HIST 116A
Byzantine History
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour (when scheduled). Designed for juniors/seniors. Political, socioeconomic, religious, and cultural continuity in millennial history of Byzantium. Reforms of Diocletian. Byzantium's relations with Latin Europe, Slavs, Sassanids, Arabs, and Turks. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 4.0
Units: 4.0
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2024 - DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. I have no idea how it has such high reviews on bruinwalk. Genuinely one of the worst professors I've ever had. He is constantly interrupting class to give his take on whatever he saw on TV this morning. Don't take this class unless you want to hear an 85 year old's opinion on everything that is going on in the world. I've never met a professor so full of himself. He would not stop talking the entire midterm. He graded midterms in front of us out loud as we were taking the midterm. He is constantly talking about "greco-roman heritage", uses the word "barbarian" like it is a slur, is constantly describing teenage or younger women in history as "perky" or "hookers". He brings up "the filthy turk" or "illiterate unwashed sacarens", and is just always feeding into racial stereotypes that are disgusting. The last lecture I listened to he made up that downtown LA was destroyed after a basketball game was won, which is 1. not true and 2. a disgusting racial stereotype! I have no idea how he still works here! According to him, we need to bring back the national draft and there are too many immigrants in the army (they're not loyal to the US apparently). This is a man stuck in the 50s. He's incredibly condescending and is almost unbearable to listen to for long periods of time, going on the same rants over and over. He's very passionate about the subject and makes the content somewhat clear as long as you keep the class reader near and dear to your heart, but is very much stuck in the old-fashioned way of learning and doing history. Great men, names and dates, linear timelines that you have to know beat-by-beat. My least favorite professor I've had the displeasure of taking at UCLA.
Winter 2024 - DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. I have no idea how it has such high reviews on bruinwalk. Genuinely one of the worst professors I've ever had. He is constantly interrupting class to give his take on whatever he saw on TV this morning. Don't take this class unless you want to hear an 85 year old's opinion on everything that is going on in the world. I've never met a professor so full of himself. He would not stop talking the entire midterm. He graded midterms in front of us out loud as we were taking the midterm. He is constantly talking about "greco-roman heritage", uses the word "barbarian" like it is a slur, is constantly describing teenage or younger women in history as "perky" or "hookers". He brings up "the filthy turk" or "illiterate unwashed sacarens", and is just always feeding into racial stereotypes that are disgusting. The last lecture I listened to he made up that downtown LA was destroyed after a basketball game was won, which is 1. not true and 2. a disgusting racial stereotype! I have no idea how he still works here! According to him, we need to bring back the national draft and there are too many immigrants in the army (they're not loyal to the US apparently). This is a man stuck in the 50s. He's incredibly condescending and is almost unbearable to listen to for long periods of time, going on the same rants over and over. He's very passionate about the subject and makes the content somewhat clear as long as you keep the class reader near and dear to your heart, but is very much stuck in the old-fashioned way of learning and doing history. Great men, names and dates, linear timelines that you have to know beat-by-beat. My least favorite professor I've had the displeasure of taking at UCLA.
Most Helpful Review
Prof Phillips is a great lecturer. He really gets it - he makes the material entertaining so even people who would not normally care about Greek history are interested. Also, he's by far the funniest professor I've had. He has half the class laughing out loud almost every day. Don't believe the people who say he is difficult. Just go to class, write comprehensive notes, and then memorize the stuff he gives on the study sheets before tests. He lists about 5 required texts, but you'll only need one for the term paper. If you're a non-history major looking to take a history class, this is the one to take.
Prof Phillips is a great lecturer. He really gets it - he makes the material entertaining so even people who would not normally care about Greek history are interested. Also, he's by far the funniest professor I've had. He has half the class laughing out loud almost every day. Don't believe the people who say he is difficult. Just go to class, write comprehensive notes, and then memorize the stuff he gives on the study sheets before tests. He lists about 5 required texts, but you'll only need one for the term paper. If you're a non-history major looking to take a history class, this is the one to take.
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Most Helpful Review
Amazing. She really is. Best professor I have had at UCLA or UC Berkeley. Phenomenal. Awesome. Great. Need I go on?? Do the reading, come to class. She has organized lectures which are engaging and sometimes even personal! She really knows her stuff, too. When her computer won't hook up and she has to lecture without her power-point- no sweat! She's competent and encouraging, but no-nonsense. First time I really was motivated to work hard for the A, because from her, it MEANS something.
Amazing. She really is. Best professor I have had at UCLA or UC Berkeley. Phenomenal. Awesome. Great. Need I go on?? Do the reading, come to class. She has organized lectures which are engaging and sometimes even personal! She really knows her stuff, too. When her computer won't hook up and she has to lecture without her power-point- no sweat! She's competent and encouraging, but no-nonsense. First time I really was motivated to work hard for the A, because from her, it MEANS something.
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