Fall 2026

Archaeology and the Prehistoric World

Introduction to archaeology and the prehistoric world, exploring human cultural origins through global archaeological research and site analysis.

offering recorded3 credits
Recorded instructors · Fall 2026 Sissel Schroeder3.9/5Arvind NairNaz Nazri

Summary

1 / 7

The course relies on three exams and three assignments without a curve, featuring difficult, essay-heavy exams that many find time-consuming. Students must manage the strict time limits provided for these assessments.

Grade history

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average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

None

  • None
ANTHRO 102 used by

“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • None

Professors

Fall 2026
/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.11/5 from 36 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: 3.7/5 raw quality · 2.8/5 difficulty · 6 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Sissel Schroeder is knowledgeable and organized, providing helpful note sheets and clear lectures that facilitate learning. Reviewers appreciate her calm demeanor and the availability of online materials, though some find the content monotonous or boring.

Some students find her course structure unorganized and the exams difficult, essay-heavy, and time-constrained. While one review praises her passion, others describe the course as boring and note that attendance is not mandatory due to posted lectures.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2019: 2.90 GPA, 40.2% A/AB (n=92 letter grades); Fall 2021: 3.86 GPA, 93.5% A/AB (n=169 letter grades); Spring 2024: 3.15 GPA, 52.1% A/AB (n=117 letter grades).

No course-specific feedback yet.

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Historical reviews of Jonathan Kenoyer: Jonathan Kenoyer is knowledgeable but delivers dense, information-heavy lectures that overwhelm students. Reviewers note his slides are cluttered, forcing reliance on condensed PDFs, and he expects a level of prior knowledge beyond an introductory course. His grading curve is described as harsh, creating significant competition among students.

HENRY BUNN is recorded teaching in Fall 2012, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2018, Fall 2023, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JASON YAEGER is recorded teaching in Fall 2007, Spring 2010. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JONATHAN KENOYER is recorded teaching in Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2020, Fall 2022, Spring 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

SARAH CLAYTON is recorded teaching in Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2019, Spring 2022, Fall 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

SISSEL SCHROEDER is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2016, Spring 2019, Fall 2021, Spring 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Fall 2026

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction157 / 1760
DIS 301Classroom Instruction19 / 220
DIS 303Classroom Instruction21 / 220
DIS 304Classroom Instruction9 / 220
DIS 305Classroom Instruction22 / 220
DIS 306Classroom Instruction21 / 220
DIS 302Classroom Instruction21 / 220
DIS 307Classroom Instruction22 / 220
DIS 308Classroom Instruction22 / 220

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Sissel Schroeder delivers clear, well-organized lectures where students can learn significantly by attending and taking notes on her slides. Her calm teaching style and comprehensive content coverage make the course manageable for those who engage with the material.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.20 GPA, 56.5% A/AB (n=62 letter grades); Fall 2025: 2.97 GPA, 41.0% A/AB (n=134 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.07 GPA, 47.7% A/AB (n=65 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

The course relies on three exams and three assignments without a curve, featuring difficult, essay-heavy exams that many find time-consuming. Students must manage the strict time limits provided for these assessments.

Lectures can be monotonous and long, risking student disengagement, though Schroeder’s note sheets and engaging delivery help mitigate boredom. The material is straightforward, and her organization supports students in navigating the content effectively.

Topics

  • Origins of human culture and early history
  • Global archaeological sites and ruins
  • Diversity of the human past

Skills

  • Applying archaeological concepts and techniques through site case studies

Grades

Historical instructor

Fall 2026 · Projected

Before grades are released

– average GPA

Approximate 80% prediction interval

About this estimate

The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.

The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.

8 earlier forecasts · 0.34 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Fall 2026

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1283 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.

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Selected offering source records
ANTHRO 102 · Fall 2026

Archaeology and the Prehistoric World

Recorded 2026-09-07
Raw records
[
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:156:000803",
    "course_id": "ANTHRO 102",
    "course_uid": "course_6254b0cd433d191906afe68d",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "000803",
    "source_subject_id": "156",
    "title": "Archaeology and the Prehistoric World",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
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Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-09-07

Download the original dataset
Model outputs & technical records
nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1
Model & dataset provenance
{
  "model": "nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4",
  "model_revision": "1355db6a052410cfd62085d94b58866fd0f2c3c5",
  "task_version": "14",
  "output_id": "653b2b129022dde9045289c2f1e4315b9a4aedc1e44c56553847bd30464fddd0",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349",
  "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00"
}