Kristen Parris - Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA

Professor: Kristen Parris

Department: Political Science

College: Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PL101
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Fun class, I felt like I learned a lot though she is pretty disorganized

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PLSC101
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Overall an interesting class, but a lot of hard work. I did not know what I was getting into. There is a lot of readings, and you do not have a lot of time to get your reading or assignments done. It was useful though, and Professor Parris is very good with meeting with students.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PLSC399
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Parris is a brilliant professor. Showing up to class and participating are definitely required in order to do well, but she doesn't have a lot of patience for people who clearly haven't done the reading and don't know what they're talking about. I always learn a ton from her lectures and as long as you don't slack off, you'll do fine.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PLSC101
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Often shows up to class in a rush 2-3 minutes late only to talk about an unrelated subject for the first few minutes. Often fails to post the weekly writing assignment by Monday. How she grades essay and short answer questions on tests is very nit-picky and unclear. Amount of reading is ridiculous for a 101 class. Friendly personality though.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POLISCI101
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

If you are interested in polysci you will do well in the class and appreciate the lectures. Its essential to read the readings and go to discussion groups and participate, you will get a lot out of it. Study the study guide and you could easily get a B+. She rambles in lecture but overall she does a good job covering material

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PLSC101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

A lot of work to do in this class. Almost everything we talk about as far as themes are presented to us in dystopian fiction. It was a very fascinating course and the lectures were well put together. Again, there is a ton of work but the subject is presented in a interesting way.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PLSC101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Rambles through lectures... She assigns so much extra material it is ridiculous considering it is 100 level class. Tests however are fairly easy...

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PLSC399
• 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:

I really like professor Parris! She is really brilliant, but sometimes her lectures are a bit hard to follow. She has a tendency to get side-tracked during lectures. However, she is one of the friendliest professors that I've had, and she gives very good feedback. I would take her again!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PLSC101
• 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:

I'm not generally interested in PLSC, but Kristen Parris made it fascinating for me. She completely changed my opinions on politics and made me want to take her class again. If you stay on top of the readings and movies and go to every class, you'll definitely pass. She's a great, engaging speaker and obviously loves what she teaches.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PLSC433
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

She will inspire you to become a teacher! If only so that you can know that there's one less teacher like her in the education system. KP is a vague, inconsiderate, poor communicator who embodies the "ivory tower" academic mindset and left an entire class of frustrated and confused students. Prepare for a mountain of reading and unanswered emails.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PLSC101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

She's hilarious, amazing, and helpful. Exams are pretty easy, everything is on the study guide. Do not procrastinate, do your work, then you will be fine.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PLSC101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

She's incredibly helpful, very understanding, and supportive. Frankly if you think her exams are difficult, it means you didn't study at all. Come on. It's exactly from the study guide. There is no surprise in her exams. But be careful with the words though, she will know if you don't know what you're saying. Do the job, you'll be fine.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PLSC101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Her lectures we hard to follow, due to rambling about a minor detail, and the tests were pretty difficult. I found the TA more helpful and more resourceful than the professor.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PLSC101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I loved her lectures, they were interesting and full of information, her class was a lot of work, but everything was clear. The exams were hard but very similar to the study guides. Overall I loved the class!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PLSC101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The material is confusing and times and the everyday lecture is so pointless to go to. She rambles about things that you don't need to know and then when the test comes its like you never have learned any of this stuff in your life, even if you study for hours on end.. Do yourself a favor and don't take this class or the professor

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: POL101
• 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:

A great person who likes to go off on tangents when lecturing, hard to judge what will actually be on the test.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: POLISCI101
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

She's a very upbeat, cheery person which makes the early mornings a little better. I feel her tests are fair and the discussion class is easy. I enjoy her lectures but its not really necessary to attend them. She gets pumped about political science, China especially.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PLSC101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Parris is pretty good, but not the most organized of people. She does get very off track during some of her lectures, but she is luckily a very upbeat person which makes it an easier morning class. I like her as a person, but be prepared to have a lot of questions.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: POLY101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Parris is incredibly unorganized. There are always multiple versions of the syllabus and she expects you to know which she is referring to at all times, and there are never solid guidelines for projects. tests are fair, but i cannot stand her teaching style or her expecrations.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PLSC101
• 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:

I liked Parris and even her rambles. Her funny character brightened my mornings M-Th at 9:00 AM. A little confusing, but I could eventually see where she was going and her intent. She really just wants us to think about what government means. She has us compare the American system to Europe and China. She really REALLY loves poli sci.