Lectures were lowkey boring, but not mandatory so it's okay. Super helpful when we met outside of class. But, it's really dependent on what TA you get and how they interpret the rubric, as he doesn't grade any of the assignments.Rate My Professors ↗
Current instructor
Joseph Bowling
What students say
Original student reviews · all captured dates
ENGL241 is a lot of reading, but has very minimal assignments. Your entire grade is concentrated in a portfolio of reading responses and reflection that can be difficult to revise if your TA is not accessible. Bowling is a lecturer who is very passionate about the material and encourages a classroom that brings multiple interpretations.Rate My Professors ↗
rlly good prof!Rate My Professors ↗
Lectures drone on a bit, but they're interesting enough. Assignments were easy and he gave nice feedback on all of them. It's shakespeare so a lot of the reading is tedious, but you can get youtube explanatories of chapters and it works the same. Super easy A and I think Dr. Bowling is a great guy.Rate My Professors ↗
Very nice guy. Easy A if you get all the attendance. The lecture was a bit boring though, but he was trying to make it fun.Rate My Professors ↗
Lectures are a little monotone and hard to stay interested in for the length of the class. Held class a little late quite often. Grading was labor-based which I see the appeal of, but it can make assignments you're proud of less rewarding since something subpar would have gotten you the same grade.Rate My Professors ↗
Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.
Classes with Joseph Bowling
Examines the depiction and valuation of other academic disciplines in British and American literature, including their intellectual influences on selected works and movements.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Joseph Bowling
Joseph Bowling taught a course covering political philosophers, with grades based on two papers and a group presentation. Students found him understanding and flexible, noting he adjusted the schedule to meet class needs.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Survey of English literature and culture through the 18th century, covering genres from epic to sonnet and developing critical reading and writing skills.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Joseph Bowling
Joseph Bowling teaches ENGL 241 with a heavy reading load but minimal assignments, where the grade concentrates in a portfolio of reading responses and reflections. Students found the lectures engaging or boring, and noted that grading depends on TA interpretation since Bowling does not grade the assignments.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Later Works of Shakespeare
3 creditsStudy of four Shakespeare plays after 1600 with the reading of several others.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2022: 3.86 GPA, 89.3% A/AB (n=28 letter grades).
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2022 · limited sampleHonors Project
3 creditsHONORS PROJECT. For further information, consult the department's Honors Coordinator or Undergraduate Advisor.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
Senior Honors Thesis in the Major is mentored individual study for students completing honors theses.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
Directed Study
1–3 creditsDirected Study is an English course for junior or senior students with prior or concurrent intermediate-level work in the same subject, requiring consultation with an academic advisor.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
Recorded teaching history
Distinct courses recorded per term
Explore courses taught by this instructor →Browse recorded courses
| Term | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2027 | ENGL 175 | Literature and the Other Disciplines |
| Spring 2027 | ENGL 241 | Literature and Culture I: to the 18th Century |
| Spring 2027 | ENGL 432 | Later Works of Shakespeare |
| Spring 2027 | ENGL 680 | Honors Project |
| Spring 2027 | ENGL 682 | Senior Honors Thesis in the Major |
| Spring 2027 | ENGL 699 | Directed Study |
| Fall 2026 | ENGL 175 | Literature and the Other Disciplines |
| Fall 2026 | ENGL 176 | Topics in Literature and Film |
| Fall 2026 | ENGL 431 | Early Works of Shakespeare |
| Fall 2026 | ENGL 681 | Senior Honors Thesis in the Major |
Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.
Instructor identity & provenance
{
"instructor_uid": "instructor_61ae5ee3cec16c7b0add8f8c",
"source": "enrollment",
"source_instructor_id": "jdbowling",
"identity_basis": "netid",
"identity_status": "source_identified",
"name": "Joseph Bowling",
"email": "JDBOWLING@WISC.EDU",
"first_observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
"last_observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
"ratings": {
"review_count": 33,
"quality": 4.24,
"difficulty": 2,
"quality_count": 33,
"difficulty_count": 33,
"profile_id": "rmp:2449663",
"source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2449663",
"match_basis": "exact_name",
"observed_at": "2026-10-14 19:04:21.274633+00:00",
"courses": {
"course_00825210f2e0cc8154955d31": {
"review_count": 5,
"quality": 3.4,
"difficulty": 2.6,
"quality_count": 5,
"difficulty_count": 5
},
"course_a88cac555b2d5296b83de4e8": {
"review_count": 4,
"quality": 5,
"difficulty": 1.75,
"quality_count": 4,
"difficulty_count": 4
},
"course_3c7043e25530bc3ad1e1bef8": {
"review_count": 4,
"quality": 4.75,
"difficulty": 2,
"quality_count": 4,
"difficulty_count": 4
},
"course_1a093602cd19066f2fa24f0b": {
"review_count": 1,
"quality": 3,
"difficulty": 1,
"quality_count": 1,
"difficulty_count": 1
},
"course_2d10446e426b7a2a14d94ca8": {
"review_count": 3,
"quality": 3,
"difficulty": 3.67,
"quality_count": 3,
"difficulty_count": 3
}
},
"bayesian_quality": 4.020827766225083,
"prior_mean": 3.65919358049647,
"prior_weight": 20
},
"current": true,
"courses": [
{
"course_uid": "course_00825210f2e0cc8154955d31",
"course_id": "ENGL 241",
"title": "LITERATURE AND CULTURE I: TO THE 18TH CENTURY",
"credits_min": 3,
"credits_max": 3,
"gpa": 3.469
},
{
"course_uid": "course_1e11931d82ad4973e691570c",
"course_id": "ENGL 432",
"title": "LATER WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE",
"credits_min": 3,
"credits_max": 3,
"gpa": 3.577
},
{
"course_uid": "course_86688f1c9d896c0923c8ac76",
"course_id": "ENGL 680",
"title": "HONORS PROJECT",
"credits_min": 3,
"credits_max": 3,
"gpa": 4
},
{
"course_uid": "course_a88cac555b2d5296b83de4e8",
"course_id": "ENGL 175",
"title": "LITERATURE AND THE OTHER DISCIPLINES",
"credits_min": 3,
"credits_max": 3,
"gpa": 3.747
},
{
"course_uid": "course_b90b55b7bdcd981825fc22bf",
"course_id": "ENGL 682",
"title": "SENIOR HONORS THESIS IN THE MAJOR",
"credits_min": 3,
"credits_max": 3,
"gpa": null
},
{
"course_uid": "course_ed2a66d856b4a2da13744af8",
"course_id": "ENGL 699",
"title": "DIRECTED STUDY",
"credits_min": 1,
"credits_max": 3,
"gpa": 4
}
],
"revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
"instructor_url": "/instructors/JOSEPH_BOWLING"
}