pop quizzes are one question and nothing to stress about either. He grades fairly and had two papers and two part final exam. Overall, highly recommend he's caring and understands we're busy college students.

Inspirational, very helpful, he's a blast to just talk to if needed. While admittedly there's a lot less learning interacting in the classroom than one might expect (which is part of why his classes are easy), if you were to ask for help/tutoring, you will get more than what you would expect and then some. He knows is stuff and is very kind.

By far the funniest professor I've ever had. There is one big 10 page essay for the final which he gives you the whole semester to do, and you must submit two rough drafts of it over the course of the semester. He gives pop quizzes that are only one question each and are very easy. Overall he is a very funny professor with fairly easy coursework.

You definitely need the textbook as all discussion posts and the final paper due at the end of the semester have to do with it. But Velasco is the best, work is manageable, and he is very understanding. Lectures are good and insightful but he does frequently cut them off. I highly recommend him though to everyone, he's so nice and just the best.

Prof. Ruiz was really chill and is passionate about what he teaches. Attendance wasn't mandatory, but there were pop quizzes on random days that you couldn't make up another day; they were what mainly impacted ur grade.

What a great professor I would take him 100% again hes so nice and understanding!