Professor
John Branstetter
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Most Helpful Review
Spring 2020 - Branstetter is my absolute favorite educator in the Political Science department. He's a really fun(ny) professor, genuinely cares about his students' success, and prioritizes learning over grades. There is no hw, exams, or participation credit, just two 10-page group papers with the most lenient grading scale you can think of. The prompts are relatively easy to answer as long as you pay attention to lectures and communicate with your group. Because the lectures took place over Zoom, he recorded them and uploaded them shortly after class along with the slides. Some of the readings (which are free and uploaded online as PDFs) can be difficult, especially if you're new to socialist theory, but he does an amazing job of breaking it all down. Lastly, he was very understanding about the news of police violence/BLM protests towards the end of the quarter and adjusted the final paper so that it was optional AND extended the due date. I definitely recommend taking at least one class with him (any of them, honestly) during your time at UCLA because he really is the best!
Spring 2020 - Branstetter is my absolute favorite educator in the Political Science department. He's a really fun(ny) professor, genuinely cares about his students' success, and prioritizes learning over grades. There is no hw, exams, or participation credit, just two 10-page group papers with the most lenient grading scale you can think of. The prompts are relatively easy to answer as long as you pay attention to lectures and communicate with your group. Because the lectures took place over Zoom, he recorded them and uploaded them shortly after class along with the slides. Some of the readings (which are free and uploaded online as PDFs) can be difficult, especially if you're new to socialist theory, but he does an amazing job of breaking it all down. Lastly, he was very understanding about the news of police violence/BLM protests towards the end of the quarter and adjusted the final paper so that it was optional AND extended the due date. I definitely recommend taking at least one class with him (any of them, honestly) during your time at UCLA because he really is the best!
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Most Helpful Review
Fall 2021 - Professor Branstetter is one of the most engaging professors at UCLA. What I appreciated most about this course is how much it opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about political theory, I even became a politcal theory concentration because I loved it. The material is dense, but he goes over it so we’ll in class that you’ll always have a great understanding. He wants you to get an A, and will work with you as much as he can to help you succeed. Gives thorough feedback, fair assignments, and overall an amazing class. Would recommend over and over agin.
Fall 2021 - Professor Branstetter is one of the most engaging professors at UCLA. What I appreciated most about this course is how much it opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about political theory, I even became a politcal theory concentration because I loved it. The material is dense, but he goes over it so we’ll in class that you’ll always have a great understanding. He wants you to get an A, and will work with you as much as he can to help you succeed. Gives thorough feedback, fair assignments, and overall an amazing class. Would recommend over and over agin.
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