Margaret Venzke - Stetson University, Deland, FL

Professor: Margaret Venzke

Department: History

College: Stetson University, Deland, FL

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HIST101
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Venzke solely relies on essay's for grading. She has essay's for exams and then essays for books read. Vaguely grades and takes forever for her to return exams and papers. Her lectures are very dry and she often gets behind in following her notes that she hands out each class. Doesn't offer much help through improving students grades in class.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIST306
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Even though she tends to get sidetracked during class, she is very passionate about the Middle East and I learned a lot from the lectures. Be prepared to receive a LOT of handouts, but all the information is very useful, particularly for the essays she sets. She is a lovely professor and very easy to talk to, would take one of her classes again.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HIST303
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

She does not give any exams, so instead, she relies on essays. She has a lecture almost every class (unless we talk about one of the *7* reading books she required). Her lectures are confusing. I pass failed because I literally could not even bring myself to show up. She acts like you know the details of the Middle East prior to taking her class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HIST102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

this woman relies so heavily on her lectures which are wrong quite often. she will show slideshows on basically what her dream vacation in Europe is. and she will make you write very specific essays with very little information to actually write on and no chance of using an outside source.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HIST102
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Amazing professor. She gives you basic outlines of the lectures because she has the tendency to go off topic but it's clear she is very passionate about her subject. She is very nice and understanding. Her tests are essay tests on things that if you even remotely paid attention to her lectures and outlines you'll pass easily.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: 102H
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Venzke is super nice and understanding if you have any problems, however, she has to give outlines of her lectures because she can go off topic so much or jumps around. Her tests are just long essays on a big chunk of material. Expect to spend twenty minutes of class doing nothing.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIST102H
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof Venzke is nice enough, and is very passionate about her subject. However, she's so passionate that she'll get talking and go all over the place during lectures, making her a bit hard to follow at times. Lot of reading, lot of group discussions, and quite a few essays. If you do what she requires, then you shouldn't have problems with passing.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIST304H
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Ottoman class really sparked my interest into Islamic History. Dr. Venzke is nice but often gets frazzled and sidetracked during lectures. She is a resource that is incredible. Take this class with such a renowned and prominent professor. Lots of readings and take home essay exams. Gotta be into subject matter. Essay overload.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HIST102H
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Venzke was a super easy grader. Her class was interesting, but occasionally hard to follow as she jumps around some in time. But I very much enjoyed her course, and would recommend it to anyone.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: 102H
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I loved Western Civ, but that is only because I participated in the beginning of the semester. If she learns your name within the first week or two, she will always remember you and will grade your 2 essays and 3 tests very easy. She knows her stuff and the content is extremely interesting! You will have to do a lot of reading but its manageable.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HIST102H
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Western Civ: AVOID this class at all costs. You have to read 3-4 books outside of class and they aren't fun reading. She returns papers and tests three weeks after submission. Her lecture is jumpy. Her tests are set up so you can pass if you know exactly what to say. She doesn't respond to emails, ever. Don't do it.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIS101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Made no sense much of the time because she got entirely off topic. Also extremely rude. When I had an office appointment with her, she was 35 mins. late--no excuse/apology. Her wild white hair was all over the place and her eyes were bloodshot. She glared at me & said nothing--just because I wanted some clarification about a term paper topic.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HIST101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

She's just not all there. She wasn't prompt to get back to emails and couldn't stay on one topic at a time, making it impossible to follow her. She relies heaviy on stereotyping her students by race or religion, and the only people who like her class are history majors. The class was easy, however.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HIST101
• 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:

Western Civ to 1000 CE was recommended to me, so I took it--and Dr. Venzke's class really got me into history. She's a funny and terrific and helpful professor. Do readings and papers in advance so you can ask her opinion before turning them in, attend class, and you'll get a solid A. This class will leave you with great knowledge of west civ.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HIST102
• 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:

Be sure to read the books for her essays and go to the lectures and discussions.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HIST300
• 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:

I took her upper level Islamic Civ classes & loved her. She was tough & the material was tough. Her courses helped prepare me for Grad school in France & the University of Southern California. She was a bit disorganized - like a good history should be. Her depth of knowledge is amazing & her Arab-Isaraeli Conflict class was most instightful.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HIST102H
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Lots of lectures, reading and writing. Difficult to keep up with what she is saying.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HIST101
• 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:

Venzke is an amazing teacher. She is lighthearted and fun. She often makes class interesting and worthwhile. All tests are essay tests and she gives 3 possible prompts beforehand that she chooses from. All the questions are fair and she covers all material. She is very willing to work with students and very entertaining.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HIST303
• 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:

She has a plethora of knowledge and always seems to know a little about everything. She can sometimes get off track during lectures and the class may occasionally fall behind or run late. Papers assigned require attention and lots of detail. Overall I enjoyed the class and would take it again.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CIV101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor Venzke is hands-down one of the best teachers at Stetson. Yes, she is hard because you do have to read several books, but you learn so much even without reading them (which you can get away with). She has so much knowledge to share and truly enjoys teaching. I think she is one of the few professors that I will truly miss.