Michael Novak - Meredith College, Raleigh, NC

Professor: Michael Novak

Department: History

College: Meredith College, Raleigh, NC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I LOVE DR. NOVAK! Hands down my favorite professor at Meredith so far. A lot of people describe his class as hard, but in all honesty if you attend class, pay attention, contribute to the discussions and create the study guides before the exams you will be just fine. The lectures flow and he makes them very interesting!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Hands down, favorite professor. He's sweet, incredibly knowledgeable about his field, and makes you happy. Yes, his tests are hard in the sense of the amount of preparation, but he almost always picks the terms you think he might pick based on class. Just pay attention and participate and you'll be fine. His lectures are worth the tests.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HIS385
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He gives me life. His class is the type of class that you look forward to all week. Great lectures and he makes it interesting.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I loved Novak! he is the sweetest man ever!I had him for modern western civ. I made a B and i think if i had pushed myself harder I could've made an A. He really appreciates participation. The only grades you really get are participation and the three tests. So if you do your readings and participate in class, you will do well .

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Novak is awesome! His tests are extremely strenuous and difficult to study for, and reading is important for his class. Do not take him if you can't keep up with the reading assignments. Overall, he is a truly kind man and helped me a lot in my first semester at Meredith. If you like to be challenged, take him!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Novak is such a sweet old guy and obviously genuinely cares about his students. His tests however dont reflect that. He gives you probably 20-30 terms to know what they are and the significance of them, and on the test he picks four. And you dont know which four it will be. You really have to do ALL the reading to pass because its so much info

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Novak is the sweetest old man ever. His class, however, is not. I had a hard time with the exams because he gives about 25 terms you have to know but only tests on 4-5 of them. I did the assigned readings and other homework every night, but still struggled a lot on the tests because there is so much information to know. Participation is a must.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Truly a great professor- cared about my experience inside and outside the classroom. Not the easiest class- I'm an Honors student and I found it challenging. Make sure to communicate and participate, and also keep up with all the readings. Tests are essays, but no surprises- just make sure you adequately prepare and study. Would totally recommend!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: 102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

My absolute favorite professor all semester!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I am a child development major & not very interested in this subject. However, I can not imagine having taken this class w/ any other professor. Dr. Novak is so helpful, so sincere, & so caring. He really wants you to do well & if you prepare for & go to class, participate in class, & go by his office for help, you will do well.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Novak is great. I am a dance major and was really worried about taking this class. If you just do the assignments given you will know whats going on in class and pass the test. He is super funny and makes learning interesting. I wish all professors taught like him. He gives you questions so you will know what to focus on when reading. great!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIS385
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Novak is awesome. (Then again, I'm a MedRen minor, so I'm a bit biased.) I agree that his tests are challenging because they're open-ended, but he also encourages independent interest. Attendance is mandatory because a) you need the lecture info to do well on the tests and b) he grades heavily on participation.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Novak is so much fun. I think everyone here at Meredith loves him very much. His classes are interesting, but there is a LOT of reading to do. He is definitely one of my favorite teachers!!! Go Novak!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

What a great guy!!! Genuinely interested in what he's teaching. I remember so much from that class and it's so easy (and fun!) to participate in class. His tests are a little challenging but they encourage you to listen and to get more than just facts out of the class. I recommend doing the extra credit for boosts. AWESOME PROF!! :D

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HIST102
• 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:

He is a really nice man but I feel like his life is history and he wants yours to be too (can be good or bad). He's a very enthusiastic teacher but has a demanding course load. His tests are also essay based so if you are bad at remembering at least a page worth of info for every topic don't take his class.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HIS387
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is the greatest! The class is, by far, my favorite and his teaching strategy really brings it to a level that we can all understand! You can tell that he really enjoys the subject and his enthusiasm makes the class fly by. I will take another one of his classes!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

he is a great teacher. I hated history but he made it fun and i learned alot. He is a little quirky, but that is what makes him interesting. His tests are essay, so they can be hard, but take good notes and participate in class and you will do fine.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HIS103
• 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:

Great guy and often funny during lectures. He likes teaching and has been doing it for a long time. His tests are all essay, so be sure to study using the guide. If you can make the study session, it helps. He answers questions well. Be sure to participate in class.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• 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:

Dr. Novak is incredible. If you have a chance, take one of his classes. Do your reading, pay attention in class, and you'll learn so much. He wants you to do well, and he'll give you a hand if you ask for it.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: HIS102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The worst class ever! All he does is talk talk and talk more. Its hard to take notes, because he talks fast and unclear. The tests are a list of vocab words that you have to define. Thats easy because he gives you a study guide, but when he grades he wants you to write a book about the subject and will take a bunch of points off for no reason.