Thomas Wolfe - University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN

Professor: Thomas Wolfe

Department: History

College: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: GLOS3605
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I was not a fan of his class. It was much more philosophical than informational, which means it was easy to pass if he thought you were putting in effort. Unfortunately he never updates grades and is very subjective. He's a really interesting guy to talk to one-on-one but his "lectures" and discussion topics in class often fall flat.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: GLOS3412
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

My favorite professor at the U! He creates a community amongst his students. Many of his students take his other classes, so there is always a familiar face. He does not teach in the typical drone way. It isn't about the grade for him, rather the process. I look forward to Tom's classes and am sad when I cannot have him for a semester.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: GLOS3900
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class was really interesting and I feel like I learned a lot. Tom's lectures can be a little too abstract at times, but he is really just trying to pick at people's brains and get them to challenge the way they see the world. The readings were also interesting. There's a lot of group work though and the grading criteria isn't always clear.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HIST1000W
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I took the class thinking it would improve my understanding of the humanities and what steps were needed in order to make an ideal world. After having read three utopian novels in this 3 credit elective class and writing a paper for each, I never received higher than an B+ on a paper (Even after revisions)

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: GLOS1015W
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I enjoyed lectures in this class, sometimes you wouldn't know what he was talking about but just do the readings and try to pay attention with some interest. Was not too terribly difficult, but definitely made you think about complex concepts. Interesting class, very thematic and overall I was interested and felt I learned a lot.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HIST1015W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Be prepared to: Come to class Write Discuss in groups I found this class to be difficult to take notes for.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIST3719
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Honestly this class was just group work. If you looking for a course to get a decent grade and just sleep through - take this one. We didn't touch any historical subjects and all we ever did was group work. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who is a history major or likes structure because it was a terrible class otherwise. I didn't learn anything

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: GLOS1015W
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I enjoyed this professor and thought this class was fairly easy. I'd take another class with Professor Wolfe. I thought the assigned book was pretty boring though. Professor Wolfe was very helpful and quick to reply to my questions when I e-mailed him.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GLOS1015W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very challenging but very engaging and interesting. His lectures and our discussions were very abstract but made you think very hard. He was very approachable though and helpful if you ever had any questions or needed something to be explained further. An excellent teacher.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: GLOS1015W
• 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:

Good lecturer. Made people think and talk during class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: GLOS3422
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This professor wants to help but his guidelines are at best ambiguous. We wrote several papers s and the writing was critiqued very harshly. I normally receive As on papers and did not receive higher than a B on any in this class. He is very particular about grammar. I also didn't learn anything since it was a 3 hr discussion based on our opinion.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIST3502
• 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:

Such a brilliant, inspiring and challenging teacher. Very aware of classroom dynamics, always willing to help, and works to keep discussions lively and relevant. He trusts his students to be deeply engaged and committed, and there is a lot of reading for the course, but it was one of the only ones I've had that supported genuine inquiry.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: GLOS3605
• 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:

Great teacher!Very interesting class. Way more philosophical than what I'm use to, but was interesting and new. Definitely one of the best professors I have had. Paper assignments were at times hard to figure out. Grading was very fair.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HIST1032
• 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:

Awesome teacher. Actually made me think.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HIST5993
• 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 did not even know him at all and he offered to a directed study with me, for a graduate level class that was canceled. He is deeply philosophical and is always open to new ideas. He was good humored and gives good feedback and is quick to realize when he has made a mistake. Don't hesitate to take class with him, you won't regret it.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GLOS3143
• 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:

Tom is the BEST prof at the U. Hands down! Took Mod European Hist with him as well. He is extremely helpful outside of class and just fun to talk to. Lectures are interesting and engaged. Don't be afraid to ask questions! Use original thought and back up your opinions with facts in the papers and you'll get an A. Don't miss Professor Wolfe!!!!!!!!!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HIST3719
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Engaged, engaging teacher, experimental, passionate. Four conversations outside class, wrote plans. Several weeks to figure out what he was really looking for. Values critical thinking, careful reading, text analysis. Sometimes puzzled by grading on papers and comments. Lots of group work, fewer lectures. Learned a lot, looked forward to class.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HIST3722
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Told us at the beginning of the semester that his style of teaching history is more philosophical than factual; he wasn't lying. Make sure you read the textbook(s) and online articles, a lot of the questions on the in-class writing assignments come from them. Lenient grader; can be standoffish at times. Not terrible, but not outstanding either.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HIST3722
• 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:

Tom is a decent professor. His lectures were more philosophical than straight out history (like he confessed to at the start of the semester).The papers are easy and you'll get a good grade on them as long as you make an argument. I wished the class would have incorporated Russia into the discussion, especially since the class is cold-war era Europ

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Discussions were boring as heck and seemed pointless.