If you do the reading, you'll do fine.

Found it useful to attend all the lectures so things stick in your head. Changed the format of the test in the middle of the semester, not sure what he's doing now. Tests use both lecture and book.

15a w/cirivilleri (hist) is koo. easy A if you take good notes. you dont have to read the text. Read only when you need to write the essay. Essays are easy Bs. 15a w/female (pol/sci)is a waste of time. You dont have to go to lecture.

Very nice guy who knows his stuff and has an interesting way of teaching. However his tests are not logical... he gives about 50 history words/topics/subjects/people and only gives you about 15 on the test. Other than that the class was good.

His tests got hard but doesn't really matter becasue he curves and grades easy on papers

Interesting lectures, clearly defines what subject matter will be covered everyday, important terms are always written on the board. I am learning a great deal from him.

Lectures are clear and relevant to what will be on the test. He does a mini review of terms right before tests. Reads all papers and grades fairly. He brought a guitar when we covered music in history. Never had a prof. play Foo Fighters before.

Played guitar in class. Gave extra credit on Woodstock footage. Lectures are high-energy and always gave a study guide with easy paper topics for midterms. I'd like to grab a beer with this prof after class.

Makes history really exciting and interesting. Fast paced lectures so there is no time for sleeping.

Good guy

good teacher, that lecture topics can be boring but he makes it logical and relevent, so you actually listens. his midterm is hard and so are the papers due. but, as long as you try to get points for things even 1/2. u'll end up with a C.

hes a col guy, not doing one essay will kill your grade though. wasnt too bad... first semester harder than the second though

nice teacher, explains things thoroughly. gives chances for extra credit. look up definitions for study guide on tests... very helpful

A very nice professor. His lectures are clear and to the point. Not *too* difficult of a grader on papers. In-class quizes can be tricky, though.

Great teacher, his lectures are to the point and not off topic. He is clear and his tests are basically the same phrases as in class and they are so easy. He makes a study guide that is so helpful. Essays are a little tricky. Over it was a great class! I learned alot.

Great!

i thought he was very organized and stayed on point well. cheers.

His lectures are very thorough , but his grading is really tough!

class was boring but he was very lenient on his grading. He tests are based on the book so remember to read. overall he was a good professor.

Was a nice professor.

he did jump around a lot, but it wasn't too big an issue. the weekly reading quizzes were really tricky since they're only out of 5 pts and he doesn't give much other work because the very occasional paper. mostly reading independently and listening to lectures. very approachable for help - nice guy.

He jumps around during the lectures a LOT and it got kinda confusing. Lectures got boring when you get lost because then you lose interest. Very nice guy though. I have yet to see how he grades. =]

I found this professor kind of boring. Every class, he would just talk the whole time and there was rarely any class participation. Of course, it didn't help that I wasn't very interested in the subject, but he couldn't hold my attention. I think his teaching style makes the subject as boring as possible. He is a nice guy though! :)

He is younger than most professors and can therefore relate more to the students but you cannot afford to fall behind in the reading because there are quizzes once a week. He also gives out useful study guides but there are so many terms on it that my studying was spread too thin.

He is very bright and nice. However his style of teaching just doesnt work for me. He lectures the entire class. You are better off reading the book yourself.

Very good teacher. Just go to class and study the material online at the book website, take the quizes and that read the chapter summaries. Don't need the book at all, don't even buy it. Good teacher, Ben Franklin paper sucked though, actually have to do some reading there, i tried to just sparknotes it and it didnt work in my favor.

I really enjoyed him. His class is ALWAYS a lecture, but he does it, so you will understand and enjoy it. If you like history you will love him!

COOL TEACHER. QUIZZES EVERY WEEK. TESTS ARE KINDA HARD SO YOU SHOULD STUDY & PAY ATTENTION TO LECTURES. I ACTUALLY ENJOYED HISTORY FOR ONCE!

I couldn't go to this class as much as I should have because I could not stay awake. History is not my thing but his tests are easy if you study the terms and the My Lai paper was actually interesting. On the last day he played guitar which he did very well. He tries his hardest to make history interesting, and he is extremely helpful.

Class had two essays you choose from a selected book of contested issues. each was 5 pgs. Midterms part multiple choice (easy) part essay (moderate). Book seemed too basic and boring, lectures were great and informative except lists of words. Too many terms on study guide, but still useful. Very nice and helpful professor. Learned a lot of history.

Completely botched the last response. He's a great teacher.

The text he uses is simple and concise but you dont have to read it to pass the class. His lectures are very comprehensible and he gives out outlines either online or in-class before he lectures. There are only two midterms, an essay on Ben Franklin's autobigraphy and the final. There is absolutely no other homework.

Very nice teacher and very lenient on grade as well. He'll give out some extra credits. His 3 exams are based on his lectures and the book. His Franklin paper is pretty easy. I pulled an all nighter, no sleep, the hours before it's due. Tok me about 16 hours to complete the essay and reading. I got a B. Not a hard class.

Very fun and interesting class! It was mainly a debate the entire class but there is reading, quizzes every day and two easy papers. The class is even better if you have a lot of opinions. Just be ready to back them up!

Good teacher. Pay attention to what stuff he focuses on in the lecture. That is basically what the tests are on. Also he gives out study guides. Know that and youll do really well on the tests.

He's a pretty easy teacher. Go to class and take good notes cuz he gives you a lot to work with. He also has his notes available on his website. He refers to a lot of his notes on the exams. Never read the book this semester and got Bs and As on his exams. Final paper was pretty easy got an 89 on it. Pretty chill professor.

Very smart teacher that uses lecture effectively. Gets alot of information in every class. Semi difficult class, much easier if class is attended. Make sure you do your papers and answer he exact question he asks in the guidelines

tells you upfront he is not good at responding to emails, but it ALWAYS there for office hourse and always there for help if you need it. His lectures are interesting and he gives outlines for each lecture which is really helpful. His tests can be difficult but if you read and take good notes it should be okay. he is a funny guy & a great lecturer

Fairly easy class, always has an outline for lecture either online or passes out in class, lectures on powerpoint so you can always see what he is saying, kinda monotone in his lectures though, two midterms, a final, and a paper, make sure to study for the tests!

His tests can be hard but all the material is all there for you.. probably one of the most personable teachers i have had since i have been here

He is really great! His lectures are interesting and his tests are easy. Take him!

I thought he was a good teacher I mean there are so many students in this class that yes it is boring but overall he is really into what he is teaching so overall its not that bad of a class. In his class all you do is take 2 midterms and a final and your done nothing else. So its pretty easy work load not bad.

Awesome, Awesome professor! If you are going to take 15B, he is the American History professor you want to take it with. His lectures are very organized and full of fun and helpful information that you NEED to know for his exams. Exams are straightforward, if you read the text and go to class you will get an A in the class.

Great professor. Kept it bearable when I couldn't stand history. Easy tests, he gives you a study guide and there's practice tests on the book's website. Lots of extra credit too, and he's a cool guy.

words cant describe how awesome professor cirivilleri is! his lectures were awesome and he always kept it interesting. i am going to miss going to this class because he made the subject so interesting to me. his tests arent too bad if you attend lectures and use the book website. He offers extra credit. He is a definite asset to the history dept.

Great history teacher!Made the lectures really interesting and insightful.There are 3 tests, and he provides a study guide. As long as you know all the material on them, the tests are fine. He made the same history that most of us have covered in high school gripping and added depth.He covers a lot of info each lecture,so attending is a good idea.

He is not hard but not easy...like a college teach should be. You should study a lot for his test. Fair grader.

If you show up, take the notes (I recommend taking them on your laptop...it's just easier to keep up that way), you'll pass! BUT don't just focus on the notes. READING HELPS!! Go to his office hours, he's very helpful. He only gives extra credit at the end. The book is NECESSARY! He's a great teacher

I've never liked history so this class was tough for me, but this professor really helped. As long as you come to the lectures and study for the exams you will do fine. Use the outlines he provides for his lectures and take notes on them. He gives study guides for the exams and if you know those then there will be no surprises.

An excellent professor. He is very into what he is teaching and he knows what to do. Very organized, very detailed, great speaker, fair grader. Be sure to go to his lectures and take good notes. Also really listen to his lectures because he's such a great speaker and very detailed. See him during his office hours. He is very helpful.

He provides study guides for each test that EXTREMELY help. Not too difficult, and not too easy; just right. Study the study guide a week before the test and you're golden. 2 midterms, 1 final, 1 paper.

Very nice if u need help with anything just let him know

A very nice/helpful professor. I found his lectures to be somewhat dull but he does provide outlines online that can be used to follow his lectures more easily. Has two midterms both that are not too difficult if you read all of the chapters and use the study guides. Same goes for the final. Make sure to stay on top of reading or class will be hard

Caring, knowledgeable, helpful, energetic teacher who wants to teach this subject. He tries to tell history as a story. Book goes well with the lectures. Lecture notes provided. Study guide is long, but lists all you need for the exams (~6-8hrs to fill out 3 times during the course). No homework. Read, & do the guides.

Makes history surprisingly tolerable, with generally interesting lectures with occasional funny remarks. Be warned; however, because your entire grade rests on the midterms, final and final paper.

Pretty average. Lectures were interesting, but I don't think he makes them as interesting as he could. Other teachers make it more it exciting (like McBane). Requires a good amount of reading and attendance is mandatory. Not hard, but not easy.

One of the best and most professional teachers I've ever had at SJSU. Makes a point of not making snide remarks about religion or politics. Very kind and approachable. He also brings fun DVD documentaries about rock if you take his music history class. Gives exam study guides, too, which are very helpful.

An amazing lecturer. He definitely knows his material. Although lectures are not exciting, he teaches professionally. Very respectable and kind person; excellent guitar skills too. He's not radical or biased as the poli-sci professor that complements the course. With him to balance the scale, he saved my grade. Study the book and you'll do fine.

Professor C is a really great story teller. The lectures about history turn into an interesting tale that you just listen to. He is really good about outlining his lectures and putting them online, and also has study guides for tests. Those will get you an A or at least a B in the class.

One of the better history teachers I've had. You can tell he really is passionate about what he teaches. He knows a lot of interesting facts about history that goes deeper then the book which makes going to class interesting. He puts outlines of each chapter and test online which are extremely helpful for the tests.

BORING. He talks quietly and the class is basically about nothing that will EVER benefit one's laugh. However if you apply yourself and do all the hw then you'll be fine

very clear and straight to the point, provides study guides. As long as you do the study guide and go to class you'll be fine. He is very passionate about his history and knows it by memory, very interesting. I recommend his class. He also answers question before the midterms!! Great guy1

He definetly knows his stuff when it comes to history.I never went to this class or pol15b. the only times i went was for the 2 midterms and the final. Just wikipedia the study guide and you will be just dandy.

Very passionate about the subject, really nice and approachable. Class consist of two midterms, final, and a paper. If you like history especially European then you wont regret this class. His lectures are very organized. If you have a question or concern it's best to go in person as it'll take days for him to email you back.

Prof C is amazing! I'm not a history lover or the kind of student who gets A's without trying. His lectures have a lot of important info that's on the tests. He's definitely a great storyteller. Show up to lec, take notes, go through the book, AND DO THE STUDY GUIDES! No reason you can't at least get a B if you do that. One of my favorite prof!

Engineering major here. Class is absurdly easy if you attend lectures, take notes, read the textbook, and review before an exam. I don't really see how you could do poorly on the exams if you do that. It's not a lot of work. His lectures are entertaining and it's clear that his passion for history is obvious. Great teacher.

He is extremely helpful if you approach him after class. He really wants to help. His class is a standard lecture, and tests are pretty difficult. You need to study a lot for this class.

I highly recommend this professor. He really knows his history, and does Powerpoint presentations right; he puts up concise bullet points and greatly expands on them. Makes history interesting and I learned a lot despite doing well in past history courses. Tests cover the same material as his study guides specify, and are fairly easy if you study.

Good lecturer, has clear powerpoints and explains the chapters thoroughly. You can definitely tell he's really passionate about the subject. For exams, use the provided study guide, but ditch the lecture notes he provides online, they're very vague. As long as you use the study guide, you're set to pass the class easily.

he was honestly my favorite professor this semester. he kept the class interesting and got straight to the point. the professor he worked with did not have that same gift... but overall a pretty simple class as long as you pay attention.

He's very passionate about history, straight to the point, and organized when it comes to lecture. The best part about his class is the debates. He really tries to get everyone involved, extra credit is just as easy as putting your name on the paper. There's only 3 tests and a final, easy A if you do study guide. No books needed, show up to lecture

He is super passionate about his subject and knows it pretty much by heart. It was like he was telling us a story rather than teaching us about dates and facts. I loved this class and I don't really like history. His tests are very straight forward, he provides study guides. If you read the text and study a bit you'll do fine.

He is a very fair professor. He is really understanding and he will help you if you need it. His lectures are clear which make the exams easy.

He is passionate about what he is teaching. If you attend to his class everyday and being a good listener, then you should do fine on the exam. However, his class did not work for me because I am not a history person, always slept in class and I thought the exam was hard. But if you take good notes and attend class, you should be fine! :)

He lectures quickly and you HAVE to show up to every lecture or you will be lost. While taking notes, listen more to what he's saying...don't write straight from the powerpoint.

2 midterms and a final, that's all. take advantage of the study guides. Lectures are mandatory otherwise you'll be lost. The book is really important for the exams, especially the paragraph answers. But once he gives the study guide, you can look at the terms in the index of the textbook. but read the book and print his lectures. Take him, hes nice

Cirv, his nickname, is so passionate about history. His lectures are kinda long and boring but he's so cute! I would recommend him because he's just so adorable and passionate.

Once he starts lecturing, you feel like being barraged with information until its all over. Be prepared to take notes quickly, and be flexible as topics change from one thing to another. 2 midterms and one final, all based on the notes you take; his lecture can be overwhelming, but if you take good notes, you are sealing an A for your final grade.

You need to get the textbook required for his class as soon as possible in order to take his quizzes. Reading is definitely required as there are quizzes once a week so make sure you keep up as the questions on there are from the readings. For midterms and finals, there are study guides that he posts that are VERY helpful. Do all this and succeed.

His class is one of those 500 point-total classes where 400 of those points are test and 100 points are quiz points. The hard stuff is from 1500-WWI. After that everything becomes what you should have learned in high school world history class. He offers about 40-50 extra credits points total throughout the semester.

Long lectures that are hard to pay attention too. Loves what he teaches but history if pretty hard to make interesting at 9 a.m. Gives study guides for tests, so just be a college student and don't procrastinate and you should be fine

I took this class at 7:45 AM and for the most part I could not stay awake for them. He seems very passionate about history in his lectures, and he talks about it in such a way that it makes you think of history like a movie or a story. I recorded his lectures if I could not stay awake. 2 midterms and a final. I didn't like that. :c

Prof Cirivelleri is one of the sweetest professors I've had at SJSU. I had the privelige of taking him for both 15A&B. Definitely take him if you can! Two midterms and the final is basically a midterm. If you try, read, and go to class, you should pass with a B or better.

He's very interested in his topic so his lectures are interesting. He assigns no homework and no essays. just two midterms and a final. offers maybe 15 points of extra credit which is very easy to do.

He is very knowledgeable and passionate about history. He is clear about what he expects you to know and understand - provides lists of concepts to study. Three exams for his portion of the class. Reading the text before class is helpful but he also does a thorough job of being detailed in lecture. Super approachable and provides EC opportunities.

Here's a tip from someone who is fighting to keep a C right now in the class. GO TO CLASS. He has very interesting and informative lectures. They are easy to think, "no, ill just skip this today. We're not going over anything." NO. Go to class and you'll pass without a doubt

Very knowledgeable about the class. Went to class almost time, but stopped paying attention near the end of the semester. Read through the book and you should be able to pass the class. Provides a lot of extra credit throughout the semester as well.

Great professor. Lectures are organized. Clear grading criteria. Provides a study guide. Give clear feedback. Ready to help you. But the class itself is content rich a lot of reading to do

The class consists of 4 quizzes 30 points each, 3 midterms 125 points each, 1 final 150 points , and 1 5 page paper 100, 25 points for submitting photo of yourself and 50 points for participation 820 points total. If you do the readings and attend the lectures the class should be an easy B. He also provides a study guide for the exams.

This class is simple, there is 3 tests and a final that is not cumulative. He provides study guides for each test. As long as you review the notes and do the study guides you will do well on the exams. Also, there are 4 reading quizes that are ridiculously easy. Lastly, he gives a lot of extra credit; reading the textbook is not necessary.

Robert is really solid guy. He's kind, structured, and a good lecturer. He can be just the tiniest bit dull some days, and I was often tired in his class. YOU HAVE TO READ TO PASS. Follow instructions to the dot, take extensive notes, and try to be interested in what you're learning- he'll meet you halfway. Would take again. Buckle up and aim high!

I thought he was a great professor! His lectures are easy to listen to, and he provides study guides before tests that tell you clearly what topics to be familiar with. You do have to read for tests! Super nice guy.

Cool dude. This class is basically a test taking class with (what feels like) long lectures. He's a little monotone, but you can tell he enjoys his job. Lots of reading (A chapter a week, consisting of 30+ pages) and will be quizzed on each one. Awesome professor, but a challenging class. Take if you are willing to put in work with studying a lot.

Solid Teacher. If you show up to class and take good notes, reading the chapter before he lectures on it, you're set to pass the class. Everything he lectures will be on the test so no tricks here. You Will learn US History.

Great lectures for a very interesting and engaging history class. The book is great, and there is a lot of reading. Use the midterm study guide of terms and take notes on the terms presented during lecture. then go through text and right down what is relevent to the term. Practice the essay questions before the exam for an easy B

He is a really good professor, but his midterms are really hard! study guide consists of 40+ terms that you need to understand and memorize! Lecture is heavy he gives out a lot of information! Most of his quizzes are based on super irrelevant and small details making them a bit more harder than what they should be.

Easy if you show up, take good notes, and study them.

Show up and take notes on the slides and EVERYTHING he says. If you write down the slides but don't bother taking notes on his explanation of these key points you will struggle immensely. As for the online quizzes, highlight names, places, and keypoints in the books it will help you locate answers quicker cause he tends to ask irrelevant questions.

Very easy class. Good guy. Study guides are posted online, there are 3 easy midterms tho. There are a few online quizzes, also easy. Overall, the class is interesting and doesn't require too much time outside of class.

Professor Cirivilleri is a solid professor who knows his stuff and is easy going. His class is very lecture heavy and the class has 3 midterms, final, and a couple of quizzes so there is plenty of testing. Group work is also graded as groups meet after each quiz. Make sure you take good notes, look at his exam and quiz outlines, and participate.

I took History 10B and History 15A with him and both times I received a B. Lectures are heavy and last the entire class period. Midterms consists of multiple choice and short answer. He is a very sweet, caring man and doesn't hesitate to help his students. One time, he played his guitar for us (and he's really good!) 10/10 professor, hard classes.

A good professor who's willing to help students out (in fact encourages it). His lectures can be long and hard to follow if you lack sleep, but he posts outlines online to help students understand main concepts better. There are quite a few tests (3 midterms + reading quizzes) which require some memorization. Overall solid class and professor.

Lots of textbook reading that's going to be on the 3 midterms and 1 final. 4 online quizzes on 4 books, 2 are given to you and 2 you have to buy/find. Gives study guides with terms to know for each midterm and gives lecture outline so you know what to take notes on. Passionate about what he teaches and interesting discussions. Lots of memorization.

Watching/attending every lecture, taking notes, and doing the relatively simple extra credit will earn you at the very least a B in this class. I was expecting to be bored by the lecture content, but it was actually pretty interesting and I enjoyed it.

There will be days where attendance is graded, they are few and far between, but they do exist. Other than that just listen to the lectures and you'll be fine, he covers what you need to know in class.

99% of the people in these reviews either skipped classes, skimmed over the readings, or just flat out didn't study. ALL the lecture info is on the readings. Do the weekly readings (2-3 hours a week maximum) study for the quizzes/tests and be present for discussions and you get a free A. Also find his lectures very interesting.

Everyone who's complaining about Mr. C probably didn't attend class, history lectures at 7:30 am aren't the most entertaining but he's a great teacher who actually does make it pretty interesting, he recognizes effort and wants you to succeed. Would recommend attending all classes as he covers specific material on the test. Take good notes and read

Don't go into this class expecting an easy A. There is a lot of reading (About 100+ pages per midterm), but I semi-enjoyed it because the content is interesting. Has a few in-class discussions that grant participation credit. Gives pretty good study guides, plenty of extra credit opportunities throughout the semester; just study and you'll be fine.

Prof Cirivilleri is a great person, his lectures are passionate without rants, very straight to the point and easy to follow. Reading can be a lot and midterms are a bit tough. The study guides do match the few tests given. I could listen to him talk for more than a class period. His ratings don't reflect his class! 5/5 prof, lucky to pick him.

His exams are pretty tough and require a lot of reading and remembering. There are 3 in-person exams about 50-ish MCQ and 6 identification terms that you can choose 3 to write about (i had to write 2 paragraphs each to get full points), 3 online quizzes and discussion posts based on assigned reading, and some discussions for extra credits.