PUBPOL-460SA
POLITICS AND POLICY PRACTICUM
Not in Fall 2026
Term
Overview
Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that students say they actually learn something useful. Best for students who want substance, not a disposable elective. The sample is still thin, so treat this as directional rather than definitive.
DepartmentPPS
Terms offeredSpring
Typical enrollment13–13
Semesters of data1
1.7
Hrs / week
11
Responses
13
Enrollment
85%
Response Rate
Evaluation Scores
Overall quality
Teaching, content, and experience combined.
4.8
Intellectually stimulating
Challenges students to think deeply.
4.4
Instructor effectiveness
Explains concepts and facilitates learning.
4.8
Difficulty
Higher means harder.
2.0
Feedback Analysis
Feedback Analysislow
Analysis based on student evaluations
Based on 42 comments across 1 sections
Feedback is mostly positive. The strongest signal is that students say they actually learn something useful. Best for students who want substance, not a disposable elective. 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
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
• Students repeatedly say the course teaches something concrete, whether that is content mastery, research skill, or a strong foundation.
• Discussion is a clear strength; students repeatedly describe the class conversation as engaging and useful.
Tradeoffs
• There is no single dominant complaint theme, but the feedback is not uniformly glowing either.
Best fit for
Best for students who want substance, not a disposable elective.
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
1. political decision making (what drives decisions, what tradeoffs people assess) 2. following the news and presenting about it 3. standing out in internships and improving in them
Spring 2025 · Carwell, Emily
Career skills, real world policy analysis, understanding policy actions
Spring 2025 · Carwell, Emily
I underwent significant improvements in my professional, interpersonal, and writing skills.
Spring 2025 · Carwell, Emily
I learned about workplace culture, Hill careers, and peace negotiation
Spring 2025 · Carwell, Emily
General insights into DC, internship etiquette and strategy, and some writing skills.
Spring 2025 · Carwell, Emily
Rating History
Rating history
Error bars show \u00B11 std dev
| Term | Instructor | Overall | Difficulty | Hrs/wk | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2025 | Carwell, Emily | 4.8 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 13 |