Plan ahead for courses where students have earned lower grades.
Lowest historical GPA first. At least 100 letter grades over the five years through the selected term. Grades reflect past outcomes, not workload or a guaranteed result.
Historical grades cover up to five years through the selected term. Only courses with at least 100 letter grades are ranked.
ENGL 167 introduces British and American literature by examining specific writers and themes.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews report varying difficulty under Anja Jovic-Humphrey, with one rating it high and another low.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ENGL 241 explores the origins of English literature and culture from ancient myths to the 18th century, developing critical reading and writing skills.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Exams are largely lecture-based, making detailed notes essential. The course relies on only four assignments, making each one critical, and offers extra credit.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ENGL 174 introduces students to how literary texts engage with pressing social justice issues such as class, race, gender, and immigration.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Students report a heavy reading load delivered in a short time to maximize productive class discussions.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026ENGL 214 provides an overview of the structure, use, and development of the English language and its varieties.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025This course studies Vladimir Nabokov's major novels within Russian and American literary contexts, focusing on his role as an artist in exile.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025Introduction to the oral and written literatures of Native North America, examining forms across historical periods and tribal groups.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Susan Dominguez: Assignments are low-stakes, often worth only 3-4 points, with severe penalties for minor errors like citation formatting or grammar.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026TRUTH AND CRIME examines the true crime genre in the US, exploring its narrative and legal dimensions.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2024–Fall 2025ENGL 177 studies the intersection of literature and popular culture across various forms and media.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Students report high workload, including reading 10-20+ pages or watching films before every class, managing group projects, and extensive mandatory note-taking. One reviewer described assignments as deliberately designed to consume time, requiring library visits for participation.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ENGL 461 explores literature by authors reflecting the experiences of ethnic and minority groups.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The course is not difficult, though the classroom dynamic may feel challenging due to the instructor's preference for specific student responses.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Fall 2025ENGL 314 teaches linguistic methods for analyzing and describing English syntax and morphology.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historically under Eric Raimy, the course demands substantial homework that aids exam preparation. Under Anja Wanner, it requires mandatory attendance, weekly quizzes, and a group project, with material moving quickly.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to Rhetoric and Writing Studies explores Composition Rhetoric, emphasizing critical reading and writing to analyze how texts create communities and shape knowledge.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Christa Olson: The workload is described as easy, relying on group participation and turning in assignments, with a self-set grading contract reducing pressure.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Fall 2025ENGL 474 is a course focused on the study of recent literature written in English, with specific topics varying by offering.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2024ENGL 242 explores literature from the 18th century to the present, examining how writers responded to global upheavals through poetry, drama, and the novel.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Monique Allewaert: Grades rely on five papers and participation, with manageable reading loads and accessible help outside class.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ENGL 173 introduces literature reflecting the writing and experience of minority and ethnic groups, focusing on specific themes or problems.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Theresa Delgadillo: Work includes daily reading questions, a panel presentation, and essays, rated as low difficulty.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to Theatre and Dramatic Literature covers reading plays, attending productions, and developing critical writing and analytic skills.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Scott Campbell: Scott Campbell's section required significant reading of ten plays, yet weekly quizzes allowed summaries for full credit. Exams were online, open-note, and considered easy to score perfectly on.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ENGL 438 is a course focused on the study of specific topics within 18th-century literature and culture.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The course is primarily discussion-based with occasional papers, rated as low difficulty.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ENGL 176 introduces the interplay of literature and film, analyzing how written works are represented and transformed in cinema.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Reviewers report the reading material as extremely convoluted and incomprehensible, while weekly assignments are described as forcing engagement despite being unhelpful.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ENGL 175 explores the depiction and valuation of other academic disciplines in British and American literature, and their intellectual influences on literary works and movements.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Workload is described as decently light, graded leniently, and assessed via papers and group presentations, though dense material requires attention.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026ENGL 245 is a Seminar in the Major focusing on critical reading, writing, and persuasive argumentation skills.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Anja Jovic-Humphrey, Yanie Fecu: Workload includes a 12-page midterm, creative project, and 12-15 page final paper, with some reviewers citing heavy weekly reading loads and tough grading.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ENGL 409 is a creative writing poetry workshop focused on writing literary poetry.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to TESOL methods, exploring contexts and materials for teaching English to speakers of other languages.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The course is low-stress with relevant homework every class that is not overwhelming, and grading criteria are straightforward and clear.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Investigates specific topics in gender and women's studies related to gender and literature, with varying topics each semester.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ENGL 169 introduces students to selected American fiction, prose, drama, and poetry from the early twentieth century to the present.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The workload is generally light, consisting mostly of readings and a few easy writing assignments. Porter Shreve’s online section requires intensive weekly discussion posts and a short story project.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2025–Spring 2026A variable-topic course in Asian American Literature emphasizing critical thinking, historical awareness, and multicultural participation.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The reading workload appears manageable, as one reviewer noted they could have skipped reading without penalty, though lectures provide necessary context.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Fall 2025Study of four Shakespeare plays through 1600, with the reading of several others.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Assignments are described as easy with flexible deadlines, though the workload includes multiple papers and source studies. The reading material is extensive and can be tedious, but participation is not mandatory.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Fall 2025An introduction to creative writing focusing on fiction and poetry workshops with model readings.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Aeron Parks, Kathryn Harlan, Phoebe Kranefuss: Grading emphasizes effort and improvement over strict difficulty, with ratings ranging from easy to moderate. Weekly critiques and discussion-based participation are central to the workload, requiring active engagement in a small class setting.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026A workshop focused on writing literary fiction and poetry while studying contemporary writers as models.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Students must complete all readings and homework before class to succeed in this moderately difficult course.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to College Composition focuses on rhetorical reading, writing, and information literacy.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The course involves frequent writing assignments and peer reviews. Weekly tasks build upon each other, requiring students to complete pre-class readings and engage in mandatory participation.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026An introduction to literature in English written by women in various periods and places.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026ENGL/GEN&WS 248 examines American literature created by and focused on women from ethnic groups.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Kay Yandell: The sole review indicates low difficulty, though it focuses on teaching quality rather than specific workload metrics.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026