Interesting, fairly easy class. Lopez gives good lectures, and loves Beatles references.

Buddhism seminar was fascinating; only 2 assignments, no tests/final. One of those professors who knows EVERYTHING and is fascinating to learn from

He is just so awesome. I never miss his lectures - because they were just too interesting! They way he presents his ideas was commendable. His eloquence is impressive. One word would describe all - GOOD!

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Lopez has great lectures that are very interesting. He is an extremely knowledgeable man that has really explored his field. The first half of the class is really easy to follow and is truly a great intro., but the second half of the class he gets really in depth and it becomes more difficult.

professor lopez is one groovy guy and this class was the best i've taken yet. the presentation of information and ideas is unmatched. plus, he loves hendrix. the lectures were great on so many levels.

wow. Lopez is fine. Such a great class - DO NOT SKIP THE LAST LECTURE! He's such a knowledgeable person and so much experience... plus he has great stories.

He knows everything and is incredibly personable as a bonus. Great class and fascinating professor.

If you do not take a class from Professor Lopez, it is definitely your loss. That is all there is to say that has not already been said.

Amazing class! About learning, not testing. Very cool guy. I have heard mixed reviews on intro to buddhism, but I definitely recommend the seminar.

If you get the chance to take a class with him, do it. He has the best stories and it's a pretty easy A (even though you learn A LOT).

Go to lecture. You can show up late if you want- spends the first half hour or so on esoteric questions- but go.

Lopez is great! One of the clearest, most interesting, most entertaining professors I've ever had. Very personable, too. Renowned scholar (check out his books!), but still down-to-earth and dedicated to teaching. Highly recommended! (Do the readings he assigns, too--they're fascinating.)

This class is amazing! Lopez is the best professor I've had. His lectures are interesting and engaging, and the course is focused on learning, not testing. Overall it is fairly easy if you attend lectures and read, but you learn so, so much. Due to the course content and Lopez's teaching style, this course is one that will change your life! Take it

Your grades largely depend on your GSI (essay grades). Midterm and final are easy if you read the texts. His sweaters are sexy as ****.

BEST PROFESSOR EVER. TAKE INTRO TO BUDDHISM. NOW. LOVE LOPEZ.

Professor Lopez is one of the best professors I have ever had at Michigan. His lectures are clear and extremely engaging. I highly recommend him and this class.

Awesome professor, one of the best at UM

Lopez is awesome! He is so knowledgeable about Buddhism but is very humble at the same. He always talks about his experiences with the Dalai Lama--it's crazy. I highly recommend any class with him. It's not too hard a class but you have to do the reading.

The best professor I have com across at UofM. The class was amazing. I highly recommend taking it, very interesting.

Dr. Lopez is the most wonderful person on Earth. He is extremely intelligent, is a living Buddhist encyclopedia, super funny and a great teacher! Take his class. It puts college life into perspective.

Take a class with this man, no matter what it is. It will change your life.

Best class I've taken at UofM. He's funny, engaging, and clearly loves what he does. You can get by without doing all of the readings so long as you take good notes, but the readings from the book he wrote are short and interesting. Study the night before the exam and you can get an A.

Great Professor! Class is easy as long as you pay attention during lectures and do the readings.

Extremely interesting and helpful, took his class on Tibetan Buddhism and decided to get a minor in Asian studies due to it, highly recommend

Best professor and class I've had at U of M. Lecture has attendance, but enjoyed going to class anyway to hear him speak. Brilliant man.

HE'S AWESOME

Dr. Lopez is amazing!!!! I took his class because of the other reviews here, and I am glad I did! He's EXTREMELY knowledgeable, but also a super nice guy and fun to listen to.

Great lecturer! Best professor I've had at umich, I really recommend taking this course. He Is very knowledgeable about the material and doesn't read off of slides like so many professors.

Very good professor. Knows everything. The class really is interesting... but lectures get VERY long and hard to pay attention to. There are not many assignments at all- in fact, there's none except 1 essay. However, there is a LOT of reading and if you don't do the reading, it's impossible to get an A in the class. Easy B+, hard A-A.

Great course if you're interested in Buddhism but have little to no knowledge. Professor Lopez is super knowledgeable and passionate. The lectures can vary between absolutely hilarious and putting me to sleep, but he does try to keep it interesting. If you attend lectures and discussions and at least skim the readings, it's an easy B.

Professor Lopez is a fantastic lecturer and manages to make the class laugh pretty much every day. The class is not difficult as long as you do the readings and show up to lecture.

This is a must-take class! If you do the readings (there's a lot) and go to lectures you can easily get an A. Lopez is the best lecturer I've had at umich. I was actually sad on the last day of class. Overall, it's an interesting class and you will love Lopez by the end. Only one final paper and 2 midterms. TAKE IT!

A lot of reading, but the tests are easy and the final essay aint bad. LOPEZ IS THE MAN

Readings and Professsor Lopez make the course really amazing, provided that you do the reading. Exams are easy as a result (average is 90). Lectures begin at 4 and 1.5 hrs long but Professor Lopez usually ends at 5:10-ish. He could spend time on jokes mainly to keep you concentrated. One of the best classes I ever take.

easy B+, hard A- or higher. very interesting lectures, super nice and great man. but you need to read a LOT in this class to do well. there is a lot of work you need to put in for the tests.. you can't just show up and do nothing. great class tho. not an easy A by any means (i'm reliable because I got an A, so I'm not just mad at the class)

Here's the thing, I overslept the first exam, and Professor Lopez let me take the make up one. He's a really generous person on that one. I didn't expect that at all, since it's my own fault. Course needs reading a lot, but you should find it very interesting. He also changes requirement from 7-9 to 5-7 pages for our final essay. Take this course.

I took Intro to Buddhism with Professor Lopez. There are two tests and a final paper. With an A- and a B+ on the two tests, I was extremely puzzled to see I got a C+ in the class. Participation in discussion and attendance counts a lot, apparently. There's a lot of reading, but it's interesting.

Interesting class, I learned A LOT. Professor Lopez is a great lecturerer, but unfortunately there are flaws such as his power point slides. He goes to fast in lecture to completely copy everything he says out of his mouth down. Your grade is essentially in the hands of the GSI. Other than than that it's just 2 exams, & 1 paper. Not bad overall.

Asian 230 was probably my favorite class that I've ever taken at UMich, and DS Lopez was one of my favorite professors. Lectures were interesting and thought provoking. But if you're looking for an easy A blowoff class, this is not the class. Work and attendance are needed to do well. But personally for me, this course is worth all the work!

There are a lot of required readings and if you don't go to lecture, you won't get a good grade. Professor Lopez is the most intelligent and brilliant man you'll ever meet and manages to make the class every day. This class is not an easy A and you have to work hard to get a good grade.

Honestly, he's one of the smartest people at this University. His lectures were super engaging, and I never missed a single one. He doesn't use power point slides because he's just that badass. The class was just two exams and a paper, none of which are particularly easy, but if you work hard you can get an A.

Absolutely fantastic guy. Extremely interesting and personable, always has the class laughing. Am taking Asian 231 next semester in large part because of Professor Lopez. In terms of getting a good grade it's not an easy A per say but an A- should be manageable with pretty minimal effort

Lopez is the man. Any interest in what Buddhism actually is? Any interest in Eastern culture? TAKE THIS CLASS. No tech in class, so you have to listen and take notes (but you'll want to). But I do have to say: this is not an easy A. Lots of reading and quotes on exam that are kind of hard. Overall I'm so sad this class is ending on Tuesday :(

If you're on this RMP page deciding whether or not to take this class, the answer is yes. The man is an inspiration and the class will change your life.

This is the best class I've taken at Michigan, and Lopez is probably the best professor I've had here. The class isn't a blow off, but the work is worth it, because Lopez makes it so interesting. You have to go to class and do the readings but you'll want to, because you'll become so interested in the material as the class goes on.

Professor Lopez is the sweetest, funniest lecturer I have taken so far. TAKE THIS CLASS. I feel like all his GSIs are helpful (I had Anna Johnson). He creates a nice atmosphere between the GSIs, him, and the students. Definitely do the readings, don't ever skip class (u wont want to), study tests with the study guide and you are sure to get an A.

Top-drawer. Dr. Lopez gives very enjoyable lectures, clear requirements on exam and is very receptive of questions. He clearly cares deeply about his work and his students. Not 'easy,' but workload is reasonable for a four-credit class.

He gives you everything you need to study for the test (literally just a list you have to recite) and if you read you'll ace the class. His lectures are informational and VERY funny. He's very honest and isn't afraid to tell you what is and what is not bull. The difficulty arises with the GSI you get.

Great class, attendance is definitely mandatory. Ultimately, how well you do will be determined by if you put in the effort and your GSI. Mine was a somewhat difficult grader, so yeah...

Professor Lopez is an outstanding lecturer and obviously extremely knowledgable about Buddhism. There's a lot of reading. Tips: Be sure to attend every section, or your A will go down to a C. Beyond attendance, participation in section is necessary. Be sure to meet with your GSI and have them read over your final essay (10 pages).

Currently taken Don's 231 class. Outstanding professor. His lectures are captivating, his wit is on point and his knowledge of the subject is boundless. He is very grounded and down to Earth despite his vast accomplishments in his field, something that seems to be rare with professors of his stature. Very warm individual, want to give him a big hug

This class changed my perspective on Buddhism, Tibet, the Western world and my understanding of the self. Professor Lopez is one of the biggest OG's at the University of Michigan, will casually drop the fact that he is friends with the Dalai Lama and is obviously super passionate about the material. Class is super easy if you attend lecture.

Professor Lopez is extremely knowledgeable on the topic of Buddhism and his lectures are all very interesting. Intro to Buddhism is an easy class made more interesting by a passionate professor.

Had this class with him my first semester and absolutely loved it. I'm not a big textbook reader, but when it came to this class I made sure I did the readings so I knew what was going on it lecture. He really makes you think and definitely is an expert on the material. Super enjoyable and definitely manageable class.

Great professor. Extremely intelligent and well read on Buddhism, and his lectures are a spectacle worth experiencing. For a 200 level class, he gives a lot of information accompanied with easy grading. For his higher level students, he does have higher expectations, but they're very reasonable expectations to meet.

I took this class because it was one of the few that fit my schedule. It turned out to be fantastic. The topic was interesting enough that I didn't have any problems going to the lectures and the way he talks about it, you can tell he's very passionate and knowledgeable. At the end of the last lecture, everyone clapped for a minute straight.

Professor Lopez is a great and highly knowledgeable professor. He really made learning the subject interesting and was great at explaining and going over things. Overall, this was a great class and made me really interested in Buddhism

The rest of the reviews say it all. Very cool guy, funny, interesting topic and a great lecturer. Would recommend. Will say however, your GSI can affect how your grade turns out because they are the ones grading quizzes, exams and the paper. But, super great elective choice!

Probably the most entertaining and knowledgable professor Ive met in U of M so far

Professor Lopez is fantastic as all the other reviews have said. He really is a sweet, charming professor who is enthusiastic about what he does and wants his students to succeed. An important note is that the class should not be underestimated as a easy A/slack off class. You need to read the book and study what he tells you (on a study guide).

There are some professor that get you to think critically about their subject material and their are others like Lopez who get you to think critically about life; what it means to be a good person, what it means to be yourself. I took this class as a senior and its been my favorite at UM. Lopez is an absolute legend, you must take a class with him.

The most LEGENDARY professor and course I've been apart of at UMich so far. Lopez is an absolute icon even within his field. His stories are so engaging and interesting and he just rocks. Lecture was very enjoyable and the way he explains concepts was super entertaining. Can't recommend highly enough!

This is guy is easily the best professor I've had at Michigan. He clearly has a ridiculous amount of knowledge on what he teaches and is one of the top people in his field. Class is a pretty easy A as long you pay attention in lecture. He really is passionate about teaching his students and he also has some crazy stories from his younger days lol

Professor Lopez is AMAZING. His insane intelligence and passion for teaching can be seen by his students from day one. He speaks directly to the class and tells tons of engaging stories. Expectations are made extremely clear and exams are straight-forward. I can honestly say he is my favorite professor at this university so far.

He is honestly one of the most interesting professors I have had. Although I havent finished the class yet, he has kept the class engaging despite it being remote because of covid. Absolute legend.

Professor Lopez is an excellent professor with the ideal GSIs to match his passion for teaching. Taking this course online was extremely simple. Two asynchronous lectures and a synchronous discussion. Midterms are easy because the class is engaging. Just do the readings!!

Prof Lopez has been one of my fav professors so far. His coursework is light but he is passionate and engaging in his lectures. It's easy to pass with an A in this class because his lessons are just that interesting. Only one $10 textbook is required, and as long as you do the lectures and do most of the reading, you will do great.

Exceptional.

High-class. Knowledgeable about the subject, and very accommodating to students. Would highly recommend for any class he teaches.

i really enjoyed this course. granted, i did take it online but i did not think it was a difficult course at all! dr. lopez is nice idk i dont really have an opinion on him. the religion is definitely interesting so lectures were rarely boring. good class.

This is the most entertaining course I've taken so far. Most of the lectures are just him telling stories about Buddhism. The exams were very straightforward (you gotta study a tinsy bit). The readings were tough but he explains most of them in class. This is a cliché but I honestly feel like a better person. Definitely a fun and easy elective.

Professor Lopez truly caught your attention in class, keeping students engaged and entertained during lectures. He was very wise when it came to the subject, and chose not to use slides during our lectures (which I happened to like more). Overall, this class was amazing, the exams were pretty straightforward (a lot of memorization).

His lectures were so fun to listen to. They felt like stories or well-made podcasts. Clearly an expert, Prof. Lopez taught me so much, despite the class being online at the time. I did not think I would enjoy it as much as I did. He is both eloquent and incredibly knowledgable. I would 100% take another class with Professor Lopez.

Really easy class, lectures are short and very entertaining.

Lopez's lectures are absolutely riveting and educational. There is no other class that I looked forward to more than his. A truly wonderful experience that allowed me to understand an important part of my cultural upbringing. Exams are straightforward if you spend some time on the readings. If you are on the fence about this course, just take it.

the professor is very knowledgable and talk about very interesting topics. You can succeed by just listening to lectures(large) and taking notes,but the discussion sections are fun and have quizzes based on book content. There is honestly a lot of reading but its interesting and you can skim it. The professor also always answers all your questions.

Great prof :)

Professor Lopez is such an entertaining lecturer; he never used notes or slides which meant you had to be paying attention at all times. However, that was never an issue simply because his lectures involved telling Buddhist stories which was very interesting. The readings can be a little bit hard but other than that the class is very fun.

This class was all lectures with a weekly discussion section. Your grade is made up of attendance, two midterms, and one final paper, so as long as you attend class you should get an A. Professor Lopez made the lectures interesting each time, and they were always shorter than the class was supposed to be. I would highly recommend taking his class.

Dr. Lopez is one of the best professors in the country. He has a wicked sense of humor and his lectures are so interesting simply because he tells Buddhist stories and teaches in a conversational tone. The readings are a little hard, but if you pay attention and show up to lecture you'll have no problems on the exams.

His last lecture was not a lecture, it was a spiritual experience. I was lucky enough to have taken a class with him.

Very clear grading criteria, plus I learned so much in such an interesting way about Buddhism. No HW, attendance required. Doesn't matter I guess since he's retiring.