The best aspect of this course was the class format in which students got to openly discuss their views on the course subject. The professor showed enthusiasm for the course material and made the content understandable and realistic. The worst aspect of this course was the somewhat hefty readings. The course would improve if the readings were more focused so as to allow a deeper analysis of some of the content. Prospective students should know that this is a great course on political theories that has a fairly light workload.

Students believed that the best aspect of this course was the professor, who was both knowledgeable and passionate about the subject. Students thought that the class discussions and lecture stayed consistently interesting and engaging over the entire class period. Many students thought that the paper topics were too vague and difficult to complete, and that the professor was looking for a specific, undefined viewpoint. Students suggested shortening some of the reading assignments and adjusting the pacing of the modules would help ensure that the material was covered at an equal pace. Students also wanted more structured prompts for their assignments, as well as feedback. Prospective students should be prepared to work hard. It is a chal enging course, but the materials are interesting and the discussions are very rewarding.

Students widely praised this course’s engaging instructor as the highlight for the course. Students disliked that opinions that differed from the instructor’s views weren’t welcomed in the course. Other students disliked that the amount of assigned reading in the course seemed excessive. Students also found the instructor’s language could be a bit coarse at times. Suggestions for improvement included a belief that the course could be improved if the instructor had students read articles on topics rather than assigning whole books. Prospective students should know that students found the course didn’t require them to have a background in the American political system; however, students found that having a basic understanding of how government is organized would be helpful.