Charles Mathewes - University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

Professor: Charles Mathewes

Department: Religion

College: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: RELG2559
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Proff Matthews is really cool - he makes everything he talks about fascinating. I looked forward to taking his class, even when it was at 9:30 AM. He is entertaining to listen to, and also knows how to draw out good participation. He's a fairly tough grader, but fair. He just expects you to work hard. Liked him so much I took him for 4500 too!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: RELG2300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Best professor I've had so far! Lectures are very interesting. There is a lot of reading, but its really worth it. The class is not hard if you do the readings and go to lectures.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: RELG2300
• 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:

Hardest class I have taken so far. Worth it? Eh, maybe. Make sure you have taken a religion class before, are prepared to read A TON, and have time to go to office hours. Although Mathewes is a very engaging lecturer and the topics are interesting, the HUGE amount of work I put into the class did not merit the B I got.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: RELG2300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Mathewes is fun to listen to, although he does sometimes deliver lectures at a breakneck pace. He's very personable and makes the information interesting and relevant. There are pretty hefty course packets for both halves of the semester, but the readings are thought-provoking. Great survey class, I learned a lot!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• 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:

Really great lectures. He really makes the concepts accessible to people unlike many professors because he acutely understands students and how to relate to even those who are disinterested. In-class quizzes and quote matching on tests are annoying but do not outweigh the worth of the class.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

interesting class, but very difficult readings, and a lot of them. definitely the most time-consuming class i've had at UVA, but i did read every page of the huge course packets. exams have quote identification and ask for specific details from the readings and lecture. TA's were awesome though.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I liked this class, but not because it gave me what I signed up for. I agree that Mathewes preached more Christianity than anything else-- giving Christianity a fair preview and Judaism and Islam a mostly orthodox one-sided stringent anecdote. Also I have trouble understanding why a class on morals and ethics requires memorization skills...

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• 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:

I really disliked this class. It's supposed to ethics of all 3 Abrahamic religions, but it had an apparent bias towards Christian ethics. It felt like we were being preached at about how to live as a good Christian...not the comprehensive look I signed up for. The readings are mostly worthwhile and the discussion section is interesting.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Mathewes's class was my favorite at UVA. He's an excellent speaker and a caring, dedicated teacher. He articulated difficult principles clearly, carefully, and with genuine devotion to the subject and his students. I'm 2 years out of undergrad now, and I can honestly say I think this class will continue to help me for the rest of my life.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Not an easy class, but very worthwhile. Really interesting discussions. Lectures cover the readings fairly well, and there are parts that really make you think. There is a lot of reading, but many of the articles are really interesting. I would definitely take another class with Mathewes.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Probably one of the most insightful and interesting professors I've met. Very worthwile class, though the material is dense.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Mathewes is a pretty good professor and the material is pretty interesting. The tests are kind of tought just because you have to write so much such a short amount of time. Also, be prepared to get two course packets totalling about 800 pages (you don't have to read he goes over them in class)...definitely a worthwhile class

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Mathewes is definitely very knowlegable and passionate about the material covered in this course. However, b/c there's so much information to cover, he talks entirely too fast during lecture & expects entirely too much on midterms. For ex, we were expected to complete a midterm meant for an hour and 15 min, in 40 min.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Has pop quizzes somewhat randomly; he didn't have any for a couple weeks then I was sick for one class and missed one. Most of the readings are dense and boring. Mathewes also doesn't use any sort of visual aid, so it can be difficult to keep up with what he's talking about.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

The most unenlightening class I've ever taken. He changes topics every lecture or two and assigns a whole new batch of readings - so he covered everything superficially. I didn't find that the class added anything new to my understanding of ethics.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Although the readings are really long and dense, the lectures are really interesting and stimulating. The test does take a bit of time to study for, but overall I did the least for this class and got my highest grade.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• 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:

Mathewes is the worst professor I've had at this school. Unlike all of the other recommendations, I don't know anyone currently enrolled in this class who likes it. Unless you do all of the readings and get into a good discussion, the class is basically worthless. I def. wouldn't recommend it.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: RELG230ETHICS
• 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:

Be ready to buy expensive packets and read them COVER to COVER. Do the reading and pay attention and you can get an A(this is coming from someone who never gets As, mind you) He can be a bit insenstive when he's trying to be funny. Goes FAST in lecture. Overall good course tho.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• 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:

Nice guy, synthesizes the texts well, talks a little too fast, mildly assholish tests. nonetheless, take his class.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: RELG230
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

great professor - my favorite at UVA...his lectures are awesome, and they're even better if you've done the reading beforehand. he likes students to participate, and he is always willing to talk about the class material in office hours.