Awesome teacher. Makes history fun!

Very informative and makes going to class fun. Very witty and bashes old dead white guys, along with every ex president.

I absolutely love going to class. He's fun, he's enthusiastic about the material, he knows what he's talking about... He keeps people involved by asking a lot of open ended questions. And he's from New York so he has an accent, which I think is awesome!

Paul does an excellent job. Probably the best teacher I have had at OSU. He made class interesting and fun!

i wish he taught some upper division classes. he is a funny, nice guy, loves what he does. the midterm was pretty cake, his study guide is very useful. overall good teacher.

Great teacher, very personable.

Great class, did not mind going to it. Makes the material very interesting. Best class I have had here so far. But does grade hard on your papers

one of my favorite history teachers. he is so funny and makes the most boring things interesting. you can tell that he enjoys teaching and helping his students. he makes it so you want to go to class.

I thought he taught an interesting class. The assignments weren't too tough.

this guy is great, he realizes that intro classes aren't the same as 300 level classes. take his history classes if you really want to learn something.

Phenomenol teacher. Does what a teacher is supposed to do: Make learning fun for the student! Highly recommend dropping by his office hours just to shoot the breeze with him. A good teacher and great guy. GUINNESS ALL AROUND!! Wanke is the shizzle!

LOVE the class.. he's soo COOL.. very fun class.. I loved it and he made it very interactive. Plus, he's really funny.. what a great guy overall!!

The only thing i have to say is that proff. wanke is awsome. very helpfull and fun. def. take his class!!!!

Wanke is my man. Best teacher at Oregon State, hands down. Makes history fun. actually look forward to going to his class... even after a hard night of drinking.

Wanke is one of the best professors i have ever had. I actually look forward to going to his class. He makes the class extremely interesting and very easy to understand. His papers aren't exactly hard but they do make you think about a few issues. His tests are openly declared by himself not to be hard. Definately take any class taught by him!!

This is by far the best teacher to take HST 103 from. He makes it interesting. I love the accents that he does when he is doing the lectures. I would recommend this prof for anyone.

Makes the study guide so simple that you really don't need to read anyting but about the names on the study guide. You could go to class and never read or only read once you get the study guide either way his class is super easy. Just make sure to do every assignment because that's how people fail.

One of the best teachers i've ever had. He made the class so much fun. And he was very helpful and reasonable. An all around great professor.

This is the best professor to hit OSU since Linus Pauling! I love the way Wanke does not teach with an agenda! It makes going to class easier knowing someone is not trying to cram their believes down your throat.

He is a very nice man who makes class fun. His tests are easy, but he grades his essays hard. A person who can get an 'A' on a history essay in one class would probably get a 'B' in his class. This is not a problem because if you write your essays ahead of time and send them to him he will keep reviewing it until you get an 'A'. I recommend him

A good intro level teacher for those taking their first history classes.

He is an excellent professor that has great humor, but he has HIGH expectations for his essays. You should generally be fine if you have him review them at his office hours. His tests are really easy, especially if you do his study guides. I never opened the book unless I was doing the study guide, or finding facts to support my essays.

Great class, interesting leactures engaging personality... strongly sugest any classes taught by wanke

A lot of people seem to like the class, however, it has been my least favorite history class here at OSU. I felt like I was taking a writing intensive course instead of 100 level history. His lectures didn't really match info on tests and was hard to consolidate in the essays. Tests, however, are cake, but he grades tough on essays.

I agree with the above posts saying that he is one of my favorite professors at OSU. He does grade hard on the essays, although his tests aren't very hard at all. He has a great personality and does make you want to go to class. Highly Recommended.

Wanke knows his stuff!! Hard grader on essays, but his tests are easy! Use office hours and look at study guide and it's a breeze!

A lot harder than I thought a 100 level class would be. Really tough on the essays but very easy tests. Get your required essays out of the way early on. I didn't care for the lectures. He would ask a question (some sounded rhetoric) but would not go on until someone responded. You're going to take a lot of notes in this class if you're quick.

Very funny. Class was like a comedy show. Very knowledgeable in Russian history. You the Man!

One of the great profs at Beaver Nation. Such a fun professor that i took multiple classes from him. Recommended my friends and they too loved his class. Comedy from Wanke is unbeatable. I would say he is the single funniest prof at OSU--Nafshun (Chem) is a close second though.

Interesting lectures. funny guy. just go to lecture and listen and you will get an A, dont even need to take notes. 6 easy essays and 2 tests, thats all the work in the whole class!

Awesome teacher, very satiric. He likes to laugh with you at historical decisions, open to ideas and interpretations. No need to read, just go to the lectures and listen.

Just Quality. Look out for the accents. Not too tricky if you listen and get the main points down.

Took my 1st class from Wanke and have more to come. He keeps you interested and makes you laugh. Great discussion and open to your interpretations. Gets you to think outside the box and at the root of major events. Tests are easy, no need to read text. four 3pg and 2 5-7pg essays.

Great professor, funny and knowledgeable. Best description I could give this class would be that its like learning history from a smarter version of John Stuart. If you walk into class wearing NY Yankees apparel and profess your love for General MacArthur he'll give you an A on the spot.

I think he is a great teacher teaches what will be on the tests and keeps the class entertaining and fun.

Easily the best teacher at OSU. I have him at 8 in the morning, which for any other class would be a struggle to attend considering I live in Albany, but sitting through his lectures is so engaging and interesting that it's better than a cup of coffee. Very straight-forward and honest about what he expects, and gives out very complete study guides.

Best teacher at OSU. He is the man. He is straight up and real with you. He is light-hearted and funny. He is very lenient. The lectures consist of him clownin on people and decisions throughout history. He REALLY knows his stuff too. He is as unbiased as you can be. The only bad thing about him is that he is a Yankees fan.

This guy is a pretty good teacher. I took him at the UofO, and he did a good job of keeping a 200+ person class awake, and semi-interested in the material. His requirements for work were straightforward, and you knew what to expect on the test. all in all i would recommend taking a class from this guy. And plus he's funny, always a bonus

Wonderful teacher! Hopefully will take more classes from him during my college career!

Great teacher, really knows his stuff and doesn't have much in the way of work. You have to write 4 essays and take a midterm (super easy) and a final. Went into this class concerned about how I'd do but it's been a breeze so far. He makes you want to go to class, I have yet to skip a day!

Engaging and understanding if you can't make it to class. Grades essays like an IB/AP Hst. teacher, but tests are an easy A or B. His humor is contagious and his accents are funny.

He taught well, kept the attention of the class, and the class overall was easy. The only downside is that he does grade the papers harder than the tests, so some people may have trouble with those. I passed the class without even reading the text, because he taught everything so well. Would definitely take one of his classes again.

This guy is HILARIOUS. He kept the entire class awake and engaged even at 8 in the morning. I will definitely be taking classes from him again. He grades essays a lot harder than his tests but theres only 4 essays and 2 of them are extremely easy. He makes you WANT to go to class!

He is really funny and keeps the entire class engaged. He makes jokes all the time and tells really good stories as well. He relates the material to current events and is an excellent teacher. I would highly recommend!

Paul is so entertaining!! Even though his grading system is total whack, I loved the class. Had his Dr. Pepper everyday and always went on about the sex lives of Romans. My advice: don't stress about the papers.. he is a lost cause. An A = impossible. I always emailed him for advice and applied all his critiques, but still got B's on my papers. >:(

Awesome lectures, very sarcastic and funny, even at eight in the morning. I never had to open the textbook, i just showed up every day and took good notes. He's very thorough and tests on what he teaches. Take good notes and provide as many examples as you can in the essays, no matter how insignificant, and you'll get an A

"If you're a real American, you'll wait until the night before the essay is due and pull an all-nighter with redbull and meth." -Paul Wanke at 8:04am. This alone shows how hilarious, sarcastic, and entertaining he can be. Great teacher! Four essays, and two tests. No homework assignments. Just go to class, take notes, and you're golden!

HILARIOUS. Great prof, sometimes even teaches half the class in an Irish accent. Fill out the study guide and you're solid for the exams. His grading on papers wasn't anywhere as bad as I expected. If you're worried, don't do them the night before they're due and send him drafts for feedback. (We both know you won't though.)

He is by far the best Professor that I have ever had, and I am a junior. He has four essays (two, you have 10 weeks to do), and they are easy if you do the readings and attend class on a regular basis. His classes are well-worth going to! I would take as many classes with him as possible.

This professor is great! He relates super well with students, and is hilarious. He teaches history in a way that is entertaining and relevant to real life. Has to be the best History 101 teacher!

fun class. he made it interesting

Great professor, he really engages the class and is not monotone, he also puts answers to questions in his tests if you pay attention, take good notes and ask for help. He is always willing to explain or edit any papers

"If you're a real American you'll wait until the night before the final essay is due and stay up all night with a case of red bull and some meth!" Wanke outrageous! Pure entertainment! Makes fun of himself and plays Monday morning QB poking fun at historical characters for dumb decisions. No arrogance! Advice: JUST DO IT! Get your money's worth.

Best history class in my life. He's hilarious with the jokes. His tests are easy if you put in average effort and go to class on a regular basis (you would miss out on a whole lot of jokes if you skip it). The essays are easy, again, if you put in average effort. He is the best in involving the people in the class and everyone should take the clas

Paul is a great guy. He's less of a professor and more a friend. His classes are very interactive. Makes notes accessible online. Only five assignments for the year including the midterm and final. Only problem with the class is it's very religion based.

He is super helpful when it comes to all course work

He is a funny guy, He is always willing to answer questions. Overall Very helpful and fun.

Really passionate about what he teaches. I normally wouldn't be interested in a class like this, but he made it fun. Attendance is necessary to learn the material, because he doesn't use many other education tools other than his voice! Tests are a little tough, but it is all material that has been covered! Theres also quite a bit of writing to do.

Lectures were very enjoyable. Take a class with Paul before he's forced to retire you won't regret it. As others have said tests are can be difficult but are passable if you study. Expect a couple largish papers and some small article summaries.

Paul is the kind of Prof. that makes learning fun. He is a crazy old man you may be a little off his rocker but the stories, examples, and class participation really help the lessons stick with you. His grading of essays is not always clear and he does not leave much notes on your paper but the lecture is worth the tougher essay grades.

Paul is an amazing professor and really opened me up to new ways of thinking. The guy is absolutely hilarious and an really cares. The class wasn't hard either. I would highly recommend.

Paul Wanke obviously knows his stuff, and grades accordingly. So definitely not a class to take lightly, as studying is paramount to success. My only complaint is that I couldn't take the class in person, I think the lectures would have been great.

Dr. Wanke is great, incredibly sarcastic and makes many jokes about history but also knows when to be serious. Made a bland topic really interesting, and spent a lot of time relating past events to stuff that happened in the last century, or is happening right now. I felt like I learned as much about human nature as I did about Early Civilizations.

Hardest 101 online class I've taken, but that's because there were no weekly quizzes that made things easy. Grades are based almost entirely on papers. Be careful to always include historical context on the subjects, even if the instructions don't specifically mention it. He will always dock points if you don't, but grades fairly overall.

Professor Wanke made the class highly entertaining while still making sure we learned the topics involved.

Asks many follow up questions on weekly discussion boards. No tests or quizzes. A lot of reading and a lot of writing. One 3-5 pg book review, two 5-7pg essays and 12-15pg essay final. Easy grader, not tough on deadlines, posts all modules from day 1 which lets you work at your own pace. Recommend this class.

Professor does have some good jokes (as long as you don't take them personally)! He is great at responding to emails very quickly and giving lots of feedback on short notice. I was worried about the class at first because I'm terrible at history, but he made it easy to get lots of credit (weekly questions, extra credit, etc).

Paul Wanke is a great instructor. His classes are purely lecture based, but he makes it fun and is a pretty funny guy himself. 90% of the grade you get will be based on readings from the textbook. Midterm and final were a lot, so study for those.

Took this course online but he still offered optional weekly zoom lectures which were a very informative. Very engaged and quick to answer emails. Asked a lot of questions to the students which kept them engaged. No textbooks but several scholarly novels to read. There were four papers that were fun to write. Would take more classes from him.

The funniest professors I have ever had the pleasure of taking! I took him as a 4th year undergrad as part of Bacc Core. There are no real homework assignments, the course was based on 2 major papers, 2 mini papers, and the exams were essay style (4 prompts to answer). You can submit rough drafts (which I suggest!). Decent reading, but manageable.

Dr. Wanke was such a good professor. He was very funny and definitely cares about his students. Classes were long and only lectures but he makes topics simple and relatable. As long as you pay attention in class youll pass. No tests just 2 short homework papers, 2 long papers(midterm and final) and 2 regular length papers throughout the 10 weeks.

By far my favorite professor at OSU! There is a fair amount of reading required for the class but it's nothing unusual for an upper level class. His lectures are hilarious and I looked forward to and loved attending them!

Great to see a teacher that isn't PC/not afraid to bluntly point out controversial issues in history. Class is very interesting. Procrastinators seen below whine, but he gives ten weeks to write 4 papers, and 2 essay style tests (midterm/final). Show interest, INTERACT OFTEN, research outside of class, and you will succeed. Start assignments early.

This is my second class I had with Dr. Wanke and he is hands down best professor I've ever had! He keeps class interesting and interacts with students regularly - something super rare in online classes.

Paul is probably the best professor I have ever had. I took two classes with him at OSU and both were SUPER fun! His lectures are entertaining and he is a very fair (easy) grader. I highly recommend taking one or more of his history classes.

Great professor, makes lectures extremely engaging.

Probably the best history professor at Oregon State University. I took 4 of his classes as a political science major because I enjoyed them that much. Be prepared however to turn in 2 average-length essays about things he talks about in class and posted readings. You will no doubt get an A in his class if you show up 1 time per week and take notes.

Class expectations were a little confusing at first. Grade was dictated by 80% essays and 20% online discussion board.

(HST 101) he was very lax he didn't assign any classwork, homework, or tests. He graded based on a few essays, which were 3 large essays (4-6 pages but double-spaced) and 2 small essays (2 pages-ish turn in any time of term) he let you submit work early for corrections. there is a 4th essay for the final but optional and can only raise your grade.

here goes- paul is a hilarious lecturer that gets to know peoples names, majors, & fun facts about people in order to relate them to the content he presents. class is graded on 5 papers: two 5-7pg, two 2-3pg, and a short midterm. final=optional, can only help your grade. if you dont procrastinate, easy A. start early & make a connection w/him

I took this class to fulfill a bacc core requirement, and it turned out to be one of my best decisions this term. Professor Wanke makes lectures engaging and interesting, working hard to involve students. Your grade is based on five papers and an optional final. Professor Wanke is very communicative, and provides excellent feedback on papers.

Hilarious professor who does truly care about his students, but he's prone to tangents and needs to be (occasionally) reminded to grade work. It's a shame he's retiring, but you can tell he deserves it.

Dr. Wanke's HST465 class was challenging but rewarding. The grading was essay-heavy, but his engaging lectures and use of unstuck AI made studying a breeze.

chill professor, as long as you pay attention to the source material you will pass, he is a very lax grader. The 4 essays look intimidating in his 340 class but they are not hard and he is quite forgiving in the technicality department of grading, as long as your material is relevant and has a good argument and structure you are guaranteed an A

He is great and provides a lot of work on the subject. You work on one paper towards the end of the class but work on a total of 3 throughout. Weekly Discussions with a quiz or two. Read the material and put some time into the essay prompts and you will do great!