# JOHN SHARPLESS — Courses & Reviews | UW–Madison

[View on UW Courses](https://uwcourses.com/instructors/JOHN_SHARPLESS)

## Dataset

### revision

e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349

### repository

twangodev/uwcourses

### schema version

6

### importer version

7

### projection id

85abe9ff8837c2c5a134368dcc4cfc85eb723524b21ddeb3d2e953887d2f0c8f

### observed at

2026-09-07T15:55:43.033547+00:00

### built at

2026-09-11T07:45:51.576183+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    |

## instructor

### instructor uid

instructor\_4912eac298b1b26d7e2331a8

### source

legacy

### identity basis

name\_only

### identity status

unresolved

### name

JOHN SHARPLESS

### first observed at

2025-04-16 05:20:33.104844+00:00

### last observed at

2026-01-22 01:00:26.555427+00:00

### ratings

#### review count

67

#### quality

4.33

#### difficulty

2.63

#### quality count

67

#### difficulty count

67

#### profile id

rmp:226197

#### source url

<https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/226197>

#### match basis

exact\_name

#### observed at

2026-09-07 16:31:56.464773+00:00

#### courses

##### course 2b4d35ea75108be033dce1d9

###### review count

4

###### quality

4.25

###### difficulty

2.5

###### quality count

4

###### difficulty count

4

#### bayesian quality

4.175904777826804

#### prior mean

3.6596857835465957

#### prior weight

20

### current

false

### courses

None recorded.

### revision

e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349

### instructor url

/instructors/JOHN\_SHARPLESS

## history

None recorded.

## timeline

None recorded.

## term

1272

## courses

None recorded.

## reviews

### items

```json
[
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:31:56.464773+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTMwMDI3MTM0",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:226197",
    "instructor_name": "John Sharpless",
    "course_label": "HIS306",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2018-05-08 16:32:29 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "If you have any interest in American history, 306 with Sharpless is one of the best decisions you could make. Lectures are interesting, minimal assignments (1 in class bluebook and 2 take home essays), grading is fair. He is also retiring soon (next semester?) so if you're looking for an elective, take one of his classes.",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/226197",
    "quality_rating": 4,
    "difficulty_rating": 3
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:31:56.464773+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI5NDY5OTgx",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:226197",
    "instructor_name": "John Sharpless",
    "course_label": "HIST600",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2018-01-17 22:07:59 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "Had Sharpless for Politics and Film and honestly the best class I have ever taken. This one lets you write free and creative in your analysis of the films for class. Lots of political experience he uses to explain concept and ideas. Really chill guy. Pro tip, make sure to include the readings. Don't be intimidated in the amount of work on the sylab",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/226197",
    "quality_rating": 5,
    "difficulty_rating": 4
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:31:56.464773+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI3NjQwNjEx",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:226197",
    "instructor_name": "John Sharpless",
    "course_label": "201GEO",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2016-12-29 13:02:09 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "Sharpless is one awesome guy. He loves going on tangents about zombies and stories from his travels. He also has a great grasp on history- ranging everywhere from biblical to Native American. It's definitely a class worth taking. I do recommend skimming through the texts, however, because it's a lot of reading. Either way, Sharpless is tremendous.",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/226197",
    "quality_rating": 5,
    "difficulty_rating": 3
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:31:56.464773+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI3NTMzMzcz",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:226197",
    "instructor_name": "John Sharpless",
    "course_label": "HIS201",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2016-12-16 15:35:38 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "For his 201 class, there is a lot of reading and writing. Most of the books you just need to skim and get the main idea, and the papers are mostly two pages. Has a few attendance pop quizzes throughout the semester, so its a good idea to attend. No final exam but a final paper that was 8-10 pages that you work on progressively throughout the class.",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/226197",
    "quality_rating": 4,
    "difficulty_rating": 3
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:31:56.464773+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI3MTk1ODc5",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:226197",
    "instructor_name": "John Sharpless",
    "course_label": "HIST600",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2016-11-15 21:45:02 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "John Sharpless is easily the best professor I have ever had at UW. I took Imagining American Politics in Hollywood Film and it is hands down the best class I have taken here. The syllabus is well put together, he gives amazing lectures , he will write a recommendation for anyone and he took us all out for beers at the end of the semester. Great guy",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/226197",
    "quality_rating": 5,
    "difficulty_rating": 4
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:31:56.464773+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI2NTkxODUx",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:226197",
    "instructor_name": "John Sharpless",
    "course_label": "HIS101",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2016-05-16 21:01:16 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "The class was mostly ran by the TA who was pretty hard this semester. The class was a lot of work for a 100 level class. A lot of reading and both in class and out of class essay exams. Material talked about in lectures and discussions was often times different. Lectures were very boring and attendance was unnecessary.",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/226197",
    "quality_rating": 3,
    "difficulty_rating": 4
  }
]
```

### total

67

### page

1

### courses

| course\_uid                      | course\_id  |
| -------------------------------- | ----------- |
| course\_2b4d35ea75108be033dce1d9 | HISTORY 101 |

### matched

true

## social Image

false