3.7

Francis Dunn

Classics - University of California Santa Barbara

3.7
Quality
2.6
Difficulty
56%
Would Retake
141
Reviews
3.7
Quality
2.6
Difficulty
3.6
Helpful
3.7
Clarity

56%

Would Retake

141

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

47

4

44

3

24

2

19

1

7

What Students Say

Almost at every discussion section we will be given a quiz

CLASS40 - 1.0 rating

Only an analysis is provided

CLASS40 - 3.0 rating
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

24%

Textbook Required

17%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

95% confidence
Based on 51 grades
Most common grades:
A (24)
Not sure yet (14)
A- (10)
Grade Distribution
A(31)B(3)C(0)D(0)F(1)A-/B+(16)
Based on 67 reported grades
A: 24
Not sure yet: 14
A-: 10
A+: 7
Common Tags
Get ready to read (45)
Clear grading criteria (13)
Hilarious (10)
Caring (8)
Amazing lectures (6)
Skip class? You won't pass. (6)
Graded by few things (6)
Respected (5)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.47 avg change
Jun
Dec
Jan
Nov
Jan
Dec
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

40

5.0

(1)

CLAS109

5.0

(1)

CLSICS36

5.0

(1)

CLASS102

5.0

(1)

CLASSCLAS

5.0

(1)
+16 more courses
Difficulty by Course

CLAS109

4.0

GREEKMYTH

4.0

CLIT30A

3.7

40

3.0

CLASSIC40

3.0

Reviews (141)
3.0
3.0
CLASSICS40
Feb 26, 2003

No Comments

5.0
1.0
CLASS40
Feb 28, 2003

Dunn was an awesome teacher! He was hilarious and told great intro. stories. Take his class. Prof. Dunn What!?!

4.0
1.0
CLASSICS40
Aug 13, 2003

Easy as hell...boring sometimes...the videos he showed were alright...umm class is hella to early most of the time

2.0
2.0
CLASSICS4
Oct 29, 2003

did not do a very good job discussing course materials. the TA really helped a lot more than he did.

2.0
4.0
CLIT30A
Dec 4, 2003

He sucks. I hated this class with a passion. I never went to lecture because he was so boring. I hope I pass!

4.0
3.0
CLIT30A
Dec 9, 2003

i loved this class - take the honors section. dunn is a cool guy in section and you learn what he expects to read on tests. pay attention to his random ironies!

5.0
4.0
CLASSIC40
Dec 10, 2003

Very enthusiastic about the subject. You can tell he really enjoys teaching this course, and it carries over to the students.

4.0
4.0
CLIT30A
Feb 5, 2004

Wonderful teacher. Clear about the topics and material needed for tests. I highly recommand him.

5.0
4.0
CLAS109
Mar 4, 2004

he had a real passion for this class, but others haven't graded him as high. perhaps he just seemed like a really nice guy to me.

2.0
5.0
CLIT30A
Mar 29, 2004

I hated this class. He was very unclear about what he expected on the exams and unhelpful when I approached him. I didn't learn anything new which was dissapointing as this was my first lit class in college.

5.0
4.0
CLIT30A
Mar 31, 2004

Professor Dunn is very knowledgable and passionate about his subject. I thought his lectures were fascinating - in fact, his class was the only lecture I bothered going to most of the time.

2.0
4.0
CLIT30A
May 5, 2004

I thought his lectures were a bit unorganized and he didn't explain the books thoroughly enough. When it came to the tests the only reason I was slightly prepared was because of help from my TA and getting through the reading. I didn't like his class.

5.0
2.0
CLSICS36
Aug 7, 2004

Very passoniate, great teacher. Not the EASIEST, but its certainly not hard at all. Grades very "nicely", if you know what I mean.

5.0
2.0
CLIT30A
Mar 29, 2005

Made me actually enjoy comparative literature! If you actually read all the books and go to the lectures you'll do fine.

5.0
1.0
CLASS102
Aug 29, 2005

Good professor who is obviously very into the material. All you have to do for this class is attend everyday and take good notes. The quizzes are straight from the notes and the papers aren't too difficult either. He will help you as much as possible in office hours. He goes over the plays in detail in class so make sure you go!

5.0
1.0
CLASS40
Nov 8, 2005

great teacher, everything he expects on the tests he explain very clearly from his lectures. as long as you ready the material and attend lectures, you'll do fine

4.0
2.0
CLASS40
Dec 6, 2005

He goes over the readings in class, which is very helpful when the language or reading is confusing. Very helpful and a sweet man

5.0
2.0
CLASS40
Grade: A
Dec 7, 2005

Extremely informative; lively lectures; makes topic interesting and easy to understand.

5.0
2.0
CLASS40
Dec 13, 2005

WOW this teacher is amazing! Students sit like little children listening to amazing stories! He is so enthusiastic, mind-enthralling, and makes everything sound so interesting! His midterm consists of IDs and an essay about sthng he goes over in class, so it's EASY! 5pg Final paper 25% of grade(take-home)! 50 multchoice final-EASY! AMAZING teacher!

5.0
1.0
CLASSICS40
Dec 16, 2005

he's such a friendly guy :] definitely an interesting class! it was probably my favorite this quarter. he is very excited about what he teaches, which in turn really makes students excited about it... even if reading all those myths can get a little lengthy. but i enjoyed the class and he's a good teacher. very genuine.

2.0
5.0
CLASSICS40
Dec 21, 2005

He was a ****head. I went for help on a paper and he did nothing but babble about his children, and was very unhelpful. He may be excited about his teaching but he was not very nice, or sexy

5.0
1.0
CLASSICS40
Dec 21, 2005

Great lecturer, fun class!

5.0
1.0
CLASSICS40
Apr 19, 2006

Awesome professor. Very clear and easy to understand. Tests are very easy... stay on top of the readings and you'll do fine.

2.0
3.0
CLASSICS109
Jun 19, 2006

The material was expansive and repetitive. The professor was not available for consultation on the papers. A horrible class taught by a less than adequate Professor.

2.0
3.0
CLASS109
Jun 22, 2006

He was monotonous and repetative, plus he was a little mean with comments about papers, etc.

4.0
2.0
CLASI36
Sep 23, 2006

I took this class in the summer. WE had to read apx. 86 pages of epic every night. Readings are more b/c 6 week session. Quizzes are easy if you did the reading. Know quotes and overall themes and your greek terms! Final was an essay. (choose from 3 questions to answer) Good teacher

4.0
2.0
CLASS40
Nov 26, 2006

pretty easy class, and easy A as long as you read (a lot of reading though, almost a play a night). nice man, very clear, enthusiastic, funny voice, take this class esp. 4 freshman

5.0
2.0
CLASS40
Dec 30, 2006

No Comments

4.0
3.0
CLASS40
Jan 4, 2007

No Comments

5.0
2.0
CLASS40
Jan 8, 2007

No Comments

4.0
1.0
CLASS180B
Apr 3, 2007

Interesting class, not bad... but not great. Read plays, and talked about them, only down sides were presentations and a 15+ page paper.

4.0
5.0
CLASS40
Apr 9, 2007

He's a great professor. Really knowledgable and cares a lot.

5.0
4.0
CLASS180B
May 8, 2007

If you're a classics major you've probably already read all the texts...a few times over. But now comes in depth analysis of the plays plus a new twist... comparing them with modern renditions... Class was fun, but a 20-25 page paper is difficult to write.

4.0
2.0
CLASS40
May 27, 2007

He's a great guy. There are about 6 books you need but they're all pretty short. The readings are a LITTLE bit confusing but he does a good job at explaining them. The midterm and final were pretty easy. Take this class!

4.0
2.0
CLASS40
Jun 27, 2007

He's a really nice guy and an interesting professor. The readings are a bit complicated but he explains them well and the midterm and final are very easy. You can take this class for a somewhat easy A.

4.0
4.0
CLASS40
Mar 21, 2008

Dunn is a nice guy and really knows his stuff. Midterm is essays and ids and not too bad. Your ta can really make or break you, final is written by tas not prof, mine was really hard and only focused on 2 days of lectures. I would say take this class with any of the other profs for an easy A. Do NOT have Jessica as your ta.

5.0
2.0
CLASS40
Mar 21, 2008

Funny and nice guy. Lectures are actually interesting! Don't even need to read. Just pay attention and take good notes. With any luck you'll get a good TA that makes study guides.

3.0
2.0
CLASS40
Apr 23, 2008

Lectures were boring. Readings weren't bad. I felt as if he didn't go over the readings much in class..go to section(quizzes) and read and you should be fine. I fell asleep every lecture and still got a fantastic grade. Creative project=pretty dumb. Take home essay was fairly easy. Midterm consisted of 8 IDs and essay. Final=multiple choice

5.0
2.0
CLAS40
Jun 5, 2008

He is such a sweet man. I enjoyed lecture and all of the reading material. He always began lecture with a short story, to capture your interest. Midterm and Final were not difficult. Also requires a "creative project", which is something simple like a painting or poster. Over all, it was my favorite class this quarter.

4.0
1.0
CLASS40
Mar 2, 2009

Professor Dunn, each lecture before he starts class he will tell a short story which allows late people to get there without missing anything. Overall, there isn't any need to go to lecture as long as you do all the reading. If you don't do the reading, he does a short summary of the books. Know the themes of the class and you will do well.

2.0
1.0
CLASS40
Mar 28, 2009

I was very disappointed because I was excited about taking a class on Greek Mythology and found that, with this professor, the things that were said were very "on the surface". Nothing that was discussed in lecture had any importance or meaning. It was very elementary and did not provoke any thought whatsoever.

4.0
2.0
CLASS40
Apr 21, 2009

The guy is an ok lecturer, stories at the beginning of lecture are good. Go to lecture as there were things said that WEREN'T IN THE READINGS and r on final. Midterm and final were mildly hard bc i didnt do readings, its an easy pass tho. Jason is a solid TA. The two lady TAs at the review sessions couldn't answer anyones questions dont get them.

5.0
2.0
CLASSCLAS
Aug 10, 2011

Very good lecturer. Weekly quizzes are straightforward, all topics on them are covered in class. Final paper was not graded harshly. Participation was a big part of the grade, however, so do not take his class if you have an issue with speaking during lecture.

4.0
2.0
CLASS40
Mar 15, 2012

This class is so much work compared to other class 40's. Don't take it if you're SERIOUSLY looking for an easy A. But if you do take it, almost all of the books are available through ILL, so don't waste your money buying them! Each book you only use for a max of 3 lectures. You have to write an essay and don't get writing credit- no good!

3.0
4.0
CLASS40
Mar 21, 2012

If your looking for an easy A DO NOT take with Dunn. An insane about of reading and all tests are based of books with hints from lecture. Vicky is a terrible TA, but all the others were all right. Hard to do well if you dont stay up with readings

5.0
1.0
CLASSM
Aug 14, 2012

Prof Dunn is amazing! He really teaches and the student really learns. It is A LOT of reading but nothing too demanding. I took this during summer. You really have to keep up with the readings and participate in class to get a decent grade. All in all, he is worth taking a class with. As long as you keep up with the work, you'll get a good grade.

5.0
1.0
CLASS36
Nov 30, 2012

The class is easy if you actually do the reading, did this over summer so it was a lot of reading! Overall an amazing professor. He helps you with your essay and is straightforward. Weekly quizzes were simple if you did the reading and attended lecture.Highly recommend him for any Classics class!

3.0
4.0
CLASS40
Sep 30, 2013

Sometimes dull, sometimes entertaining. Paces back and forth across the stage annoyingly. Often does not repeat background info prior to expanding on old ideas (assumes everyone in the class is a genius-learner). Sometimes uses non-academic material (e.g. obscure films) to discuss topics. Exams are somewhat unfair and hard to prepare for.

3.0
2.0
CLASS40
Oct 8, 2013

His lectures are a little all over the place. He loves to talk and he loves class participation. Always lets down the wrong answer in a nice way, which is sort of sweet. The grading is 100% based on TA's interpretations of your essays and my TA was dumb & didn't know how to calculate an average, but i still managed to get an A. Overall, ok class.

5.0
3.0
CLASS40
Dec 7, 2013

He is the sweetest man with fantastic stories. Lectures are very detailed. If you go to all the lectures, you can get by without fully reading books. The TA you get is very important bc they grade your weekly quizzes & they are very helpful when preparing for the midterm/final. There is a final essay and creative project @ the end of the quarter.

5.0
1.0
CLASS40
Dec 29, 2013

He is a really nice guy, tells great stories, and his lectures are super detailed so you can get by without reading some books. Your grade really depends on your TA because they give out weekly quizzes. The midterm and final were super easy. Creative project was as well. Last 2 weeks of class you watch movies

4.0
1.0
CLASS40
Jan 2, 2014

Prof Dunn is one of my favorite teachers. His love for the material is contagious and he's quite into the theatre of it all. Took the honors section with him and learned he really encourages discussions and loves delving deeper than the original material. Highly recommend the class. Little heavy on the reading though

4.0
3.0
CLASS40
Feb 9, 2014

LOTS of readings. Go to lecture to get an overall idea of them but no one really went.Midterm was IDs & final was multiple choice+take home essay.Dont skip out on the movies.Quizzes in section, GET A GOOD TA.My TA was VERY unhelpful. If you asked her something she would reply, "I don't know, what do you think?" Wouldn't recommend if you don't read.

4.0
3.0
CLASS40
Apr 3, 2014

Funny old Scottish man, gives stories before class so if you're late, it doesn't matter. He has a real passion for the subject and I would say it was very interesting. But there was A LOT of reading. There are over 5 books REQUIRED and you really have to do the reading to do well on the midterm and final unless you have a background in greek myth.

1.0
4.0
GREEKMYTH
Jan 5, 2015

Lectures do not make any sense. The worst lecturer I have ever had.

5.0
3.0
40
Feb 4, 2015

If you take Greek Myth, take it with Dunn... He is an AMAZING lecturer! Made me super interested in the subject. It's not an easy A, but if you take notes and pay attention in class, you should have no problem getting an A in the class. The final is multiple choice and all the questions are about two movies you watch at the end of class.

4.0
2.0
CLASSICS40
Feb 5, 2015

He's a really enthusiastic lecturer which gets you into it. Definitely do the readings though because his lectures only give you a brief overview of them. Midterm was IDs and essay while final was multiple choice. If you can take his honors section, definitely do it. He's the easiest grader ever

5.0
3.0
CLASSICS40
Feb 10, 2015

He's such a funny dude! Good professor, if you actually listen to his lectures, you'll do fine. Lots of reading, but I would just recommend spark notes.

4.0
2.0
CLASSICS40
Feb 24, 2015

Very interesting class, make sure you pay attention to the stories he tells in lecture. Reading is a must!! Dunn reminds me of my grandpa.

4.0
3.0
CLASS40
Mar 25, 2015

His lectures are clear and interesting; he focuses on the big picture. Moderate amount of reading. Midterm is ID's and short essay; it is graded by your TA. Final is MC and has a few tricky questions. There is a final project and final essay, which are also graded by your TA. Amusing at times and seems willing to help.

4.0
3.0
CLASS40
Oct 29, 2015

Dunn is an awesome professor! He spends all lecture telling stories which make the reading easier to understand. His enthusiasm about the subject makes it that much more fun in the class.

4.0
3.0
CLAS40
Dec 15, 2015

As someone who loves reading, I loved taking Greek myth. Professor Dunn is so animated and passionate about the material, it made me happy to sit in class and allow him to share his knowledge. Heavy reading, but it can definitely be done. Last two weeks you watch movies, so it gives you a chance to catch up! Great class and professor.

5.0
3.0
CLAS40
Grade: A
Dec 25, 2015

Dunn is a very nice, Scottish man. For Greek Myth there will be plenty of reading, but if you go to his lecture then you will get the overall feel for the class. Very approachable and nice when in office hours. Midterm is IDs + essay and is fairly easy. Multiple choice final is hard. Would recommend

5.0
3.0
CLASS40
Grade: B
Dec 27, 2015

Loved lectures with Dunn! Depending on your TA your midterm might be graded fairly tough. Final was pretty hard but overall good class. Go to class and pay attention and you don't have to worry about reading

3.0
3.0
CLAS40
Grade: B+
Dec 28, 2015

Professor Dunn is the grandpa everyone loves. He does a little story time before each lecture so if you're late- you're okay. Make friends in other sections because TAs focus on different aspects of the class so when you combine everything you'll be golden.

4.0
3.0
CLASS40
Grade: A-
Dec 29, 2015

Great professor starts every lecture with a story which is very entertaining. The midterm and final were hard but as long as your show up and do the homework you'll pass. I recommend an interest in the subject though or else it will seem like a lot of work. Overall enjoyed the class and the only class of the quarter that didn't make me want to cry

3.0
4.0
CLAS40
Grade: A
Jan 1, 2016

You need to read and go to lecture if you want a chance of doing well in this class. Just because you read myths as a kid (aka Percy Jackson) does not mean you will pass this class. He chooses tough readings but goes over them in class. There are few grading opportunities so make them count.

3.0
3.0
CLAS40
Grade: A
Jan 11, 2016

lecture was kind of like story time. The midterm was easy, just IDs and a short essay. But you'll need to pay attention for the final--it gets pretty detailed. I sparknoted my way through most of the quarter, but had to start reading the books for the final essay and for the final. Good thing the final isn't cumulative.

4.0
2.0
CLASS40
Grade: A
Feb 1, 2016

He's kind of an adorable old man with a mystical Scottish accent, great for telling stories. You can get by with the readings by attending lecture and/or reading Sparknotes, because he always goes over the readings in class. Always encourages class participation. I really enjoyed the class. Take the Honors section as well if you can!

4.0
1.0
CLASS40
Grade: A
Jun 7, 2016
Would take again

I really like his lectures and the way he tells the myths of the past. I don't know I thought it was a really fun class!!

3.0
3.0
CLAS40
Nov 24, 2016
Wouldn't take again

Really interesting professor! Love the way he expresses and talks about the myths. Didn't really pay much attention though. Manageable readings and they're interesting. Had a midterm that included ID's and an essay and the final was multiple choice and a take home essay. Had to do a creative project also. Took it fall 2015.

Hilarious
1.0
5.0
CLASS40
May 4, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Basically mumbling during class, and the lecture is not helpful at all. Almost at every discussion section we will be given a quiz. The textbook is hard to read because it is definitely not the sort of English that we speak everyday, and unfortunately the reading is heavy and necessary.

Get ready to read
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
BEWARE OF POP QUIZZES
4.0
3.0
CLASS40
Jun 5, 2017
Would take again

Dunn is awesome! I'm really surprised by some of these negative reviews, it's a super easy class and it's fun, especially if you like reading plays. There's not too much reading and what is assigned is enjoyable for the most part.

Amazing lectures
Caring
2.0
4.0
CLAS40
Grade: A
Jun 12, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Yeah really did not like this class even at all. Going to lecture is basically useless because when there actually are slides they have two words written on them. A lot of reading in a lot of different books/plays that were boring. He is very passionate about the subject though, so that was nice. Unfortunately, this class made me hate greek myth.

Get ready to read
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
3.0
4.0
CLASS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Jun 14, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Way harder than Morales who everyone said made Greek Myth an easy class. With Dunn, you just have to find the time to read. If not, take it P/NP

Respected
Get ready to read
2.0
1.0
CLASS40
Grade: A
Jun 18, 2017
Wouldn't take again

His lectures are super boring and difficult to follow because he goes on so many tangents, but luckily in Greek Myth there's so much information online to help you keep up. He does assign books to purchase but you can easily access them online. Midterm is hard, but final is easy 50 mult. choice questions. One final paper that has extra credit.

ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
Clear grading criteria
EXTRA CREDIT
4.0
4.0
CLAS40
Grade: A+
Jun 21, 2017
Wouldn't take again

I don't understand the hate for Professor Dunn. Dunn is an interesting old man who gives off a grandpa vibe. His lectures do falter at times, but this is due to the fact that he expects his students to be reading the texts. Make sure to stay on top of your readings, sparknotes and going to lecture will not be enough to be successful in this class.

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
Clear grading criteria
4.0
3.0
CLAS40
Grade: A-
Jun 27, 2017
Would take again

Pretty easy professor. He doesn't take attendance but you should go to lecture for the first half of the class because the midterm is ids and essays. Take notes on things like themes. I just read Sparknotes and Shmoop. You don't really have to go to lecture after the midterm because the final is multiple choice but pay attention to the movies.

Clear grading criteria
3.0
2.0
CLASSICS40
Grade: A
Jul 3, 2017
Would take again

Pretty easy class but not really that interesting. Dunn focuses on random myths rather than the ones you study in high school. I would recommending reading both the sparknotes and the actual myth after attending lecture in order to really understand it. However people have other methods. Definitely go to the movies or you will fail the final.

2.0
3.0
CLAS40
Grade: B+
Sep 14, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Professor was nice but lectures were extremely boring and I quickly lost interest. Did not seem willing to help students when they asked questions during lecture. TAs and section was cool.

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
Clear grading criteria
3.0
4.0
CLASSICS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Nov 3, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Pretty boring, I did the mistake of starting to skip lectures and that I am definitely paying for, SO MUCH READING, however he is very interested in this topic so maybe it's just me who thinks he's boring. oh and if you do take his class there will be a lot of ID's ( identifications)

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
LECTURE HEAVY
4.0
3.0
CLAS40
Grade: A
Jan 8, 2018
Would take again

Dunn is a really goofy professor who is really excited to teach his material. This can be a double edged sword as he can go off on tangents during lecture, but he really knows his material and loves to teach it. Lots of reading but it is fairly easy. Midterm and Final were fairly easy. There is a creative project that provides some easy points.

Get ready to read
Tests? Not many
LECTURE HEAVY
3.0
4.0
CLASS40
Jan 13, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Must be caught up as far as knowing the myth before each lecture bc he doesn't explain them. Only an analysis is provided. Memorizing various names, places, and story details may become difficult. Midterm, few quizzes, creative project, 4-6 page essay, and a multiple choice final. First 10 min of lecture is a story usually unrelated to greek myth:)

Respected
Get ready to read
Participation matters
3.0
1.0
CLASS40
Grade: A
Jan 19, 2018
Wouldn't take again

He's super passionate about the subject and the class is mainly readings. Do them and you'll pass. Lecture is a little useless so you don't really have to go he just recaps the readings. Final is 50 MCQ, pretty clear criteria for everything else. Easy GE

Get ready to read
4.0
1.0
CLAS40
Grade: A
Jan 19, 2018
Would take again

I had Dunn for Greek Mythology and it was honestly one of the easiest classes I have ever taken. I barely read through any of the texts (except for when the TA required it), but I went to lecture and found both the midterm and final to be a breeze. As long as you go over basic summaries of all the texts you read, the tests will be incredibly easy.

Hilarious
3.0
4.0
CLASS40
Grade: B+
Feb 11, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Alright, so you have to keep up with the readings. I know they're a lot but if you go to lecture and listen to Dunn's take on the readings you'll be ok. I survived this class by going to my TA's office hours and asking about the readings I couldn't quite understand. Midterm, a creative project and a take-home essay for the final & a final exam.

Get ready to read
3.0
4.0
CLASS40
Feb 20, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Professor Dunn is an adorable older man who seems passionate about Greek Myth. However, at the beginning of every lecture he speaks about an analogy that he tries to use to connect to lecture but ends up just wasting about 10-20mins of lecture. Lecture is not mandatory, section is. TA's were fine. Required lots of reading.

Get ready to read
Participation matters
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
5.0
1.0
CLASS40
Grade: A+
Mar 2, 2018
Would take again

I absolutely loved this professor! He is so funny and animated. He is a very passionate lecturer, and incorporates personal experiences into lecture. Class is easy as long as you show up to lecture and section Best class I've taken at UCSB

Get ready to read
Inspirational
Hilarious
5.0
2.0
CLASS40
Grade: A
Mar 4, 2018
Would take again

I loved Professor Dunn. He starts class with a story which connects to a major theme (you are mostly tested on the themes). His lectures were interesting. The books we read were interesting. You do a creative project which can be literally anything and was super fun. If you pay attention in class and do the readings it is an easy A.

Clear grading criteria
Amazing lectures
3.0
3.0
CLASSICS40
Grade: A-
Mar 13, 2018
Would take again

He really enjoys telling stories, kind of reminds me of a grandpa telling his grandkids tall tales from his time. Easy midterms and final. Read what he assigns to you! It will be beneficial to your knowledge for the final, believe me. The readings can be a bit boring, but you need to know basic themes and memorize characterizations.

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
Clear grading criteria
2.0
1.0
CLASS40
Grade: A
Mar 28, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Dunn's lectures were largely pretty boring. They mostly consisted of him picking a topic and letting the class discuss it, which works for okay with 20 students, but not so well with 800. Tests were a joke; I didn't need to study or go to lecture to get an A.

4.0
2.0
CLASS60
Jun 21, 2018
Would take again

30% Midterm, 30% Paper/Project, 30% Final, & 10% Participation. Lectures were somewhat boring and readings were lengthy but Dunn does a good job of focusing on what you need to know for the test during lecture. Exams are fairly short with IDs and a short essay. Dunn is passionate about classics and seems very knowledgable. Interesting class!

Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
Clear grading criteria
4.0
4.0
CLAS60
Grade: B+
Jun 27, 2018
Would take again

This class has actually been great. There's only a midterm, a final paper, and a final exam. Dunn is very passionate and tries his best to make the topics interesting. He is a good lecturer and enjoys when people ask questions. All you have to do to get an A or B is pay attention and read the assigned texts.

Get ready to read
5.0
2.0
CLASS60
Grade: A
Aug 12, 2018
Would take again

Lectures can be long, but Dunn is very passionate about the subject! CLASS 60 was a brand new class for Spring 2018. Really helpful during office hours. Participate a little bit for your participation grade. Midterm and Final + Project with very clear guidelines, very easy if you study major people or events that were mentioned in lecture!

Participation matters
Skip class? You won't pass.
Clear grading criteria
5.0
1.0
CLASS40
Grade: A+
Oct 29, 2018
Would take again

i love this dude. he is so entertaining and is willing to do anything to make college students who don't pay attention interested in and excited about greek mythology. i'm in lecture right now and he just fell onto his knees to reenact a scene from the furies. so much respect for you, sir.

Inspirational
Hilarious
Amazing lectures
3.0
3.0
CLASS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 4, 2018
Wouldn't take again

The class is easy depending on your TA. My TA was not prepared for the sections at times and gave us quizzes. She did not upload any grades, making it impossible for us to know what we need on the final to pass the class. Prof. Dunn was not that bad. He first starts his lecture by telling us a story, then connecting it to the theme of the lecture.

Get ready to read
LECTURE HEAVY
4.0
3.0
CLASS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 6, 2018
Would take again

As long as you stay up to date on the readings, I found that there's no reason to attend lecture. Section is really where you'll get insight to the specific readings. Interesting material and a fun course!

Respected
Get ready to read
Caring
5.0
3.0
CLASS08185
Dec 6, 2018
Would take again

Great professor. As long as you do the reading (which isn't much) and go to lecture occasionally, you can definitely get an A. Really interesting material. 100% would take again.

Get ready to read
Clear grading criteria
LECTURE HEAVY
2.0
4.0
CLASS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 7, 2018
Wouldn't take again

Professor Dunn clearly knows his stuff and is passionate about greek myth, however he wastes a lot of time telling us stories at the beginning of class. Definitely not as easy or interesting as I'd thought it would be. Graded on section, midterm, final, take-home essay, and creative project.

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3.0
3.0
CLAS40
Dec 8, 2018
Wouldn't take again

The topic of the class is obviously super interesting, but unfortunately just not carried out well, imo. Dunn doesn't really use slides, which is fine, but unfortunately he also seems to skip around a lot which makes his lectures hard to pay attention to. I think he would be better suited to a smaller class size where he is available to more q's.

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LOTS OF HOMEWORK
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
5.0
3.0
CLASS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 12, 2018
Would take again

Almost all the material is on Sparknotes, and as long as you don't skip class and pay attention for a short 50 minutes thrice a week, the class will be a breeze. The material gets a bit boring towards the end of the quarter, but Dunn is a true aficionado, and I promise he will not disappoint.

Respected
Hilarious
Amazing lectures
5.0
2.0
CLAS40
Dec 13, 2018
Would take again

the best man alive, wish he was my grandfather, has the best accent ever and tells great stories of his childhood, oh and the greek myth part is pretty cool too. better take this class

5.0
1.0
CLASS40
Dec 17, 2018
Would take again

Would HIGHLY recommend taking classics 40 with Dunn! He is such a sweetheart and always starts class by telling stories about his childhood, and he is incredibly passionate about the subject. Grade was based on midterm, final (+take home essay), and section grades, overall was very easy if you did the readings and was also interesting and fun!

Get ready to read
Caring
4.0
3.0
CLASS40
Grade: B+
Jan 6, 2019
Would take again

He is really passionate about Greek Myth and has a good time telling stories. The midterm was pretty hard but the final was easy and was not cumulative. There was also a 4-6 page essay. All in all it wasn't that bad. Make sure you do the readings they really do help.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
4.0
1.0
CLASS40
Grade: B+
Jan 8, 2019
Would take again

Easy class, you don't even really need to show up at all. The reading is a lot but I never did it. Dunn is a sweetheart and I enjoyed the class a lot

Get ready to read
5.0
1.0
CLAS40
Grade: A
Feb 24, 2019
Would take again

If you attend lectures and sections you should at least get a B. If you read the material also and pay attention than it's an easy A.

Accessible outside class
Get ready to read
3.0
1.0
CLASS40
Grade: A
Mar 1, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Dunn was passionate about his lectures; however, he often went on tangents and didn't really talk about much that was relevant. I just read, went to most of the lectures, and attended section. It was an easy A but the material itself was boring since we had to analyze the myths a lot. You don't have to go to lecture. Just read.

Get ready to read
Hilarious
2.0
4.0
CLASS40
Grade: A-
Apr 2, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Professor Dunn gives off an adorable grandpa vibe and obviously loves Greek myth so much. However, his lectures only confused me more and let's be honest, I didn't want to read all those books. Take this if you're down to read a lot. If not, this class might not be a good call for you.

4.0
2.0
CLASS40
Grade: A
May 28, 2019
Wouldn't take again

Professor Dunn tries to make his class as interesting as possible especially because the majority of the class is first-year students. I admire that he tried but lectures were pretty hard to sit through, especially because most of the slides were pictures and nonsense notes he took during class. Pretty easy class though.

2.0
4.0
CLASS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Feb 9, 2020
Wouldn't take again

His lecture is funny, just like your grandfather telling story, but slides do not help at all. Too many readings. Not easy if you never learned greek myth in the past. Very difficult

1.0
4.0
CLAS40
Grade: F
Mar 19, 2020
Wouldn't take again

Bad experience 1h final, too little time for too much materials

3.0
2.0
CLAS40
Grade: A+
Apr 25, 2020
Would take again

Guy is incredibly boring as a lecturer, veers off topic, and you're asleep by the time he comes back again. Class is pure easy memorizing. Take for a pretty easy A and credit.

5.0
1.0
CLAS60
May 9, 2020
Would take again

He's a great professor, very passionate and well-organized. A bit boring but I think that's because I wasn't too interested in the subject but that's not his fault. Class was an easy A as long as you're willing to do the work, would definitely recommend!

Get ready to read
Clear grading criteria
4.0
2.0
CLASSIC40
Grade: A
May 13, 2020
Would take again

Such a cute man, love his vibe and accent. Its super easy to pass the class without reading and really knowing anything. The lectures were pretty boring but he was such a beautiful man that it was worth it. Also he tells the most random stories at the beginning of lecture which is swag.

4.0
2.0
CLAS60
Grade: A-
Jun 3, 2020
Would take again

He's a very kind and charismatic professor. His lectures are easy to understand. I took her during my spring quarter of 2020 during quarantine and he made the class fun.

Get ready to read
Clear grading criteria
Caring
5.0
1.0
CLASS60
Jun 12, 2020
Would take again

Easy class. just take notes during lecture and make sure to review them for midterm. Dunn is such a nice and caring guy, always willing to help his students :)

5.0
2.0
CLAS40
Grade: A+
Feb 17, 2021
Would take again

A gem. Showstopping. Amazing. Brilliant. Outstanding. Passionate. Radiant.

Get ready to read
Hilarious
Caring
5.0
1.0
CLASS40
Grade: A
Feb 18, 2021
Would take again

Probably one of my favorite Profs by far :) Lectures are super easy to follow so if you don't wanna do the readings or don't understand them, the lectures clear everything up. A chill dude, answers emails super quick and is just super kind. T.A. Roalsvig is the best btw-- super nice and funny, & easily accessible outside of class! Overall 10/10

Accessible outside class
Amazing lectures
Caring
5.0
1.0
CLASS40
Mar 12, 2021
Would take again

I loved Professor Dunn's class. I took this class as a GE, and his lectures never fail not to make me happy. He does a wonderful job storytelling and making the class fun. You definitely need to keep up with the readings (at least in summary) and watch the lectures attentively but it's fun so it's okay

Respected
Get ready to read
Amazing lectures
4.0
2.0
CLASS40
Grade: A-
Mar 26, 2021
Would take again

Professor Dunn was a great professor! The class is reading heavy but if you watch all of the lectures you should be fine. Grade is based on short quizzes every other day, a midterm, a final, a final paper, and section participation. I definitely recommend this class for GE credit!

Get ready to read
Clear grading criteria
Lecture heavy
4.0
2.0
CLAS40
Grade: A+
Mar 26, 2021
Would take again

easy weekly quizzes on the lectures, section participation, multiple choice midterm and final and a paper. pretty easy class and professor dunn seems to actually care about his students. always a fast response when i had a question and he tries to make the lectures as interesting as possible. overall class was pretty cool!

Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
Caring
4.0
3.0
CLAS40
Grade: A-
Mar 29, 2021
Would take again

This class follows a tight schedule, which is quite favorable and organized. Theres a 2 question quiz per lecture, and lectures come out on Mon/Wed/Fri. Section requires good participation, so specific notes on the myths are important. I never read a single reading until the final paper but I watched all the lectures and got full participation.

Participation matters
Graded by few things
Lecture heavy
5.0
3.0
CLASS40
Grade: A
Apr 5, 2021
Would take again

Very sweet prof! Readings can be a bit dense at times, but watch Prof Dunn's lectures + pay attention in section & you'll be fine. He also uploads "story" & "backstory" videos as another way to explain the content; they're not mandatory to watch, but he makes them pretty entertaining! Short, easy quizzes on readings MWF, but easily manageable :)

Get ready to read
Hilarious
Caring
2.0
3.0
CLAS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 17, 2023

His lectures and slides are extremely disorganized and tangential. He clearly doesn't give directions to the TAs, my section had extremely difficult quizzes, while some of my peers had TAs who graded off participation. A large part of your grade depends on your TA because some curve exams while others don't. If you do the readings, you'll do fine.

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Group projects
1.0
4.0
CLAS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Mar 22, 2023

worst professor I've ever had. Instantly pass/no passed it. Tons of reading due every class, and the lectures literally are just him talking about random things that don't help you at all. He also doesn't know how to project his voice so everyone either falls asleep or doesn't pull up to class. He refuses to provide study guides for all exams.

Get ready to read
Lots of homework
Test heavy
1.0
5.0
CLAS40
Grade: B
Mar 23, 2023

dont take him he really is a poor professor. doesn't know what he is even talking about. the classes are no help dont try going. He goes on twenty minute tangents about nothing. gives no insight to what midterm or final is like and the midterm was so awful barely passed had the most out of pocket terms that we never went into depth. take ericson

3.0
3.0
CLASS40
Grade: A-
Mar 29, 2023

Prof means well and is very knowledgable about what he teaches, but this class was definitely a lot more difficult than I thought. For a GE, it was very lecture & reading heavy. Midterm was extremely hard (short answers/short essay), final was easier (MC), but no study guides. TA was nice, but rough on grading. You have to work for the A, not easy!

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Lecture heavy
Test heavy
5.0
3.0
CLASS40
Grade: A
Mar 30, 2023
Would take again

He is a good professor but his lectures are sometimes boring. The midterm and final are easy as long as you do all the readings carefully and take notes. TAs are really helpful.

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2.0
4.0
CLASS40
Grade: Audit/No Grade
Jun 21, 2023

the class had interesting material and the prof was nice, but the outlines for the assignments were not that clear, ESP the midterm and final. each ta gave their sections different study guides for the midterms, and some classes got horrible study guides while others didn't. this class was unnecessarily hard. take it with the other teacher.

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Graded by few things
2.0
4.0
CLASS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 4, 2023

Had very tough grader for TA , who grades all exams and quizzes, and the grading between TAs and quiz material was not standardized. Have to take this class P/NP at this point. Lots of reading and lectures can be a little unrelated at times for sure.

Tough grader
Get ready to read
5.0
2.0
CLASS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 7, 2023
Would take again

I took the honors section with him and I can confidently say I think he's a great teacher who cares about his students and wants them to succeed. Tests were straightforward and aligned with the study guides.

Get ready to read
Accessible outside class
2.0
4.0
CLAS40
Grade: Audit/No Grade
Dec 11, 2023

There's a ton of reading. Each section is different so you don't know if you'll have extra written assignments or pop quizzes. The grading on the midterm was extremely harsh. The entire class is also backloaded, so you have about four big assignments (like a creative project) all due in the last few weeks. A lot more work than I expected for a GE.

Participation matters
Lots of homework
So many papers
1.0
3.0
CLAS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 13, 2023

Worst professor I've had in UCSB. Lectures are COMPLETELY useless. Don't even bother going to lecture cuz lecture is just his yapping session for 50 minutes. He will go on tangent for over half of the class. Half of his lecture slides are literally random pictures of Greek Myth.

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3.0
3.0
CLAS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 20, 2023

Most work I've ever done for a GE. TAs are not standardized at all, they all make their own quizzes and grade differently making it unfair.

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Graded by few things
1.0
3.0
CLAS40
Grade: Not sure yet
Dec 21, 2023

This class is interesting & the professor can be a good lecturer. My biggest complaint is the TAs. If your TA is nice, it will be an easy A. If your TA is not nice, this class will be hell on earth. Professor does little to standardize the TA grading so you're screwed if your TA sucks. Since the sections are not fair, I don't recommend this class.

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Graded by few things
5.0
2.0
CLAS40
Grade: A-
Jan 7, 2024
Would take again

This professor is amazing. Lectures are always fun to listen to. Very sad peers don't respect his short time in lectures but he handles disruptions respectfully. Attendance isn't mandatory (only in sections for quizzes). Tests are very simple if you simply pay attention to the lectures. Readings themselves are very interesting.

Get ready to read
Amazing lectures
Gives good feedback
4.0
2.0
CLASS40
Grade: A
Jan 9, 2024
Would take again

Dunn was a great professor. Lectures were interesting and fun. Things to keep in mind: final is worth 45% of total grade, some TAs were great, others not so much, has a lot of reading. I had a great TA and did the work so the tests were pretty easy. To get a good grade, you have to do the work but otherwise the class wasn't very hard or stressful.

Get ready to read
Clear grading criteria
Hilarious
5.0
2.0
CLAS40
Grade: A+
Jan 30, 2024
Would take again

Fun light class where you learn a lot. There's readings every week but they will be explained in lecture and section. Key ideas will be reiterated. Some written assignments but graded lightly. Midterm and final you choose what questions to answer out of a batch of options. Final project was creative, make something that represents a myth.

Get ready to read
Amazing lectures
Hilarious
3.0
3.0
CLAS40
Grade: B
Nov 18, 2024

The class has a lot of reading, but the lectures can be hit-or-miss. TAs make a big difference - some are great, others not so much. Unstuck ai was super helpful for review and prep. Overall, it's a decent GE if you're willing to put in the work.

4.0
1.0
CLASS40
Grade: A-
Jan 16, 2025
Would take again

Dunn was a solid professor. Lectures weren't the most interesting, but the midterm and final were super easy. Just short ids & a couple of short response questions. CLASS 40 was one of the easiest GE classes that I have taken and would definitely recommend the class.

5.0
1.0
CLAS60
Grade: A
Dec 18, 2025
Would take again

Very easy class as long as you put in effort to take good notes during lectures and make sure to review them before the midterm and final. There were also assigned readings before every lecture, but you can get by if you just pay attention during the lecture. There was one midterm and then a final project and exam.

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Graded by few things
Class Info

Online Classes

100%

Attendance Mandatory

24%

Textbook Required

17%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

95% confidence
Based on 51 grades
Most common grades:
A (24)
Not sure yet (14)
A- (10)
Grade Distribution
A(31)B(3)C(0)D(0)F(1)A-/B+(16)
Based on 67 reported grades
A: 24
Not sure yet: 14
A-: 10
A+: 7
Common Tags
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Clear grading criteria (13)
Hilarious (10)
Caring (8)
Amazing lectures (6)
Skip class? You won't pass. (6)
Graded by few things (6)
Respected (5)
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5.0

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5.0

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5.0

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5.0

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4.0

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3.0

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