Osama Abi-Mershed - Georgetown University

Professor: Osama Abi-Mershed

Department: TBD

College: Georgetown University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HIST099
• Grade Received: Audit/No Grade
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I learned more in my middle school history class than I did from this class. Way too many dense readings about the most specific topics, but I have no clear idea what time period we are even studying. My grading was done by the TA, who was quite harsh. Lectures are insanely boring. Ahhhhhhhhh this class sucks I thought I liked history!!!!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIST160
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class was so dense for a survey history class. He also didn't upload slides/ most of his lectures were word of mouth and not written on slides too. 40-100 pages of reading a week. Graded really harshly, gave little feedback, dry lecturer, and he randomly focused a lot on architecture instead of history. 7-10 page papers single spaced!!!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HIST161
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lectures are understimulating and he reads off a paper word-by-word. His style of teaching is confusing, so some concepts are unclear. There are a LOT of readings (100-200 pages), and it's hard to do all of them. Discussions are not very engaging either. While he is nice and willing to help outside of class, the in-class issues were too great.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HIS160
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Quality of the class (and the grade) depends almost entirely on the TA. Abi Mersheds lectures are informative but a little hard to follow. Essays are straightforward but very long.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HIST160
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

A total bro. Abi-Mershed's lectures are not anything special, however if you get to know him you'll have a little fun. Readings are definitely required and dense, and the midterm and final papers are nightmares, however you can do it and do it well. Participate in discussions (it'll help your grade), and he's so willing to help you with anything.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HIST160
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Talks fast and a bit dry but perfectly understandable. Essay topics are obvious but require a lot of writing. Cares a lot about discussion participation (if you're in his section). Readings are brutal but usually critical, as he makes you cite them in essays and discussions.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIST160
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great prof. Probably better for upper levels than intro classes, but really liked his clear style and sense of humor. Super nice guy. Don't stress too much. Can be a harsh grader, but lets you know how to improve for future assignments.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIST160
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The readings are very long and convoluted - as are the essays. There were only two essays, but they were 20 pages each and essentially comprehension dumps. There was no required analysis; it was just whatever you could remember from class in the essay. The assessments make up 60% of the grade and discussion is the other 40%. Not an easy history.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GOVT267
• 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:

Really smart and a charismatic lecturer. Clearly knows the subject like the back of his hand, and has a good sense of humor. However, his lectures are very dense, and taking good notes by hand is next to impossible

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HIST161
• 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 good lecturer. Tough grader. Don't take this if you're looking for an easy A. But if you're really interested in learning about the Middle East from someone who's actually from the region and lived through most of this history, he's your guy. Essay topics can be excessively complicated, but they force you to think and understand the material.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HIST161
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

His class is very informative, but the real problem is the essays - the prompts are overwhelmingly convoluted, and it's absurdly difficult to get an A. Also, notice how the consistently positive reviews are from several years ago. If you're interested in the subject but concerned for your GPA, take it pass fail or audit - I wish I had.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIST267
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Interesting subject-boring class. Essays are rubbish.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HIST161
• 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:

This guy is hard. If you aren't Arabic or don't have a compelling reason to take Middle Eastern history, DONT TAKE THE CLASS. He assumes we know a lot more than we do going into the semester. A lot relies on the TAs which aren't too easy either. Not a bad guy, but it just isn't worth it for a Gen Ed requirement.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HIST267
• 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:

I don't agree with comments below. Abi Mershed does not impose one perspective, but at least brings in the whole picture and what is less known to make you to decide for yourself.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HIST265
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

As a hist major, I have never quite had a history class like this one at Georgetown... just awful!! Professor is clearly intelligent yet inarticulate, rails on his students after every paper and is an incredibly unfair grader- his idea of a "good" history paper is a glorified book review. Additionally the TA was horrible. AVOID!!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HIST161
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Completely agree with the below comment. The course pushes a specific narrative on you. If you don't regurgitate exactly what you are told in lectures on your assessments, bless your heart. But don't expect a solid grade if you articulate your own thoughts.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HIST161
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Had him for Modern North Africa and Mid East II. He seemed more interested that you see the story his way rather than come to your own conclusions. His interpretation is basically that colonialism is the root of all the Arab world's problems, and it is based on gross generalisations about the colonizers. Not equally critical of the colonized.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HIST160
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Good, but not great, professor. Unless you are one of the lucky students who is enrolled in the prof's discussion section, your grade depends entirely upon the idiosyncratic grading of usually cranky TAs. The workload isn't too burdensome, but the TA grading is frustrating to all. I don't know a single person that did extremely well on the papers

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HIST161
• 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:

Will speak, nonstop, for 75 minutes. Bring a computer because you just can't keep up writing by hand. It's not always an easy class but if you want to learn modern middle east Osama's the man.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: HIST161
• 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:

Inaccessible prof. Lectures are painful but essential. TAs are the deal breaker although discussion sections have nothing to do with the lectures. If you can listen to him drone for 75 minutes a week then you are golden. Take really really good lecture notes. Essay prompts are vague at best and require extensive analysis before starting to write.