James Hurtgen - SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia, NY

Professor: James Hurtgen

Department: Political Science

College: SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: POL365
• 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:

Amazing professor. My favorite during my my course of study at Fredonia

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: POLI277
• 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:

Should not take this teacher for electives, expecially intro to law. He is out of his element here and requires way too much of students in the readings. If you are trying to maintain a 3.0+, do not take James as a teacher.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: POLI277
• 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:

I think Hurtgen is an awesome guy but slightly spacey as a professor. If you read your book and are familiar with the cases being discussed in each class, you'll do fine. Read every relevant case when it comes to test time because that will be the sole focus of each test. Hurtgen is also highly intelligent and very familiar with law.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: POLI240
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very unclear and does not relate to students well

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POLI200
• 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:

Interesting guy, makes class very interesting and you get sucked in to it. Tests cover a lot, and you REALLY need to study the book to do well. He does NOT cover it all in class in detail. Most of class time is dedicated to him reading case stories and the class sharing opinions on the outcome.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: POLI277
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

One of the greatest minds at Fredonia. Tests cover a lot of content so prepare to spend A LOT of time going to through details on your own (i.e. you will have no life outside of preparing for this class and its tests)

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HONR228
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

The most boring class in the world. Hurtgen wasn't bad, in fact I liked him as a professor and as a person. However, this course put me to sleep. I didn't learn anything. It was an easy A no doubt, but American Communities I would NOT recommend. I wish I had taken something else with him instead.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HONR228
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Maybe it was because I took an honors class with him, and they're very informal and conversational, but I thought he was pretty easy and fun. He has a genuine interest in his area of study, and went off on perfect little tangents about, like...coffeehouses, beer, and diners, for example. I would recommend an honors class with him.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: POLI120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His American Politics class sucks. He is extremely boring and classes are useless. He talks about current events the whole time and then expects you to write three essays per test about things he never mentioned in class. Plan on teaching yourself the material from the textbook.

Rating # 10

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Hurtgens is a great professor, and makes American Politics quite interesting. He uses tv shows, clips and other methods to teach and interest students. I would definitely recommend him as a great teacher to have.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: POLI365
• 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:

this class way made interesting because of the professor. it was a good class made so by him. he is willing to help the students and wants to get to know them. i could not recommend him enough, awesome prof his tests are essays and can be a bit difficult. but overall not bad. read the text. participate in class and you'll do fine

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: POLI120
• 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:

I appreciated his humor. He definitely knows what he's talking about, but I found myself zoning out for a few of his lectures. He made American politics interesting for me, though! I would recommend taking a least one course with him. The only thing that bothered me were his tests. Even if I studied that book like crazy, I'd still feel lost.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: POLI120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Ehh not too bad. His lectures are dry but I definitely enjoy his humor added in about "what ever we're polluting our minds with these days." I think he's an ok teacher, great all around person tho :)

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: POLI101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He knows his stuff but he is a bit boring. His tests suck. He tends to ask very very specific questions and you should worry about doing the outline that he gives you... its not that helpful.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: POLI361
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Probably the best professor in the poli-sci department.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: POLI120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Though he clearly has an interest in the course, his lectures were very dry and he made attempts at humor that failed miserably. The material he covered in class did not often go coincide with the book and would not be on the test either. Going to class seemed pointless

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: POLI120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I had to take this course as a ccc and I figured it would be easy but his lectures are way too dry for me. I already wasn't a fan of American politics but now I'm even less of a fan. He also tends to ramble on about things that aren't even in the book even though he tells us to read it because that's what we are sticking to.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: POL120
• 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:

Hurtgen does a really good job of keeping the class engaged, and not just spitting notes at you. Before i took the course i thought I would hate it, but I have to admit that he has managed to spark my interest in the American political system. On those grounds, he must be a good professor.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PUBPO101
• 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:

Good into to topic. Also good into to class dynamics as I learned that often those students who had the most to sayknew the least (in my opinion). He was a handsome hippie (in my day) albeit a bit nerdy in his baggy cords and glasses.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: POLI120
• 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:

Hurtgen is a nice man but he is extremely boring. He rambles about nonsense not on the tests. He always puts random specific ridiculous questions on tests. For example: How many people were on death row in 1809. (which was a one sentence statement in the book that does not pertain to the class. do not take this course