He is definitely a master at his stuff. He knows what he is talking about. The only down side to this class is that he teaches verbally that's it. You better bring a laptop to type EVERYTHING he says. His tests are very fair because he has the class email questions and he just makes the test from what everyone emailed him :)
He is a great professor, not to mention FAMOUS! lol.

Best class I have taken at UCLA! I had no idea who Professor Diamond is when I signed up for the class- just thought the material sounded interesting. It was the best decision I have ever made (among many bad classes choices I have made at UCLA).Lectures were super interesting, discussion was lively, and I learned so much from this course. Till this day, I still remember the concepts I learned in this class (very rare for many other UCLA classes). Recommend 100%!

He is one of the best professors I've had at UCLA and this class is the most interesting, life-changing class I've taken. 3-hour lectures in the morning were difficult but TOTALLY worth it. You learn so much interesting information that completely broadens your view of the world. He always shows lots of pictures and tells us interesting random facts, making lecture fun. Excellent lecturer, very easy to follow. Even though it is intimidating that you have to apply to be in the class, it ended up being very easy for me. Without THAT much studying, I managed to get an A on the midterm, an A on the final, and an A in the class. Anyone & everyone should take this class with him!

This was one of my favorite classes at UCLA! Prof Diamond is an amazing professor! He holds lecture once a week for 3 hours (which can be long at times) but he is able to speak eloquently and teaches you his theories in the most clear and interesting way possible. Take this class if you are interested in the subject and you will not regret it! Go to lecture and discussion and take good notes. The readings are EASY and fast. Midterm and final are not that difficult as long as you study and go to lecture.

Professor Diamond chooses to only have one lecture a week rather than two, and as a result, every lecture is lengthy. With that said, this class is completely reasonable in degree of difficulty. The exams are nothing unexpected, and although discussion is mandatory, it's never boring. On that note, Lilia is an amazing TA, and would be an interesting professor in her own right.

As for lectures, there were a total of ten, with each focusing on a different region of the world (and the first lecture serving as a general introduction). The first lecture is the most fascinating and most coherent, because in it he presents the theory for which he is most famous. In other words, the quality falls apart a little over the course of the semester, and things get slightly disorganized over the course of the quarter.

However, it hardly matters how much sense Professor Diamond makes, because the sheer breadth of his professional experience and knowledge more than compensates. Don't just listen to him; ASK QUESTIONS. You'll never have another professor who is more dominant in his field and known for innovative theory.

Altogether, very reasonable, fairly easy to do well in. Just attend and participate in all discussions, attend lecture (nobody tries to trick you in exams), and that's really it. Diamond's most famous book, Guns, Germs, and Steel, is a great 'outside' resource or supplement to the course.

The man is a genius. He is worth taking because he knows what he's talking about and has teaching skills.

I absolutely ADORE Professor Diamond! His class was sooo interesting! I dont think that i have ever learned so much interesting material in any class as i did in this one. His tests were fair and easy to study for. I highly reccomment Barbara Maida as a good TA. Her sections were so interesting. I loved this class so much that I was actually sad when it ended. This class is by no means an easy A, though. I didn't study for it too much and i ended up with a B. Even though i am normally a stickelr for grades, my grade didnt bother me because i learned so much. Take this class!! Diamond is famous and won the Pulitzer Prize! This class will definitely change how you look at the world.