PUBPOL-217SA
THEORY & PRACTICE
Not in Fall 2026
Term
Overview
Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that discussion is a clear strength. Best for students who will actually talk in class instead of sitting silent. The sample is still thin, so treat this as directional rather than definitive.
DepartmentPPS
Terms offeredSpring
Typical enrollment11–11
Semesters of data1
2.4
Hrs / week
5
Responses
11
Enrollment
45%
Response Rate
Evaluation Scores
Overall quality
Teaching, content, and experience combined.
4.2
Intellectually stimulating
Challenges students to think deeply.
4.2
Instructor effectiveness
Explains concepts and facilitates learning.
4.4
Difficulty
Higher means harder.
3.0
Feedback Analysis
Feedback Analysislow
Analysis based on student evaluations
Based on 18 comments across 1 sections
Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that discussion is a clear strength. Best for students who will actually talk in class instead of sitting silent. 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
Lighter lecture burden
Student comments describe this as more discussion-, seminar-, or workshop-driven than lecture-dependent. The lecture burden itself does not sound like the main source of friction.
Strengths
• Discussion is a clear strength; students repeatedly describe the class conversation as engaging and useful.
• Readings, films, or outside materials come up repeatedly as a real strength rather than filler.
• Students repeatedly say the course teaches something concrete, whether that is content mastery, research skill, or a strong foundation.
Tradeoffs
• There is no single dominant complaint theme, but the feedback is not uniformly glowing either.
Best fit for
Best for students who will actually talk in class instead of sitting silent.
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
Structure of Congress and the outcomes caused by the various checks and balances enshrined in the Constitution, using the book Tyranny of the Minority. Modern political phenomenon in real time.
Spring 2024 · Goss, Kristin
We learned different political theories and developed policy analyzing skills
Spring 2024 · Goss, Kristin
1) how to apply theoretical frameworks to real-world examples 2) challenging political norms without uprooting them 3) how to strategize around policies
Spring 2024 · Goss, Kristin
1) Team work skills: A major component of this course was the team project on modes of citizenship. I learned how to collaborate with other students to present a project that was reflective of different political identities and beliefs. 2) Curiosity: Much of the course was based on discussion. The readings and in-person discussion pushed me to ask questions that I may have been afraid to ask in other spaces. 3) Listening: A crucial part of my experience was learning from others and learning how to intake information prior to judging the content presented.
Spring 2024 · Goss, Kristin
-how to have respectful conversations despite different political beliefs, trains your civil discourse skills -think about what makes one a good citizen, increases your civic engagement -combine theory and practice in today's world
Spring 2024 · Goss, Kristin
Rating History
Rating history
Error bars show \u00B11 std dev
| Term | Instructor | Overall | Difficulty | Hrs/wk | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2024 | Goss, Kristin 4.3Rate My ProfessorsQuality4.3Difficulty3.7Would retake100%Based on 6 ratingsClick to view on RMP → | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 11 |
Instructor
Also teaches
PUBPOL-261SA CIVIC PARTICIPATION & PUB POL4.2