Bowers has a great sense of humor. He can actually make those medeival lit credits rather painless. By the way, he doesn't necessarily require papers. . .depends on the course and the semester. Also, the syllabus is adhered to rigidly.

Great professor. He is unbending concerning the syllabus. Also, it is rather odd to have scantron tests in a literature class. If you can take him for Chaucer! He is fantastic!

The professor covers a great deal of material but makes everything clear and interesting. His lectures are brilliant and funny. The grading is completely fair. I never wanted to miss a single class.

Great professor. Truly knows his stuff. Makes the class fun & interesting & he covers a lot of material. He gives you what you need to study... Pretty easy

Awesome class! Great Professor...he knows his stuff! I took it over summer, easy A. He gives you a study guide before every exam. His lectures are interesting and entertaining. Recommend to anyone!

He's a bit pompous and relates everything to gender studies. The student is introduced to a lot information and the class itself is enjoying. The professor takes no effort in learning his students names and could care less about his students. He is an expert in his field though.

Loved it. Interesting, very clear explanations and handouts. Total lecture class w/ movie clips to help see the plays. Doesn't learn names, but students don't talk anyway. One thing, like shock-value, mentions "queer theory" all teh time. Otherwise I loved it.

to the previous comments: He knew my name. Second course I've taken w/Bowers. He is an excellent instructor. His lectures kept me interested. He takes difficult subjects, Chaucer/Shakespeare, and pares them down so that we can understand them. He has a good sense of humor.You earn the grade given.

If you are not good at taking scantron tests, don't take this class. If you don't like writing, take this class. The class itself was never boring. Bowers knows his stuff! It's not a discussion class, just lectures.

he says all you gotta do is show up, take notes, study notes, and take the quizzes. but its not that simple. be ready for a couple curve balls on these quizzes. really tuff to get an A. many of the questions on the quizzes are not what the notes say, but what they imply.

easiest english you could probably take. he makes the stories fun to learn. Just take notes, show up dont miss any tests and you will pass garaunteed

You can do ALL the work in-class. Take copious notes, highlight JUST the readings he goes over, and forget anything in []. Remember each quote and it's author. Feverishly write down the ? and answer when he goes over each test, as the final is 50% of previous ?'s. Not pompous, just smart. Take 231!!

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I hated Chaucer and just hearing the words "Canterbury Tales" made me want to toss myself out the window before his class. He made it interesting. I didn't see any pomposity, just confidence. Don't be fooled though - his class format is not as easy as it sounds. Very fair tests and grading.

This class was easy. Just take notes and come to class becuase everything in his lecture and notes are on the quizs and Final. No paper, just quizes and final. Just don't pack your bags during the middle of class because he hates it.

At first this class seemed really easy from what I read on this web site, but the tests are what got me. I read everything, came to class everyday, and still did poorly on those tests because of how they are written. Just be careful if you take this class and watch out for the tests.

THIS GUY IS AWESOME. VERY CLEAR.LECTURES ARE VERY INTERESTING..THE BEST ENGLISH PROFESSOR AT UNLV.SOOOO INTERSTING..QUIZZES R A BIT TUFF..BUT HE IS SOOOO INTERESTING THAT TIME GOES BY AND I DONT FEEL IT..HE IS THE BEST AND I WOULD TAKE HIM ANY TIME.

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He was a great professor. He is funny. We are lucky to have him teching at UNLV. All the info for the tests are in the notes from the overhead. Take notes and study them and you should get an A, unless you're dumb.

Amazingly smart guy. Knows waaay too much. But great to learn from.

Excellent teacher, interesting course work

Dr. Bowers is enlightening to listen to. His lectures are combined with typed notes that aid in note-taking greatly, and, overall, his lectures are interesting and keep the attention. Dr. Bowers does not seem to appreciate student comments or additions to his lectures, on the other hand.

Interesting course, you'll learn. He's an intelligent man, but he has his setbacks. He dismisses student comments, & will sometimes speak over them. If you are several minutes late on a test day, chances are high youll sit there without a copy of the test while the other students finish their test. Fixated on Tolkein. Too haughty & boastful.

Smart, witty and always on his toes. His tests are multiple choice right from the notes he types out for you. He's very well-organized. There's only one 3 page paper which he offers useful critiques on. He also went out of his way to answer a question of mine and brought outside articles for me to read. I'm taking him for every class I can!

Very erudite, knowlegdeable teacher. Lecture based class; very interesting even if you don't like lecture-format. Easy, multiple-choice quizzes and maybe a single essay, depending on whether he feels like assigning one that semester. I love his classes, most students I've spoken with agree. (Oxford grad, heavy on classics, and a Tolkien fanatic.)

I take him for every English class I can. He is an incredible intellectual and his lectures are fascinating, but his quizzes remain very straight-forward. You don't have to go to class to earn an A, but he's so intesting to listen to that you'll find yourself going to all of his classes. He's the best at UNLV in any department, hands down.

Awesome teacher and wonderfully interesting lectures. He is funny, witty and incredibly knowledgeable about Medeival Literature of all kinds. Will be taking him at least twice more before I graduate.

One of the most intelligent, knowledgeable men I've ever met. His class was 100% lecture, which can be a little boring because there's no class dialog, but he has a great sense of humor and he's just a fountain of knowledge, so it's still very interesting most days. Will take again.

He was easy professor. He try to make a class interesting and fun. His class is kind of boring sometimes, but you gotta attend every class to get a good grade on the exam. otherwise, I LOVE THIS CLASS! the professor is the best professor I ever had!

First off, this class was six degrees of Tolkien. I don't care about Tolkien. Bowers is one of the reasons Eng majors can't write for crap at UNLV. The writing required did not extend beyond our names on the scantron. Take Rusche for medieval lit instead if you want to hone your writing skills, like y'know, an ENGLISH MAJOR should.

Funny guy. Smart, too. Again, scantrons and no papers, but I think he said that he was going to assign papers in the future. The way to an A is pretty clear cut. Anyway, I used to hate Middle English but his class made Chaucer enjoyable for me.

Brilliant fellow! We're lucky to have him at UNLV. This was a really easy class and he is an excellent instructor. I can imagine why he'd be a bit smug and condescending to those who didn't do well in this course after he practically spoon-fed us the answers to his tests both in his lectures and on the study sheets he typed out for us.

Dr. Bowers is my favorite professor at UNLV. I have taken 4 classes with him and learned SO much from him. He has also helped me write my resume and prepare scholarship applications and he has sought out articles outside of class to give me a different perspective on the material. If you make the effort to get to know him, he will too.

Doctor Bower might come off as being pretentious and full of himself but his teaching style is often lost on those who believe so. He knocks you down to show you the weaknesses in your argument and the common basic concepts that you should have learned in 101 then he acknowledges your strengths later. He makes an education at UNLV worth wild.

Good class

Easy course, but I learned more than in any other English course at UNLV. Very traditional style, but he also makes the lecture interesting and funny. I was able to go to him for help on paper and outside resources.

Awesome professor. He can answer ANY question asked and explains everything very thoroughly. He is passionate about what he teaches and it's contagious. I would take absolutely any class with him, I have learned more in his class than any other I have ever had. No-stress environment, good feedback on paper, exciting lectures.

UNLV does not deserve him and we have no idea why he's teaching here. One theory is that he likes being a big fish in a small pond and the other was that he's addicted to gambling and the "Vegas" lifestyle

I still have no idea why he is teaching at UNLV

The first few weeks were a toughIe for me cause I didn't know how the class would turn out but just attend class, take notes (even though they're not on red), read the material and study. It became interesting for me and my grades started to improve after doing the work. Also, there's one essay and all you have to do is turn in your rough and final drafts. Overall, so far so good :)

Lectures go quite fast and you need to attend every class to do well. Interesting lectures and only one paper to write, though it's a deceptively hard paper. You'll leave this class with improved writing skills.

Great class (heroic epic). You read the hobbit and lord of the rings the whole time. 6 small tests 1 paper plus final. Learned a ton. He is way over qualified to be at unlv.

Brit lit 1 was great with Dr Bowers. 6 tests and a Final. Bowers is the best. Oxford grad & Rhodes scholar so he knows what up.

Thiss dudeee was a pretty legit teacherr ! he didnt take attendance or anthing so u never relle hav to go to class. has six quizes throuht the semester nd their all on his notes in class . no real hw . pretty easy stuff . wud def take him again (:

really interesting reading material if you're into philosophy and fantasy stories. good teacher over all but can be a bit unfair at times and disregard students requests. A bit arrogant also- always talking about his education at oxford and his previous employment at princeton. I learned a lot in this class regardless of some unfairness I received.

Bowers is great, he's a tenured professor making $175k year so he doesn't have to pander to anyone.

I'm not a big fan of English Literature, but after taking this class I found it to be more enjoyable. Professor is very clear, powerpoint notes are extremely helpful, and quizzes directly reflected the notes. Best English teacher at UNLV.

I had him for both ENG 449A and Eng 303 during the same semester. His notes are very clear. He color coordinates the important stuff. As long as you take good notes, you will get an A on every quiz. I almost never read for either class and still always got an A on the quizzes. There is one essay which only has to be 3 pages long, very easy!

Took him for Brit Lit and it was awesome. He reviews everything and highlights whats going to be on the test. Also a bit of a Tolkien fanboy with a plus.

Bowers has a great classroom presence. Lectures can be a snore, but he makes attempts to keep subject matter interesting. The amount of time we spent discussing sexual interpretations of the text bothered me. I do not see the importance of that information amidst historical context. Seriously, very small lines from the text focused on for too long.

Bowers is a pretty funny guy. He takes something as boring as the Canterbury Tales and makes it interesting. Lots of talk about sex and crude humor. The course is 100% note taking so it can get boring. Attend class, write down all the notes and u will get a good grade. Dont and you will get a B or C

One of the easiest classes you can possibly take. The lecture notes have quiz question answers highlighted. Just go to lecture and you'll get an A. It was the dumbest paper I've ever written, but it's only 20% of the grade, so just do well on the quizzes and the final and it's still a really easy A

fell in love with him when he opened his mouth

Since it's a survey course, the material covered is a lot. Bowers does a good job trying to make the material more entertaining what with his knowledge and passion for the subject. He's obsessed with Tolkien, so all Lord of the Ring fans are welcome here. He gives you the answers to quizzes and the final so it's up to you to memorize it all.

Amazing lecturer and amazing stories. the best I have ever had.

Professor Bowers had a great presence in class and presented his knowledge of British Lit. well. Though there were a lot of notes to be taken, and you aren't allowed to use a lap top, the class was still clear and to the point. I definitely felt confident in my professor and that the knowledge he provided was accurate and valuable.

I took his Chaucer and Heroic Epic class together in one semester and I survived mostly because he has engaging lectures. He's so passionate about what he teaches and he is very witty. With his credentials, I feel so lucky to have had him as a professor at UNLV. I'm now a proud "Young Chaucerian," and "Tolkien scholar," as he would say!

Bowers is the most clear-cut professor in the English dept. He doesn't care about class participation and bases most of your grade on quizzes (60%). There is one term paper due which you turn in twice - rough draft & final. His lectures are organized and clear & attendance is not mandatory. You learn a lot and your grade is entirely up to you.

Highly educated and passionate about his subject. Pretty tough grader.

Professor Bowers is an amazingly intelligent individual. His lectures are long (though also insightful) and there is a lot of note taking, but the quizzes/final are incredibly easy, as they reflect the material covered in class. I would most definitely take him again.

He's a fascinating guy with fascinating stories... He obviously loves his subject, but he's knowledgeable about so much other stuff too. I highly recommend just talking with him at office hours.

The best professor I've ever taken. He says, in class, very often, that the way to pass his class is: "Show up, take notes, study notes, take test" and you can get an A. In his lectures, he puts the notes on the board, and highlights in red what will be on the quizzes, and he goes over the quizzes with you the very next class. Exciting lectures.

Awesome professor and probably the most knowledgeable person I've met. He's an academic inspiration.

Go to class, take notes, take the quizzes. Lots of reading, but he gives you EVERYTHING you need to know for the quizzes. Memorization based quizzes from lecture notes - he does not post them online. No attendance taken, but if you miss those notes then good luck getting them. He knows what he's doing but he's a little old-fashioned

Professor Bowers sends prewritten notes out every week which students are expected to add to, and all quizzes and tests are based off of what is discussed in class, nothing else. The prewritten notes and discussions are extremely helpful. If you're looking to not only learn a lot but have a great experience, I really recommend him!

I took the Tolkien class and its not a hard class, its just if you go in class knowing nothing about Tolkien's work then it's a lot to take in. Get ready to read non-stop. The texts aren't hard, not at all. But it's a mountain of characters and places and plot to remember. He cares a lot, don't be afraid to ask questions! Easy enough quizzes.

Everything a professor should be - clear grading structure (6 quizzes and a final), knowledgeable about material, engaging lecturer. Show up, read the material, study the notes, and you'll do fine.

If you arent the best at taking quizzes, you have an option to do a paper to boost your grade where he allows two submission for the best grade possible . On the other hand , he gives you exactly what you need to know in the notes. If youre interested in Lord of the Rings, youll love it:)

Dr. Bowers is really one of the best CS professors, definitely take his class.

This was my 3rd class with him. HE IS THE BEST PROFESSOR EVER. So kind and understanding, and his notes literally highlight what's on his exams. I got away with getting screenshots of the textbook and using that since things are online due to COVID19. All quizzes/tests multiple choice. YOU WON'T REGRET TAKING HIS CLASSES.

I absolutely adored having Prof. Bowers. He is considerate of his students, respects their boundaries, and actually wants to see them succeed. Attendance was 20% of the overall grade, so do not miss class. Within his lectures, he will tell you exactly what is going to be on the exams. If you are able to take him, please do! You won't regret it!

Professor Bowers is amazing!! I recommend everyone take one of his classes, he makes learning about Chaucer, Beowulf, Milton, etc fun! If you aren't familiar with authors such as the ones I mentioned and a few others, you'll have to study more but don't worry too much he tells you EXACTLY what's going to be on the test.

I've taken him for two classes so far and he's one of the best professors I've had. Likes to talk about the readings a lot, and draws a lot of his quiz questions from the notes. A plus is that he tells the students exactly what is on the quizzes with his "red-letter notes" which helps a ton.

His lectures are a bit boring & dry, but you can tell he is passionate about what he does. If you show up to class, participate in the readings, and mark the "red alert" parts in your notes for the quizzes then you'll be fine.

His lectures are simply amazing. Classy professor. His voice is soo soothing...He is just brilliant. Would love to be his understudy one day..

Amazing!!!

6 quizzes and one final that is half cumulative. Classes are recorded in case you miss class. He tells you exactly what's going to be on the quizzes and is in class early to answer any questions.

Prof. Bowers is a great lecturer. He cares a lot about the subject matter. He makes it very clear what will be on the quizzes and exam. You just have to make an effort to do the readings and study.

You don't actually have to read anything and he tells you exactly what is going to be on the quizzes if you show up to class. He doesn't take attendance, but if you don't show up, you won't get the quiz content.

I loved this class. At first I was hesitant due to the test, but they are very easy because he gives you amazing notes that serve as study guides. He is very clear on what is on exams/test and the day after he goes over the answers! You also don't use web campus at all, and you get your grades from the scantron of your test.