PUBPOL-320
STATECRAFT AND STRATEGY
Offered Fall 2026
Term
Overview
Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that teaching clarity stands out. 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 enrollment23–23
Semesters of data1
4.8
Hrs / week
19
Responses
23
Enrollment
83%
Response Rate
Evaluation Scores
Overall quality
Teaching, content, and experience combined.
4.5
Intellectually stimulating
Challenges students to think deeply.
4.6
Instructor effectiveness
Explains concepts and facilitates learning.
4.6
Difficulty
Higher means harder.
3.6
Feedback Analysis
Feedback Analysislow
Analysis based on student evaluations
Based on 68 comments across 1 sections
Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that teaching clarity stands out. 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?
More reachable A
Student comments make the grading bar sound relatively reachable. This reads more like a course where steady work is rewarded than one where students describe the A as unusually hard to land.
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
Lecture load is mixed
Lecture burden appears to vary by section. Some comments describe a discussion-driven format, while others emphasize denser or more central lectures.
Strengths
• Teaching clarity stands out; students repeatedly say the material is explained clearly and effectively.
• Readings, films, or outside materials come up repeatedly as a real strength rather than filler.
Tradeoffs
• There is no single dominant complaint theme, but the feedback is not uniformly glowing either.
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
Definition of strategy a key Review of early writers/scholars a key Review of Clausewitz and Jomani a key
Fall 2025 · Miles, Simon
1. The academia of state craft and strategy 2. General overview of world history 3. How to analyze state strategy 4. Lessons of leadership 5. Creativity of thought
Fall 2025 · Miles, Simon
I learned how to analyze historical documents, craft historical narratives, and about major historical events.
Fall 2025 · Miles, Simon
I learned to read history efficiently. I learned to think critically about a historical analogy. I learned to synthesize broad, grand strategic policy into clear outcomes in international relations.
Fall 2025 · Miles, Simon
- Understanding the interlocking of sectors of the state in the formation of Grand Strategy - The complex inner workings of a successful military operation - The role of conflict and battle in determining international geopolitical tensions and relations.
Fall 2025 · Miles, Simon
Rating History
Rating history
Error bars show \u00B11 std dev
| Term | Instructor | Overall | Difficulty | Hrs/wk | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Miles, Simon 4.0Rate My ProfessorsQuality4.0Difficulty3.6Would retake82%Based on 11 ratingsClick to view on RMP → | 4.5 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 23 |
Instructor
Miles, SimonPOLISCI
Also teaches
POLSCI-562S AMERICAN GRAND STRATEGY4.6PUBPOL-224 RUSSIA IN THE WORLD4.6