Cathie Jo Martin - Boston University, Boston, MA

Professor: Cathie Jo Martin

Department: Political Science

College: Boston University, Boston, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PO324
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Martin loves teaching and is great at what she does. She assigns readings for homework and you show up to class and talk about those readings and incorporate them into the lesson for that day. Her lectures are fun and interactive but also laid back. Would recommend to all.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PO324
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

The class is very manageable if you have good time management. There's two papers and two exams. The last paper is a struggle since it's 15 pages, but you have freedom to dissect any public policy issue you want. She's a great lecturer, and while she to the left, she's very open to friendly discussion from all sides.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PO321
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Super funny, can get kinda off track in lectures but as long as you take good notes when she's on topic, you'll do well in the class. The final grade was based off a midterm, a 20 page final paper, & a final exam. Both exams were entirely written, but came straight from the readings/discussions on the readings in lecture, so just pay attention.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PO324
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

One of the best professors I have had the pleasure of having at Boston University. Many criticize her class, calling it difficult, but if the effort is put in, the class is far easier than many would have it seem. She is incredibly intelligent, and truly cares for her students and wants each and every one to succeed. Great professor to know!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PO321
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Prof Martin is the best! Her lectures are so much fun and extremely interesting. Not only she smart but she is also hilarious. Her grading on papers can be tough but if you go and talk to her she is very understanding. I failed a midterm of hers and went to her office hours to talk to her about it and she bumped by grade up to a B+. Take her class!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PO324
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Martin can best be described as wacky, but that's what makes her such a good professor. She has a better understanding of what it's like to be a student, making her really approachable and helpful in explaining what is going on in class. Took awhile to catch on to what the class was about, but will definitely take a class with her again.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PO324
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Would not recommend this class. If I could go back in time and stop myself from taking it I would. Professor Martin is a nice lady but her lectures are all over the place and the reading is ridiculous. I learned pretty much nothing.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PO
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Very bright and admits when she doesn't know things. Has unrealistically high expectations for essays and exams. MUST DO ALL THE READING. Difficult grader but understanding about pressures of a student. I walked out on exam once and she let me retake it. Then I missed the make-up and she still let me retake it without deducting points. SO NICE.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PO343
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Martin is highly entertaining. She's a bit conceited, but she's pretty reasonable. The readings are long, but if enough people complain, she'll consider paring it down. Split up the readings as soon as possible to split up the work. Create study guides together. She's pretty lax about due dates, just talk to her.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PO341
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

None. Just terrible.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PO343
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

She is really hysterical, but extremely tough. Her exams are ridiculous and her lectures are unorganized. I got a B+ but had to work REALLY hard for it. The amount of reading she requires is INSANE! But you have to do it all if you want to pass the exams.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PO343
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Professor Martin is a a great and unique professor. She is knowledgeable and I have learned more from her class than any other class at BU. However, the material is more demanding than other poli sci classes and her characteristics (leftist political views, mild verbal diarrhea) are not for everyone. I enjoyed the class but others might not.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PO341
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I really like martin and the class. She is a little cooky but in the same brilliant that grows on you Rossell kind of fashion. The readings, paper, and tests (w/o study guides) were challenging but she was helpful in office hours and the tfs did not graded fairly. good class, fun lady.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PO621
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

straight out of the nineteen sixties. leather jackets, threads, & beat nick slang. i took am politics, comp politics, + 621. take notes in class for the tests, readings are not necessary. a good reference for work. great in office hours. split up the readings, work hard & you'll get a good grade. she is awesome. thank you cathie

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PO621
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

One of the best professors in the poli sci department. You MUST take a class with her. Really knows what she is talking about. There is a lot of reading and the paper seems daunting, but by the end of the semester it is really not that bad.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PO341
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I have taken multiple classes with this professor and I have to say she is one of my favorites at BU. While the 15 page paper is ominous she is extremely helpful if you attend office hours, directing you towards authors and sources that can help you.The most important readings are obvious so you know which ones to go back and look at a second time.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PO341
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

great professor - funny and engaging albeit a little disorganized sometimes. i learned more in this class than in any of my others. there's a lot of material to study but it's useful and thought-provoking.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PO341
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

the issue i have with her is that her tests, though not too har.... she does not tell you what's going to be on them and there is SO much material to study its annoying when the test is on the the first 3 out of 16 readings. Follow the format of the paper (which is kind of like how she does a lecture) and you will get an A.Its a great class though

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PO341
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Prof. Martin is always late and kept us past the end of class. Class was hard to follow. There was much reading that didn't really teach you too much. One of the worst poli sci classes I've had at BU.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: POA1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Professor Martin is fun, but as class progressed her lectures became increasingly disorganized. I also would agree with the other reviewer that the reading was dry and repetitive.