Overall, this was a pretty decent class. Prof. Peltzer is a really nice guy and is very passionate about geoscience--something that's obvious through his lectures. I took this online, so in-class engagement was pretty minimal, but I think he did a good job trying to keep our attention. I'd definitely recommend this class to anyone looking for an easy GE that is pretty interesting as well.

This professor really tried to make this class fun and engaging, but there's only so much you can do to make information about earthquakes exciting. It is an easy science GE compared to other ones, but it is incredibly boring. Your grade depends on 30% lab, 30% midterm, and 40% final. The labs were doable with some help from the TA with a week to finish them. The midterm and final were all multiple choice, but a cheat sheet was allowed for the final. There was also the option of a field trip or a 2-page paper for 3% extra credit which helped me out a lot. If science isn't your thing and you want an easy enough GE and don't mind being bored for a while, then take it.

I feel like the review before me is pretty intense. I guess it would have helped to go to lecture, but he basically reads off the slides and adds a little bit of more info. I agree that the labs 30% did save my grade from anything lower than a B (I think I ended up with 108%?) and the field trip 3% EC definitely contributed. That said, I NEVER went to lecture after the midterm and prior to that, I went but wasn't really there mentally...Prof. Peltzer knows what he's talking about, but I found the topic to be dry. There was an overly enthusiastic student, so I guess it's just a matter of whether or not earthquakes, plate tectonics, etc interest you. He was generous enough to add 5 pts to out final since the test scores were on the low side, so that was cool! Long story short, read the slides on your own time, take notes, and you should be fine. Go to lecture if that helps/makes you feel better, but from first hand experience, it's not impossible to get an A if you don't.

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS IF YOU WANT AN EASY GE. If you want an A in this class, you need to attend lecture and put in some time studying. Luckily the labs are easy A's and make up 30% of your grade, and Peltzer rocks and offers extra credit that can boost your grade by 3% (!!!!). The tests are difficult though--lots of info, and you need to know how to use and apply formulas (which you need to have memorized--Omori's law, Richter magnitude formula, etc). I knew going in that I was going to take this class pass/no pass, and so I barely studied and never went to class (went to one lecture after the midterm and that was literally it). I managed to pass fine thanks to the labs carrying my grade, but if I was looking to get an A in a GE I would not have taken this class because at best I would have gotten a B. The average score on the final was a 71 if that puts things into perspective. So basically if you want an A, either don't take this class or actually work hard in this class. Peltzer is a sweetheart and more than willing to help you--unfortunately, for most people (myself included) earthquake science is the driest subject you can teach.

This class is not the easiest GE you will ever take. The labs are extremely easy and have lots of bonus points. They are worth 30% of your grade and I had over 100% for all of my labs combined. The midterm is also worth 30%. If you show up, take good notes, and study a little bit each week, you will do great. Unfortunately, no one actually does that because it's a GE. I showed up to most of the classes and took notes sometimes. I studied two days before and ended up with an 82%. Then there is the final. I didn't study much because I was busy at work, but I went to even fewer classes and took almost no notes following the midterm. I read through his review slides and read the slides from the second half of the course the day before the final. I ended up with a 78%. These are not the best grades, luckily for me there is the opportunity to earn 3% extra credit through either a field trip or a short paper. Do this assignment! I had almost no business getting an A- in this class. If not for the easy labs and extra credit, this would not have been the case. If you are willing to do a good job on the labs and complete the extra credit, you will be fine. He's a good professor and is pretty funny. If you have any interest in earthquakes definitely take this class. If you are looking for the easiet GE, I'd recommend taking Geography 5 instead. This is a good class that is pretty interesting.

Professor Peltzer is the best! You can tell he is a super nice and down to earth professor who just really loves earthquakes. There was an opportunity this quarter to go on a field trip all day for extra credit (3%) and it was actually fun! Peltzer knows what he is talking about and is SO willing to help out anyone. Definitely a really awesome professor.

Peltzer is a really cool guy!! He loves teaching what he teaches and that makes it fun to listen to him. Living in California, a lot of the stuff that you learn about is local and it makes it pretty interesting. The class was not much work, mostly just memorization of dates and stuff, but if you are good at memorization then you're solid! Friends have told me that they didn't much like this class, but I thought it was the perfect GE.

Professor Peltzer was a pretty decent professor. Earthquakes aren't all that interesting to begin with, but he tries his best to make them interesting and fun. He often does pop quizzes that he asks the class to participate in mid-lecture and is always willing to meet with you to go over the material. However, be warned that the final is MUCH harder than the midterm. The midterm was 50 multiple-choice questions. The final was 86 multiple-choice questions, and even with more time, they were much more specific while the midterm focused more on general concepts. Don't be fooled, this class is not that easy. I changed the class to Pass/No Pass and ended up getting a No Pass (barely and because of the final that I failed). Also beware of the TA's. They all showed up to lecture the first day and then left right after the professor introduced them. Not one of them ever came back to lecture since that day. So beware that the TA's are not too knowledgeable about the specifics of what Professor Peltzer said in lecture.

Class is sometimes boring but he's a really caring professor. His midterm and labs are easy but the final is a killer. Not the easiest GE.

Overall, if you have another class in mind, take it.
I found this class to be pretty boring, although some parts were of interest since I live in California. The topic is very dry and it is hard to stay focused in class. He says exactly what is on his slides so most students do not attend class. He offers a 3% extra credit through a field trip or paper (one or the other). His final is CUMULATIVE. Also, he designs his test to that the average is about 80%. That means for an A make sure you study hard and memorize all of the slides.