Students found that the best aspect of this course was the professor’s passion for the subject and her ability to engage students during the lectures. Many students also liked the field trip to the Smithsonian Museum for one of the assignments, although some students had difficulty getting there. Several students also felt that the readings were long or repetitive, so they suggested adding more variety to the reading list and posting the lecture slides online to help students study. Prospective students do not need to have background knowledge, but they should be wil ing to do the readings and take detailed notes during the lectures.

Students praised this course for having an engaging instructor who shared his archaeological field experiences. They also enjoyed how this course provided an overview of many cultures in the near east. Students’ issues with the course varied; multiple students thought that there was a significant amount of assigned reading. Multiple students thought many of the assigned readings were irrelevant to the class as it seemed the instructor didn’t tie the readings into the lecture or test them on the exams. Suggestions for improvement varied as some students thought the course would be improved if the course better integrated assigned readings into the lecture and assignments, while others wanted the instructor to assign additional work so that students’ grades wouldn’t be dependent on how they do on a couple of assignments. Prospective students should know that students found that the course was a good introduction to the history of the ancient near east. Also, students should sign up for the course only if they have an interest in history.