Kathleen Bruhn - University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Professor: Kathleen Bruhn

Department: Political Science

College: University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: POLS6
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

PowerPoint slides are basically copy and paste from the textbook, which she summarizes in lecture. Studied the textbook more and did not really attend lectures because it's the same thing. Midterm and final are multiple choice with essay chosen from study guide. Really easy if you put in the work and study case studies.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: POLS6
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Lectures are terrible

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: POLISCI6
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Lectures are mostly her reading directly off of a PowerPoint that's posted online. Lectures are usually pretty boring. Where my problem lies is that the grading criteria for the quizzes and participation in section is vague, leaving you questioning your grade until the end of the quarter. Would recommend the class, but with a different professor

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: POLS6
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Bruhn is clearly a master of the content that she is teaching. She is knowledgeable to an extent beyond that I have seen in UCSB before. However, her lectures go by quickly, too quickly, and it takes away from the ability to digest the information. I didnt touch the textbook but that was because I had work experience in the subject matter

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POLS134
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I took 134 Spring 2015, and found myself wanting to take her again (the TA made the class hard, but if you go to lecture and hear her out/engage with the material, you'll see that in your grade). I then took 147 and 148 because Bruhn LOVES what she teaches which makes it interesting. She gives out study guides, and tests are straight forward.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: POLS6
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

This class wasn't too bad honestly. I went a lot and it was really helpful but it's not completely necessary if you really don't want to go. The exams are both worth 40% though which makes it hard to make up for mistakes and the midterm is really rushed. Other than that this class was fine and no papers :)

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: POLSC147
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She is one of the least approachable/friendly professors I've had at UCSB however she gives excellent lectures and gives students the greatest educational gift they can hope for which is graded practice on researching and writing real-world scenario assignments. I used her assignments as writing samples with my resume and landed a political job

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PS6AND147
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

took 6 and found myself wishing I went to lecture more just to hear her lecture (& to help my grade) so was interested in taking 147. passionate and straightforward lectures. she really knows her stuff and engaging. didn't do much reading. gives study guide and occasional extra credit. posts lectures. tests can be tricky if not prepared

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PS6
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

you need to read the textbook to pass weekly section quizzes. her midterm and final are based on lecture. so pay attention to the notes.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PS147
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Tough class. A LOT of reading. The reader is where she tests from. TAs were useless. Bruhn knows her stuff to another echelon and it shows in her material. Very interesting class but so much material that it is difficult to enjoy it.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: POLSC147
• 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:

I found the class extremely interesting and really well rounded. She discusses different opinions and formulates power points that are really helpful. She doesn't email them though so I would try not to miss class. Once in awhile she gives attendance pop quizzes. Papers aren't too hard and she gives you a study guide for the midterm/final.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PS147
• 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:

Hard class, took a lot of reading and a lot of work to keep up. Her lectures go very quickly. She is so very devoted to what she is teaching that her passion makes the class interesting. It is a ton of information in a short quarter but incredibly useful. I started out hating the class for the massive amounts of reading but grew to love it!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: POSCI147
• 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:

Bruhn is a good lecturer, but speaks very quickly. Be sure to bring your laptop if you do not want carpal tunnel syndrome. Two 5 page papers, midterm, and final. If you go to lecture and do the readings you will do well.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: POLS147
• 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:

I had this prof. some quarters ago and she left a wonderful impression on me. She is the most interesting and intelligent professor I ever had at UCSB. People say she is shy, I say she is reserved but very approachable. Teaches well and prepares you well for exams and papers. Comparing to other political science professors she is by far the best! G

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: POLS147
• 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:

Professor Bruhn was a good professor. I recommend her to anyone interested in studying Third World Politics. Only advice to her would be to more open to students when they come to her office. Sometimes seems uninterested in students questions. But Great overall!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PS6
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I think she is a pretty good lecturer, not the most exciting but not bad by any means. Her lectures prepare you well for her exams. Use of powerpoint is helpful. Does make some biased comments, has a leftward bias. In honors section, very pleasant, prepares us well for papers, exams.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: POLS147
• 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 was great. The lectures were clear & focused. Exams & papers were fair & corresponded to the course. She was one of the best lecturers I've had. VERY GOOD PROF. & GREAT CLASS

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PS147
• 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:

Such a downer class. Its the most depressing class ever, not to mention boring. Really isnt that thought provoking. she gives EC when it rains. other then that the class was a drag, nothing out ordinary. Midterm and final were not that bad, two 5 page papers. its a required class for poli sci majors. Sabrina is a lousy TA

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: POLS6
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

she is not that hard of an prof but atendance is mandatory in her class, you can get away with not reading the textbook because her tests are pretty much completly based of her power points, her extra credit policy is prety awesome

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: POLY6
• 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:

Pretty difficult class..if you don't have to take it DONT..the paper is difficult and the test are too..her lectures get worse and worse, cause she writes less on her power points and just spits out the important stuff..she does give extra credit though which is cool