John C Dagenais
Department of Spanish
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2.8
Overall Rating
Based on 12 Users
Easiness 2.2 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 2.7 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 2.5 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 2.2 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

TOP TAGS

  • Uses Slides
  • Tolerates Tardiness
  • Tough Tests
  • Participation Matters
  • Appropriately Priced Materials
GRADE DISTRIBUTIONS
20.9%
17.4%
13.9%
10.5%
7.0%
3.5%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

27.9%
23.2%
18.6%
13.9%
9.3%
4.6%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

20.2%
16.8%
13.5%
10.1%
6.7%
3.4%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

26.5%
22.1%
17.7%
13.3%
8.8%
4.4%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

ENROLLMENT DISTRIBUTIONS
Clear marks

Sorry, no enrollment data is available.

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Reviews (10)

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Quarter: Winter 2018
Grade: P
June 11, 2018

When I tell you this is the worst mistake I have made as a UCLA student, I am speaking nothing but the truth. This class is extremely difficult. If you are trying to take this class as a GE, DONT! It will ruin your life, I am a STEM major and I find my Pre Reqs easier than this class. This class covers so much information that I find it impossible to learn everything. Bi-weekly quizzes are given and they are graded extremely hard. The midterm covered SIX weeks of information that I felt like was impossible to learn everything. No study guide is given for any exam and the TA's are very stingy and inconsisent with the information about the exams. The professor is so boring, he lectures for the entire 1 hour and 50 minutes in a monotone voice that makes it impossible not to fall asleep in this class. The organization of his class is lacking in a lot of ways and I feel like he needs to restructure his whole lesson plan. Many of the information he makes us learn is unneccasary and to top it off it doesnt show up on exams. After reading this and you still decide to take the class, just remember week 6 before entering the midterm, you will remember this post and regret your decision.

Helpful?

5 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2018
Grade: N/A
June 8, 2018

I feel like the title of the class should not be Iberian culture. There is no discussion of culture, at all. Instead, it should be Spain's /Iberia's history. The professor is too much. This class is really difficult. Please do not take as a G.E. You might die.

There's a lot of information covered in a short amount of time. Bi-weekly quizzes and the professor is very boring. Grade distribution sucks, its not curved. His own wife falls asleep during his lectures (sad!). He is very rude and so cocky. I don't hate him but I don't like him. Class is easy the first two weeks, but after that it becomes hard. This should not be a G.E. Save yourselves!!!!!

Helpful?

5 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2018
Grade: N/A
May 22, 2018

This class is insanely difficult. Ask anyone taking this class Spring 2018, and I can assure 100% they will all say the same thing. The lectures are so incredibly boring and feel like they drag on for ages and the professor speaks in a severely monotonous voice so that doesn't help. The midterm was hell and I felt the essay was harshly graded. The exam consisted of: map identification, matching, short answer, essay, multiple choice, and free response. Do not take this class as a GE!! Everything is structured so that it is extremely difficult to pull through. Participation is a big part in grading but my TA would only give us about 5 minutes in discussion to actually participate and the same people would always get called on. I strongly dislike this class but was forced to take it as a spanish major.

Helpful?

4 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2018
Grade: P
June 9, 2018

Do yourself a favor and do not take this class, unless you need it for the Spanish major/minor (like I do). This class is extremely hard for a GE and trust me you will regret it if you take it. The professor is boring, rude and cocky. When it comes to lectures, half of the time, he just talks about his trips to Spain and the other half he talks in a monotonous voice that its easy for you to fall asleep. When students ask questions in lecture he makes them feel stupid for not knowing the answer or pretends he didn't hear your question. In fact, he makes the TAs round around with a microphone just so you could speak.
The TAs are harsh graders for both the quizzes and the exams. And both the quizzes and the exams are extremely hard especially when he doesn't provide you with a study guide. Plus the workload is somewhat heavy because you have to read about 8-12 articles a week that doesn't pertain with the information that you are learning in lecture. Those articles are just UNNECESSARY assignments (I suggest that if you decide to take the class, don't bother to read them, its a waste of time)
Just overall , the class is not worth taking unless you need it, but even then do NOT take this professor if there are others who are teaching it.

Helpful?

3 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2018
Grade: N/A
June 5, 2018

This has to be the hardest class that I have ever taken at UCLA. First of all, the powerpoints are out of topic he goes out of line on dates. His exams are hard in remembering the geopraphic 25 multiple choice, an essay images, and dates to remember. There is so much you need to know by brain to pass this class. You have to study hard to earn a good grade, and the tas grade very hard on the essays. As a spanish major i have to retake this class because i didnt get it the first time.

Helpful?

3 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2018
Grade: B
June 11, 2018

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS AS A GE. This class is probably 95% Spanish majors/minors. It requires a ton of studying to absorb the information and the lectures themselves are not very engaging either. In addition, the lectures also go out of order and seem to drag on. In the end, I found it wasn't worth it to do the studying since getting an A was out of the question.

Helpful?

2 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2018
Grade: N/A
June 10, 2018

This class is a horrendous nightmare. Do not take this class- the TAs are as bad as the professor. They are arrogant, useless, and do not bother helping you. My TA took 1 whole week to reply to an email but simply said that "my email got lost in between many others". If you are a TA, and always remind us to email you during the discussion, then why be so useless when we actually do? The professor is arrogant, boring, and makes crude jokes at times- such as bringing up old email of prior students who disagree with his work. What is the intention of that? I learned nothing useful in this class, and for that reason, I know my GPA will suffer. I always studied so hard and spent days studying for the quizzes and exams, yet, I only did well on one. The TAs are ridiculous graders, and my TA would always bring my grade down because she could not read my writing! How is that allowable? If you take this class, please make sure you do the end of the quarter review survey! Be honest with everything. This professor does not deserve to teach this class. I learned nothing about culture, but just about the history of the Iberian Peninsula. I took a Latin American History class last quarter and I learned about so many things than this terrible class. I am a Spanish major and was forced to take this class and I am unsure as to my grade at this point. There was no possible resource of help available as the professor would take advantage of asking questions in class to humiliate you and make you feel stupid. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS UNLESS YOU HAVE TO !!! Please do not make yourself go through unnecessary troubles.

Helpful?

2 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A
Jan. 15, 2021

I stopped going to lecture after Week 2. I thought it was pointless in going as I would always fall asleep in class no matter how hard I tried to stay up. He’s pretty boring and often gets sidetracked with his stories of Spain. Discussion section was mandatory so I went to all of them. Criticism aside, the class is pretty easy. There’s study guides and as long as you do that you’ll be fine. You do have to be good at memorizing and have to dedicate plenty of time for that. There’s also a movie review/critic essay that you’ll have to do which wasn’t bad at all if you took AP Lang or Lit in high school. Make friends with your TA as they will be grading all your work. The most difficult part of the class was memorizing words in different languages (Spanish, Arabic, German/Gothic etc) but even then after practicing it became easy. If you’re hoping for an easy A, I do not recommend as memorizing takes time.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A
June 1, 2019

I really liked this class! I feel some of the reviews from the past were a little harsh in their description of how hard this class was - it wasn't. The lectures can be really long and dry sometimes, and at the end of the quarter can be a lot of information. If you go to class and section and stay on top of things, though, you'll be just fine. There really aren't many surprises on midterms and finals. Though you'll take a quiz every two weeks, it makes sure that you learn the material bit by bit, and that's helpful when it comes to exam time.

Helpful?

0 1 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2015
Grade: A
Feb. 11, 2016

Not a lot of busy work but quizzes are pretty detailed so early and detailed studying necessary. Midterm and Final consist of a diversity of parts multiple choice, short answer, matching, essay. Lectures are very clear, covers material not found on slides!! Great class I learned a TON:)

Helpful?

0 5 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2018
Grade: P
June 11, 2018

When I tell you this is the worst mistake I have made as a UCLA student, I am speaking nothing but the truth. This class is extremely difficult. If you are trying to take this class as a GE, DONT! It will ruin your life, I am a STEM major and I find my Pre Reqs easier than this class. This class covers so much information that I find it impossible to learn everything. Bi-weekly quizzes are given and they are graded extremely hard. The midterm covered SIX weeks of information that I felt like was impossible to learn everything. No study guide is given for any exam and the TA's are very stingy and inconsisent with the information about the exams. The professor is so boring, he lectures for the entire 1 hour and 50 minutes in a monotone voice that makes it impossible not to fall asleep in this class. The organization of his class is lacking in a lot of ways and I feel like he needs to restructure his whole lesson plan. Many of the information he makes us learn is unneccasary and to top it off it doesnt show up on exams. After reading this and you still decide to take the class, just remember week 6 before entering the midterm, you will remember this post and regret your decision.

Helpful?

5 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2018
Grade: N/A
June 8, 2018

I feel like the title of the class should not be Iberian culture. There is no discussion of culture, at all. Instead, it should be Spain's /Iberia's history. The professor is too much. This class is really difficult. Please do not take as a G.E. You might die.

There's a lot of information covered in a short amount of time. Bi-weekly quizzes and the professor is very boring. Grade distribution sucks, its not curved. His own wife falls asleep during his lectures (sad!). He is very rude and so cocky. I don't hate him but I don't like him. Class is easy the first two weeks, but after that it becomes hard. This should not be a G.E. Save yourselves!!!!!

Helpful?

5 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2018
Grade: N/A
May 22, 2018

This class is insanely difficult. Ask anyone taking this class Spring 2018, and I can assure 100% they will all say the same thing. The lectures are so incredibly boring and feel like they drag on for ages and the professor speaks in a severely monotonous voice so that doesn't help. The midterm was hell and I felt the essay was harshly graded. The exam consisted of: map identification, matching, short answer, essay, multiple choice, and free response. Do not take this class as a GE!! Everything is structured so that it is extremely difficult to pull through. Participation is a big part in grading but my TA would only give us about 5 minutes in discussion to actually participate and the same people would always get called on. I strongly dislike this class but was forced to take it as a spanish major.

Helpful?

4 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2018
Grade: P
June 9, 2018

Do yourself a favor and do not take this class, unless you need it for the Spanish major/minor (like I do). This class is extremely hard for a GE and trust me you will regret it if you take it. The professor is boring, rude and cocky. When it comes to lectures, half of the time, he just talks about his trips to Spain and the other half he talks in a monotonous voice that its easy for you to fall asleep. When students ask questions in lecture he makes them feel stupid for not knowing the answer or pretends he didn't hear your question. In fact, he makes the TAs round around with a microphone just so you could speak.
The TAs are harsh graders for both the quizzes and the exams. And both the quizzes and the exams are extremely hard especially when he doesn't provide you with a study guide. Plus the workload is somewhat heavy because you have to read about 8-12 articles a week that doesn't pertain with the information that you are learning in lecture. Those articles are just UNNECESSARY assignments (I suggest that if you decide to take the class, don't bother to read them, its a waste of time)
Just overall , the class is not worth taking unless you need it, but even then do NOT take this professor if there are others who are teaching it.

Helpful?

3 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2018
Grade: N/A
June 5, 2018

This has to be the hardest class that I have ever taken at UCLA. First of all, the powerpoints are out of topic he goes out of line on dates. His exams are hard in remembering the geopraphic 25 multiple choice, an essay images, and dates to remember. There is so much you need to know by brain to pass this class. You have to study hard to earn a good grade, and the tas grade very hard on the essays. As a spanish major i have to retake this class because i didnt get it the first time.

Helpful?

3 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2018
Grade: B
June 11, 2018

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS AS A GE. This class is probably 95% Spanish majors/minors. It requires a ton of studying to absorb the information and the lectures themselves are not very engaging either. In addition, the lectures also go out of order and seem to drag on. In the end, I found it wasn't worth it to do the studying since getting an A was out of the question.

Helpful?

2 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Spring 2018
Grade: N/A
June 10, 2018

This class is a horrendous nightmare. Do not take this class- the TAs are as bad as the professor. They are arrogant, useless, and do not bother helping you. My TA took 1 whole week to reply to an email but simply said that "my email got lost in between many others". If you are a TA, and always remind us to email you during the discussion, then why be so useless when we actually do? The professor is arrogant, boring, and makes crude jokes at times- such as bringing up old email of prior students who disagree with his work. What is the intention of that? I learned nothing useful in this class, and for that reason, I know my GPA will suffer. I always studied so hard and spent days studying for the quizzes and exams, yet, I only did well on one. The TAs are ridiculous graders, and my TA would always bring my grade down because she could not read my writing! How is that allowable? If you take this class, please make sure you do the end of the quarter review survey! Be honest with everything. This professor does not deserve to teach this class. I learned nothing about culture, but just about the history of the Iberian Peninsula. I took a Latin American History class last quarter and I learned about so many things than this terrible class. I am a Spanish major and was forced to take this class and I am unsure as to my grade at this point. There was no possible resource of help available as the professor would take advantage of asking questions in class to humiliate you and make you feel stupid. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS UNLESS YOU HAVE TO !!! Please do not make yourself go through unnecessary troubles.

Helpful?

2 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A
Jan. 15, 2021

I stopped going to lecture after Week 2. I thought it was pointless in going as I would always fall asleep in class no matter how hard I tried to stay up. He’s pretty boring and often gets sidetracked with his stories of Spain. Discussion section was mandatory so I went to all of them. Criticism aside, the class is pretty easy. There’s study guides and as long as you do that you’ll be fine. You do have to be good at memorizing and have to dedicate plenty of time for that. There’s also a movie review/critic essay that you’ll have to do which wasn’t bad at all if you took AP Lang or Lit in high school. Make friends with your TA as they will be grading all your work. The most difficult part of the class was memorizing words in different languages (Spanish, Arabic, German/Gothic etc) but even then after practicing it became easy. If you’re hoping for an easy A, I do not recommend as memorizing takes time.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A
June 1, 2019

I really liked this class! I feel some of the reviews from the past were a little harsh in their description of how hard this class was - it wasn't. The lectures can be really long and dry sometimes, and at the end of the quarter can be a lot of information. If you go to class and section and stay on top of things, though, you'll be just fine. There really aren't many surprises on midterms and finals. Though you'll take a quiz every two weeks, it makes sure that you learn the material bit by bit, and that's helpful when it comes to exam time.

Helpful?

0 1 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2015
Grade: A
Feb. 11, 2016

Not a lot of busy work but quizzes are pretty detailed so early and detailed studying necessary. Midterm and Final consist of a diversity of parts multiple choice, short answer, matching, essay. Lectures are very clear, covers material not found on slides!! Great class I learned a TON:)

Helpful?

0 5 Please log in to provide feedback.
1 of 1
2.8
Overall Rating
Based on 12 Users
Easiness 2.2 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 2.7 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 2.5 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 2.2 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

TOP TAGS

  • Uses Slides
    (8)
  • Tolerates Tardiness
    (6)
  • Tough Tests
    (7)
  • Participation Matters
    (7)
  • Appropriately Priced Materials
    (2)
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