Historical instructor

MICHAEL WAGNER

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.76/5 from 33 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

J201 · course not matched
Quality 4/5Difficulty 3/5
Prof Wagner's lectures are really engaging and interesting as he uses his own research in his class. The class can get political because of this, but he keeps a very unbias view when explaining different sides. The readings are sometimes lengthy but should be read, because you are expected to give two speeches in section based off of them.
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J201 · course not matched
Quality 4/5Difficulty 2/5
Professor Wagner made a great well-rounded class with fair grades and expectations on work. That being said he on multiple occasions told students angrily to "shut up" in lecture. Overall, he was fantastic lecturer, and I understand managing a class for underclassmen can be frustrating, but how he addressed students in lecture felt unprofessional.
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J201 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
I took professor Wanger for J201 and if I wasn't already sure I wanted to do journalism, he was the nail in the coffin. Incredibly charismatic person and amazing, engaging lecturer
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J201 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
prowag is a funny and engaging lecturer. He made the material interesting, and other lecturers no doubt would have made it a snooze fest. He is also very well accredited and generally an obvious expert on the material, so he can talk in-depth and answer further questions well.
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J335 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
Prof. Wagner is literally the best. Very encouraging and kind, yet also down-to-business and knowledgeable. I highly encourage you take any course you can with Prof. Wagner.
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J201 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
Pro Wag made me fall in love with Journalism, and now I'm in the school and loving it. He has a positive energy as a professor, and made 9am lecture enjoyable and enlightening. Taking 201 with him freshman year pushed my boundaries in the best ways. Discussions were stressful, but that's due to our TA...Highly recommend taking Pro Wag's classes :)
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with MICHAEL WAGNER

JOURN 699

Directed Study

1–6 credits

JOURN 699 is a directed study course allowing students to arrange advanced projects with faculty.

No offering record · Spring 2026

with this instructor · course overall, matching historical terms

Michael WagnerKaryn Riddle+6 more

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2025 · limited sample
JOURN 990

Thesis

1–9 credits

JOURN 990 is an advanced thesis course providing mentored reading and research for students with dissertator status.

No offering record · Spring 2026

Michael WagnerLindsay Palmer+6 more

No recorded grade history

JOURN 999

Independent Research Problems

2–4 credits

JOURN 999 is an advanced mentored reading and research course for dissertators.

No offering record · Spring 2026

Michael WagnerLindsay Palmer+5 more

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2022 · limited sample

Recorded teaching history

Distinct courses recorded per term

Explore courses taught by this instructor →
Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Spring 2026JOURN 699Directed Study
Spring 2026JOURN 990Thesis
Spring 2026JOURN 999Independent Research Problems
Fall 2025JOURN 990Thesis
Spring 2025JOURN 201Introduction to Mass Communication
Spring 2025JOURN 990Thesis
Spring 2025JOURN 999Independent Research Problems
Fall 2024JOURN 901Colloquium in Mass Communication
Fall 2024JOURN 990Thesis
Fall 2024JOURN/POLISCI 829Political Communication
Spring 2024JOURN 990Thesis
Fall 2023JOURN 201Introduction to Mass Communication
Fall 2023JOURN 901Colloquium in Mass Communication
Fall 2023JOURN 990Thesis
Fall 2023JOURN 999Independent Research Problems
Spring 2023JOURN 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2023JOURN 990Thesis
Fall 2022JOURN 335Principles and Practices of Reporting
Fall 2022JOURN 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2022JOURN 901Colloquium in Mass Communication
Fall 2022JOURN 990Thesis
Fall 2022JOURN 999Independent Research Problems
Spring 2022JOURN 618Mass Communication and Political Behavior
Spring 2022JOURN 699Directed Study
Spring 2022JOURN 990Thesis
Fall 2021JOURN 201Introduction to Mass Communication
Fall 2021JOURN 699Directed Study
Fall 2021JOURN 901Colloquium in Mass Communication
Fall 2021JOURN 990Thesis
Fall 2020JOURN 618Mass Communication and Political Behavior
Fall 2020JOURN 699Directed Study
Fall 2020JOURN 990Thesis
Spring 2020JOURN 335Principles and Practices of Reporting
Spring 2020JOURN 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2020JOURN 699Directed Study
Spring 2020JOURN 990Thesis
Spring 2020JOURN/POLISCI 829Political Communication
Fall 2019JOURN 201Introduction to Mass Communication
Fall 2019JOURN 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2019JOURN 697Internship
Fall 2019JOURN 990Thesis
Spring 2019JOURN 990Thesis
Fall 2018JOURN 699Directed Study
Fall 2018JOURN 990Thesis
Spring 2018JOURN 335Principles and Practices of Reporting
Spring 2018JOURN 475Special Topics in Advanced Concepts and Skills
Spring 2018JOURN 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2018JOURN 699Directed Study
Spring 2018JOURN 990Thesis
Fall 2017JOURN 202Mass Communication Practices
Fall 2017JOURN 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2017JOURN 697Internship
Fall 2017JOURN 699Directed Study
Fall 2017JOURN 990Thesis
Fall 2017JOURN/POLISCI 829Political Communication
Spring 2017JOURN 401In-depth Reporting
Spring 2017JOURN 699Directed Study
Spring 2017JOURN 801Mass Communication and the Individual
Spring 2017JOURN 990Thesis
Fall 2016JOURN 475Special Topics in Advanced Concepts and Skills
Fall 2016JOURN 618Mass Communication and Political Behavior
Fall 2016JOURN 699Directed Study
Fall 2016JOURN 990Thesis
Spring 2016JOURN 202Mass Communication Practices
Spring 2016JOURN 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2016JOURN 697Internship
Spring 2016JOURN 699Directed Study
Spring 2016JOURN 990Thesis
Spring 2016JOURN/POLISCI 829Political Communication
Fall 2015JOURN 335Principles and Practices of Reporting
Fall 2015JOURN 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2015JOURN 697Internship
Fall 2015JOURN 699Directed Study
Fall 2015JOURN 990Thesis
Spring 2015JOURN 335Principles and Practices of Reporting
Spring 2015JOURN 880Topics in Mass Communication
Spring 2015JOURN 990Thesis
Fall 2014JOURN 202Mass Communication Practices
Fall 2014JOURN 697Internship
Fall 2014JOURN 699Directed Study
Spring 2014JOURN 676Special Topics in Mass Communication
Spring 2014JOURN 697Internship
Spring 2014POLISCI 699Directed Study
Fall 2013JOURN 618Mass Communication and Political Behavior
Fall 2013JOURN 697Internship
Fall 2013JOURN 699Directed Study
Fall 2013JOURN/POLISCI 829Political Communication
Spring 2013JOURN 202Mass Communication Practices
Spring 2013JOURN 618Mass Communication and Political Behavior
Fall 2012JOURN 202Mass Communication Practices

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

Instructor identity & provenance 
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