Barbara Diefendorf - Boston University, Boston, MA

Professor: Barbara Diefendorf

Department: History

College: Boston University, Boston, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HI266
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Absolutely wonderful teacher. Best at BU thus far. Clear concise, rewards effort and hard work.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HI266
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

The French Revolution class is great. Three 6-8 page papers based off of lectures and primary sources and three multiple choice mini-tests. Her lectures are engaging and organized. She is super knowledgable and helps you if you need it. Take this class!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HI333
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I really enjoyed this French Revolution and Napoleon class. She's very helpful, and willing to spend the extra time on a subject if you want it. She like participation, but it's definitely not necessary. There is a midterm, which is part take home essay, part multiple choice, a paper, and a final similar to the midterm. Good class

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HI216
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Don't know what people are talking about. If you show a mild interest in the subject (participate, ask questions) and take good notes, you'll be fine. I did all my essays last minute, studied for the midterm last minute for two hours and I did great. Just be a good writer and write down w/e she says on the topic in class. Get her to like you!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HI216
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

She seems like a nice elderly woman, but don't be fooled. She can crack the labor whip just like the rest of 'em. If you stress out on midterms, you will freak out on hers unless you pay attention in class. Homework is RIDICULOUS. Class lectures are interesting but sometimes she can drone on. Be careful on the paper topics!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HIST311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Oh my goodness. Her teaching skills are terrible, the class is the worst I've ever taken. DON'T TAKE IT UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED TO WORK!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HI311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This was the most boring class I have ever taken and Diefendorf is as dull as the material she attempts to teach. I literally wanted to sleep through every lecture she gave. She went the first month of the semester with just lecture and then told us she was upset no one was talking in class. Avoid her like the plague, which she knows all about.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HI333
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

The material was kind of overwhelming at first. She gets into A LOT of details. She's a hard grader too, at least on the first exam and paper and then she gives a little slack (or maybe the topic was just easier). Regardless, you come out of this class having learned a lot and appreciating her even more.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HI311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Literally thought I was gonna fail this class and although I constantly went for help, she seemed disinterested and kinda looked down on me. Expects you to read pages and pages..Lectures are boring and she's a hard essay grader. Don't take this class

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HI333
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

She truely is an amazing woman, very smart and articulate. However, she can sometimes speak over your head and sound like a textbook. Fair grader and extremely knowledgeable. The class was extremely interesting. I would recommend it to anyone interested in European History.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HIST333
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Though I had the worse experience in office hours, her lectures are ok. SHe is a hard grader! Not a good class to take!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HI333
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great professor, one of the best I've had at BU. Lectures are great if you're interested in the topic, very well-prepared and informative. It's amazing how much you learn in this class. Reading is interesting and relevant, and not too much of it at all. Very fair grader. Overall a high quality experience both times i've had her.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HI333
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Excellent professor, but she demands a lot of her students (which is to be expected I mean it is college). Well-prepared lectures make for interesting lectures. Fair tester and grader. Very knowledgeable. Not the kindest person in the world, but because she is fair and her lectures are interesting, no need to worry.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: WOMENGENDER
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HI216
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Anyone complaining about the reading load should go back to high school. Readings were not bad at all, especially for a HISTORY class. Fairly easy exams, nice professor, good discussions in class. Not very accessible during office hours but very knowledgable.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HI216
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

The worst professor I've had at BU. She makes it impossible to be interested in the subject. She takes little interest in actually helping students. NOT recommended.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HI204
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HI204
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

She's really smart but a horrible teacher. I agree with the person who wrote that they'd rather bang their head against the wall instead of attending lecture. She made an interesting topic extremely dull.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HI333
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Most organized lectures from any professor I have taken. There is a lot of reading but she goes over a lot of it during class. Very helpful during office hours. Great class!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: HI216
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

FAR too much reading- you'll probably never remember it before the test and have to re-read it. she gives you essay questions for the exams ahead of time- prepare w/friends, it's hard to do poorly.she's an easy grader on papers if you write well, assumes all exams are a B. assume a B or B+ overall