Alison Beach - College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA

Professor: Alison Beach

Department: Theology

College: College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: RELG308
• 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:

Had her for Medieval Relg and Soc. Simply wonderful. Energetic, passionate and entertaining. She took us on an overnight stay at a monastery. Lots of work, but not impossible to do well.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: RELG201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Beach didn't teach much of the class, but what she did teach was engaging. I wish she had done more. She is very good a promoting discussion in large lecture class. INSANE amounts of difficult reading, but well worth it. Speak up in class and do the readings and you will do well.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: RELG201
• 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:

Beach loves what she teaches and tries to be fair. Get to know your TA in this class, though, because unless you manage to make a major impression you will just blend in with the crowd to Beach. Also, be prepared to read a lot of challenging material.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: RELG201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Seriously a really sweet woman. Very, very interested in her topic, and always quite enthusiastic. She wanted everyone else to enjoy it too. The pop quizzes were a little annoying, but, seriously, who would have read the readings if we didn't have them? The class wasn't too hard if you took notes and studied. Cool class, overall.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: REL201
• 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: Mandatory

Comment:

She gives A LOT of difficult reading material and gives those pop quizzes that go way too much into detail of the massive readings; but the class is very interesting and she's enthusiastic. She is always open to questions and is pretty clear about what's going on.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: REL210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

BEACH IS MY FAVORITE PROF! SHE IS CARING PERSON AND ALWAYS WILLING TO INDULGE STUDENTS QUESTIONS NO MATTER HOW THEOLOGICALLY DIFFICULT! THE CLASS IS CHALLENGING BUT ONLY BECAUSE SHE HAS A DEEP PASSION FOR HER CRAFT. I WOULD SUGGEST TAKING THIS CLASS AND ANY OTHER THAT SHE TEACHES! SHE IS NOT ONLY AN AMAZING PROF BUT AN AMAZING PERSON! I LOVE HER!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: RELIGION201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

the most difficult class i have taken. Expects way to much reading, and even if you do it, gives the most difficult quizzes possible. This class convinces me never to take a class in this department again!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: RELG201
• 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:

Oh my god this teacher is so into religion that she's completely out of touch with the needs of an intro class. She gives a ridiculous amount of reading over subjects way more advanced than intro level. She actually conducts a class with 140people in class discussion format but it degenerates to a dialogue btw her an individual students-inaudible!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MEDIEVALCHR
• 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:

She's awesome. She's engaging and so much more. She's very disorganized, but it really doesn't matter because she gets her point across anyway. Not too much work, but she's a hard grader, and there's a fair amount of reading. Probably my favorite professor here. I wish she taught more classes.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: 201
• 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:

Very interesting class w/ a lot of confusing reading, though. She's picky in the grading, but she wants us to do our best and I've seriously improved from a C at the beginning to a B at the end. It's possible and I'll have all that broad info. for a long time. Definitely recommended!!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: RELG201
• 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:

Professor Beach is excellent if you like the kind of instructor who actually wants you to understand and appreciate the value of what you're learning. Talk about a committment to teaching!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: RELIGION210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The class was not what I expected. Hardest intro class at WM and covered too many unrelated topics. Beach, however, seems like a very knowledgeable but liberal religious scholar who enjoys teaching. If you are willing to read large amounts of perhaps unimportant info, I suggest taking this class.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: RELG210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

take this class! beach is a smart lady, a fair grader, and a wonderful lecturer. you'll look forward to going to class. do the readings and you'll do well.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: REL201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Hard grader. Not much clariy on grades. Still interesting.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: REL201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

You should not under any circumstances take this class. It is THE worst class here. The teacher refuses to help you with anything, she doesn't care that 3/4 of the class fails, and she makes the exam be worth 50% of your grade. Don't take it if you value your sanity or your GPA.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: RELG201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Freshmen who aren't used to school here get on her case when they don't get A's. In reality, it's on about the same level then any other class here--just do the reading. Interesting lectures, Beach is really sweet and down-to-earth. Recommended if you aren't anal-retentive about your grades.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: RELG201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Beach doesn't really teach this class; guest lecturers come in to speak, she just makes the tests. She's big into class discussion and student comments; I imagine she's good for a small class. She does grade her tests strangely: a 0.95 out of 1 for spelling a word wrong? Come on.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: 201
• 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:

This class was a waste of my time. Exams seem easy, but the grading is ridiculous. Too much reading for an into course. Leaves too much responsibility in the hands of the TA.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: RELG201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

he intro class is interesting and fun but hard as crap. the final is 50 percent of your grade and she's very picky and arbitrary. i do the work and do my best and have a 74 at the moment, and im typicallt an A student

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: REL208
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

A great prof with a great sense of humor. Knows her stuff and loves to see her students learn. Meeting this woman is a MUST!