Paul Kens - Texas State University, San Marcos, TX

Professor: Paul Kens

Department: Political Science

College: Texas State University, San Marcos, TX

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: POSI2320
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is the most precious sweet old man that you will ever encounter. Don't buy the books, they're not necessary if you can find the information somewhere else. Try to listen in class. He's not boring it's just one of those classes you want to tune out of. The only grades are 4 tests and the final is optional.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: POLI1320
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's an okay professor. I found reviews on quizlet for all of the first 3 tests so they were easy but if I hadn't I would've failed the class. His test review days are question based so they don't help much. The final is optional which is nice. He NEVER replied to one of my emails the entire semester which I find extremely irritating.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: POLI1320
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He mumbles throughout his lectures. It is extremely hard to keep up with him. I have recorded most of his lectures, and half of the time, I still cannot understand what he is saying despite going back and listening to sections of the lectures. He also only takes 4 grades, and those are our tests. It is hard to raise your grade if you don't do well.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: POSI2320
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

GO TO CLASS. Take note otherwise it will be difficult to pass. We were supposed to read books but I didnt and I still passed. He tells you that attendance doesnt matter but by the end of the year, he counts it.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POSI2320
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Kens was an okay professor. He is elder so sometimes he is hard to hear so if you're on to sit in the back, good luck. He knows what he's talking about and from I remember I don't think he gives reviews for his exams. I liked him better than my 1310 professor and he knows what he's talking about.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: POSCI3311
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Don't know why people people rate him so badly. 1/3 of the grade is participation. If you read the cases before class and contribute to the discussion, that's an A for 33% of your final grade. You must read the cases, but Ken's take on them is always interesting and will challenge your preconceived notions of why the Supreme Court ruled as it did.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: POSI2320
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He only has three test and the final is optional. He has a TI which helped a lot on test reviews. Heavy reading so make sure you read. We had four books two for each exam.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: POSI3311
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I disliked him the entire semester. If you did not give him the answer he expected verbatim he wouldn't give you a good participation grade. I had a few instances where I went to him for help on cases and he would not help. It is a lot of comprehensive reading. I would not recommend taking this class through him.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: POSI2320
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He was the best professor that I could have taken for this class! He really knows his stuff and is really good at explaining the cases we read about. His homework is to read the book before the test because the test is half lecture half book reading. The books are usually about 130 pages.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: POSI2320
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Kens only assigned 3 exams and an optional final. The lowest grade is dropped. The lectures are long but the material is pretty easy to understand. We had 3 different books that you can find for cheap on Amazon. The TA had an in-class review session before each exam and basically saved my grade. You can get an A if you put in the effort.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: POSI1320
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I was dreading this class because Poli Sci is not my thing but this class was super easy. Attendance isn't mandatory. He gives long lectures that get confusing at times. The tests are 50 multiple choice questions. Every class day before the test is a review session and the TA gives the page numbers out of the books so you can find the answers.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: POSI2320
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class is pretty easy. Kens doesn't take attendance at all and there is only 4 tests including the final. There are no quizzes or other assignments at all. I basically never went to class and if you just do the reviews and read the power points you should do well. It's a boring class but pretty easy.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: POSI2320
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He's a really sweet man, and his lectures were all over the place, but this was my easiest class this semester. I didn't even read the books he assigned except to answer a few review questions that the TA gives you the page numbers for. He does make you think about the society in a new light, and tries to give both viewpoints on issues.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: POSI2310
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

His lectures are all over the place, but you don't really need to go to class. Answers for tests are basically spread out through quizlet pages. It's an easy A class if you really pay attention. Attendance isn't required and neither are the books. Made a B by barely going, and never bought a single book he required.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: POSI2320
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Never went to class, got a B. If you care and go to class its an easy A. No attendance required, no homework, three tests. Take him.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: 3311
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I love the constitution law class but be expected to read A LOT. Also show up to class because he calls on random students and if you're not there you get an F for a class participation grade. His tests are hard and makes you think. However is willing to help you and it really was a great class and I learned a lot.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: POSI2320
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

This guy is a great professor. I've gone to all of the lectures besides maybe 1 or 2 that were not him actually lecturing and still make high A's on the test because I listen when he lectures. You do need to read, but honestly, I wiki'd a lot of the information on study guides. Also, the TA gave great study sessions.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: POSI3310
• 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:

Know your stuff and go to class! He's a hard grader!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: POSI2320
• 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:

He Knows what he's talking about, but other than that if you have a hard time paying attention I suggest you not take him. He tends to go off subject a lot, which makes it hard to know what is & isn't on the test. Also his grading is crap. He only bumps up grades if they end in a 9 so if you get a .67 it wont be rounded.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CONS141
• 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:

He is a hard teacher but a good one. This clas has really prepared me for my future polisci. classes. I would def. take him during a light load semester because theres alot of reading