Leo Ribuffo - George Washington University, Washington, DC

Professor: Leo Ribuffo

Department: History

College: George Washington University, Washington, DC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HIST2322
• 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:

Professor Ribuffo passed away this Tuesday. His course was the course that made me sure I wanted to be a History Major. I never got a chance to thank him. This is the only place I could think of to properly say that.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIST2322
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Midterm, final. Don't ask a question or for clarification or he'll get angry. He's a total sexist and I'm saying that as a man. He expects to be given respect without giving any himself and is not worth the money as he restates the book. He's extremely rude and biased on all material. The class is awful to sit through but the exams are pretty fair

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HIST134
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I had leo years ago-other students did not like him I was a history major - liked his style - learned a lot from him and i liked his humor

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HIST2305W
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Solid choice for a WID. 2 800 word essays, 1 3000 word essay. Participation is 50% of your grade, and there are approx 200 pages of reading due every week where he expects you to have remembered every single sentence. You can definitely do well if you really commit to doing the reading. He grades hard but I think everyone is getting a high B/low A.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HIST2322
• 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:

All these are from people who didn't try and like to whine. This class was fair and Ribuffo is a savage. DONT TAKE THIS IF YOU HAVENT TAKEN AN INTRO TO US HISTORY; THIS IS A LEVEL 2000 COURSE. The midterm and final are easy if you pay attention in class, and the lectures are sufficient enough to where you do not need to do many of the readings.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HIST2322
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This class was insanely hard. Your grade is 40% the midterm and 60% the final. If you skip class you won't pass. Its hard to do better than a B if you aren't super knowledgable about history before 1945 already prior to the course. The class is only lectures with no visuals to reinforce the history. The professor jumps around so its hard to follow

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIST2322
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

this man is the worst professor at GW. Do not, I repeat do not take this class.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIST2322
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Old fashion professor, who teaches purely off his lecture notes with the only visual aids being an occasionally sketched map. He doesn't hesitate to swear or use slurs of the time to teach the material (mostly quotes). If you did well in an APUSH course, he shouldn't be too challenging. Talk or don't pay attention, you'll get kicked out.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HIST2322
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

If you love history Professor Ribuffo is absolutely the best. His class is graded based only on the mid-term and final, but if you study your names sheet and pretty much only the major themes you'll do fine.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HIST2322
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Mr. Ribuffo is opinionated but nonpartisan, which is a good asset for an American history course. He is sometimes intimidating when a student asks a "dumb" question during class. On the other hand, he has great humor, and the midterm & final (the ONLY grades in the class!) don't have any curveballs. Lectures are just him reading notes; no PPTs.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HIST2322
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Ribuffo is a very old fashioned teacher (only lectures, no powerpoint or technology use). He is hilarious though as he constantly makes relevant jokes, but don't ask dumb questions or you could be the brunt of these jokes. He grades his test very hard and you must have great grip on the material to do well. An A is almost unheard of, A- is possible

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIST2322
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Ribuffo takes a lot of patience to appreciate. The class was a midterm and a final. There are assigned readings but only one textbook actually helps you with his tests. His grading is a little inconsistent, and I left his final feeling I did better than the midterm and he thought differently. Also, if the TA grades you, consider yourself blessed.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HIST1311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's a very smart man. Knows a lot about History. But an awful lecturer. He just reads his notes - stands there looking like he doesn't want to be here. Barely half the class ever showed up for lectures because he is soo boring! I wouldn't wish this class on anyone. 20% midterm. 50% final. 30% discussion and like 8 books that you need to buy.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HIST1311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Ribuffo was a good professor, not great. His lectures are very interesting, but not super helpful for the exams, so your understanding will really rely on the readings (which I didn't mind because I thought all the readings were interesting). Also had a great TA which made the class a lot more enjoyable. Attendance to discussion is required.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HIST1311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Ribuffo knows his stuff but isn't a good teacher, except for the type of students who can retain information given through an hour, monotonous lecture with no visual aid. Professor Ribuffo teaches in a way that isn't accessible to anyone who isn't a history major, and worse he doesn't seem to enjoy teaching or his students.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HIST232210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This was the hardest class I have ever taken in my life, but I am glad I did it. I loved his sense of humor! Professor Ribuffo is a cool guy.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HIST2322
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Ribuffo is a genius. Coming into the class, I thought I knew a lot about US History since 1945, but the details the Professor provided were both informative and essential to understanding the exact government policies. To me, the lecture format (no slideshow) was refreshing. If you attend closely to the lectures, you will not need to do the reading

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HIST2322
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Ribuffo isn't a bad professor, but his style of teaching is very old-fashioned. U.S. History after 1945 consists of a midterm and a final only, and you are required to do a massive amount of reading. While it may be a very interesting and possibly easy class for history buffs, non-historians will need to work hard and do all the reading to do well.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HIST3321
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Insightful lectures. He will make you want to learn more about contemporary American history and, most importantly, about contemporary American life. I came out of the class feeling more calm about the era I am living in. He is one of those unique professor, though I do think he should use more tech, he's teaching you like he was 30 years ago...

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: HIST3321
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

If you transcribe everything he says like a court stenographer you will be fine. He will tell you everything that has ever happened in America. I never did the readings and did fine in the class. He's VERY intimidating but kind of cute.