Kirsten Gruesz - University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA

Professor: Kirsten Gruesz

Department: Literature

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

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: LIT102
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

A little boring overall, though she seems to genuinely care about the subject material. I personally didn't find her lectures all that helpful and was a bit frustrated that they were mandatory. She's a sweet person overall and knowledgeable on the subject matter, but the class itself is going to be painfully dull.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: LIT102
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof Gruesz is such a sweetheart. I took this course with her over the summer and found the material super interesting. The readings are on Canvas so you don't have to buy textbooks! The final project is super cool (you do a translation of the text of your choice from the original language into English using the theories learned in class)

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: LIT145A
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Material was really dense but she tries to make it interesting and listens to student feedback (to take out readings, pick readings that we want). Always bring the reading materials to class, she has note card questions at the end of lecture that relate to the reading.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: LIT80N
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Gruesz is awesome! She is extremely intelligent and her lectures were always engaging and informational. You will learn a lot about literature and about Latin history. It wasn't too much work, just four short essays and a take-home essay. Make sure you go to class!

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: LIT80N
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

She was great! loved learning about society and latino/a/x writers! the assignments were straightforward and I would take the class again in a heartbeat.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: LIT80N
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

She definitely makes this class worth going to. The topics are interesting and she is always willing to help her students. Definitely do the reading, unless you want to fail. The books are great, BUT Adios Happy Homeland will make you want to run into a wall at full speed. There are 7 books in total, including the reader.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: 127
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Gruesz is amazing, not only because she speaks more than one language or went to Princeton, but because she really cares about what she teaches. I took her ChicanoMexicano lit class and was truly inspired about how much she loved the subject. She is SO SMART, being in her presence is a privilege. Always willing to help too!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: LTEL19C
• 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:

Professor Gruesz went above and beyond to make sure to accommodate for everyone, and make sure that everyone was on the same page. She regularly emails and holds office hours. She's harsh on grading, but only because attendance is such a high percentage of the grade. If you don't do well in her class, it's in no way her fault; I can guarantee that.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: LTEL120
• 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:

Boring and uninspiring yet mandatory lectures.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: LTEL120C
• 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:

Professor Gruesz brings a passion for her subject and a high standard of excellence to her lectures and her sections. She was very generous with her time in office hours and I always felt that she had my best interests in mind. She assisted me in formulating my ideas for my paper and she inspired me to do my best work.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: 120C
• 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:

Compared to the caliber typical of literature professors at UCSC, Prof. Gruesz simply does not fit in. Her class is comparable to a mediocre high school English class in which the teacher fails to inspire any passion in the students. Her lectures are dry and feel like they last forever. Her grading system is both arbitrary and unfair. Avoid.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: LIT80N
• 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:

Class is very easy if you have the slightest bit of motivation. She offers a fair grading system and teaches the content well. If you're interested in the material, you'll have a good time. Very text heavy and deals a lot with the problems encountered by Latino culture, so if that's not your thing, stay away.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: LATB
• 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:

Meh.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: LIT80N
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

This class was really fun. It was really fast paced and it was often hard to keep up with the reading.I found the lectures interesting. Professor Gruesz is a very good teacher and was very enthusiastic about the subject. Overall, Latino Expressions was a great class and has made me consider changing my lit concentration.Overall, I loved the class.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: LTEL120C
• 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:

The class was pretty much 100% discussion of biography and various interpretations of poems. This means that, to be honest, the class didn't so much TEACH something as it sparked intelligent dialog in a structured environment. This may not be your thing, and if it isn't you'll get bored quickly.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: LTEL102C
• 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:

US Canon was a very fun class for me. I seemed to be one of the only students willing to speak up when the Professor asked a question. Because everyone else was so quiet it was hard to engage in a discussion in the classroom, but section had plenty of discussion for everyone. The books were well chosen and her lectures were very interesting. Great.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: LTEL150B
• 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:

I thought her class was hard at first but then realized that Professor Gruesz is actually really easy-going and helpful. Her lectures tend to be long and she can talk for an hour straight, but if you read (and you don't need to read everything, focus on the books that interest you) and contribute your opinions in class you'll enjoy it much more.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: LIT102C
• 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:

US CANON: makes American lit less daunting and sour. a little disorganized at times, and seems to want more classroom discussion, which in this case has its place in a seminar class, not a lecture. almost too much subject matter to cover in such a 10 week course, but not really her fault. overall worth it, its not hard, just pay attention

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: AMERICANPOETRY
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

She clearly has a lot of passion for the subject, but sadly lacks the ability to transfer that passion to her students. Long, seemingly extemporaneous lectures which rely heavily on the computer projector and which include NO breaks (keep in mind, the class lasts two hours) make attending this course an epic struggle with conciousness.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ENG120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Greusz was an amazing professor when with a small number of students, but in a big lecture, it seemed difficult for her to create a discussion with the class simply because she could not get the class interested. She knows the material and is very passionate about poetry, but she did not make many poetry converts this quarter.