# Hardest courses in History of Science | UW–Madison [View on UW Courses](https://uwcourses.com/departments/HISTSCI/hardest) ## Dataset ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### repository twangodev/uwcourses ### schema version 6 ### importer version 7 ### projection id 52a78527ff09011d88cb04c7d43867d9fbfec2930bf1dd2ec359ebd2844e0b07 ### observed at 2026-09-07T15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### built at 2026-09-10T19:50:42.743001+00:00 ### courses 8951 ### current instructors 5754 ### limited false ### terms * 1272 * 1264 * 1262 * 1254 * 1252 * 1244 * 1242 * 1234 * 1232 * 1224 * 1222 * 1212 * 1204 * 1202 * 1194 * 1192 * 1184 * 1182 * 1174 * 1172 * 1164 * 1162 * 1154 * 1152 * 1144 * 1142 * 1134 * 1132 * 1124 * 1122 * 1114 * 1112 * 1104 * 1102 * 1094 * 1092 * 1084 * 1082 * 1074 * 1072 ### term 1272 ### departments | subject | count | | --------- | ----- | | AAE | 90 | | ABT | 20 | | ACCTIS | 36 | | ACTSCI | 14 | | AFAERO | 10 | | AFRICAN | 87 | | AFROAMER | 71 | | AGROECOL | 21 | | AMERIND | 53 | | ANAT\&PHY | 7 | | ANATOMY | 2 | | ANESTHES | 8 | | ANSCI | 57 | | ANTHRO | 95 | | ART | 125 | | ARTED | 10 | | ARTHIST | 121 | | ASIALANG | 129 | | ASIAN | 109 | | ASIANAM | 28 | | ASTRON | 38 | | ATMOCN | 69 | | BIOCHEM | 51 | | BIOCORE | 10 | | BIOLOGY | 14 | | BIOMDSCI | 18 | | BME | 66 | | BMI | 41 | | BMOLCHEM | 10 | | BOTANY | 69 | | BSE | 44 | | C\&ESOC | 73 | | CBE | 48 | | CHEM | 101 | | CHICLA | 52 | | CIVENGR | 133 | | CLASSICS | 47 | | CNP | 10 | | CNSRSCI | 50 | | COMARTS | 137 | | COMPBIO | 15 | | COMPLIT | 11 | | COMPSCI | 138 | | COUNPSY | 78 | | CRB | 19 | | CS\&D | 71 | | CSCS | 40 | | CURRIC | 193 | | DANCE | 93 | | DERM | 8 | | DS | 88 | | DYSCI | 35 | | ECE | 155 | | ECON | 145 | | EDPOL | 114 | | EDPSYCH | 97 | | ELPA | 70 | | EMA | 53 | | EMERMED | 17 | | ENGL | 206 | | ENTOM | 40 | | ENVIRST | 148 | | EP | 15 | | EPD | 67 | | ESL | 16 | | F\&WECOL | 60 | | FAMMED | 22 | | FINANCE | 50 | | FOLKLORE | 40 | | FOODSCI | 43 | | FRENCH | 63 | | GEN\&WS | 145 | | GENBUS | 72 | | GENECSLR | 17 | | GENETICS | 60 | | GEOG | 113 | | GEOSCI | 83 | | GERMAN | 82 | | GLE | 48 | | GNS | 38 | | GREEK | 27 | | HDFS | 41 | | HEBR-BIB | 13 | | HEBR-MOD | 10 | | HISTORY | 233 | | HISTSCI | 56 | | HONCOL | 13 | | ILS | 43 | | INFOSYS | 9 | | INTEGART | 7 | | INTEGSCI | 22 | | INTER-AG | 18 | | INTER-HE | 11 | | INTER-LS | 22 | | INTEREGR | 16 | | INTLBUS | 21 | | INTLST | 50 | | ISYE | 83 | | ITALIAN | 53 | | JEWISH | 56 | | JOURN | 88 | | KINES | 128 | | LACIS | 26 | | LANDARC | 61 | | LATIN | 24 | | LAW | 120 | | LEGALST | 48 | | LINGUIS | 35 | | LIS | 89 | | LITTRANS | 78 | | LSC | 52 | | M\&ENVTOX | 7 | | MARKETNG | 62 | | MATH | 153 | | MDGENET | 8 | | ME | 130 | | MEDHIST | 43 | | MEDICINE | 60 | | MEDIEVAL | 32 | | MEDPHYS | 39 | | MEDSC-M | 29 | | MEDSC-V | 41 | | MHR | 68 | | MICROBIO | 45 | | MILSCI | 16 | | MM\&I | 22 | | MOLBIOL | 6 | | MS\&E | 59 | | MUSIC | 165 | | MUSPERF | 126 | | NAVSCI | 20 | | NE | 44 | | NEURODPT | 11 | | NEUROL | 7 | | NEURSURG | 4 | | NTP | 11 | | NURSING | 111 | | NUTRSCI | 65 | | OBS\&GYN | 18 | | OCCTHER | 39 | | ONCOLOGY | 14 | | OPHTHALM | 5 | | OTM | 43 | | PATH | 34 | | PATH-BIO | 29 | | PEDIAT | 26 | | PHARMACY | 31 | | PHILOS | 77 | | PHMCOL-M | 11 | | PHMPRAC | 45 | | PHMSCI | 60 | | PHYASST | 37 | | PHYSICS | 88 | | PHYSIOL | 3 | | PHYTHER | 37 | | PLANTSCI | 52 | | PLPATH | 35 | | POLISCI | 192 | | POPHLTH | 58 | | PORTUG | 33 | | PSYCH | 101 | | PSYCHIAT | 22 | | PUBAFFR | 54 | | PUBLHLTH | 23 | | RADIOL | 11 | | REALEST | 41 | | RELIGST | 90 | | RHABMED | 9 | | RMI | 24 | | RP\&SE | 102 | | S\&APHM | 17 | | SCANDST | 73 | | SLAVIC | 89 | | SOC | 149 | | SOCWORK | 87 | | SOILSCI | 46 | | SPANISH | 83 | | SRMED | 21 | | STAT | 94 | | STDYABRD | 52 | | STS | 8 | | SURGERY | 25 | | SURGSCI | 33 | | THEATRE | 91 | | URBRPL | 60 | | UROLOGY | 5 | | ZOOLOGY | 89 | ## subject HISTSCI ## collection hardest ## results ### items ```json [ { "course_uid": "course_b82a6804ee64c770d2c43581", "course_id": "AFROAMER/HISTSCI 275", "title": "SCIENCE, MEDICINE, AND RACE: A HISTORY", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 4, "gpa": 3.538, "badges": [], "description": "Surveys the medical and scientific constructions of race and racial theories within social and political contexts, focusing on racial science in slavery and colonialism.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 110, 70, 11, 7, 1, 3, 4 ], "count": 206, "gpa": 3.5946601941747574, "topShare": 87.37864077669903, "firstTerm": "1232", "lastTerm": "1242" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_b82a6804ee64c770d2c43581", "uid": "instructor_87623c48973c33831aa83480", "name": "Emma Tomlins", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/EMMA_TOMLINS" }, { "course_uid": "course_b82a6804ee64c770d2c43581", "uid": "instructor_0149058a93fdbfa6c8484d08", "name": "Pablo Gomez Zuluaga", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/PABLO_GOMEZ_ZULUAGA" } ], "instructorHistory": null, "courseComparison": null, "claim": null, "reviewFiles": [] } }, { "course_uid": "course_e72d5255fc3590f83c4dd955", "course_id": "HISTSCI/MEDHIST 212", "title": "BODIES, DISEASES, AND HEALERS: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 3, "gpa": 3.435, "badges": [], "description": "This course surveys historical conceptions of the body as a site of sickness from Antiquity to contemporary medicine.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 382, 136, 61, 18, 15, 5, 4 ], "count": 621, "gpa": 3.650563607085346, "topShare": 83.41384863123994, "firstTerm": "1234", "lastTerm": "1264" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_e72d5255fc3590f83c4dd955", "uid": "instructor_6c88d47e2ccf2c8139ce08a9", "name": "James Barnes", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/JAMES_BARNES" }, { "course_uid": "course_e72d5255fc3590f83c4dd955", "uid": "instructor_57304049210863888523ae72", "name": "Kayleigh Larsen", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/KAYLEIGH_LARSEN" }, { "course_uid": "course_e72d5255fc3590f83c4dd955", "uid": "instructor_5205ce037eb4f4717e6a49e7", "name": "Suzanna Schulert", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/SUZANNA_SCHULERT" } ], "instructorHistory": null, "courseComparison": null, "claim": { "citations": [ { "instructor_name": "Nicholas Jacobson", "review_date": "2024-02-22 03:59:16 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "8d631aa14abfb8d017cb49d3", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2909478", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM4OTkyNTU0", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2909478", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Nicholas Jacobson", "review_date": "2024-11-24 19:21:27 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "ad14d1e88b16ba2192e8a044", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2909478", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQwMDIzNzI2", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2909478", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Nicholas Jacobson", "review_date": "2024-12-11 03:35:41 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "d52b437d6d891dcf0014b56f", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2909478", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQwMjEzNTE4", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2909478", "type": "review" } ], "text": "Historical reviews of Nicholas Jacobson: Students report reading and analyzing two to three long, sometimes ancient, readings each week, which some find challenging despite the engaging lectures." }, "reviewFiles": [ "/data/e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349/reviews/course_e72d5255fc3590f83c4dd955-0.json" ] } }, { "course_uid": "course_f4b214e2f641d33cca8ccb26", "course_id": "HISTSCI/S&APHM 401", "title": "HISTORY OF PHARMACY", "credits_min": 2, "credits_max": 2, "gpa": 3.655, "badges": [ { "id": "lecture-size", "label": "Small lectures", "tone": "neutral", "evidence": "Fall 2026: median 16 enrolled students across 2 recorded lecture sections. Small means 30 or fewer; large means 100 or more. Enrollment at scan time, not capacity or typical historical attendance.", "sources": [ { "label": "Sections and enrollment", "href": "/courses/HISTSCI_S%26APHM_401#schedule" } ] } ], "description": "This course covers the history of the pharmaceutical field from antiquity to modern medical care, focusing on professional structuring in Western countries.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 89, 5, 16, 6, 2, 0, 0 ], "count": 118, "gpa": 3.733050847457627, "topShare": 79.66101694915254, "firstTerm": "1232", "lastTerm": "1262" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_f4b214e2f641d33cca8ccb26", "uid": "instructor_9786d968a17dc0c34b1f19b8", "name": "Greg Higby", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/GREG_HIGBY" }, { "course_uid": "course_f4b214e2f641d33cca8ccb26", "uid": "instructor_3a245ce2aff7d9356e65be1a", "name": "Lucas Richert", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/LUCAS_RICHERT" } ], "instructorHistory": null, "courseComparison": null, "claim": null, "reviewFiles": [] } }, { "course_uid": "course_a609b236966ce3c9c42825b9", "course_id": "HISTSCI 211", "title": "THE HISTORIAN'S CRAFT: SCIENCE, MEDICINE, AND TECHNOLOGY", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 4, "gpa": 3.737, "badges": [ { "id": "lecture-size", "label": "Small lectures", "tone": "neutral", "evidence": "Fall 2026: median 15 enrolled students across 3 recorded lecture sections. Small means 30 or fewer; large means 100 or more. Enrollment at scan time, not capacity or typical historical attendance.", "sources": [ { "label": "Sections and enrollment", "href": "/courses/HISTSCI_211#schedule" } ] } ], "description": "HISTSCI 211 teaches students to conduct original historical research in science, medicine, and technology using archival methods and historical analysis.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 106, 30, 8, 1, 1, 3, 1 ], "count": 150, "gpa": 3.736666666666667, "topShare": 90.66666666666666, "firstTerm": "1242", "lastTerm": "1264" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_a609b236966ce3c9c42825b9", "uid": "instructor_5bece5af1c5a97342c52b18d", "name": "Daniel Williford", "quality": 3.944803614716622, "quality_count": 12, "instructor_url": "/instructors/DANIEL_WILLIFORD" }, { "course_uid": "course_a609b236966ce3c9c42825b9", "uid": "instructor_5205ce037eb4f4717e6a49e7", "name": "Suzanna Schulert", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/SUZANNA_SCHULERT" } ], "instructorHistory": null, "courseComparison": null, "claim": { "citations": [ { "instructor_name": "Nicholas Jacobson", "review_date": "2024-11-13 23:41:05 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "ee186f31495eb66c6293994e", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2909478", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM5OTQzOTY0", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2909478", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Nicholas Jacobson", "review_date": "2024-12-19 22:40:27 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "72a9086d7a21b69da37a9756", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2909478", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQwMzg3NjMy", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2909478", "type": "review" } ], "text": "Historical reviews of Nicholas Jacobson: Students report a heavy reading load of approximately 20 pages per week, with materials described as old and long." }, "reviewFiles": [ "/data/e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349/reviews/course_a609b236966ce3c9c42825b9-0.json" ] } }, { "course_uid": "course_858c09056ac5ed119a96d808", "course_id": "HISTSCI/MATH 473", "title": "HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 3, "gpa": 3.694, "badges": [ { "id": "lecture-size", "label": "Small lectures", "tone": "neutral", "evidence": "Fall 2026: median 20 enrolled students across 1 recorded lecture section. Small means 30 or fewer; large means 100 or more. Enrollment at scan time, not capacity or typical historical attendance.", "sources": [ { "label": "Sections and enrollment", "href": "/courses/HISTSCI_MATH_473#schedule" } ] } ], "description": "A historical survey of the main lines of mathematical development.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 84, 27, 10, 1, 4, 0, 0 ], "count": 126, "gpa": 3.738095238095238, "topShare": 88.09523809523809, "firstTerm": "1224", "lastTerm": "1262" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_858c09056ac5ed119a96d808", "uid": "instructor_cb542ebcf378e09875b30909", "name": "Michael Kemeny", "quality": 3.2580714862888294, "quality_count": 4, "instructor_url": "/instructors/MICHAEL_KEMENY" } ], "instructorHistory": null, "courseComparison": null, "claim": { "citations": [ { "instructor_name": "Michael Kemeny", "review_date": "2024-12-11 02:53:15 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "65d9578a16410b808562acaa", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2575442", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQwMjEyNDEx", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2575442", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Michael Kemeny", "review_date": "2024-12-13 06:45:00 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "da764a1db83f13279856b6da", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2575442", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQwMjcxNzcx", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2575442", "type": "review" } ], "text": "Exams are described as purposefully difficult, with the second midterm carrying 20% of the grade and containing only four questions, making small errors costly." }, "reviewFiles": [ "/data/e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349/reviews/course_858c09056ac5ed119a96d808-0.json" ] } }, { "course_uid": "course_50ed8cf08dc852be98c4ddf2", "course_id": "HISTSCI 201", "title": "THE ORIGINS OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 3, "gpa": 3.475, "badges": [ { "id": "rated-teacher", "label": "Highly rated instructor", "tone": "positive", "evidence": "Fall 2026: Florence Hsia (4.09/5 adjusted; 82 ratings). At least one assigned instructor qualifies. This describes instructor reviews across courses, not a course rating.", "sources": [ { "label": "Florence Hsia", "href": "/instructors/FLORENCE_HSIA" } ] }, { "id": "lecture-size", "label": "Large lectures", "tone": "neutral", "evidence": "Fall 2026: median 120 enrolled students across 1 recorded lecture section. Small means 30 or fewer; large means 100 or more. Enrollment at scan time, not capacity or typical historical attendance.", "sources": [ { "label": "Sections and enrollment", "href": "/courses/HISTSCI_201#schedule" } ] } ], "description": "HISTSCI 201 explores the emergence of the scientific method from ancient traditions and the development of the Copernican-Newtonian worldview.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 356, 99, 27, 5, 2, 4, 3 ], "count": 496, "gpa": 3.774193548387097, "topShare": 91.73387096774194, "firstTerm": "1232", "lastTerm": "1262" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_50ed8cf08dc852be98c4ddf2", "uid": "instructor_e8e272b2ede6425a9779d472", "name": "Florence Hsia", "quality": 4.094056035989529, "quality_count": 82, "instructor_url": "/instructors/FLORENCE_HSIA" }, { "course_uid": "course_50ed8cf08dc852be98c4ddf2", "uid": "instructor_9f3b1d632b8ce90b28cba7d8", "name": "Aijie Shi", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/AIJIE_SHI" }, { "course_uid": "course_50ed8cf08dc852be98c4ddf2", "uid": "instructor_bc5f42e0d02d34613412a45e", "name": "Rohini Dasgupta", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/ROHINI_DASGUPTA" } ], "instructorHistory": null, "courseComparison": null, "claim": { "citations": [ { "instructor_name": "Florence Hsia", "review_date": "2014-01-23 21:12:42 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "c3e651a7c60da618246e856b", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:223676", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTIyNzg3NzQ5", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/223676", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Florence Hsia", "review_date": "2022-05-17 07:41:36 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "821bcae285e5ef99c63918ff", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:223676", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM2MzU2OTA5", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/223676", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Florence Hsia", "review_date": "2022-12-28 00:39:04 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "01b7e40d9fbb90f67d53d6fd", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:223676", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM3MjUyMTk3", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/223676", "type": "review" } ], "text": "Review 2 states reading is necessary for an A and most materials are online, though the textbook is required. Review 6 agrees reading is necessary for exams. Review 7 advises skipping the textbook because lectures cover everything needed." }, "reviewFiles": [ "/data/e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349/reviews/course_50ed8cf08dc852be98c4ddf2-0.json" ] } } ] ``` ### total 6 ### page 1 ### kind course ### q ### term 1272 ### availability offered ### filters #### ranking hardest #### subject HISTSCI