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Very good professor, available for extra help

Had him for May session and he was awesome. Very Informative

friendly, interesting, sincere and really really nice

Difficult class, but far and away my favorite teacher here

Excellent knowledge.... by far the TOP 5 teachers in JMU

Great teacher, great take on US history

a little hard, but great teacher. Take advantage of his extra help!

He is a GREAT teacher! Makes the subject interesting; great sense of humor!

Best GenEd teacher I've had

a lot to read but he's a great teacher

What more can you say? Great teacher who knows and loves what he does

awesome teacher... hard tests and lots of reading... but its worth it..:-)

A lot of reading, but an easy grader and always willing to help

excellent professor, helpful, and good at explaning, but the class moves quickly

Knows the material and the lectures are interesting. Wish more profs were him!

Extremely knowledgable, lots of reading, if you do the work you will do well

Good teacher, lots of reading and hard work. two tests. very smart and helpful

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His lectures are great and you really learn a lot. The tests and work load are not bad just have to keep at pace with everything.

He is possibly the best history teacher I've ever had if not the best teacher at all. He is clear on his opinions and has fabulous lectures because of it. Be prepared to work, and write plenty, but it's totally worth it!

Best history teacher I have ever had! Knows tons and puts history in a new perspective. Lots of reading, but well worth it. Tests are not hard but they aren't easy. He is also an easier grader taht I expected.

Hard course, but you learn so much. A great guy, and fun to talk with. very opinionated.

kinda hard class for a 1st semester freshman, but good teacher, picks good books for discussion, interesting, knows and likes what he does.

Kinda conservative

The class is a little difficult, but if you go to class and take notes you should do fine. He is really a great teacher. The lectures were interesting, the student teacher was a cutey too!! I loved him!! Def. recommend Reich for this class!!!

AWSOME TEACHER! my favorite so far! MAkes history exciting, easy grader and fun to listen to! really loves what he is teaching! TAKE HIM!!!

Good guide for one of the hardest courses at JMU.

Dr. Reich is one of the best if not the best teacher i've ever had. He makes the boring parts of history interesting. There is alot of work, but you can get away with not reading the book but read discussion session stuff. This course is awesome!!!!!

hardcore libral undertones in teaching. none the less, THE BEST HISTORY TEACHER IVE EVER HAD! study guides for tests help a lot. bulk of tests are essay. he makes it pretty easy thouhg. take

It is the hardest course but since its a requirement, Reich is the one to take. He explains everything and is a great teacher. Knows what he is talking about and will get you through this course.

entertainging to watch-- acts like a hyper little ferret in the front of the class... kinda dull to listen to topic wise but has good vocal quality

Passionate about History, and an all around great guy. Take him.

Lectures very informative. Lots of reading

he really enjoys history and that makes lectures interesting. gives out weekly worksheets and reading to be completed for the discussion sections. take good notes in class and keep up with the reading. not too bad of a class.

TAKE HIS CLASS. THIS IS THE BEST TEACHER I HAVE EVER HAD AT JMU. he's loves what he's teaching SO much and you love to listen to his lectures. he stutters, which adds to the adorableness. I LOVE HIM.

THIS GUY IS AWSOME. I learned to love history because he is such an amazing teacher. TAKE HIM! He makes this stuff so interesting!

This is the guy to take 395 from. You can really tell history is his passion.

It wasn't a difficult class, but paying attention in lecture makes it SO much easier. His power points dont help unless you pay attention. Great guy, also.

Professor Reich is cool... I hated history before his class but he really made it interesting. Awesome class.. You def. need to put effort into it, but if you just work hard you'll get an A.

He is such a good History teacher, makes the class enjoyable and makes you want to do well. Take him!!!

really nice guy, passionate about the boring material, lot of reading, easy grader, enough said.

Awesome guy, super nice. Weekly work, but not hard at all. GO TO CLASS and take notes and you'll be fine - dont rely on powerpoint, write down what he says! Good class, take him.

He is a really nice guy, no doubt. But his class is BORRRRRRRRING! He's super easy but there's a lot of busy work. If you just go to class and take notes you should ACE it. His tests are essay form, but they are SOOOO easy.

If you need to take this for a GenEd...def. take him. His class isn't hard if you go and pay attention. Pop quizzes almost once a week, but they're not bad at all. Take him if you can :)

Pretty good teacher, but his class is really boring. No attendance policy, but some of tests come from notes. Pop quiz once a week but it's pretty much always on Friday. Tests are all essay but he grades them pretty easy and there's one 6 page paper you have to write. Not a bad class.

good professor! he's a nice guy too! this subject is fairly easy if you paid attention in high school us hist classes! go to class, review his lecture slides, attend discussion sections and you should get an A... the 6 page paper kind of sucks but other wise this class is not so bad

I didnt do anything in this class, and I got a b. I took no notes, and I drew the entire lecture, every lecture. I looked over the power point slides before every test, and did just fine. Take his guy if you can get him. do the assignmets, and read the stuff for the discussions and ull do fine.

Dr. Reich is an awesome professor. He is an extremely smart guy, and he's nice too. He cares about the material and genuinely wants his students to do well. The tests are not that hard if you read the books and the online reading selections and attend the discussions.

yeah you really don't need to buy any of the books, class is boring at times, but you can tell reich loves the material and hes not a bad prof to have

Good Prof. Teaches concepts, but good content overall. TA-emila-is great-helpful and easy to look at-HOT. You can tell they both are really into what they teach. Go to discussion and you will get by.

Lectures can get very boring, and he gives weekly quizzes (which are kinda hard). He likes it when you speak up and ask questions during the discussion class. Tests are straight off the review sheet.. he grades kinda tough. Always helpful... but dont show up late to class or he will point you out

Dr. Reich is an awesome professor. He is very well informed man and relays his knowledge in an understandable manner. There a few readings and acouple books but most of them are interesting and you do learn a lot. If you get the chance you should take him.

Dr.Reich is awesome, the entire class is based on discussion. Be prepared to READ a ton. three 5 pagers, 1 research paper, 2 discussion leadings, and peer editing, lots of due dates, but definitely worth it.

Dr. Reich is a very good teacher. He mainly focuses on his powerpoint presentations and notes during class. He is very helpful and an all around good teacher. Not an easy class unless you go to class.

He is my favorite professor this semester. He is so smart, and even though he uses big words during his lectures, you can still get the idea. His tests are easy if you study.Great guy, just take notes everyday (try not to miss that much class) and ask him if you are confused.He seems like he'd be mean, but if you get to know him he's really nice.

he's really awesome! he loves what he teaches and it shows. He made me like history! You HAVE to go to the lecture, sometimes boring but mostly interesting! He learns everyone's names really fast and involves u in lectures. Participate alot in disscusion session and he'll like u! Not an easy class but u learn alot and learn it well!

A VERY challenging class but he gets you involved and makes you think WAY outside the box (get the deeper meaning out of everything) I was never interested in History but he definitely kept my interest just grades really hard on papers and his tests are not just "fact" based but moreso concepts from lectures - definietly recommend taking the class!

Not really a class on US History. It's the history of the persecution of African Americans. Hates southerners. Seriously, thats all he talks about. He completely skips over the wars our country went through. He's a touogh grader. 2 papers, 2 tests and a final. No attendance policy, but there is a discussion section where attendance is recorded

Makes learning fun! :)

When I signed up for this course, I honestly expected to be getting a C at best., but Professor Reich makes this course actually fun. I had an awesome time writing my research paper (I know I sound like a nerd) and I'm sort of sorry that its done now.

He is very opinionated, but I happened to agree with most his arguments (not all...). I would advice taking notes on his pet peeves so you do well on essays. If you are using the Davidson book then it is worthless, but I think he his getting a new one next semester so make sure you use it! Getting a good grade is not hard if you pay attention.

Very nice man. Class was not too too bad, just be prepared to take lots of notes! You will need them to study for exams. 8 am discussion sections are a pain, but there only once a week so its not that bad. Overall, good class, if you are willing to pay attention and take notes!

He loves the southern history, he is extremely liberal and it shows in his lectures, he has very strong opinions but he tries not to let them interfere with the class, he really gives you a whole new perspective of history, it's kind of like a history class that is taught with a mix of psychology and sociology so it's awesome. Take the class!

prof. reich is pretty cool. sometimes his lectures can drone on a little bit but i actually really like the discussion section-he made it interesting and kept us talking lots. probably dont buy the book. just get the password for the online stuff from a friend, thats all you really need. overally really funny, interesting guy-take him for ghist225

His lectures can sometimes be boring but attendance isnt required so all you have to do is get a buddy and switch off going to class. Discussions are mandatory but you only have to read 2/3 of the documents and you'll be fine. The tests are kind of hard but the essay was so easy I wrote it the night before and got an A.

Take this man for 395. The class is horrible, but he atleast makes the class decent. He is always willing to help you out. Don't drop it right after the mid-term like everyone else. It's not that bad, just stick it out. He is worth staying in cause you can tell he loves what he does and it makes the class interesting.

Dr. Reich was my favorite prof this semester. He comes off as a complete hard ass, but if you express the least bit of interest in the material, participate in class, and do the work, the class is easy and fun. He's big on discussion, so be somewhat prepared to input.

Really nice professor. If you do the reading and pay attention in class- its an easy A.

Really Good class, as long as you are willing to read and are willing to talk in class. Midterm, final were both 2 short answer and an essay. No tests, 2 papers, and online journal. The class was kinda boring sometimes, but Reich makes it somewhat more interesting. He's willing to help you with problems you have about papers or whatever.

very hard for a gen ed. Whole class is discussion format, and hates you if you don't talk (your grade will suffer). Requires you to read over 40 pages for each class out of 2 textbooks. 3 2-page papers he grades harshly, 1 midterm (all essay), and a final. Overall, a very demanding class. I felt like I needed to be a history major to keep up

Really hard class, but if you have to take it, Reich is the guy to have. Reich is definitely my favorite teacher at JMU! Really helpful with assignments and critiques of paper, and is willing to help look for sources. The focus of the class is the American South, so lots of topics to choose from. His humor and knowledge make the class bearable.

Before I was taught history by Dr. Reich, I had had some really ridiculously bad history teachers that ruined my interest in the subject forever. That was UNTIL I took it from Reich. He is AMAZING. He explains stuff so it's really easy to understand and he makes history interesting. He truly cares about his students and is a wonderful teacher!

He is an amazing teacher. Although I have to do ton of reading, he makes stuff interesting to encourage people to join discussion. However, it's too hard for a GenEd class (esp. me as a business major). You're expected to read 50-100 pages or more every class. 3 papers which are not really hard. 2 mid term tests and finals. Tough class!

HIST 395 is a hard class no matter who you have, but Dr. Reich is a good teacher to have, especially if you like the American South. Reich will go out of his way to help you, if you show that you have put in time and effort into it before you go to him. He comes off as a bit pretentious, but he is actually a pretty friendly guy.

Class consists 100% of discussion. New syllabus this year (2011-2012) that consists of reading 4 books of 200+ pages and 3 essays of 4 pages and 1 6-8 page research paper. He is a very good teacher and you learn a lot but he is a harsh grader.

A writing and reading class,so be ready. He's interesting in a good way. Funny. Wants to hear feedback. Read or you will regret it. The material was really cool. The class discussions were awesome. Must go to class,but not a chore. Grades only essays and he is NITPICKY. Overall,interesting class. Made me think. Dont take if you want easy and boring

Nice guy, but a very challenging class. I had expected more of a historical component instead of a "modern history" class about climate change and the American diet, to be honest. Overall, the class is interesting, but he will talk over you which is quite annoying, and he does have opinions he wants to share sometimes.

Extremely intelligent man who made this class very interesting. While it was a lot of work, I learned so much and actually enjoyed discussions.

Pretty difficult class to be a GenEd, but I absolutely love Dr. Reich! Very smart, very helpful, very clear. Good with responding quickly through email. 2 midterms, a paper, a final, and weekly quizzes. Harsh grader, but so enthusiastic about his work. Really enjoyed this class even though my grade wasn't great.

Love having Dr. Reich! The class wasn't always the most interesting but Reich loves what he does and is always very helpful.

He is a great professor and his lectures are great. Attendance is not necessarily mandatory, but if you miss class then you miss a lot of information that will be on the test. There are quizzes online every week that are based on the book readings alone. The tests are always essay questions so those are a little more difficult

Reich knows how to make the information interesting by including students in discussion. Weekly online quizzes aren't too hard but he sometimes includes classroom material not in book. He is a pretty hard grader but I would definitely take him again.

Pretty chill dude, his class was way more interesting than I thought it would be, and he's really passionate about what he teaches. He grades papers REALLY hard though, I went to his office hours a ton & he helped me amend my papers but I still usually got grades in the 70s... if you don't write exactly how he wants he'll be really unforgiving.

Reich makes things more difficult than they need to be. A lot of material to cover so you read two chapters each week then take a quiz on that reading. There are documents and questions on those documents you need to answer for each class. Then there is a discussion section with reading more documents and questions. He's nice but RAMBLES.

You MUST read and attend class in order to pass. Lectures are long and he frequently rambles, also meaning you'll get behind on material. Must read the textbook, attend class, read discussion and lecture docs in order to get a good grade. He is a funny, nice guy though and I would recommend him for this gen ed. The TA was awesome

Very easy to listen to, though the lectures get long in Tuesday and Thursday classes. Very clearly knows what he is talking about, and makes the history more that just facts to memorize. I will be taking him again.

I loved Dr. Reich! He is a fantastic teacher and loves what he teacher. I took him for GHIST 225 and he made me really interested in US history. Be prepared for essay based exams and online weekly multiple choice quizzes. Also, if you want to get the most out of this course, do the reading. For discussion reading is mandatory.

He assigns a ton of reading so if you don't like to read then beware. However, he has a discussion section to his class where he reviews all the reading so if you dont read it that will explain it to you, but he might call on you so be careful. Otherwise he tried to crack a lot of jokes in class and if you laugh at them it makes him happy

He's great. Very understanding and willing to work with you and help out if you're having trouble. The class was a lot more interesting than expected and while a bit difficult, completely doable. I would definitely recommend taking this class with him if you can.

Really enjoyed this class. Not like any other course I have taken at JMU. It's purely a discussion class from the assigned reading and the rest of your grade is papers. Definitely go to his office hours for help on papers. Extremely interesting and I felt like I learned a lot. He's very knowledgable and passionate about what he teaches.

Reich is passionate. He loves his lectures, but you might not. Assigns a lot of readings from many (expensive!!) sources, so basically don't go to class if you haven't read. Assigns a few medium length papers, but not with much time to prepare. He's there to help you, but very critical of your writing. Good professor, decent class.

Best Teacher I've had so far at JMU. He is understanding and willing to help anyone who goes to him

Great professor but do not take if you aren't willing to put in the effort!! Weekly quizzes (but you can find answers on quizlet), there is a lot of reading, and I highly suggest you attend every class bc the lectures are important. Loved him as a teacher, but it does require more effort than a typical gen ed.

Dr. Reich is super passionate and knowledgeable, but sometimes his language and points are too hard to understand. The amount of reading is insane, but needs to be done. GET THE TEXTBOOKS. It is a very analytical class so get ready to think a lot and have your views of America's past changed.

Professor Reich is a great professor and extremely knowledgeable in what he teachers, but there is so much reading and it is extremely important to do if you want a good grade. He is also nice and funny, but he can get irritated if the class does not do the assigned readings.

Took Reich for HIST150 and am taking him for Hist225 next semester. He is the best professor at JMU that I've met. He will make you work for that A but you will be blessed every time you walk in his room. If his class is open, take it! Yes you read a lot and yes all of his test are papers, but he makes it all worth it!!!!!!!!

I loved Prof. Reich! If you want to do well, make sure you do the readings before class, and come prepared to discuss the readings. His paper prompts were a little vague, but I would suggest going into office hours for the papers- it really helps! You can definitely tell he is a liberal, but as long as you don't talk about politics, you'll be fine!

Reich is a great professor and easy going. But, he gives out a lot of readings and has random in class writing assignments based on the readings. I never read but the questions he would ask were very simple and generic so it was easy to bs. Overall great teacher and pretty easy class and grader.

Reich was able to make a welcoming class environment while actually making topics interesting. He is very good about answering questions for assignments, and you can tell he's very passionate about history. He is big on participation, but is very good at explaining the content of readings. Easily one of my favorite professors.

Professor Reich is absolutely amazing. Participation is important- just be ready to speak and he will help you out if it doesnt make sense. Hes definitely got a socratic style teaching method, which I LOVE! Dr. Reich is the Man. Take his class! Harsh grader but do the assignments and discuss in class and youll have an A.

Definitely one of the hardest professors, but you will learn a lot. He really cares about the subject and it shows. You need to do the reading- and there's a lot of it. Overall, very tough, especially for a gen ed, but if you put in the work, you'll do well. Go to his office hours and make it show that you're trying and he will reward you.

Professor Reich is an awesome professor who seems to really care about his students and teaching. The discussion sections are the only downside of taking HIST225 but he still makes them fun and easy. I highly recommend Dr. Reich

This history class was interesting because it focused on the sides of US hist that you don't extensively learn about in high school. Grades papers harshly but going to office hours helps. Tests were short answer and also pretty difficult. There's a weekly textbook quiz on canvas but he drops the 2 lowest grades. Not an easy A but it is possible

Favorite class I've taken at JMU so far. A lot of his discussion sections had to do with feminism, so if you like that you'll love this class. Some of the readings are long but the long readings are really good. I still read books by those authors. For each period of history you learn about, he really gives you insight into the time period.

Great professor you can really tell he loves his job, makes sure students participate and gets to know everybodys name. A little bit of a harsh grader but willing to help correct previous mistakes. Genuinely cares about how you do in his class. Grades attendance, not an easy a but the work is interesting, mostly writing.

If you have the opportuntiy to take this class with Dr. Reich, do it. The amount of reading (9 books) can be intimidating at times, but if you put the effort into it it is not that bad. The class is entirely discussion driven, so if you thrive in that kind of environment as I do, it will be a blast. The grading is based off particpation and essays.

What a man. You gotta speak up in class otherwise your grade is toast. He is a quirky guy which makes discussions interesting. There is SOOO much to read, 9 books in all with a ridiculous amounts of online articles. And he assigns his papers like a week before they are due. Watch out.

Dr. Reich unfortunately had to take a leave of absence for personal reasons, but he was the best professor ive ever had. His lectures are engaging and he encourages participation. Theres a lot of reading and tough papers but I didnt mind them. I learned so much in the class. Hands down sweetest prof here. Loved him!!!!!

Thought-provoking, well-prepared and engaging discussions in class. The essays were relatively easy. There's a fair amount of reading but the subjects are interesting. The only downside was that there were so many kids in the class that serious essay feedback was scant. Overall a great and effective teacher that involves the class.

Dr. Reich had to leave half way through the semester and it was heartbreaking, because he was the best professor I've had. His class is discussion based from the readings for homework (which is quite a bit) but if you go to class and take notes, the exams and essays are easy, especially if you speak up in class, participate, and go to office hours.

GET READY TO READ! 10 books in the course of the semester, along with several articles. The class is discussion based, so it's important that you do the readings and take part in discussion. 3 essays which make up the majority of your grade in the class aside from participation. We had some really great and engaging discussion in this class

If you like a professor that engages his class then he's your guy. If you never like to talk in class I wouldn't take him.

He's definitely my favorite professor at JMU so far and the most interesting class I've taken. Definitely a lot of reading, so if you don't do that it will be hard for you to do good. If you do your work and participate the class will be great. You can tell he is passionate about history and his job, I definitely would take him again if I can.

My favorite professor, period. He is extremely easy to get along with and encourages your participation in class by letting you openly speak your opinion without criticism (which is really rare). He actively tries to help you on your work, especially if you show interest in history or want to continue in the discipline. If you take 395 take him!!!!

He is a very nice guy and accesible outside of class which allowed me to build a relationship with him. He grades very very tough and knows if you can do better and pushes you to do better. Has a nice curve at the end. I ended with a B but he gave me a B+. Graded on 3 papers, a midterm and final. The midterm and final were three essay questions.

Loved him! You can tell he is passionate about history. Make sure you participate in discussions, as most of class is discussion based. Tough grader, but he is very fair and gives good feedback. Graded on 2 short papers, a research paper, a midterm, a final, and participation. Great guy to have a conversation with, great guy to learn from as well

TONs of reading. Taking notes is kind of hard since its a Socratic seminar. If you don't align with his political beliefs he's going to smite your papers. If you write what he wants to hear you will do fine. Take notes in class to get ideas and use chapter titles to help on papers. He was flexible with pushing back due dates to an extent.

Professor Reich is so nice and caring but can come across as aggressive and mean. His assignment are very intense and take a long time. you definitely need to up your writing game before coming to this class. Make sure you talk and turn everything in on time you will be fine.

this class is hard, and half of the grade is a 15-page research project we've been doing all semester. Reich doesn't want you to fail and has checkpoints for the paper as the semester progresses. Every class is a discussion based on readings, he expects you to read 100 pages for every class. hard class but it's a 400 level so work is expected.

Dr. Reich is 100% my favorite professor so far. You can automatically tell he loves what he does. He doesn't test on dates but compares historical figures. If you take notes during the discussions, you'll do well in class. Write EVERYTHING down, you're allowed to use them during quizzes. We used the book a lot. (edited rating, from Fall 2020)

Truly my favorite professor I ever had at JMU. I took two of his classes and it was the most engaging class experiences I ever had. He is very knowledgable and his passion for African American history is admirable. He also helped me with my thesis project and wrote my letter of recommendation for Law School. I will never forget him.

I am currently in this class and it is amazing! There is a lot of readings, but they are all very interesting. Participation really matters, so make sure you talk at least once. His essays are very clear and are only about 800-1000 words. This class is so interesting and I learn something new everyday.

Awesome professor, and an awesome guy, but course readings are lowkey annoying. Class started out fun but got more tedious as the semester went on.

Steven Reich was a good professor with interesting lectures. Classes were mostly discussions of the readings and there are a lot. The class was graded off of 2 papers, 2 exams, and a final all essay based. He is a bit of a tough grader so make sure you follow his directions on the papers because he takes off points for little things.

Tests were in-class essays. A couple of papers. In general, focus on showing up and participating in discussion.

This class gets to be very repetitive, but he is very knowledgeable. He assigns readings before each class, 2-4 hours a weeks worth. He then lectures on the readings in class. If you take notes you will be fine, and he loves it when you participate. Show you care and he will help you a ton. More of a seminar than anything. 2 tests, 3 projects.

Very encouraging and friendly, and provides very good feedback.

Reich is decent. He's a clear speaker, knowledgeable, and focused on essential points without getting bogged down in too much detail. The in-person midterm allows a single page of notes. His projects are very open-ended, which I found very challenging, especially the final one, which you have about ten days to do. The readings are super long, too.

I didn't enjoy this class, but that is no fault of Dr. Reich's. He was a wonderful, caring, and thoughtful professor who listened to the feedback of the class and used it to shape the course. The class was useful to some but not others - if you have had a job before and made a resume you should be fine. It was a Pass/Fail class.

Dr. Reich is arguably one of the best professors I have had at JMU. He is caring, connects with his students, and understands when students may be having difficulties connecting with the material or the course. I would take him over and over again if I could. Take this class specifically with him!

Professor Reich is an engaging lecturer, but the course readings can be tedious. Focus on active participation and paper requirements to succeed. Leverage Unstuckstudy and other study tools to stay on top of the workload.

very nice prof and a super interesting class. grade is based mostly on papers and your participation in class. if you need help with the papers go to his office hours - he will help and you'll get a better grade. little bit of a tough grader but if you go to office hours you'll be fine.