Eric Rauchway - University of California Davis, Davis, CA

Professor: Eric Rauchway

Department: History

College: University of California Davis, Davis, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HIS187
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Rauchway is passionate about history, which shows in his enticing lectures and pristine powerpoints. However, he is pompous and incredibly unapproachable and will make you feel stupid for asking a question in class. There are two 1,000-word essays, 6 multiple choice pop quizzes based off of readings, and relatively easy midterm and final.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIS187
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The only graded assignments were six five question pop quizzes, two essays, and two blue book exams. The lectures are fast and sometimes hard to follow but he gives a list of terms at the end of the week so it's not too hard to catch up but it does take a lot of studying. Form a study group!!! I cannot stress that enough!!!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: 17B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Rauchway is an amazing professor. Gives great lectures and incorporates some humor in them. He gets you interested in the material. He loves what he does and is great at it. He had us read four books for HIS17B so make sure you buy and read these books because you will have o write two papers. 4 things in gradebook: midterm, final, papers

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HIS120
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Rauchway is an amazing lecturer and his lectures are always interesting. Once in a while, he would throw in a joke or two. The class consisted of 4 memoirs to read, 2 essays, pop quizzes, a midterm, and a final. The class itself was very interesting but also if you plan to take this class, you cannot miss a class if you want to pass.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HIS017B
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Rauchway's lectures are very erudite and he makes history so NOT boring. He makes jokes, but also manages to cover everything. Very knowledgeable and great guy. He doesn't post lecture notes and doesn't allow taking pictures of the slides, so make sure you listen and take notes, and you're set for the exams. Paper grades depend on your TA.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HIS120
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Rauchway is a great lecturer and is very knowledgeable about the content. However, this class you cannot skip lectures! None are posted and they don't do recordings so get a good nights rest b/c if you sleep during lecture, you'll be lost for the midterm/final. I love his passion for the content but man, take notes and sleep well!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIS120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Rauchway is a good lecturer when it came to the American side of WWII, though slightly above mediocre on the rest of it. His 'lecture' on the Battle of France, for instance, was riddled with errors. If you ask questions after class, he is acrid and unfriendly. Aside from his odious personality, the class is easy and straightforward enough.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIS188
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

No doubt, Rauchway is a solid lecturer and the class itself is interesting and relatively very fair. However he tries so hard to be "professional"/"cool" that the lecture is basically 50 minutes of preening; gets annoying. Try approaching him after class, he isn't personable at all, adding to the idea that it's all some self-aggrandizing facade.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HIS119
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Teaching a joint course with Prof. Campbell on WWI, Prof. Rauchway primarily offered his wide array of knowledge of the U.S. and Western Front. I can't help but think he was a little out of his element teaching this course, as I sat in on WWII in the fall and it felt much more comfortable for him. Nonetheless, I enjoyed his lectures and the course.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HIS174B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

He is unorganized and offers random in-class quizzes throughout the quarter for 25% of your grade. There were probably 3-4 quizzes and if you miss a few of those and go to every other class (MWF schedule), it will still dent your grade. Avoid taking this teacher unless you plan on attending every class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HIS017B
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Pretty solid and entertaining lecturer. However, lecture not quite necessary to get a good grade. Papers are 50% of the grade which are dependent on external readings. The exams can be prepared from simply Googling things rather than attending lecture. Grading can be quite subjective, so as long you have a reasonable TA, you're set in this class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIS188
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I really enjoyed the lectures. The books were really good which made the papers easy and fun to write. Essay tests are always a bit nerve racking but the criteria is clear. 4 books, two papers, two essay exams on the lectures.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HIS120
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Rauchway's WWII class inspired me to take more history classes here at UCD. He is an EXCELLENT lecturer. I completed his WWII class with an A (which was easy because it was so interesting). He's a bit of a hard ass when it comes to assignments, but he will accept GENUINE excuses. It's "easy" if you're willing to put in effort.10/10 would reccomend.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HIS120
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Rauchway's WWII class has been by far my favorite class at UC Davis. Depending who you had as your reader, the paper's were graded fairly. Prompt was not too difficult, the catch was that you had to read two books per paper. The midterm/final were similar in that there were no study guides, but take good notes and you'll do fine.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HIS120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He was honestly the best professor I have had at UC Davis. I'm a bio sci major and decided to take this as a GE since it sounded interesting, and I am so glad I did. His lectures flowed so well and were so interesting that I actually enjoyed going to class! Very smart and engaging, and the right amount of difficulty. TAKE THIS CLASS WITH HIM!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HIS120
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Lots of memorization but, overall, it was a really interesting class. 2 essays which are compare and contrast based on 2 novels each. 1 midterm with IDs and an essay. Pretty basic history class. Gives a very basic overview of World War II but it's a great introduction to anyone who wants to do further reading.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HIS120
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

This guy knows how to make history interesting. By far the most intriguing history class I've ever taken. And because it was so interesting, I probably learned the most as well. This is an easy class if you listen to his lectures (I never take notes). You can write a decent essay if you skim the books. I would highly recommend him.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HIS120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Mr. Rauchway is an extremely good teacher. His lectures are him constantly talking. However, the information is very interesting and he is so passionate. He really knows his stuff as well. Which makes him hot! I definitely say take him if you are even remotely interested in WWII. He's amazing!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HIS17B
• 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:

Good lecturer, very clear and funny sometimes. Took his class Fall 13 and this was the first quarter he didn't post a study guide OR ID's. You're pretty much left to guess what the ID's are yourself. Make a public study guide so you can help each other. Easy B, somewhat difficult A. Write the essays like your TA say. Not my best prof, but he's ok.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: HIS17B
• 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:

Best history lecturer in UCD, hands down.He is extremely passionate about U.S. history, and he made going to lectures enjoyable.Attendance was not mandatory, although it is a must if you want notes (he doesn't post ppt slides online).This is the 1st history class I've taken where study guides were not provided , making studying for tests difficult.