Extraordinarily difficult class if you are not interested in the aubject or if you have very little historical background. Tremendously intelligent teacher and a phenomenal class if you are interested in the Mid East and willing to study.

Awesome professor! Very smart and gets you interested in the subjuct, I learned a lot!

Professor Matthews is extremely intelligent. It is almost impossible to write down everything he says, but it is refreshing to be challenged by such intellect!

very nice and very helpful, passionate and knowledgeable of the subject

While the areas covered can sometimes be hard to follow, Matthews is a pretty good lecturer. He requires high standards on tests, but isn't that how it should be? Don't think you can easily skate through without reading because it's nearly impossibl

Rather difficult for a Gen Ed class. He expects a lot and unless you have a large history background, or keep up on current events, it's easy to fall behind and lose yourself. Very passionate about his work but distant when talking to him at times.

He is very excited about the course and is very smart but, his tests aren't easy he will make u study 40 words and put 9 on the test. He also gives random quizzes so if u miss a week ur screwed and i wouldnt recommend the class but he is a nice guy!

Very helpful and very knowledgable. You learn a lot from his class. Doesn't leave any student behind. If you do all the work it is not hard to get an A.

He's nice & willing to help. He's very passionate about what he teaches. Go to EVERY class or else you will fall far behind. He takes attendance everyday too & he gives pop quizzes, which are not allowed to be made up. Study & attend class- you'll do good

He is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the subject. He is very willing to help and further clarify things. His tests are easy, as long as you prepare for them and have good notes. Very nice guy and good professor.

he loves to lecture, his class isn't easy, but you can get a good grade with a little effort. good teacher boring class

If you are looking for a blow off class this isnt the one. He is a very knowledgeable professor, and the work load is not anything usual for an IS class, I have taken 3. Take notes and there wont be problems. He even gives you open note open book quizes, and study guides. What more can you want???

While tough, he kept the class interesting and fun.

Great professor. Very well organized and knowledgable. Was will to hold study sessions with groups of students on his own time. With some hard work you can do well in his class.

he knows a lot and he's a great teacher. i wasn't interested in the middle east at all until i took his class. the tests aren't bad as long as you study.

Was an amazing teacher who had alot of knowledge about the middle East and its history. Thought it would be such a boring class and ended up learning more than in any other class. Gotta work at the calss but is well worth it. Anyone who didn't like him didn't bother to try, but was a gret teacher and would always answer any questions you had

Pretty good professor. He held study sessions and gave hints on a few things that would be on the tests. The map test at the begining is kinda hard/dumb, but everything else isn't bad at all. I read everything before class and got a 3.6. His accent is wierd, and it made me want to laugh sometimes, like when he says Turkey.

he is a nice guy... tests are EZ.... a week before the test he will give you a list of 20-25 topics and the test is short answer.. he picks 8 topics u pick the 6 u want to define. also gives you the essay qu for the test. go to class and study for all 3 tests and u will do fine. GREAT PROF.

Great Professor, give you an EXACT outline that you follow. If you dont show up to class regularly and only on tests he will embarrass you so show up to class. I have taken him for both IS and HST and the classes are great even though I cant say that I care about any of the reading.

One of the best professors ever, He always told what topics would be on written essays and exams. The only way to fail/do poorly is not to pay attension or be in class on time.

I had him for both IS and HST, and he's great. His classes are not for those looking for an easy grade, but if you actually show up and listen you'll do fine. He'll answer any questions you have and is always willing to help. He definitley knows what he's talking about and wants others to understand it too.

Great class; great teacher. I never found his lectures boring. He grades fairly and is very helpful if you have any questions. Not an easy class but if you do the reading and attend regularly, you can do well.

I had no interest in this class, but got stuck taking it, but i am glad i did. He gave us an outline of exactly what we needed and wrote four papers instead of tests, and he went out of his way to explain exactly what he wanted on them. You could also turn them in early for his to proof read. Not an easy course, but i learned a lot.Kind of cute t

Very pro-student! A GREAT class for those who need an easy gen ed amidst more challenging classes. You MUST go to class, he takes role every day and when you go to class, you don't have to read as much cuz you will get everything you need from lecture. Exams, oh so easy; he gives you terms to choose from, you write as much as you can about them.

Good organization, nice to work with. Very flexible regarding testing, he even reworked paper due dates to accomidate students with other class demands. Very detailed - note taking is an essential skill here, and he will use all of class. If you put forth the effort you will get something out of this class.

IIf u pay attention and attend on a regular basis then ur fine!!! Exams must admit easy --- gave u all the questions ahead of time and u only had 2 write about one of the questions

Good professor, very knowledgeable.

Not a very organized lecturer, but the outline will help. Lots of little unscheduled quizzes, so you have to come, but they're open note. The paper counts for a lot, so actually read that book (Shlaim). The other texts are useless. Come to class and study a little, you'll pass. Oh, and this guy loves participation.

Great professor, he really knows the middle east. Tough classes, and attendance is key. Tests are easy,and he grades fair. Somewhat droning lectures, but I would take him again.

One of the easiest history gen eds out there. If you can read and remember data this class will be very simple. Awesome teacher, a simple google search of his name will give you his creds. I never read the text book unless i was very unsure.

Very clear expectations; he gives you all the terms you will be responsible for in the syllabus. He provides outlines to his lectures prior to every class to make following him easier. I hate history classes but he made the best of what he could.

I would term this professor to be one of the best out there. He is not just there to give you a grade, and when you end the class, you feel like you have learned more than you could have learned from any other teacher. He is very clear about what he wants, and gives you the questions on the test beforehand. ONE OF THE BEST!

Weldon is an alright guy. Definitely not the easiest class I've taken, but definitely not the hardest. Showing up and taking notes is mandatory. However, you do leave knowing much more about the middle east.

Professor Matthews is a great professor and extremely helpful, but the class is extremely challenging. As you're writing a 20 page paper, you'll be tempted to B.S. here and there, but beware as he possesses an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the subject. He doesn't mind helping you out however, with both researching and writing your paper.

Knowledgeable and intelligent. Communicated difficult course material clearly. Encouraged student discussion. Readily available for questions and concerns.

Prof Matthews is extremely knowledgeable about his subject, clear in his lectures, helpful with questions, and fair with grades. Overall a great professor!

If you are a2ndary Hist. education major, I would NOT take this class. Extremely difficult. Ppl failed the class, or history educations majors that dont get3.0 here dont pass the class.I passed with2.2.Part of it my fault, but make sure you do the outlines100%how he wants it done,or it will affect your grade. Final worth70%of ur grade. Does help u.

He knew the subject very well, and was able to lecture about it for 3 hours straight with almost no visual aids. He would hand out an outline for every class and was okay about sticking to it. There was a few papers in the class and a few book reviews, and he seemed like an easier grader then others.

Great lecturer. He held my interest most of the time and provided outlines to follow along. There is a lot of reading, a written midterm, and final paper, but nothing too crazy. We learned a wealth of information about Iran and Iraq. I would recommend the class to anyone.

One of the best professors I've had at O.U. He's more knowledgeable than any text book. He is open to questions and does not make you feel stupid. He's also not one sided and let's the students make up their minds about the information. He held my interest for the full hour, and is extremely fair on grading. Test material is clear beforehand.

Very clear, well organized, fair, and interesting. He can give a whole lecture without notes or PowerPoint and keep the class interested. Take him!

Dr. Matthews is extremely knowledgeable especially in when it comes to the Middle East and foreign relations. Not the greatest lecturer or teacher I have had in the department. Also not an easy grader but if you work hard he will be fair and willing to help you. Don't take this course unless you have time for writing a 20 page paper

This class is very easy. I am pre-med and needed an easy elective to take with a tough semester and this was it! Weekly quizzes that come straight from his powerpoints, easy forum posts, easy exams, and one easy final paper. Would highly recommend this to anyone who needs an easy, writing intensive elective.

Professor Matthews is a very nice guy. His lectures are detailed and can be a bit boring. He is very knowledgable and wants to help you understand the world. He gives great feedback and will give you ideas for your papers when you email him. Only 4 papers, but not too bad. I would take him again.

You only need the book for the final, so try borrowing from someone for a week. Weekly (easy) multiple choice Qs, weekly forums, and 3 papers. Listen to his podcast if you wanna do well on his essay and don't forget to turn it in early because he gives feedback. All in all it was a tough class, but that's only cuz writing essays is not my thing.

3 tests; one 1500 word essay. Tests graded fair. Provides Test summary showing what will be on test and goes over summary. You have time for the essay, and he will review rough drafts. Attendance taken Very knowledgeable. Nice. PowerPoint lectures are organized well. Willing to help. Definitely glad I took a class with him. Will take him again

Dr. Matthews is a great professor. I took his World History class as a gen ed and I enjoyed it. Theres a lot of reading and a paper to write, but if you pay attention, do the reading, and take notes, youll do fine!

When I was going through a hard time he gave the whole class an extension on our paper. He's the most caring teacher I have had the pleasure to have and is clearly in love with his work. The class takes dedication but it is well worth it and you learn a lot.

An absolutely great professor. If you show up to class and put in the work you will be rewarded for it. (Note I also had him for 3510)

Professor Matthews is a wonderful teacher and extremely knowledgable about the Middle East. loved his class! If I would have taken his class earlier in my college career, I may have majored in history. I would highly recommend Dr. Matthews. He also has a great perspective since he lived there for several years and studied Arabic. Awesome class!

I love Professor Weldon! He is so passionate on the history of the Middle East. The class is revolved around easy quizzes directly from the powerpoints and 3 essays. The essays are a little challenging but you can send him preliminary drafts and he gives you feedback on what to fix!! Take him, you will love him!!!

Professor Matthews is a knowledgeable person. I was afraid when I took HST 300 with him we may have gotten on the wrong foot. However, I also later took him for World History and saw a lot more of his personality. Matthews is a very caring professor and wants everyone to succeed. It may not seem like it at first, but he does care. He is hard tho.

He is very knowledgeable. I was intimidated by the amount of work in his class at first, but as long as you do the work you will do great. Send him drafts and he will give amazing feedback and once you correct everything, you will do very well. He sometimes gets behind the syllabus but always responsive to emails.

I really enjoyed his lectures and feel I learned a lot. There were weekly discussion posts and 4 papers, two being book analysis. He is a tough grader but will give you feedback before you turn in your paper if you send it to him.

Essays serve as exams for this course, with only 3 for the whole semester. The lessons are concise and only give information that you need to know. And if you need an extension on assignments or essays, he will most likely give them to you if you just ask. Always knows what he's talking about. Great professor.

Professor Matthews is amazing! He has compassion for his students and is always available to offer help in any way he can. He gives great feedback when grading and is very knowledgeable about any topic presented in class. His class involves a lot of reading and lectures, but it's worth taking the time. Just communicate with him and you'll do great!

Professor Matthews knows a ton about history and shares all the information he can with his classes. Tests were not very difficult and the assigned essay was not long at all. He cares about his students and is extremely kind. If you need a history class take his, you will not be overly stressed and will sincerely learn a lot.

Professor Matthews is a very good professor. He is passionate about his work and is always willing to help. The class consists of multiple papers, peer reviews, and final papers. I really liked his class set up but there is a lot of reading.

Professor Matthews is awesome! Super knowledgeable and responsive. The papers were difficult but really helped me learn. Attending his office hours for the papers is super helpful. Has weekly documentaries that are also very helpful. Reasonable grader as well. Highly recommend, I learned so much in his class.

was asynchronous class but he seems like a very good guy. He's a very good grader. His instructions are very clear. Workload isn't heavy. All our papers were 1500 word minimum but this isn't crazy as its a writing intensive course. As long as you mention his required concepts in the essay and bring all ideas together, you will be fine. Take him