PUBPOL-190
SP TOPICS: PUBLIC POLICY
Not in Fall 2026
Term
Overview
Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that teaching clarity stands out. Difficulty runs on the high side even without a single dominant complaint theme. Best for students who want a structured class rather than chaos. The sample is still thin, so treat this as directional rather than definitive.
DepartmentPPS
Terms offeredFall
Typical enrollment22–22
Semesters of data1
6.4
Hrs / week
7
Responses
22
Enrollment
32%
Response Rate
Evaluation Scores
Overall quality
Teaching, content, and experience combined.
4.1
Intellectually stimulating
Challenges students to think deeply.
4.3
Instructor effectiveness
Explains concepts and facilitates learning.
4.7
Difficulty
Higher means harder.
3.7
Feedback Analysis
Feedback Analysislow
Analysis based on student evaluations
Based on 24 comments across 1 sections
Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that teaching clarity stands out. Difficulty runs on the high side even without a single dominant complaint theme. Best for students who want a structured class rather than chaos. The sample is still thin, so treat this as directional rather than definitive.
Student Reports
How hard is the A?
A is doable but not automatic
The signal here is more do-the-work-and-you-should-be-fine than easy-A chatter. Students do not describe the A as automatic, but the evidence also does not paint grading as punishing.
Homework Load
Moderate homework load
Homework load looks moderate. The recurring signal is steady weekly work, but not a course that turns every assignment into a grind.
Lecture Load
Regular lecture load
Lectures matter here, but the evidence points to a fairly standard lecture burden rather than a course dominated by long or exceptionally dense lectures.
Strengths
• Teaching clarity stands out; students repeatedly say the material is explained clearly and effectively.
• Students repeatedly say the course teaches something concrete, whether that is content mastery, research skill, or a strong foundation.
Tradeoffs
• Difficulty runs high even when comments do not settle on one dominant complaint.
Best fit for
Best for students who want a structured class rather than chaos.
Watch out for
• Most of the signal comes from a limited sample, so be careful about over-generalizing.
• A large share of the evidence comes from one instructor's version of the course, so this may not generalize cleanly.
Student Responses
I learned actually so much. How to run and read regressions, how to actually read statistics, and how to understand what I am reading.
Fall 2025 · Madson, Madson
- how to use stata - how to understand, interpret, and analyze descriptive and predictive statistics
Fall 2025 · Madson, Madson
I have learned how to apply statistical models and concepts to social science topics. I have also learned how to code in a new language, strengthening my quantitative abilities.
Fall 2025 · Madson, Madson
1. Stata 2. Statistical analysis like how to evaluate statistical claims 3. How to apply statistical analysis to policy scenarios and communicate that, writing memos
Fall 2025 · Madson, Madson
I developed the ability to apply statistical theory to real policy questions, I learned how to interpret statistical outputs in a policy-relevant way, and I gained confidence in explaining statistical reasoning.
Fall 2025 · Madson, Madson
Rating History
Rating history
Error bars show \u00B11 std dev
| Term | Instructor | Overall | Difficulty | Hrs/wk | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Madson, Madson | 4.1 | 3.7 | 6.4 | 22 |