Tamara Sonn - College of William and Mary

Review your college professor, faculty and staff

Tamara Sonn - College of William and Mary

Professor: Tamara Sonn

Department: Theology

College: College of William and Mary

Rating # 1

Overview:

Course: HIST109
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: Yes
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Single best professor I've ever had at Georgetown. You will work hard in her class but you will learn so much.

Rating # 2

Overview:

Course: HISTOFISLAM
Grade Received: B
Overall Rating: 1.5
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Sonn is a nice woman who is very intelligent. That being said, you are expected to regurgitate and spit back exactly what she tells you. She blindly supports all facets of Islam and if you raise any objections, you will be punished. DO not take for SFS history requirement. Way harder and grades are random. Oh and you have to go to class.

Rating # 3

Overview:

Course: HIST109
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 4.0
Course Difficulty: 2.0

For Credit: Yes
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Good professor -- clearly respected in the field. Wrote the book. Not the most rigorous lecturer -- slides were often disorganized and even through classes, could go off on tangents. Pretty easy though -- tells you what will be on the midterm. Very straightforward final paper -- just makes sure you know the material.

Rating # 4

Overview:

Course: RELG318
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 1.5
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I took Islam in the Modern World in 2007. The class was difficult, not b/c Sonn expects you to master difficult concepts (as long as you master/embrace her specific viewpoint you're fine), but b/c she expects you to memorize & regurgitate the readings-like a high school test. I found her to be smug & self important, highly overrated.

Rating # 5

Overview:

Course: REL317
Grade Received: A-
Overall Rating: 4.5
Course Difficulty: 2.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: No
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

I skipped over Intro to Islam to get into this class and it didn't make one particle of difference--she taught all that anyway. Fascinating class taught by a fascinating, beautifully composed professor. She goes off on many tangents, but everything is absolutely interesting. i definitely recommend Professor Sonn!

Rating # 6

Overview:

Course: INTROTOISLAM
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Sonn is an incredible professor. Her class, as much or more than any my freshman year, changed the way I saw the world.

Rating # 7

Overview:

Course: RELG312
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 3.5
Course Difficulty: 2.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Sonn is funny and a good lecturer, but unclear on what she wants from students. She prefers excellence but does not define her standard of excellence, grades can suffer. She also wants you to think like her - doesn't accept opposing viewpoints. Test are unpredictable, even with a study guide but offers extra credit and curves a lot.

Rating # 8

Overview:

Course: RELG212
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Professor Sonn is probably the best professor at W&M. The integration of Arabic terms was ENORMOUSLY helpful (contrary to what some other reviewer wrote; educate yourself much?) and essential to a thorough comprehension of Islam. This class isn't for whiners looking to pad out their GPA, but to actually put forth effort and learn about Islam.

Rating # 9

Overview:

Course: THRYRLGN
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 5.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I took several classes with here as an UG. I graduated in 05. I continue to reference what I learned in her classes in conversations or when I read the paper. This is true learning. She was always super helpful and interesting. She wrote me recommendations that I imagine were quite good bc I was accepted to two ivy grad prgms (psych prgms).

Rating # 10

Overview:

Course: RELG201
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 4.5
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Professor Sonn is quite possibly the most amazing person on the planet. She is my hero. Her tests are tough and her quizzes seem a bit nit picky, but as long as you pay attention in class and take good notes you will be fine. She gives extra credit too so don't worry when you get two 1/5's. Any one who complains about her is ignorant or lazy

Rating # 11

Overview:

Course: RELG212
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Prof. Sonn is one of the smartest, most cultivated and cultured people I've ever met. Her wit may be a bit acerbic, but she is unfailingly kind and helpful, and is passionately committed to teaching students about Islam. Her class is not that hard if you actually go and skim the reading. Definitely, definitely take it!

Rating # 12

Overview:

Course: RELG212
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 4.5
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Prof Sonn is AMAZING. She takes an incredibly complex and controversial topic and makes it understandable, if you open your mind. Tests are occasionally tricky, but anyone whining about them being too hard is obviously not paying attention/attending class. She's NOT condescending. Definitely take a class with her if you can fight your way into one!

Rating # 13

Overview:

Course: RELIG314
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 2.5
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 14

Overview:

Course: RELG212
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 4.5
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: Yes
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Everything said here about Prof. Sonn is true: she is brilliant, well-informed, and knows more about the world than most professors do. However, her tests and quizzes are totally arbitrary and harder than they need to be, and on top of that she is incredibly condescending and her treatment of students makes it evident that she's on a power trip.

Rating # 15

Overview:

Course: REL212
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 2.5
Course Difficulty: 2.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: N/A
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Professor Sonn is brilliant. However, her lectures are disorganized and often take a side track. There is no way to know what is important and what is just an offhand remark that she's making. She has an amazing grasp of the subject and ability to analyze every aspect of it, but she doesn't communicate it effectively in lecture.

Rating # 16

Overview:

Course: RELG212
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: N/A
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Tamara Sonn is the most brillant professor I have ever met. She'll make you want to stand up on your chair in the middle of class and shout "oh captain my captain!" I adore her. Only drawback to her classes are that they fill up very quickly and she's a bit of a pushover when it comes to letting people get capacity overrides so classes are large.

Rating # 17

Overview:

Course: REL212
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 2.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: N/A
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

AWESOME

Rating # 18

Overview:

Course: ISLAM
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 4.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: N/A
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I'd recommend Prof Sonn to anyone. She is a brilliant, captivating professor. I took her class before her book was published. I bought her book a few months ago just because her teaching/writing style is that good.

Rating # 19

Overview:

Course: RELST
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: N/A
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: N/A

Comment:

One of the three most absolutely, scintillatingly, captivatingly brilliant professors I've taken classes from in all my time at the College of William and Mary--not to mention intrepid, *pel*lucid, incredibly-informed and well-connected.

Rating # 20

Overview:

Course: ISLAM
Grade Received: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 3.0

For Credit: N/A
Textbook Used: N/A
Would Take Again: N/A
Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Sonn is awesome. She knows everything and has been everywhere. She's brilliant, and she's hilarious as well. Definitely a professor I would recommend.

Add Your Review Below:

Search Professors:

Welcome:

Before signing up for classes every students should gather as much information as possible to make a decision on which professors as well as which courses to take. This website will help you make this decision easier.

Here, the students can rate, research and cross-reference the overall performances of the professors to select the best ones, and always be informed and up-to-date with what’s important.

Join the fun! Visit all pages and get all the information you need to choose the best class and best professor that you’ll enjoy listening to and learning from.

Our Friendly Sponsor:

Schools:

Our Friendly Sponsor: