Very easy class. Hardly ever went to class and did great.

She is a wonderful prof. She is very helpful, and really intelligent. I highly recommend her.

This was one of the most pleasant teachers I've had. Taught course in interesting and engaging way. Liked dry humor and wit. Very easy to do well and succeed and actually learn somethin!

She was such a great teacher. She's easy if you go to class and take notes on what she says. She lets you use a notecard for the mid-term and you pick the test questions! She's great!

Awesome teacher, funny, great and wonderful! She makes history interesting...

The class is not very difficult if you take notes and pay attention. She's really nice and makes a fairly boring topic a bit more interesting (esp. if you take it as a night course).

Leslie is awesome. The class starts off a bit slow, but later on gets more interesting. She's a great lecturer. Pay attention in class and don't worry too much about small details. Focus on the major ideas she's trying to teach and you'll be fine.

She makes class very interesting, no matter what the topic.

She's boring at times, but as long as you know the bigger picture of things you'll be fine on tests. Sit through the lectures and it will make it easier on you come test time.

(European Intellectual History) Lots of reading of primary texts, totally discussion based, midterm & final are each 1 essay question, rest of the grade is 2 short papers and attendence/participation

Don't take this class if you aren't interested. If you are, it's terrific. Tons of primary text reading; class time is all discussion. Expectations for papers sometimes unclear, but she's very approachable and helpful if you have problems. Good balance of prof. keeping discussions on track while students guided and usually dominated.

lecture goes soo slow. not terrible or hard but would not recommend. all tests/quizes are essay.

For anyone who isn't extremely interested in history, she will be awful. I personally loved her and enjoyed going to the class, but I noticed the boredom of most other people. It's a fair amount of reading and work, but her methods of teaching are efficient. I recommend her, but only if history is something you like.

Leslie was an amazing professor. She was quite enthusiastic and made a normal class lecture fun and entertaining. She has a great sense of humor and also really want to keep her students interested with the material. As long as you go to the lecture and take good notes, the class is fun and easy.

I loved this class, I mean, I'm a huge western civ nerd, but nonetheless Prof. Hammond engaged everyone in the room and was clearly extremely excited and well-educated about what she was lecturing. Just be sure to read ALL the primary sources and TAKE NOTES. My T.A. sucked though...take it! If you don't enjoy it then just for an easy gen eds fill

Dr. Hammond's lectures are extremely well organized and clear. Recitations are useful also, and I would recommend this professor for students taking Western Civ.

she clearly loves western civ and does have a good sense of humor. however, i was still bored to death in her lectures. they were rather unstructured and she hardly ever wrote anything on the board so it was difficult to take notes. the exams were easy, so i'd recommend it if your just looking for a requirement

Very nice, and makes lecture fun while informative. An easy class if you go to recitation and do the readings.

boring lectures but if you take notes you should do well on the test. good sense of humor

Nice teacher. very knowledgeable. very approachable. Casual and relaxed, even for big classes. Lecture isn't mandatory, but some info covered in lecture won't be covered in recitation.

Really nice professor and lectures are kind of interesting, she tries to be funny and occasionally succeeds. Tests are fairly easy and you get the topics beforehand. Readings are short and easy and you don't have to read the textbook.

Dr. Hammond likes her subject. An interesting history class. Tests are very fair. TA is hard with grading quizzes.

Good teacher, easy class, TA Chris Myers-the man, I liked recitations more than the class, Chris knows a lot about history. Very fair grader, were allowed to use index cards on the midterm and final, they are however essays, but if you explain the main points you will be fine. I strongly recommend this course for anyone, regardless of interest.

Recitation was pseudo-mandatory but lecture wasn't required. lectures were orally presented but most of the things were covered better in the textbook (i read instead of going to class). Recitations have quizzes occasionally but were graded very easily. got a 7/10 if you didn't do well. lot of outside reading from novels that was required

The seminar was based on intellectual history which I am not at all interested in but she seemed to understand that and didn't grade my papers that harshly. She also let us write our final papers on whatever we wanted instead of confining us to intellectual history. The readings were dense but she was an engaging and understanding professor.

Professor Hammond is a wonderful teacher. She is a great lecturer, and presents the material in a clear manner. I took this class as an 'easy' gen ed, but it is NOT. I wound up taking it pass/fail because I was scared I would do poorly. Lots of reading, midterm and final are somewhat challenging.

I HATE HATE HATE history, especially at 8am on mondays and wednesdays but Prof. Hammond obviously loves whats she's teaching about and she makes it entertaining.

Really enjoyed the class. Easy A with minimum amount of work. Just got to sit back and listen to a really good lecturer.

This class could be boring or interesting depending on whether you like the history of Western Democracy. I really liked it and prof Hammond was good at getting the class involved in discussion. Essentially, it is random quizzes (to make sure you did the reading, so readings are important) a paper and 2 exams that she gives you a lot of slack on.

Very positive and energetic. Can tell she cares about what she teaches. She's very nice and willing to help her students. Her exams are not difficult as long as you pay attention in class. It is CRUCIAL to go to lecture, as everything you will need is taught orally during lecture, and she doesn't use or follow the textbook (at all) or online notes.

Dr Hammond is a great lecturer. She's very passionate about what she does. Easy A. Go to class, take good notes, and participate in recitation; you'll be set.

Good lecturer and easy enough. A LOT of reading and she expects a lot of conversation about it but won't call on you unwillingly. She knows her stuff for sure, so much that she often makes obscure references that I didn't get. Read for main ideas and know them well. Pop quizzes, one short oral presentation, two short papers, midterm, & final.

Prof. Hammond gives an amazing lecture. Go to lecture! She gives a great class and really keeps your interest. Engaging lecture and a pretty easy class. Will have to read primary sources and 2 books, but they are normally easy and short.

Fantastic professor and fascinating lectures. She filled in the big WWII timeline with lots of interesting specific stories. Her tests were harder than I expectedmake sure you study her lecture notes (not just the textbook).

Not really a history person, but this class wasn't bad. Taken as a gen ed. She is very intelligent, knows what she's talking about and is super into history. Easy to pass if you attend lecture. If not, start reading the books. You "have to" read 2 novels for recitation, but just search for them online and you'll pass. Some pop quizzes in recitation

Had her for WWII in Europe and it was one of the best classes I've ever taken. She's nice and pretty helpful, clearly wants her students to succeed. I thought lectures were really interesting (but I'm a history major), recitations are boring but not hard, some pop quizzes, a midterm and a final, not hard if you put the work in and pay attention

Professor Hammond is one of the best professors I've ever had. She's funny, always has decent TA's, gives you the list of what she expects at the beginning and follows through with it, teaches you without confusing you, and keeps lectures interesting. There's a little bit of reading, but barely any use of the textbook. I would recommend her always.

Professor Hammond is easily one of my favorite professors of all time. Genuinely kind and wants everyone to do well. Very approachable and takes time with her students.

Professor Hammond is a great professor for Western Civ II. Her tests are essays but entirely on big picture topics discussed in class, no details. You will never need the textbook because she tests you on her lectures which are interesting. Recitation requires reading and there are extremely easy quizes if you do the reading. Good class.

This was my first history class taken at Pitt, and I was pleasantly surprised. I'm normally not a huge history fan and don't take classes that require essay tests (usually math/science courses) , but her lectures were interesting and tests were easy so long as you paid attention and did some outside reading. She gives great lectures & loves her job

Amazing lecturer, funny, and knows so much. Larger lectures tend to have bad TAs, but she is great.

Professor Hammond is a solid choice. I took this class as a Gen Ed requirement and don't regret it all. She keeps her lectures interesting, and her tests are not hard as long as you attend class. I would say attendance is mandatory, as we are graded basically solely on our lecture notes. You can bring a notecard to her exams too which is a plus.

Her lectures were super engaging and interesting, but the class was really hard. Don't get behind on the reading and you should be good though. Also, don't miss class cause if you do you'll miss like five years of stuff.

My favorite class so far at Pitt. She gives great lectures that cover a lot of really important stuff, although sometimes they can be a little all over the place in terms of a timeline. Take good lecture notes, do the outside readings (Sparknotes doesn't help) and study reasonably hard and you will be fine.

Such an amazing professor. Friendly, open, personable, obviously very excited and very knowledgeable about what she's teaching with entertaining and interesting lectures. Readings were manageable -- the primary sources are WAY more important to the tests than the textbook. If you need a gen ed history course, this is it.

Professor Hammond is a brilliant professor. She has so much pure knowledge on history, and is a professor I think everyone should take. Her lectures are always amazing, and you learn so much in the class. Going to class is important, but you will do fine on the test if you do. Tests are essays, and require heavy engagement with class materials.

Leslie was great! Attendance wasn't required for lectures, but it definitely helps. Attendance was required for recitations. The midterm and final are all essay and require a lot of studying and engagement with the primary sources (which is a little annoying). Great class overall. Definitely not an easy A, but very interesting if you like history!

Professor Hammond is an extremely engaging professor who really knows in depth the material she teaches. It is impossible to not be inspired by her. Her wealth of knowledge and her approach to teaching history make the class a must-take! Whether it is for your major or simply as a gen-ed, take her class!

Took her WWII class in the summer... despite the inevitable class length caused by meeting only twice weekly for 6 weeks, it was an awesome experience and taught by a great prof. Would highly recommend.

Very knowledgeable and passionate, but she speaks really fast, take notes during class and go to the TA's, be prepare before the exams and you'll be fine

Leslie Hammond is an outstanding professor. I have her for WWII Europe and have been extremely impressed with the quality of the class. Her lectures are engaging and well organized and she clearly has full mastery of her field and knows how to best teach the material. Highly recommended!

Dr. Hammond only lectures, it's 100% of the material. She's incredibly knowledgable on her topics, however, and the lectures are very well done and easy to follow. The tests are straightforward and throw no curveballs, but are interpretation based. She's friendly and open to discussion, and she does her best to make the class enjoyable.

Easy class if you show up and listen. She is very knowledgable in her field, but does not always follow a clear timeline. She lets you bring in an index card to the exams, which are graded fairly.

I really enjoyed this class. Professor Hammond is very knowledgeable in her field and leads interesting discussions. She is very accessible outside of class and is always willing to meet with you and discuss your work. The papers were difficult as was grading but I feel like a better writer because of it.

Leslie is awesome!! She knows what she is talking about and is really passionate about her work. She is super nice and always wants students to be engaged in her class. Sometimes lectures can be a little dull and there are not usually slides to copy off from, but you just have to get over that. Take this class if you are interested in history!

Super friendly professor who has a lot to share, assigns lots of extra reading so make sure to stay ahead of those deadlines

The class is very easy. Because she drops a few of your worst quizzes, some of the harder pop-quizzes aren't anything to worry about, just as long as you do well the rest of the time. The class is very interesting. In recitation we do a lot of group discussion and really dive deep. Always be prepared for a quiz and you'll be fine.

She's an amazing person truly. I took her online summer 2020 and it was a great class. She even took time to email students to check up on them during everything. The class consisted of about 3 20-25 min videos a week. You had to answer a couple of prompts in a bullet or short essay format. Convenient class 100% recommend. Had a regular schedule.

Bc it's an honors course, this class is harder than most... but the grading criteria is clear and if you try I think you'll be fine. Dr Hammond is very sweet and understanding! The readings are a lot, but if you are interested in the material it's not too bad. Definitely learn a lot of interesting stuff!!

Great professor. Class was a lot of work, but very interesting.

Discussion-based class with essays/discussion posts as the main assignments. This was an honors class, so the standard is to do more than just absorb info about history, but to take that extra step and bring your own ideas to the discussion. Really interesting way to expand your thinking, whether you're into the topic or not. She's also super nice.

Great class, took it over zoom but she was very engaging and did a good job. Only a few papers and a project but overall easy course.

Took her Global History of Anarchism class and learned a ton. There was definitely a lot of reading from lots of sources but as long as you read a little bit of it and discuss it in class you'll pass.

Prof Hammond is a very nice woman. Her lectures are interesting and engage well with the material. However, we were graded by a grad TA that we never met or even saw - and she was not an easy grader-. This class is all paper writing, definitely not the one to take if you're casually into history ~my mistake~. Decent class, lots of writing.

I loved this class but the lectures fell way behind the class reading, so for a lot of it we were writing essays on events we hadn't covered in class yet. There are pop quizzes in the recitations, so make sure you do the pages assigned for homework, even if it is a lot to do. Don't fall behind on readings, it is really hard to catch up.

She was a very nice woman and a good professor. However, I took this class as a gen ed, and it consumed my life with readings and essays. If this is part of your major, I recommend her and the class but not for a gen ed. It's also the same material you learn in every history class, but the readings were interesting.

Dr. Hammond was a really good professor. She was a very personable individual and was always willing to interact with students. She had engaging lectures and was obviously very knowledgeable about topics covered in Western Civ 2. She did however assign many readings and had pop quizzes, I failed one because she didn't hint. She did hint other times

Dr. Hammond is has great lectures and definetly knows the content in and out. This isn't an easy gen-ed, but definely worth it if you enjoy WW2 history. You will be mainly graded on papers based on books assinged. These essays are time consuming, but she gives you good feedback. The pop-quizes are based on in-class content so watch out!

Dr. Hammond is a fantastic professor who gives incredibly in-depth lectures, offers large amounts of support, and clearly is very passionate about the material she teaches. There is a good amount of reading for this course, but if you do the work you should have no problem getting a good grade. She grades fairly easily, take Dr. Hammond if you can.

Dr. Hammond gives great lectures that are pretty interesting to listen to most of the time. There's a lot of reading and the threat of pop quizzes makes you do all of the reading. A lot of writing in general but she isn't a strict grader.

I really like Dr. Hammond. All of her lectures are so engaging and she provides wonderful resources to dissect the course content. Be prepared to read and write a lot. I really enjoyed the course, and learned so much!

Take Leslie! She always tries to improve her course/teaching and values student opinions. You get to work in pairs and small groups a lot which was really helpful for workshopping our writing. She is a very fair grader. My understanding of history has gotten a lot deeper thanks to this class.

super sweet and a great teacher. very intelligent and passionate about teaching.

Very nice professor. I basically stopped going to class near the end of the semester because there was no attendance and aside from papers you were graded in the recitation. There are a good amount of papers that you have to do in a weird writing style tho

I enjoyed Professor Hammond's class and she is a very lovely person. However, there was always the looming threat of pop quizzes in recitation, lecture was mandatory, and the class was organized oddly. Having a background knowledge of the war will help. I would recommend this class to anyone thats willing to put in a decent amound of work.

Get ready to read and write! Prof Hammond and the TA were extremely nice, so the class did not feel as heavy as it was. Lectures are more fun than the reading, but if you're a strong writer of 5-paragraph essays, you'll be fine. Weekly pop quizzes are short and sweet but also involve writing. In-class participation not required. Would take again!

Lectures were engaging for the most part, she gives amazing feedback on assignments, and is very friendly and easy to talk to. I definitely recommend taking this class. The work can be a bit much, and there is a ton of reading, however it definitely prepares you for the midterm and final. Best professor I've had so far.

Definitely one of my favorite professors at Pitt, her lectures were super engaging and made the material very easy to understand. So long as you do the readings you should have no problem excelling in her class.

Dr Hammond is a good professor, however her lectures are rather boring.The extra assignments are easy as long as you keep up with the weekly sources and readings (and go to recitation). The mid term and final are not super hard, but very intimidating, just study a lot and you will be fine!!!!

Professor Hammond is kind & passionate. The time put in to study/do work, though plenty, is extremely useful. Pop quizzes were hinted at, so you knew when to expect them. Midterm+final were fair, had specific questions, so attending class (notes not posted) is crucial. One of my few classes this semester w/ true college-level rigor, in a good way.

Lectures are a little boring and always behind recitations. LOTS OF READINGS. Beware of pop quizzes! Midterm and final are intimidating but not super hard. Her TA was wonderful - she graded everything and was lenient, super accessible. Go to lectures - no notes or PPT posted. Prepare to read and study A LOT, but overall not as hard as I thought.

Dr. Hammond is a great professor. You get out of the class what you put in. Weekly readings take about an hour, and assignments are few and far between. Essays and quizzes aren't bad if you pay attention and read. She is an objectively easy grader, but only if you demonstrate at least a little understanding on the subject. Made history interesting!

Prof Hammond's class is writing-intensive, but engaging lectures and helpful resources make it worthwhile. Use unstuck ai and 5-paragraph essay skills to excel. Attendance mandatory, but participation not required. Would recommend for history buffs.

Really good lecturer, engages with students and makes sure that everyone understands the material. This class is pretty easy and honestly interesting. Sometimes you will have to write a bunch but everything is set up for you to succeed as long as you do the bare minimum.

Dr. Hammond is the best lecturer I've taken at Pitt so far. Her lectures require you to pay attention, but are very engaging. You can tell she is passionate which makes it so much better, too!