I took ANE 130 and CM101A with Dr. Waraksa and believe her to be an outstanding lecturer who is dedicated to her students. As a disclaimer, I received an A+ in 130 (grades aren't out for CM101A yet, but I expect to have at least an A), did relatively less work compared to my science classes, and have always loved Ancient Egypt.

For 130, scoring well on the quizzes by knowing details of deities and historical facts is a must. Dr. Waraksa was fairly forgiving when it came to spelling errors (but it's best not to rely on this -- just learn the material properly from the outset). Her TAs were also pretty generous with points on the exam (compared to my science classes, they didn't take points off for incorrect answers). Dr. Waraksa also has extra credit identifications on her exams so if you went through the study guide thoroughly you are in good shape.

As for CM101A, there is a lot of material to learn with respect to the architecture and themes presented. The class consists of 1 midterm, a 10-12 page paper, and a final. Her exam format was almost identical to 130, and knowing the material from 130 was moderately helpful background knowledge before CM101A. I love writing papers, so I enjoyed that assignment. She also gives you lots of time to write it (several weeks) but expects a topic and rough draft before the final copy is due which keeps you on track.

All in all, if you have the opportunity to take a class with her I highly recommend it.

Prof. Waraksa is very knowledgeable about the material, and she's a pretty good lecturer. Her class is initially very intimidating because the syllabus makes it look like she's some kind of grade-inflation crusader (a 91 is a B in the class, "should be considered a high grade" etc.) The three quizzes at the beginning of the class can also be difficult.

The class's learning curve, however, is steep but brief; once you find your grounding in the background (who the important deities are, why they matter, important symbology), things tend to adhere to common themes throughout the course, and Prof. Waraksa and her TAs do a good job of making sure those themes are pointed out.

I recommend the class to anyone who thinks they might be interested in the material, or just wants a change of pace; I certainly came away feeling like I learned way more than I expected to and that the effort was rewarding. It was also more work than I expected, though, so don't think it will be a snoozer GE – you will need to study your terms and the connections between them.