WGS 3612

I took this course the summer before my fourth year. In all seriousness, this is my favorite course I have ever taken at UVA. Professor Hagerman is one of the smartest people I have ever met and she is so funny and kind. You learn so much about a lot of history that you were never taught in school. I highly recommend this course to everyone. My only regret is that I took this course so late and don't have time to take another course with this professor.

DO NOT TAKE THIS COURSE DURING THE SUMMER! It's very interesting if you like looking at history from different perspectives and using primary sources to do so. However, it just has so much reading condensed into three and half weeks. On top of daily readings, Hagerman also requires you write a response for almost every class and complete two book reviews plus a final. If you are going to take this course, do it during the semester when you can fully enjoy the readings instead of drowning in work.

I took this class as an elective for my Politics major, and it is the best one I’ve taken at UVA. The class is heavy in reading and involves a midterm and final exam, 10 page research paper due at the end, smaller research assignments related to your paper, and participation in section. Hagerman is passionate and deeply knowledgeable about the erased history of oppressed groups and creates engaging assignments and interesting (though substantial) readings. TA Alice King also made this class a great experience, as she was incredibly approachable and willing to give specific feedback.

I really enjoyed this course. Professor Hagerman absolutely knows what she's talking about and is super passionate about this course, which you will enjoy a lot. Her lectures are so captivating, and if you enjoy history, you will absolutely love this course. There's a lot of reading involved, but I felt like most of them were engaging and I enjoyed them. The papers also can take a while to complete, but I feel like they're really rewarding too. I'd say this is a somewhat challenging course, but I'd also really recommend it. My one gripe with professor Hagerman is that she's definitely better as a lecturer than someone to talk to one-on-one. She has a very intense teaching style, and that doesn't seem to go away during office hours. Every time I visited, it felt like she wanted me in and out as soon as possible. Don't let that sway you away though, this is a great course taught by a great professor.

Y’all know that scene in Mean Girls when Regina is writing in the Burn Book? Yeah. That’s all I have to say about this professor. But in the interest of saving future students from emotional whiplash, here’s the full rundown:

Fulfills SRW and History credits, but at what cost??? This class was genuinely
unbearable. This professor is hands-down the most abrasive, condescending, and passive-aggressive instructor I have ever encountered.

Instructor is consistently disorganized, losing track of deadlines and files…yet if you’re late by even a minute? Intense eye contact. Dramatic watch tapping. Scolding. The audacity! The double standards are unreal. She demands structure and expects students to be perfectly punctual and polished — when she herself lacks it. Oh, the irony…

There’s absolutely no space for differing viewpoints in this class. If you don’t agree with her beliefs, you better mentally zip yourself up in disguise. It’s like walking on eggshells…except the eggshells are on fire and holding your GPA hostage. If you want to succeed — fake it ‘til you make it. Personally, I successfully finessed her so hard and I deserve an Oscar for that performance 💅

The readings are unnecessarily EXCESSIVE. The assignments? Oh honey. It was like doing scavenger hunts where the grand prize was burnout. The workload is extremely heavy, but somehow the return on investment is microscopic. I was putting in EXHAUSTING HOURS for the equivalent of academic pocket lint. My major-based classes (more rigorous, and far more relevant) weren’t even graded this harshly.

Oh, and taking attendance and participation points in the big 2025? Wild. The grading? Not just harsh—painfully specific, random, and absolutely unforgiving. It physically pains the instructor to give any form of praise. Every tiny bit of feedback was buried under a mountain of snark and backhanded, unnecessary commentary. Compliments? Nope. Validation? Never heard of her. But back-handed condescension? Oh, she has that in bulk. Instructor scores like it’s the Olympics and deducts points for minuscule details. Very odd.

I really questioned her sanity…she often spread misinformation with the confidence of a YouTube conspiracy theorist. It’s giving “I got my ‘facts’ from a Reddit thread,”…logic and kindness simply aren’t in her vocabulary.

The only redeeming quality? She brought her dog to class. For a moment, I saw a glimmer of hope. But the poor thing had just had surgery, covered in stitches and awkwardly shaved…? I wanted to rescue it from the class more than I wanted to rescue myself. That sweet creature deserves a vacation and a therapist. So do I after putting up with that class. Pass the bottle.