One of the best history teachers I ever had. Each lecture was a gem.

He is an excellent professor! I learned so much and I didn't know that the assassination of Caesar could be so funny. I was lucky to have him before he retires.

Drake was a great professor -- interesting lectures, well-organized, helpful... but certainly wasn't an easy class. There's a ton of reading involved, which is crucial to the 2 essays you write in the class (most difficult aspect of the class). Midterms and finals aren't as hard, but they are in essay format and will be impossible if you haven't re

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Drake was awesome, my favorite professor by far. The class is challenging but he is really entertaining in lecture and the content is interesting.

There comes a time in a person's life when they are thrust into a social situation this is torturous, yet pointless. Drake's class is an example of one of these situations. I'm a history major; I enjoy history. I especially enjoy ANCIENT history. Drake, unfortunately teaches this subject. He is the worst professor teaching at UCSB. He is retiring

Loved the class, loved the professor. Sorry he is retiring after the Fall Qtr '06. He would talk to you after class and was very helpful. Offered lots of interesting information not just dry textbook facts.

CRAZY hard, but definately one of the best classes I have ever taken! If you want the study of history to make sense to you, take this class. But if you arent willing to do a lot of source readings and essays, this isnt the class for you.

Although his class is incredibly difficult (tests all essays, crazy amounts of reading), it has been one of the most worthwhile classes I have ever taken. Lectures are funny/random/interesting but you HAVE to go to discussion and do the readings or you will fail. Readings mostly primary documents (hard), but dude.. I love this class.

Very difficult.. Very confusing. Essay prompts are way too complex. Only upper division history course I didn't get an A in.

Easily one of my most memorable professors...He's funny, knows his stuff, and interacts with a huge lecture hall. This guy is worth sitting through a History class for. Love him. And his lectures were SUPER organized.

I love that little man. Great class tons of reading though and admittedly I am a history major. If you don't like hisory avoid but otherwise he is fair and interesting and the TA's are all awesome.

provided a new way of looking at things in history, very insightful

This class was the most painfull class of my life. But its not me, everyone in my section hated the class, and so did most people. Yeah the professor is a nice guy, but the tests are unfair and the readings are more that I do for most upper division classes. This class with this professor is not an easy A, its more of a work hard for a B.

Lectures are very well organized... He practically tells you what's on the final... the only hard part is the reading, which is hardly eventful... He prepares you well for 4b and ties everything together nicely at the end, so i recommend going to his final lecture, EVEN if your not taking the class

I did not like his class at all. The book he wrote was unhelpful and his lectures boring and unhelpful. He seemed like a nice guy, but i would not want to have him again as a teacher. ever.

the worst class i have ever taken...all he said the entire quarter was "I am going to teach you some good stuff" and then he never taught anything. honestly. it was pointless. poly sci majors should not have to take history classes like this! save yourself! take someone else!!!!

Excellent professor. Exams are hard and long. Stay up with the reading and attend lecture (seeing his power points online doesn't compensate). Not a good class to take if you're not used to college classes yet.

He is a very good teacher, though the tests are pretty hard. The class is fair and you'll do well as long as you keep up.

If you keep up and make sure you know the readings inside and out, the class will be relatively routine...but I personally thought the professor was bad. He is very monotone and uninteresting, which left me with little interest for the class itself. If you like history then take it, if not don't even try.

He's a tough teacher but he's fair and quite interesting. He taught the Proseminar class at his house. I've never enjoyed a class so much, even when he tore my thesis to shreds in front of it. Be prepared to work for your grade, and you will get a lot out

Drake was a really good professor. I learned a lot from him, although he was not an easy professor. Exams were long and difficult, but if you really get into the subject you'll realize that you'll have a lot to say during the exams.

Great guy and excellent scholar. His tests are extreamly hard but that's not necessarily a bad thing. His lectures are intresting and his since of humor is awsome.

Excellent professor. Very funny man. Makes subject matter interesting--though, reading his book was slightly painful. he will teach you everything you need to know about writing a history paper if you meet with him in office hours. Solid guy.