Bruce Bueno De Mesquita - New York University, New York, NY

Professor: Bruce Bueno De Mesquita

Department: Political Science

College: New York University, New York, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: POLUA700
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Probably one of the most inspiring and knowledgeable lecturers and his class would be worth taking for that simple reason. However, he does go off on tangents quite often and it makes it hard at first to figure out what to jot down. His tests expect understanding rather than raw learning. No need to show up to recitation, they're not graded.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: WPWO
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

One of the best lecturers that gives you amazing insight into politics and power struggles. The only downside is the grading. It is very tough and one sometimes ambiguous topics briefly described in class or hidden in a random bullet in the powerpoint. The curve should take care of it though, so don't miss out on this class for fear of a bad grade.

Rating # 3

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Great material, but grading is unfair and unrepresentative of what is covered in lecture. The final is 50% of the grade. It doesn't test major concepts and ideas as much as very abstract concepts that you cannot find a direct answer to anywhere. There was a no-partial credit MC on it worth 10% of that final, or 5% of YOUR ENTIRE GRADE! Absurd!

Rating # 4

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Gives a bunch of abstract concepts, explains them without clarity, doesn't give you chances to practice applying these abstract concepts and then tests you on them on exams that are weighted super heavily. One question can be worth a bunch of points, for example, circling a multiple choice question wrong can get you up to 10 points off.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POL700
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Bruce is great to listen to in lecture, but what he says doesn't matter much on the exams. To get an A, you need to go to recitation and learn the math of IR. Easy class overall.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ALHAMUA700
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Only take if interested in Politics or IR majors. Teaches IR through math. It is easy to get distracted in class as Bruce does tend to gloss over a lot of things. Recitation is your BFF- if you have a good TA (KJ, Harsh or Pedro). TA matters for your grade, not prof. Go to office hrs. Textbook is useless, got A without opening it, but studied a lot

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: POL700
• 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:

You cannot graduate NYU without taking a class with Professor Bueno de Mesquita. This guy know's his stuff & presents thoughts and arguments, based strictly on logically induced positive thinking. The best professor ever!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: POLUA700
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Great professor!! Most of the class revolves around material he researched with his colleagues. Must attend lectures and recitations. He gives a new perspective to international relations and politics. Only thing that could be difficult is game theory, but they teach it well and clearly.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: POLUA700
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

International Politics is a fantastic course and very interesting. Bruce can be a bit confusing in class, but recitation usually clears up all confusion. Attendance to lectures is not mandatory, but I highly recommend going because Bruce is THE expert in the field. Reading the text is assigned, but it is not essential for a good grade. Take!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: POLUA700
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

The guy knows what he is talking about. Everything he says in class is word for word from the textbook (which he authored). The lecture is more so necessary to understand IR applications rather than just succeed grade wise in the class. The class if basic algebra and logical reasoning, so test shouldn't be that hard if your prepared.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: IR
• 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:

He is really an amazing professor. Great researcher and great mentor. He introduced rational choice into IR and has made it essential part of IR. Ignore negative comments. You should experience one of the greatest professor in history of IR before leaving NYU.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: SFCRI1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Amazing professor, really knows his stuff and is engaging. He is, however, a bit of an egomaniac and thinks the world of himself. Still, this should not hinder your learning experience, just give you something to laugh at.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: GRAD3700
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

(Solving Foriegn Crises)Anyone writing negative comments just doesn't get it. Take any of his classes, audit... whatever... you MUST experience him before you leave NYU. You will simply have your mind blown every class. You will mature as a thinker due to his rigorous methods of examining IR. His teaching is life-changing.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: IR1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Disregard all previous comments. He is a narcissist who just wants his students to buy his book!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: INTLSP10
• 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:

While he is enthusiastic about his subject and has a wicked sense of humor, he is not the one to determine your grade but the TAs. The class is usually 200+ people so make sure you have a helpful TA who is lenient. Despite how much he says the class is like "9th grade algebra".. it's NOT. It's like chemistry... memorization.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: INTPS09
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

i LOVE Bueno De Mesquita. He may be well past his sexual prime. But my god, the man gets me all hot and bothered. I want him to talk nerdy to me. ALL. NIGHT. LONG. <3 . He knows his stuff, he knows the material, he's incredibly enthusiastic and he wants to challenge you to really understand the topic. He is BRILLIANT! One of the best! <3 him!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: INTPL101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Bueno de Mesquita is probably the most amazing professor you will ever have at NYU. I took his Intl Pol class and learned alot. Intl pol is not what you think is, it's highly mathematical. But that's reality; this man speaks the truth. He is highly intelligent and his teaching method is eccentric, yet logical. He is a modern-day Nostradamus.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: POL0700
• 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:

He told us he hadn't taught the course since the 1970s. While everything he had to say was always interesting, it wasn't always relevant. Do all of the reading and understand it BEFORE the lecture, otherwise you'll be lost with him. Digressions are either wonderful or terrible.

Rating # 19

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

AN IR GOD.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: IR
• Grade Received: F
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I like International/world politics. Dr. Bruce is intelligent and well-connected but difficult to follow in class.