Walter Denny - University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Professor: Walter Denny

Department: Fine Arts

College: University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: AH115
• Grade Received: D-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This was the worst course I have ever taken, and I love art and have taken college art courses before. Useless lectures, and essay prompts are way too long and specific. Exams involve memorizing about 100 works of art with date, artist and other information. I am honestly sad I took this class:(

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: AH115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Lectures are super boring and notes are hard to take when nothing seems important because theres so much information, the book is super long and boring and does not help, the essays are ridiculously complex, and the exams are crazy elaborate. Find another gen-ed

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ARTHIST115
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very passionate about what he teaches- lectures are also all verbal (no visual aid except the art). I would not suggest taking it for a gen ed, it is hard to grasp unless you are also passionate/ have previous knowledge. We had 2 exams and 2 lengthy essays, got average grades on both despite studying. Good guy but a lot of material.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: AH115
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great prof/class imo, straightforward with expectations (serious but not crazy high) of the class from the start. 3 papers and two exams were all fine if you don't procrastinate too much (still doable if you do). Lectures on individual artists towards the end of the course were fire. Nice and very knowledgable/passionate professor, keeps it real.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ARTHIST348
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Friendly and intelligent guy who is extremely passionate about the subject. His lectures aren't boring at all but they tend to be chock-full of information so you can't skip and have to fully pay attention. Exams are really difficult because of how many images and their information you have to memorize, but everything is graded fairly.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: AH115
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Actually the worst, hardest class I have ever taken. I am interested in art history and have decent grades, but this class will get you. The papers are close to impossible and he does not help you in the slightest. And the information he talks about in lectures is extremely random and feels irrelevant so its hard to take notes. Good luck.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: 115
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Anyone from Turkey can be happy. If you are not white, like from Egypt, you needed them to give you everything!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: 115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Great prof plenty of jokes, sticks it to repubs and xtians. Good lectures, if you show up and take a few notes u know what he wants.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: 115
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Walter Denny is a good instructor if you just show up for all the lectures and take some notes then you don't have to read the book at all. However, there are a lot of names and dates that you need to memorize. Talking to your TA helps a huge amount!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ARTHIST115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Walter Denny not only gives few, extremely large assignments, but he also schedules them the same week as your midterms. He believes he teaches the most important class on campus, and doesn't care about workload.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ARTHI1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Excellent professor. He's really the reason why I became interested in art history. He has an amazing ability to excite students about things they may have never otherwise become interested in. Very difficult and expects a lot, but his high standards come from his belief in his students. He's also hilarious. Come prepared to laugh.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ART115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This is definitely the worst class I have ever taken in my Umass career. He speaks extremely fast, his papers are about 10 pages long, and he only has 2 tests throughout the semester. If you have the chance to drop the class, do it asap. His TA's aren't any help either because they don't explain anything. Easily the worst class I have ever taken.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: AH115
• 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:

Denny is brilliant. He's the reason I declared an Art History minor. This class is HARD. Don't take it as a gen ed unless you love art. The papers are hard but rewarding. Get to know your TA! They grade everything.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HIST115
• 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:

really conceited and pompous. not likable at all but he can teach. once you get over his self satisfied nature instead focus on the material, the class can be very interesting

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: 1512
• 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:

Knows his stuff. Class is hella hard though 2/10

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ART115
• 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:

He is an amazing professor, should aleast have him once during your time at umass!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: AH115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class is hard, but worth it. And the cathedral project is actually quite interesting, very unique. Architecture is a huge part of art history, so of course he talks about it in some lectures, but he does not just teach Islamic architecture, like the previous person said!! Just go to class and take good notes, and get to know your TA!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HIST115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Turns the class into architecture after week 3. Has you drawing up cathedral plans and writing very lengthy architecture proposals. Only focuses on islamic architecture too?

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HIST115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Intro to Visual Arts with this professor is NOT YOUR ORDINARY INTRO CLASS. This pompous teacher is living off of his somewhat "local fame" in the art community. Syllabus was 30 pages, lectures were extremely dry. Average nightly reading was 50 pages plus, from multiple books. Exams, IMPOSSIBLE. TAs and the professor have a tough crap attitude too..

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ARTHI115
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Definitely the worst professor I've ever had followed by one of the hardest classes I've ever had. He is completely bias and outlandish in things that he says...and I'm not talking about his lame sex and drinking jokes. He makes the class SO hard, loves to see kids fail, and it's HIS way or the highway. Completely stuck in his own ways. Terrible.