POL SCI 10
Introduction to Political Theory
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Exposition and analysis of selected political theorists and concepts from Plato to the present. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 5.0
Units: 5.0
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Most Helpful Review
Spring 2018 - The key to happiness is found in not taking this class. First of all her lectures are all over the place and her slides are some of the most unhelpful I've ever stumbled upon. Going to class is mandatory since she has an unidentified number of pop quizzes throughout the quarter. T.As are TOUGH graders too, they don't give you that long to address a question but expect you to hit EVERY criterion PERFECTLY. I had a terrible time and I guarantee if you take it, you will too. It doesn't even matter whether what we read was interesting or not because she is so all over the place it is really not worth it. Save yourself the stress and save your GPA by not enrolling in this class.
Spring 2018 - The key to happiness is found in not taking this class. First of all her lectures are all over the place and her slides are some of the most unhelpful I've ever stumbled upon. Going to class is mandatory since she has an unidentified number of pop quizzes throughout the quarter. T.As are TOUGH graders too, they don't give you that long to address a question but expect you to hit EVERY criterion PERFECTLY. I had a terrible time and I guarantee if you take it, you will too. It doesn't even matter whether what we read was interesting or not because she is so all over the place it is really not worth it. Save yourself the stress and save your GPA by not enrolling in this class.
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Most Helpful Review
Class taken: Pub Pol 10A To be perfectly honest, this guys personality just bugs the hell out of me. If I'm sticking to the criticism of the class and his teaching, the books are interesting, and the policy memos are graded difficultly but actually teach you a valuable skill. I cannot say the same about the rest of the class. I usually went (just because I had class right before and after) but spent the entire time on bbc or cnn. Because after a half hour explanation of what inflation is, I figured out that everything you need to know can be learned from high school econ and you know, not living in a cave. Stoll's just smug, and assumes a great level of idiocy in his students. Except on the policy memos, where he expects you to be perfect... Don't let it keep you away from the minor though, once you start picking your own classes its good!
Class taken: Pub Pol 10A To be perfectly honest, this guys personality just bugs the hell out of me. If I'm sticking to the criticism of the class and his teaching, the books are interesting, and the policy memos are graded difficultly but actually teach you a valuable skill. I cannot say the same about the rest of the class. I usually went (just because I had class right before and after) but spent the entire time on bbc or cnn. Because after a half hour explanation of what inflation is, I figured out that everything you need to know can be learned from high school econ and you know, not living in a cave. Stoll's just smug, and assumes a great level of idiocy in his students. Except on the policy memos, where he expects you to be perfect... Don't let it keep you away from the minor though, once you start picking your own classes its good!
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2022 - I learned a lot in this class & once you understand the requirements, it's smooth sailing. While Trojan requires that you purchase the course reader, I found that I didn't really need it. Homework each week consisted of digitally annotating the reading 3 times through a program called Perusall, I found myself skimming it for the most part, and I was still able to follow along in class. We had mini-essays due every couple weeks called "interventions" where we challenged a way of thinking. I did poorly on the first one since I analyzed a quote, rather than dismantling the logic behind it, but my TA left helpful comments and I was able to recover my grade. We had one main paper & no final. There was a lot of freedom with our final paper so I used one of my intervention topics and just expanded on it. The course topics were all very abstract, so Trojan was the perfect professor for it. He is very much the teacher to answer your question with a question, or respond to "Can I go to the bathroom?" with "Can you?" However, I kind of loved that as it really forced me to think and analyze words in a way I've never had to before. He was very engaging with what otherwise may have been boring content and utilized the class space in a great way. I would recommend going to office hours which were held in the sculpture garden, as they prepare you for discussion and are actually quite thought-provoking. Overall, great class!
Fall 2022 - I learned a lot in this class & once you understand the requirements, it's smooth sailing. While Trojan requires that you purchase the course reader, I found that I didn't really need it. Homework each week consisted of digitally annotating the reading 3 times through a program called Perusall, I found myself skimming it for the most part, and I was still able to follow along in class. We had mini-essays due every couple weeks called "interventions" where we challenged a way of thinking. I did poorly on the first one since I analyzed a quote, rather than dismantling the logic behind it, but my TA left helpful comments and I was able to recover my grade. We had one main paper & no final. There was a lot of freedom with our final paper so I used one of my intervention topics and just expanded on it. The course topics were all very abstract, so Trojan was the perfect professor for it. He is very much the teacher to answer your question with a question, or respond to "Can I go to the bathroom?" with "Can you?" However, I kind of loved that as it really forced me to think and analyze words in a way I've never had to before. He was very engaging with what otherwise may have been boring content and utilized the class space in a great way. I would recommend going to office hours which were held in the sculpture garden, as they prepare you for discussion and are actually quite thought-provoking. Overall, great class!
Most Helpful Review
Professor Walker is honestly the best professor I have had at UCLA. He is extremely engaging and his love for political philosophy is contagious. You will walk out wanting to be a theory concentration. The class is really easy if you just do the readings, which are not long at all. There are pop quizzes, but he tells you ahead of time when they will be happening. The essays are easy too. Definitely take the class and engage in it. You won't regret it!
Professor Walker is honestly the best professor I have had at UCLA. He is extremely engaging and his love for political philosophy is contagious. You will walk out wanting to be a theory concentration. The class is really easy if you just do the readings, which are not long at all. There are pop quizzes, but he tells you ahead of time when they will be happening. The essays are easy too. Definitely take the class and engage in it. You won't regret it!
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