Joseph Schneider - Drake University, Des Moines, IA

Professor: Joseph Schneider

Department: Social Science

College: Drake University, Des Moines, IA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: SCSS170
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

His class on deviance made me think more than any other class at Drake. This course was outside of my major and for an AOI, but I actually looked forward to attending his lectures. The small group discussions are difficult if you didn't read or didn't understand the reading. Use web resources because his lectures can be cryptic. Get ready to think!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: SCS110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This is a very open-ended class in the sense that individuals who have never taken a class like this will have to learn how to study/write memos for this class through trial and error. You have to really like social issues and cultural challenges to have interest in this class.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: FYS20
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Impossible to get an A in

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: SCSS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I took this class as an AOI and it ended up killing my GPA. If you want to do all the work, you better drop your other classes and quit your job. He spends his classes trying to make his students look and feel as stupid as possible. He explains things in terms we couldn't possibly understand and goes off on irrelevant rants. Smart man; can't teach.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: SCSS130
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Without a doubt, one of the best professors I've had at Drake. There were only 6 people in our class, as so many students are intimidated by the amount of reading assigned. Very, very rewarding class. A is doable if you put in the work. I had little interest in China prior to the class, but by the end of semester found myself completely fascinated.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: FYS20
• 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:

J.Schneid was one of the best professors I had at Drake. In terms of an FYS we actually did write papers, and not just papers but a lot of papers that were challenging. This class was so helpful in learning the skills I needed for other classes and it submerged me in the type of discourse that I needed for MANY other classes

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: SOLOL500
• 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 liked his teaching! He made you thinking instead of just following what he said.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: SCSS170
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you want to feel like a moron take this class. All he does is critique and point out where you went wrong. Lectures don't really help, he goes way too deep for only having read the book once.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: SCS101
• 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:

A great teacher!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: SCSS130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This professor is amazing. I know that he is incredibly hard, but he also works incredibly hard to make sure that you learn what he has to teach, and he has a lot to share. Just think, he has to read all of those single-spaced memos/papers for every student, for every class. He works hard, and that makes me more motivated to work hard too. A+++

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: SCS110
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This was very time consuming. It involves lots of reading. You'll have to write a single spaced page "diary" every week, a two page (single) overview of the reading every 4 weeks, a midterm paper, and an oral final. As a professor, he's really cool and laid back. The class did open my eyes to a new way of looking at the world. Also, commenting about a previous post that says it's a class to B.S. in, Schneider can smell it a mile away and isn't afraid to call you out on it.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: SCSS130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He's a character. Always says either, "Whatever that means" or "I'm partly joking.. but partly not". Fun class - but way hard. It was nice to take on the challenge, however, we didn't really know our grades until the end of the semester

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: SCSS130
• 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:

AMAZING TEACHER. I have never learned so much in any class. If you're at Drake, please take him at some point. A lot of reading, but the books he chooses are fascinating. This is a sociology class, but in the course of the reading you'll learn more history than in any 'history' course at Drake. And we watch good movies. Really really rewarding.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: SCSS130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Yes, he's hard - but not impossible. Just SUCK IT UP and stick to it! In the end you learn a lot and is satisfying knowing you did all that work/reading.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: FYS020
• 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:

Subjects in this class include the "male appendage," the transgendered, and readings on how colonialism and conquest effect masculinity. Readings and film journals were hard, but the more work you put into them, the better your essays will be (5 pages max, double spaced.) He's helpful on proposals, which is a +. With work, a B is attainable.

Rating # 16

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

He isnt bad, but the reading is ridiculous. Some stuff is interesting, rest of content isnt quite worth it. Easy class to B/s in.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: SCSS130
• 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:

Take this class if you want more reading assigned than possibly able to be done in a weeks time. Also, he is kind enough to assign "optional" extra readings such as speeches from Mao Zedong, to read, as if any student is going to want to add to the load of 150 pages a week of readings. He has distracting mannerisms, and his papers are impossible.

Rating # 18

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Excellent teacher. If you do the readings and challenge yourself you will leave with so much! He doesn't have all the answers b/c he wants students TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES. He aligns his personal and professional beliefs with his intellectual ones.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: SOC150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Schneider is very challenging, and requires a lot of effort from his students, but if you can stay with it, you will learn SO much. His class changed my life and I am so glad he pushed us so hard. Not a prof for underclass or those wishing to "slide by". Excellent professor though.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: SOC
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Schnieder always challenged me in class. Yes his classes were hard but i was just thrilled that he cared enough to push me to actually learn the material.