Steven Johnston - University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Professor: Steven Johnston

Department: Political Science

College: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: POLITTHEO
• 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'm a first-year law student now, but in undergrad I had Prof. Johnston for two political theory classes. He is the only professor I had at USF that prepared me for the law school classroom. Many people who take Prof. Johnston are probably considering law school. If you cannot handle his class, then you definitely cannot handle law school.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PLA1234
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Johnston was my favorite professor at USF for 4 courses. He is very hard and does not tolerate fools lightly. He expects that students voluntarily do the work because they are legitimately interested and not just because they have to. He is witty and quick minded. He doesn't placate the lowest common denominator. He is not a cake ride.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: POT3003
• 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:

Professor Johnston was the only bad professor I have had in four years at USF. His arrogance and apathetic attitude toward students made my contemplate switching my major in my senior year. Yes, I would have taken 12 more classes than spent another semester with him.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: POS4112
• 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:

Make sure he has you watch Its a Wonderful Life and The Man Who Shot Liberty Vailance. Both amazing lectures. Out of 14 class meetings, 4 were based on those two movies. Squash the midterm, try with all your might on the paper, and disocver religion for the final and you have an easy B-/C+...

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POT1234
• 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:

Worst professor I have ever had. He is heartless.DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. I promise you will regret it!

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: POT303
• 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:

Do not take this class. Brilliant ideology, Johnson is original and intelligent. However, he does not update Blackboard and you cannot see your grade until the semester is over. He only has three grades; midterm, term paper, and final. All of these are essay format and he grades with extreme prejudice. Do not take this class.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: POT3003
• 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:

His grading is entirely subjective. Only has mid term, term paper, and final exam...both mid term and final are essay format.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: POT4054
• 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:

He is a fantastic professor. His love for the material is evident and infectious. He will read term papers ahead of time and give very helpful notes. The class is hard work, but worth it.Always be on time, read all material, attend all classes, pay attention to lectures, explain yourself fully and be prepared to change your mind.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: POT3003
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Listening to his lectures is interesting, but he's somewhat of a hard teacher. Don't come in late unless your female, he will not let you in. 1 paper and 2 essay style tests. If you have writing trouble like I do then I'd advise skipping him. Oh, and you'll be reading a bit as well.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: POT3003
• 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:

I read the reviews on here before taking him and should have listened. This guy clearly is crazy, talks about an intervention for an **** friend in class but clearly he needs one.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: POT4054
• 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:

Professor Johnston is a very difficult professor to read into. The material and the arguments he puts forth are, believe me, original. He is a mindful professor so his harshness on grades is likely something he can strongly justify. Obsessed with ideology, don't take him if you are a strict materialist or love Marx. You will disagree with him.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: POT3003
• 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:

Don't take him!If you get a bad grade on the mid term,drop him.You will not get your paper back until the last day of classes.If you're late,don't even try to get in.Lectures are really helpful but recording is not allowed.He's available for help also.Writing lab highly recomended.Grad school level grading criteria for an intro class.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: POLYTHRY
• 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:

Great teacher! Anyone who complains didnt study hard enough/read or read the questions on his tests/paper right.Very Hard class but you will learn.If you want something easy this is NOT it,however this class is educational.He will help if you ask him,he's very patient,and will let you rewrite the paper if you fail it. 1 of the gr8est teachers here!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: POT4002
• 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:

Too smart for his own good!!! Knows what he is talking about but expects everyone to LOVE and SHARE the exact thoughts and ideas that he appreciates. DO NOT TAKE if you do not want to read for hours and analyze rhetoric.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: POT4054
• 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 has no problem failing everyone. The only grades are a mid term, final, and a paper in which he doesn't explain what he wants and then hands out Ds and Fs to everyone. The lectures are pretty boring, and he's obsessed with Rouseau. The cool part is that he doesn't take attendance and that you can get away with out doing all of the reading.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: POS4504
• 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:

Seriously do not take this guy unless you want your GPA to suffer. He is very unclear about what he wants for the essay test and paper. There is only three grades in the entire class and he has no problem failing everyone. The lecture material is rather boring...a real waste of a time if you ask me. Avoid if possible!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: POS4054
• 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:

He gets a bad rep, but he is very passionate about his subject. He is far from an easy A, but as long as you pay attention and show up to class, you will pass. You MUST go into the class with an open mind and be prepared to defend your opinions.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: POT4054
• 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:

NO MATTER WHAT YOUR GPA, INTEREST IN COURSE, ETC, DO NOT TAKE HIM!!!! THIS MAN IS THE WORSE.I AM CONVINCED SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH HIM. HE HAS NO MORALS, COMPASSION FOR OTHERS, AND HOPEFULLY HIGHER OFFICIALS WILL EVENTUALLY SEE. ANY TEACHER WHO CAN FAIL STUDENTS WHO CARES ABOUT THEIR FUTURE W/O REMORSE SHOULD BE UNDER REVIEW.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: POT3003
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor Johnston outlines his lectures well, but how he wants it tied to the test is unclear. The books are useless since he will read what he wants you to know. There are 2 tests and 1 paper. The test is 1 question and very long. The paper is a craps shoot. He seems to grade on if he likes your opinion and not if your opinion is well founded.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: POT3003
• 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:

WORST PROFESSOR EVER!!! I would avoid at all costs! He is incredibly unclear as to what he wants and he seems to assign grades by throwing darts at papers. He has no problem giving you a zero, regardless of the work you do. AVOID!