Gary Gilbert - Claremont McKenna College

Professor: Gary Gilbert

Department: Religious Studies

College: Claremont McKenna College

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: RLST087
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Engaging lectures every class with some (not a lot) of students participation. I found the tests to be very difficult, but this was not a feeling shared by the whole class. Definitely have to put in the work, but you'll get something out of it.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: FHS010
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof Gilbert is one of my favorite profs here. His FHS was a lot of reading but the discussions are very thought provoking. His comments during discussions are pretty inspirational, and gives you the chance to speak your mind. Super fair grader.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: RLST055
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

His lectures are really dense but well organizedGilbert makes it easy to learn a lot. A decent amount of writing plus mandatory field trip to a museum. I honestly wasn't that interested in the subject matter, but now I'm really glad I took the class bc I learned so much. Wish I had taken more cool random classes like this during my four years.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: RLST055
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Gilbert is a great person and professor. He is passionate about the subject. But he rushes through many topics to cover everything he wants to cover. The tests are also difficult and are graded fairly rough for a GE course. It's as if he expects non-majors to take a significant amount of time from other major courses to prep for his class.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: RLST055
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great lecturer, clearly extremely knowledgeable on the subjects of the class. Assigned readings are recommended but not necessarily required. Only complaint is that there isn't really time in the semester for all the info he tries to cover.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: RLST055
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Really wonderful person and professor - very easy to contact and talk to during his office hours (he always brings up helpful questions to consider for research projects!) His tests are pretty hard and arduous to study for, and my only critique of his teaching is that I think he tries to cover too much material. Reading semi-required. also RLST163

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: RLST163
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Gilbert is a wealth of knowledge on Jewish topics from antiquity to contemporary issues. His lectures are structured, thoughtful and relevant, but mostly recapitulation of the reading. Though my class was especially quiet, discussions were not always fruitful, making the class very lecture-heavy. Interesting subject material with cool analysis.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: RLST055
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I love him and his class, definitely would like to take another class with him. The first 2-3 weeks of class were filled with boring powerpoint lectures that covered huge amounts of material, but don't get discouraged! After that, it's more lecture and discussion and it's so interesting! The class dynamic he creates is what makes it so great.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: RLST055
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

An overall great teacher! His lectures are captivating, he is an expert in his field and is very helpful. I really enjoyed and appreciated his help on papers, and he always got me excited to write about my topic! I learned a lot in his class and wish I could have taken more classes with him!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: RLST055
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Gilbert is absolutely incredible. He is so knowledgeable and passionate about what he teaches. Although this class was lecture-based, he still posed questions to the class that encouraged great discussions. He is a fair grader and willing to meet with anyone during office hours. I only used one of the textbooks once or twice for an essay.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: RLST136
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

While Prof. Gilbert is very knowledgable in his area and is obviously very intelligent, his assignments can be vague while looking straightforward in disguise. Getting an A is not as easy as it seems. There are lots of readings but he goes over the material in his lectures. He also talks a lot so the class is like 80% lecture 20% discussion.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: RLST055
• 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: Mandatory

Comment:

Took it for GE but Prof Gilbert totally made want to be a RLST major! Class is lecture based but he raises interesting questions for you to think about. Workload is fair(2 8-page papers and 2 exams w/ study guide). He is super helpful if you go to his office hours to talk about paper or before midterms.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: RELST135
• 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:

If it was at all possible, I would probably add a religious studies major to my degree because of Professor Gilbert. I wish I would have taken his class earlier!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: RLST135
• 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:

Gary is one of the most thoughtful, kind, and measured people I have met, and despite the touchy subject that is Jerusalem, his goal was clear: to impart as complete and nuanced an understanding of the Holy City as possible. He's an OK lecturer, but nonetheless an extraordinary educator and discussion leader, and his grading is difficult but fair.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: RLST129
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Amazing professor! Amazing course! I learned so much from the text. If you wish to learn about the Western traditions, especially Judaism and Christianity, take Professor Gilbert's courses!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: RLST129
• 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:

This professor is very understanding about absences if you keep in touch with him constantly through email. Stay on top of the essays and you will be fine.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: RLST137
• 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:

Amazing professor. I have never been as inspired by a professor or by classes as much as I have been with Gary. He is passionate about the subjects and wants the students to do well. There is a lot of reading but you don't really need to do all of it to do well in his classes. Take a class with him if you ever have the chance!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: RLST135
• 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:

Gilbert has a great wealth of knowledge and experience in his field - he is superbly qualified. However, he never holds discussions and literally talks the entire time in a monotone boring voice. He can make an interesting subject boring in class, but readings are good (but way too much and he never uses them in class). Mixed review.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: RLST129
• 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:

I would make sure to stay away from this professor. There is a lot of reading, a lot of work, a fair amount of essays, and the grading is based a lot on favoritism. Although, I will say that Professor Gilbert is very passionate about his subject.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: FHS010
• 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:

Really good professor, really interesting class. Completely discussion based, and similar to a high school AP English class. The class is what you make of it - you can get a good grade by using sparknotes if you choose, but the reading is pretty interesting.