Craig Zabel - Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Professor: Craig Zabel

Department: Art History

College: Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Great professor, I took this class as an elective and had a blast. Dr. Zabel is extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subject. There is a lot of memorizing but if you're interested in the subject, it should not be too challenging.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Craig Zabel is easily one of the best lecturers here at Penn State. He is such a good speaker & I even looked forward to going to class to hear him. If you don't go to class it will be hard to get a good grade. But i'm not even an ARCH major & plan on getting an A. Would definitely take this class again (as long as he is teaching it).

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: 202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

One of the best lecturers I've ever had in college. Amazing voice, but his tests are waaaaayyyy too hard for the introduction elective course i took.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Craig overall is a great guy, but not so much a professor. His lectures are long and boring. Gives 6 quizzes and drops the lowest one. Quizzes are easy to study for. There are 2 exams which include 5 pairs of comparing and contrasting 2 buildings. Graders are very strict on these, not easy. A lot of information to take in and study for.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very hard to study for exams and quizzes because you were given a HUGE amount of information, his TAs were a big help, but I would go to class and pay attention.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• 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:

Zabel is a wonderful professor. His knowledge and enthusiasm was contagious and I now have an appreciation for architecture. The class does take effort but you learn a lot. However, his tests are challenging and you will be unclear as to what he wants from them. Do not take this as a gen-ed.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Terrific professor! He uses emphasis while speaking. I have a new appreciation for architecture. I learned so much. If you attend classes and take good notes, the tests aren't bad. The 6 quizzes require a lot of memorizing, but you have plenty of time to do so. The only flaw is he does not clearly say what he is looking for when grading tests

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Zabel is an excellent lecturer. He loves his topic, and is an overall nice guy. Quizzes just require some effort to memorize names of buildings/architects/dates, and you will be prepared for exams if you study and take good notes during class (you don't need the textbook). If you are thinking about taking a class taught by Zabel, you should.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He makes the class very interesting. History is most definitely not my favorite subject but he is a great professor. You need to go to class and take good notes to get good grades in the class. I think everyone enjoyed his class very much. At least enough to clap for him at the very last class. And that never happened in any of my other classes.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He does his best to keep the lectures interesting, and you can tell he has a love for what he teaches. He is even entertaining to listen to, speaking in a semi-theatrical manner. If you want to do well on the exams, take good notes, as he will give you all the information you need to achieve. The quizzes are easy if you put in the time to study.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ARHST202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Quizzes: do not need to go to class to get an A. Exams: must go to class and take good notes. Very clear and knowledgeable of each building and style. Also, has excessively good diction.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

The professor that will bring back machicolation to modern warfare.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The key to doing well in this class is taking good notes! Review them before exams and you'll be fine. Zabel is extremely clear on what he expects and tries to make class interesting. Some work is required, but if you put in the time, you'll have no trouble in the class

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I love this class! Go every day and take good notes and you will do fine. Don't buy the textbook, it is entirely useless. Zabel makes architecture history interesting. Exams are relatively easy if you have good notes and study for a few hours.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

My favorite class and professor of all time. Class was enjoyable and I looked forward to going every day. He was extremely knowledgeable on the subject and I would definatly recommend taking this class.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• 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:

Amazing! Far from boring, even if you don't like the subject. He makes sure to point out the relevant details of every building and doesn't go on and on about it unless it's important. Zabel is passionate, organized, easily approachable, and even funny at times. Great class for anyone, not just for Art History or Architecture majors.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Zabel worked a wonder: he turned a class in which I worked my ass off to earn a decent grade into a class I loved. There's a lot of studying and work for a gen-ed, but I didn't really care because I felt I earned my A-, the grade I'm most proud of in my PSU craeer because I actually learned. He's probably the smartest professor I've had at PSU.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ARTH202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I had no architecture background coming into this class, but Mr. Zable actually made it fun to learn about random buildings I will probably never see. Now I find myself walking around PSU, saying 'oh my - look at that Corinthian pilaster' to myself. You will learn a lot, but some memorization will be needed for the slide tests.

Rating # 19

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Take every class this man offers. You cannot understand architectural history at Penn State without taking advantage of his electives, which are fascinating. He can make a subject that's overtly dry so interesting that I've stayed awake in his darkened classroom (slides and all) after only 2 hours of sleep.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ARTHISTORY202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Zable is great! His lectures were informative and one could even say entertaining. He has this hypnotic voice that lulls you into absorbing information. The class is not hat difficult if you spend time learning the material and going over your notes.