Robert Art - Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

Professor: Robert Art

Department: Political Science

College: Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: POL15A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

One of the most respected professors you'll find. Lectures can get a little distracted by tangents. Definitely read the material. A lot of people suggest going to his office hours because he is very willing to answer questions one on one and the lectures can be hard to follow sometimes.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: POL15
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Art is a highly acclaimed academic (read: good at writing scholarly articles), a nice guy and very smart, but he's a pretty bad teacher. He's lectures are long and deadly boring, and he tends to ramble without clear direction. He's a tough grader, and he gives little feedback so it can be hard to know what he's looking for to get into the A range.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: INTROTOIR
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Literally the most boring lectures I've ever experienced - had to take up knitting to get through them. Really nice guy though, and clearly brilliant.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: POL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Art is fantastic if you are interested in international relations - great lectures (although the small seminar classes are better than Intro to IR) and he really knows what he's talking about.But if you're not interested in the subject matter, you'll likely be bored. He was my thesis adviser, and I couldn't have asked for a better adviser.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POL15A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor Art may understand the topic he is discussing, but he has zero personal skills. His lectures are tedious and lack any form of structure. I would not suggest reaching out to him for help, his advice boils down to personal insults and directing you to find help elsewhere. His class left me disappointed with Brandeis academics.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: POL15A
• 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 is SO well read and clearly respected in his field. There's no question that he knows his stuff. And he cares about the subject a lot. However, this does not make him a good lecturer. Lectures were not engaging and completely lacked structure. Beware, he also assigns a great deal of reading that you won't need to know for exams.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: POL79B
• 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:

My favorite professor at Brandeis, I definitely recommend taking a course with him, especially a small seminar as opposed to a large lecture class. He is the best in his field, a sweet guy, and conducts very interesting conversations.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: POL15B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Best Professor Ever! His lectures are very insightful if you are interested in international relations.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: POL15
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He's a sweet guy, but a hopeless lecturer. This intro level class is buried so deep in theory that students have a hard time taking anything away from lessons. His philosophy is to talk AT students rather than engage or challenge students. Student questions are the only time the lecture lets up a little bit.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: POL168
• 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:

Professor Art did a good job with the course; as a former Washington official, it was highly interesting to hear his insight on foreign policy issues. He is a fair grader and invested in the material. However, he could've allowed for more discussion instead of primarily lecturing - he tends to go on long rants. Hard grader, but worthwhile class!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: POL15
• 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:

Outstanding professor. Not for the faint hearted but well worth it. By far one of the best (if not the best) professors at Brandeis and one of the most respected in the field.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: POL169
• 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:

I LOVE Professor Art. A true passion for the subject. Every day I would be astounded by the stories he threw into lectures (which were often boring). Get to pick your own paper topics (only 2 papers) and were normally interesting to write.

Rating # 13

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

ok here's the deal on this guy...he compensates for the fact that he didnt go to vietnam by knowing everything about military**** and by making you know same. BORING AS HELL. Avoid at all costs.

Rating # 14

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

He is underrated because he is such an expert in the field. However, if you are not interested in subject the class will be boring. Bottomline: Take Art if you are interested in subject if not do not take him or you will regret it.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: INTROTOIR
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Acts like students should be grateful that the great Robert Art is teaching them.

Rating # 16

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

very very average at best

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: POL168B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is a great teacher. He is truly interested in the topic and lectures very well. I was alrwady interested in the topic, but he made me more interested. Downsides are only that he can assign a little too much reading but is overall fantastic

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: POL15A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

really knows what he's talking about, but not always the most compelling lecturer. a lot of readings are assigned.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: POL15A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is a nice guy, and really knows what he is talking about, his lectures can be dry at times, and the TA's are not always very helpful. There is alot of reading and he brags about being the Freshman killer

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: POL15A
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

He was my advisor. He rocks, and is a REALLY nice man and is pretty well known in the international politics field.