Elena Dorabji - San Jose State University

Professor: Elena Dorabji

Department: Political Science

College: San Jose State University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HIST15A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I took this class a a few years ago. She has strong opinions, but you can't say she doesn't know what she's talking about. She is a very informed and educated person. Looking back at her book "Betrayal" now I see more of the course's value. At the time I resented having to buy her book in order to complete the final paper. Its worth re-reading.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIST15A
• 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:

This class was very confusing. She didn't use notes or power points. You had to pay attention to her lectures which are not clear sometimes. She didn't assign much work but does give take home tests.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HIST15A
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Im sorry but this may be one of the most unorganized and confusing classes I have ever taken. Aside from her opinion-based lectures and tests, Prof. Dorabji is terrible at communicating with students in all forms. Definitely search for better instructors when taking this course...

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HIST15A
• 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: N/A

Comment:

She is very strong voiced, so be ready for competitive arguments with her. Don't even take her, especially if you dont have to, because her take home midterms and finals are pretty tough. On the bright side, she grades the essay rather easily and overall I enjoyed her lectures because I was one of the only ones who challenged her in class.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HIST15B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

This instructor is infinitely opinionated. Rarely, if ever, is a conservative or contrasting view given due consideration. In fact, conservative ideas and even conservatives themselves are often demonized. Furthermore, this instructor creates an environment wherein appropriate discussion of important topics are not encouraged.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HIST15A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

really opinionated but if you reiterate her stances on papers shes an easy grader. dont try and really argue with her, just keep her book and youll do fine

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIST15A
• 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:

funny thing is that i find that because there are mostly young green underclass students they have not yet grasped that the world is inverted. her critique of our society is radical but it is fairly accurate from my stand point. her paper is so easy yet the students refuse to follow her simple instructions.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIST1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

you dont have to go to her class, i had her for 2 semesters. you do need her betrayal book!! once you understand her opinions which are slightly ridiculous you dont have to attend class because everything is take home! 90% of her lectures dont have to do with polysci. easy grader though

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HIST15A
• 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:

She teaches her opinion on the subject matter, not the contents in the book. You are still expected to read the book though for her exams. Her exams contain questions pertaining to her opinion and the text. Her class is very hard. One paper, midterm, and a final. Few extra credit chances worth hardly any points.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HIST15A
• 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:

As everybody has said, EXTREMELY opinionated. Had her for History 15A/B, she seemed to have gotten even more opinionated the second time I took her. Regurgitate her views on her tests and essays and you'll do fine, otherwise, find somebody else.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HIST15A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I can't stand this teacher. She has no problem insulting people. No point going to her class b/c she will just make you want to throw a book at her. Two papers, two tests. Write her point of view for an A. Tests are take home and so pointless, answers are in her book though. I did not learn anything about political science in her class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIST15AB
• 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:

Professor Dorabji is VERY opinionated and doesn't accept to consider any other opinions in her discussions. She rambles doesn't really have any structure to the class. Then has hard graded assignments. Pretty boring but then again you don't need to go unless there is an assignment due.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HIST15B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Extremely liberal. A feminist and much more. Although, I disagreed with her personal views her class was very easy. I barely attended her class and got a B. She assigns two easy papers. And a take home midterm and final. They're easy too if u just think the way she would.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HIST15A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I never went to her class because if I did, I would get suicidal thoughts. She is overly liberal and makes it known. She would even insult God and religion in her classes. Idk why she's not fired yet; she's a horrible teacher! Her class was so pointless, she literally talked about nothing for the entire time. Open-note exams and two papers.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PLSCI1B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

If you are actually interested in political science, find another prof. She teaches her opinions as facts, devotes entire lectures to irrelevant topics, and her "final project" belongs in a child development class, not PolySci. If you want an easy "A" though she's perfect: it's easy to skip her lectures and pass by regurgitating her views.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: POLS109
• 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:

Her materials may be biased but they present stuff that we should know. I wish her "betrayal" was alittle more professionally published.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HIST15AB
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

So bad that 3 years after taking her class I thought about her and felt compelled to comment. She devoted complete lectures to child development in a US hist/pols course. Completely politically biased. Very open about her divorce, personal problems, low salary, etc.Easy A or B if you can regurgitate her views of the world onto a bluebook.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HIST15AB
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Not always easy, and attendance is crucial. Interesting, thought-provoking lectures that require you to use your brain (which is why I assume most others rated her so lowly), but this is college, and we should be using our minds, shouldn't we? Two short papers and take home midterm/final. Questions can be tricky, but plenty of time given.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HIST15A
• 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:

She is the worst teacher I ever had. This class is hard and unorganized!!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: HIST15B
• 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:

If you want to learn anything about poli sci, don't take from her.Lectures were about child development and a pain to sit through. Gets very angry easily.Midterm and final are take home, and are based entirely off of the textbooks(so, nothing in her lectures).There were 2 short essays that are easy as long as you write her opinions only. Bleh.