Professor Sexton's class is one that is fundamentally fascinating and is one that is appealing for not only sociology majors or adherents, but of anyone one whom desires the history and realities that surround religion and its impacts throughout time.

I was very satisfied with the course and my favourite part was the research paper of which was an ethnographic paper of a religion of our choice in relation to sustainability. That in itself was an interesting correlation of topics and made one choose something they may have already had knowledge of or allowed one to gain knowledge of.

In overall class structure, it was a very broad and this was shown with the differing topics of every week, differing three books throughout the quarter, and with the numerous guest speakers that came to class on significant bases.

Nevertheless, this course was one that is fascinating and should be good for a person that indeed enjoys theology in its many vast forms. But, it is a course that does require individual motive towards reading and its topics, however with the professor and the TA's; such should be of no problem as they were all very accommodating and involved in my personal experience throughout the whole quarter and that in itself makes the professor a rare as well as exceptional character whom really is striving for his students academic, professional , and even personal successes.

This is a really awesome professor who offers a unique insight to the Sociology department. Some of his assigned readings were a bit lengthy and dense, but the professor and T.A. helped me in understanding the material. The class consisted of two written exams (mid-term and final), weekly question and answer homework, and one research paper.
The pandemic did begin at the end of this class which disrupted everything. However, the professor was very considerate and lenient. Definitely would take a class with this professor again!!

Long overdue review but Professor Sexton's SOC147A class is one of my favorite and most memorable classes! I have never been more intrigued by the material required from a class than this one. Professor Sexton is very approachable, open, and willing to answer your questions. He engages the class in a respectful and passionate manner. I actually looked forward to reading the books and materials that were assigned in this class because they were so insightful and brought new perspectives that I found enlightening. The class atmosphere was open and receptive, and every discussion in class was filled with diverse opinions and ideas.

The course sociology 121 added depth to my perspective on religion. Specifically on Christianity and its branch in Roman Catholicism (because of the term research paper), their relationship with environmental sustainability, and how that translates at various levels in the United States. Professor Sexton and T.A Batac made my experience rich. Doctor Sexton holds so much knowledge, lectures with passion, and is easy to communicate. T.A Batac's enthusiasm facilitates communicating comments, questions, or concerns on assignments like the book quizzes and the ethnographic research paper.

The books we read like James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time and Robert P. Jone's White Too Long were incredibly eye-opening. Like others we read, these books helped lighten the shade off my glasses and, in my opinion, believe that all should read these two books once in their lifetime. Doctor Sexton has some of the authors of the books we cover come to class and speak about their piece and research, which is always rewarding as they hold much knowledge. It helps grasp the material and opens a line of communication for us to expand our network if it interests us. Doctor Sexton's flexibility for our term paper allowed me to discover and experience a new research method in Dirbagging. I enjoyed the procedure because it allowed me to develop a study on terms that felt right for the occasion, helping create a unique approach to researching the religion we students have the option of selecting.

Thanks to Doctor Sexton, T.A Batac, and my time and effort, I increased my understanding and confidence to hold a critical conversation of Christianity and its branch in Roman Catholicism in the United States with an emphasis on environmental sustainability.

Read, Research, and Participate = A- (I don't do well with timed/multi-option quizzes or else: A :D)

The professor makes lecturers interesting by applying concepts to current events. Overall, I recommend this course if you are interested in furthering your knowledge on religion and the role it plays in society. Throughout this course I had the opportunity to conduct my own field research, which is experience I can utilize as a future researcher. Additionally, this course has allowed me to have a better understanding of how scripture, culture and tradition influence actions within communities. For example, prior to this course I would never have considered that there was a relationship between religion and environmental sustainability. However, this course allowed me to see that there is not only a relationship but a strong influence from religious groups' perception on environmental sustainability and its impact on the surrounding environment politically, economically and socially.

As someone who is NOT a sociology major, I stumbled upon this class by accident as a late add... what a blessing it turned out to be... This class was probably one of the most important classes I have taken at UCLA, and I am about to graduate. Organized, thoughtful lectures, reading materials and willingness to communicate throughout this course make it unique from all other college courses I have taken. The workload is not much, it is super doable if you stay on top of it. I was added 3 weeks late in the class and was able to pull of getting a good grade in the class, that should tell you alot. Professor Sexton is very accommodating and actually LISTENS to his students and takes time to sit and talk with every student about concerns or any other matters (I know, you dont see this alot at a school this big). The class consists of participation, 3 quizzes, a final, and a final project where you study a religion. It seems a lot at first, but trust me, you will have so much fun doing it and it is really hard to not get a good grade because everything you have to do is listed, along with the help from him and TA's every week throughout the quarter. Quizzes are multiple choice, straight up and not meant to deceive you. Overall, a really fun, informative, educational and super interesting and fairly easy class... Take this class, you wont regret it!!

I really enjoyed this class and I think I learned a lot about the sociology of religion from Professor Sexton! I never would have though I would take a religion course as a Sociology major, but I'm glad I did. The readings he provided were also very engaging, however, be warned you will be quizzed on the readings but because they are pretty good reads you should be fine.
This class also featured guest lectures from the authors from some of the readings which really helped give me an insight on what I read and its always nice to interact with an author whose work you've read before.
This class also featured an ethnographic paper on a religion of your choice, which I found to be very fun to do. Although it is a bit of work to schedule and conduct interviews, it was a fun way to conduct your own research.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this class to any Soc major because Professor Sexton is a good professor and if you follow all of the required materials and assignments you should do well!

The highlight of my undergraduate sociology experience! Dr. Sexton is an outstandingly knowledgeable and supportive professor who masterfully guides his students through the course material. His instruction enthuses curiosity and insight as he supports his students in their discovery of what religion is, what it means to be religious, and how complex societal issues can be evaluated through a religious lens. The course provides opportunities for students to engage interactively with course content. Throughout the quarter, students conduct an ethnography project on a religious organization in the Los Angeles area. The project provides hands on sociological research experience beyond the classroom, as well as meaningful community engagement. Along with the ethnographic project there is a final exam and a handful of quizzes on the readings. I found the workload to be comparable to other upper division sociology classes and I used audiobooks to stay on top of the heavier readings. Manageable and rewarding!

Prof. Sexton and his sociology class on crime is one of the most influential classes I have ever taken at UCLA. He not only taught on the subject matter, but also how to critically think on how this subject may relate to other sociological matters. His lecturing skills and ability to connect to an individual student are a welcoming surprise; especially in a class of 300 students. The material he gave the class is knowledge I still use today and has shaped how I perceive the world. I think everyone, despite their major, should attend this class as it opens your perception of the world around you.

Overall this class was a decent class but the workload is pretty heavy. There is an ethnographic project where you need to go to churches and interview people, take fieldnotes and stuff. Then, there is a final paper on your project due at the end of the quarter. There are also some books you need to buy and read throughout the quarter with a quiz for each one. Also there is a survey due for every lecture and discussion due by the end of the day. In saying all of this, Sexton is a great professor and lecturer. There is a lot of work but as long as you keep up with it, you should be fine.