3.3
Quality3.8
Difficulty50%
Would Retake123
Reviews50%
Would Retake
123
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
39
4
31
3
14
2
15
1
24
What Students Say
“He puts none of your grades online”
HIST102 - 2.0 rating“Doesn't write anything down”
HIST490 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
91%
Textbook Required
21%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.02 avg changeRatings by Course
HST201
5.0
(1)HST102
5.0
(1)MULTIPLE
5.0
(3)JAPANESEHIST
5.0
(1)HIST364
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
HISTORY102
5.0
HST362
5.0
HIST210
5.0
HIST362
4.3
HIST327
4.3
Reviews (123)
Straight lecture the entire class. His test are rediculously hard I had to drop the class. Almost everyone failed or did very poorly on the first test. I don't recommend him.
Nice and jovial, always reviews at the beginning of every class, tests are easy if you study, his quizzes are easy, overall, a friendly guy that teaches you alot, highly recommended
His course was incredibly hard. I would say 1/3 of the students ended up dropping the class. He would get frustrated with the students and end class early sometimes. I definately don't recommend him.
good guy, funny stories,but makes you work hard
Dr. Ference was the best. I enjoyed his classes so much I took him 4 times in 4 years. The tests are tough, but if you pay attention to the lectures you'll do ok.
well dr. ference is an awesome teacher. i dont know about the people above, but his class is very easy if you READ AND STUDY. he is clear and he is a funny guy. highly recommended
approachable, scholarly - yet down-to-earth, genuinely interested in the learning experience of the student, gladly entertains individual questions, promotes thoughtful discussion, overall - a quality history professor
He is a good guy who knows so much about topics other teachers have no clue about. he travels around and has cool artifacts. his tests are hard but his presentations are always entertaining.
I really like the subject matter of Ferences' teaching. Also he has traveled to many of the places he teaches about.
The way his class is structured makes it hard to understand teh material. He jumps around too much and the tests are pretty challenging, but overal he is a nice guy and funny.
very very BAD. Didn't help anyone out and grades tests really hard. Makes you feel like an idiot for raising your hand, but then punishes the class by making you take an exam on stuff you havent talked about at ALL. He is bad, don't take him...
he is a good teacher, he tried to help the class by reviewing the material he talked about the previous class. Few people took part in the discussions so he gave up. its not his fault.
Ference is awesome, his personality is out there, however he makes the class entertaining.
I would highly recomend Dr. Ference if you prefer to be taught in an awkward atmosphere with an egotistical professor on a power trip.
If you genuinely interested Dr. Ference works with you.If you focus on the coursework instead of petty stuff you shouldn't have a problem
hes a great guy willing to work with you outside class - hes been helpful to me
cool guy
Ference's history 102 class is hard. he only gives a total of 4 tests. it would be nice if he gave a test every other week or so. he rambles on and talks fast and acts like we all know this stuff ahead of time. he's not a bad guy, just annoying with how he runs his class. i do not recommend taking a class with him.
I would not reccommend him. His tests are very ahrd and rewuire a lot fo study time. He makes you think very hard about the questions and they somewhat confuse you. He has a very dry sense of humor and comes off very arrogant. He talks really fast and its hard for you to catch everything. No powerpoint just lecture!
he helped me ith his office hours - thanx
"Individuals cause historical trends." Ference's history philosophy revolves around the idea that the impacts that affect human history are instigated by singular persons. If you want to do good on the tests- listen to the NAMES! Participate in class and seek help- get something out of it.
Hard! His tests very horribly hard. I barely passed his class. He lectures on and on and you have to take notes very fast and try to catch everything his says. He will try and help you if you go see him.
Hes tough and makes you work - but tells interesting stories and makes the subject alive. Those who complain about him dont want to put any work in the class & r just lazy!!
dr. ference is awesome. if you study and take good notes, you'll do well. and his lectures follow the book so read it to back up the information. i'm taking him again for sure!
straighforward and clear - good prof if you wanna to work
good teach - very interesting - dont like hist but hes good
Great Teacher, you can tell that he really likes the topic he talks about. He made the subject come alive with news articles and other short stories. I Highly recommend.
Very knowledgeable about the subject, very straight forward and crystal clear. Need help ask him, very helpful if you're struggling. Has humor in his lecture. Expect a fair amount of work and his exams are fairly hard, but as long as you study & know your stuff you'll be A-Ok
this teacher stands at the front of the room and reads straight out of his notes the entire class, while you, the student, are left trying to figure out what you should be writing down
hes awlsome - hes helped me out during his office times. if you take good notes you do ok. he inolved the class
Do NOT take this professor! His tests are impossibly hard, and he provides absolutely zero help prior to the tests. It doesn't matter if everything you write is correct, if it's not everything that he said about the subject, then there is little hope for you to get higher than 7 out of 10 on it, if not lower. He doesn't help you study either.
Great class I learned alot. He is very helpful with his outlines and terms
genghas kahn and the mongols rule!
took him for Chinese history He's very vague, condescending, and tough. in his tests he put the very last things u would expect to be on it every time. Also, as a warning, he WILL ask you if you want to do an end of semester quiz or paper, PICK THE PAPER! he'll mop the floor u on the quiz
He is an outstanding prof and quite funny.
good guy - if you do the outlines and his terms youll do ok
I have taken 4 classes with him and he is a good teacher - one of my favorites at SU.
tough but reasonable
Now I know what it is like to take a real college class - he's tough - take good notes and work on the outlines and terms - you will do OK.
VERY dry teacher. Straight lectures for the whole hour and fifteen minute class. Only pictures on the powerpoint. Not very good with answering questions and expects you to know about the topic before coming to class. Jokes get boring (i.e. you all need to get out more!). Huge on people, not so much dates. Wouldn't recommend him.
i worked my butt off but feel i really eraned the grade.
very knowledgeable prof aand what a fun class -we had great discussions
Had to drop his class.....horrible. Exams impossible. Unless you are a history genius stay away from him.
This man is a great teacher! Dont take his class if you are not going to pay attention. He talks quickly so you need to be good at taking notes. Study the identifications because they are a majority of your tests. Other than that.... dont take this class if you want a easy A. Take it because you want to learn U.S History.
i enjoyed the class but there is too much information
able to explain a rough topic very well!!! recommend him highly.
DO NOT TAKE HIM!!!! he is seriously awful. he is extremely standoffish and could care less about helping you or your grade. I went to every class, wrote down everything he said, read the book and studied and I still didn't do well on the tests. I suggest that you do anything you can to get someone else!!
Could care less about you or your grade. ALOT of information that he moves through extremely fast and barely reviews before the exams.
Hes the man - treats you like a college student dont take his class if you dont want work
Worst professor. He literally just stands there and talks and reads books at you in a monotone for the duration, and his knowledge is very narrow. If you ask a question that's even slightly unusual he'll just stare at you blankly and say he doesn't know. Dropped it.
Hemade the class come alive with his personal experiences at places he visited in Japan that we talked about in class.
he seems nasty but he really helped when i needed it i was surprised at this. Thanks Dr. Ference
He's a great teacher but you need to take notes, mostly on what he just. He will tell you all about the lives of people like Bismarck and Napoleon and others but you mainly need to know who they were and what they did to make history
Initially I dreaded this class, but Ference made the lectures surprisingly entertaining. He'll keep your attention and use good humor in appropriate places. Very fun class, albeit difficult.
Great teacher, very knowledgable on his subject and he did help me when I needed it. The subject wasn't most interesting but it's hard to make this area interesting. Overall I reccomend him, and he gave the choice of essay or multple choice exams. Awesome guy!
Dr. Ference was a great teacher. Very knowledgeable. Old school straight lectures. 3 essay exams and a couple easy map quizzes. You requires one book you but don't need to read it. He defines exactly what the test will be about so just study and you'll do fine. Would definitely recommend and take again for a different class.
good class and great lectures tho sometimes boring. gives tests back quickly so you know where you are in the class
You're going to need a boat for this class so you don't drown in all of the notes you will have to take. He is fast when lecturing and trying to keep up with him while taking notes is challenging. He definitely knows the course content well, but if you're not really into history, definitely pass on this class.
Going into his class you need to be ready to take amazing notes. The tests are never by the book, and always by his lectures. For each topic he gives you an outline and key terms to copy down, COPY THEM. He does not say but you need to google any key terms you are not familiar with. Pretty difficult class, but if you study hard, you should do fine.
Ference is a tough professor. He lectures, but also puts information from the textbook on exams. I have had a hard time in his class because I have no idea what to study. He will answer any question you have (in fact, come prepared with questions about the material every class) but will not tell you what to study for exams. Exams are very tough.
He puts none of your grades online. His lectures are long with few notes on the PowerPoint, which are also not online. You are forced to write for an hour trying to copy down every single word he says; since any random thing could be on the test.
His tests are really hard and get ready to take a lot of notes the entire time. He talks fast. He gives an outline at the beginning of each section, copy those and the identifications. Would take another professor if possible. He gives extra credit on the tests but sometimes those aren't relevant.
WONDERFUL-so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. You will learn so much from this prof. if you are willing to work.
When you get to his level 300 and above it is ridiculous hard. His test are all essay and he grades super hard. If you do not show up for the lectures you will not pass the test. He is not helpful at all because he expects so much from you. You have to read the books, he won't remind you at all but do it, it'll help with the tests.
He gives you an outline for lecture but be prepared to write a ton of notes as he speaks in great detail about the material. I personally find it difficult because of in depth his lectures are. He does not tell you specifically what to remember from the lectures. Exam are difficult and he does not post grades online. Find a different professor.
Doesn't write anything down. He just talks and talks and talks and you have to take notes and hope that you take down everything he says. When it comes to studying for the exam you don't get any study guide , so your notes are make or break.
He doesn't post online, doesn't use Power Points. You get only get 3 Exams and 2 quizzes and that's you grade. He talks super fast. Doesn't give any homework or study guides. He is funny and he makes jokes during lectures. Get the textbook and read the chapter before class, He will expect you to participate during lecture
I dont know what the person before is talking about. The class lectures are clear and the outlines are the study guides. work hard and take good notes and you will do fine.
A Professorial Superman! Brilliant!!! His lectures made me laugh, cry and became a part of me. Absolutely the BEST Professor I ever had or can ever expect to have. if you don't take at least one of Dr. Ference's courses, you'll regret it your entire life. He changed my life. AND he is WAY hotter than one chile pepper!!!
The lectures were clear, the tests vigorous, and the extra credit fun. Good job Dr. Ferrence!
Very interesting topic - I never realized Austria could be so much fun
Not a fan of this class. All he does is talk. And he talks fast. Be ready to take notes every class. Tests are hard and I never knew what to study.
His lecture is VERY HEAVY.
His HIST 102 class is very fast paced and lecture heavy. He talks super fast and by the time you want to ask a question he just moves on. The outlines he provides on the board are the only "study guide". If you aren't a good test taker or writing notes, avoid him at all costs. Felt like a 200 level course at least, not a 102.
You miss class and you wont do well alot of info goes on. He is very helpful with his reviews and during office hours where he helped me to fill in the holes in my notes.
i enjoyed the class very much he knows allot about the subjects
he NEVER stops talking. everything in class is on the exam and the exam is your only grades. if you miss class, you miss A LOT. you cannot get a hold of him ever unless you go to office hours. he goes off on tangents during class and its hard to tell what you need to know and what you don't. write everything down and go to history tutoring.
A tough grader but if you attend classes and take good notes youll do ok
By no means should you take a class with him for an "easy A". There's no homework and attendance is optional. But look, this man is a GENIUS, he can answer any question and then some. Notes are CRUCIAL and I mean you need to take copious amounts. Also, he doesn't use myclasses and his tests are brutal. You won't get an easy A but you'll learn tons.
The only grades In his class are exams so if you don't do well on them you'll fail. Lecture heavy, theres no slideshow with notes he just talks fast and you have to try to write all the information down. If history isn't your strong subject, don't take him. He expects you to know everything.
Very lecture heavy and he talks very fast. Hard to take notes on what he is saying. His powerpoint are no help because he does not put any words on them. There were two quizzes on literature selections, you have to read them or you will not do well on the quizzes. Also, he is not available often for his students if they need help.
DROP THIS CLASS NOW. I'm an Honors student so I'm not even dumb but I withdrew half way through. DO NOT TAKE. I studied for hours for the first exam and still got a D on it. He's tenure so he is so over teaching. Smart but will talk about anything in lecture and it might not even be on exams. Impossible tests. If u fail one you're done. DROP NOW
He is really an incredible professor. His lectures are lively and you can tell he just loves Russian history. His breadth of knowledge and intellect is impressive, which can sometimes come across as arrogance, but it is never intended that way. Tests are challenging but it's an upper level history course, take detailed notes and you'll be fine.
Be prepared to take lots of notes. If you dont attend you wont do well on the tests ifyou miss class. At times interesting lectures. Would take again cause I am learning alot.
Just for the record this was a very hard class. That being said, it made me a better student in the process. The tests are very difficult and yes there is a decent amount of content. I ended up getting A's on the final two exams, GO TO OFFICE HOURS!!! He is extremely helpful and a very interesting guy when you sit face to face. Overall great Prof.
This was by far the hardest class I've taken in college. He doesn't believe in technology, so he just stands at the front of the classroom and talks the entire class (fingers crossed you write the correct info). He doesn't use MyClasses, so you will have no clue what your grade is. The only grades are exams and quizzes, which are all VERY HARD.
He is amazing. If you want to get an easy grade in a history class take someone else. If you really want to learn about ideas and the world take him. The classes are challenging but he will go out of his way to help a student if you make an effort. A+++++
I took 3 of his classes & loved every one of them. Don't miss a class or you're screwed because he moves fast & hjjas a lot of info. Brillant funny man. One of those profs you cantalk to after class or hang around with on campus
I never thought Id say this. Doesnt give enough homework or assignments. You have 4 total grades. Mess up on 1 or 2 & your in trouble. Lectures and gives pointless detail and jumps around in time. Whatever answer you give he will ask why. know your dates & order events, & always know More than you should. He is sarcastic and thinks hes funny.
Dr. Ference truly cares about his craft, and trust me he knows his stuff on Eastern Europe. He's like a book of knowledge on Contemporary Europe. He wants to make sure his students understand the content, and his lectures are pretty straight-forward. My favorite professor from this past semester
Worst teacher I've ever had BEWARE. He is super secure heavy and jumps around during lectures so he's super hard to follow. The tests are the only thing graded so you have to do well on them. He only gives you outlines to study for the tests and its all fill in the blank and essays. He also doesn't post grades online or respond to emails
It was great class that was interrupted by going online that made some of the material boring.
This was by far one of the hardest classes ive ever taken, only graded by 4 exams and 2 quizzes so you cannot fail anything, doesnt use my classes everything is paper, no phone in class or points off quiz or exam, lecture HEAVY!!, minimal words on powerpoint so you have to listen closely to what he says and write fast, tests are extremely hard..
I have learned more in a shorter amount of time than in most of my classes. This is interesting stuff.
Really nice guy his class was really interesting I learned a lot, however, there were only 6 grades all semester, straight lecture, the exams were hard you have to study a lot like way more than youd think. Very hard class.
If you would like to contact this man outside of class, tough luck. He HATES the internet and will not do canvas or emails. He stands and lectures for a while and gives 6 grades (all tests). The class is boring but if you show up you will do fine. Do not buy the textbook though, the only time it was used was to read the constitution, just print it.
Definitely a very tough professor. He really makes you work hard and expects a lot out of you. But if you put in the work and work hard in class, you'll pass.
AVOID THIS PROFESSOR AT ALL COSTS. unless you already know history very well or do very well with verbal lectures with no class participation and no powerpoint, do not take this class. You only get graded on the extremely hard and confusing tests. and he refuses to use myclasses or email or any type of tech so you never know your grade.
I loved this class! The lectures were engaging and interesting. Beware though, if you aren't super into the subject you could easily fall behind because there is so much material. I enjoyed that the grading was done mostly by a few tests, as I often struggle to turn things in. I looked forward to class every day because it was always fascinating.
Avoid this teacher at all costs, he doesn't use my classes so your grade is need to know. No homework or classwork just ridiculously difficult tests and quizzes with huge readings. Oh and no computers to type a spoken note only lecture and if your phone is out or goes off say bye to 10% of your next test.
Do not take him. He doesn't even use powerpoints to teach he just talks the whole class time and his tests are ridiculous. Also doesn't allow any form of technology in the classroom including myclasses which just sucks. Not a single homework assignment is given just 4 very hard tests and 2 quizzes on books.
if you're signed up for this class DROP RIGHT NOW!!! this is by far the hardest class I have taken and that's coming from someone who has taken both anatomy's. classes consist of him lecturing at you with no slideshow and you may only take written notes. if he sees that you are on your phone or hears one that's 10% off next exam. books don't help.
Great professor, knows his information and very intelligent. However, if you are not like me who likes lectures with little to no guided notes or slides, then he is not for you. As well as, he does not answer emails often or have a Canvas MyClasses page. Overall, loved the class but the professor can be a bit frustrating to contact.
His tests are sort of hard, however hes one professor who actually cares about what you do at this school. Hell try and help you improve and meet with you if needed. His study guides are hard to study cause theyre brief, but his reviews of class stuff are good, he tells you how he runs his class at the beginning so you arent in for unexpected.
Lectures can be a bit redundant but exams are pretty straightforward, which is amazing. Structured course overall. You're golden once you get the dynamics of Prof. Ference. Would absolutely take any other of his courses. He is very kind and of course very knowledgeable.
Must attend all lectures or you will miss very important material. Overall, the tests are very difficult for gen ed.
enjoyed the class
One of my favorite professors at SU. Work hard and you'll pass. Awesome guy, absolutely hilarious. Highly recommend.
This prof is not respectful of anyone, including other staff and students. He refuses to use any online material and does not understand the concept of change. He tells every student that he's the best professor because he doesn't make students buy text books, and instead uses his own textbook from the 80s which is severely outdated. Don't do it.
Ok - Prof. Ference is particular in his own way: no electronics and no weird stuff. Actually, he is not particular at all, just a really knowledgeable person, who is passionate about history. The majority of peeps love him, including myself, so - yes, go ahead and take him! He is very straight forward and very well organized.
Awful, doesn't use myclasses so you must go to classes or email him to get information. You also don't know your grade the whole semester unless you ask him. Lowkey rude. DONT take out your phone or you're getting called out in front of class.
The below comment is straight up BS - (if it gets deleted it's about a Prof. being rude and such) - Prof. Ference is a nice guy. You will NOT regret taking him, no matter what anyone says. He is fair, knowledgeable, and fun - took him twice already!
Made this class very hard and now I don't like him.
this what a college class should be like. do the work and dont complain I liked him
Professor Ference has a specific teaching style, but if you engage with it, the class works well. Attend lectures, read the textbook, and use study aids like Unstuck ai to ace the challenging tests. Overall, a rewarding experience.
He was awful, worst professor I've ever had. I'm sure he's great if you're into history, but he makes it very difficult for the people who have little interest in it. He expects everyone to know everything, and will take points off if you're wrong and answering a question in class. He gets easily frustrated and yells and curses at his students.
Do not take this class! He expects you to know everything before actually being taught. He doesn't use my classes, so good luck knowing your grade, as well as no extra credit. If you ask for help he will shrug his shoulders at you and not help or give a rude response. This class totally affected/ruined my semester. 20/50 students dropped it.
Doesn't do my classes only has 3 exams and one quiz that is it and will just slash half the credit off a exam whenever he feels like it even if the answer was correct wont show you grades unless you go to his office hours and when you do he is frustrated you are came and will not let you look at the exam for long
Professor Ference's class is lecture heavy, but that is okay because he is great at it and he is very interactive. the tests/quizes are very straightforward. Take some time to study and you will be fine.
Not horrible but not great. If you put in lots of effort, study hard, and go to every class, you'll be fine. He can be condescending and kinda rude but only bc people don't always participate or know the answer. No assignments, only exams, but all have extra credit questions. He expects you to have outside knowledge. Exams are wordy. No tech/canvas
He is very knowledgeable but tends to be very blunt if you are wrong. The class is very exam heavy, no other assignments besides exams and quizzes. The exams are hard to understand and wordy. He does not have a canvas page so you can't actively see your grade throughout the semester. This class is just listening to him talk and you taking notes.
The outlines and main terms helped me thru this class
El mejor profesor del mundo!
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
91%
Textbook Required
21%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.02 avg changeRatings by Course
HST201
5.0
(1)HST102
5.0
(1)MULTIPLE
5.0
(3)JAPANESEHIST
5.0
(1)HIST364
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
HISTORY102
5.0
HST362
5.0
HIST210
5.0
HIST362
4.3
HIST327
4.3