Western Kentucky University / K / Rick Keyser

Professor Keyser is obviously educating in the History department. You can tell that he knows what he is talking about and loves it. His enthusiasm and intelligence in the subject gets you excited about it as well. The class is basically all notes. He asks you to read the book and will ask you questions during class. A lot of the questions on the 15 question quizzes will be from the book. His exams are done in the Blue Books. He gives you a study guide of terms and three possible essay questions. On the exam he will give the option of 6-10 terms and two of the essay questions. You are required to define two of the terms and one of the essays. In his grading you can tell that he actually reads your work. He leaves you many notes (sometimes not legibly) with some advice on how to do better next time. His grading system isn't harsh. If you only take notes, not read the book and write essays well, you will be fine. If you take notes and read the book, you will have an A. If I ever need another History class, I would take him again in a heartbeat.

Keyser is an AMAZING teacher!! Yes the class is tough, and yes you will have to show up for class and take notes but if you can do that then youll get by. He is also willing to help students if you get done with paper before its due and you send it to him he will look over evaluate it, and give his opinion about it. Always willing to help students out you just have to ask!!

Dr. Keyser has very high expectations of a freshmen survey course. Tests are 60% one essay which is a little daunting. Tests and essay assignments are challenging. Do not take if looking for a casual history course.

I took this class for Honors credit. Bad idea. It was read a book or primary source and write an essay. This class caused so much stress and it was not worth it at all. However, Dr. Keyser is a very good professor and defintely knows what he's talking about. He is more than willing to help you out if you have a problem. I wouldn't mind taking one of his classes again, as long as it wasn't Honors. He defintely makes Honors coursework harder. I did improve by 10 points from my midterm to my final which I was really proud of. Overall, a good professor.

This class is NOT an easy class but Keyser offers an extreme amount of help if you just take it. He will allow you to come into his office and he will review your notes and tell you what you missed or what you need to focus more on. He is a great teacher. His lectures are interesting and funny. The exams are difficult and you MUST study but he tells you EXACTLY what is on the exam it just takes work to prepare for it. If I have to take another History course, despite how difficult the course was I will definitely take his class. Great great teacher.

Dr. Keyser is a good teacher and I actually enjoyed his class. But his tests are all essay, and if you aren't a good writer you may struggle in this class. He holds study sessions before each class where you outline each of the essays. GO TO THESE. They helped me so much, especially the first study session b/c then you kinda get a feel of what he wants. Downfalls: you can only miss 2 days, after that he starts deducting points. He tells lame jokes and expects you to laugh...just grin and bare it.

Mr. Keyser is a great teacher and he makes it very clear at the beginning of the class that you have to study A LOT for this class. He makes sure that you know what you need to know, but it's a lot of information in a short amount of time. He is very willing to help you with anything that you need, but expect to study you ass off.

Dr. Keyser is without question the best history teacher in the WKU history department. Although his class is difficult, it is interesting and valuable to any history major to take. He knows the subject of Western European history as if he were there. In addition, his random comments keep the class light and interesting. Take Keyser if you want to learn. Lazy people avoid, but he will teach you everything you can hold.

I really enjoyed this class BUT it can be difficult. The very first day of class he gives you a syllabus and he tells you EXACTLY what you need to do in order to do well in his class. It was actually kind of intimidating the first day but he scares you so that you will work hard, but for the rest of the year he cracks sarcastic jokes, and his class was very interesting. He gives random quizzes throughout the semester but they actually really help your grade. To prepare for the tests and the quizzes, I re-outlined the lecture notes and filled in details and then I would study them and my lowest exam grade was an 80%. He is a good professor because he really WANTS you to have a good grade, and he WILL bump you up a letter grade if he knows that you are trying really hard. He bumped me up to A just because I came to class every class period. I recommend his class for western civ because western civ isn't an easy course but he makes it easier.

Dr. Keyser is a wonderful teacher, and I think that everyone interested in history should take him. The material is difficult, but if you are truly interested in learning he will help with any problems you are having. It is not an easy class, and you will be expected to keep up with the readings. The tests and essays are very difficult, but he is willing to help if you meet with him before class.

I'm sure Dr. Keyser has a lot of offer, but I do not agree with his teacher methods. The first thing you'll notice is the sheer amount of notes you'll take in his class. This is merely a "breif" outline of what you are expected to study in the book. "For every hour in class, study two hours outside. That is the only way you will do well in my class" as he says. If you are able to read a chapter and retain/comprehend everything then you should be ok. I personally do not learn well from reading text.

Test are overly hard. It's not the actual testing material, but what you are expected to know. Study guides outline the three possible 10 page essays of which you are expected to prepare, plus a list averaging around 50 possible terms. Out of the massive list of terms, only 5 will be listed on the test, and you will be required to anwser 2.

I do not know how to do well in the class without studying 8 hours a day. Maybe it'll be easy for others, but if you're not into studying a text for hours in end, avoid this class. If you're addicted to history, military history in particular, this class is for you.

One last bit of information I would have like to know before enrolling in his class: Dr. Keyser will NOT excuse any absence for any reason. "I do not care if you are in a hospital bed dying."

This, like all western civ. classes is hard. You really have to keep up but he is willing to help you. He gives quizes a lot and they are hard. There are only 3 tests and they are hard but if you study you could get a B in the class.

Dr. Keyser is one of the most awesome professors your going to find in the WKU History Department if you want to learn about medieval/Western European history. This professor definitely knows his stuff and I always looked forward to going to his class to learn something new everyday. With that said, this class isn't for those out there that want either an easy ride through the history department for their major, for general education, or for those who aren't very enthusiastic about history. This class requires TONS of reading (about 60-80 pages if not more per week) and if you hate doing that then you'll hate this course and probably shouldn't take it. However, Dr. Keyser is willing to help anyone who is having trouble in the class and he's more than happy to review your papers and make any suggestions to you before you turn them in. Also, he's easy to contact in case you have any questions before you take a test or about any subject matter that comes up in the course. You also get a study guide before the test but I warn you that it's huge with over 40 ID's (not including locations) and three essay options (he'll only choose one for the test).

Here's the grade breakdown in the class for those interested: 3 papers over primary source readings you do during the semester (for our class it was one over the Franks & religious figures, the Crusades, and over Arthurian legends) which are worth 45% of your grade, two midterm exams (with 20 multiple choice/map choice questions + two ID's you need to write-a whole bluebook page is recommended for each of those- + an essay he chooses from your study guide) worth 30%, a final (which was optional for our class because he felt bad after all of the work we had to do in the semester and I chose not to take it because I already had an A) which was scheduled to have just 2 ID's and one essay worth 15%, and an attendance/participation point scheme worth 10% (this is why you should SHOW UP everyday because he takes attendance).

While the above information does sound like a pain in the neck this class is interesting if you give it a chance. I'd recommend it 100% to anyone who loves history and who'd love to learn about medieval Europe before the Renaissance. This class, though, should have a logo by it on TopNet: LAZY PEOPLE NOT WELCOME AND SHOULD AVOID

STUDY TIP--If you took Dr. Keyser for Western Civ. to 1648 (HIST 119) and saved your quizzes look @ those before your tests for this class b/c he copies a lot of those quiz questions onto the exams. If you didn't save them, though, I guess your screwed.

If you are a student that loves history this is the professor for you! Dr. Keyser was very energetic and well prepared for this class and didn't seem to mind teaching a freshman history course like this one. He is more than willing as well to help those students out who are struggling in the course and loves to be asked questions in class so that he can explain the material further. While I took AP European History in high school and knew a lot about this stuff before I took this course, Dr. Keyser helped add to that previously learned knowledge because when he talks about something he adds more to it than just the basics. In fact I liked him so much I'm taking his Middle Ages class next semester.

In this class you have two midterm exams (each worth 100 pts.), a final exam (worth 150), and ten quizzes throughout the semester worth 10 pts. apiece. He has a sign-in for his class for attendance purposes so you need to be there because he'll know if you haven't been showing up.

By no means is this an easy class and if you want a cake course for history then this man isn't for you. However, if you like an academic challenge and/or if you like learning a lot of fascinating facts about history I'd heavily recommend Dr. Keyser because he's a great guy and an even better person.

Mr. Keyser makes it clear that he knows most people don't want to be taking this course. He teaches higher level history, but he doesn't hate teaching this course like some teachers. You really have to study to do well, but if you pay attention in class, read the book, and copy the Power Point you'll do fine. He gives weekly quizzes which most people found harder than the test because we never had any idea what he was going to ask or how. He tends to word the questions differently on quizzes. He is very knowledgable about history so you can learn a lot if you give him a chance.

this class was very entertaining and almost made me switch to history Dr. Keyser does a great job explaining everything and if you need ANY help he is there and extremly willing to help you. Great teacher and an interesting class