Stephen Kocs - College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA

Professor: Stephen Kocs

Department: Political Science

College: College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: POLS103
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

While Professor Kocs is super knowledgeable and has clear expectations, his papers are outright regurgitations of the readings asking you to justify his somewhat bland thesis. This method of teaching doesn't leave any room for thought, and is especially limiting when the only readings you have to work with are from his book.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: POLS299
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I'm really not sure why people give Professor Kocs a bad rap. He knows a ton of stuff, and provides much insight to controversial issues. Would absolutely take him again.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: POLS299
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Kocs, an absolute homie, gets a terrible rap from students for no good reason. Perhaps a difficult grader for some, he provides logical insight to complex issues in the classroom. My one complaint, if any, is that sometimes he can only scratch the surface on an issue, and he fails to go in depth. At least he is honest when he doesn't know,

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: POLS290
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Kocs gets a bad rap. Yes, his classes are difficult and yes, he is a fairly boring lecturer. However, he is NOT as bad as people make him out to be. His lectures are informative, he's helpful in office hours if you go with specific questions, and he's brilliant. If you're willing to read and put in effort, his classes are worthwhile.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POLS278
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Great professor! Although he is a little tough on papers, he has very clear lectures. Exams are pretty simple if you take good notes. Very nice and friendly! He is super interested in international relations and definitely knows a lot about it!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: POLS10301
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Not helpful during office hours at all.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: POLS103
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Only take Prof. Kocs if you are actually interested in Poli Sci. If you are only taking this for the credit the class will seem miserably boring. Class participation is extremely important and he loves when people ask questions at the end of his lectures. Highly recommend him to anyone interested in International Relations cause he knows it all.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: POLS278
• 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:

Professor Kocs is a great guy. Brilliant mind but is genuinely interested in helping students understand material. You have to do the readings because participation is HUGE in his upper level classes. Strongly Recommend!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: POL103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Disagree with most of these ratings. He lectures for the majority of class time but always leaves time for questions at the end. Knows his stuff really well and provides the majority of the reading material. He has a very dry but great sense of humour and is always available for help, answers emails fast. Very fair grader

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: POLS103
• 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 generally disagree with a lot of these comments. Nice guy, and good professor if you invest yourself in the material. Good class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: POLS103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Nice guy, brutal grader, you can tell he's brilliant-just not a good professor

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: POLS103
• 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:

You know how every time that you sit through a boring class you hope that maybe the next one will be better? In this case, it won't. This is the worst professor at Holy Cross. He asks questions, and then answers them himself. The entire class consist of him talking, and enforcing his biased and very close-minded opinion on you. AVOID HIS CLASSES!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: POLS292
• 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:

Hyper-organized and easily accessible. He's left-leaning but not overly so. Takes time to make sure you know the material. Difficult readings, but he has a marvelously deconvoluting mind and can make them easy to swallow. Highly recommended. Quirks: Any time a cell phone goes off, he gets flustered, loses his place, and needs to reboot.

Rating # 14

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

SUCKS....................SUCKS.........KEEP AWAY!!!!!!!!!!....................I ask Questions he doesn't give answers and if he does they are so unclear...rather jump from the highest building campus (smith probably) than take his class again. Agree with all his opinions or be prapared to get a bad grade. I did not agree with his opinions.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: POLS103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is a difficult grader; he gives vague paper topics, but wants specific answers. He is not helpful during office hours, and never answers questions. His lectures are boring and he talks straight through the entire class; his lectures consist of his restating the entire reading.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: POLS103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Run away! This man never answers questions, gives vague paper topics but expects specific answers, drones on forever on topics that have nothing to do with the reading, and he is very social akward. One of the worst classes I've had at Holy Cross.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: POLS103
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor did not explain questions clearly, but always commented on how students did not directly address topics. If you do agree with him, make sure you agree with him on all opinions and bring a dictionary to class. P.S. I would take an economics class before this because he expects you to know that crap. Avoid unless majoring in poly-sci!!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: POLS101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

his lectures are very clear and organized and he is very approachable during office hours.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: POLS270
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

sucks

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PLS101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very, very boring and dry. A ton of reading. Each class is him talking the whole time. He also takes weeks to hand back papers and tests. I used to be interested in political science but after this experience I can't see myself taking another poly sci class. Unfortunate.