Donald Roden - Rutgers - State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ

Professor: Donald Roden

Department: History

College: Rutgers - State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HIST401
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He's super nice, extremely friendly and knowledgeable. His seminar is a lot easier compare to other professors. Meanwhile, he also provide good information about modern Japan. If you are interest in Asian history, he's the one you should not miss!!!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIST352
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Roden is very nice and always care about his students. If you are looking for an interseting class, easy grader and a nice professor. Definetely take Japanese history with him.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: 508352JAPAN
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof Roden is a genuinely nice guy however his class is designed for a Student who doesnt have a job. If you work and also go to school you will be overwhelmed by the readings. There was 4 novels each roughly 250+ pages, and then there was a Text book also roughly 200+ pages and then there was 11 reading handouts. Way too much reading for 1 class

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: LOVE112
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

As a history major, I believed that I would enjoy this class much more than I did. This class is considered a 100 level class, but this is not at all representative of the amount of work this class gives, and the lack of understanding you gain from the lecture. The class does not have structure, there is no clarification on the study material.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HISTORY401
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Roden was awesome! You can tell he genuinely cares about his students and wants you to get an A in his class. If you go to class and show that you care he will likely give you a good grade in the course.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: JAPANRISE
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Honestly one of the NICEST Professors here at Rutgers. He will always try to help you and is easy to talk to. He has a genuine love for the material and tries to make the class as interesting as possible and connects to current events. It's good to be in class since he goes over a lot of the readings (which I did around 40% of and still got a B+).

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIST113
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Teaching the Japan proponent of the course, I personally found Roden's lectures more enjoyable overall. His style relies on typed notes, but his clarity and humor make the lectures engaging. The reads, while tedious, are all interesting, and the bridges drawn between Japan and Europe are impressive.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: DEATH
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Took this Level 100 class and have never read this much before in my life. We are reading 2 novels PER WEEK. the longer ones get a week to themselves, which isn't a good thing. If you have a crazy amount of free time or are a speed reader, then take this class. I should have listened to what everyone said before I signed up. Don't make my mistake!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HIST101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He is very encouraging and if you do badly,he will call you aside and ask what is wrong. You will be encouraged to succeed just to satisfy him. Not a teacher to be missed.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HIS108
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He is a great professor and apart from school runs a program where he teaches convicts in prison so they can better themselves when they get out of jail. Very demanding but also very encouraging.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: JAPANRISE
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Really easy professor; attendance is optional and the grading extremely lenient. However, other than being lenient, the professor is also a humorous, interesting, and good-natured lecturer. A rare class that I recommend for both students looking for an easy grade AND students seriously interested in learning about Meiji-era Japan.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: JAPANSOC
• 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:

very funny man, his classes are a little dull but now and then you cant help but laugh with the guy. very heavy reading list that can seem overwhelming but he helps you out in every way imaginable. he doesnt like people failing so he gives you more than enough time to do your work. fair teacher nice guy.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HIST400
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Had him Japanese society and culture, kooky old man. Rather easy class but VERY reading intensive. It helps though that the books are not completely boring. Also he is very laid back and lenient when it comes to grading both the midterm and the final paper

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: DEATH112
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Terrible class, do not take. I had a 4.0 in history until this 100 level class took that away from me. I did not slack off either, I worked hard and only got a B+. His lectures involved him laughing at terrible things, like the tsunami in Japan, etc. Do not take.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HISTSEM
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Amazing professor! so helpful when writing your final paper (20-25 pgs). Lectures are interesting although small and always ends around 30-40 minutes early. Readings are easy and splits them among the class so you dont have to to all of the readings assigned for the week. Definitely take him if you can, easy class and such a nice professor!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: JRTMW300
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

he has a biased view of history. i'm not a japanophile like he is, so i wasn't really feeling his lectures. nice guy though. but i would never take him because sitting in that class was a total waste of my time

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: JAPANRISE
• 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 teacher. He is very passionate about Japan and just funny to watch. He grades fairly and is very understanding.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PATTELOVE
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This guy is on crack. He often shouts and pounds his fists and gets overly excited over the stupidest things.And remember: GENJI IS A GOOD AND GENEROUS MAN.

Rating # 19

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

The other comments say he is a great teacher, but he just isn't. He needs to retire pronto (almost 70). Though Jap hist tends to be dry he made 2000 yrs of Jap hist absolutely dreadful. He was boring, went of into nonsensical tangents and he just had no backbone. Good material though. A ton of reading, but good material. Professor was the #1 issue.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: SOCIECULT
• 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:

I took this class because of the great ratings and slight interest in Jap History, but as my first-ever History course, this was a huge MISTAKE. There is a VERY demanding reading list and a tough 8-18 page paper as the final. However, I would recommend this class to anyone who is EXPERIENCED in studying History. He is a wonderful professor.