“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.
Raw average: 4.29/5 from 7 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.
For this course: 5.0/5 raw quality · 2.5/5 difficulty · 2
reviews
RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.
Matt Villeneuve is described as passionate and knowledgeable, making the class easy to learn. Reviewers note that he is accessible in office hours and assigns minimal reading, with only two monographs for the semester.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2024: 3.43 GPA, 75.0% A/AB (n=44 letter grades).
Matt Villeneuve is a passionate and engaging instructor who makes the class easy to learn and fun, with helpful discussions and office hours.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2023: 3.66 GPA, 85.2% A/AB (n=61 letter grades); Spring 2024: 3.43 GPA, 75.0% A/AB (n=44 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.68 GPA, 87.7% A/AB (n=65 letter grades).
difficulty & workload
The workload is light, involving minimal reading of only two monographs and a small amount of reading overall, with lenient grading.
In-class discussions are very helpful for understanding material and writing papers, and the professor is easy to talk to in office hours.
Topics
American Indian history
Indigenous peoples, communities, and nations
U.S. policy and culture
Skills
Applying decolonial methods and Native ways of knowing
Grades
Latest available · Fall 2025— not enough history to project Fall 2026.
average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades
Instructor
Grade distribution · % of letter grades
A63.1%63.1%
AB24.6%24.6%
B4.6%4.6%
BC3.1%3.1%
C3.1%3.1%
D1.5%1.5%
F0.0%0.0%
Grades over time
Through Fall 2025
More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data
Where this course fits relative to
Latest available grades · Fall 2025 · all course levels
3.683.68GPA
Higher than 4848% of other courses
in this group.
Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range
6565letter grades
More recorded grades than 4646% of other courses in this group.
Typical course in this group: 70.070.0 letter grades.
About this comparison
1320 courses over the same term, each with at least 30
recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure
of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded
grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.
Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.
Sources & history
UW–Madison
Catalog & offerings
Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.
Catalog observation history
Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.