Quality 4/5Difficulty 2/5
Lecture slides clearly outlined what we learned, so it was nice if you missed a class. Seemed very passionate about the subjectRate My Professors ↗
Current instructor
Florence Hsia
What students say
Original student reviews · all captured dates
Quality 4/5Difficulty 2/5
Great professor, and super passionate. This class was fairly interesting, but you do NOT need to do the text book readings or buy the text books. Everything you need to know is either heavily covered in lecture or available as a weekly reading. The class is mildly interesting, and I think with any other professor it would've been incredibly boring.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
Professor Hsia is the best. She teaches clearly and passionately about the class material, which can sometimes be a bit dense. The class is very reading-heavy, but the lectures cover everything you need to know for the exams.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 4/5Difficulty 1/5
If you're not really into history, this class isn't for you. While Dr. Hsia clearly cares about what she's teaching, the content from unit to unit can get a little confusing. The slides aren't as thorough as the online quizzes need, so take good notes. If you pay attention and attend lecture, you should be fine.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 5/5Difficulty 1/5
Professor Hsia speaks so fluidly and is clearly very knowledgeable about the topics she teaches. Her exams are very straightforward if you attend lecture and remember the important names and places (the textbooks are interesting, but not necessary). She makes the lectures incredibly engaging; you'll definitely learn something new from this class.Rate My Professors ↗
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
The lectures are amazing. She is very engaging. You can get by in the class if you just go to the lectures, however you really should do the readings.Rate My Professors ↗
Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.
Classes with Florence Hsia
HISTSCI 201 explores the emergence of the scientific method from ancient traditions and the development of the Copernican-Newtonian worldview.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Reviewers praise Florence Hsia for engaging lectures and clear slides, finding her likable and knowledgeable. Her teaching style makes the material interesting, though some find the content dry. Others criticize lectures as boring or containing useless information, suggesting they are not essential, while some emphasize reading is critical, creating a disagreement on lecture utility.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025HISTSCI 699
Directed Study
1–3 creditsA directed study course in the History of Science, Medicine, and Technology under faculty supervision.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2008: 3.85 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=10 letter grades).
No recorded grade history
HISTSCI 990
Research and Thesis
1–3 creditsHISTSCI 990 is a course for independent research and thesis writing under faculty supervision.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
No recorded grade history
HISTSCI 999
Independent Work
1–3 creditsHISTSCI 999 is an independent directed study course under faculty supervision.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2022 · limited sampleILS 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
Florence Hsia is praised as a clear, passionate lecturer who makes dense material accessible. Reviewers highlight her straightforward expectations and ability to explain complex points effectively. Her teaching style is consistently rated highly for clarity and engagement.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025Recorded teaching history
Explore courses taught by this instructor →Browse recorded courses
| Term | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | HISTSCI 201 | The Origins of Scientific Thought |
| Fall 2026 | HISTSCI 699 | Directed Study |
| Fall 2026 | HISTSCI 990 | Research and Thesis |
| Fall 2026 | HISTSCI 999 | Independent Work |
| Fall 2026 | ILS 201 | Western Culture: Science, Technology, Philosophy I |
Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.
Instructor identity & provenance
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