Very intelligent British guy - only 2 tests and a final. No extra papers besides exams!

guy is great and class is fairly easy

The lectures were fascinating, and the tests were intellectually stimulating. This is a thinking class, not one to get into for an easy grade.

Probably, no Definantly, the best teacher I have ever had - extremely smart and intellectually stimulating. If you are interested in history, take him - if you want an easy, boring class, don't. Pretty cool English accent too.

A brilliant guy & USC is lucky to have him .. take his class ... he will open the door of history to you .. I wish every professor was as caring as he is.

Slackers stay away. The guy is good, but if you miss class and don't read and just don't care, you won't do well.

Not for those looking for an easy A or those who think they can breeze by. For people truly interested in history and willing to work one of the best history professors in the department. His books are phenomenal. He is a history god.

Class is pretty boring, but tests are easy. The discussion groups suck, because you have to write papers and such; otherwise, I have no probs with the course. The reading is extensive, but the notes basically cover everything, so reading is optional.

Very good professor. Not an easy A class. Attendance is taken. Not hard to do well on tests if you pay attention and review notes. has an awesome british accent and the material is interesting. take him

Very interesting guy, but the class isn't easy. If you go to class and do the reading you should be ok. Tests are essay and ids, but he gives you a good idea of what the essay question will be.

Great teacher, but not an easy A. There are 3 essay and id tests and a research project. You have to do the reading and go to class, but he is interesting. Good teacher but not an easy class.

His tests come from both the notes and the readings. He's an awesome teacher and very easy to understand and approach. Great personality. Really knows what he's talking about. His TA's teach the discussion classes and do the grading. That's the only negative part of the class.

Dr. Smith is a wonderful professor. Stimulating lectures, it turned out to be my favorite class. I was scared before, but I got A's on both exams. Recommend reading, but only to incorporate into essays on exams. Takes attendence regularly. Wonderful class, definitely recommend it any day!

very awesome professor. DO THE READING!!! he has a wonderful british accent :-)

What a fabulous professor! Definately knows what he's talking about and enjoys it. Do the reading and go to class and the tests won't be too hard. I think those grading just want to see you've put forth effort and gotten the basic poitns. Refreshing to see someone who so clearly loves what he's doin

Definately my favorite professor and class. Prof. Smith has a great sense of humor and he knows and enjoys what he is talking about. Plus, he has a really hot accent! Tests are easy if you go to class and do the reading . I would definately recommend taking him.

Dr. Smith is a really great professor and is really interesting, though he can talk pretty fast. The reading sucked for the class but your TA basically tells you what you need to know from those readings for the essays. Go to class and pay attention and you can easily get an A. Dr. Smith's GREAT!

A great Professor. Very smart and knows what he's talking about. Class is not an easy A though. You need to read multiple books and all tests are essay style and graded tough. Most people get B's.

Very good professor, his class isn't hard at all. You do have to read his book, which isn't very interesting, but isn't hard either. British, accent is cool to listen to. Ask him to say the word strawberry ;)

Pretty good class and professor. Stay caught up with the readings and go to class and you will do fine.

Dr. Smith is an excellent professor. As well, his British accent helps keep your attention. The only reason I rated this class as hard is because the TA I had was horrible. She didn't know the subject and graded tests like she was a historical prodigy. Dr. Smith is an inspiring professor. Take him.

good class, not an easy A, but if you study you will do well. my ta was good, she graded fair and explained the material very clearly.

Lecture from his head, not a book. However you must know the names of essay writers in a text. You lose points if you don't mention their names. My ta was ok but those probally change. Great professor wish I could take more of his classes. You might want to record the lectures, I did and it helped.

Nice accent keeps you intrigued, smart man, good sense of humor, tests can be hard though.

Awesome awesome awesome class. I was dreading History, and it ended up being one of my favorite courses. Listening to him is like listening to the history channel or something. DEFINATELY take Dr. Smith.

I switched to this proffesor from littlefield. he is the best. i really enjoy his class and he is funny. he is very intresting. take his class if you can!!!! i hope he teaches more history classes (since i am a history major) that i can take more of his. His TAs are really good or at least the one i had (Jay Richardson)

i also had littlefield in the beginning of the semester and changed to dr. smith. he is such a good professor, his lectures are actually interesting and funny. he tells you whats going to be on the exams and is really fair. The TA's are helpful too....defiently take Dr. Smith if you can

One of the most interesting professors I have ever had. Keeps you intrigued and makes history much more interesting than it is. You have to work for your grade, but, this class is well worth it. I love Prof. Smith, I would definetely take him again. Oh, pretty good looking man and something about that British accent makes him even look better.

Good teacher, very knowledgable about his material but his tests are rediculously hard! All Essays!

This was by far the best history class I've ever taken. It's not easy and requires actual work, but his lectures are great. He makes history interesting and he's got a great sense of humor. Plus, the British accent is an added bonus. I would reccommend Smith to anyone who hates history b/c he really makes it fun! Read the essays!

He talks really really fast. if you take good notes you will do fine. you need to go to every class, b/c if you miss a day you fall really behind. He is really nice and wants his students that try to do well. and tells you everything that is going to be on the tests (essay tests).

GREAT TEACHER...his lectures are awesome...but i would bring a laptop to take notes on instead of paper because he is fast. His test are hard but if your passionate about history then its a wonderful class...WARNING IF YOU DONT LIKE HISTORY AT ALL THEN DON'T TAKE THIS PROFESSOR...other then that...awesome teacher...hard class but it makes you smart

Class is kind of draining from all the notes you have to take, and there is a ton of reading, but he is an amazing lecturer who is so obviously intelligent that he makes you interested in the subject, even when you hate history. He is incredibly funny and will tell you all you need to know about exams. And who doesn't love listing to that accent?

Smith makes history so interesting. I've never enjoyed it, but he presents the topics like a story-it sucks you in. I'll admit-with his humor and that adorable accent-I've got a small crush on the man. ;) You have to study and know the material for the tests-they're essay. But he tells you everything you need to know. Study and you're totally fine.

Professor Smith...ahhh..yes..this is a difficult class but very interesting...he is one of the better lecturers...tons of notes...i didnt do much reading (none at all) but if you use the notes and just pull a few examples from the texts for the test essays you will be fine...write fast in the essay exams only 50 minutes but yea...hes pretty cool..

Very informative class and very Good Professor overall! not too bad on the eyes either!

Great Professor. He has a great way of drawing you in and making you interested in history. You'll learn a lot in this class. Be sure to take notes, come to class everday and go to your sections regularly and you should do good. It's not an easy class, but you'll learn. He has a great sense of humor and he's mighty easy on the eyes.

Dr. Smith is maybe the best profeesor at USC. His classes aren't cake walks and he has a good deal of reading. DOn't let that scare you from taking him... He is very intresting and you can tell he loves his job. he is very helpful as well. You should take one of his classes if you can!

the best professor i have ever had. Learnt so much and actually looked forward to his classes. if you have any interest in southern history take this course but be prepared to work hard and fast in the exams!

Dr. Smith was a really great teacher. I learned alot in this class. He loves his job and it shines through in his lectures....I highly suggest taking a course with him. It's not an easy A but if you attend lectures, take good notes and listen to his advice for exams you are bound to succeed!!

Great Professor, with a good sense of humor. Makes material interesting, and you can tell you likes what he is teaching. Very friendly outside of class. Easy to listen to in class, but be prepared to take a lot of notes!

Has a cool British accent

Mr. Smith was one a great teacher cause I love the old south and the class was really interesting because he really likes his subject. He is a very respected historian in this area. He is however a really hard grader, but does tell you exactly what he wants for the most part. Definitely go to class, if you dont you will have some issues,I recome

Dr. Smith was simply an amazing lecturer. Honestly it felt like the class was sitting in on the History Channel every time we had met. He tells History like a story and is really passionate about what he talks about. Also, he's British so the accent is cool. The man knows more about America than most Americans will ever know. Dr. Smith is the man!

Amazing professor, he is the man!!!!!!

For as long as I've taken history classes, I've always hated the subject. I always attributed this to it simply being a boring topic. Dr. Smith, however, changed this conception with some of the most interesting lectures I've ever sat in on. Plus, his rhetoric will moisten your panties. My only gripe is that the TAs grade a bit unpredictably.

Dr. Smith's lectures are clear, concise, informative, and interesting. He has a commanding, professional presence and is friendly and wise. The discussion sections help a great deal. Make sure you go to all lectures and discussion groups, take notes, remember details, and study, otherwise this class will tear you apart. Three tests, all essays.

LOVE his British accent!! made lectures interesting. exams were easy.

Smith is the best history teacher I have had here at USC. He makes everything so interesting and his essays for exams are not hard and he gives hints for them! Love him

M Smith is hands down the best professor I have ever had. His lectures (Old South) were clear and extremely interesting! We had to transcribe a 99 page travel journal which was pretty time consuming. That being said, his lectures made up for it. Pop quizzes are based on lectures and super easy. HE WANTS EVERYONE TO DO WELL! And his accent, spot on!

He was an absolutely amazing professor. His lectures were interesting, homework was pretty light (reading a historian's article before class) and there was no final. The only aspect of the class that was time consuming was transcribing the 99 page journal of David Wyatt Aiken. If you have any interest in American history, TAKE THIS CLASS.

What an awesome professor! If you listen to lectures, you'll do great. His tests are very fair and he pretty much tells you what's going to be on it before hand. He's very interesting to listen to and the accent really helps you pay attention (: I'd definitely take him!! He really knows what he's talking about and you can tell he's passionate!

He assigns seats which kind of sucks, but even in the back of a big lecture class I could still hear him. His accent makes him easy to listen to and overall I thought he was good at keeping lectures clear and concise. He also tells you almost exactly what will be on the test, which is a huge help as notes can add up and get overwhelming.

Great professor. Really knows what he is talking about. Accent makes him pretty easy to pay attention too and he basically tells you what will be on the test.

One of the best professors I have ever had. Organizes his lectures to make it easy for students to take notes. He keeps lectures interesting and easy to follow. Exams are somewhat challenging but manageable. Definitely take Prof Smith if you want to learn about US history before 1865.

Great course. Dr. Smith is an interesting lecturer. Being terrible at history myself, he made me feel comfortable in learning more about the topic.

While this was the hardest class I've taken at USC, it is also one of my very favorties. The grade comes from pop quizzes, a midterm which is an essay where he gives you the prompts early, and a large paper where he gives you probates to transcribe. The class is so interesting and I highly recommend him.

Amazing lecturer, he makes the content interesting. Very clear on everything he assigns. He gives "pop" quizzes, but usually he will tell you the class before. There's one final research assignment for the end of class, and it's pretty easy as long as you don't try to do it all at once or in a rush. Clear grader, GREAT lecturer, awesome professor.

One of the top professors at South Carolina. His lectures are always clear and intriguing, and the material (Old South) enables you to understand the foundation of modern societal issues. Lectures are your class work, with one lengthy research paper at the end of the semester.

I LOVE Dr. Smith's Old South Class. The final project was actually interesting, and I enjoyed writing it, even though it required a lot of work. His style of teaching is my favourite, and the accent is pretty great too :) He is my favourite History Professor here at USC.

good professor for an intro history class. he makes notetaking easy and is pretty clear about what the essay questions will be. not a big fan that exams are only essays though. also pretty funny, likes to poke fun at himself when discussing british and us relations.

He is an excellent professor. I have now taken both HIST 111 and HIST 442 with him and I loved both. He is incredibly knowledgeable and is friends with most of the historian you read. His classes require three exams each with a few IDs and an essay, plus a paper evaluating a transcription. He loves to talk to his students so go to office hours!!!!

Prof. Smith is an amazing lecturer and makes history pretty entertaining. You have somewhat challenging homework every week. The tests are multiple choice, however, they are pretty difficult. You'll have to study days or weeks in advance if you want a good grade. Show up to class, read the textbook, and go over homework/notes to get a good grade.

Dr. Smith is an amazing professor for this class. He really knows his stuff, and his lectures are phenomenal. He is funny, and his accent makes it all the more interesting. He is the only history professor I've had that makes his lectures super interesting. The tests are a little hard, but if you study enough, you are sure to ace this class.

Smith is seriously the kindest person. You can tell that he genuinely cares about his students and enjoys coming to class. For someone who is uninterested in history, I enjoyed going to his lectures twice a week. This semester was the first time they did multiple choice and they were extremely hard for entry level course, questions were difficult

Dr. Smith is a great professor. He is a very interesting lecturer and really engages his students in the topics being discussed. He has his own book for this class and you need to have it. I strongly recommend you take this class, as long as you study and take good notes during lecture there is no way you won't pass with an A. Easy core class.

Really enjoyed his lectures. Be aware he does not upload his notes, and if you skip lectures you'll be lost. The transcriptions are annoying, but overall easy and interesting class

Dr. Smith is a really good prof because he makes the lectures interesting. The class is homework heavy, but you go over it in discussions once a week and the TA's that lead it can help you if you get stuck. Tests are all multiple choice and based almost entirely off of lectures with some from the homework thrown in. Easy A if you take notes

British professor teaching American history, an interesting take on the course and very soothing to listen. The transcription homework was a pain in the behind but still pretty fun to do.

It is rare that you find a professor that cares as much about their students as Professor Smith- especially in a core course. He truly will go out of his way to see his students succeed. If you express interest and try, he is more than happy to help you. If you are not a history person, do yourself the favor of taking him!

Take Him. If you are a history major and genuinely interested in Southern History, I am convinced there is no better professor at the University to teach it. He is a giant in his field and is highly respected. There is no homework but there are weekly readings. Three grades for the class: Midterm essay, final essay, research paper. Show up to class

Fun lectures, really engaging. Very good prof; awesome projects. I had medical complications and he worked with me to make sure I had enough time to really get the project done while also getting all the class info so I didn't miss out on anything.

Really interesting class and a nice professor. Not too much reading, and the lectures were great. He makes you work for a good grade, which is how it should be I think.

(I had him for honors, so the structure might be different. Classes were mostly discussion based and fairly like socratic seminars. We had 1 book report (essay and 10 minute speech), group project (as a class), and a final reflection (like 2 pages). Smith himself is very well spoken and his lectures were always interesting and engaging. Loved him

I have never enjoyed history classes, but his lectures are so engaging and he tells it like a story. The tests were just answering an essay question, but if you know your stuff they aren't hard at all. If you attended the lectures then you didn't need to read the textbook (which he wrote). I really enjoyed his class, he is a great professor.

Professor smith is great his lecture is just a bit boring. This may just be because it was at 8:30am. The readings are helpful for exams but transcriptions are pointless in my opinion because its just busy work. I understand it goes with the reading but it has never been helpful to me for actual exams.

Loved Professor Smith for HIST 111. His lectures are extremely enjoyable and interesting. I will say that even though attendance isn't mandatory, the class is extremely lecture heavy so you need to attend class regularly to know whats going on. Would 100% take a class with Mark Smith again!

Prof Smith gives his lectures like telling a story and makes them very interesting. Attendance is technically not mandatory, but showing up and taking notes is a must if you want to do well. The TA I had was less than helpful and left me struggling sometimes, but overall, professor Smith was great and would definitely take him again.

AWESOME GUY, lectures are interesting, likes to joke around, exams are essays so go to class, homework is annoying and tedious but easy, really cares about your success, and exam reviews are detailed. 10/10 recommend this class. textbook written by him and it's provided for free.

Professor Smith was amazing! You can tell he's passionate about what he teaches. Attendance wasn't mandatory, but you're responsible for your own notes. Our grade was based on 3 exams (which were essay-based) and weekly homework. It was difficult for me at first, but if you take thorough notes and study them, you will be fine.

LOVE him. A really kind person. Graded only on three things-- midterm and final exam, which are both writing two essays in class, and a final research paper based on 10 probate records you transcribe throughout the year. Readings are essays he posts on Blackboard. You really need to show up to class because each lecture has so much information.

Absolutely brilliant, super knowledgeable and a good teacher. The first class I've ever done real historiography in, and now I'm questioning why other professors don't do it. Do your readings and speak up in class--he's good at discussions. Final paper is a doozy, but don't procrastinate and you'll be fine. 10/10 would take again!

Professor Smith makes the material engaging. Exams are essay-based, so attend class and take notes. The textbook is helpful, but unstuck AI and ChatGPT were great study aids. Overall, a challenging but rewarding course.

This class was very interesting BUT challenging. You are expected to do a lot of reading (typically 2 documents before each class) and take VERY detailed notes. You are graded on 2 exams (In class essays) and a large research paper. He has high expectations BUT is knowledgeable on the old south and provided a variety of information on the topic.

I wasn't looking forward to taking a history class to complete my Carolina Core, but Professor Smith is one of the best professors at UofSC. His lectures feel like he's telling a story rather than just reading PowerPoints. I use OTTER AI to transcribe the whole lecture so that I don't have to take notes; which makes the class much easier.

Professor is great, take him if you can. very easy class although discussion section is a struggle to get through. have to transcribe old documents word for word that can be almost impossible and very frustrating but they are pretty much graded on completion and minimal amount of effor

Professor Smith makes lectures very interesting and fun to to listen to. He gives his own textbook and the weekly transcriptions are tedious/annoying but manageable. Discussion group can be annoying. Exams are all essay based and he really prepares you for them very well. Overall easy class with a very caring professor.

He gives us textbook with weekly transcriptions, not hard but took up a lot of time. Only grades were 3 exams and transcriptions, each exam weighing more as the semester goes on. It depends on TA bc that's who grades; I felt like mine was tougher than others. Prof Smith tells you what to expect before each exam and I felt very prepared for them.

This class is lecture and discussion based. If you miss a lecture, you miss that information, he does not post anything. This class is based upon four grades: your weekly transcripts and your three exams. The exams are essay based, but graded by the TA. Your grade depends on what TA you have because mine grader very harsher than all the others.

Dr. Smith is a good lecturer and tries to help students with their exams beforehand. The grades are 3 exams and transcriptions (rewriting of old letters etc). The exams are all written which makes it hard since the TAs grade very strictly for this being a Carolina core. Although Dr Smith is nice you may not do as well as you hoped in his class.

I've always hated my History classes in the past, but Professor Smith is only teacher that has kept me engaged on the material and made the class interesting. He teaches lectures like it's a story and you need to attend lectures to know the content for the exams. Exams are all essays that are overall questions based on the lectures.

The professor is good, but the TA you get is the most important part. They all grade pretty tough, and only a few kids in my section were getting As on the exams. If you want an easy A history class, this professor isn't for you, but if you like history, then you will enjoy his lectures. He posts nothing, so you have to go to class to do decent.