Gregory Bruess - University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA

Professor: Gregory Bruess

Department: History

College: University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HUM1022
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I cannot say enough good things about Professor Bruess. His lectures are incredible and enganging, and he is hilarious. He is also very helpful in his office hours. Don't be on your phone, or he will call you out in front of everyone. Book quizzes were easy, however I found the exams incredibly difficult. He HEAVILY curves them tho. Take him.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HUM1022
• 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:

Great professor!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HUM1022
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Bruess is awesome! He makes his lectures at least somewhat interesting with humor. I never opened my textbook once, and I took all my own notes because his powerpoints don't really help at all when studying. The tests are super long (like 70 questions) but they're all multiple choice. Hoping to take Humanities 3 with him next year.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HUM1023
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Bruess is a very nice professor, but a very tough grader. Thank goodness he "skews" all of his tests because they are very difficult. He at least tries to throw in some humor to make his lectures seem less boring! He wasn't terrible, but he was one of the harder professors I've had for Humanities.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HISEUB4670
• Grade Received: D+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Bruess's class was the hardest one I've taken within the history department. He is an amazing lecturer but you will only be graded on two book quizzes and two really tough papers. He gives you clear guidelines for the papers but they don't help to know what he is looking for. He is very personable and always able to answer questions.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HISEUB4660
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Your tests are 3000 word essays and you will have a quiz on the books he assigns. Other than that it was a great, likes to joke in class with a dark sense of humor, excellent discussions, willing to expound on anything taught in class i.e. asks before class starts if you have any questions. Will run over time a bit, but its worth it.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HUM2
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Randomly picked Professor Bruess for humanities 3 and intentionally picked him for humanities 2. He had extremely interesting lectures since he is an amazing story-teller. Text book was completely worthless, however the novels are a must read (recommend spark notes as a supplement not replacement). Hands down my favorite professor at UNI!!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: IMPERIAL RUSSIA
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Don't do it! The paper criteria is unclear and feedback is terrible grading is arbitrary at best.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HUM1022
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I loved Humanities II with him! He is hilarious and is really good at keeping students engaged in the lecture. As long as you show up to class, take good notes, and make somewhat of an effort to study, this shouldn't be a hard class.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HUMIIANDIII
• 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:

What can I say about Dr. Bruess? He's amazing! I always used to hate history, but he made it fun and interesting! He's hilarious, looks like Lewis Black, and is just the coolest professor you will ever have.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HUM1023
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Took him for Hum II and III. He makes lecture slides available online to print before class but after Hum II I found that it helps me pay attention to take notes from scratch. He's interesting to listen to but its hard to catch everything he says sometimes. Tests are hard but he curves. Didn't buy the book, just studied from notes and pulled an A-

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HUM1022
• 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:

I took both my humanities requirements with him because he is stupendous. It's all lecture, but it's engaging and fascinating, and he's sassy and very intelligent. Some books that are not at all hard to read, and four tests that you should study for, but aren't bad either. Super-recommend; humanities aren't great, but this is the best way to go.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HUM1022
• 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:

Best lecturer on campus. Holds your attention, material is absorbable, and keeps the mood light with a few added jokes. If you can't detect the sarcasm in his voice, you must have issues. Attend class, read the books, make an effort to study the study guide and you will do fine. This guy's courses are definitely the way to go for LAC Humanities.

Rating # 14

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

This professor was just ok. You can miss up to five days which was nice, but he talks the whole class. His power points make no sense!! You take a lot of notes!He makes horrible jokes to women and religion, I usually could follow his stories either. He is funny at times, but you have to read a lot of big books. Tests and quizes are hard.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HUM1022
• 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:

Attendance mandatory and the readings are complicated. If you attend class, you will do well. Make sure to take detailed notes though.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HUMIII
• 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:

Humanities III with Bruess was a tough class, but he makes it enjoyable. He's very friendly and enthusiastic. His lectures are genuinely interesting and entertaining. Tests are very difficult, but he curves very generously. Four quizzes over books can be aced with only Sparknotes, and attendance will raise your grade. Would definitely recommend!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HISEUB4660
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

lots of notes but if you can keep up it is extremely entertaining and he keeps it extremely interesting, if you like lectures you'll love this class and the workload isn't huge you don't even have to read the book since he goes over everything in class

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HUMIII
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Bruess is a funny guy and keeps humanities about as enjoyable as it can be. Quizzes are fairly easy, tests are quite hard, but he has very generous curves. It's hard to predict what is on the tests, but I found review lecture notes was about the most effective. Recommended!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HUM1022
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's one of the best teachers I've had. Your grade reflects on how much work you're willing to put in his class. His lectures are super easy to follow and very organized, he's very enthusiastic and loves teaching humanities and makes the lecture enjoyable. Listen, take notes, and study well and you're sure to pass!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: HUMII
• 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:

Loved this class, it pushed me to change majors to history.He made it so you didn't want to miss class, and easy to ask questions. Do the work and go to class and you will do fine.