2.9
Quality4.1
Difficulty56%
Would Retake104
Reviews56%
Would Retake
104
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
25
4
20
3
17
2
16
1
26
What Students Say
“Worst professor I have ever had”
HISTORY110 - 1.0 rating“His lectures are very important to pass the class”
HIS105 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
96%
Textbook Required
54%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.34 avg changeRatings by Course
HIST499
5.0
(1)HIS330
5.0
(1)HIST105
5.0
(1)HST352
5.0
(1)HIST202
4.3
(3)Difficulty by Course
HIS399
5.0
HIS
5.0
HIST
5.0
HISTORY110
5.0
HST260
5.0
Reviews (104)
Avoid like the plague
Very demanding. Come prepared.
He is an awesme teacher. He he just feared by so many, because he actually requires you to know something while you are in class.
No Comments
Ignore the malcontents. They were too lazy to do the work that Kiff requires. If you are into RADICAL no-holds-barred history (and are willing to work hard to learn it), Kiff is for you. If you want an easy "A," look elsewhere.
Very Informative, but Test are very hard, due to the lack of knowing what to study!!!
weird style of teaching. if you like an insulting professor who is never on the same subject for more than 5 seconds...take it. if not, find someone else
Dr. Kiffmeyer is one of the best professors at MSU. He definiteley doesn't make it easy on students and his classes are always hard, however you always learn so much. Class is always entertaining because you never know what he will do or say next.
Those students who don't like Kiff probably dislike him because they didn't do so well in his class. If you are willing to work hard and are anxious to learn a lot, then he is the professor for you. You either love him or hate him.
Have had him for HIS 202, 220, and 250. Enjoyed his classes.
No Comments
Dr. Kiffmeyer is one of the hardest teachers that I have ever had, but he definitely taught me more than most. Dr. Kiffmeyer has a deep desire to get people to open their eyes and see what really is going on in the world around them.
BOTH VULGAR AND OFFENSIVE! "KIFF" AS HE LIKES TO BE CALLED BOTH INSULTS STUDENTS' INTELLIGENCE AND ATTACKS THEIR OPINIONS!HE MAKES STUDENTS FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE AROUND HIM.
His test are hard as hell to pass
his tests are REALLY hard and it's true that he doesn't really stay on the same topic for a long time and he skips around a lot, but if you need help he's more than willing to help as much as he can!
HE SUCKS! HORRIBLE PROF. STAY AWAY FROM HIM. Unclear on assignments, grades too hard, and is quite unwelcoming to students who need help during his office hours!!!!
this professor is a **** !!! he needs to come out of his ****es stupor and learn to teach!!!!
A very ecentric and interesting man. However, you only have 3 or 4 things your entire grade will be based on! I worked my butt off just for a C
Although he is amusing, his assignments are unclear as well as his tests.I can't really say that I have learned anything.A little piece of advice...DO NOT SIT IN THE FRONT!..(he yells)
This guy is terrible. Didn't miss a class and was lost the whole semester. Failed the class. He is a total jerk and needs to quit.
"Although he is amusing, his assignments are unclear as well as his tests.I can't really say that I have learned anything." This is dead on. Just shot the breeze during lecture, but come test time you had to know the material he didn't cover. Fun to attend though.
I thought he covered almost everything in class that was on the test. I got an A in the class and did not study any more that I normaly would. At first he is kinda of scary, I think you need to have thick skin to take him. Speak your mind, even if he doesn't agree, he will respect you more.
Had to drop this class at half. Showed us slides of a beer company in cincinati, then tested us on history stuff. The only grade before midterm was a test that I failed. Took it again from Ernst and got an A. Yells profanity throughout the class. Is extremely random in his teaching. If you can read his chicken scratch on the board, you might pass?
The guy is crazy and he just can't teach. I don't think he even knows what he's talking about.
Listen to his stories and you'll pass
No Comments
Very ecentric which was cool but gave zero notes or slides so when test time came around you didn't know anything steer clear if you can of him Ernst or Hennen would be better
He is a very bad professor! He yells at students and hits their desk with a yardstick for no reason! He doesn't teach anything in class. All he talks about is the Beatles and makes you write a paper about John Lennon. His tests are extremely hard and you never know the content, because he never teaches anything! It's a really hard class!
I thought he was an excellent teacher, however if you don't know how to study and you don't know how to take notes without having them spoon fed then you shouldn't take him. He doesn't hold your hand because we aren't in high school anymore. He is eccentric, but it gives him an edge. He is very intelligent and knows his history. He is for people who come to college to learn. Not for those who never study party all the time and are dumbasses. Peace
This guy does not teach, he uses profanity every other word. He is horrible. I will never take him again. I will drive to Ashland and Mt. Sterling before I will take him again!
Do not take this teacher. His notes on the board are illegible, he has no point to what he says and he makes connections to things that are very farfetched. In the end, he just makes up a grade, so stay on his good side.
If you want to ruin your grade point average, take this class! He scribbles all over the board and curses like a sailor. Sometimes he just sits there and talks about nothing. His tests are awfull!
He is by far my favorite professor. I hated the class but he is awesome. He will tell you what he thinks when he wants to and he cusses a lot, a whole lot.
Awesome professor. He Can be kind of an **** sometimes, but you just have to brush it off.
interesting guy.....IMPOSSIBLE teacher. Test are the hardest you can imagine...does not stay on topic...BUT to give him credit he does make u think IN historical terms. I do understand american history better, but God help me to pass this class.
This is absolutely the worst professor that I have ever had. I told me advisor about him and she warns students now before taking his class. He cannot teach, he is rude, and the language that he chooses is insulting. DO NOT TAKE HIM!!!
He was very mean to me and made me cry in front of the class...
I was absent a total of 10 days and 5 were excused for a sport and he told me that I shouldn't even bother coming to class anymore..... He doesn't even take roll or pass around an attendance sheet. This dude is a egocentric teacher that doesn't care about students, just hearing himself talk!!
WOW. This guy is different. He isn't as bad as some are saying. If your a smart ass dont take this class unless you can shut up. He will keep you listening because he says cuss words every other breath. I got a C in the class because I got an F on the final. The test are hard because they are a lot of essay questions. If you a freshman drop it.
Quite a peculiar fellow. Loves to cuss. Class never follows syllabus. Very funny with humorous stories but the class is hard and difficult to follow. Dr. Kiffmeyer is very knowledgable over his material though, he mainly talks about politics and economics and leaves out wars and other interesting parts of history.
this guys is really interesting. first off..dont judge him based on his first few days. give this guy time and then make a judgement. his teaching style is unique, and REQUIRES u to make connections in history, this is NOT a cause and effect class.. this is an effect based on cause class. he examines the effect of history on everything
Kiff will rock your face off. Anyone who gave him a poor rating on here is probably just a lazy excuse of a human. Yeah, its hard and it causes you to think, but big freaking deal. He's the teacher you'll look back on and think 'Wow, I actually learned something new.' I think differently because of this guy. Take anything he offers.
I think this guy is one of the best professors on campus, you just need to be able to sit and listen to him and make the connections he talks about. Helpful hint for note taking in this class is to start with the main subject in the middle and write around in a circle
Horrid teacher. Picked apart students. Couldn't understand some of the things that he was saying. Told us his life story every class period. Didn't present the material in a positive light. Very hostile. B-I-A-S-E-D. Definitely not a class for quieter students.
Dr. K is one of the best professors I had at Morehead. He cares about his students and will do what he can to help them succeed. My wife and I both took classes of his reputation. He and his wife even came to our wedding in July 2006. This guy does care, and it's quite evident.
Dr. Kiffmeyer is an interesting person. Granted he yells a lot, gets excited, maybe says things sometimes that he shouldn't, but I learned a lot in the class. You have to study hard for the tests and you have to listen in class. Talk to him, let him know you are interested, and you will get a B. Most everyone I've talked to says the same thing.
Dr. Kiffmeyer is rude, offensive, and does not give a crap about his students. He curses every other word and rambles about irrelevent crap. If you don't care about learning or your grades, take this man! But if you go to MSU to learn, I would suggest taking Earnst.
Kiffmeyer terrified me at first, but then I began to appreciate his personality differently. He may act like a mean-cuss, but really he is a teddybear. His tests are kinda wierd; I suggest skimming the text and studying your notes hard core. I totally recommend Kiffmeyer as an interesting professor you wont soon forget.
Great professor. Take him if you get the chance.
You either hate his class or love his class there isn't much room for an in between. The thing about Kiffmeyer is that he wants you to think about things. If you come to class and listen then you can do pretty well in his class just remember to take notes and don't fret! He seems a little crazy at first but just give him a chance.
If you pay attention in class and read the chapters the class isnt that bad. He has an extreme way of teaching, but if you come in with a good attitude and listen you will learn more than you will ever realize
kiffmeyer is one of the worst educators I've ever seen. it's impossible to take notes because it's all ranting a chicken scratch on the board... he also uses the f-word ALOT. (take someone else)
Dr. Kiffmeyer is really a crazy werid guy but you definatly learn to think in his class. If you go to class and pay attention and PARTICIPATE you will be fine.
He is the worst teacher that I have ever had. He knows what he's talking about but has no idea of how to convey that to the student so that they will understand.
Dr Kiffmeyer is a very straight forward guy. He explains what he expects from his students. YOu better write more than his notes on the board, but more importantly he expects you to put the information given to you together. If you can do this you won't have a problem with his class. I have had him for a his gen ed, his 399, and 499.
Great teacher, lots of fun, great guy!!!
Dude's kinda hot and pretty punk rock (It's all about rebelling against The Man), and I think he's a good guy, but he does scream A LOT. It's loud and frustrating. He's hard to follow, unclear about what you need to know and will be tested on, and doesn't offer many opportunities for grades. Sadly, I didn't learn much.
It's really sad when your advisor is telling you to take the class online from a different college because none of her students can come out of the class with higher than a C. He is very hard to understand and it is hard to pass his tests unless you go meet with him, then the grade seems to go higher, very helpful when you come to his office though
I love history and was really looking forward to this class. Little did I know, Kiffmeyer is a horrible professor. He is hard to follow, wastes time talking about himself, and puts irrelevant questions on tests. I hate listening to him rant and curse like he's a bad ass. I can't believe I paid for such a useless class. DO NOT TAKE HIM!
OMG!!! I hated this class with a passion and I love history. He does nothing but yell O god O god....He requires a lot from the students and gives out no help, nothing is ever made clear in class. He makes fun of students and degrades them in class in their face if they ask questions, a complete idiot and jerk!
This man is impossible to understand! All he talks about is "The man" and yells "Oh god." He never stays on one subject for over three minutesand his test are crazy. The only way you can pass this class is if you already know the material he is teaching, and you have to know it from his point of view because yours isnt correct, or if you suck up.
Tough Class, but he knows his stuff. The tests are hard but class is fun to go to when he is teaching.
Prof. Kiffmeyer is a very hard teacher and some of his political views are ridiculous, but you can tell that he knows his subject and he tries his hardest to get you interested in the subject and teach it to you. Yes, he is very difficult, his class is not a list of facts and that you memorize. It is much more in depth and more intellectual.
Dr. K is the man. Just don't be a bump on a log and discuss with him in class and you'll have no trouble! If you are the quiet type you'll have trouble.
This was a tough class, but Dr. Kiffmeyer is completely willing to help anyone who needs it. He's also really good at engaging the entire class and his lectures are really interesting. The key is to come to class EVERY time, take good notes, and study. I would take him again.
Take this course. He makes you think for yourself. Pushes students to have their own informed opinions, invokes thought, and requires that you interact. I expect no less at the university level. Great prof, great courses.
He's hilarious! He's very liberal but he seems to not be very politically correct. He isn't afraid to say what's on his mind. As long as you follow what he says and take notes you'll be fine! But take notes on everything! He does make you think for yourself but you remember it better that way! Keep in the convo too, you'll get points!
Makes a 100 level course feel like a 300 level. No book or use of blackboard. You can only take notes of his cruddy power points in class and he isn't afraid to cuss you out if you make him mad. REGRET TAKING HIM.
I absolutely hated his class! He is possibly one of the worst professors at Morehead State! He refuses to use blackboard! He will not post any grades! All he uses is powerpoints; that don't even make sense! You have to look up everything yourself in order to understand what is going on! I regret taking this professor and class with a passion!
This professor loves to go off on tangents that don't make any sense whatsoever. You can't even tell which country he is rambling about, and then gives a 20pt essay question on these tangents. His curriculum is all over the place, uses no text book,and flies through powerpoints so you can't even take notes. The class makes no sense.
This class was a fun class but I learned more about Kiffmeyer's personal life than I did about History. He expects you to know more than he does when you enter the classroom and gets very annoyed if you don't answer questions about events that have never been discussed in the class.
One of the best at MSU. If you don't like his class you're either uptight, unwilling to be made uncomfortable in your own views of history, or just someone who is mentally weak. This is a great guy for any history buff, but maybe to intense for a novice.
I would encourage anyone to take Kiffmeyer if you want to actually learn material that will be helpful to you in the future. He expects you to work hard and be there, which is reasonable considering you're paying to learn. Wonderful professor--passionate about what he does, stick it out and you won't regret it!
He is a little crazy but he knows what he is talking about.
When I first started his class I absolutely hated him. He's off the wall, he yells ALOT, and tries to act like a jerk. After the first test he was a completely different teacher. He tried to scare off the people that thought his class would be an easy grade. He really is super nice! He's now my favorite professor.
it's an interesting class!
Worst professor I have ever had. I would not recommend him to anyone but the firing committee. He talks more about his awful life and what he used to do back in the day than what actually about happened in history. He made up this whole class, which in turn means he made up the facts he told us. Simply, he sucks at his job.
His class was one of the toughest I have taken at MSU. Sometimes I learned quite a bit during his lectures, but sometimes his lectures would be confusing or he would go through material too fast. A few times, he spent almost the whole class time talking abt his personal life. Overall, his class was tough and I had to study a lot to get a good grade
Kiffmeyer is the man. The class is tough for people who don't participate. If you're proactive and talk to him, he's the coolest guy you could meet. We've been good friends since this class my freshman year. No textbook.
SPEAK UP! Kiffmeyer doesn't want to come into a class that has no idea what is going on. You won't use your textbooks heavily, however, if you have no idea what happened, read your book.
His lectures are very important to pass the class. The exams are usually based on his lectures. The textbook wasn't used very frequently and there weren't many assignments. He does talk about his personal life a lot, and he also can be very rude.
He is hands down one of the smartest professors I have observed. He does not use PowerPoint and has all the information stored in his mind.
You wont pass this professor if you dont show up and listen to his lectures and take notes. He wants you to participate. Hes very smart and at times a smart overall I had a lot worse at MSU.
He's very intelligent. He knows what he talks about and talks with a passion. Now, many times he will come off as rude. I had the WORSE anxiety being in that class. I felt stupid and did not feel welcome to ask for help. We had one assignment and the rest were tests. Don't buy the book, rent it. He won't use it in class.
One of the best classes ive ever taken, loved it and learned a ton. Take him if you get the chance.
His class is challenging because he is very lecture focused. His lectures often don't have anything to do with what's on the text. His lectures would be about his own thing, while the tests were based off of the book. I didn't know what chapter we were on. I would meet twice a week with his to go over his lectures to keep up my grade. Very intense.
You will not learn anything from him. Those who enjoy him are just pushovers
These aren't lectures so much as seminars. You need to be involved to learn in his class, he wants you to connect the dots. Despite the transition to online being hard for him, the class was still amazing. The exams are obvious, he won't try to trick you!! I genuinely enjoy his class and look forward to them. He's funny and a great professor.
So, this professor claims to care and want to help but will NEVER email you back. His exams are super difficult and his lectures are disorganized. He also yells, a lot. He expects you to know the content and explain his point word for word. If you stop paying attention for one second he docks your grade. He will blame the class for bad exam scores.
Very nice, youll do good as long as you try
I mean trust me, he knows what he is talking about in the classroom. He has personal experience of most of the things he talks about as well. The only problem is, we had only 1 grade in our grade book, with 2 weeks remaining in the semester. It is very stressful, as he does not check his email very often either.
Prof. Kiffmeyer is one of the smartest men I have ever met. He's an incredible lecturer and you will learn a lot in class. I found the workload light, but still stressful, especially when it came to exams. Study hard and you will recieve a bounty of knowledge from his classes. He can be abrasive at times but deep down he's an a good guy.
Kiffmeyer's class was the hardest i have ever taken, but i have learned the most in this class than I have any other. He's a wonderful person. If you need help, make sure to reach out. Meetings are very beneficial. Make sure you pay attention and take detailed notes because thats the only thing you have to study from. You have to study a lot.
I think most people like Kiffmeyer. He's nice and pretty funny at some points, but you have to go to class. For some reason he makes the first test out of three as hard as possible, the rest are okay. he has you write 3 papers that he won't grade so yeah. Also, don't try to go to the bathroom in class cause for some reason he hates that
Took Kiffmeyers class a few years ago, he was the best professor Ive ever had. Great professor, better guy, the man knows his music and does a great job engaging the entire classroom. If I was a history major Id take every class he teaches.
This professors class is entirely lecture-based. There is no powerpoint or notes to accompany his lectures. He does not use blackboard or email. There is a textbook that goes with the course but he doesnt reference it. We only got three exams the entire semester, including the final. This professor is incredibly condescending and arrogant.
Kiffmeyer is a lecture-heavy professor during a time where being that is simply impossible (COVID Restrictions). Not only did he not care, but he only put out few grades, all of them being 100 point tests with no room to gain points back. Dont take any class with Kiffmeyer if you get stressed from tests, because all he does is tests for grades.
Kiffmeier is a great man, but the way he teaches history makes it difficult to understand. There are no homework assignments or padding elements to his grade, so the exams are what make up the entirety of your grade, and they are difficult to understand because the wording can be wacky. He's a funny guy, but you won't pass if you don't come.
Kiffmeyer, hands down, is one of the most insane professors I've ever had. His lectures are based off of his personal opinions, rather than the objective facts of history. He is not clear, so you have barely any notes for exams. He also does not grade the majority of assignments he makes you do. If you want to be entertained and confused, take him.
Kiffmeyer is one of those people you have to know, to understand where he is coming from. His classes are lecture heavy, but if you show you are trying, he will get that; he let us choose the final! He is a loose cannon, but overall, I enjoyed my class. He cares about the history and you. I really enjoy just talking to him. Would recommend!
He is all lectures. If you do not show up you will not pass!! He will fail you if you miss more than 7 classes, but all of the tests are based on what he says in class with very little to do with the textbook. He's an interesting dude, but do not recommend if you just need a general ed credit. I enjoyed the content of the course overall.
you either love or hate this class. it truly depends on who u take it with. I recommend this class if you do not like weekly assignments. As long as you showed up to class and listened, you could do well on the tests.
My goodness, I don't mean this with any once of sarcasm when I say this, but Thomas Kiffmeyer has been the worst professor I've ever had the displeasure of taking a class with. RARELY has he talked about what the class is about, he always spewed about how much he hated his job, yelled at us, and was apparently openly racist. Never again.
He provided the material for readings. We'd get it Sunday and would have until Wednesday to read it. Participation matters. TAKE NOTES. He's harsher in the beginning to 'weed people out'. He's not for everyone, but I enjoyed it and learned a lot from him.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
96%
Textbook Required
54%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.34 avg changeRatings by Course
HIST499
5.0
(1)HIS330
5.0
(1)HIST105
5.0
(1)HST352
5.0
(1)HIST202
4.3
(3)Difficulty by Course
HIS399
5.0
HIS
5.0
HIST
5.0
HISTORY110
5.0
HST260
5.0