Professor
Samuel Beckelhymer
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Most Helpful Review
Fall 2018 - This is for the whole Latin 1, 2, and 3 series. Professor Beckelhymer was amazing. He is super helpful and is engaging when the material allows for it. He is very passionate about the material which can be difficult in a class like this but his emotions rub off on the students as he gets excited about certain topics. I highly recommend taking the Latin series with Professor Beckelhymer.
Fall 2018 - This is for the whole Latin 1, 2, and 3 series. Professor Beckelhymer was amazing. He is super helpful and is engaging when the material allows for it. He is very passionate about the material which can be difficult in a class like this but his emotions rub off on the students as he gets excited about certain topics. I highly recommend taking the Latin series with Professor Beckelhymer.
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Most Helpful Review
Spring 2024 - It is a rare experience to have a professor for the duration of a year at a large and quarter-system university like UCLA, but as someone who began with Latin 1, it was truly a pleasure to have Sam as a professor for so long. Some people have a gift for teaching, and Dr. Beckelhymer is one of them. Lecture does not have mandatory attendance in the way that discussion does, and yet his insight and occasional diatribes absolutely make attendance worth it (as opposed to just learning from the textbook). Beyond his teaching, he is one of the most compassionate professors I have ever had in my time at UCLA. This was a challenging quarter for everyone, but he handled it with grace. He was a generous grader, and flexible in what would usually have been a steady stream of assignments/quizzes. I am happy that I took Latin for my language requirement at UCLA, but more than that, I am grateful for the opportunity to have learned under Dr. Beckelhymer. All this being said, Latin is a challenging subject, and under a lesser professor, might have been discouraging. The class is incredibly fast-paced, and if grammar and memorization aren't your thing, I'd consider a different language. If you love patterns and syntax, then this is perfect for you. Here was the breakdown of the syllabus (which was the same for Latin 1-3): Participation and Attendance 10% Homework (7 assignments, 2 lowest dropped) 10% Quizzes (7 short quizzes, 2 lowest dropped) 20% Midterms (2, in weeks 4 and 8) 30% Final Exam 30%
Spring 2024 - It is a rare experience to have a professor for the duration of a year at a large and quarter-system university like UCLA, but as someone who began with Latin 1, it was truly a pleasure to have Sam as a professor for so long. Some people have a gift for teaching, and Dr. Beckelhymer is one of them. Lecture does not have mandatory attendance in the way that discussion does, and yet his insight and occasional diatribes absolutely make attendance worth it (as opposed to just learning from the textbook). Beyond his teaching, he is one of the most compassionate professors I have ever had in my time at UCLA. This was a challenging quarter for everyone, but he handled it with grace. He was a generous grader, and flexible in what would usually have been a steady stream of assignments/quizzes. I am happy that I took Latin for my language requirement at UCLA, but more than that, I am grateful for the opportunity to have learned under Dr. Beckelhymer. All this being said, Latin is a challenging subject, and under a lesser professor, might have been discouraging. The class is incredibly fast-paced, and if grammar and memorization aren't your thing, I'd consider a different language. If you love patterns and syntax, then this is perfect for you. Here was the breakdown of the syllabus (which was the same for Latin 1-3): Participation and Attendance 10% Homework (7 assignments, 2 lowest dropped) 10% Quizzes (7 short quizzes, 2 lowest dropped) 20% Midterms (2, in weeks 4 and 8) 30% Final Exam 30%
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2025 - This class was just what you want out of a GE: interesting, manageable and with engaging lectures, but in a way that won't negatively impact your GPA. Professor Beckelhymer has a very strong sense of trying to get you interested in the classical stories you're reading and it really shows in lectures, with him bringing in ties to popular culture and a willingness to engage on the Percy Jackson level when necessary. He also provided plenty of opportunities for extra credit, which meant that his final grading scheme was forgiving. I would definitely recommend taking this class.
Winter 2025 - This class was just what you want out of a GE: interesting, manageable and with engaging lectures, but in a way that won't negatively impact your GPA. Professor Beckelhymer has a very strong sense of trying to get you interested in the classical stories you're reading and it really shows in lectures, with him bringing in ties to popular culture and a willingness to engage on the Percy Jackson level when necessary. He also provided plenty of opportunities for extra credit, which meant that his final grading scheme was forgiving. I would definitely recommend taking this class.
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