Super nice guy and very clear lecture style. Knows everything, basically.

Matt is an awesome professor, he's simply clear, articulate, and occasionally quite comical.

Had him twice- great professor. His lectures are very entertaining. Tests are straight from the readings, which he covers in his lectures. Usually he assigns one paper.

He's a great guy. He basically has insight on everything, practically never has to look in a book for factual questions and is quite comical. Arguably one of the best teachers I have ever had.

Lasar is the best teacher I have ever had. His class takes a lot of work (A LOT of reading), but it is all interesting and his lectures are fantastic. You'll get an A if you pay attention and do your work. There are no tricks.

He's funny, has a great accent, and livens it up by talkin' loud and giving some interesting detail to set the mood of the period you're studying. People may say he gives too much work, but he doesn't. Reading and Midterms are pretty lax.

He was a great sarcastic and witty teacher who used a lot of helpful powerpoint slides. I really enjoyed his classes and his media presentations. It was a great class.

Amazing. Intense about the subject matter, funny, totally on it. Knows his stuff- he doesn't just give the photocopied, standard version, and he's obviously thought a lot about the info he passes on. Actually fairly aware of race, gender, and class- makes effort to incorporate.

Professor Lasar is quite possibly the best professor at UCSC. Ive taken 2 classes with him and i found him to be extremely intelligent, and easy to understand. + he takes perspectives on US history that others just wont touch.

Lasar has a great sacrastic sense of humor. Easiest class I've taken. Never does roll call and assigns papers that compare a book to a movie. very easy A. reading not necessary if you attend lectures.

He is the man! He knows everything and wants you to too. He has good reading, but a lot of it. His papers are fun and he doesn't grade them that hard. He has a study guide for the midterms and a class website. He is quirky, but funny, interesting, and smart.

Easy grader. Really wants people to do well in his class.

he requires a lot of reading, but lectures on most of it in class, so it eases your load. he really wants his students to enjoy his classes.

Lasar is cool. The guy who gave the luke-warm review was probably a republican. The paper prompts could be more thought provoking but the lectures make up for it. Highly recommended for some laughs. Funny guy.

Matt is awesome! Some people feel differently depending on their majors but of the three years I have been attending this school, never has a teacher other then Lasar made me look forward to going to class. He talks a little fast and you need to pay attention, but he's so interesting you want listen

What a wonderful professor. Lasar's lectures are engrossing, if sometimes quite challenging (he can speak quite fast). History with him is a giant, fascinating narrative. LOTS of reading, but I learned so much. Incredibly funny and witty, and cares a great deal about students. Highly recommended.

Excellent Professor. His lectures are very interesting, and his dry sense of humor make them enjoyable. I would love to take another one of his classes, and would recommend him to anyone. He assings lots of reading, but if you go to lecture, you don't have to do it. I did that and still got an A.

this guy is awesome because when he's outside of lectures, he's always mumbling incoherently to himself. god he loves history. and blazing. who cannot love blazing?

well, I'm a Republican so I guess he was alright I often just put my head phones in and half listened. He has quite a personality his quizes are kind of hard but they were curved and tests were fair. I enjoyed the class especially sections. Sarah Doub is way tight, get her as a TA for sures.

Awesome class and awesome professor. Covered material clearly and in an interesting way. Readings were fairly interesting as well. My only gripe has to do with an idiot, mentally challenged TA that made me hate my life every time I went to section. Tests were challenging but fair; papers were easy.

Lasar was awesome! His lectures were informative and entertaining. His quizes and exams were tough but if you did the work you'd do fine. He's very passionate about what he teaches which is something I value in my professors.

Lasar is cool. The guy who gave the luke-warm review was probably a republican. The paper prompts could be more thought provoking but the lectures make up for it. Highly recommended for some laughs. Funny guy. Easy grader, that wants students to learn more and not worry that much about grades.

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I've had Lasar for two History courses so far, and he might be my favorite professor at UCSC. He's very organized with clear lectures, tells hilarious jokes and stories, and lets you know what is to be expected on tests and papers. If you enjoy American History (and aren't upset by a bit of Liberal bias) definetly take a class with him.

Professor Lasar is an awesome educator! He is clear, concise, and to the point. He wants the students to grasp and understand history. He is passionate about his work, and I would recommend taking his class to anyone. You dont just have to be a history major to do well in his class. I am actually taking another one of his class cause he is awesome!

Good command of the subject, very energetic and admittedly 'exciting' lectures. However, he has a clearly liberal political slant and bias. Obviously each person is free to have their own opinions, but they should not carry over into the classroom and be preached to an essentially captive audience. Very disconcerting, to say the least.

Funny guy, and he knows his stuff. I really liked his class and his teaching style. That said he has a MAJOR liberal bias, so take that into mind if that might piss you off. Also there are a lot of essays, but the grading is easy. Tests are straight forward and about general subjects. Overall a good class, and a good professor.

Had this guy for 2 classes, upper div & lower. Textbooks have leftist take on history, tons of reading. His lectures are really quite good, he clearly has much experience and is comfortable working with young students unlike many proffessors. He brings out the human experience in history. Very approachable, bet he put his own pic on this site.

Lasar's lectures were always very well-organized and interesting. there was a ton of reading, but after all it is an uppper-div... get used to it. my ta, deeddra was really cool and a pretty tough grader. lots of essays. really good class. makes everything come into full focus.

Lasar is a gifted story teller which makes his lectures very interesting. Be prepared to read a great deal and never get up from you seat while he's talking, he will ask where you are going.

Lasar is a great professor and lecturer (more so when not lecturing on the main text). Good at throwing out interesting and important concepts that come up while not pushing an interpretationg on you. Let's you think for yourself. Although the main text comes from a fairly "people's"/leftist perspective the class is not limited to that.

This man is my hero. I don't even take his class, I just sit outside his open door...longingly. That voice! That attitude! (Those opinions!) That winning personality! He's my dream teacher! Matthew Lasar should be president!

Lasar is the type of man that tall-tales are made from. Don't let the shy smile he wears in his picture fool you, he has achieved a complete mastery of his subject. He is absolutely in his element in the classroom. The raw power of his voice is enough to chop down trees and scare away thunder. Lasar's tears cure cancer, it's too bad he never cries

very good speaker, especially when reading the text. he speaks loudly and clearly without those microphones so its pretty hard not to pay attention to him. throws out funny lines once in a while. liberal bias is true, but their mostly for laughs...i think. reading was typical of a history class(about 7 books).

Great Techer, clear lectures, interesting material, and fun extra tidbits such as jokes and videos

Intelligent man and fantastic lecturer. Does his best to seem like a hard-ass but in reality is very caring, fair, and flexible. Heavy reading load, but tests mainly on lectures.

great teacher, material isn't amazing, but he always finds a way to hold my attention.

Lasar teaches very straight-forward. Keeps the lectures interesting with his small jokes. He shares his understandings of contemporary issues with class and keeps his class on its toes. Overall, great guy and challenging course.

Lasar is a great professor! Very interesting if you like the subject, and is pretty funny. Midterm is easy, you get the essay topics beforehand. Section is mandatory and TA's are usually very helpful

Possibly the best prof ever and an amazing lecturer.Very quirky and adds in crazy facts and tid bits into his lecture that you don't need to know about but make lectures enjoyable.I didn't get through a lecture without laughing. Mid term is easy if you're well prepared--he gives you the prompts before hand,so its you're job to be prepared, not his

Lasar is very clear in his lectures, most of which are based around powerpoint. He like to integrate some current events and jokes into his lectures. The discussion wasn't too helpful though.

I don't get why history majors obsess over him..maybe it is because he is so easy. I didn't care for him. He wrote dumb and unfunny jokes into his lecture. He's too comfortable with the fact that most history majors love him. I did not learn one single new thing about history from him. That's the reality of his classes.

I understand there's some sort of Cult of Lasar on campus, but the hype leaves something to be desired. I think his arrogance is too often mistaken for confidence. Even as a fan of sarcasm I found his response to students' "dumb questions" as a little cruel. Not the worst prof ever, but I wouldn't go out of my way to take another class with him.

He is so cute. Kind of awkward in person, but witty and funny in class. He makes jokes about his age frequently, which makes his jokes a little funnier. I find it very hard to dislike him because he's so chill.

He is just like Larry David from Curb Your Enthusiasm but in a good way! He is a great teacher and is very entertaining.I really recommend him.

Lasar is an amazing and hilarious lecturer with a lot of great insights on American history. However, he also assigns a ton of reading. Not a bad thing, but be prepared to spend a lot of time on the readings if you take a class of his.

Lasar routinely gives enthusiastic lectures. I enjoyed his classes so much that I never wanted to miss any. Also has a good sense of dry, sarcastic humor. He does indeed assign a lot of reading.

Bald, cantankerous, and endlessly entertaining, Lasar is one hell of a lecturer. Except for his occasional lapses into ranting about the latest FCC news, I loved every second of the course.

Lasar knows the material well but most importantly knows how to make it interesting. The man is a brilliant professor, engaging, approachable and highly entertaining.

I can't say enough good things about Lasar! THE best politics class i've taken. I never want to miss a lecture, and even wish this could be a year long class! Relevant. Engaging. It's a "you get what you put into it" kind of class. Five stars.

Give this man a raise and have him teach these other people how college is supposed to be taught. Doesn't require attendance because his computer knowledge allows him to see that college is obsolete. One of the best classes I've taken at ucsc. Lazar is a god of UCSC.

EXCELLENT PROFESSOR! Knows his material, made me want to go to class even though lecture was not mandatory. I would highly recommend any of his classes, but prepare to do a lot of reading, it is interesting though!

I graduated from UCSC a year ago and I'm considering going back to get my second BA just to take more Lasar classes.

Lasar is a fantastic teacher. Seriously, this guy is brilliant and such a good lecturer! I actually found myself looking forward to go to class just to hear what Lasar had to say. Hist 110F is one of the best classes I've taken at UCSC, and I'm not even a History major! If you get a chance, take a class with Lasar...you won't be disappointed!!

Great instructor, though the class is hard. His power points barely have anything on them. It was still worth it though because he's awesome.

intriguing lectures, but lots of reading

I've had him for both the Global Cold War class and US History After WWII. Post WWII history was definitely a more compelling class (more social history and a less dry textbook). He's a great lecturer and certainly very knowledgable, but his ego often gets on my nerves. Either way, both classes are worth taking. Prepare to read a lot

Great Professor with an awesome attitude and clear (EASY) assignments. Also very friendly and approachable. If people complain about him they are crazy.

Really awesome professor! Makes the material come to life!

History of the Cold War. Super enthusiastic about his lectures. Clearly demonstrates strong knowledge of the material. Strong use of textbook. Section attendance mandatory. 4 section papers (2pp), one term paper (8pp), midterm and final exam (essay question plus identifications). Overall, you will do as well in the course as you put into it.

Lasar knows his stuff, and he demands your respect and attention when you enter his lectures. He's quite funny and eccentric in his often blunt views of certain political figure (particularly most of the US Presidents), but all in all he effectively covers a massive amount of material with ease. Make sure you are there to hear everything he says.

Lasar is awesome , he's hot, he's funny, what more could you ask for?? 3 3

Lasar was one of the most interesting teachers I've ever had. He's really passionate about what he teaches and incorporates what is going on in students' lives into the discussion and really asks us to pull from our own experiences. I personally did not take the class for the material, but it was something I looked forward to every week.

Excellent professor overall! He is kind of all over the place but that just makes the class all the more interesting. He has some great tips to better your writing because he has some tough expectations for writing but knowing what he expects makes it easier to write and your writing really improves.

The lectures were FANTASTIC. He's very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and you can really tell. He cares a lot about the subject and the students. On one occasion I asked for clarification on something after class and he wasn't sure, he actually went back and researched it and talked to me about it the next class. Would recommend to everyone ever.

Lasar is an overall good professor. He is obviously very well versed in the material and you can tell he genuinly takes interest in what he is teaching. He's also pretty funny in lecture. I'd reccomend taking a class from him.

Professor Lasar is an amazing professor and an amazing lecturer. He assigned a book to read and a response to the book every other week. The textbook was somewhat useful.

Lasar is a FANTASTIC lecturer! He has mastered the ability to speak in a way that sounds like he's telling a story, something that is so helpful when learning history (especially in a class in which the subject matter is so broad). I really enjoyed coming to class to listen to him speak. He engages with his students and pushes you to do better.

Best teacher I've had.

Professor Lasar is the best lecturer I have had in college so far. The course schedule the midterm and final as well as his attendance policy are outlined on his website 90cubedrule. He tells a story when he lectures, and if you truly pay attention, immerses you in history like no other professor I have ever had. That being said, he is not "nice".

Provides detailed study guides for the midterm and the final which include the essay questions. His lectures can get a bit long and dry, but he is enthusiastic about the course material.

I've taken Lasar's classes for three quarters, and he is a real treat. The lectures are interesting and he does a masterful job in outlining what you will need to know for quizzes and exams. Pretty straightforward: 2 exams, 2 quizzes, and a term paper. Make sure to go to section or else it's hard to pick up info from the reading.

You write four short essays. The grading is pretty easy so as long as you get the gist of the readings you will get good grades on the essays. He gives us the midterm and final essay questions weeks prior to the exams, so you have plenty of time to study. He takes attendance on random days so lecture attendance isn't very enforced, but section is.

This was the beta test of Conspiracy Planet and it rocks!! Lasar uses a humorous yet dark blend of American history and wild conspiracies to create a deeply intellectual analysis of why people believe theories about government. I never skipped a lecture because it was so interesting. 3 Short ID quizzes, 1 final paper (5 pages) and 1 in class final.

Lasar is one of the best professors on campus. He is hilarious and makes the class speed by. The lectures are interesting and the readings are easy to keep up with. Even if you aren't as history major I would highly advise taking him.

Favorite professor so far. Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Attendance is "mandatory" (he only takes it every 3 lectures or so) but his lectures make you want to go to class. There are a lot of books and reading but most of it is interesting and you do need to keep up or you'll fall behind very fast.

Professor Lasar teaches such interesting classes! You can tell that he has a passion for what he teaches. His classes are heavy on reading and at time his lectures can be dry, but the quizes are easy with a final essay at the end of the quarter. He's pretty funny in class though. Highly recommend taking at least one of his classes.

Lasar is a hilarious man who teaches history in the most compelling way possible. He's a little awkward in office hours when he doesn't know you (who doesn't?), but he'll quickly get comfortable. Plain and simple: You have to take a Lasar course if you're a history major at UCSC.

Not really hard but you do read sand have to attend sections

I would recommend any of Professor Lasar's courses. His grasp of American history and Cold War politics is astounding. He presents cogent arguments and is open to a diversity of opinion.

Professor Lasar gives interesting lectures in HIS 15. He brings up slides, videos and documentaries to show you what happened in each era. Although the lectures are not mandatory, I strongly recommend attending his lectures. Homeworks are 5 quizzes and 5 short essays. Make sure to follow guides on canvas and you will receive a satisfactory grade.

One of the most entertaining and competent professors Ive ever had at UCSC. I was wildly interested in his class even though I was taking it as a GE. While there were multiple essays, I was able to get away with not buying the textbook or reading the assigned reading, even though I should have, because the selections were so interesting.

He assigns a lot of reading but you'll be able to get by without doing all the reading as long as you know the basics of what he is teaching. He's very passionate about what he teaches though and once you get to know him. he's a fun guy. Would highly recommend taking at least one class with him, especially if you're a history major.

Grade A human being and a fantastic lecturer. Made me want to come to class.

Lasar is the OG. Very easy class and he drops the lowest quiz and essay score. He gives midterms and finals ahead of time so should be an easy A. He is also pretty funny if you attend his lectures so highly recommend.

I took every Professor Lasars class I could while at UCSC. Our relationship started off rocky, but his gruff exterior changed to a warm and friendly mentor the more I spent time with him. We even began to walk to his Cold War class together discussing things ranging from my comp swim times to politics. I loved professor Lasar.

The lectures are engaging and the books all felt relevant. There were weekly quizzes and papers due for the independent books every other week but it didn't feel like an unreasonable amount of work. I never interacted with Professor Lasar personally but he seems like he really cares about making the class work for everybody.

Never attended class, but his class was easy to get an A. With remote learning, he drops a lot of assignments, 3 quizzes, 2 discussion posts, and 1 essay. Read the textbook and you'll be fine or even watch lectures on the chapter.

Great guy. Lectures were engaging and well structured. Had to read the text, some books, write papers, and take bi-weekly quizzes. Not a large load but some heavy subjects. Dr. Lasar was extremely flexible with assignments, late work, and dropping lowest scores. He's an expert that cares for history and his students.

This is the best online class that you can take at UCSC, the lectures are informative and interactive and the workload is very manageable. Prof. Lasar is so kind and if you get the chance go and meet with him in his office or at the cafe. Overall a good class!

I love him! He's so nice and inspiring! HIS15 is fully online and he tole me that's for students' convenience, so nice! Also the course videos are really well prepared and edited! Fun and inspiring content. His office hours also fun. Easy A course. 5 quiz, 5 500-word short paper, 5 discussion and one final quiz.

This is one of the best lecturers at UCSC. Out of all the professors I've had, I'm so lucky to have been taught by Prof. Lasar. His lectures during this course are not only interesting, but information heavy! I never felt lost in his course and I hope he continues teaching for as long as he can. The world needs more people like Prof. Lasar.

Professor Lasar was amazing, I would definitely recommend taking His 15 with him! Assignments are due biweekly and the workload was very manageable. The editing style in his video lectures were hilarious and made it more fun to watch. He also drops your 2 lowest scores on your essays, discussion posts, and quizzes.

Really funny and engaging, especially for an online class. Loved the recorded lectures - he puts in a lot of effort. There were several essay assignments but they were only 500 words each. He's kinda a strict grader, but if you put in a little extra effort to your writing assignments, it's not too bad. If you need a history class, take this one fr.

This class is great if you want a nice and chill asynchronous history class. Lasar's recorded lectures are super well-made and interesting. The work is not that bad at all as you basically can get 100% on every assignment except for the two-page essays. He's also just a cool dude! Would definitely recommend if you want to learn more about the USA.

A lot of reading but the class was well-structured & organized. He made the content understandable and interesting. Sometimes, the prompts for essays were not clear but weekly quizzes were easy, readings were a little heavy, and lectures were sometimes long but interesting to watch. He is very passionate about what he teaches & teaches w passion.

Prof. Lasar is a great professor, his lectures super engaging, and he's a fair grader. If you put in effort you'll get a good grade. Things do tend to pile up, so try not to wait until the last minute. Even if you do procrastinate, his assignments aren't that hard to get done. I would definitely take another one of his classes in the future.

Awesome history professor. His lectures were entertaining and interesting. You can tell he is passionate about teaching history. I'd reccomend His15 if you are looking for an easy GE class!

Lasar is so sweet. I am not usually into history courses but his lectures made it engaging and the assignments was bearable. The lowest scores are dropped, but the TA did grade pretty tough. Go to his office hours!!!

The class was very easy. Your grade is based on 5 papers (which are really only 500 words max), 5 quizzes and 5 discussions. The lowest 2 of each category get dropped. There is a lot of reading to do but it was manageable.

honestly one of the more entertaining classes I've taken. the professor is hilarious and his lectures are very high quality so I was excited to watch them. each module is two weeks long so you get plenty of time to do what is a pretty light load. the textbook isn't as fun and is required reading. no curving but your lowest 6 scores are dropped. W

Professor Lasar's HIS15 class was a real treat. His engaging lectures and fair grading made the course content enjoyable, even for a history skeptic like me. The workload was manageable, and tools like unstuckstudy helped me stay on top of the reading and assignments. Definitely worth taking if you need a GE credit!