Robert Lieber - Georgetown University

Professor: Robert Lieber

Department: TBD

College: Georgetown University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: GOVT264
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Meh. Readings complete waste of time - I got an A without referring to them in any of the exams. Lectures long and boring - basically a quick run through of what happened in USFP since 1945, not why. Never went in-depth. Grading arbitrary - couldn't see why my friends and I got different grades. If you have even a basic knowledge of USFP don't take

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: GOVT264
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Lieber is an expert on U.S. foreign policy and a respected scholar in the field. His class is a broad overview of U.S. foreign policy since WWII and gives a solid primer on the major events in U.S. relations with the rest of the world. Course consists of two midterm exams and a final exam, along with an attendance grade.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: GOVT264
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Good option to learn about US foreign policy. Nice guy and a good professor who really knows his stuff. Even though he has a conservative view point, he still tires hard to present the other side. Class is graded by 3 in class exams and class participation which is a written response sheet at the end of every class. Good readings selections too.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: GOVT264
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Knowledgable guy, straight shooter, doesn't try to trick you on exams. If you do the readings, and take notes in lecture, you will learn a lot, and you'll definitely have a thorough understanding of USFP from a neocon's point of view. Lectures are informative but can be dry.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: GOVT264
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Really knows his stuff. Lectures not thrilling but totally fine if you have a preexisting interest in the subject.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: GOVT264
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I could not stay awake during lectures, and unfortunately he doesn't upload detailed power points from lectures like most professors do. It's also a lot of reading. Two exams and a final.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: GOVT264
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Learned a lot in this class, especially from the readings. Lectures could be dry, but the professor is clearly an expert in his field. He also brought in other experts for guest lectures, which were very cool.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: GOVT264
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Solid professor, albeit pretty dry lecturer. He made the second half of the course on current foreign policy relevant to the election. Lieber has his own strong opinions but you don't need to share them to do well. Three broad exams (two midterms & one final). He grades you down a bit on the first midterm, but only so you can improve later on.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GOV242
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

One of the best teachers I've had a Georgetown. He really provides a great perspective about US foreign policy!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: GOVT264
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

As someone who came to SFS to study US Foreign Policy, I was plainly disappointed.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CONTEMUSFP
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Very nice guy, very knowledgeable and his exams are very clear cut--doesn't try to trick you! He is an expert in his field so gain the most you can from him. One of Georgetown's best.

Rating # 12

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Lieber is a good professor. He's very knowledgeable and makes lectures information-packed but interesting. His workload is a bit much, but for this class you can get away with just doing the textbook readings because he covers everything very well in lecture. He is a bit dismissive and sometimes very stubborn in the way he thinks, but good overall.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: GOVT415
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Lieber is a decent lecturer, and the readings are interesting but the class is more a names and dates, high school style summary of Postwar American foreign policy than a critical evaluation. If you're in the SFS, passed US history in high school, or even happen to read the news, you should probably know most of the content going into the class.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: GOVT415
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Great professor. Can be slightly scattered on some lectures, but always brings great perpectives. Guest lecturers were effective. Three exams - all ID/essay, very straightforward, studying is easy. Have to go to class to do response sheets, but they don't have to be any particular quality - just participation.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: INAF1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Lieber knows a lot and has a ton of information -- but so do encyclopedias. Lieber can't think for himself, however, or listen to other ideas. Unless Lieber has a monopoly on the truth, this is problematic for a professor. To get a good grade, parrot the dominant ideas of those in power on any issue.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GOVT400
• 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:

You'll learn a lot in Lieber's class. Well structured and engaging lectures. High expectations on exams but it's easy to improve with feedback after the first one. He knows what he's talking about and likes to hear student opinions, but is forceful in his views (he does not like the UN).Definitely one of the best professors I've had in the gov dept

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GOVT4
• 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:

Prof Lieber is one of the really great Georgetown teachers. I found his classes engaging and helpful. He has an all too rare capacity to criticise the US and is more than happy to discuss different aspects with students.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: GOVMT415
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

I took his grad course on US Foreign Policy ten years ago and found it the least interesting class I took in grad school. I remember him being quite disdainful of studends, in particular female students. Definitely did not like counterarguments to his. Not much theory either.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: GOVT415
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

It basically covers foreign policy-related matters from the end of the WWII to present. It can be tricky to figure out what he wants on the tests but after the first term, you will get the hang of it. Don't know if I'd recommend though.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: GOVT415
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Truly a great professor, one of the best and most knowledgable at Georgetown. Not only knows the material cold but also knows how to teach it and which readings to assign to help supplement. Would definitely reccommend.