Looking for a gentler semester? Start with courses where students have earned higher grades.
Highest 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.
An introductory seminar exploring how people make meaning across times, cultures, media, and disciplines.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Beatriz Botero: The course is considered very easy under Beatriz Botero, with generally clear expectations.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2023–Fall 2025Explores literature representing migration in the US and Americas, using historical and psychoanalytic approaches to analyze the migrant experience.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2023–Spring 2026ILS/POLISCI 363 explores the interactions between literature and politics and the role of literature in political systems.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Philip Bunn: One reviewer noted that Philip Bunn assigned a paper over spring break, suggesting potential workload timing issues.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Examines deception and truth-telling as fundamental political concerns through philosophical explorations from Plato to Rawls.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Daniel Kapust: Reviewers note a heavy reading load, but Kapust covers the material in lecture, making it manageable for those who attend.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025ILS 200 explores verbal, visual, and numerical modes of argument and expression through critical thinking and practice.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Craig Werner, George Clark: The course is described as writing-heavy, with assignments given every other week requiring significant speaking and writing. Lectures are often non-mandatory, though attendance may be incentivized by quizzes or extra credit.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ILS 203 explores the development of literature and the arts in the ancient and medieval world, examining works from Egypt, Troy, Athens, Rome, and Florence within their societal and intellectual contexts.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The course involves substantial reading, though reviewers describe the texts as accessible. Success relies on completing the assigned books and attending discussion sections, which help clarify material for exams.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025MACHIAVELLI AND HIS WORLD introduces major works of Machiavelli via close reading in cultural and historical contexts.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Students must complete all readings before exams and maintain high attendance, as attendance constitutes a large part of the grade.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025ILS 201 examines major developments in Western science and technology from antiquity to the 17th century within their philosophical and social contexts.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The course is reading-heavy with dense texts, requiring students to attend section and take notes. While some find the volume of content challenging, others note that lectures cover necessary exam material, making the workload manageable for the grade.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025ILS 205 traces the development of Western political, economic, and social thought from ancient Greece through the Reformation.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Abiral Phnuyal: The course requires significant weekly reading, which reviewers describe as heavy, confusing, and difficult to get through. Students must complete two papers and engage with dense philosophical texts, but success is achievable if they put in the necessary effort to understand the material.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2024Introduction to Sustainability Science explores sustainability foundations using the UW-Madison campus as a living laboratory.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2023–Fall 2025