***TOOK SEA ST 1***

The option for Southeast Asian Studies 1 wasn't available but that's the class I took with Professor Woods. I took it during the summer.

One word: wow. I absolutely loved this class with Professor Woods. I went into the class knowing little and had no special interest in the subject matter. However not only was he a great lecturer, but he was one of those professors that you knew truly cared about student learning. He was extremely kind in and out of the classroom. He made the extra mile to ensure that his students understood the subject material.

The way he lectures is that he talks the whole time with very little visual aids. He will sometimes use the board to spell out certain names or draw diagrams but that's about it. I never was bored during his class and really enjoyed every lecture. He is very clear and concise but also adds a bit of humor here and there to lighten the mood.

The workload was manageable. There was a map test (multiple choice), cultural paper (4-5 pages), research paper (8-10 pages), and a final exam (3 essays of 1000 words each) as well as weekly readings. Although it may seem like a lot of work for a 6 week summer session, it was very rewarding in the end. This isn't just some other GE class where you do as little as possible to get the A. Professor Woods motivates his students to really connect and to be passionate about the material. I found the research paper and final exam essays to not be too challenging but others probably thought it was too much writing. However, this class is a must-take. Professor Woods certainly makes all the difference.

He only teaches this class during the summer so don't give up the chance!