2.5
Quality4.2
Difficulty38%
Would Retake88
Reviews38%
Would Retake
88
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
20
4
9
3
11
2
14
1
34
What Students Say
“Ridiculous amount of work for a 100 level class”
HIST101 - 2.0 rating“Thinks this is the only class we are taking”
HIST102 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
78%
Textbook Required
60%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.38 avg changeRatings by Course
HIST101496
5.0
(1)HIST332
5.0
(1)WCIV102
3.8
(4)HIST101102
3.4
(5)HIST102
3.2
(22)Difficulty by Course
HIST100
5.0
WC101
5.0
HIST350
5.0
HIST102
4.4
WC102
4.3
Reviews (88)
I think he is a great guy and wonderful professor. He tries hard to get class interaction and generate motivation and interest in the subject with the students, instead of just paroting the material in the textbook. Friendly and willing to go beyond in helping his students!
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Patarino is a really hard teacher. Lots and lots of reading. Very very picky, meticulous about what he wants. Not your typical dates, events memorize it and ace the test. Mandatory to go to class and do the reading!!!
In addition to the textbook, Patarino will require you to read about 10 pounds of handouts. Then, when answering questions on tests, you have to remember what handout you read each piece of information. He also confusingly jumps back and forth between lectures, and basically limits his western civilization 102 class to a history of France.
I dropped out of his class 10 min. after the first class becuase I could not stand him or the way he said he ran his class. I wouldn't take him...
Vince is a very helpful teacher, and he presents his ideas very well. he is always available to his students, and he wants you to do well. you do have to read, but not anymore than any other class. great teacher
extremely intelligent, really unfair, bad professor, F+
Mr. Patarino is the worst professor I have ever had. He is very rude, obnoxious as can be and says the word "essentially" way too often! I could not stand him at all.
He fails people who give a good effort, but are not necessarily intelligent. He is intolerant of any other interpretation of history other than his own. Has a lisp and a nasal voice that can grind on nerves.
His unspoken standards for his test are killer! You write, to the best of your knowledge, the right answer, but it's never good enough. He is an interesting teacher, but he's hard
Patarino is an insanely difficult professor who teaches you a version of history dreamed up by burnt out Boulder hippies. He allows no wiggle room in interpretation. As a veteran, I think he could be a lot more proud of his country. As a history major, I'm transfering rather than taking him for any more classes.
Patarino is a awful professor. he is unclear in his lectures,he gives out so much reading you can't keep up with it,very picky about everything. you are expected to already know the dates of everything you read in class before reading it, and he bad mouths america in class. i will never take from him again! ever!
Patarino is the worst professor in history on Mesa State perhaps the worst in any subject. The amount of reading required in his classes is equal to four classes. He has grading standards for papers that you only learn after giving a bad grade on a paper that his tutors may even tell you is well put together. Never ever take him for any subject!
This man should not be teaching... He is one of the worst instructors i have ever seen. In class he babels incessantly and tries in no way at all to involve the class. The reading isn't too bad until you have to reproduce it perfectly from memory in class with no room for personal interpretation. Beware, his class is a thought-free zone...
HATED THAT CLASS
Definitely a hard class, but I learned more than just history in this class. Learning to read and think critically is beneficial in any major!
he is knowledgeable of the material so he knows what he is talking about, but he made the class almost unbearable. he practically drained the happiness out of the days i had his class. it's like he doesn't care about student success
Dont understand all the negative comments, I made an A in his class and i am not even a good writer, show up every day, participate in discussion, and write a couple of decent papers and you will be fine.
He gives hard work but his teaching style is awesome!!!
Brilliant professor, Lacks focus & organization. Provides to much information for the 6 question quizzes. Teaching style is scattered, very difficult to absorb what he is trying to teach. Nice fella though.
God awful class. Confusing. The syllabus is useless, he doesn't even know where we are on it. 10% of my class was passing before I dropped to save myself the poor GPA. Seek knowledge elsewhere.
Read all these warnings before I took the class and doubted them. Big Mistake. Made it through w/great BSing skills, not worth it. Shut me down hard for asking him to repeat a question and sent an email asking if i was getting the material. - No I have hearing problems. Thanks for asking though.
He's probably the toughest professor I had a CMU. He is intelligent and the class is interesting, but he doesn't do a very good job of explaining what he expects from you.
you have to do the work and study but its really not that hard to pass if you try
This Professor does not like to teach freshman level classes at all. I have taken his upper division classes and he is a whole different beast. Avoid his 100 level classes he will make you miserable.
Unless you are majoring in western civilizations, and looking for a severe ego hit, take this class. Otherwise I highly reccomend a professor who wants to see their students be successful.
Dr. Patarino is a very hard, but knowledgeable professor. He requires students to actively and critically think about the subjects he teaches and does want students to succeed. While he does have an ego, and some students may complain about his standards, they are what one should expect at a college level institution such as this one.
Easily one of the hardest professors I've ever had. He seems like a very nice guy, but the workload he gives is ridiculous. He claims it's standard for every college class to have that much work but on top of my other classes and work it's too much. Also, when asked a question he acts as if you should already know the answer. Avoid if possible.
This class is WAY too hard for a 100 level freshmen class. You learn a lot, but you spend more time studying for this than most classes.
Ridiculous amount of work for a 100 level class. The guy spends way too much class time on borderline inappropriate ramblings from his personal life, but he'll put you down for asking a question about history like you should know everything before you even take the class. It's one of those courses where you check your watch a lot but it never ends
Excellent Professor, always available outside class to dicuss assignments, his expectations, and thoughts on the topic in general. Whoever expected six hundred years of history crammed into three weeks to be easy? Conveys his passion, you'll like him if you are interested in the material and read. Avoid or CLEP if lazy.
Brilliant professor. Tough course! He gives you a ton of information that you have to analyze and think about. If you bother to talk to him about an assignment, he'll give you a better grade just for showing that you were trying to think (even if it don't work.)
He makes you work for your grade but he is a great professor! He makes history interesting and even though he is a tough grade he makes the class do able with great extra credit opportunities.
He is a tough grader, but he knows his stuff!
Not a fan of his time management. The semester started REALLY slow (I'm not complaining); however, the end of the semester is CRAMMED with work! The last four weeks of class consist of a "midterm" (essay), Columbus trial (20% of your grade. Group work), and a 6-8 page paper about Columbus. I would not recommend him. A lot of work for a 100 class.
Patarino is a great teacher. History was my least favorite subject, and still is, but he made the subject very interesting for me and I actually enjoyed going to this class. I am not very good at history, but ended up getting an A in the class. Most of your grade is 3 papers, but if you work hard on them, you can get a good grade!!!
History has never been a strong suit of mine, but I still did good in this class and ended with an A. A lot of your homework is reading the textbook and doing the online work that goes along with it. There's two quizzes, two midterms, and your final is a paper. If you put effort into this class you will do well.
Very knowledgeable, especially with early European history. Does not manage time very well and the class often falls way behind schedule. Readings were boring, but if you skimmed through them you had a decent chance of passing. Papers are the midterm and final.
What most people misunderstand about him is that he's actually determined to make you a better student. He doesn't just grade on correctness, he grades on improvement. If you fail one of the midterms and get a B on the next, he throws out the failed midterm. Patarino is a cool guy, but I think mainly history majors should take his classes.
I took him for Western Civ. He has a good personality and teaches the material well, but if you don't take notes in class and read the textbook, you won't do well. As long as you make an effort you should be fine though.
Dr. Patarino is a great professor. He is very intelligent and certainly knows what he is teaching. I would advise keeping up with the readings and attending class and you should be able to do well. Also, be sure not to ask trivial questions that are not pertinent to the material and bother him while he lectures. Overall, great guy.
Worst class I've taken with him so far. As an intro course for history majors/minors we learned nothing but the inner and core meaning of history. Don't ask me to write a paper, I don't know. Handed us four assignments due all at once in the middle of the semester and is completely biased. I'm surprised and disappointed.
Tough teacher, acts like everyone that takes his class is majoring in history.
He assigns quite a few papers and he is a tough grader. You can pass, but be ready for a lot of homework.
Dr. Patarino is a nice person but a horrible teacher. I have always loved history but after taking his class I'm considering changing my major. He's a very tough grader that expects a lot from his students and his lecture are very dense and hard to follow. When having to choose between taking him again or an 8am with another prof, I chose the 8am.
There were many papers given, as well as very harsh grades given. Papers are due in a week and aren't given back for months. I wouldn't recommend this professor at all. His lectures are boring and he goes on tangents about nonsense half of the lectures. He acts as if this is the most important class that matters, no matter the matter the major.
I will never take Dr. Patarino again. If he doesn't like your question, he will respond in a very rude and disrespectful manner. He blows through the material expecting students to know as much history as him. Thinks this is the only class we are taking.
J term history is where it's at! I'm still impressed with the detailed info we went over in such a short amount of time. He really tried to keep it interesting even when everyone, including him, were dead tired. Great guy, great class!
I loved Dr. Patarino! He grades based on improvement, so if you didn't do so hot on a paper or exam but the next one you turn in is simply better than the last you're golden! He is a genuinely nice guy and wants you to do well. You just can't be lazy. It's not that much to ask from people preparing for full time careers!
This is a great Prof that cares about his students and his subject. He is NOT a strict grader, he grades on improvement! He gives you outlines of his lectures that I suggest bringing on your computer or printing them out before class because they are insanely helpful!
He is a very tough grader. The final project I got a 90% on, he emailed me after the course and wanted to put my project in the student showcase because it "stood out", so I guess stand out work in his class will still only get you an A-. It was my hardest class and it was only a 200 level, I was also in 300 level classes at the time.
I know a lot of people aren't a fan of Patarino, but I love him. He is super knowledgeable and incredibly helpful and approachable, if you start off on the right foot. Take good notes, don't miss class, stay on top of your reading and just TALK to him if you're falling behind. You'll do fine.
He is kind of a pain, and very stubborn, I did learn a lot, but he is not my favorite person. His grading is rough, and you have to bend over backwards to get the grade.
very heavy test grader. Didn't let us choose our groups for the final and now i'm stuck in a group with people who don't care
Many people say he's a difficult professor, but it's simply because he challenges you. I've taken another course with him and it's exactly the same. It can be a tough semester with him, but he does work hard to teach you. Don't expect to just give no effort. He's a great professor and I've learned so much from him.
I had to take a history class for my gen eds. This class ended up being more work and writing that several 200-300 level courses.
We have had two quizzes so far and for each quiz about 75% of the class doesnt pass and he continues to use the same teaching and lecturing methods instead of catering it to those who fail. It is not the students, it is his teaching and lecture style. He sends more people per class to the touring center than the whole history department combined.
Patarino is a tough one but he really cares. He just wants you to care as much as he does. I'm a business major but love history and the J-Term course was super informational. You really have to read the textbooks and take good notes on it. He gives good feedback on papers and really take it into consideration. Overall good professor!!!
Patarino is an awful professor. He grades very specifically but will not tell you what he wants. If its not specific to what he wants exactly, then you can kiss your grade goodbye. He is also extremely rude, dont bother asking him questions. Your only answers will be Its in the syllabus or I already talked about this. Do NOT take his class.
Dr. Patarino is the best professor on this campus. He's clearly passionate about his work and his field of study and single handedly convinced me to change my major! The negative reviews seem to be from people who didn't read the syllabus because almost everything they complain about is literally just on the syllabus.
This is a history lecture class, and don't get me wrong, probably was the hardest class I have ever taken. The professor is tough, but thorough. You have papers and tests and that is your total grade. I totally bombed the first test, and that was a wake up call that resulted in me pushing myself and ending with an A. Hard - not impossible.
If you put in effort, to do your reading and assignments, you will get more out of it than if you had not. Patarino will answer your questions if they are valued, ie, not covered in the syllabus, and yes he can be difficult to understand sometimes but if you go and talk with him after class or during office hours, he will 9/10 Answer you clearly.
I loved having Dr. Patarino as a professor. I haven't felt this challenged in a class before. He's a hard grader which just makes it SO much more worth it when you receive a good grade. You just have to try -read the lectures, take notes, and process the feedback provided. Also, do not be afraid to reach out to him for help; he is happy to help
I have always disliked history but have found that the teacher is the one who can make or break a history class. Patarino is monotone and just lectures all the time. I never felt engaged in the content or as if I were learning anything. There are a lot of essays in his class especially towards the end.
I do not like him at all. He is the hardest grader I have ever had in my years of schooling, and even would insult my intelligence on feedback. He is such a tough grader and gives you little to go off of. Most of the time I wondered around confused and lost. And if the essays are not done to his idea of perfection, you fail. Choose someone else.
In many of his assignments, he is very unclear about what is needed to be done and grades you hardly on that one specific part that he did not clarify. He requires you to do a lot of reading and a bunch of lectures every week. He is by far the toughest grader and most confusing professor I have had.
Patarino was one of the most difficult professors I've ever had to take. His lectures are very hard to follow, and he grades so harshly. Your grade is based upon 4 papers, a book report, and a group project.
Personally, I love Dr. Patarino. I understand why people do not enjoy him, his classes are VERY difficult. He mostly grades on improvement so if you are truly trying and communicating with him, he is willing to work with you. If you do not like being held accountable, maybe don't take him, but if you want a challenge, take his course.
Patarino's a very smug man who will rant for an hour about bias and why historians must never show bias, and then turn around and start ranting about republicans. And the class is packed full of smug rich kids, the type who'd terrorize the poor for fun in High School and are now becoming lawyers to do the same as adults. Do something else.
a mean guy in general
Gives everyone the same grade on most assignments. Often drifts off topic and talks about star wars or the color yellow hurting his head. He is very understanding and willing you work with you and give you extra time if needed.
Where do I begin? This professor claims to his students that it is very clear what he wants but that is the complete opposite! If you don't attend lectures for one day, you are going to miss vital information needed with no way to get it online. When there could be time to discuss questions, he finds a way to belittle the kids who don't understand.
His class is difficult for sure. There are lots of lectures and reading, and hes a tough grader. His grading was one of the first that actually made me feel I needed to do better, and I appreciate that. Hes also very understanding and willing to work with you. He grades on improvement, he wants you to learn. Difficult class, but worth it.
Class was hard, and a bit confusing online for what he expects from papers. By the 3rd (final) essay I finally understood what he expected, and was able to get a B. Thought I was gonna get a C in the class, but goes back and updates past paper grades higher if you do better on later papers, so ended up getting a B in the end.
More degrading than anything. Always has something bad to say if your opinion doesn't align with his. Made some comments to the class that I personally didn't like or agree with. He definitely thinks our lives revolve around his class. He can be nice at times and crack jokes, but that's a rare sighting. Don't recommend taking this class with him.
The subject shouldn't be hard, but he made it difficult
He was very mean! You cannot ask him a question without him being rude and belittling you. You ask him for clarification, think you understand, then when you get your grade he completely flips on you. DO NOT TAKE ANY OF HIS CLASSES!!!
Good luck trying to take this class. It was by far the hardest class I had this year. Very degrading, very difficult, and he was not very helpful. He gives back feedback that belittles and makes students feel unworthy. If you are not perfect, this class will be hard.
Rude and makes hasty decisions. Most of the comments on the essays for his class were slightly rude, but helpful. He had more than ten lectures to watch a week. He also spoke very slow so it was hard to watch his videos. He knew the information well, but he doesn't have the best people skills.
very mean and rude
Pros: Passionate about his class/topics, helpful criticism, will answer with lots of info/background, very thorough, clear with what he wants on your work (but it is hard to achieve), funny Cons: HEAVY reading/lecture load, hard expectations, can seem harsh at times (do not take if easily offended and/or devoutly religious), hard to make up work
He is a very amazing educator. He doesnt understand that not everyone likes history and he grades very difficult. He can be very rude so ask questions when you think is the right time. I wouldnt take it again because he stressed me out but others may say different
terrible
the worst at CMU
Mr patarino has a very shiny bald head, try not to let the reflection distract you because it will. Those with epilepsy are at risk.
Tbh I was worried abt this as a j term class but it really wasn't that bad. It's a lot of reading and writing and the lectures are super long but if you just but the effort in you can get an A. He also gives extra credit for course evaluation which is super nice
its a canon event taking this prof cause he made a gen ed course the most atrocious course on earth, his grading is unnecessarily strict, hes condescending for zero reason with zero benefit, seems to get off on making life impossible, his grading was so butt our midterm got dropped for the final cause he failed everyone, please avoid
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
78%
Textbook Required
60%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.38 avg changeRatings by Course
HIST101496
5.0
(1)HIST332
5.0
(1)WCIV102
3.8
(4)HIST101102
3.4
(5)HIST102
3.2
(22)Difficulty by Course
HIST100
5.0
WC101
5.0
HIST350
5.0
HIST102
4.4
WC102
4.3