Professor Pickens makes you actually use the grey matter. He is straight forward and sticks to the syllabus. If you do not like to read or find excuses to come to class two hours late, this is not for you. He brings the topics together to make the puzzle pieces fit flawlessly and makes it understandable. He motivates the students to do their best.

This instructor actually kept me interested in a subject which I cared nothing for. He is a fabulous teacher. I completely recommend taking this class. It is worth it!

He is a great professor. His classes are challenging, but if you attend all of your classes and keep up with the work you will do just fine. If you are lazy then this may not be for you. I highly recommend you take his class and will not regret it.

Pickens is very knowledgeable about history. There are 10 quizzes, 4 document based assignments, and 3 exams. Be sure and do your reading or your grade will suffer. He rewards those who stick with him.

Pickens is a great history teacher. I am not a history person but he made it interesting and fun. Do your reading and do all your work and you will be fine. He is always willing to help and answer any questions you may have. Very helpful and made all assignments crystal clear. Amazing what I learned!

Great teacher! fun, interesting, and respectful. I loved going to his class. Only thing is that he grades a little tough but its not that bad, just do the work (:

I loved this class! It was my first college class to ever take and it was a great introduction to what lays ahead for me in college!! You can't go wrong with him!

His class was very engaging. I've never considered history to be a top subject of mine, but after taking this class, i have a much better understanding and interest in it! Highly recommend this professor and course

He is a really neat, clear and concise teacher. His test are easy if you attend all classes and take notes. Just listen to his lecture, pay attention and get involved with asking questions and you will ace any test. His quizzes are off of the reading SO READ YOUR CHAPTERS!! Overall very nice and caring teacher. LOVED AND ENJOYED THE CLASS!!!

Mr. Pickens is amazing!!! And he is very organized and connects well with the class while still making history interesting.

Mr. Pickens is amazing!!! And he is very organized and connects well with the class. He also makes history interesting.

I took him for 1301 & now for 1302 and he is the best history teach ive had ever. He is very well prepared & clear. He gets to the point. & he helps you if you need the help. he is very nice. He has weekly quizes which are very simple & you can take them twice. the test are extremley easy and he can have a note card. HE IS A MUSH TAKE HIST TEACH!!

Professor Pickens is now one of my favorite teachers. He challenges you and brings the best out of you. His tests are very easy if come to class and pay attention. Quizes are open book and online. He is a great lecture teacher and time goes by quickly in his class. He also encourages class discussion, which makes class fun and interesting.

He is very helpful and makes the class interesting. online quizzes. For the tests you have to explain events and a short essay, but he lets you bring a card to help yourself with the test, even for the final, you can bring you card. Also we did an interesting and exiting exercise at the end of the semester. Awesome professor and round up ur grade.

Best teacher ever...unless you don't read the syllabus then you won't know what you're doing, he lines out his expectations in there and is more than willing to help if you ask throughout the semester. Definitely take if you are prepared to act like an adult and be treated as such

A must take class. This class will teach you more than just history, it will teach you to be a well rounded student and prepare you for a successful college career. A must for serious-minded students and a pass for students who just want a fluff course. Great lecture teacher with interesting discussions.

Great professor! Currently taking this HIST1301 course. I am really tired after working and often I regret signing up for evening classes but this is the class I actually WANT to attend every week! Make sure you keep up with the weekly online quizzes, accidentally missing it the first few weeks really hurt y grade at first. Would take again!!

I took him 2 years ago for dual credit.For HS students you have to remember this is a college class.He doesn't baby you.He is a good teacher.He tells you how he does things. You earn your grade.You just need to listen in class and read the text book to do the quizzes. He is willing to help you with problems as long as you put in the effort also.

Professor Pickens is an exceptional TEACHER. You get what you put in with him. He teaches a college level class and expects college level students. He encourages student/teacher interaction and he will answer any question you have. I had no interest in History prior to attending his course but I found his class very interesting.

Thomas Pickens is a great insrucor who has a very analytical and awesome passion for history. I have always loved history and I feel that as long as you actually attend class and listen for a couple of hours a week you are ensured to 1)learn history and 2)get an A in this class. I highly recommend him for any history class.

Professor Pickens is an excellent teacher who makes his class truly interesting. He gives amazing lectures and keeps class content exciting. He will challenge you and expects college level work from his students. You will get back what you put into his class. An all around good teacher and I highly recommend him.

At first I was having a really hard time with this class, but Prof. Pickens really does go out of his way to help, so long as you ask and don't go in expecting a handout. He does not give extra credit but with his quizzes he doesn't need to. They are open book and you can take them as often as you want during the two weeks they are open.

Finally i walked out with knowledge from a history course. Disliked history from previous teachers due to boring, loaded with information, fast paste power points.His style of teaching is comprehensive & encouraging. Written exams ,but cover only material he thought in class. Easy quizzes.Attend & study your notes,& you'll get a satisfying grade.

Yes, his tests are all short answer and essay, but you are allowed a 3x5 index card for the test. As long as you take notes you will do fine on the tests. There is an online, open book quiz every week but you can keep trying, so there is no reason to not get 100's on all of them. He is funny and makes history actually enjoyable.

Probably hands down the best professor I have ever had in all of my schooling career. The book is used mainly for the quizes which are quite easy. Tests are all written, but he lets you use a note card. Extremely entertaining lectures. Also has this final project where you break up into groups and role play Risk extremely fun and informative.

Very enjoyable class. Tests are short answer which is easy if just attend class and pay attention. Quizzes were easy. Extra credit is available and he will stop class to explain a topic until it makes sense which is nice. Attendance is a must though! If you attend and pay attention you should be good! :) Maturity is apprciated too

Not a hard teacher, but you must attend class & pay attention. Tests are all written, but short. Not too hard of a grader, if you show up and take notes you'll do just fine. Dislikes people being late and not being mature. He's easy and very helpful. Would take him again!

Wow, I was expecting this class to be just another credit I'm transferring from community college over the summer, but this man changed my perspective. Given my past experiences with social sciences, I didn't think I'd have learned so much and have such a great experience with this class. Pickens is very clear and concise, and relates it very well.

Wow, I was coming in expecting this to be just another class I have to take during the summer to complete my core credits, but this man changed my perspective. I did not expect to learn so much or have such a great experience in this class. Pickens is clear and concise, and relates everything he says very well with the students.

His class is less lecturing and more discussion. He wants to know everyone's opinions on things and loves to play the devil's advocate. His satire and sarcasm make class extremely enjoyable and his tests feel like you are discussing historical points instead of regurgitating black and white information. Plus he's super cute. So there's that.

Professor Pickens has a well rounded curriculum that engages the entire class and prepares the students for his relevant tests. Pickens is a very intelligent man and does a fine job instructing a required history class.

Mr. Pickens is an amazing professor. He's very clear about what he wants and if you fail to complete what he's asking, your grade reflects it. You get the grade you deserve for sure! PUT IN THE EFFORT! Great sense of humor, funny lectures and plus he's super attractive!

I'm currently taking him for Spring '15. As long as you show up to class and do your online tests then you should do fine. If you want an A then you have to put some effort into your papers he gives you. His test are online and he gives them out at the beginning of the semester, they are not timed so it should not be hard to get an A on those.

Tough grader, doesn't give to many tests, you can't skip class or you will not pass, homework is the same all semester every week, you know what is expected from the first day, can be funny with a dry sense of humor.

I absolutely love Professor Pickens! Although i'm not a fan of group projects, they make you interact more with the course material so you retain more information than if it was just a lecture. Just do the work and show up, its an easy A. He's attractive in a nerdy way & I would take him for 1302 if he had it in the fall.

If you want to coast through a class, this isn't for you. You will be expected to show up and participate in group projects. It is my favorite class by far, he teaches the material in a very relate-able way, so its easy to understand. I recommend taking his class, put in the effort and you'll get an A. Hes also attractive so that helps :)

It's pretty simple. Show up + Do the work Easy A It doesn't get any better than this but it is up to you to do what you need to do to get the grade.

He is a great teacher. As long as you do the discussion boards, and quizzes online, you will pass. He relates a lot of life stuff to what you learn. I've always struggled majorly with history, and I have easily passed the class with a high B!

He is a good professor, with a unique sense of humor like in a Sci-fi kind of way, he useses all the information clearly and gives comparisons to this day and age and how it still effects us today. I would take this course again if I didn't already have an A. #FavoriteWordOfThisCourseWasButthurt

There are 3 essay papers that count as exams (2 pgs - double spaced) Each chapter includes a quiz, discussion post, and discussion response. The quizzes may be taken as many times as needed before due. I took an online summer class which was not an easy A for me because of his tough grading. You definitely need to put a lot of effort into grammar.

Great teacher! Not a blow-off class though. The most interesting thing about his class structure is that he doesn't give tests. Instead, he has weekly online-quizzes which are essentially grade padding and 3 roleplay scenarios which have essays due with them. The essays are the only difficult part of the class, he grades them really seriously.

Loved his class, I wish I could take it again. Not your typical history class. The entire semester is just 4 scenarios where you have to work with your peers. Lots of papers. No tests. He says you need the book, but you don't. I never even opened it. Only take him if you want a challenge.

I took Professor Pickens for both HIST 1301 & 1302, so if you're just looking for an easy grade then look for another professor. He is a tough grader but he's extremely fair and always gives you feedback on how to improve. He challenges his students to do better! Just keep up with your work and put in a little effort and you will fine!

Just keep up with your work and put in a little effort and you will be fine! * forgot the be :)

This professor is heavy in lectures, participation matters, and be sure to take good notes! As long as you take notes, attend class, and have the ability to think for yourself and outside of the box, you can pass his class and do it well. If he had more classes, I would definitely take them. He actually made me enjoy history again.

I definitely really enjoyed having Professor Pickens and it totally helped that I had a major crush on him!

Not the most popular professor, but the best I've had at Collin. He makes you work for you grade, but he will help you learn (especially if you actually read his feedback). His classes have even helped me do better in other classes. Put in the effort, you'll do fine. If you are lazy or whine a lot, don't bother. You get what you put into it.

I loved his class--and kind of had a crush on him. His lectures were discussion-heavy, which inspired me to look further into history out of class so I could have a fuller discussion. I would recommend his class!

He reminds me a lot of Professor Snape from Harry Potter. (In a good way lol) I literally am dying during class because of his sense of humor. Now the only negative thing I would have to say is that the class I am currently taking is a hybrid class; which means that half is online, and the rest is a lecture. I now know that a hybrid isn't my jam. :/

I highly recommend taking Pickens. He will fill in all the blanks that were missing in your high school history education. Attendance is not mandatory but you will miss out on some incredibly enlightening debates. His exams are tough, because he asks that you think carefully about your responses and answer all questions precisely and thoughtfully.

I took Pickens for TX History this spring sem. and overall enjoyed his class. He is a stickler about how he wants his papers and essays to be written, but it's not too bad if you understand what's needed in the assignments. He's also open for questions and help if you need it during his office hours. The last day of class was also fun :) haha

Online class, 5 wk course. Quizzes were open book and 2-3/week, 1 discussion board/week with 2 replies, and 2 papers. No final exam. His grading criteria are very clear and easy to locate on the website. If you have trouble with papers, go to the writing center and have them read it over. His standards are not ridiculous, & you do learn history.

Amazing! He can talk raw sometimes, but I loved that! He was super straight forward about what the semester will look like and everything expected as a student. Wish he was my professor for all history courses.

Professor Pickens is extremely passionate, insightful & opinionated. If you are not a strong writer do not take this course because none of the tests are by scantron. All of the exams are essays (that you write at home) which is great because there's no memorization. He is an amazing professor and this was one of favorite courses. I learned so much

Pickens was not who I had chosen for this course but I'm not mad about it. Super easy online class. Discussion board every other week and online quizzes through the textbook with one essay. No tests!

This is absolutely not a hard course to pass. However, he does expect college level writing. No tests, quizzes on REVEL (I finished all quizzes during the 14- day trial period so I did not have to buy access), discussion boards with two responses to classmates and one final essay. EASY class if you put in the work.

The online TX Hist was easy to keep up with. Discussion boards every couple weeks, quizzes on each chapter (untimed/unlimited attempts), and then a final paper worth only a small portion of your grade. Writing structure, grammar, etc. matters in all responses. Put in the work and your grade will reflect it, don't and it won't. FOLLOW DIRECTIONS!

Professor Pickens gives amazing lectures. He is very knowledgeable and you will be engaged in his class, even if you dont particularly enjoy history. No tests, and there are weekly online quizzes via a textbook. He is funny and if you try in his class, you will get a good grade.

Passionate, insightful, opinionated, and kind. Make an effort, youll do well. Great lectures and debates kept me engaged. Regular discussion boards and online quizzes (untimed/unlimited attempts). One essay only, your final grade. One of my fave courses. I learned so much. He asks you think critically and thoughtfully and youll be glad you did.

I truly enjoy taking his class. He really worked with me and explained things in a way to have you understand when it came to the writing paper. If you try, you will pass.

I took Prof. Pickens for an online course, and he was awesome. He gave you all the materials and allowed you to go for it at your own pace. Any time I had a questions or concern, I would email him, and he'd get back within a few hours. When grading our papers, he would educational leave notes. If you're organized & like to work ahead, take him.

An online course that I took. LOTS of writing assignments, so be prepared. Professor was understanding about late work and just communicate with him and let him know what is going on. Overall good professor, good course, but be prepared to write!! I did NOT find him to be a tough grader, you'll get what you put in!

All the lessons were open from Day 1. Took 3 exams where I wrote 6 one pg. unique essays for each exam + 3 discussion boards and 1 pg. source analysis. Textbook costed extra from Pearson. Prof. Pickens was a really light grader, as long as you write according to how he wants (with multiple citations) he will give you an A. Very lecture heavy though