L class. Wtf are these past reviews talking about. The class is NOT an easy A. Literally memorizing useless stuff no one gaf about. Professor expects us to memorize everything to the exact detail of a list of art pieces for the exams. Weekly readings were boring asf too and sometimes don't make sense. I found myself spending more time on this useless GE than my other stem classes. Professor just be sayin words during lectures and not really any engagement. The lectures are a try not to sleep challenge too so good luck with that if you want to take this class. Stem majors, if you are in need and are searching for a GE cuz all the classes are filled up, FORGET about this class right away.

This class was not too bad, and Cohen offered extra credit! She was a bit monotone and quiet (and I may have fallen asleep once or twice), but she was very knowledgeable about the material. The tests were not as hard as some other Art History classes that I’d heard of; we had to memorize certain buildings and art pieces (their names, what they looked like, general time period) but we did not have to memorize their exact dates or their exact artists. Plus, Cohen provided a study guide Powerpoint slideshow that included all the pieces/general terms that would/might be on the exam. They were free response and a little stressful because everyone was flying through their blue books while Cohen changed to the next question on the Powerpoint slides. My section was a lot of information, but very helpful in helping me understand lecture material.

If you didn't struggle too much with AP art history, then this class will be an easy A for you! If not, it should also be an easy A if you're ok with memorizing stuff!
Dr. Cohen's lectures are so helpful that I never even read the textbook. There is one midterm (20% of the grade), which covers 30 artworks, and a final (20% of the grade) that also covers 30 new artworks. Dr. Cohen will give you the list of artworks, definitions, and a map to study a week in advance, and as long as you know the title/culture, some details, and historical context, you will get a really good grade if you have a decent TA (to give you an idea, I got a 103% on the midterm without too much effort lol).
Discussion participation is 10% of the grade, but you just need to show up, not actually talk, to get a 100 (at least I never did). The TA just went over our weekly homework, which is worth 25% of the grade (the 2 lowest scores are dropped, although I promise you will get 5/5 on every worksheet). The homework was the same format every week, where you read a short article on a medieval artwork and answer 4 questions exactly. The only annoying thing was that we had to print it out every time. Finally, there is a final project worth 25% of your grade, which is either a 5 min video or a 7-page essay on any medieval object you choose.
Overall, this class is very manageable, and even if you have no interest in medieval art, you might be pleasantly surprised! Dr. Cohen is very passionate about medieval art, and she genuinely cares about her students' learning. She made sure that everyone could hear her in the back, and she even recorded her lectures. For STEM majors out there looking for an "easy A" class, this course is it! I took it with another GE and 2 STEM classes, and I didn't struggle at all with the workload. Take this class if you can!!

If you pay close attention in lecture, this is an easy course to get an A in. She provided engaging readings out of class, provided ample study guides for the midterm and final assessments, section participation also mattered. The final project, which she called an "ArtTok" (styled after a TikTok video) was quite fun to do, and provided a real-life opportunity for non-Art Historians to put their studies into practice. Overall, it's obvious Professor Cohen loves what she teaches, and that makes the student want to learn more as well. I would highly recommend her course, even for folks who aren't Art Historians.

This class was pretty easy but Professor Cohen can be pretty boring at times. Her lectures she just goes off the PowerPoint but also her PowerPoints do not give a lot of information, it is only the (picture, time period, and location) for the meaning you really have to pay attention to what she is saying.

Class break down
Assessment 1 20% (in person)
Assessment 2 20% (in person)
Précis worksheets 25%
ArtTok project 25%
Section participation 10%

During discussion you have to complete a total of 5 precis worksheet which is basically a 1-2 page paper discussing the thesis and meaning of the art pieces. A textbook is required but if you do the section reading and go to lecture you really do not need the book.

For the midterm it is taken in the class during class time. It is multiple parts of (identifying images, vocabulary words, maps, and comparing & contrast of two images) it is pretty easy if you study and really know (the name, era, location, and meaning of the art). Professor Cohen provides a study guide of just images and you have to search for the meaning and names. After the in class test you have to do a take home test that is a "short essay" due by the next lecture.

For the final it is very similar the only difference is that on top of (identifying images, vocabulary words, maps, and comparing & contrast of two images) there is a short essay portion because the take home is the Arttok.

The arttok is a 5 min video you have to create based of a medieval item from the book for section readings that was not mentioned in lecture. It is pretty easy takes about 1 day to complete but do not wait till last minute.

The professor was a very good and engaging lecturer. However, I do have problems with the overall layout of this course.
The course itself is ostensibly focused on finding trends and patterns throughout medieval art history over time. However, due to the content of the midterm and final exam, there is a LOT of pressure put on pure memorization. By that I mean that if one had the names, dates, appearances, places, and terms memorized, that person would only have to study for 15 additional minutes total in order to ace the exams. There is barely any insight required in this class. Because of this, studying for the class is very frustrating. When the professor brings up an example of an artifact it just feels like "great, more stuff to memorize."
(By the way, this means you don't need the textbook. At all.)
Speaking of the exams, despite the professor promising that they were just like quizzes and that we shouldn't stress out about them, they are extremely unforgiving and brutally written. For example, for the technical terms, rather than being given terms to define, we have to provide the specific terms provided their definition, of which there are a lot, most of which are not even in English.
The assignments also don't give an opportunity to show off one's knowledge and insight, except for I guess the ArtTok project. There's also literally no reason whatsoever to do any of the readings that you aren't doing a precis worksheet on, because they don't help you at all in the class.
It's a shame because the professor really is good at making clear and interesting lectures, but I feel stopped from enjoying and learning from them due to the overall content of the course.
TLDR: I would recommend taking this class, if you're good at and want to memorize tons of names and dates, as well as technical terms. Otherwise, give it a pass.

Don't enroll in this class unless you are willing to spend most of your time memorizing dates and names. The midterm and finals were hard with both consisting of having to memorize more than 30 art pieces but only being quizzed on 2, vocab words, a map, and essay portions. Her slides are not very helpful, so I highly recommend attending/watching the lectures. She goes over a lot so it can be quite a drag but she uploads her lectures on bruin cast. Also, the book isn't necessary. Overall, this is not an easy GE, so I only recommend taking it if you are highly interested in art.

The professor was a very good and engaging lecturer. However, I do have problems with the overall layout of this course.
The course itself is ostensibly focused on finding trends and patterns throughout medieval art history over time. However, due to the content of the midterm and final exam, there is a LOT of pressure put on pure memorization. By that I mean that if one had the names, dates, appearances, places, and terms memorized, that person would only have to study for 15 additional minutes total in order to ace the exams. There is barely any insight required in this class. Because of this, studying for the class is very frustrating. When the professor brings up an example of an artifact it just feels like "great, more stuff to memorize."
(By the way, this means you don't need the textbook. At all.)
Speaking of the exams, despite the professor promising that they were just like quizzes and that we shouldn't stress out about them, they are extremely unforgiving and brutally written. For example, for the technical terms, rather than being given terms to define, we have to provide the specific terms provided their definition, of which there are a lot, most of which are not even in English.
The assignments also don't give an opportunity to show off one's knowledge and insight, except for I guess the ArtTok project. There's also literally no reason whatsoever to do any of the readings that you aren't doing a precis worksheet on, because they don't help you at all in the class.
It's a shame because the professor really is good at making clear and interesting lectures, but I feel stopped from enjoying and learning from them due to the overall content of the course.
TLDR: I would recommend taking this class, if you're good at and want to memorize tons of names and dates, as well as technical terms. Otherwise, give it a pass.

Dr. Cohen is not often the best lecturer and her voice is often quiet, but she is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about her subject (Paris and her beloved Sainte-Chapelle).

The readings for the class were extensive and difficult to grasp. Initially I read them all, but it became burdensome, plus we never discussed them in class, so I gave up reading them altogether after the mid-term.

The exams were relatively easy, slides, short answer questions, etc. There was a lot to memorize, but that's an art history course so I cannot complain too much about that.

I'm taking her again this quarter and am enjoying the class. After two classes with her, it seems like she teaches at a graduate level, perhaps that's just me, but that's what it seems like based off of lecture and reading materials.

great teacher, easy A