Professor
Aaron Burke
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Most Helpful Review
I took M182 with Burke. He is a great professor and a great communicator. If someone was unable to do well in this class it simply means that the person did not take good enough notes. His tests are strait from the notes. So, if you take good notes and listen to the podcast-ed lectures online to review, you will get an A in the class.
I took M182 with Burke. He is a great professor and a great communicator. If someone was unable to do well in this class it simply means that the person did not take good enough notes. His tests are strait from the notes. So, if you take good notes and listen to the podcast-ed lectures online to review, you will get an A in the class.
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2024 - I take this class because I find interesting learn about the ancient near east but to be honest is not what I was expecting, even if I learn is because I used to study too much on my own and TA, the midterm and the final are really easy, but the problem are the weekly test. The class was small and even if it was small after 2 weeks half of the class left.
Fall 2024 - I take this class because I find interesting learn about the ancient near east but to be honest is not what I was expecting, even if I learn is because I used to study too much on my own and TA, the midterm and the final are really easy, but the problem are the weekly test. The class was small and even if it was small after 2 weeks half of the class left.
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2018 - The class is really easy, but professor Burke is honestly a really boring guy. Throughout the quarter there is no work to be done because there are two writing assignments due at the end of the quarter, plus the midterm and final. Other than that, there are no quizzes or anything. He has a bunch of readings that aren't really necessary since I got a B. I got that B because I thought the midterm was the week following when it actually was so I consequently didn't study for it. The midterm and final are basically memorizing like 80 terms given to us in a study guide and understanding basic ideas. He repeats that this class is about culture but it is very much historical as we have to memorize names and periods and their associations. Lecture isn't necessary in my opinion unless you want to bore yourself. He posts slides on his site but a lot of them just have pictures on them. I wouldn't really take this class if you're looking for something to enjoy yourself with, unless of course you are already interested in the subject. tl/dr: boring class, easy pass r/ucla
Fall 2018 - The class is really easy, but professor Burke is honestly a really boring guy. Throughout the quarter there is no work to be done because there are two writing assignments due at the end of the quarter, plus the midterm and final. Other than that, there are no quizzes or anything. He has a bunch of readings that aren't really necessary since I got a B. I got that B because I thought the midterm was the week following when it actually was so I consequently didn't study for it. The midterm and final are basically memorizing like 80 terms given to us in a study guide and understanding basic ideas. He repeats that this class is about culture but it is very much historical as we have to memorize names and periods and their associations. Lecture isn't necessary in my opinion unless you want to bore yourself. He posts slides on his site but a lot of them just have pictures on them. I wouldn't really take this class if you're looking for something to enjoy yourself with, unless of course you are already interested in the subject. tl/dr: boring class, easy pass r/ucla
Most Helpful Review
Class: Jewish History Overall: an effective teacher Provides study guides before the midterm and the final, which help enormously in acing the exams. Exams can be challenging and involve detailed as well as general questions. Negative aspect: reading assignments are overwhelming. Advice: consult him to know which texts are more worth reading given your time constraint. His lectures can be very boring as you may feel like the lectures consists of writing down notes from his PowerPoint presentations without being able to interact with what he says. He is better than the average UCLA teacher.
Class: Jewish History Overall: an effective teacher Provides study guides before the midterm and the final, which help enormously in acing the exams. Exams can be challenging and involve detailed as well as general questions. Negative aspect: reading assignments are overwhelming. Advice: consult him to know which texts are more worth reading given your time constraint. His lectures can be very boring as you may feel like the lectures consists of writing down notes from his PowerPoint presentations without being able to interact with what he says. He is better than the average UCLA teacher.
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Most Helpful Review
Spring 2025 - I took this class as a GE requirement, and I'm a biology major. I was scared at first because the syllabus says use of technology is not permitted, etc, etc, basically making Burke out to seem like this super strict professor. All that he says about this is that he wants you to stay engaged during lectures (which is super important cause the class material is the lectures, not a textbook), but he wont take your phone or call you out. Burke is super passionate about this topic, his eagerness to teach makes it easy to show up to class. He throws in a lot of star wars references, he's funny, understanding, and engaging. It's easy to ask questions during class. The discussion section is good too, both his TAs are very kind and easy to talk to, and most of it is analyzing specific bible passages in a historic context. There are no textbooks (just the bible), a quiz per lecture (5 questions, 1 point each, counts as attendance, but the questions are fairly easy and you will absolutely pass them if you were at the previous lecture), understanding and accomodating TAs. This has been one of my favorite classes I have taken so far. Burke is one of those professors who teach because they have that genuine passion to do so. I would take another one of his classes if I could.
Spring 2025 - I took this class as a GE requirement, and I'm a biology major. I was scared at first because the syllabus says use of technology is not permitted, etc, etc, basically making Burke out to seem like this super strict professor. All that he says about this is that he wants you to stay engaged during lectures (which is super important cause the class material is the lectures, not a textbook), but he wont take your phone or call you out. Burke is super passionate about this topic, his eagerness to teach makes it easy to show up to class. He throws in a lot of star wars references, he's funny, understanding, and engaging. It's easy to ask questions during class. The discussion section is good too, both his TAs are very kind and easy to talk to, and most of it is analyzing specific bible passages in a historic context. There are no textbooks (just the bible), a quiz per lecture (5 questions, 1 point each, counts as attendance, but the questions are fairly easy and you will absolutely pass them if you were at the previous lecture), understanding and accomodating TAs. This has been one of my favorite classes I have taken so far. Burke is one of those professors who teach because they have that genuine passion to do so. I would take another one of his classes if I could.
Most Helpful Review
Spring 2024 - Absolutely the worst and most boring class I have ever taken. I was fighting for my life every single class, every single class had a quiz, the midterm and final were unimaginably hard. Im warning you, do not take this as a GE. As a stem major, this class still haunts my gpa. That's all.
Spring 2024 - Absolutely the worst and most boring class I have ever taken. I was fighting for my life every single class, every single class had a quiz, the midterm and final were unimaginably hard. Im warning you, do not take this as a GE. As a stem major, this class still haunts my gpa. That's all.
Most Helpful Review
Spring 2025 - Ok- I was initially worried about taking this class based on 2 or so bad reviews I saw about it. I am here to say that this class is ABSOLUTLEY NOT that bad. My guess is that those bad reviews are from the (very large) contingent of students who want to take a G.E. and want to not have to do any work at all. So yah, sorry, you can't get an A+ in this class by not showing up and using chatGPT. Assuming you a) go to class most of the time b)"study" for Burke's quizzes for 5 minutes before class c) pay attention during lecture, an A or A+ is VERY obtainable. I am a humanities major. I've done a lot of reading. This class does NOT have that much reading and there are 0 essays required. The final is legit multiple choice. It's also a very cool topic. If you are in this class and somehow get below a B+, that is TOTALLY on you :) take the class.
Spring 2025 - Ok- I was initially worried about taking this class based on 2 or so bad reviews I saw about it. I am here to say that this class is ABSOLUTLEY NOT that bad. My guess is that those bad reviews are from the (very large) contingent of students who want to take a G.E. and want to not have to do any work at all. So yah, sorry, you can't get an A+ in this class by not showing up and using chatGPT. Assuming you a) go to class most of the time b)"study" for Burke's quizzes for 5 minutes before class c) pay attention during lecture, an A or A+ is VERY obtainable. I am a humanities major. I've done a lot of reading. This class does NOT have that much reading and there are 0 essays required. The final is legit multiple choice. It's also a very cool topic. If you are in this class and somehow get below a B+, that is TOTALLY on you :) take the class.
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