Joseph Gregory

School: Drexel University
Department: History
Location:Philadelphia, PA
Overall Rating
rated by 20 students
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
Rating Comment
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Easiness
 Pros: -passionate about subject material
-knowledgeable
-cares about his students
-willing to make time to meet with students when asked
Before I was unsure whether or not I'd enjoy his course after looking at some of the comments on here...I have NO idea where any of these negative comments are coming from. He was a fantastic professor! I now feel as though i fundamentally understand the art world far, far better. Like most art history profs he forbids cell phones, and if you use a computer to take notes he glances at them at the end of class for maybe half of a second. I never bought the book and only paid attention during his lectures, which honestly is all you need to do to pass...you won't find info from his lectures in the readings. There is one paper and you have to visit a museum at least once. Overall, i'd say anyone who needs to take ARTH103 should ABSOLUTELY try to take it with Prof. Gregory.
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 Pros: Knowledgable
Cons: Cynical
The professor knows what he's talking about, but he's not really helpful into making sure you get a good grade. He's hard to reach, and he takes a long time to respond to e-mails. His lectures are interesting, but they sure as hell won't give you much information on the test. The textbook is rarely used throughout the class, but he expects you to read it to prep for the exam. Your grade is based off three things - a 5 page paper about a painting, and the other two were the midterm and final. I would not recommend this class to anyone. This guy was a douchebag.
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 The attendance policy is a absurd. You have to practically write him a 5 page paper and present it to him if you want an excused absence. If you don't get excused, your final grade drops half a letter (B+ to B...C to C-...) Also has an obvious anti religion/Christianity view that is a real pain in the ass to listen to. He often talks sarcastically when explaining things, but a lot of the class laughs because, well, liberal art people are a bit weird.
He has a passion for the subject though, I do appreciate that
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 Pros: no BS work
very dedicated professor
fair tests/grading
Cons: long, drawn out lectures
boring, expensive textbook
One of the smartest professors that I have had to encounter. Really knows a lot about the subject and is passionate about what he teaches. He helped me realize the cultural and political relevance of all of the art and spelled out everything very well. The tests were few and far between, and there was only one paper. Our class had trouble understanding which day the paper was due. He gave good study sheets, but the tests definitely have things that aren't on the study sheets because he expects you to know a few extra things about the more famous artists. The lectures feel long and boring at the time, but if you actually listen you'll retain a lot of the information. Bring a computer and use it to freshen your mind so the lectures are easier to deal with, but takes notes (not just because he asks to see them at the end of class, but because it helps you a lot in the long run).
Bottom line: go to class, pay some amount of attention, do the homework he assigns, and the class will be manageable.
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 Pros: Knows his stuff and no homework to do. Exams are pretty much memorization with a little bit from the textbook. Pay attention in class for the most part and you'll do fine on the exams and final project.
Cons: Attendance policy from Hell. You can't miss a class without a legitimate excuse note. If you have one unexcused absence, you get half a letter grade off.
Boring lectures but interesting at times.
Overall
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 Pros: He's really into the subject he teaches which makes him very easy to listen to. His class was very informative and I felt like I actually learned about not only the art but the artist as well as opposed to just memorizing pictures. And I really learned how to look at art in a different way and understand it, which is what I always thought art history teachers were meant to teach you. He's a super fair grader... he usually adds a curve to tests. There are only two tests a midterm and a final and then one paper. The paper is due at the last class and by that time you already have all the tools you need to write it without issues.
Cons: No electronics.
I would recommend taking notes in his class. He does not like electronics. No phones or ipods. If you use a laptop in his class he asks that you show him the notes you took at the end of class. My advice: just take notes on paper. The nice thing about him though is that he won't directly call you out and embarrass you if you have a phone. He will just make a general statement if he see's someone with a phone that he does not like phones and to please put all phones away.
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 Pros: Knows his stuff
Cons: Everything else
I took both ARTH 102 and 103 with this jerk as a general requirement for my major. Both classes were total pains, I'm talking straight up AGONY. If you aren't religious, you will hate this class. If you hate badly drawn boobs, vaginas, and penises, you will HATE this class. All the artwork we look at is either nudity or Christianity, MAYBE a landscape, and one time, in the 3-hour (ugh) class, he talked to us for an 1 and 45 minutes about a TOILET.
The tests are stupidly hard, because he shows us a painting by an artist, then expects us to know every painting in this artist's lifetime, based only on style. He's an insanely boring teacher. So bring something to read or write when you go to his class. Bring homework. I finished entire projects in his class. This is one of the most painful classes at Drexel, but just grit your teeth and muscle through.
Overall
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 Pros: Admittedly, the guy does know a lot about art history. If you choose to pay attention in class you'll learn a lot.
Cons: Total schmuck, especially outside of class. Plenty of womanizing/hooking up with student stories.
Fun fact: Once opened up browser on projector to show us a website, accidentally opened the last page up, it was porn. Class was immediately dismissed.
Overall
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 Pros: Interesting subject
Intelligent professor
Passionate about subject
Cons: Lecture can feel long at times
Overall
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 Pros: Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
Helpful when asked.
Gets grades back fairly quickly.
Cons: Hates electronics, phones, laptops, ipod.. he thinks everything is a cell phone anyways..
Dr. Gregory is kind of intimidating on the first day, but he really just loves what he teaches. It's very helpful to take all the notes you can and definitely read the text. I enjoyed his class
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 Pros: tells you almost all of what will be on the exams, really nice and obviously interested in what he teaches
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 What a great class! I love Professor Gregory! He was really interesting and he really knows what he's talking about. I always thought Renaissance art was boring, but he showed me that there was a lot of thought that went into each work of art.
All we have to do is take a midterm and a final and 5-page paper. It's really simple grading requirements.
He does check for attendance every day and he doesn't like it when students leave in the middle of class.
The Philadelphia Art Museum is more enjoyable now that I know the symbolism and meaning behind the artworks.
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 I'm sorry but I don't understand how he has NO negative comments. I took his class based on the fact that I had a fine arts requirement to fill (as a comm major) and i had previously taken a very easy art history class (the term before with a different teacher). his class not only was ridiculously BORING but he also "required" attendance meaning it can't count TOWARDS your grade, only against it if you missed a few classes. Granted, he saved me from failing his class (I got a C-, my lowest grade at Drexel) but i got a B+ in my other art hist class without too much trouble. All in all- if you're up for studying a lot and memorizing TONS- take him without a doubt. if you just want to fill a requirement- DON'T DO IT. It's a painful class.
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 Great teacher; very objective w/ no political bias. He cares very much about the subject matter and makes it interesting; he's a good lecturer. Your grade is based on 2 exams (multiple choice) and 1 paper. The exams are easy as long as you study, but he tells you exactly what you need to know, both in class as he's teaching and on a study sheet which he gives out the week before the exam. If you go to class and pay attention, that's all you need since not much information is from the textbook (I'd recommend sharing it as it's expensive and he doesn't use it much).
Overall
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
 Great teacher; very objective w/ no political bias. He cares very much about the subject matter and makes it interesting; he's a good lecturer. Your grade is based on 2 exams (multiple choice) and 1 paper. The exams are easy as long as you study, but he tells you exactly what you need to know, both in class as he's teaching and on a study sheet which he gives out the week before the exam. If you go to class and pay attention, that's all you need since not much information is from the textbook (I'd recommend sharing it as it's expensive and he doesn't use it much).
Overall
Helpfulness
Clarity
Easiness
 Great teacher; very objective w/ no political bias. He cares very much about the subject matter and makes it interesting; he's a good lecturer. Your grade is based on 2 exams (multiple choice) and 1 paper. The exams are easy as long as you study, but he tells you exactly what you need to know, both in class as he's teaching and on a study sheet which he gives out the week before the exam. If you go to class and pay attention, that's all you need since not much information is from the textbook (I'd recommend sharing it as it's expensive and he doesn't use it much).
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Easiness
 Gregory is such an awesome professor. He's like an encyclopedia when it comes to art knowledge. He's so passionate about the class and his lectures are great. I would take any class that he teaches.
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 Very interesting class, and he definitely adds to it! Very considerate and caring for his students. Would always make himself available and help you out! Awesome guy! Really.
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 hes a funny guy. very upbeat.. for being such a boring subject he tries to keep the class interested.. he explains each peice very well... his tests are all multiple choice and if your not an idiot you shoudl get a good grade. the research paper helps with your grade too. i woudl def retake
Overall
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 Although he seems a bit pompous at first he does know what he is talking about. If you pay attention then you can walk out of this class with a lot.

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