David Mednicoff - University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Professor: David Mednicoff

Department: Law

College: University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PUBPAMD190A
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I had no idea Middle Eastern history could be so boring. I was really excited for this class, only to have him ruin it. There is an absurd amount of reading (70 pages a night) in some of the driest textbooks I have ever seen. Instead of following a timeline, the lectures follow his train of thought, jumping from year to year and country to country

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MIDEAST197A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Really intelligent man who is very knowledgeable about the Middle East, but not a great teacher. He would waffle a lot in the way he lectured in what I think was an overly-done attempt to appear neutral and make the class a safe space. Result? Boring lectures that didn't teach anything beyond the already obvious. Disappointing given the work load.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MIDEAST190A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Mednicoff is clearly passionate about Middle Eastern politics and public policy. He is often too busy and he often shoots down any possible debate or discussion so that he may finish his lecture. The lectures were interesting, but often long and droning. Some assignments are groups based. Grading was very disorganized and often confusing.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PBPOL697
• 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:

David Mednicoff is brilliant. His class is challenging but very worthwhile.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POLSC295
• 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:

One of the best prof iv had so far. knows his stuff, extremely knowledgable in the subjuct. encourages you to share your opinion and wont penalize you for it. the work seems hard at first, but its really not as bad as it looks. material is interesting and relevent to today. overall a great class and great professor!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: POLSC294T
• 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:

This is probably one of the worst political science classes I have taken. He does not take a stance on anything. He wants to debate every comment. You could tell him his class sucked and he would try to start a class discussion. The lectures were repetitive and boring, and the way he talks is obnoxious, not to mention the obscene amount of reading

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: POLSC294T
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

350 characters are not nearly enough to express my hatred for this man. To sum it up: complete tool. He's managed to destroy what had potential to be a great class. Avoid this one.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: LEGAL250491N
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Mednicoff represents the very best that UMass has to offer in regards to professorship. His lectures are both incisive as well as entertaining. He DOES allow you to have your own opinion; he simply expects that you can support it using scholarly work. He also enjoys puns. Don't take his classes if you are lazy.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: LEGAL250
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

if you kiss his ass, an A will be yours. I thought he was a jackass, gave horrible lectures and graded strangely. some of the reading is okay, but he does his best to ruin that.

Rating # 10

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Worse professor I have ever had. Teaches you very little with the exception of his own narrow views.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: LEGAL250
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

In all my 4 yrs here, definately the WORST professor I've ever had. He's a GREAT lawyer, but an AWFUL teacher. He likes to collect "groupies" and anyone else who has an opposing opinion to his own is ignored.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: 101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Aesome prof. He is a brilliant man and very personal. If you show interest in the class he will really try to get to know you and is very helpful.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: EXPTERROR
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

The class sounds very interesting and is to some extent. Except he dismisses comments some times from students who are more liberal and anti Bush or war in Iraq and it is quite annoying. I recommend the class though but get ready to get frustrated when he doesn't call on you if he does not like your comments.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: LEGAL250
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Had a good idea with having students participate but does it way too much. Hearing 9088987978 opinions is not interesting. Quizzes were stupid and papers were graded hard....and i didnt get a bad grade,since people usually assume a bad grade comes from a bad student. i got an A-, and this guy still sucks.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: LEGAL250
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

most over rated class ive taken. everyone hyped this class up to be one of the best you could take and i really just didnt see why this guy was so hyped up. he is knoledegable but comes across as if he thinks hes better then you. claims he wants to klnow the students personally but whenever i talked to him i felt as if i was bothering him.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: LEGAL250
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I found this class to be interesting. Yes, there is a lot of reading and all those extra "stuff" that goes towards your grade. Usually I would find myself falling asleep to the more 'dry' topics. He tries to make things intersting and he always want people to participate. The T.A.s are helpful also.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: LEGAL250
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This class was torture the professor was so boring. He tried to hard to get people to talk in class it pretty much was a joke. 99% of his lectures were boring, the only time they were ok was when he wasn't teaching them & we had a guest speaker. The class is just a pain...avoid this class

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: LEGAL250
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Tries hard to get everyone to participate and tries to know people's names. Do the readings and you should be all set and participate.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: LEGAL250
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The class is so boring. People kept saying the same things over and over again every time there was a discussion. You have to "participate" by writing on a web board which is a pain.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: LEGAL250
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Great Teacher. Theres extra credit and the quizzes are short and pretty str8 forward but you have to DO THE READINGS, and theres a lot of them. The papers are sort of hard and the TAs graded them hard. Overall good class, interesting.