Sharon Carstens - Portland State University, Portland, OR

Professor: Sharon Carstens

Department: Anthropology

College: Portland State University, Portland, OR

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ANTH305
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Truly god-awful. As others have mentioned, expect the following: monotonous lectures that offer no original thought independent of readings, constant veering off-topic, HARSH grading, asks broad questions yet expects exact answers (class eventually catches on and simply stops attempting to answer), constant shutting down of ideas. RETIRE, PLEASE.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ANTH103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Carstens has great knowledge of Malaysian and Chinese culture however she tends to divert from her main lecture topics frequently. These tangents can take up a lot of time and she won't cover any missing info the next class. She assigns a lot of reading, some is interesting but you have to take good notes as she doesn't use powerpoint.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ANTH318
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

A lot of reading, I printed off every article and had about 40 pages of print left out of the 500. Some of the readings were interesting but most were pretty boring. Your grade is mostly determined by two essays and one presentation. However, she grades hard. I wouldn't recommend this class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ANTH318
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

This class is easy from a grading standpoint but I do not recommend it to anybody. There is tons of reading which is sort of interesting from which you have to continously apply it to the essays and projects. She mainly cares about you name dropping the articles and affirming theories. She also disagrees with you while essentially putting you down.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ANTH430
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Carstens is great if you get to a higher level on Anthro and still have no idea what you're doing still. She assigns articles every day and the work is painfully repetitive. If you're looking for an actual 400-500 level class- don't even bother, it's 101 work at best. 3 of the 4 grad students dropped it. Know your stuff? Don't waste your time.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ANTH305
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Her grades are based on attendance and several short essays in which she wants to see you very clearly and very concisely sum up theorists' ideas and her take on them, followed possibly by your own ideas. Record her lectures or take great notes. Do the readings. Follow her essay instructions very carefully. You'll learn and you'll pass.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: 312
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Carstens is a very intelligent person, with vast knowledge of Southeast Asia and China. Anyone interested in knowing more about any of the subsequent cultures of this region should take her classes! She expects a lot from the readings, but this IS a university level class. so that shouldn't be a problem. I would take her classes again.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ATH305
• 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:

assigns readings that she has not read, then apologizes for it the next day. plays films in class that she has not watched, then apologizes for their uselessness,THEN gets upset if the class is not prepared because we have not completed a written assignment that was put online at the last minute and is NOT ON THE SYLLABUS. crazy.avoid liketheplague

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: 305ANTH
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Essay papers consist of comments like, "you don't get it", and "did you even read the material?" Every other person in the class is experiencing the same thing.In a meeting with her she said that she only wanted me to discuss HER interpretation of the theory, not my interpretation. Thank god for my evolutionary genetics class to keep me happy.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ANTH512
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Absolutely the worst teacher I've ever had. She's never heard of Critical Anthropology, & embodies the stereotypical anthropologist who uncritically studies the Exotic Other. She gives mindless 5th grade busy-work assignments. She rarely prepares for class -she does nothing except break us into small groups & tells us to talk to each

Rating # 11

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Hmm, the comments made prior to this is rather touchy and somewhat inflammatory. Cry to your mommy? Thee end? Should be removed. I took Prof. Carstens class and did well. However, her teaching style and menthodology is IMPROVABLE. Wouldn't recommennd her, though.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ANTH446
• 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:

Dr. Carsten is a great professor. I am not sure why these other students had such a tough time with her class. Attendence is mandatory, there is A LOT of *required* reading (you won't pass this class if you don't do the reading), student lead group discussions, a few compare/contrast 5-page papers on the readings. Great class!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ANTHR200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This is what you get when you pay for a public education! So Professor Carstens spent time in Malaysia. The final was a joke and some of the reading material seemed cryptic. Carstens could take a greater interest in classes and students. I think I would have been more interested if she hadn't been so dismissive.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ANTH430
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Carstens is not particularly helpful and has certain ideas about what is important from the readings/theory. When a student offers a different perspective, it is considered incorrect or not very rich/interesting. Her world is entirely self created and perpetuated, so toe the line and get a good grade, but don't expect insightful discussion.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ANTH318
• 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:

She's full of herself. Nothing she says is useful; all info comes from the readings--yet attendance is required. I received a C on a perfectly written paper (which she herself said) because it was "off-topic" but she NEVER PROVIDED A TOPIC! She simply wanted us to choose a theme or themes we had discussed--which I did. AVOID HER AT ALL COSTS!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: ANTHR200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Arrogant. Can't understand how people like this manage to get jobs as professors. This is an example of why the system does't work. I mean, what did she have to do to get this job? I dont understand...She is terrible.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ANTH204
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Took her class several years ago in a group of about 50 students. A rather dismissive and unhelpful teacher. Her books weren't very good and her lack of teaching methodology should be cause for concern. She lectures...anyone can do that. I did not like her arrogant and dismissive behaviour.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ANTH400
• 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:

Professors like Castens are the reason this site was created. She is arrogant, disrespectful, and her expectations are just unrealistic. Avoid Carstens at all costs.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: ANTH304
• 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:

Don't take this course if your looking for an easy "A" that requires no work. She is old school, and actually makes you earn your "A". Material is dry in most of her courses because it is dry material. I am surprised PSU was able to find someone willing to teach it. I wouldn't recomend this course because I don't like memorization of old thoughts

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: ANTH402
• 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:

Horrible, just horrible.