Out of the three classes I have taken from Professor Sexton, this one was my favorite. Lectures posited well-supported arguments on the forefront of the field of religion. I believe that these arguments are especially relevant to anyone who practices or is even considering practicing. Even for agnostic people this class offers value via important historical information and the ways in which religion affects the secular world. The core of this course is the research project, this is the closest experience to grad school research in the soc field that I have seen thus far at UCLA. Sourcing data from your own research and exclusively peer-reviewed sources gives the effect of progressing the field of sociology using your own faculties.

This class consisted of a quarter-long ethnographic research project (short 5 page paper OR 8-10 presentation), 3 2-page book reports, and a bluebook final on lecture content. The grading was extremely reasonable and the professor was extremely understanding with extension requests.

Highly recommend to anyone interested!

I took prison religion with Sexton in Winter 24'. The class isn't listed, honestly, the class was a major waste of time. The topic isn't nuanced enough for 10 weeks and attendance is mandatory. He also will take it very personally if you miss class or don't remember the material. He grades very harshly and is often rude. If you disagree with a grade he gave he simply does not care. If you want to struggle and be unhappy for a whole quarter take this class otherwise don't there are many kinder professors here at UCLA.

Among all the professors at UCLA, Professor Sexton is my favorite professor. As a student who often grapples with fear and anxiety, I found great solace in his warm and kind demeanor. His innate ability to create a relaxing and welcoming environment reassured many students, including myself.
The professor's class was not only helpful but also incredibly interesting. I gained invaluable knowledge and insights that have had a significant impact on me. Taking his class has ignited a strong desire within me to experience it again. I miss Professor Sexton!

Dr. Sexton is one of the best professors I've ever had. He is very clear and explains materials in a very easy-to-understand manner. He is very kind and is always looking to help, offering office hours beyond his normal scheduled ones. I remember at one point in the quarter I needed some help with my final paper and Dr. Sexton did not hesitate to create a time that worked for both of us to meet. He truly looks for the best in his students and only wants to see them succeed and understand the world we are living in today through the lens of Sociology.
The class is not that rigorous with 3 quizzes and a final ethnographic paper which was fun and a great overall experience. The topics in the course are both interesting and fascinating to contemplate. Overall, the course makes you question why religion exists and what reasons individuals adhere to certain religions and their differing values. The course also covers the history of religions in various parts of the world.
Overall, I highly recommend this course both because it is interesting and more importantly because Dr. Sexton is a great professor and an even greater person to get to know.

Professor Sexton is one of the best professors I’ve ever had! He cares about all his students and wants them to succeed. He makes his class really interesting and the workload is manageable. He provides quizzes that are extremely manageable and an ethnographic paper that is actually fun and enjoyable to write! I really enjoyed taking Professor's Sextons class and would recommend anyone to take it as well. I learned so many interesting things in this class about religion that I didn’t know before and I always looked forward to class. We need more professors like Professor Sexton!

Overall this class was a decent class but the workload is pretty heavy. There is an ethnographic project where you need to go to churches and interview people, take fieldnotes and stuff. Then, there is a final paper on your project due at the end of the quarter. There are also some books you need to buy and read throughout the quarter with a quiz for each one. Also there is a survey due for every lecture and discussion due by the end of the day. In saying all of this, Sexton is a great professor and lecturer. There is a lot of work but as long as you keep up with it, you should be fine.

The highlight of my undergraduate sociology experience! Dr. Sexton is an outstandingly knowledgeable and supportive professor who masterfully guides his students through the course material. His instruction enthuses curiosity and insight as he supports his students in their discovery of what religion is, what it means to be religious, and how complex societal issues can be evaluated through a religious lens. The course provides opportunities for students to engage interactively with course content. Throughout the quarter, students conduct an ethnography project on a religious organization in the Los Angeles area. The project provides hands on sociological research experience beyond the classroom, as well as meaningful community engagement. Along with the ethnographic project there is a final exam and a handful of quizzes on the readings. I found the workload to be comparable to other upper division sociology classes and I used audiobooks to stay on top of the heavier readings. Manageable and rewarding!

As someone who is NOT a sociology major, I stumbled upon this class by accident as a late add... what a blessing it turned out to be... This class was probably one of the most important classes I have taken at UCLA, and I am about to graduate. Organized, thoughtful lectures, reading materials and willingness to communicate throughout this course make it unique from all other college courses I have taken. The workload is not much, it is super doable if you stay on top of it. I was added 3 weeks late in the class and was able to pull of getting a good grade in the class, that should tell you alot. Professor Sexton is very accommodating and actually LISTENS to his students and takes time to sit and talk with every student about concerns or any other matters (I know, you dont see this alot at a school this big). The class consists of participation, 3 quizzes, a final, and a final project where you study a religion. It seems a lot at first, but trust me, you will have so much fun doing it and it is really hard to not get a good grade because everything you have to do is listed, along with the help from him and TA's every week throughout the quarter. Quizzes are multiple choice, straight up and not meant to deceive you. Overall, a really fun, informative, educational and super interesting and fairly easy class... Take this class, you wont regret it!!

I really enjoyed this class and I think I learned a lot about the sociology of religion from Professor Sexton! I never would have though I would take a religion course as a Sociology major, but I'm glad I did. The readings he provided were also very engaging, however, be warned you will be quizzed on the readings but because they are pretty good reads you should be fine.
This class also featured guest lectures from the authors from some of the readings which really helped give me an insight on what I read and its always nice to interact with an author whose work you've read before.
This class also featured an ethnographic paper on a religion of your choice, which I found to be very fun to do. Although it is a bit of work to schedule and conduct interviews, it was a fun way to conduct your own research.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this class to any Soc major because Professor Sexton is a good professor and if you follow all of the required materials and assignments you should do well!

The professor makes lecturers interesting by applying concepts to current events. Overall, I recommend this course if you are interested in furthering your knowledge on religion and the role it plays in society. Throughout this course I had the opportunity to conduct my own field research, which is experience I can utilize as a future researcher. Additionally, this course has allowed me to have a better understanding of how scripture, culture and tradition influence actions within communities. For example, prior to this course I would never have considered that there was a relationship between religion and environmental sustainability. However, this course allowed me to see that there is not only a relationship but a strong influence from religious groups' perception on environmental sustainability and its impact on the surrounding environment politically, economically and socially.