Isaac Kramnick - Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Professor: Isaac Kramnick

Department: Political Science

College: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1615
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Honestly a great professor who makes the material interesting by both expanding on it and throughly expanding on it. Though he barely involves student opinion/answers in his lectures, so if you get a chance you better not embarrass yourself. But overall explored the material thoroughly and his outlines prior to the lecture made note taking simple

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1615
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He presents the material very clearly and lectures are organized and interesting.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1615
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Even though Kramnick is retiring, I have to leave a review because he's just that amazing. He's the epitome of a brilliant professor in need of a hair stylist. His lectures are mind-blowing: his ability to make anything interesting made me look forward to every lecture and motivated me to really put effort into his class. Highly recommended!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: 1615
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

An incredible professor who is world renowned. I absolutely loved Kramnick.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: GOVT3665
• 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:

I was really interested in the subject but it felt like all he did was read from the textbook. Made the class quite boring and hard to stay awake. It could have been a better class. The TAs were also very uneven! Overall, a manageable amount of work and the course was fine, but it wasn't amazing or anything.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: GOV3665
• 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:

Obviously a very smart man but he spent 75% of every lecture reading from the textbook. I was very interested in the subject but didn't feel like he was very engaging. The class could have been so much more than it was.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1615
• 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:

Excellent class, really interesting

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: GOVT3665
• 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:

Amazing professor that managed to engage me with a subject I had little interest in. Clear, accessible, and not unnecessarily difficult I recommend everyone take a class with him.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GOVT6075
• 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:

Kramnick is the epitome of an old school, laid back, brilliant professor with wild gray hair. 1 assignment for our grad seminar (a paper) that doesn't have a due date. He said we could hand it in next spring if we wanted. Lots and lots of reading but he's realistic in that he realizes we have other courses and it's hard to read everything. Take him

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1615
• 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:

I am currently taking a online Winter session with Kramnick and must say he is a genius. As a Senior, I have worked with many Professors and Kramnick is in my opinion, the best professor in the Government department. Cornell is lucky to have him! If you are a Gov major you must take his Intro to Political Philosophy course.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: GOVT3655
• 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:

Fascinating, old-school professor who is always on his game. Lecturers are interesting and detailed. Would have liked for him to let the class participate and ask questions, but overall, good professor.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: GOVT3665
• 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:

Kramnick was a fantastic professor! Got me excited about American Political thought. Lectures could get a little boring by the end, but overall, they were great. I've never felt so connected with a professor in a large lecture class.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: GOVT3665
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Kramnick lived up to the reputation. He is brilliant and it shows. He may be getting old, but he hasn't lost his touch (like Lowi has). I highly recommend anyone interested in government, philosophy, or history to take American Political Thought.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: GOV1650
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's really helpful

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1615
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Kramnick is an award winning professor who really knows his stuff. If you do the reading, you should have no problem. I didn't and still managed a B+. TA's tend to be very knowledgeable also although they teach in completely different styles and are a little tough on papers

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1615
• 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:

He was very clear in his lectures, but also painfully boring. Many people (myself included) found it extremely difficult to stay awake in class. He's very knowledgeable about what he teaches, but he tends to repeat himself over and over and lectures became monotonouse and uninteresting. On top of that, there is a lot of reading. easy to get behind.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1615
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Kramnick is very interesting and enthusiastic about his teaching subject. However there is a TON of reading and TA grading is pretty hard. There is a midterm and a final as well as a term paper so there isn't a ton of work but it also makes it easy to get behind on the reading.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1615
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The lectures make the class super easy. If you pay attention, the readings will only become supplements to your essay. The TA's grade harshly, but that is how it is with all Gov TA's at Cornell. Kramnicks passionate, and it really makes the lectures better. He would save a whole lot of time by not repeating the same point over and over again though

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: GOVT3665
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Has an incredible love for the material and is a great lecturer. Someone you'd want to be your grandfather! Not too difficult a workload, with 2 essays and a final exam, but the lack of assessment kind of encourages you not to read...and you don't exactly need to know the readings until the final.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: GOVT3665
• 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:

Amazing class, as was expected having taken 161 with Prof. K.