Curran is wonderful. She is super nerdy and brings it into her lectures, relating human evolution to Star Trek every chance she gets. She tries to relate concepts to pop culture and tailor her references to her students' interests. Overall, she is engaging and energetic, and is always willing to help.

Awful professor for this course. She spoke to us as if we all had the same level of education in the field as anthropology as she, even though this was my first course I've ever taken in the antrho field. She explains nothing, midterms are lengthy and she only gives a list of about 150 terms which practically none of which were discussed in class.

She's a fantastic professor, very knowledgeable of Anthropology and paleontology. Just be aware that she expects you to be able to do work. If you can't write a decent paper or form a cogent argument, you won't do well. She regards her students work with the same critical eye that she uses for peer review. Also, she's at Ohio University now.

I loved her class! I took this class at Ohio University, and I would definitely recommend her as a prof. She's very helpful, very clear, and gives good feedback on journals and exams. She gave me an interest in Biological Anthropology. Really an awesome prof!

Nerdy but nice. I did not read any of the required books or articles, but I did show up to lecture everyday. Passed with a B. Pleasant experience overall. I found her quite entertaining.

Interesting class. Awesome professor if you sit during lecture, take good notes you're set! If you're willing to put in the effort you'll get a good grade. She's a great teacher:)

Just be human to her and she'l help you any way she can. Lovely person, patient woman- you have no excuse not to pass her class besides yourself =P Haters gotta stop hating

Tests were very difficult. She doesn't post slides with pictures on the internet, which is necessary for understanding anthropology, so you're left to depend on the notes you take in class and the book. I gave up on going to the labs because, even though only a handful of people went, she is always talking to TAs. I never got feedback on my essays.

Great professor. Her 121 class is a lot harder and I would not recommend taking it. This one is easier and there is a lot of reading, but most of it is for the papers. She is passionate about the material and makes the class interesting.

This class was definitely easier than her 121 class. If you attend lectures you don't have to keep up with all the readings, which are a lot. Readings do help for the papers though and she asked for two plus an extra credit paper. Overall, her class is easy to follow and very interesting.

one of the hardest classes i have taken, but it was also my first A. In her office hours she offers optional labs, if you do them they will help greatly in the exams, it is nice to see the stuff you are talking about.

One of the hardest classes I have taken at UCSB. She is an amazing professor and passionate about the subject but there is a ridiculous amount of reading and the tests are very hard and detailed. The short assignments and essays are not that bad and I did enjoy the class but don't take it if you are looking for an easy A.