Is VERY passionate about the subject and tries to offer unique and interested readings outside of class. The material is a bit dull but he works to make it exciting. Encourages a lot of class discussion, 2 papers, two tests. Overall, a good professor.

He really knows his material and is very interesting in lecture. DO THE READING! Tests are difficult but not impossible. He gives helpful comments in papers. Take his class! It's hard but worth it.

Dr. Fitzergald is an entertaining professor. He is very enthusiastic when lecturing, and is clearly passionate about what he teaches. While he seems to be a little inexperienced, he more than makes up for it in energy.

He was really passionate and obviously knows the material inside and out but his expectations for a 101 class were very high. I recommend taking the class if you are an upper classmen and can keep up with/are used to the work but it would have overwhelmed me as a freshmen. Bottom line. Read. Go to class. And ASK HIM FOR HELP.

Dr. Fitzgerald is really one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. He loves his subject and is very enthusiastic. His paper grading can be a bit strict at times, but you'll learn a lot. Quizzes and Tests are usually fair and easy if you've read and taken good note. GO TO HIS OFFICE HOURS! If you go at the right time, he'll treat you to coffee!

very smart guy, high expectations, fair grader.

I love Fitzgerald, he is really nice and is excited to teach. pay attention in class cause even though its a big class he will learn your name and call on you. 5 quizzes on textbook reading. tests are hard and have essays. you have to write 3 essays, but they arent that bad. study hard for final and midterm.

This teacher is a really great guy. I would take this class if you have to for your GenEds. It is challenging, but doable! He grades fairly and he is a really good teacher of the material!

Hard class, but Professor Fitzgerald really enjoys what he is lecturing on so it makes it more fun to listen to. really knowledgeable guy. 3 papers, 5 reading quizzes a midterm and a final. Tests are very hard, quizzes are a breeze if you read and papers aren't horrible. You can pull of a B with decent effort.

Professor Fitzgerald may be the best professor that I had in four years at JMU, simple as that. No other teacher expressed course content with such clarity, passion, and knowledge. I was not a history-person before taking this class, however, Fitzgerald, with his thought-provoking, inspiring lectures garnered newfound historical interest in me.

Dr. Fitz was absolutely one of the greatest professors i have ever had. he lectured every class with passion and energy. honestly one of the best professors at JMU. he is a bit difficult but absolutely worth the effort. TAKE HIM!

A great professor, overall. His enthusiasm was extremely helpful in the somewhat dry nature of this course. I'm not gonna say that he's easy, but no essays were over 4 pages and the tests were half multiple choice/half essay. 3 essays (short essay, primary source analysis, critical book review), a few participation quizzes, midterm, and final exam.

Really nice guy, kinda fun to watch him talk. He should've been an stage actor/speech writer, seriously. 3 essays, one midterm, one final, participation quizzes based off of what you should've read for the class. a WHOLE lot of reading, 1 chapter every week + outside sources. not an easy class.

This was my favorite teacher out of all of my classes. He clearly new his stuff and really tried to make his subject interesting to his students. The work load wasn't bad at all either, 3 papers. You should do the weekly reading because he has pop quizzes every now and then as well. Overall excellent teacher, take him if you can.

the key to passing is to go to class and to take notes on EVERYTHING! also, do the readings. he is very passionate about history (and is great to listen to) but it's a lot of work; be prepared.

My favorite professor of any class ever. His lectures were interesting mostly because of his amazing public speaking abilities. Every lecture was almost like a history channel special. Definatly take him but be prepared to do quite a bit of reading.

Fitz is a great teacher; you'll need to put the work in, but you'll learn a lot. He's helpful too, visit his office hours!

Fitzy knows his stuff! Such a fun class. Midterm, Final, two papers, and 5 random quizzes, plus participation grade to make your final. Most of the readings you don't have to do because he covers so much in his lecture, but you should always do the primary source readings especially as they are quizzed from time to time.

great course, great prof. he will challenge you though! not for wimps, losers, quitters, or those of low wattage!

cool prof, and a pretty informative class...yeah it's not easy, but complainers exaggerate the workload and come from easy majors. this is college. there's reading in college. overall: recommended.

Take Fitzy! challenging, but enthusiastic, and super smart

good proff and course

I learned a lot in this class.

if you gotta take this class, definitely take it with Fitz

i don't know that i've learned more in any other class in college! tough, but fair

This is a great class. And Fitz teaches the way a college professor should. Some of these reviewers sound like they don't belong in college. GenEd doesn't mean "easy," GenEd means "essential." If you think you belong in college, you should be looking for courses like this. Take Fitz!

Fitz is a great public speaker. However, sometimes he tends to use such complex words that no one knows. Follow his lectures very closely and take notes on everything he says. There was a lot of reading for this course, however, you have to do them for the tests. Overall, an interesting course but very challenging at times.

Be prepared to read A LOT. A chapter or two a week and numerous outside documents. He is very good at lecturing and if you go to class and take good notes you MIGHT be able to get a decent grade in the class. I thought he gave far too much work for a gen ed course.

Hands down one of my favorite teachers. Eloquent, inspirational... it was a pleasure taking his class.

A real college prof, and a fun mind to be around. Not for slackers.

A great course, and a very good teacher of the material. Challenging, but fair.

A great professor -- clear, organized, passionate. You will work for your grade, but hey, this is college!

Fitz is an exceptional professor. His lectures are clear cut, easy to understand and very enjoyable. I went through a lot while I was in his class and he was always there for me no matter what. He helped me through a difficult time in my life. He cares about his students and will do anything to help them succeed.

I really liked Professor Fitzgerald, but his class was very difficult. I enjoy history but his tests are tough and you definitely have to work for it. I liked the way he lectured, but he was pretty harsh on grading papers. You can tell he knows his material and loves to teach. Not an easy A but definitely a good professor.

Very great professor, but very difficult. Lots of work to be done, but he is very personable and going to his office hours will help a lot.

I enjoyed Fitz' class, but I will admit it was very difficult. The assignments aren't unreasonable for a college class - midterm, final, reading quizzes, and 3 essays. I'd recommend going to his office hours for the papers because he gives really helpful feedback on drafts. Also, don't forget to participate in class discussions, it's worth 15%.

I took this class as a freshman and the first essay kicked my butt. Fitzgerald knows his stuff which makes him a tough grader, but he also gives great feedback. Go to his office hours, get to know him, and participate in class. Fitzgerald will teach you A LOT and make you a better student. If you're up for the challenge, take the class.

Very interesting class and teacher although it is a ton of work. I recommend him for this class although if you are lazy you will not do well!

Such a good teacher. Sure, he asks you to work, but you'll learn so much!

He is a tough grader on 3 papers that he will assign throughout the semester. His midterm is not difficult if you are diligent about the reading. He is a great lecturer and knew almost everyones name in a 100 person lecture class after 2 weeks. Makes lectures interesting too. If you do not read, you will not receive a good grade.

TAKE THIS PROFESSOR, you won't regret it. You're gonna struggle on the 1st paper but his feedback will take your writing to another level. He changes the way you think about history honestly wanted a minor in it afterwards. Pop quizzes & 10% participation grade, but lectures are so enjoyable and incredibly enlightening that you won't miss class.

I had Dr. Fitzgerald for Hist 101 and I absolutely loved it. There is a fair amount of reading of both the textbook and primary sources. I highly recommend going to office hours for any paper or test. In class participation is pretty important. Given the opportunity I would take his class again.

A great prof, tough, but teaches you a ton, and good lecturer.

the dude is smart, and a good prof, tough but worth it

A tough grader to some extent, but is reasonable due to his strong specialization in the Ottoman history. Overall a highly inspired and enlightened course.

He's a great prof! He takes the time to learn everyone's name in the class, and he genuinely cares about his students. You gotta do the readings, or you won't have any clue about what is going on.

You gotta work for Fitz, but such a good teacher! Made me care about history.

Professor Fitzgerald is a great lecturer, but he is EXTREMELY TOUGH. There are few assignments & they're all difficult, I wouldn't recommend this class to a freshman because it's a real college course and you have to put in work. He is fantastic at speaking and gives great feedback on assignments, just know the workload you signed up for.

Fitz is a great teacher: smart, dynamic, and cares about his students. Tough, but fair. Recommended.

A real college prof. Put in the effort, and you'll learn a ton.

Dr. Fitzgerald has so much energy which helped keep me motivated for class. His assignments are very tough though. You must read a ton of material for class which got tiring; usually a chapter in the textbook, which was extremely long, and two or three online sources per week. He was a great guy but wow it took a lot of work to get a B+ for a gened

He is extremely intelligent but sometimes his lectures are very complex and hard to understand. Tests and papers are graded tough, but overall I learned a lot about Middle Eastern History. Overall he's a great professor that will help you if you need it.

Really knows: his stuff, how to lecture, not to do pointless assignments Isn't so great: tough grader, hard mid-term do: GO TO OFFICE HOURS!!!

I'm a finance major and in no way expected to enjoy this class; nevertheless, I left this class a better writer, thinker, and overall better student. He definitely makes you work for it, but the secret is to TAKE GOOD NOTES! He lets you use laptops so don't goof off. If you study your class and textbook notes you will do just fine on the exams.

Made me care about world history, didn't think I would! Engaging lectures. Gives good feedback. Cares about his students. High expectations though.

I had heard good things about Fitz, but I didn't think I would like this class as much as I do! Such an inspirational prof. Super enthusiastic. Love his stories of travel and research in the Middle East! TAKE HIM!

Professor Fitzgerald is such a great professor! The class moves fast, but he makes it interesting. He did not have a TA and he graded all of our work on his own. He really cares about his students (he learned all the names in my lecture hall class in about 2 or 3 weeks) and gives great feedback. He really pushed me to be a better student. Take him!

I love professor Fitzgerald! It's a challenging course, but you learn so much. Attend class, do the work, don't fall behind, and you'll be fine. If you want to experience a real college course, take him.

Such a great professor. He is ALWAYS willing to go out of his way to help you in the class. It is a bit challenging and he is a tough grader. He has lots of pop quizzes on the readings and the midterm and final are challenging. HOWEVER you will come away from his class a better overall student.

Fitzgerald always has extra office hours and if you reach out to him, he'll help you succeed. You definitely have to read the textbook and source readings because they're on the midterm and final. There's also 4 question pop quizzes. He's a tough grader on papers, but he'll definitely help you improve your writing skills. Overall, nice dude.

Fitzgerald is a great professor who truly cares about you. He will make you read and write a lot, and gives great feedback on writing assignments, which will seriously improve your skills. Overall, would recommend if you are serious in learning about history and improving your writing skills.

Super nice and clearly enjoys teaching

Dr. Fitzgerald is a great professor who will really help you if you seek him out--best to do this in office hours, and in advance!

Honestly such an amazing professor. Not an easy A by any means, but if you talk to him and read the stuff it's not bad. He really cares about all his students and the subject.

Fitz is definitely a hard processor for a gen ed. If you are not an avid reader then do not take this class. He went down from writing 3 essays a year to 1, but it is still challenging. If you are a freshman I do not recommend taking this course. It is the epitome of a college class. Show up, do the work, go to office hours, and participate.

A very engaging and engaged professor. Made me care about history.

Highly reccomend Fitzgeral for HIST 101, but plan to spend a lot of time reading and preparing for class. He's a great professor and is willing to help you if you seek him out. There aren't set notes for his class, it is more discussion based about textbook material. Only 3 tests and one paper!

This was a fascinating class. I learned so much more than I thought I would. Challenging, but fair. Highly recommended.

Dr. Fitzgerald might be my favorite professor in four years at JMU. He's a skilled classroom teacher, knows his stuff, and is super accessible outside of class. He encourages students to question their assumptions about life and the world. Not many professors do this as well.

Prof. Fitzgerald is a good history professor. You can tell he cares a lot about teaching and cares a lot about participation and for students to be involved. He gives good feedback on tests and papers and encourages you to look into different classes even if they don't apply to your major.

Professor Fitzgerald is great! He gives good feedback and is a tough grader and def makes you work for your grade. His exams aren't too bad as long as you study, read the textbook and go to class. Participation is a big factor in his class however, it really isn't that bad and try to go to his office hours he is really helpful.

This class has been my favorite gen-ed so far. It's not an easy A, and participation is a good portion of the grade, but Prof. Fitzgerald really makes the class interesting. He genuinely cares about students and has extra office hours for every test/paper. If you're a hard-working student, take this class!

Dr. Fitzgerald clearly loves to teach. He's very dedicated to his students, and this class is well-organized. I don't normally like history but he made me appreciate it more. I plan to take another course by him.

Dr. Fitzgerald is a great guy, means well and truly cares about his students. He does assign a lot of readings for this class in heavy amounts. He also is a tough grader but gives good feedback and participation is a huge part of this class. His lectures interesting but the only problem I had with this class were the large amounts of readings.

I loved Fitz! He's one of my favorite professors at JMU. He's an experienced teacher. Everything is clear, organized, and fair. I'm not saying it's easy, but he offers lots of help. And he makes history interesting, which I liked.

Really cares about his students and wants them to learn. Gets to know us individually. One of the most engaged professors I've had at JMU. TAKE HIM!

This course was awesome! So many interesting topics, and I actually liked doing the reading. I never thought I'd care this much about the Ottoman Empire! I strongly recommend taking this course, or any course, with Dr. Fitzgerald.

Dr. Fitzgerald clearly cares about his students. He goes out of his way to be available, and he wants us to succeed. I don't normally like History, but I found this class interesting. If you put in the work, you'll learn a lot.

This was a great class! I really liked our discussions. Fitz has an interesting personality (funny) that kept things moving. Everything is super organized. If you show up and put the effort in, you'll be fine. He's also super helpful outside of class.

This was one of my favorite classes--and I expected to be bored! Fitzgerald challenges his students, but in a good way, and he offers a lot of extra help. Everything is clear and organized. Highly recommended!

One of my favorite professors at JMU! Smart, caring, and knows how to teach.

If you want to learn more about the Middle East and Islam, take this class! Fitz is a great prof who loves to teach, and this is his expertise. He's also super caring and accessible outside of class.

If you need a GenEd History, take it with Fitzgerald. He makes History interesting and he helped me work on my writing also. Pretty dedicated, which is nice.

Professor Fitz is an amazing professor and really cares for his students, although be prepared to read a lot. The class moves fast and he also is a really tough grader but gives good feedback on your essays.

Prof. Fitzgerald is the best- he's very witty and cares about his students! He tried something new this sem, so there were no tests or exams, but there are pop quizzes. 3 projects, but spaced out during the semester. Classes were mainly discussions about the textbook and sources we read. Majority of the content relies on the textbook- read it.

Prof Fitzgerald really enjoys teaching. The semester has been tough on everyone, because of COVID. But he made it work, and showed he cares. Recommended.

Such a good class, even though it was all online. I thought I'd be bored but I was pleasantly surprised! You have to work for it though.

This was a good class. The Ottoman Empire is actually really cool. I learned a lot of new stuff that relates to my International Affairs major. Fitzgerald is also super accessible outside of class and willing to help. Cares about his students. Take him.

This class was different in a good way. It was discussion based. There were no tests, just occasional quizzes to keep us honest. Papers and projects, and online discussion boards. The textbook was also better than most. And the professor was cool. This is a good Gened overall.

This was by far my favorite class this semester! Prof. Fitzgerald is very organized and clear about his expectations. The topics and readings were also interesting. I have a new appreciation for Middle East history.

Fitz clearly loves to teach. Since I want to be a teacher too, I felt I could learn a lot from him. Class is organized. He responds to emails. He makes the subjects interesting too, which is cool since it's ancient history! If you have to take HIST 101, definitely take it with him.

I love professor Fitz! This class was all online, but he still made it engaging. The workload is doable, but you need to keep up. The readings are interesting though, and Fitz is always happy to help. This felt like a real college class. Recommended!

Professor Fitzgerald is one of the nicest people ever. Hist 101 involves a lot of reading, but the textbook and primary sources are actually pretty interesting. You definitely have to keep up because of class discussions, but I never found class boring. He is very willing to help as long as your reach out! Def take this class

He is one of my favorite professors on campus. He gives out a lot of readings, but he also cares about you. He even emailed me to check in on me to see if he could do anything to help - not a lot of professors do that. He is also always excited to teach his course, and though his essays are hard, he gives great feedback and is willing to help you!

This was my favorite history class at JMU, and I'm not a history buff. Take Fitz.

I've had Dr. Fitz for two semesters in a row because that's just how amazing of a prof he is. He truly cares about all his students and is very accessible outside of class. He sometimes reaches out to me just to check in! Lots of reading, but he makes the class interesting. Participation really matters in class!

Prof. Fitz is challenging but fair. He cares about his students and wants to see them learn. He's also very passionate about history which makes it easier to be in class. Our discussions are genuinely interesting. I highly recommend him!

Prof Fitz teaches a legit college course. If you come to class, do the work, and ask for help if you need it you'll be fine. If you just want an easy gened you could struggle. Fitz is a great teacher. He holds interesting discussions and he's easy to talk to in office hours. I've learned so much more than I thought I would.

Love the class. There are chapters and articles to read for each week (about 3 hours total). Graded on participation, one quiz, three tests, and a paper. Be prepared for the first quiz. I'm not good with geography and got a 75%. Go to the first test prep meeting, if possible. Study, study, study. Look into the paper early on in the semester.

Take Prof. Fitz! Though he's not for students who just want to breeze through or who think GenEd = easy. He helped me develop good habits like notetaking and time management. I didn't just learn history, I'm a better student I think. I highly recommend him!

I'd take any class Fitz teaches. He knows what he's doing. I like that he respects students by challenging them. We're not in high school anymore. I don't want to be spoon-fed information as happens in most Geneds. Dr. Fitz gets us to use what we know to think big.

very kind and knowledgeable. truly gets to know each student on a personal basis. one big paper and a few essay based tests that are challenging but manageable. Interesting and affordable text book. Interesting class and a fair amount of reading but not much other homework. A fun, challenging, but manageable gen-ed

Such an engaging class. I didn't think History could be this interesting. Not just names and dates. He makes you work for it but I learned a lot. The textbook is actually pretty interesting and the sources let you go deeper in the material. I highly recommend professor Fitzgerald.

What I like about professor Fitz is that you can tell he cares about teaching and his students. He wants to challenge us to think differently, which is what college is about. He's there to help too with lots of extra office hours. One of my favorite professors.

This class was very organized and everything had a purpose. All assignments had clear guides. He mixed lecture, think-pair-share, and discussion activities to keep it interesting. NOT a test-heavy class! There was participation and a paper. And tests were mostly essays to PRE-CIRCULATED prompts. Students could do as well as they wanted to, really.

Professor Fitzgerald is one of my favorite professors at JMU. He made older world history really interesting and he cares about his students. You have to attend class and STUDY, but it's not hard to earn a good grade if you put the effort in. Pro tip: use his extra office hours for help.

This course is SO much more interesting than I thought it would be! He makes a big class feel small. He learns our names, you can tell he cares about teaching and his students. Take FItz!

One of my favorite GenEds at JMU. Fitz cares about teaching and his students. Highly recommended!!

An interesting gened. 3 tests, 1 paper, map quiz, and participation. Very doable if you come to class and keep up with reading. He gets to know his students. Recommended if you need a cluster two class.

I just loved being one of his students. He teaches a challenging class, but it's interesting and he cares about us as individuals. Highly recommended!

One of my favorite professors at JMU.

A great GenEd! Course is not nearly as hard as some claim, especially if you attend and do the reading. He makes study guides for each tests that reveal essay prompts in advance. He also gives you choice as to which essays to write. So it's not that hard to prepare. And he's super accessible to help and answer questions. Highly recommended.

One of my favorite professors. Class is interesting. And everything is super organized. Everything has a purpose.

Hist 101 with Fitz is a very manageable class if you keep up with the readings, pay attention in class, and go to office hours! Kind of tough because there really is a ton of reading, that can be very time consuming, but Fitz genuinely cares about his students and wants to see them succeed! If you're willing to put in the work, I'd recommend!

I really enjoyed this class. The material and the teaching are engaging. Made me more interested in older history. Fitz offers a good mix of lecture and discussion. And the topics are interesting. Though I wish I worked harder in the class, you can get whatever grade you want but you get out what you put in.

What I like about Fitz is that he takes the time to give helpful feedback on your work. Most profs in big GenEds don't do this. He teaches a challenging class, but if you put in the work, it's totally doable. And you'll learn a lot. he helped me improve my writing, which is actually helping me in other classes.

A good GenEd. Not nearly as hard as some say. He gives study guides for tests so you can prepare essays in advance and choose which to write. He likes "sources," but there aren't many and their kinda interesting. An easy map quiz, a paper (you have choice here too), and participation (you must attend). Totally manageable. And he's a nice guy.

One of my favorite courses this semester. Challenging, but he's super willing to help. He responds to emails, holds extra office hours, etc. If you go to class, do the reading, ask for help if you need it, and put the effort in you'll be fine and learn a lot.

I really liked this course. Super organized and transparent. Clear paper instructions and test study guides, a statement about participation on Canvas, lots of feedback from the professor, responds to email, etc. Everything in this class had a reason. No busy work, which was nice.

A good course if you need a cluster two GenEd. I liked that we covered so many different topics, and the readings were pretty interesting, even the textbook surprisingly. Not too much work. But you need to keep up with readings and go to class. If you do you'll be fine. Fitz is easy to talk to if you need help, especially in office hours.

An interesting class and teacher. Very organized, clear communication, study guides, office hours, etc. Students might not wish to admit it, but they generally get what they deserve with Fitz. I'm a B student, put in B effort, and got a B. Not for those who feel entitled or who think just cuz they "try" they deserve an A. Recommended.

I love Prof. Fitz! This was my third class with him and I've enjoyed each one for different reasons. Very dedicated, clear, fair, and just a nice guy. Makes the Islamic world/Middle East pretty interesting too. One of my favorite profs at JMU.

One of my favorite professors this past year. Teaches a legit college course. Made me think differently about history too. Pleasantly surprised by HIST 101 this past spring.

Awesome course if you want to learn about the Middle East/Ottoman empire. My favorite prof in the history department at JMU.

He's super passionate about Middle East history, which made this class much more interesting to me. You'll need to do the work, but you'll learn a lot. Def take if you need a 300 HIST class or as an elective.

Just hands down an awesome professor. I highly recommend.

Prof Fitz knows what he's doing. The class actually makes older history sound interesting and important. And it's not that hard, really, you can get any grade you want, but you'll need to do the work. He's super helpful outside of class. One not expensive textbook and it's not a bad read too.

Professor Fitzgerald is one of the most caring professors I have ever had. He was willing to work with me when I came down with bad mental health problems, and for that I am eternally grateful. There is a bit of reading, but not that much in my opinion. You're expected to ask questions (which is easy if you JUST PAY ATTENTION. Very fun professor.

I loved professor Fitz. He's very caring of his students. I struggled with some personal stuff at home, but he totally worked with me. He's also a good teacher. I always looked forward to going to his class. If you do the work and communicate well you'll be fine.

One of my favorite professors at JMU. Passionate, experienced, and not too easy so you're getting your money's worth. Take Fitz!

Professor Fitzgerald is a great professor and a great guy who definitely knows his stuff. He cares about his students, but there is a TON of reading and participation expected for this class. Two exams and two papers, but all require hours of preparation and time with extensive knowledge.

Amazing lectures and very fair grading. The topic is hard, and the readings are very dense which makes the class far more difficult. Tests were 1600 words in 24 hours, although 3/2 prompts were provided in the study guide. The class got a bad rep, and while it was difficult it was interesting and he did a good job.

This course was so eye-opening! Not easy, but worth the effort. And Fitz is so invested in teaching and his students. He gives lots of feedback on written assignments--more than for any other class I've taken at JMU. I learned a ton and you will too. Recommended!

My favorite class this semester! Fitzgerald is super fair. Study guides for tests, choice in essay writing and project topics, super available in office hours and by email. And the material was interesting in ways I didn't anticipate. If you have any interest in history you should take this class.

Really learned a lot in this class about the Middle East. And it's cool being able to have insight on what's happening there today. So much misunderstanding of the region. I fully recommend this course.

Prof Fitz cares about teaching and his students. The topic is difficult at times but he makes it interesting, and he's assigned pretty interesting readings too, especially the sources. Come to class, do the work, and you'll be fine.

One of the most interesting and thought-provoking classes I've ever taken! The course is extremely dense with difficult readings daily and he expects a lot from his students both in and out of class, but he truly does care about everyone and it's rewarding when he notices the effort that is put in. It's worth persevering and I would take it again.

I'm so glad I took this course. With everything going on in the Middle East now I feel like an expert! Fitz is smart, caring, and experienced. He treats you fairly. I recommend his class.

One of my favorite GenEds to my surprise. A big class but he made it feel small. Not easy but worth the time. Go dukes!

Cool class and cool professor. Not for slackers though. I slacked and fell behind. Everything is clear and fair, so you can do as well as you want to really. Interesting readings and a good lecturer. I recommend HIST 352.

This class was super interesting, while the subject (violence) is a heavy one, I liked the many different topics we discussed. I never thought violence could be studied in so many different ways. Really opened my eyes. I consider this one of my most valuable college classes. Really.

I really liked HIST 101 with professor Fitz. I recommend taking it if it fits your schedule. Though other GenEd history classes are good too.

While I dislike of the textbooks I had to read from every week, the primary sources he had us read, which ranged from poetry to law, were fascinating. In addition to participation, there were only five graded assignments so doing your best on the essays is required. Pop quizzes are part of participation so a zero is better than missing it entirely.

Definitely take Fitz if you like world history or need HIST 101. Super organized and fair. Everything has a purpose. Cares about students. Available outside class. Interesting class discussions--and a great public speaker, actually.

Love professor Fitz. He teaches a challenging but interesting class. made world history more interesting than I thought it would be. go to class, do the work and you'll be fine.

One of the best professors I've had at JMU so far, hands down. Cares about teaching and his students and it shows. Challenging but fair. Makes world history pretty interesting too, which is a bonus. Take Fitz.

Phenomenal professor and an interesting person overall. He genuinely cares for his students and holds everyone to the same expectations. Participation matters towards your grade, lots of reading, and the textbook is necessary but cheap. Super engaging lectures and extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Pop quizzes so read, but curves!

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed HIST 101 this spring! Fitz makes class super interesting. If you attend regularly, put in the work, and seek help, you'll be fine. If you skip class or don't keep up, you'll struggle. Notetaking is actually pretty easy if you do the reading in advance. He gave me great tips on how to take notes in office hours.

One of my favorite professors at JMU, hands down. Knows his stuff and cares about his students. Affordable textbook and concern for accessibility which I appreciated too.

Really enjoyed Fitz's Gen Ed. One of my favorite profs so far. Makes history interesting. Cares about students and fair. Totally doable.

I've taken multiple Fitz classes and love all of them. He teaches legit college courses. No fluff. I highly recommend.

Great course, cool prof. good gened. take if you can.

Fun class. Cool prof who loves the subject. Interesting assignments (just one test), but attendance and participation are key. Learned a lot about the Middle East, which feels important these days.

This was an awesome course! Yes, you work for it. But actually only one regular test. Other assignments were creative and interesting. One project with a partner which was fun. I like that this course was different and challenging in a good way.

I found this class fascinating and I love now knowing so much more about the Middle East. Fitz is a dedicated prof who challenges and cares about his students. Very responsive to email and in office hours. If you do the work and don't fall behind, you'll be fine.

totally manageable gened, caring professor, learns his students names even though the class was huge. recommended if you don't mind history. he makes it interesting.

Good course, and pretty easy if you go to class and keep up with reading. Fitz makes it interesting and he genuinely cares about his students.

My favorite class in the semester I took it, which surprised me. You have to keep up, but it's very doable. He's super helpful, too.

I can't give Dr. Fitzgerald anything other than a 5. He's SO energetic and clearly cares a lot about this subject. There was a substantial amount of reading for the course (which I didn't love because I'm lazy) and there's only like four major assignments that get graded. Still, he's energetic, caring, and easily accessible.

He subtly said he went to Harvard for grad school and it makes sense. For a gen ed class its intensive with lots of readings and heavy lectures. His slides are posted but have nothing of importance on it just by wordofmouth. With a 100+ lecture he gets to know many people's names which shows how caring he is. such a smart and sweet guy be ready tho

A very good professor, probably my favorite this semester. Challenging but fair. Very dedicated and passionate about the subject.

I'll be honest, I wasn't ready to be challenged in this class. And it kinda kicked my butt at first. But I talked with Fitz, made some adjustments, and figured things out. My grade has drastically improved and I've learned a ton. He actually makes History interesting, gotta say.

I wasn't ready to be challenged in this course, and it kinda kicked my butt at first. But I talked to Fitz and figured things out, and my grade drastically improved. He cares about his students more than most profs and really tries to help. Actually makes History interesting too.

So many readings, many of them taking a lot of concentration to understand. When grading, you will receive a ton of notification as he leaves a ton of comments on the document, which can be anxiety inducing. Great professor even if the questions for the essay portion of exams can be hard to work with, especially in the 24 hr window.

Nice and understanding guy. His lecture slides don't give much info so you need to go to class and keep up with the weekly readings in the textbook and other documents. Beware of pop quizzes and in-class assignments that may affect your participation. Just keep up and you'll be good. I got cs on both exams and a 68 on the final and passed w a b-.

Great professor and a good course. Come to class, do the work, and you'll be fine. I actually learned a lot in this class that related to my other classes which was cool.

Cool professor, good class. And I learned a lot about the MIddle East which is super relevant now. Strongly recommended.