Jack Citrin - University of California Berkeley

Professor: Jack Citrin

Department: TBD

College: University of California Berkeley

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: POLSCI1
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Citrin is a wonderful man. He has amazing things to say and really cares about his students. He is funny and very knowledgeable. However his lectures were at 9:30 am and his voice always lulled me to sleep so it was hard to focus. He is incredibly intelligent but not very animated so it's a little bit difficult to stay engaged.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: POLIS1
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Very boring lectures with a lot of material and no explanation as to what was actually required to know. Lots of reading and dependence on the GSI. 10 page essay at the end of the semester. Without a passion for government, this class is rough.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: POLISCI1
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I never went to class because he drones on about topics that you aren't even tested on. The GSI was the one that actually taught us anything.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PLSCI1
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Citrin is one of the nicest professors I have encountered. He really loves American politics and will help his students any way he can. He assigns a lot of reading, but his tests and essay prompts are very straightforward. I enjoyed the class, however it was a little dull at times, especially if you took AP Government in high school.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POL1
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great prof. Knows the material. High standards, but willing to help.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: POLISCI1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lectures were long and somewhat confusing with overly lengthy and poorly organized powerpoints. Definitely learned a lot about American politics but felt it was in a very haphazard way. Assigns way too much reading for a lower div class, a lot of which is unnecessary. Midterm was alright, final was very difficult. GSI graded pretty tough.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: POL1
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Boring lectures and essays are graded really hardly. The final was very hard and focused a lot on boring lectures that no one went to.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: POLISCI1
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He does not allow laptops. Look through the slides, the tests are mostly based on them. Books weren't used that much and learn the terms made up by him...

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PS1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Most disorganized person I have ever met, lecture slides terrible, and the tests are based off them completely

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PS1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Boring class. Lectures were a slog to get through, poorly organized, and often did not proceed in tandem with the assigned readings (which were totally necessary because lectures were so unsatisfactory). Very dry overall, discussion was really helpful, so getting a good GSI is key. Take it for the PS major requirement I guess, but otherwise not.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: POLISCI01
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Cool Professor; the class is dry though.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PS1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Actually pretty funny professor. He is obviously experienced and very knowledgeable on the subject he teaches. Honestly not a very difficult class if you do the readings. The sections that he assign are mandatory, but the lectures are not.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: POLSCI161
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This class is full of non-sense. You will learn what you already know. The materials and the Citrin's terms(named after him) is just made-up terms. totally not worth of taking.. don't waste your units..

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: 161
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Considering the course being pretty common sense, it was a hard class. You learn about obvious materials made x100 harder.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: PS1
• 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:

Very organized. Expectations are clear. Easy to understand what needs to be done to understand the material and do well in the class. Tests and papers are very reasonable.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PS164A
• 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:

One of the greats! Took both Poli Psych & Public Opinion with him. Brands himself as the cranky Andy Rooney type in lecture, but he's really a sweet man and goes out of way to help you if you get to know him 1 on 1. Lectures are perfect balance of funny personal anecdotes & substantive material. Interesting research papers, grading can be tough.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: POLSC7132
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Interesting class but I still recommend sitting in the front to catch everything he says. A little boring. A lot of students thought it was an in-depth AP Gov class. For those of us who didn't take AP Gov, you'll have to play a bit of catch up. 2 big papers. Exams (essay-style) based off readings (good!) AND lecture. Citrin posts slides online.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PS1
• 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:

One of the best teachers I've ever had! Funniest prof by far. Love this man. Made me love the boring subject of politics and really made me see things in a different way. Thank you Citrin! Citrin's law applied before taking his class!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PS164
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Good: his lectures were pretty entertaining. Not: PS1 might be a different deal but PS164 was strangely difficult. The concepts weren't that hard, but the structure of assignments was really unclear. There was no rubric ahead of time. If you don't say certain "buzz words" on exams, you can get a zero on a question, even if the explanation is right.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: POL1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Funny, entertaining professor. A little cranky at times, but even that can be kind of hilarious. Tests have a lot of writing. But by the end, you really learn a lot.