Historical instructor

ADAM NELSON

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.26/5 from 27 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.

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

What students say

Original student reviews · all captured dates

Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
I wish I could have taken this class in person because Prof. Nelson tried his hardest to make lectures interesting and engaging but sometimes the information was still kind of dry. Two essays, a final exam, and weekly discussion posts assignments are graded by TAs.
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HIST412 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
His lectures were always super engaging and kept me interested! Funny storytelling like lectures which was easy to follow. I wish more professors were like him
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EPS412 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
I had him during the COVID-19 closings and he was awesome. Very flexible, funny narrative-style lectures, and very clearly organized. 10/10 would recommend :))
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HS412 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
The grade was based on; 20% participation 50% 2 papers and 30% Final. Had very high expectations for the papers, not the kind of thing you could BS at the last minute. Recommend meeting with him or your TA to discuss papers beforehand. 2-hour final involved needing to know about 100 terms in depth. Good solid lectures. Interesting class overall.
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EDPOLICY412 · course not matched
Quality 3/5Difficulty 4/5
Professor Nelson was a tough teacher, but a great one. It certainly wasn't an easy A, but I definitely learned a lot. Attend his discussion section if you can--he is very specific about how he wants papers done and it absolutely helps to have him as a resource in discussion. Head in for office hours, too. He's a cool dude and very passionate
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41201 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 5/5
Professor Nelson is without a doubt my favorite professor. His lectures are so interesting, clear and targeted that the class goes by extremely fast. The TA's who lead discussion don't even compare to how fantastic Prof Nelson is. He's super available to meet up outside of class and genuinely cares about the topic. Best class I've taken
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with ADAM NELSON

No teaching recorded in Fall 2026.

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No courses match this selection. Try the full catalog or another term.

Recorded teaching history

Distinct courses recorded per term

Explore courses taught by this instructor →
Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Spring 2026EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2025EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2025EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2024EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2024EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2024HISTORY 990Research and Thesis
Fall 2023EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2023HISTORY 990Research and Thesis
Spring 2023EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2023HISTORY 990Research and Thesis
Spring 2023HISTORY 999Independent Work
Fall 2022EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2022EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2021EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2021EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Fall 2020EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2020EDPOL/HISTORY 412History of American Education
Fall 2020EDPOL/HISTORY 622History of Radical and Experimental Education in the US and Uk
Fall 2020HISTORY 990Research and Thesis
Spring 2020EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2020EDPOL/HISTORY 412History of American Education
Fall 2019EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2019EDPOL/HISTORY 713History of Higher Education in Europe and America
Spring 2019EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2018EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2018EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Fall 2018HISTORY 999Independent Work
Spring 2018EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2018EDPOL/HISTORY 665History of the Federal Role in American Education
Fall 2017EDPOL 701Introduction to Educational Policy Studies
Fall 2017EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2017EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Spring 2017EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2017EDPOL/HISTORY 713History of Higher Education in Europe and America
Fall 2016EDPOL 399Independent Reading
Fall 2016EDPOL 701Introduction to Educational Policy Studies
Fall 2016EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2016EDPOL 600Problems in Educational Policy
Spring 2016EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2015EDPOL 600Problems in Educational Policy
Fall 2015EDPOL 701Introduction to Educational Policy Studies
Fall 2015EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2015EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Spring 2015EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2015EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Spring 2015EDPOL/HISTORY 622History of Radical and Experimental Education in the US and Uk
Spring 2015ILS 400Capstone Integration Seminar
Fall 2014EDPOL 701Introduction to Educational Policy Studies
Fall 2014EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2014EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Fall 2014EDPOL/HISTORY 412History of American Education
Spring 2014EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2014EDPOL/HISTORY 412History of American Education
Spring 2014ILS 400Capstone Integration Seminar
Fall 2013EDPOL 600Problems in Educational Policy
Fall 2013EDPOL 701Introduction to Educational Policy Studies
Fall 2013EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2013EDPOL/HISTORY 665History of the Federal Role in American Education
Spring 2013ILS 400Capstone Integration Seminar
Fall 2012EDPOL 701Introduction to Educational Policy Studies
Fall 2012EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2012EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Fall 2012EDPOL/HISTORY 412History of American Education
Fall 2012HISTORY 699Directed Study
Spring 2012EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2011EDPOL 600Problems in Educational Policy
Fall 2011EDPOL 701Introduction to Educational Policy Studies
Fall 2011EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2011EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Fall 2011EDPOL/HISTORY 412History of American Education
Spring 2011EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2011EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Spring 2011EDPOL/HISTORY 713History of Higher Education in Europe and America
Spring 2011ILS 400Capstone Integration Seminar
Fall 2010EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Fall 2010EDPOL/HISTORY 412History of American Education
Fall 2010EDPOL/HISTORY 622History of Radical and Experimental Education in the US and Uk
Spring 2010EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Spring 2010EDPOL/HISTORY 665History of the Federal Role in American Education
Spring 2010EDPOL/HISTORY 713History of Higher Education in Europe and America
Fall 2009EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Spring 2009EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2008EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2008EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Spring 2008EDPOL/HISTORY 622History of Radical and Experimental Education in the US and Uk
Spring 2008EDPOL/HISTORY 713History of Higher Education in Europe and America
Fall 2007EDPOL 701Introduction to Educational Policy Studies
Fall 2007EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Fall 2007EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Fall 2007EDPOL/HISTORY 412History of American Education
Spring 2007EDPOL 990Research or Thesis
Spring 2007EDPOL 999Independent Reading
Spring 2007EDPOL/HISTORY 622History of Radical and Experimental Education in the US and Uk
Spring 2007EDPOL/HISTORY 665History of the Federal Role in American Education
Fall 2006EDPOL 701Introduction to Educational Policy Studies
Fall 2006EDPOL/HISTORY 412History of American Education

Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.

Instructor identity & provenance
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