Great teacher, easy exams, and makes what is really boring material not seem that bad

Bermann is the best! He utilizes lectures, handouts, videos, and slideshows of his own pictures to give us material. He even slips a joke into lecture every now and again.

if its not on the overhead, you don't have to know it.

great teacher, doesn't use the book at all so don't bother buying it....EVERY question comes from the notes, so as long as you go to class, you'll be fine

SUCH a good professor the class was so interesting and hes really easy going. lectures are fun to go to and you watch a lot of movies

Good course, tons of information. His notes are in outline form, but they are still unorganized. He gives tons of notes each class so you can't miss one!

bermann is the most awesome prof. :-) so helpful, full of info, and yet makes the class so interesting & fun!

Interesting class with tons of information, but very fast paced.

Sometimes class was a bit dry, all powerpoints with the occasional movie. The subject matter was VERY interesting even though I'm not an Anthro major. Everything was pretty much open-ended to interperatation, which made the essays a cinch.

Really interesting class, very easy. Class could be a little boring, but the subject matter kept me awake most of the time. Teaches a lecture style class, so very little interaction with professor. Recommended though

very easy class, taught from overheads. no textbook, just readings that aren't even necessary (i read like 2 of them and got an A+ in the class). go to class, take notes, you'll get a good grade. Bermann is a good professor, makes the boring material somewhat interesting.

The most boring class I have ever taken at Pitt. Taught from overheads which are not formatted clearly, nor written in grammatical English. Honestly I thought it would be interesting, but it was the most boring class Ive ever taken. And get Jon Carlo for TA - easier grader than Julia

The exams were pretty easy as long as you attended lecture. No textbook, a lot of articles that he referred to (suppose to read, but can get by fine with what he says in lecture). Many "exercises" that the TAs grades and they all grade differently (some give perfects, others give C's as their "best" grades).

really nice guy. very straight forward with what you need to know. go to lecture and take notes and you'll do great on the tests. recitations mandatory and sometimes fun. overall good course.

he is awesome!!!!

shouldve been a relatively easy class but lectures were boring and dull, pretty much just copied pages upon pages of notes from his overhead every time. recitations are easy, as are exams.

Slightly boring lectures, just copy the notes for the midterms and the exams. 3 written assignments which aren't too bad. Easy to pass and fill 3 credits. Fun TA's.

Interested in what he teaches, and the class isn't very hard. Has a very calming voice, so staying awake and focused isn't always easy. Two tests, two quizzes, and two short projects. Take good notes and study a day or two beforehand and you should be fine.

Marc goes over everything from the readings that he will quiz you on. The lectures aren't posted online, so you have to attend. He announces recitation quizzes a week in advance. There are a few projects in recitation as well, so attendance is mandatory. As long as you show up, you will have all the info needed to get an A. He's a fun guy, too.

Wasn't sure how I would feel about this class going in, but definitely glad I took it! Marc is a great lecturer, and his tests are extremely fair and only cover things he goes over during lecture. Recitation is mandatory with a few easy assignments. Study the notes and you'll be good for the tests! Cool class!

Probably one of the most interesting courses I've taken so far at Pitt. Professor Bermann is not intensely loud or exciting in class, but his lectures are interesting, the class itself is easy, and you'll come out knowing a lot more about the field than you did at the beginning. This is both a fun course and an easy A, definitely recommended.

Was not interested in this subject at all and Professor Bermann made it reasonably interesting! VERY nice man and is clear what is going to be on the exams and quizzes. Definitely recommend

Would definitely recommend. Great professor, taught well, and pretty easy exams if you're willing to study for a few hours.

Great professor, really easy going and passionate about the material. Lectures can get a bit boring but he doesn't post the presentations online so taking notes is necessary. Two tests, a final paperproject, and recitation quizzesattendance is what makes up the grade for this course.

I'm a nursing major, and an average student (3.4 GPA). I took An Archaeologist's Look at Death because of Dr. Bermann's ranking on this website, and was not disappointed. If you pay attention and take good notes at the lectures, this will be one of the easiest classes you take at PITT. Easy tests. Easy material. Cool class. Take it if you can!

If you're looking to fulfill a social science requirement I strongly advise looking elsewhere. Class will suck the life right out of your eyes after sitting through lecture in a coma like trance. If you want to leave this University with any portion of your soul I recommend choosing a different course. Professor is good, material is dense & boring.

Interesting enough class, however some of the lectures really drag. Attendance isn't mandatory, but you need to go to class to get the notes for the test, so definitely take the class with a friend. Some of the cultures you talk about in class start to sound really similar, but if you study a minimal amount, you should ace the exams. Beware of TAs.

Hes a rlly good teacher bt watch out 4 the TAs they r his little minuns. he makes them do his dirty work. otherwise tho he has got mad skillz and his class is kinda like ez bt not ez u kno wut I mean. i do well in the class but hes got this one evil TA like stop man i say bt the TA duznt.

Marc is awesome! There wasn't a textbook for the class so you have to go to class for the notes but it's always really interesting! Tests are straightforward and cover class notes with an occasional question from the reading. You can tell he really loves what he does and makes class so much more enjoyable. Would definitely take again!!

I loved Dr. Bermann's class. The lectures were really interesting and he always uses Powerpoints, but does not post them online, so you need to take notes in class. Recitations are a third of your grade and you almost always work in small groups for those. Really interesting class and great professor.

Amazing teacher. He really knows his stuff and even participated in some of the sites discussed. A must take class for Archaeology students. He does not put lectures up online, so attending lecture is necessary. Non-majors - do not take this class.

Marc doesn't post anything online so you need to go to class, which can get dull, but he really cares about the material. He clearly outlines what you need to know for the 2 exams. He assigned 4 papers, one quiz and a final paper. Everything was graded pretty easily. He really cares about his students. I would definitely recommend taking him!!

Dr. Bermann is clearly passionate about the material and is engaging because of it. The material is interesting and unique and holds your attention pretty well. He doesn't post any of his notes or powerpoints so if you're going to miss a lot of lecture make sure you find a friend in the course to cover you. Pretty easy class and easy-going guy.

Class can be boring, but you just need to show up and make sure you copy down everything on his slides. Review your notes a few times before the test, and you should be fine. Lots of papers are given to be written in recitation, but nothing exceeding 1000 words.

Professor Bermann was awesome and made a topic that I had no prior background in really interesting. Tests were incredibly easy, and so were all the little assignments he had. He says you have to read a lot but I didn't miss a point and I didn't read anything. Show up (or don't honestly) and its an easy A. TA's were also really awesome.

Professor Bermann was very knowledgeable and experienced in his field. He made the class very interesting and easy to pass. The TA is helpful too. Highly recommended!

Awesome guy! Exams are based solely on lecture notes (there is no textbook and you do not have to read or watch anything he posts on CourseWeb). Take the class with a friend because he goes fast through notes sometimes and does not post them after lecture. The final project is time consuming, but easy (just show good effort) and you will do fine!

This class was very interesting and fun to take. No textbook, just readings on Courseweb, which you only need to skim. Exams are usually solely on the lectures, so if you show up to those you will be more than fine.

You cover a new city every week but if you're not writing a paper on it, you don't need to do the readings or pay attention. He sometimes assigns talking points on the weekly readings but just skim for those. Class is discussion based so if no one's talking, it'll drag. It's pretty easy for a W option and I learned more than I expected to!

Although sometimes dry, Dr. Bermann is extremely passionate about what he does. He is very knowledgeable and has a lot of experience in the field. The exams are almost exclusively from lecture but if you go and pay attention this is an easy A. Attendance is taken in recitation but is not really mandatory. Overall a solid professor & great class.

Dr. Bermann is an incredible professor. Not only is he extremely intelligent, but also accessible, funny, and practical. He knows you have other assignments to do, and we only had about 5 assignments over the whole semester. I will say that you need to come to class to really connect all the points in the powerpoint. Also, text book use will help.

He was really dry and bland in lecture. If you skipped lecture a lot there is no way you're passing the class. Textbook is a good reference but not necessary because he only tests material discussed in lecture. Straight-forward teaching.

You will do well if you go to lectures. Its not a big deal if you miss a few lectures either. It is important to go to recitation though. You cover what was learned in the lecture, and that is where you turn in assignments (which are few). There are lots of readings but if you go to class regularly, he discusses the readings in the lecture.

Very interesting lectures and he is obviously interested in what he teaches. All of the assignments he has given out so far have been very reasonable and relevant. He does NOT put his lectures/powerpoints online so you have you take decent notes. A solid choice for people who want the HPS certificate.

Easy A but also an interesting and fun class. Reasonable assignments. Marc is a real gem, if you pay close attention in lecture you can pick up on his humor.

This class is very interesting and Marc is very enthusiastic about the subject. He does not post his lectures online so you have to go to class to get the notes.

There's not much work put into this course, so tests are worth a lot. If you feel like something was graded unfairly by your TA, then you can take it to Dr. Bermann, and he might give you credit.

Lectures can be a little dry at times, but as long as you show you don't need to read the text since the exams are based from lecture. The final isn't cumulative, and is multiple choice. Only a few written assignments - none too difficult. Large final project time consuming but easy and manageable as long as you start it a few weeks early!

Do the readings, go to class, and his class is an easy A. The lectures can be a little dry at times, but once in a blue moon he throws in a poorly photo shopped picture that makes it all worth it.

Marc is a great guy that is really passionate about the topics he teaches. Tests are very straight-forward and there are a couple assignments/quizzes that aren't difficult. Notes aren't posted online so you'll have to go to class to get them. Overall I would recommend Marc. He really seems to care about what he teaches

This wasn't the most interesting or boring class I've ever taken but the class does require a lot of readings beforehand. You are required to come to class since he doesn't post his slides online. But, you can't hate him as a person and the grade I received was due to a lack of hard work.

Dr. Berman is a real gem. His lectures are pretty interesting, and his exams are fair. He doesn't post lecture slides so you'll have to go to class or get them from someone else. Not hard to get an A.

Bermann is the best, I've had him for 2 classes so far and he makes it really easy for you to get an A if you show up and pay attention. His classes are interesting and he really loves his work!

Marc Bermann is the best. I have taken two courses with him. Never did a single reading and got an A in both classes. Super helpful with project/assignments during office hours. Lectures can be a little dry but def worth it!!!

Marc Bermann is an angel. End of story. Really nice guy that cares about his students. This class was an easy A and a perfect choice for a gen ed.

This class is set up in a lecture format but he tries his best to keep you interested and loves to answer questions that pop up during the lecture. Lots of opportunities to get your grade up. We had 4 essays, 2 tests, 1 quiz, and 1 project.

This class was so interesting. Professor Bermann is extremely knowledgeable and the lectures were great because of it. The amount of work was fair and so was his grading. His feedback is very thorough which I really appreciated. Tests are somewhat difficult but definitely manageable if you pay attention to lectures.

Professor Bermann makes class pretty easy to follow. You absolutely have to go to lecture and take notes because he doesn't post slides online. As long as you attend class and recitation, you should be fine on tests and assignments. There are only a couple assignments and it is not extremely time consuming.

I really enjoyed this class and prof. interesting material. Dr. Bermann is very experienced in the field. The final project was a decent amount of work, but the smaller assignments and exams were not bad at all. I literally just read over my lecture notes to prepare for tests and get A's. Definitely take if you're looking for a gen ed requirement.

Dr. Bermann is a really good professor and this class is super interesting. Since he doesn't record his lectures or post the slides online, you sort of have to go to class (unless you wanna rely on someone else to send the notes which can just be confusing). Really good choice for a gen ed though, barely any work.

Bermann is a solid prof. Almost of the material is covered in lecture so make sure to go and take notes. There are some readings to do outside of class and he will say which readings will be one exams. Most of the grade comes from your mid term, final, and final project. Not a lot work but make sure you are prepared for exams and start project soon

I really enjoyed the content in this class. Youre graded on participation for recitation but not the lecture. I would recommend going to the lecture if you want to do good on the tests. You do a few assignments in recitation and have a midterm and final. Final is not cumulative. The last assignment is a huge workload, I still recommend this class.

Anthropology of death is an incredibly easy class. You don't have to do the readings he assigns if you go to lectures. That being said, you definitely need to go to lectures. Super easy grader and easy assignments. Big final project, but super easy if you start early and he checks it as many times as you want. Marc is a great prof and solid choice.

Marc Bermann was by far the best professor I've had. It was a joy to have him for class. We only had a midterm and a final. But if you studied your notes and used the study guide, you'll be just fine. He doesn't post his PowerPoints online so you have to go to class to get your notes. But other than that, he was amazing.

This class was very interesting! Lecture gives you all info, so take good notes and listen, but its not the end of the world if you miss class and get notes from a friend. My TA was wonderful, so that helped, but fairly straightforward. Midterm and final were very easy if you show up. Final project was a lot, but easy if you take your time.

I LOVE MARC TAKE THIS CLASS. Took arch looks at death as a gen ed and was very happy with that decision. Note: I am a more math/science inclined person and tend to not really like history or social science but liked this class. Lectures are pretty dry and are primarily for note-taking but the class is easy so what more can you ask for

On the first day he played a slideshow of ancient corpses to The Exorcist theme. He's awesome lol. Great lectures, easy exams. Show up to lecture and take notes because he doesn't record them or post the slides and the exams cover what is discusses in those lectures pretty much exclusively. Loved this class!

THE SWEETEST PROF AT PITT! Marc is the kindest man EVER!! Just show up to class and listen and discuss. Our class was lectures on Tuesday's and then group discussions on Thursday's. It was easy and fun to discuss how we would teach certain subjects to middle-schoolers to make it easier to understand or more valuable and accurate.

Great professor I really like marc, he makes class very easy, I never attend and I have an A. TA phillip is great

dr. bermann is great and this class is very doable. graded on a midterm and final, recitation exercises + attendance, and a final project. i will say though that the final project is very time consuming and he posts hours worth of reading/videos for each week, but overall interesting class and not a gen ed to stress over!

Love Dr. Bermann and his TAs! Marc is very enthusiastic about what he teaches and it shows. Recitation gives insight on exams, so make sure you try and always attend. Readings are useful but can be very long. A couple medium-size assignments through the term given in rec, a final project, and a midterm + final. Interesting topics and fun lectures!

Do not take this class if you are a STEM major. It is an easy class but there is so much work. The final project takes literal hours. If you're looking for an easy Gen Ed, don't take this. But Marc Barman is very nice and a has good lectures. He's super nice.

Do not take this class if you are looking for an easy Gen Ed. There is so much work and the final project takes literal hours. The work is easy but there is A LOT. Dr Berman is very nice though and helpful.

This class is interesting, but a lot of work for a gen ed. There's a midterm and final exam,1 quiz, 3 small exercises, and a huge final project. There's also a lot of reading to do each week and you will fall behind if you skip any. Dr. Bermann is a sweetheart though and the material itself isn't too hard.

Recitation attendance is mandatory and there are a few assignments given as well. Grades based on recitation assignments, midterm, final, and final project which isn't difficult but very time consuming and requires a lot of organization. A lot of the assignments (and project) pile up toward the end of the semester. Don't take just for gen ed reqs

Biochem major. Took this as a GenEd and it was so easy and pretty interesting too. Start on the final project early and chip away and you'll be just fine. It's really not that much work. Went to recitation, but didn't always go to lecture. I'd 100% take this again. Marc and Phillip are great!

Professor Bermann was my favorite professor this semester! I took this as a Biology Gen ed and am glad I did. It requires no work outside of class except for a final project which is easy otherwise but make sure to attend lecture. Interesting lectures and very kind. You can tell he knows a lot about the subject and is very passionate. Take this!!

Great prof. Lots of reading and videos for you to look at but I never looked at any and still almost aced the first test. Go to lecture to get the material, tests are very fair and assignments from recitation are super easy. Final project is no where near as bad as people say, but it does take a little time, so start early and you'll be fine.

Professor Bermann is a great lecturer that makes class very interesting. The lectures are information dense, but always entertaining. There are a lot of mandatory readings, but they are always interesting and helpful. It is very important to come to lecture because he doesn't post notes. Exams and quizzes are straightforward.

The class was very interesting! The final project took a lot of time, but the other assignments were pretty easy. He doesn't post lecture slides, so you have to come to class. I learned a lot!!

Dr. Bermann had interesting lectures and doesn't just read off the slides but if you want to pass this class you have to attend because he doesn't share his slideshows (even if you have an accommodation for it or if you were sick)! His tests do require lots of studying but the content isn't hard. The final project is time consuming - start early!!!

I had Marc for ANTH 1511, Paleokitchen. He is very passionate about his teaching. Assignments excluding the final were short - but in order to succeed, you must do the readings. The readings are short for a 1000 level class, and if you love food at all then the subject matter is highly intriguing. He brought in food for us to try in many classes.

Generous grading distribution. Must attend lecture and recitations (mandatory) to do well on exams because lectures are not posted. TAs that lead recitation are phenomenal and very thorough. Very interesting class and not a lot of work if you manage your time properly. There is both a final project and final exam so be aware of that.

Prof Bermann is a really nice guy and this class isn't hard at all. 1 midterm and final exam which are both easy just go over your notes. A few recitation quizzes and assignments which are also easy. A final project which was pretty easy but just start early because its time consuming. He doesn't always post lecture slides so go to class.

Marc's lecture kept me interested everyday and I looked forward to go to lecture. The grade was based on 3 assignments, a few pop quizzes and then the exams. If you go to lecture and put enough effort into the assignments, you'll do fine. The final project was time consuming so start it early

Prof. Bermann is amazing for ANTH 0538! His lectures are very good because he is passionate about the course. The final project does take a lot of time, so get started early. Make sure to attend recitation, as it is 15% of your grade and is helpful overall. Overall, Prof. Bermann is amazing! I would definitely recommend taking him!

Professor Bermann had interesting lectures and had slides that were easy to understand and take notes from. He doesn't post notes, so you have to attend lecture to understand the content. Final project took some time, but was enjoyable to do and was given help from my TA when needed. Very possible to get an A if you attend lecture.

Dr. Bermann's lectures are excellent, he's a great speaker. Slides are very nice but he did not post them on Canvas. He posted readings for each lecture but they purely supplementary. Recitation attendance was mandatory and participation was graded, but not strictly. Exams weren't too bad, final project was time-consuming but not too difficult.

Professor Bermann's lectures are engaging and informative, though attendance is a must as slides aren't shared. The workload is manageable - just stay on top of the readings and the final project. unstuck study was a game-changer for my exam prep. Definitely recommend this class!

Really liked him for my sole Anthropology class (accounting major). Classes were super educational in a fun way, just a little note intensive as those notes will be your study material for the midterm. Homeworks are just a few papers and easy discussion posts. Super understanding with extenuating circumstances.

Prof. Bermann is an excellent choice for this course and any course he teaches. His lectures are very informative because he is passionate about the subject. The class consists of a few assignments and a final paper, which should be started early. Overall, Prof. Bermann is an AMAZING professor, and I highly recommend any of his courses!

His lectures weren't always the most interesting, but he was always passionate about what he was talking about. He gives very clear instructions for assignments and is organized.

Just a lecture, no work assigned in the lecture all of it is completed and graded in recitation by your TA. Dr. Bermann is pretty chill and a good speaker, his slides can be funny sometimes and he keeps you engaged. There wasn't any attendance taken in the lecture but attendance is mandatory for keeping your grade up in recitation.

He's fine but the lectures are boring. I kinda feel bad because he tries to get people to engage and they don't. The class is very writing intensive with an overview + 2 case studies that form one massive paper (mine was about 28 pages), a proposal, and biweekly-ish group discussions. There is a lot of reading so be prepared to work in this class.

Super Chill guy who has done archeology work before. He has inspired me to try to take more Archeology classes in the future. Defiantly recommend if you love Archeology or just need some credits.

I absolutely LOVED Prof. Bermann for this class; the material was super interesting, and he always made it really fun. You're graded mostly on tests and recitation attendance, a they're really fair tests and align with the material covered in lecture. He assigns a lot of reading, but I never did it and got along fine.

It's clear Dr. Berman is very knowledgeable and passionate about archaeology. After over 2 years of college, this was easily one of the most interesting classes i've ever taken. Pretty much anything (attendance, projects, tests, quizzes) is done through your TA. I had Ana as my TA for recitation and she was super sweet, informative, and refreshing.

Dr. Bermann was such a fun professor because you can tell how much he loves what he teaches! I did not think I would find death and graves so interesting. Most assignments done through TA, I had Ana and she was great! 2 quizzes, 2 exercises, midterm, final exam, and a final project were the only grades. Prepare for dramatic music.

Such a fun professor and so passionate about what he teaches! Lecture attendance isn't mandatory, but not everything learned in lecture is covered in recitation. I highly recommend you go. Recitation attendance is mandatory, but usually consists of review and an easy activity. Highly recommend this for a gen ed!!!

"Bermann is the GOAT" was the first thing I wrote in my notes for this class cause he literally opened our first class with slides of mummies and the Jaws theme song. I have loved this class and suggested it to everyone I know. He is so down-to-earth and intelligent. But DO NOT skip the lecture, it is incredibly important. 100% would take again.

Dr. Bermann is a great professor, and his lectures were super interesting. As long as you know the lecture content, you will do well in the class. There are many readings, but they aren't super necessary--important information is always presented in lecture. The midterm and final were easy, but be aware that there is a sizable final project too.

really cool guy, attendance is not mandatory but if you don't go you'll miss all of the slides and he doesn't post them on canvas. If you pay attention and take notes in lecture it's a really easy class with few assignments. Final project will take a while to do, but nonetheless pretty cool class

Easy A! Just go to class because he doesn't post slides. I never read the assigned readings and I got As on everything. Midterm, final, and a few quick assignments outside of class. The final project was tedious, but the content was easy. The lectures were very interesting and I loved the class. Attendance was mandatory for recitation tho.

Great choice for a class to take. All of the content is really interesting, and there isn't much work. 2 exams, a few small quizzes, and a final project, which takes some time and can be annoying, but besides that, the class was an easy A and interesting to attend.

I definitely would've enjoyed it more if it wasn't so early, but obv that's more of an excuse. He clearly knows what he's teaching, and the course itself is just test and final project heavy (was up until like 5 am on that project omg). Recitation attendance is required but lecture isn't, just be prepared to write some lecture notes