Professor: Dina Spechler
Department: Political Science
College: Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN
Rating # 1
Overview:
- Course: POLSY360
- Grade Received: B-
- Overall Rating: 3.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Dr. S seems to really enjoy teaching and knows a lot about her field. The lectures can be very interesting, but there are no slides and only 3 grades- Midterm, 15-page paper, and Final. Difficult grader and looking for very in-depth analysis. Doesn't give great instructions on how to do well, so maybe go to office hours. Don't take for easy A.
Rating # 2
Overview:
- Course: POLSY109
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Professor Spechler is one of the most amazing professors I've had at my time at IU! She brings her passion for the subject and teaching to every lecture and explains concepts clearly and engagingly. Few professors can match her level of genuine interest in her students' success and the level of work she puts into cultivating their abilities.
Rating # 3
Overview:
- Course: Y363
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 4.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Dr. Spechler gives a good, informational lecture. Readings are very important and tests are hard if you dont spend a copious amount of time preparing. The paper is rough but fun. However, despite the amount of time and effort, this class will give you more than what you paid for! Great investment. I wish I tried harder in the beginning!
Rating # 4
Overview:
- Course: HONH304
- Grade Received: B+
- Overall Rating: 3.0
- Course Difficulty: 5.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Prof. Spechler's class was very difficult. There is an astronomical amount of reading, sometimes as much as 100 pages due per class. She lectures for the entire class without many written notes. By the final, the only grade we had back was the mid-term grade. This is the only B+ I've received. Do not take her class if you care about your GPA.
Rating # 5
Overview:
- Course: POLY363
- Grade Received: B
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Very good lectures. Best professor I've had at IU. You get to do a simulation that is lots of fun in her classes. Would highly recommend. Only downside is that there are lots of readings, but if you get a study group together you should be able to divide it up before tests and do well.
Rating # 6
Overview:
- Course: Y363
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 3.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: No
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
She's very intelligent and an expert on Russia. Her class however was annoying. There was way too much reading and a lot of it was superfluous for her exams. I was the only A so if you're not smart and do not have a good memory (a ton of material on tests), stay away.
Rating # 7
Overview:
- Course: POLY363
- Grade Received: Not sure yet
- Overall Rating: 4.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Absolutely amazing professor. I plan on taking her Russian politics class in the spring. She really knows her stuff, but attending class is essential to get notes. Way more assigned readings than any other class, but she does talk about a lot of them in class as well.
Rating # 8
Overview:
- Course: INTL109
- Grade Received: A-
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Spechler is amazing. She is one of the smartest people I have ever met and definitely the best prof I have had at IU. Even though she is getting old, she is still extremely passionate about her subject and it is obvious. Readings are difficult, but trust me she knows what she is doing and of you do the readings you will learn SO MUCH.
Rating # 9
Overview:
- Course: Y368
- Grade Received: A-
- Overall Rating: 4.0
- Course Difficulty: 3.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Assigns a ridiculous amount of reading, more than any other class I have ever had. Lectures were fairly interesting. Class was fairly difficult but not impossible.
Rating # 10
Overview:
- Course: POLSY399
- Grade Received: A
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 5.0
- For Credit: Yes
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: Yes
- Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Professor Spechler is absolutely fantastic. Her classes aren't easy, and the assigned reading was more than my other classes but together. However, it was worth it. Her knowledge of her field is excellent, and she does a great job teaching. She also works hard to keep students engaged in class and discussing the material, to their benefit.
Rating # 11
Overview:
- Course: Y363
- 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:
Prof is very knowledgeable in their field, but not an effective teacher. Lectures are not on-task (Rambling). Lecture notes not very useful. ExamsPapers micromanaged so that the TA(s) have no discretion in grading (to your detriment). Reading ESSENTIAL to passing, yet amount of reading 2 classes of 300 level equivalent topics. AVOID Spechler!
Rating # 12
Overview:
- Course: Y109
- 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:
Pretty tough class, but still intriguing. Topic was based around warfare between nations and was very interesting! However, the tests were difficult, even when she does give you the questions beforehand--and note-taking as well as reading is necessary to get a good grade.
Rating # 13
Overview:
- Course: Y368
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Yeah yeah, she's hard. But that's what makes you learn the material. If you're willing to put in the work, she's a fantastic teacher. However, if you have only mild interest in the topic she's teaching, then maybe you shouldn't take the class because you will have to work extremely hard to get an A.
Rating # 14
Overview:
- Course: Y109
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 5.0
- Course Difficulty: 2.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Prof. Spechler is the most amazing professor I have ever had or could possibly have. She's the most interesting lecturer I've ever seen and really tries to engage students. She's extremely well-versed in the field and you can tell she loves teaching it! As long as you do the reading and the assignments, you're golden!
Rating # 15
Overview:
- Course: POLSY368
- 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:
While Dr. Spechler is incredibly intelligent and the lectures are engaging, I was floored with the workload and the grades distributed. I'm a Junior Poli Sci major who'd never gotten an A- before, but this class killedme. It bordered on being a smaller version of an Honors thesis seminar. Intellectually fascinating but not worth the hard won B:(
Rating # 16
Overview:
- Course: POLSY368
- 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:
Grandma Spechler is too old to be teaching. Does more nit-picking than grading. Very hard grader with lots of reading. No visuals with rambling lectures. She does know alot about her field though.
Rating # 17
Overview:
- Course: Y363
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 2.5
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
no visuals and just talks, hard to identify what is relevant and what is antidote. Took the first exam all my answers were correct but still C all activities happened at the end, last 3 class periods high expectations for course but very disappointed should be classified as a psych class not a poly sci major regrets taking this class wish i didnt
Rating # 18
Overview:
- Course: POLS109
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 4.5
- Course Difficulty: 5.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: Yes
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Professor Spechler is the best professor I've had at IU. She is truly loves what she teaches, and conveys that through her style of teaching. Don't get me wrong, this class is tough. If you don't study, you will fail. But if you're willing to put in the time and are interested in international relations, I'd highly recommend her classes.
Rating # 19
Overview:
- Course: POSLPOLS
- 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:
Assigns a ridiculous amount of readings and provides no visual aids for her lectures except a brief outline on the board which she doesn't follow because she gets off on tangents. Very little feedback about grades. Unless you like taking a class that is a full time job in itself I wouldn't recommend.
Rating # 20
Overview:
- Course: INTL109
- Grade Received: N/A
- Overall Rating: 3.0
- Course Difficulty: 4.0
- For Credit: N/A
- Textbook Used: No
- Would Take Again: N/A
- Attendance: N/A
Comment:
If you love international relations, she's a great professor. Really loves what she does, sometimes over enthusiastic. Do the reading, and you'll get a good grade
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