William Dean Kinzley - University of South Carolina

Professor: William Dean Kinzley

Department: TBD

College: University of South Carolina

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HIST108
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

READ the textbook he requires you to have, he uses power points but there bullets that he explain and unless you writetype at the rate he talks its best to read. Not to mention for the quizzes, papers and tests.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's a very smart man who knows a lot but his classes are dull. It's just him pacing and talking. If you pay attention enough to take basic notes, you can do alright on the tests. But if you have zero interest in whatever region the class focuses on, RUN.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: 105
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's a pretty boring guy, but paying attention in lectures isn't THAT crucial. He gives you the test questions in advance so you just need to know the answers to those well. I only skimmed the book while studying. If you can write decently you're fine.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I didn't do any of readings until I got the test questions and only read what was relevant to the questions. We had three "quizzes" on the reading, but all of those are given in advance online. TA grades harsher than he does. After my second test I set up an appointment with her because I felt she had graded unfairly and got a few points back.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• 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:

Took this class because I needed a non-US history and this seemed most interesting. While it wasn't really boring, the weekly readings were ridiculously long, the tests and papers were difficult, and his grading was extremely harsh. I'm hoping to pull a B out, but had to work crazy hard to get it.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I'm a senior with a 4.0 GPA and this will probably be my first B. Had to put more work into this class than some of my grad-level classes. AVOID him and this class

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• 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:

The amount of work he expects from the students is way demanding for a gen ed class. I'm just glad it's over. I tried to listen to his lectures but usually ended up playing candy crush on my phone or dozing off... he was extremely boring.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• 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:

Seems dull at first, but his lecture is interesting. Very knowledgeable. If you're fortunate enough to sit in the front, he will remember you. He is interesting to talk to as well. He is very helpful and provides excellent guides of exactly what will be on the test. Make sure to do the readings. His "quizzes" and papers are fairly easy as well.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HIST354
• 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:

Pretty cool professor. He's happy to help if you seek him out. It's going to be difficult because, after all, it is East Asian History. But he's very passionate, very knowledgeable, and an interesting lecturer. Doesn't take attendance or anything like that with his upper level classes, though he does at the 100 level.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• 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:

He doesn't teach very well, the test are har, but if you go over every question through the textbook, you usually can do well. Go to class, attendance is random.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

E Asian history is an unfamiliar subject to me and to add to that the professor was so boring and dry. He speaks pretty quietly for such a big auditorium with out amplification. Very hard to not day dream in class, so boring! Horrible handwriting makes his grading comments useless. My history advisor told me that he was very dry, I didn't listen :(

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• 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:

While professor Kinzley is smart, well-traveled, and knowledgeable about his subject, he is NOT worth taking for something like a gen ed requirement. His expectations out of a 100 level class are ridiculous and the 10+ essays questions he assigns you to study for tests induced panic in everyone. If you need a non-US history than look elsewhere.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• 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:

The people who complain must have been slackers. I suck at history and got an A for the class. The only thing that makes this class not an easy A is that it is hard to tell what he is looking for. If you read the text and do the study guides, you should make a B without a problem. Those who are not willing to do work should not take this class.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• 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 class is not an easy one! Material is very in depth and while he teaches chronologically, he seems to want you to learn it on your own before coming to class. "Papers" were easy, 3 REALLY hard tests. See the TA, Mitchell, if you have any desire in passing. While Kinzley is arrogant, he may just help you a little.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Extremely slow class, arrogant professor, very vague and numerous assignments with a confusing grading scale of checks without numerical equivalents so there is no way to really know how you're doing in the class. If you have any other options, take them. Any class is better than this. TONS of reading to say the least, 80-90 pages a week minimum and he "might" give you pop quizzes so you have to read or risk failing.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• 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:

He tells your from the very beginning this class is difficult-it's thousands of years packed together with context that is unfamiliar. But Dr. Kinzley is a good professor that pushes you to think and question, both yourself and the context you're learning. If you want something easy, take another class.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• 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:

As stated before, he simply expects you to do the work! He doesn't baby anyone, but if you put forth the effort and ask for help, he is more than happy to give it to you. If you do the reading, show up to class, and use the study guide he gives for each test, there is no reason to door poorly in his class. Anyone who does, that's their own fault.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

An absolute nightmare of a teacher. Pulls exam prompts out of thin air. Seems convinced that our lives revolve around his class.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HIST105
• 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:

Professor Kinzley is NOT as bad as everyone says. He just expects you to do the work and show up to class. Be prepared to to do a ton of textbook reading and take good notes in class. He gives study sheets for all his tests. Not a bad class at all, very interesting and worth taking.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: HIST497H
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This professor is something else. Never have I met such a conceited individual. He "knows" everything about everything. Every idea the student has is horrible and not worth his time. He claims he is willing to help, but in truth he can only help if you don't need him in the first place. This guy is a to the bone, jerk. Avoid at all cost. Wish I Had