Karl Hokenmaier - Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI

Professor: Karl Hokenmaier

Department: Political Science

College: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2000
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Took honors credit, it was fine. He allows you to take pictures of the slideshows, but I ended up not even needing their content for any of the assignments. The exams are group papers that are based on the textbook, and honestly you could skimp on buying the book as long as a group partner has one & you take pics of the exam questions & reading.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PSCI3500
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Best professor I have had at Western. I learned a lot from this class. It is absolutely not true that you need to be a double major in History to succeed in this course. Utilizing the textbook, paying attention in class, and mostly researching some history online got me an 'A' in this course. Plus won't ever take your test away before you're done.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PSC3500
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

great guy, terrible class. expects you to know pretty much every event in history and very hard to follow his lectures. exams are all essays and he gives you the questions beforehand but doesn't give you any feedback on what you did wrong. very tough grader. rambles a lot in lectures and his slides are way too long so everyone just took pictures

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PSCI3500
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very knowledgeable, and you will pass if you are a history major and regurgitate his every word. Exams are the majority of your gradeand all three are essentially writing down everything you know about what he taught during lecture. He doesn't put his slideshows online but insists you have all of his material, so most people took pictures

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2000
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Hokenmaier was an amazing professor and his class was the easiest A i've ever gotten. Definitely a class worth taking. Made me realize I wanted to pursue Political Science as a major.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2000
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Hokenmaier should work in Washington D.C. He knows what he is talking about. I took the Honors course, and the exams were group papers. He has high standards for those, and will you need to explicitly demonstrate team work in the papers. Overall, I got a lot out of the class.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2000
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Hokenmaier has long lectures, but they can be easily related to real-life situations. He has a lot of knowledge and is passionate about what he teaches. The group projects are a little strange at first, but they're easy to get the hang of. I'm not a PSCI major, and I thought that his class was easy to follow with lots of information.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PSC3500
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I don't recommend this class to "Average Joe". Karl expects you to know plenty of US/world history. His lecture slides are too long to copy and he doesn't post them so you must take pics(sit up front). He is passionate and smart. Exams are short essay and he is a tough grader, but he gives you the questions in advance. Boring class, great guy.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2000
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's not the worst professor, but a majority of what he lectures on won't help with the exams. Exams are group essays that he is very particular on how you use "teamwork". Doesn't give enough time to take notes on paragraph slides on power points, and doesn't post them online. I'm not learning anything.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PSCI3500
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

5 "news reports" easy 5% of grade, group project, attendance is counted for your grade and 3 tests. If you pay attention in class you will do fine. Most people make one big mistake on the tests and that is not writing enough I would guess 3 pages front/back for a good grade not that bad especially when you know the test questions in advanced.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: 2000
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He allows his students to control lectures and anticipates participation.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PSCI3500
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Never used the textbook. Attendance is not taken, although going to class will make the exams easy; the exams are essays. Exam questions were given ahead of time, and notes are permitted on some exams. Easy A honesty. I really enjoyed the class, and Dr. Hokenmaier is a good professor. Interesting class discussions about politics and foreign policy.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PSC3500
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

You don't need any of the books. The exams were difficult but if you go to his office hours he'll tell you exactly what to write about. He basically wrote my final for me. Very helpful and loves the subject. Take him!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PSCI350
• 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. Hokenmaier is one of the best professors I have ever had. He is extremely passionate about foreign policy. In all honesty, the man should be working in D.C. His immense amount of knowledge is continually applied to lectures. If you are interested in political science or american relations ine world I highly reccomend him and foreign policy!!!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2000
• 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:

Very passionate and educated professor. He stays very up-to-date with his examples and lectures. Provides you with the essay question on the exam weeks ahead of time, so you better write the hell out of it. Exams are usually 40% of the exam grade. He's very approachable and always wants to help. PSCI majors, TAKE HIM!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2000
• 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:

I took the course online. The only work you have to do is answer 10-12 questions a week. If you know a good amount of National government then this class will be very easy. He always responds to e-mails quick. He always post on each question you answer. He spends alot of time online viewing students responses. And the 2 exams weren't to hard.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PSCI2000
• 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 took Dr.Hokenmair's Political Science class online. The class was extremely well-organized and well structured. The texts he chose were very useful and accessible. Dr. Hokenmair always responded to my e-mails promptly, and he is very accomodating. I learned a lot in his class and I highly recommend him. He is also a very fair grader.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PSCI3500
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Poor professor

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PSCI3500
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Exams are in essay format with a couple of short answer questions, and he gives you the questions before the exam, literally. Virtually no homework outside of class except for a group project that is due at the end of the term. Attendance is not necessarily mandatory, but he issues attendance points every day. You MUST study for his exam!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PSCI3500
• 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:

Do not take this class... I HATED it! The tests are crazy hard and he is SUPER boring...anyone before me who said he was interesting was lying. He has about half a page of notes (when typed) PER SLIDE! It was almost impossible to keep up. HATED IT!