A lot of reading! Definitely keep up with the readings or you will fall behind. Prof. Doran is really helpful during his office hours especially b/c reading primary sources can be difficult but he breaks it down for you to understand. A lot of work, but it's worth it. Do the reading and visit office hours. I got an A- in his class.

Professor Doran is really interested and knowledgable in his topic. He really enjoys teaching Roman history. This class requires a LOT of reading. He sometimes has pop quizzes based on the readings. We did not have a midterm, but he is adding it to his next class. One midterm and a written final paper.

Midterm, group presentation on a chapter, and Final paper. Random quizzes as well. I think we got lucky that we didn't get many quizzes... MAKE SURE YOU ARE GOOD AT GRAMMAR. Lots of reading, Kinda goes fast on Powerpoints because it's what you have already read. Looks mean/strict but is a cool person. Remember dates/years! Received a B-.

goes through his ppt lectures pretty fast, but that's because you're supposed to have done the reading already. pretty funny, midterm, group presentation and final essay. make sure to do the reading and pay attention to lectures. replies pretty fast to emails and is very knowledgeable in what he teaches!

Very helpful professor, knows what he teaches and makes subject fun to learn. Happy took his class :)

Professor Doran is one of the most inspiring professors I have taken. He is very knowledgeble and fun. He can simply make the class fun with his awesome sense of humor. He can be strict in regards of reading as this class requires a lot of reading. However, whatever he does or says its for our own good. Take his class and you won't regret it:)

Best power points I've ever seen. Very on the ball professor. Usually these are somewhat long lectures. Sometimes a class discussion on a work of literature relevant to the historical period. LOTS OF READING but the tests are not horribly hard if you have done the reading. Remember punctuation and grammar. Well-dressed.

He is very helpful and knows what he is talking about. He is very interesting, his lectures makes you feel like you are actually in the events he is talking about. His classes aren't hard if you stay on top of the readings. My favorite history professor in csula!

avg. 1 quiz a week, usually on the second day of the week you have him. quizzes are mostly easy, if you just read sparknotes you should be fine for the plays and books. there is are two textbooks, one has a bunch of ancient sources(thin, red, has a pharaoh on the cover)and you need that one for the essay and midterm/final.Don't need the other one.

Doran is the best professor I have ever had. He has great powerpoints and his lesson plans are well crafted. HOWEVER, this is not an easy course. Reading is mandatory, so be an adult and make time for it. There is also a major essay and quizzes interspersed through the lessons. Critical thinking is required. I highly recommend this professor.

I learned so much in this course, and I attribute that to Professor Doran's direct and interesting style of teaching. He is an extraordinarily clear communicator, and emailed the class weekly to remind us of assignments, and inform us about extra-credit opportunities, visiting lecturers, and social movements around campus and the city. A+ teaching!

Great professor, really cares about his students but expects the same effort from his students that he puts into them. Be sure to read everything thoroughly, and brush up on memorization techniquesvery important for his exams. DO NOT Sparknotes the books; you will fail the quiz. You will cry but it will be all worth it at the end.

Professor Doran is very intelligent, I learned a lot from him. Great and interesting class lectures, were very entertaining. He knows the material and explains it well. He is pretty funny and very well dressed. Great teacher!

Studied Sumerians hard, then Akkadians+Babylonians then down to Persians. Cool sourcebook: ancient prayers, laws, myths. COVID-19! we had to switch to online mid-semester, but he uploaded his awesome PowerPoints! One essay, one exam, a map quiz, a presentation. Responds quick (and nicely) to emails. Wild stories! DO THE READING! A+ prof. Love him!

Well meaning but can be a bit grumpy, clear lectures/hw/exams, big on attendance and participation, show up and do your part and you'll be golden.

Big History, of the universe, should be MANDATORY. It's not now, so Dr. Doran assigns and tests rigorously for student consciousness. Yet the topic combined with his methods is so new and rare, an A is second nature. Doran builds COSMICALLY, environmentally and tech conscious universal citizens. He also small groups (to help you), so do your part!

Professor Doran is honestly such an interesting character. I took him for 3300 and at first wanted to drop it, but I'm glad I didn't. For such a huge subject to teach I would say he did so amazingly as well as adding a few other fun facts and tidbits. Don't be scared to take him, you might learn a thing or two.

Had difficulty with the course despite having the book. Gives quizzes every week and doesn't much aside from 2 exams a final. Some of the stuff in the quiz are either glitchy or completely blank out. Also asking politely to upload the slides isn't enough so you better screen shot the lectures meetings.

Hilarious, very charming, smart, a bit "hard" around the edges in an appealing way. This is a superb instructor. Yes, he's a bit tough - THIS IS A UNIVERSITY, FOLKS - it's not SUPPOSED to be easy. If you can't stand a challenge, don't go to a university. He's also highly organized, with clear tests that plainly test your knowledge.

bizarre class called Big History i took for science credit. starts with the creation of the universe in space. but hilarious instructor, throws in personal anecdotes to make history relevant. love his lectures and power points. i think i'll get a A. the book is great. plus DILF. .

first of all, i took doran in the pandemic so all online. the course was completely awesome. super powerpoint lectures and really funny asides about how he loves cats but not dogs when he was lecturing on how dogs domesticated themselves with humans in stone age campsites. my friend did not do the reading & failed. i got a good grade. great prof.

OK - honestly I have no idea what to rate him. 5? 1? unsure. What I do know is that he EXPECTS YOU TO STUDY AND LEARN. Frankly many Cal State L.A. instructors let you slide by. this guy doesn/t. On the upside, it's interesting as hell. He is either the best or the worst professor I've had. Probably the best. Super-intense, NEVER boring. Take him.

Dr. Doran was honestly a very professional and brilliant professor. I enjoyed his class and he made his lectures very entertaining. Show up to class everyday and be sure to read! He is very clear on what he wants you to remember and always emphasizes on what's going to be on the tests. Come to class everyday and you will get a good grade!

Wow. Professional. An actual professor type at CalState Los Angeles. I took Europe 1890-1945 with him. I got an A-. He made me study hard and improve my writing. Great lectures that make you think. The section on the Holocaust almost made me cry. The only thing I can say negative about this guy is that he's so hot that it's distracting. DAMN. Wow.

I'd say definitely take Doran for at least one class. Big History is a good one. One of the more memorable CalState instructors. Do the reading and give a damn and you'll be fine. I had him for Ancient Egypt too but I don't think he remembered me. Anyway, I learned a lot from him in both classes. He also wrote me a good letter of recommendation.

Ive read all the reviews and I think the people who didn't like Duran didn't get his methods. He expects you to do all the reading and edit your writing and give a sh~t. If you cant do those things you won't succeed. If you don't care, he is less likely to cut you slack. If you repeat the same mistake after he corrects it, he won't like it.

Historiography is a class for responsible adults. He's great, but he expects you to do the readings and to edit, edit, edit your writing! This was challenging for some of the students in the class. They didn't want to do the reading and they were looking for an easy way out. He is not like that. If you want to develop your mind, take his class.

Seminar. Best and most intellectual class I have ever taken at this college. The readings were sometimes hard, and I see some students had difficulty. Boo-hoo. Welcome to college. The instruction on writing was excellent. He made me a better writer. I learned about a big array of historywriting approaches. I definitely recommend this class.

Great class: History of Emotions in Homeric Greece. This class was FIRE. We read Iliad and Odyssey in digestible chunks, take weekly online quizzes on each chunk (4 chapers each), and read articles on "Emotions History." 2 short papers on emotions in Homer. Doran ACTUALLY READS YOUR ESSAY WORD FOR WORD and writes notes to help you. The best!

Big History challenged my Christian beliefs but politely. Huge "history of everything" type of course. Not too hard if you do the readings. Nice instructor with himor but wants you to study. No essay, but some writing on exams and quizzes.

At last I got WRITING INSTRUCTION in this college. I have been strugling with writing the whole time. Professor Duran actually reads thecstudent essays word by word and makes LINE CORRECTIONS. So much help. I read the notes and the outside links he gave and NOW I UNDERSTAND SENTENCE FRAGMENTS. The readings were goid too. A+ professor.

2 group projects presenting historiographical schools of thought, 2 essays, excellent feedback on writing. A few pop quizzes, very easy. It's a seminar so you expect to read. I aced it but a few students had no clue. Maybe study harder, guys! Duh.

best class I've taken at Cal State L. A.

I loved this class (Historiography) and hearing other students' reactions to the readings. I learned from them. Dr. Doran was very professional but also funny.

THE THING I LIKE ABOUT PROFESSOR DORAN IS HOW CLEAR HE IS. EVERYTHING IS EXPLAINED. LIKE, REALLY CLEARLY. I got an A, and I don't often get As. I attribute this to the clear way he explains everything. He explained the industrial revolution more clearly than I had it explained in any other class. I also now understand how evolution works.

Are you ready to read ~300 pages of hard core Greek history per week? Are you ready for random pop quizzes wit no re-do? This guy is so prepared, he lectures nonstop and doesnt take questions. Regardless of my grade, I feel like I'm at Berkeley. Grad schools will worship you if this class is on your transcript. Take it. Now.

I am new at Cal State LA and I always wanted to take Roman history. So I walk in and this guy is literally wearing a suit and tie. I'm thinking this is not 1955 anymore but here he is. The book list is long. So are the lectures. But it's really interesting and he knows what the heck he is talking about. About to read the Satyricon.

I'm in Classical Civilisation and te Modern World (Hist 3100) right now, and I came to see other reviews.There is a disruptive student unhappy with everything - she has issues, blurts out irrelevant stuff - I think she wrote the bad reviews. I never heard Duran say the bad things she claims. He is good, very funny + knowledgeable. Do the readings!

I'm a transfer student and this is the best college instructor I've seen, super-prepared. He is the traditional professor, expects hard college work. Warning: If you won't actually work and stay focused you won't pass. do the reading, stay focused, and do some memorization it's an A. Not for lazy or scattered students! He urges you to EDIT!

Legend.

The most interesting class I've had in college.

Historiography with Doran is not that easy, but if you keep up with the readings and take notes, you shouldn't have that hard of a time. Grade consists of attendance, two essays, two 30-minute partner presentations (read from a script), and a final blue book exam. He did not grade as harshly as one would think.

Definitely the easier class to take with Doran. The grade consists of a map quiz, attendance, a midterm exam, a presentation or writing assignment, a final essay, and a final exam. Quite a bit of reading to do, and if he suspects the class isn't reading, he will dole out pop quizzes. Gives out extra credit for each quiz/exam he gives.

Not gonna lie, this was the hardest class I have had here, but Dr. Doran knows the material, he grades fairly, he is usually polite, and he is POLITICALLY NEUTRAL instead of typical calstatela mandatory political indoctrination.

Loved his class. THIS IS SPARTA! The exams were a little hard but great lectures

thank goodness for old school profs like Doran. Yes, you need to read and pay attention. Yes, you need to submit work by the deadline. Yes, there are serious lectures. He is respectful and polite, but makes a point of being neutral in politics. Pay attention to his INSTRUCTIONS and do the best you can. I like this course.

Doran is an excellent teacher of difficult texts. I think he cares about the students and the material. The class had SMARTstudents in it, which I liked (some students at this college ain't too bright). The readings could be quite hard. But I grew a lot. Would take again. Also funny.

With Dr Doran, there are two camps. Camp only 1 wants to go through the motions, do a BIT of work, and receive an A if they dot their i's and cross their t's and shown up 50%. "Basic" people. Lower-level. Not striving for excellence. The second Camp loves learning and excellence. They expect a challenge. If you're in Camp 2, you'll love him.

Last semester I took Ancient Greece Bronze and Archaic eras - made me want to take more classes with him. He is caring, funny, & fair, but expects excellence and effort. Not a hippie or a rastafari. Not blabbing forever about social justice today. He is focused on the past. The class is like a time machine. He's a PROFESSIONAL.

Pros: Knows his stuff. Organized. Smart. Professional. Fair. Cons: You will need to study more than you do in most classes, even history classes. He actually reads your papers and makes notes. Some notes are praise. Some will crush your puny ego. You can't get away with excuses like "I forgot we had a final." His tests require memorization.

I learned more about how to write essays from Doran's comments on one paper (and his emails to me answering my questions) than I ever learned from any other instructor in college. Doran is not a pushover so don't try any tricks. He is oldschool. He will help you become a better student. But you need to show him that you can work hard and study.

Heres the deal about Professor Duran. You have to study. I never had a aprofesor that made us study. It feels like everyone stopped doing that. You have to study to pass. Lot s of students cant deal. But he's great. I will take him again.

better bring your "A game" and wear your "big boy pants"

i came here as a transfer student (PCC) and i never knew how ultra-woke the staff here would be. everything is imperialism this and sexism that and racism this and powerdifference that. most teachers here don't even know history very well, they just want to push an agenda. doran is the only one who is not like that. he is fair about histroy. 10/10

so refreshing to have a no nonsense instructor.

In all the classes I've taken here, this is the only one where I actually had to study. Doran is old-school and wears suits to every lecture, gives a serious lecture, and expects you to actually do the reading and study. He explains how to study in sessions and gives you an examination guide. If you do the work you'll be fine. Don't be lazy

Amazing, funny, very smart

thank goodness for a real professor who lays down the law ; and not a sniveling simp or wishy_washy wimp gullible enough to believe all the BS the students cook up as excuses . more of this please .

I took this class in the Fall semester of 2024. I found Professor Doran's class to be entertaining and very informative and in depth. My advice to you is to take notes, read the assigned reading for the week early on so that you're not rushing to finish it last minute and study! This class was great, I'd definitely take it over again.

Duran is great because he is POLITICALLY NEUTRAL & sees both sides of issues. he explains things well too: and has a long view because he studies ancient history: he explained that slavery is found everywhere thru history & isnt a European or American invention. indigenous societies had slaves, so did ancient china, egypt, muslims, and afticans.

The real deal. You must take him.

Very easy if you do the readings Great lectures

i'll be honest i didn't do too well on the first essay but the notes he left were real good, with links to the chicago manuel of Style. Lots of students come to cal state with weak writing. and he's trying to help. But he shows what you need to do in your writing to improve it. sometimes i think the other teachers only want to pass uou with a C.

Hard but worth it. Recommended.

tough but fair. do the reading and you'll do ok. some readings need to be reread though.

Intense. The lectures are very good and he knows his stuff! The deal is, this guy expects you to be seriously involved in the material and not be half-ass. DO THE F___ING READING is his motto! Base! If you take him seriously, he will make you a better and smarter student. If you skip the reading, or barely skim it, you'll fail the course!

WHATEVER you do, do NOT give him the impression that you are not EVEN trying. He will NOT respect that. This class is frustrating at times but excellent and unforgettable.

Having taken several of his courses, I can say that Dr. Doran is an excellent Historian who takes his position very seriously. His classes are difficult, but for good reason. I recommend him to anyone who genuinely wants to learn.

Pro's and Con's Con's: - You have to Actually Read The Readings - You Can't Do It Halfway - And He Tests You To Make Sure You READ It ALL - No Faking Or You'll FAIL! - You Have To Show Up For CLASS - He Hates Lazy IDIOTS - tough Pro's: - He Is An Expert and writes Books on HISTORY - When You Take His Class You Actually LEARN Things - FUNNY

Difficult class but crucial.

Professor Doran was one of my favorite professors at Cal State LA! Tests are not hard if you study well, since he is very clear about what content they will cover. He's very generous with extra credit if you include a lot of good information. The class was interesting, enjoyable, and not too difficult if you put in the work.

Dr. Doran is a wonderful lecturer. He is very engaging and describes his own experiences depending on which nation we are discussing. Always attend lectures and make sure to read assigned readings. Exam study guides always match the questions on each exam. Written exams are given written feedback, and his commentary is wonderful.

VERY GOOD INSTRUCTOR FOR HISTORIOGRAPHY INCLUDING LGBT AND POSTCOLONUALIST VIEWS PLUS ECOHISTORY AND MARXISM KIND OF STRICT. BEWARE. EXCELLENT CLASS. CHALLENGING SOME OF THE STUDENTS SEEMED NOT READY AND I THINK THEY WERE SHOCKED ABOUT BEING EXPECTED TO GIVE PRESENTATIONS AND DIGEST THE ARTICLES HE GAVE TO READ. MIND YOUR MANNERS.

I thought the class would be about many different ancient religions but we narrowed in on Greek and Roman stuff and it was awesome.

Doran is excellent. EXTREMELY knowledgeable on his subjects of expertise. Has funny stories and allows short digressions but brings us back to ancient religion. He is a stickler for rules: don't get caught up in a "contest of wills" with him - or insist he change the rules just for you - just do the reading and do the work! Excellent professor.

Online course, absolutely excellent.

i came to calstate with bad study habits because my high school teachers didn't make us actually read anything. dr. doran makes you read. at first before i got used to it, i got really bad grades. then i saw my quizzscores rising because i read the articles. take dr. doran. it might be hard at first but it's good for you.

Great lectures (PowerPoints) and interesting course

Two short papers, two presentations, a final Exam, and some quizzes. PAY ATTENTION. I messed up on one oresentarion, but I PAID ATTENTION and got an A on the second one. You'll do alright if you do the reading; not if you cut corners and stop participating. I think three or four students are failing. Pity them but they weren't PAYING ATTENTION.