I really liked her. She was nice and wanted everyone to understand history. She definitely has a passion for history. You have to go to class, but her quizzes weren't hard. You write two papers. Discussion is boring. Take a Final and a Midterm. If you go to class everyday its not hard.

I thought she was a good teacher. Overall, it's not the most exciting course because it's a gen ed history class. But she's knows what she's talking about and it isn't a hard class if you go to the lectures. You really don't have to do the readings. The worst part is how she stresses participation during discussion, it's 20% of your total grade.

I hated coming in at 8 a.m. but if I had a later time, it probably wouldn't have been too bad. The reading is A LOT and it's hard to keep up with it. The essays need to be specific and contain loads of analysis. Tests weren't too bad, just review your notes from lecture. You have to participate in discussion though.

I hated history in highschool but actually really liked this class.. I don't know why the reviews are so low. She's awkward and says "mmhmm" a lot, but she couldn't be any clearer when it comes to explaining things. Quizzes are really easy if you study, exams are essays but not that bad if you put the effort into it. A lottt of reading.

Dr. Westkaemper is a wonderful professor. She's very passionate about her subject and I learned a LOT from her. Yeah, she's awkward, but let's be real, most profs are. She's so welcoming during office hours and very quick to answer emails. I highly recommend her.

I didn't think i would like this class but its actually not bad. Just put in a little effort and pay attention in class and you'll be fine. exams are easy, quizzes are easy participate in discussion and listen in lecture. i stopped reading the book and im doing fine just pay attention to her slides and study them theyre very helpful! overall take!!

She is a great professor. She is really clear about what she wants she is teaching. Tests are essay tests. BRING A COMPUTER TO TAKE NOTES. She speaks really fast and says a lot of important information. Over all a great teach and i recommend her to everyone.If you try it's really easy to do well.

Westkaemper was a boring professor but she was clear about what she wanted on exams and quizzes. The discussion group meetings are mandatory but the lectures aren't. Having said that the lectures are actually quite important like any class. two exams and a midterm, 4 quizzes, and one essay. Achieving an A is very possible. I highly recommend her.

The lectures tend to be rather dry and Dr. Westkaemper can be a little bit robotic. That being said, the class is easy for a four credit course and the lectures are all you need to succeed. Lowest quiz is dropped and the tests are totally doable if you listen to what she wants. History can be bland but she will get you through the class.

She is very boring but the class is pretty easy. 2 tests and a final and a paper. Tests are written but pretty easy general history terms. A few easy quizzes. Discussion meetings are annoying but you have to go. Pretty easy GHIST teacher

You don't need to read if you go to her lectures. She knows her stuff and she writes outlines for you to take notes under, which makes it really easy to follow her lectures. Yes, she may be bland, but I'd rather her be that than unclear. Take the class.

She's a great teacher and her lectures cover everything you need to know to do well. Her voice can get monotoned but I found the class very interesting and you get to watch some movies/movie clips. If you go to class and take good notes and you can do very well in this class. Highly recommend her.

Westkaemper really wants her students to learn and do well. She is accepting of all commentsideas and very clear on instructions. However, if you are not interested in the material it is VERY hard to pay attention. Her lecture style is dry and only the outlines of power points are online. Because its hard to focus, the quizzestests are ROUGH.

Attendance isn't mandatory but if you listen to lectures, you wont have to read the outrageous amount assigned. Easy quizzes, drops the lowest quiz grade. Midterm was relatively easy if you study and know what you're talking about. Participate in discussion and be ready to analyze documents. Really passionate and likes hearing from her students.

Dr. Westkaemper is really cool actually. Her lectures are boring but its doable. There is suggested weekly reading but you really don't need to do it to get good grades. The midterm and final aren't bad. She is really helpful if you have any questions and she's really nice. It's a lot of work but definitely an A or B if you try a lil bit.

Lectures are super straightforward. Discussion isn't too bad, I talk once a class and got a 91 for that portion of the grade. Quizzes are every other friday, one or two questions from the reading questions but otherwise easy and from lecture. Exams are easy but are graded somewhat tough so just make sure you come prepared! I would recommend her!!

Dr. Westkaemper is an excellent professor. This class contained very interesting assignments, such as a film analysis paper and a presentation. The midterm and final can be difficult, but they just require studying like any other class. She is the clearest professor in terms of grading that I've encountered at JMU, and I highly recommend her.

Lectures are boring, but if you show up and take good notes you won't have to do the readings. Quizzes are easy, based on lecture, and the lowest one is dropped! Go to her office hours for help on the paper. DO NOT MISS DISCUSSION CLASS (once a week), and make sure you actively participate in it. Oh, and she really doesn't grade harshly at all.

I didn't mind this class. To be honest, it is very dry and boring in lecture. Participation counts just as much as the midterm grade so GO to discussion. Only a midterm, a paper, and a final then some small quizzes in between. The quizzes aren't bad if you just show up and listen to the info. Tough grader on the midterm and final though. Up to you

I hate history. Absolutely hate it. But if you need a gen-ed, Westkaemper is a really good choice. 6 quizzes (MC, lowest grade removed), 1 paper, mid-term, and final. Not too bad on the workload, just a lot of reading. Discussions are easy to do well in and she's always very encouraging when you're talking. Great prof.

Dr. Westkaemper has an obvious knowledge and passion for Women's History. She expects participation and you will be graded harshly if you don't participate. DO THE READING as her participation grade is based off of that. She was always receptive to questions and did her best to clear up any confusion. You write 3 papers, a mid term, and a final.

Hard class. Expect a lot of reading. And don't buy the digital text book for the discussion time, she doesn't allow laptops during that time. A quiz every 2 or so weeks, 2 tests, and a paper. Overall a good professor, and she definitely knows what she is talking about.

Very nice teacher. Lecture is not mandatory and if you do the reading you don't need to go. Discussion is required and has its own reading assignment. Reading varies weekly ranging from 75-100 pages. Exams are short answer quizzes are multiple choice.

Great professor. Gives great lectures, but they are quite dry. She is very encouraging and wants students to do well in the class. Discussion is easy as long as you read. Just going to lectures won't cover everything so textbook reading is a must. For a GEN ED, this class is pretty easy. Highly recommend her.

Great choice for a GenEd that is four credits. The books are on reserve at the library so you don't necessarily have to buy them if you go to the library and use them there. Discussion is mandatory once a week and based off participation but lecture attendance isn't mandatory so if you skip a few times & do the readings you should be good!

EASIEST CLASS EVER. you don't even have to show up to class. Her lectures are super LONG & BORING but if you do your readings, you are straight. There are discussion meetings outsides of class once a week, you only need to say one thing about the reading for each meeting to get a 100. Midterm and Final are super easy. Beware of the quizzes!

She is a nice lady who cares. A lot of information given but an A is very possible to study the exact stuff she gives online and you will be fine. Talk at least once every discussion for full credit

Great professor. The class itself (HIST 225) isn't necessarily the most exciting class, but she does a great job explaining the material in her lectures thoroughly. There's 5 fairly simple quizzes (2 dropped), 2 tests, a paper, and a participation grade that comes from the discussion portion of the class. Participate and do the work and you're good

super nice lady and easy class to get an A in. There are plenty of grades and you are allowed to miss three discussion classes without penalty. The only downside is that the lectures can be kind of dry, but it's easy to tell that she knows the material so well. Also drops the lowest quiz grades! Solid choice for a genEd.

Professor Westkaemper is one of the nicest people youll ever meet. She does grade off of participation and you must read to pass!!! She grades you off of 5 quizzes (drops lowest 2), 2 tests, and a final paper. An A is totally doable if you attend her lectures, which are actually pretty interesting!!

Prof Westkaemper lectures the whole class and expects you to participate in discussion. She overall makes lecture interesting and explains history very well. Up until now, I have not been as interested in history. She is fun and overall a pretty easy hist225 professor.

good professor. Easy grader

Dr. Westkaemper is a solid choice for HIST 225. 5 quizzes, 2 exams (midterm and final), and a paper. Participation in the discussion block is also part of your grade. You definitely have to read and take notes to succeed, and sometimes lectures were boring. However, she is helpful and wants you to do well.

Very challenging but learned a ton. Really passionate, but gave a ton of info in lecture and exams (2) were IDs so it was a lot to know. Four secondary source papers, (2) larger papers, and she expected a lot in grading. Always gave really great feedback and was specific on what she wanted, super prepared. Work hard, you'll do great, not an easy A

Amazing Professor - she prepares excellent lectures. The quizzes are from the lectures and text - and the two written exams are open book and untimed so if you take great notes and have your book ready, you can get an A. She gives detailed (10 pages!) instructions for what she expects from the written exams and paper.

I LOVED Dr. Westkaemper! She is so passionate about what she teaches and set up the class in a way for us to ask questions and have discussions. She made an effort to get to know each of us in a large class by name and I appreciated that. While her style of teaching is more serious, her class is an excellent choice for a GenEd or history major.

Professor Westkaemper's class isn't a cake walk, but its a Gen Ed History, not many of them will be. She's a fair grader, she isn't going to test you on anything that she didn't explicitly tell you about. There are three exams that she calls the two midterms and the final, but really they're 3 unit tests. Excellent Gen Ed choice.

Dr. Westkaemper will make you think about history and pop culture in extremely new ways! The readings she assigns are interesting and necessary to participate in discussions, which is a part of your grade in her classes. She also provides a lot of opportunities for analysis of magazines from the early 1900s, which was fun and hands on!

If I could say one thing about Dr. Westkaemper, it is that she is very fair. Her tests don't try to trick you unlike other professors and the grading criteria is extremely clear. This class involved quite a bit of reading so maybe avoid if you aren't into that, but you can tell she knows her stuff. I found her to be a very effective teacher.

Dr. Westkaemper is by far the most understanding professor I have ever had. Her class is lecture heavy but she is willing to help in any way so everyone comprehends the material. There is also a discussion once a week where you need to participate to get a good grade but she appreciates all comments and makes it where no one feels judged.

As a student with ODS accommodations she is extremely forgiving and understanding. Be warned of tests, they are difficult but doable. Her office hours are helpful and she will do just about anything to see a student succeed. Overall very kind and passionate about the course.

After looking at the reviews here, I must write one. I had a wonderful time learning about history through Dr. Westkaemper. Other reviews have stated that her lectures are "monotone and boring" -- these reviews must come from those students who sit through lectures playing games instead of truly hearing out Dr. Westkaemper. Do your due diligence!

as a big stoner i no like-y this class. it is ez to go to the lectures but the discussions hurt me alot

A solid professor who gets the job done - not my favorite but far from the worst.

She was a good prof. overall. I really did like the way she taught and she seemed very passionate about the subjects. She was also very helpful and just wanted to see us succeed. She gives you formats and hints on what is important for the tests we take. She is very strict about phones and distractions on devices and strict on attendance.

While the lectures are long and there is a lot of coursework I couldn't speak better of Dr. westkaemper. I went through something emotional during a Wilson hall meeting. I didn't address it but she took time to email me, emphasized her sympathy, and connected me with JMU resources. She is also incredibly helpful during office hours or via email!