Ronald Krebs - University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN

Professor: Ronald Krebs

Department: Political Science

College: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: POL4885W
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Loved this class! Krebs is very knowledgable and articulate but doesn't just talk the whole lecture, he works hard to engage students and foster discussion. He presents the subject matter clearly in lecture and supplements with case study readings and anecdotes. Overall: learned a lot and had a great time--one of my favorite professors and classes.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: POL4885W
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Best Poli Sci prof I had at the U, probably the best prof in general. He is very accessible outside class, very easy to talk to. He does assign quite a bit of reading and there are reading questions on them, but they were not too difficult. The paper at the end of the semester was the biggest chunk of the grade but there was ample time to write it.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: POL4885W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

One of the harder political science courses but Krebs is a very good professor. He is generally funny and his lectures are interesting if sometimes intensive, so if you don't have a strong interest in the topic of this course, international security, I would avoid this class. Overall though a great class taught by a great professor.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: POL1025
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Ron is one of my two favorite professors at the U. This class made me decide to add Poly Sci as a double major. Ron's lectures are incredible. He is great about answering questions and knows A LOT about IR. He is very respectful of opinions. Make sure you do the readings because everything will make a lot more sense. Highly, highly recommend.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POL4885W
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

This class met requirements I needed to check off to graduate, and I was intimidated taking a high level PolSci course. However, Ron (and his TA) is extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about the subject matter, making the lectures enjoyable. A lot of the grading is up to the instructor's discretion however, which can be confusing.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: POL1025
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He was the best prof I got in my freshman year. Super interactive, funny, smart and helpful if you approach him. Some people found him intimidating but I never did. There is lots of reading and you should do them in order to understand what's going on in class. The lectures are super helpful. Statecraft was sort of pointless though.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: POL1025
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Unless you are passionate about global politics and want to thoroughly understand be graded on its nuances, do not take this class. Took this as one of my lower level classes toward a polisci major and he expected us to know much more about topics than most people did. Statecraft is the biggest waste of time and grading standards were not clear.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: POL1025
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's a really interactive professor. He has the ability to create a class conversation with 125 students in a room and it's a really cool thing. There's a lot of reading for the class but you really don't have to do them if you don't want to, though there are quizes sometimes on them. The tests are exactly like the study guide which is really nice

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: POL1025
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

You definitely have to read in order to pass the online reading quizzes and you have to study for the tests. He is a pretty good teacher though, I learned a lot from his class.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: 4885W
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

You want a college professor? Ron is the guy! I'm an outgoing person but he was very intimidating at first with his booming voice and you can see how smart he is from the start! But he is the coolest guy. read about 150 pdf pages a week, I rarely did and got a B. awesome funny dude. Main grade is the final paper. 60% of grade, did it day beforeB

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: POL4885W
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Krebs was a very bright prof and articulate lecturer, but he can sound very condescending and his expectations are higher than most other poli sci profs. I loved the course material, but things little things bugged me like the *mandatory weekly writing assignment* had sentence restrictions below your ability to answer his complex questions clearly.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: POL4885W
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Krebs is one of the most knowledgeable professors I have ever had. If you participate, do the readings, and listen you will learn a lot. He is a little intimidating to approach at first but when you do, you won't regret it. He is totally willing to help and goes above and beyond what an average professor would do.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: POL1000
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He has good intentions and wants to help, but it often comes off demeaning. He expects a lot from you and does not understand how his response can shut off critical thinking and become discouraging. While responsive, he is not understanding of why you wouldn't understand something. Read and reread the materials for class if you want to do well.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: 4885W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is very knowledgeable. He is tough. He knows what he is talking about. If you do not do the reading, you will not pass the class. He gives his lectures with the assumption that the students have done the reading and have a rough understanding of the material, so therefore the lectures are reviews. Very helpful when approached and he will help yo

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: POL1025H
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor Krebs is literally the most pretentious person I have ever met. He assigns a ridiculous amount of work for an intro-level class and the readings are clearly geared towards someone with the intellectual rigor of a Princeton grad like himself which he so frequently rubs in everyone's faces. This class was a waste of time and energy.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: 1025H
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Krebs is very engaging and well informed. His lectures are organized and driven. For the most part, I liked him, but he is very East-Coast-y with all that that entails.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: POL4885W
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Krebs really makes you work, but in the sense that he make you think critically about complex political issues. There were no tests in his class and the TA (Jen Snider) was the best one I've ever had. If I could, I would take every single one of my classes with Krebs, he's SO SMART, extremely well read and challenges you to think!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: 1025
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Gives a lot of pop quizzes, but they aren't very hard. You must go to class to get the quiz passwords. If you do the readings before class lectures make a lot more sense and it makes the class a lot easier. He is very approachable and has ample office hours.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: 1025
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

As a proffesor I enjoyed his teaching style, however his assignments weren't helpful, and his helpfeedback was confusing. You can do well, but you need to be willing to work.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: 1025
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The class was challenging at points, but if you study and read all the material you will be fine. Definitely attend all the review sessions that Krebs and his TA's offer, they are extremely helpful.