ARH 1010

I wouldn’t recommend taking this class unless you have to or are extremely interested in pre-modern architectural history. The weekly readings are lengthy and often not connected to the tested information. You have to memorize a lot of information for the midterm and the final. Prof. Reilly seems very knowledgeable but is not very organized, talks way too quickly in lecture, and is not very approachable. It’s not impossible to do well in this class, but it just takes a lot of work and time. #tCFF23

Generally, people do not like this class compared to ARH 1020, which is the "second part" of this class which examines buildings from the 1400s onwards. Both ARH 1010 and 1020 are intro survey classes and do not get into much detail on any buildings really, but they do provide you with an overview of some honestly pretty famous buildings that you may not have heard of as it is not too Western-centric (while ARH 1010 is definitely still very Western-centric, ARH 1020 we definitely go all over the place).

ARH 1010 with Lisa Reilly is ok. The tests are pretty hard, but you do get a good chunk of points if you memorize the dates, architects, site, and period of the monuments (term in the class referring to the architectures studied). In the end, I feel like my skill in analyzing building improved for sure, but when it comes to finer analyses of each buildings' details, I would not be able to do so. Weekly, there are textbook readings and quizzes via a digital textbook that you have to purchase. I do not suggest reading the textbook readings as most of them are not related to the monuments discussed in-class and was not tested at all for us. The quizzes can be completed most of the time from intuition and little hints when you hover over the "X" when you click on a wrong answer on your first guess for a quiz question (helpful hint ;)).

There were four readings throughout the semester for us, and each one of them were dry and dense, except the one on Mayan ball games (because who knew the Mayans played ball games to the death?). Readings are tested on the final for us, and discussion classes discuss the reading if there is one that week. A five-page essay with all documents provided is assigned mid-semester on the Hagia Sophia's reconversion back into a mosque was assigned for us. No outside research is needed for the student. Prof. Reilly definitely is passive aggressive at times, but she is nice and patient most of the time especially if you show curiosity in the subject.

You probably would be happier taking ARH 1020 if you are not required to take this as an A-School student.

In order to do well in this course, you need to attend every lecture and take as detailed notes as possible. The textbook readings are only necessary to help review what you've covered in class, and all of the second half of the semester discussion section readings are very important. Study well in advance for the final and try to memorize every possible detail about every possible monument she puts on the midterm and final monument lists. You can not bs your way through this class, but you will find it teaches you a lot once you have gotten through it.

This course really deepened my appreciation for ancient architecture by seeing the care and detail put in each of these structures. Professor Reilly covers several of these monuments, and we went into detail about each of their cultural and architectural contexts. Because there is so much to cover, however, it can sometimes feel like you’ve only grazed the surface for each piece of architecture. The online textbook at the start of the year (which you need to take online quizzes) goes into more detail about each period, but I found it wasn’t necessary to understand the material. Just attending lectures and studying lecture material will prepare you for the exams. On another note, while I sometimes enjoyed the activities in discussion sections, you really need to do the readings to get the most of your section class (and sometimes it can be pretty dense). Overall, though, the course was really informative, and if architecture is more interesting to you than general art history I think it’s a great choice.

Professor Reilly's class can be rather intense but you can tell she knows how to teach this course effectively. She takes a liking to students who regularly answer or ask questions in class and while she can sometimes come off as blunt, she really does seem to appreciate student engagement. Outside of lectures, she's a very interesting person to talk to and I highly recommend you attend her office hours every once in a while; don't be afraid to ask her for help or just stop by to talk to her! Homework typically consists of reading a textbook chapter and completing a short quiz about what you read which is usually pretty easy, but you also do not have any reminders to complete it. There are also required readings for the discussion sections led by the TAs so make sure you are prepared to talk about them. You are also given the opportunity to attend a review session where Professor Reilly will take the time to answer literally any question you may have about the course content in the lead-up to the mid-term and final; make sure you attend it and study the monument lists in depth. Professor Reilly also directs the Architectural History Program at UVA and her course serves as a great introduction into what you could be doing as an architectural history major. Overall, knowledgeable professor, interesting content, great course!

This is an extremely tedious introduction class that is really only meant for A school students. Professor Reilly is quite boring and loves to make you discuss in lecture even though we have a discussion section for this class. The readings are important and the discussion section readings are critical to do. Tests are very hard and it is impossible to write enough about the subject in the 10 minutes you are given for each short essay, unless you have spent hours with architectural history before this class. Getting a good grade is manageable though a lot of studying is required, so manage your expectations. Group quizlets really help you study without spending your entire week rereading and rewriting your notes to memorize each sites' information and its location/architect/date.

This class is eh, it's not terrible but it's not great. You'll have to go to every lecture to do well in the class and study bur Prof Reilly gives you all the information you need to succeed. There is one paper but as long as you follow the rubric you can get an A on it. This class isn't super engaging but it's not too boring. I would recommend study group and as long as you put in the effort you should be fine.

While this class will seem like a lot of work at first, you will find that the weekly readings are pretty much optional. Most of the material you need to know for the midterm and final are covered in lecture, so make sure you take detailed notes. With that being said, there are readings for discussion that do not seem like you need to read throughly at that point in time, but they do wind up on the final so make sure you read them and take notes. There is also one paper and the topic varies from year to year. This semester we wrote an exhibition review for her exhibit at the Fralin. Professor Reilly throws some humor into her lectures which helps because overall I found the lectures to be boring and sometimes repetitive. She does call for class participation regularly. This involves answering questions, sharing your opinions, and developing lists as a class. You will be expected to write your ideas on a sheet of paper and turn it in at the end of class regularly too. These are checked randomly to make sure you're coming to class. The TA's for the class are very helpful and easy to talk to if you need advice. This is not an easy A class, but if you put in the effort to study for the exams you will be fine in the course.

A lot of these reviews on negative but I actually did enjoy her and this was maybe my favorite class. Yes tests are hard, but you just have to spend some time memorizing monuments beforehand and you will be fine. Do the readings for discussion they may come up on the final, and you kind of have to know what is going on in discussion to get good participation. I thought the lectures were really interesting and engaging. More than most classes.

Prof. Reilly is an ~okay~ professor, but sometimes the class can get extremely boring. 2 exams compiled of the site list she gives you from each semester and you have to know dates, cultures, and architects, so get ready for that. There is one 5 or so page paper. Go to lecture because you'll need the extra information to make connections on your exams in your essays. I got by without doing any of the readings from the second half of the semester, but DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TO.

Prof. Reilly is fantastic and has a great passion for arch history and teaching. She adapted the class really well to a COVID semester.

This class involves a lot of memorization, but it is not hard to get a decent grade if you are willing to study. There are three exams and a short paper. Professor Reilly provides a monument list about a week prior to each exam. You are only tested on the monuments on this list (about 15 per exam). Completing the assigned readings is not essential as they include a lot of information about monuments you are not tested on. However, attending lecture is SO important. Write down as much information as possible during lecture! There is not a ton of work outside of class other than studying before exams. I recommend going to the review sessions Professor Reilly offers before each exam, too. Additionally, there are various extra credit opportunities - DO THEM. You can get up to 4% added onto your grade by attending additional lectures by speakers coming to the School of Architecture and submitting a 1 page paper to your TA. Don't let the other reviews scare you. The class isn't too bad.

Do not get Healy as your TA! I don't like history and I did not like this class at all. Exams are tough, you write 3 different essays, ten minutes each, then 2 different 5 minutes each. Didn't like the class.

DON'T take this class if you don't have to! If you do, pray that one of your classmates writes up a study guide for the extensive and difficult exams. 1010 is a class of 200+ students and is conducted in a lecture hall, but Ms. Reilly treats it like a discussion section, pacing up and down the stairs, forcing group participation and thrusting her clip-on microphone in the faces of students, administering giving pop quizzes on a whim when she feels that students are not participating enough (don't ask me how her poor TA's grade 200+ pop quizzes), and getting peeved when students leave to use the restroom.
Ms. Reilly is well-versed in what she teaches, but you'd better be a great note-taker to get a decent grade in the class; she does not permit laptops in the class and none of the slides she posts on Collab have any words, only pictures, so you can't study them.
Ms. Reilly is nice enough if you get on her good side, but the slightest misstep could rub her the wrong way. In conversation with her one day before class (I sat in the front row), Ms. Reilly began to rail on me because I mentioned my workplace, an establishment whose corporate decisions she disagreed with. She only stopped screaming when another student approached to ask her a question.
I feel sorry for A-school students who are required to take this class; if you are fortunate enough not to have to take ARH 1010 with Lisa Reilly, don't.

A required class, Lisa is pretty aggressive at times. I feel like if she had been nicer I would have learned more. The homework is pretty easily done, you don't really need to do all of the reading in depth, just really skim and look for the answers to the collab post questions. The tests are all just memorization of the buildings and facts about them and a few essays. Pretty straight forward, but it is definitely necessary to study for. Not my favorite class, ARH 1020 with Shelia Crane is much better. Both have interesting material!

If you don't have to take this class don't. The class itself is easy, meaning the content and what you are tested on is very easy, but the grade breakdown is so ridiculous that even getting high As on all three tests and the project, I will not be getting an A in the class. Reilly is by far the most passive aggressive teacher I know, even though very kind in office hours. She never responded to my emails and when I tried to go to office hours, she was not there. All in all, a very frustrating class. My suggestions to do well is to do the study guide for the test, follow the rubric for the group presentation, send the draft for your paper to a TA for editing suggestions, GO TO CLASS (even though not necessary for the tests, she does attendance checks every so often.....this is also what is killing my grade), and participate in discussion so that your TA likes you because at the end of the day, they are doing most of the grading and will vouch for you when you are having problems with the professor.