John Gavin Branstetter
Department of Political Science
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4.8
Overall Rating
Based on 13 Users
Easiness 4.2 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 4.7 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 4.1 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 4.8 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

TOP TAGS

  • Uses Slides
  • Often Funny
  • Engaging Lectures
  • Would Take Again
GRADE DISTRIBUTIONS
51.5%
42.9%
34.3%
25.7%
17.2%
8.6%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

28.3%
23.6%
18.9%
14.2%
9.4%
4.7%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

20.0%
16.7%
13.3%
10.0%
6.7%
3.3%
0.0%
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F

Grade distributions are collected using data from the UCLA Registrar’s Office.

ENROLLMENT DISTRIBUTIONS
Clear marks

Sorry, no enrollment data is available.

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Reviews (12)

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Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A+
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Feb. 29, 2024

I LOVED THIS CLASS!! HE IS AN AMAZING PROFESSOR!!! I WOULD DEF TAKE THIS COURSE AGAIN IF I COULD

Helpful?

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Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A+
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Feb. 29, 2024

There's a reason why Branstetter's classes fill up so quickly. Branstetter is a passionate, light-hearted, and overall very engaging lecturer. He is very academically progressive, understanding the cost of textbooks and the meaninglessness of grades, making for a very unique and easy grading system.

It was a bit writing intensive. There were two 4-5 single spaced papers (~10 page double-spaced papers). Don't let this deter you, however. While the topics were very open (which to some people may make it difficult), I thought the topics were interesting. Furthermore, they are graded on COMPLETION and REVISION. Aka as long as you turn in a relevant 10 page paper you get a B, revise if after a TA leaves comments, and you get an A+. It is ridiculously easy to pass.

There is one complaint I have with him, however. Besides being very academically progressive, he is politically very progressive. There's nothing inherently wrong with this, however, he often makes either subtle or non-subtle remarks against conservative values. One time, he subtly shamed people who don't donate anything to impoverished communities. So, yeah. If you're conservative you may feel uncomfortable unfortunately.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A+
Jan. 30, 2024

Professor Branstetter is probably one of my favorite professors I have had at UCLA so far. He genuinely cares about his students and stresses the fact that placing such a high importance on grades can create a stressful culture in college, and that he cares more about making sure we engage with the course content and share our honest ideas. If you have the chance to take a class with him, do it! You will not regret it. The class grade was entirely structured around 2 papers (4-5 pages single spaced) on interesting and mostly open ended topics. By submitting your papers you automatically receive a B+, and by making substantial revisions on your papers you receive an A. Also, we got to watch the Barbie movie in class and discuss. Would recommend to anyone!

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0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A+
Oct. 18, 2023

This is one of my favorite classes I have taken at UCLA. John is such a nice person and genuinely cares so much about his students. The classes are engaging, and the workload is super manageable. There are also no tests which is a huge bonus.

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Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A
June 11, 2019

Professor Branstetter is by far the best professor I have had at UCLA. He is so engaging and passionate about political theory that it inspires his students, even in a subject which many would consider dry. He is also extremely helpful in office hours and, because your grade in this class is composed of 3 essays that your TA grades, it never hurts to go over your essay with him if you're not happy with your grade because he's not averse to bumping you up a few points if he feels that you deserve it.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A+
April 17, 2019

This was the best (and easiest) GE I have taken at UCLA.
Grading scheme = 10% discussion, and 3, 3-4 page essays (30% each).

There is a lot of reading assigned for this class, but I only really read one of the assignments to its full extent. Each essay only requires two of the readings each (I only used one reading for the last essay).
You don't really need to go to lecture, as it is not super relevant to writing a good paper, but if you are confused with the material, it may help.

I went to every lecture because Branstetter is such a personable, and engaging guy who is clearly passionate about the subject matter and his students' success.

Your TA does the grading, so who you have matters. My TA (Kris) was an extremely cool and thoughtful guy, who gave good feedback and graded on the easier side.
we were given 2% extra credit for doing the evaluations, which bumped my grade up. Clutch.

10/10 would recommend to a friend.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: B+
April 5, 2019

PS 10 with Branstetter 100% depends on your TA. Personally, my TA was really full of herself and graded pretty harshly. But other friends in the class had better and nicer TAs and ended up with better grades even with the same amount and quality of work. Branstetter is kind of a boring lecturer but he's entertaining enough. Lectures really aren't that necessary, but the reading definitely is. I've heard this was the hardest PS lower div and it was to me.

Helpful?

1 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2018
Grade: A-
March 14, 2019

This professor is among the best in the school. He is engaging, funny, always positive, creative and interesting, and certainly very knowledgeable. I would recommend this class to anyone and everyone.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2017
Grade: A-
Dec. 28, 2017

I took the Confucian Political Theory class with him, and Branstetter is an amazing professor. He clearly loved the material he was teaching, and his passion came through in every lecture. The readings were pretty dense and hard to understand, but the professor did a great job explaining them and providing clarity about the subject. I thought the exams were reasonable, and while there are a lot of pop quizzes, it's not hard to consistently get 4/5 right if you read. Overall, Branstetter is one of the best instructors in the department, and I'd highly reccomend taking a class with him if you have the chance.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2017
Grade: B-
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Dec. 1, 2017

I took POL SCI 119 Special Studies in Political Theory: Confucian Political Theory in China and Japan with Professor Branstetter Fall 2017.
The material in the course was hard to grasp but Professor Branstetter successfully taught the material the best it could have ever been taught. It revolves around the comparison of schools of thought which is hard to learn in ten weeks. The quizzes forced us to read the material and if it were hard, he would mention there was a quiz beforehand along with hints on the quiz. I believe this class makes you think on the spot for quizzes and the tests because it makes you apply the knowledge rather than just retain it. Taking the next class with Professor Branstetter in Winter because the lectures were just that good! He also provides his ppt lectures and lecture outline notes on CCLE so you don't really have to type notes in class, just listen!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A+
Feb. 29, 2024

I LOVED THIS CLASS!! HE IS AN AMAZING PROFESSOR!!! I WOULD DEF TAKE THIS COURSE AGAIN IF I COULD

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A+
Feb. 29, 2024

There's a reason why Branstetter's classes fill up so quickly. Branstetter is a passionate, light-hearted, and overall very engaging lecturer. He is very academically progressive, understanding the cost of textbooks and the meaninglessness of grades, making for a very unique and easy grading system.

It was a bit writing intensive. There were two 4-5 single spaced papers (~10 page double-spaced papers). Don't let this deter you, however. While the topics were very open (which to some people may make it difficult), I thought the topics were interesting. Furthermore, they are graded on COMPLETION and REVISION. Aka as long as you turn in a relevant 10 page paper you get a B, revise if after a TA leaves comments, and you get an A+. It is ridiculously easy to pass.

There is one complaint I have with him, however. Besides being very academically progressive, he is politically very progressive. There's nothing inherently wrong with this, however, he often makes either subtle or non-subtle remarks against conservative values. One time, he subtly shamed people who don't donate anything to impoverished communities. So, yeah. If you're conservative you may feel uncomfortable unfortunately.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A+
Jan. 30, 2024

Professor Branstetter is probably one of my favorite professors I have had at UCLA so far. He genuinely cares about his students and stresses the fact that placing such a high importance on grades can create a stressful culture in college, and that he cares more about making sure we engage with the course content and share our honest ideas. If you have the chance to take a class with him, do it! You will not regret it. The class grade was entirely structured around 2 papers (4-5 pages single spaced) on interesting and mostly open ended topics. By submitting your papers you automatically receive a B+, and by making substantial revisions on your papers you receive an A. Also, we got to watch the Barbie movie in class and discuss. Would recommend to anyone!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2023
Grade: A+
Oct. 18, 2023

This is one of my favorite classes I have taken at UCLA. John is such a nice person and genuinely cares so much about his students. The classes are engaging, and the workload is super manageable. There are also no tests which is a huge bonus.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A
June 11, 2019

Professor Branstetter is by far the best professor I have had at UCLA. He is so engaging and passionate about political theory that it inspires his students, even in a subject which many would consider dry. He is also extremely helpful in office hours and, because your grade in this class is composed of 3 essays that your TA grades, it never hurts to go over your essay with him if you're not happy with your grade because he's not averse to bumping you up a few points if he feels that you deserve it.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: A+
April 17, 2019

This was the best (and easiest) GE I have taken at UCLA.
Grading scheme = 10% discussion, and 3, 3-4 page essays (30% each).

There is a lot of reading assigned for this class, but I only really read one of the assignments to its full extent. Each essay only requires two of the readings each (I only used one reading for the last essay).
You don't really need to go to lecture, as it is not super relevant to writing a good paper, but if you are confused with the material, it may help.

I went to every lecture because Branstetter is such a personable, and engaging guy who is clearly passionate about the subject matter and his students' success.

Your TA does the grading, so who you have matters. My TA (Kris) was an extremely cool and thoughtful guy, who gave good feedback and graded on the easier side.
we were given 2% extra credit for doing the evaluations, which bumped my grade up. Clutch.

10/10 would recommend to a friend.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2019
Grade: B+
April 5, 2019

PS 10 with Branstetter 100% depends on your TA. Personally, my TA was really full of herself and graded pretty harshly. But other friends in the class had better and nicer TAs and ended up with better grades even with the same amount and quality of work. Branstetter is kind of a boring lecturer but he's entertaining enough. Lectures really aren't that necessary, but the reading definitely is. I've heard this was the hardest PS lower div and it was to me.

Helpful?

1 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Winter 2018
Grade: A-
March 14, 2019

This professor is among the best in the school. He is engaging, funny, always positive, creative and interesting, and certainly very knowledgeable. I would recommend this class to anyone and everyone.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Quarter: Fall 2017
Grade: A-
Dec. 28, 2017

I took the Confucian Political Theory class with him, and Branstetter is an amazing professor. He clearly loved the material he was teaching, and his passion came through in every lecture. The readings were pretty dense and hard to understand, but the professor did a great job explaining them and providing clarity about the subject. I thought the exams were reasonable, and while there are a lot of pop quizzes, it's not hard to consistently get 4/5 right if you read. Overall, Branstetter is one of the best instructors in the department, and I'd highly reccomend taking a class with him if you have the chance.

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
Verified Reviewer This user is a verified UCLA student/alum.
Quarter: Fall 2017
Grade: B-
Dec. 1, 2017

I took POL SCI 119 Special Studies in Political Theory: Confucian Political Theory in China and Japan with Professor Branstetter Fall 2017.
The material in the course was hard to grasp but Professor Branstetter successfully taught the material the best it could have ever been taught. It revolves around the comparison of schools of thought which is hard to learn in ten weeks. The quizzes forced us to read the material and if it were hard, he would mention there was a quiz beforehand along with hints on the quiz. I believe this class makes you think on the spot for quizzes and the tests because it makes you apply the knowledge rather than just retain it. Taking the next class with Professor Branstetter in Winter because the lectures were just that good! He also provides his ppt lectures and lecture outline notes on CCLE so you don't really have to type notes in class, just listen!

Helpful?

0 0 Please log in to provide feedback.
1 of 2
4.8
Overall Rating
Based on 13 Users
Easiness 4.2 / 5 How easy the class is, 1 being extremely difficult and 5 being easy peasy.
Clarity 4.7 / 5 How clear the class is, 1 being extremely unclear and 5 being very clear.
Workload 4.1 / 5 How much workload the class is, 1 being extremely heavy and 5 being extremely light.
Helpfulness 4.8 / 5 How helpful the class is, 1 being not helpful at all and 5 being extremely helpful.

TOP TAGS

  • Uses Slides
    (9)
  • Often Funny
    (8)
  • Engaging Lectures
    (7)
  • Would Take Again
    (7)
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