Jeffrey Taliaferro - Tufts University, Medford, MA

Professor: Jeffrey Taliaferro

Department: Political Science

College: Tufts University, Medford, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PS187
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

On the one hand, the most interesting Political Science Professor at Tufts who will legitimately exponentially increase your knowledge of National Security. On the other hand, he is the most brutal grader in existence, essentially unwilling to give an A.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PS61
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Taliaferro is a leading scholar in his field, and he is extremely knowledgeable. His lectures are very clear and easy to follow. Reading assignments usually align well with his lectures, so I'd highly encourage you to the readings. As long as you study the lecture presentation slides and pay attention in class, you will be fine.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PS061
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Taliaferro is a decent professor. He can be intimidating, but is not a bad guy as long as you don't bother him or ask stupid questions. Very knowledgeable about the subject matter, but Intro to IR is VERY CHALLENGING with him. If you study and do the work though, it is definitely possible (though not likely) to get an A. Overall not a bad class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PS160
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Think you got skates? You cannot skate with Jeff. Taliferro will kick your ass if you blink. He's a brilliant man with strong opinions and extremely specific grading policies and procedures that he rarely departs from. However, you will learn a lot. Especially if you like security studies. If you mentally prepare for the worst, you'll be fine.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PS160
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Felt more accomplished getting an A in his class than I did when I actually got into Tufts. A hard grader, but extremely clear about what he wants out of assignmentsfollow instructions to the letter and you'll be fine. I also had him for PS61 and he was fine, but he really shines in upper-level courses where he can interact more with students.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PS0061
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Taliaferro is a very clear lecturer, who relies heavily on slides (all posted on Trunk), but adds something of his own to the material. He is very prepared on the subject (and has held extremely interesting real world positions), although his classes are far from inspirational.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PS0061
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is very knowledgeable, but is incredibly pompous and disrespectful towards the students.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PS0061
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Took PS61 in 2015. Thoughts: -Somewhat of a mercurial temper. Not angry, per se, but can be very terse. -Very clear guidelines for projects. Good feedback given on essays. -In lieu of any midterms or finals, we were expected to complete a short-answer test with an essay component, and write two take-home essays. Grading is tough, but fair.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PS18904
• 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:

Professor Taliaferro is one of the best professors I've had at Tufts. He is extremely knowledgeable about WWII, down to obscenely obscure detail. He will know if you have not done the readings so do them. It is however nearly impossible to get an A or A- in his class. That being said it is still worth having him. He can also be funny at times.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PS61
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I was so interested in the topic of the class, but professor Taliaferro made me dread it. While his lectures are clear, he looks down upon participation and makes anyone who asks a question feel stupid. He is demeaning and patronizing when you meet with him one-on-one. His exams are graded ridiculously. He is the reason tenure should not exist.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PS61
• 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:

Do not take this class with this professor. Though he is clearly very smart and his lectures are informative, he is the most conceited professor I've ever had. I lost interest in IR after taking this class and advise all to take PS61 in the spring. Unless this class occupies your entire life, it is close to impossible to receive an A or A- grade.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PS0061
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Just do yourself a favor and take the class with someone else. No one gets an A.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PS061
• 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:

Very condescending in class and doesn't give out a's. Do not take this class with him!!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PS0061
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Came in after reading reviews and thought he would be rather uninteresting and unsympathetic towards students. Pleasantly surprised. He's a great orator and attempts to lighten up the theory and lecture-heavy material with jokes about horrible modern TV and movies, his cats, and occasional scandalous stories about royal European families.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PS160
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

If you take a class other than intro to IR with Taliaferro, you'll find he's actually very personable and willing to help you. His lectures are really engaging, and he gives clear, detailed guiedlines for assignments. In his upper level PS courses, there is usually a semester-long 15-20 page original research paper instead of a midterm/final.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PS61
• 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:

For Intro to IR, let it be known that this class is SUPER theory-based. If you don't enjoy theory, wait for a different prof. That being said, you will learn a ton. Unfortunately, Taliaferro and the TAs really only look for spit-back; essays are strictly lecture and reading-based. Not much innovation here.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PS63
• 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 learned so much from this class, and Taliaferro is incredibly informed on all things IR, and unafraid to correct your mistakes. Revise the paper as he suggests, do the reading, and follow his technical instructions on the syllabus and you'll do fine.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PS61
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Taliaferro is very arrogant, causing many students to dislike him. However, he is an excellent lecturer and does a great job introducing topics in IR for all types of learners. It is nearly impossible to get higher than a B and B-. Lots of reading for each class, take-home midterm and final, one 10-12 pg research paper graded in different sections.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PS101
• 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:

smug and arrogant. was not helpful at all as a teacher and alleged I was trying to get him to do my paper when I asked for clarification. a blemish on the Universities Political Science department. has no sense of humor and is prone to extreme mood swings. interesting material, but too bad the message lacks any polish

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PS61
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I did all the readings for Tal's midterm and did not do very well. I did no readings for the final and did much much better. Grading is not objective in this class, no matter how specific the rubrics are. You will learn a lot but you won't get an A or an A-. Plain and simple.