Intro to American Politics

Professor Dickinson is a fantastic political scientist. Once you get to know him he is very funny, and he really helped me consider all sides of different political arguments. The course has a lot of readings - you will/should get good at skimming and extracting the author's main argument and pieces of evidence - but your actual grade will come from reading response papers and a midterm & final exam, all of which have you synthesize material from the course. I learned so much in this course and Professor Dickinson has been one of the best teachers I have ever had.

Professor Dickinson is a fantastic political scientist. Once you get to know him he is very funny, and he really helped me consider all sides of different political arguments. The course has a lot of readings - you will/should get good at skimming and extracting the author's main argument and pieces of evidence - but your actual grad …Read more

Dickinson is an incredibly knowledgable and passionate professor. Going to office hours is very helpful along with participating in discussion. Class is always a lecture and you have to take diligent notes, because the exams are usually based off of content from lecture. There is a lot of reading for this class, but it's usually very interesting and you learn how to skim for important parts. He posts discussion questions to help with the readings. Discussions are engaging and the class content is easy to grasp. Overall an excellent intro course and an excellent professor.

Dickinson is an incredibly knowledgable and passionate professor. Going to office hours is very helpful along with participating in discussion. Class is always a lecture and you have to take diligent notes, because the exams are usually based off of content from lecture. There is a lot of reading for this class, but it's usually very …Read more

Dickinson is very knowledgeable, and lectures are very engaging. He comes off as strict at first, but he is actually very funny and understanding. Readings are dense and long, but as long as you understand the main argument, you will be fine. He also gives out discussion questions, which are very helpful for understanding the readings and the discussion section. This course showed me I was interested in Political Science and I found myself thinking about the material outside of class. The work can sometimes be difficult, but you can get a lot out of this class.

Dickinson is very knowledgeable, and lectures are very engaging. He comes off as strict at first, but he is actually very funny and understanding. Readings are dense and long, but as long as you understand the main argument, you will be fine. He also gives out discussion questions, which are very helpful for understanding the reading …Read more

Bert was a good professor and made the course enjoyable. The homework for every week are readings that need to be done before the week's first class. Over the semester, you write two papers and have a final exam. In the discussion sections, Bert goes into more detail about what was covered in the class and key takeaways in the readings. The class is mostly a lecture with very little discussion. I would recommend!

Bert was a good professor and made the course enjoyable. The homework for every week are readings that need to be done before the week's first class. Over the semester, you write two papers and have a final exam. In the discussion sections, Bert goes into more detail about what was covered in the class and key takeaways in the readin …Read more

Bert is a great professor to take Intro to American Politics with. He is incredibly well-versed in the topic and explains everything in a very matter-of-fact way. Readings are mostly interesting -- and always relevant for papers and the final exam. He can be a bit intimidating, but he was always helpful when approached for help.

Dickinson's classes are heavy on the reading and political science specifics, but discussions are extremely rewarding and help you understand American Politics better. He enjoys teaching this class, and brings a lot of personal experience to the table, creating a solid environment. Make sure to get your 4 response papers done early.

This was a great introduction to American Politics. It's seems like Professor Dickinson's least favorite part of the course is the judiciary and the class does slow down a little during that part. There is a lot of readings in this class and you do have to commit to them. But you will absolutely learn a lot.

Kind of a lot of reading but Dickinson is great and super enthusiastic. The discussions are fun and interesting too. Good amount of writing but the grading isn't too harsh for the most part. Exams weren't too bad so far.

Bert Johnson is a great teacher and enthusiastic about this course. The work in general was manageable, but the readings got a little tedious. There is a nice mix of discussions of current events, explanations of governmental structures, and history.

Professor Johnson clearly cares a lot about what he does which I feel like makes the learning easier. Assignments are not assigned throughout the week but readings are due by discussion on Fridays. The readings can take up a decent amount of time but these readings are pretty crucial to further understanding what was touched on in class. As far as papers, there are 2 throughout the semester and you have the choice between two prompts for each paper. One prompt is due a week after the other as Professor Johnson keeps in mind that students may have other lengthy assignments in other courses. I highly recommend this class!!

Professor Johnson clearly cares a lot about what he does which I feel like makes the learning easier. Assignments are not assigned throughout the week but readings are due by discussion on Fridays. The readings can take up a decent amount of time but these readings are pretty crucial to further understanding what was touched on in cl …Read more

Bert was by far one of the best professors I have had. He is deeply passionate about the material and knows his stuff, but also explains topics in an accessible way supported by a lot of evidence. There is a lot of reading for this class, but if you spread it out throughout the week its very manageable, and often he will tell you one reading to focus more of your time on so you can skim the others. The Friday discussions are well guided and interesting. Overall, I learned a ton in this class and would highly recommend it to anyone passionate about or even curious about American Politics.

Bert was by far one of the best professors I have had. He is deeply passionate about the material and knows his stuff, but also explains topics in an accessible way supported by a lot of evidence. There is a lot of reading for this class, but if you spread it out throughout the week its very manageable, and often he will tell you one …Read more

I highly enjoyed Bert Johnson's Intro to American Politics class. There wasn't homework due for each class, only readings to be completed for the Friday discussion section. The readings can be lengthy and time-consuming, but they are overall interesting and he sometimes told the class which ones to focus on for discussion if people were overwhelmed with work. The 2 papers were graded fairly and he gave constructive feedback. He is a super nice person and clearly loves what he is doing. Highly recommend taking this class.

I highly enjoyed Bert Johnson's Intro to American Politics class. There wasn't homework due for each class, only readings to be completed for the Friday discussion section. The readings can be lengthy and time-consuming, but they are overall interesting and he sometimes told the class which ones to focus on for discussion if people w …Read more

This course is a lot of work, but I found it to be very rewarding. Be prepared to complete a lot of reading, which is somewhat necessary to do well in the course. There are also 4 short papers which you can choose to write at various points throughout the semester, a longer paper, a midterm, and a final. The lectures are very interesting and entertaining and really reframed the way I think about American politics. I also enjoyed the discussions. Dickinson is a bit of an effort based grader - if he can tell that you have done the readings and put significant thought and time into your papers, you will do well. While it was challenging workload-wise at times, I would definitely recommend this course and hope to take more classes with Dickinson in the future.

This course is a lot of work, but I found it to be very rewarding. Be prepared to complete a lot of reading, which is somewhat necessary to do well in the course. There are also 4 short papers which you can choose to write at various points throughout the semester, a longer paper, a midterm, and a final. The lectures are very interes …Read more

Bert Johnson is such an amazing professor! He is super brilliant which, for me, makes the whole class. It can be a little slow at times, lengthy lectures, and lots of readings but because he is so smart and knowledgeable on the material I think it is well worth it. I felt very prepared to talk about the election and felt very well-versed in American Politics after the class. There were two papers for the semester and the grading was pretty chill. Although the class can be a little slow and dry, Bert is so passionate, funny, and smart that it is a great experience. I definitely recommend taking a class with Professor Johnson even if it isn't this one.

Bert Johnson is such an amazing professor! He is super brilliant which, for me, makes the whole class. It can be a little slow at times, lengthy lectures, and lots of readings but because he is so smart and knowledgeable on the material I think it is well worth it. I felt very prepared to talk about the election and felt very well-ve …Read more

Professor Johnson is a fantastic professor - he cares a lot about teaching and he is incredibly intelligent. The course material can get a little boring at times and there is a lot of reading assigned, but you can get away with skipping/skimming some readings. The discussions are engaging and Professor Johnson is great to meet with during office hours. Papers take some time to do but there are not that many of them and if you are interested in the class they are fun to do. Overall, would recommend even if you do not intend on doing poly-sci.

Professor Johnson is a fantastic professor - he cares a lot about teaching and he is incredibly intelligent. The course material can get a little boring at times and there is a lot of reading assigned, but you can get away with skipping/skimming some readings. The discussions are engaging and Professor Johnson is great to meet with d …Read more

Bert is extremely enthusiastic about the material in this course. He made a real effort to try to connect the different topics we were learning to current events, which kept the class very interesting. If you have any interest in understanding the foundations of American politics, this course is a must.

I loved Dickinson. To be transparent, I got a worse grade than I wanted in the class, but I learned the most out of any class by far. Dickinson was extremely passionate about the material -- he is unbelievably qualified given that he does interviews and he wanted us to talk to him about it. I came away with transferrable skills (writing, reading large amounts of information, synthesis) and this was one of the most valuable classes I have taken

I loved Dickinson. To be transparent, I got a worse grade than I wanted in the class, but I learned the most out of any class by far. Dickinson was extremely passionate about the material -- he is unbelievably qualified given that he does interviews and he wanted us to talk to him about it. I came away with transferrable skills (writ …Read more

I have really enjoyed Professor Johnsons' class. The lectures are not boring and it seems like everyone does a good job of paying attention. I feel like he has been a pretty fair grader on the few assignments we have done that are actually graded. I recommend this class for others to take!

Although I likely wouldn't have picked this course if it wasn't required for the Poly Sci major, I really enjoyed it overall, especially in the context of the 2024 US elections. Professor Johnson is incredibly enthusiastic, and I always have a blast listening to him talk about funny or interesting experiences in his life. This is definitely a solid class.

Bert Johnson is an excellent professor! He is extremely enthusiastic about the course material and is very supportive. I initially took this class on a whim but it proved to be one of my favorite classes this semester. I will admit that it is quite content-heavy and skimming the readings isn't always feasible as specific questions are raised during discussions; however, the material itself is quite interesting and worthwhile as long as you pace yourself well. I would definitely take a class with Prof. Johnson again!

Bert Johnson is an excellent professor! He is extremely enthusiastic about the course material and is very supportive. I initially took this class on a whim but it proved to be one of my favorite classes this semester. I will admit that it is quite content-heavy and skimming the readings isn't always feasible as specific questions ar …Read more

A must-take for knowing about how American Politics works, even for non-majors and people who think they know a lot already. Bert knows and is very passionate about what he is doing. His slides are rich in content and clear in presentation, with graphs, images, and even photos of him visiting every presidential candidate back in 2016. Weekly Canvas quizzes helped with understanding concepts. Help with papers was ample, and office hours were friendly and relaxing. You can write papers focusing on quoting readings or citing journals and news articles - accommodating for both felt very inclusive.

A must-take for knowing about how American Politics works, even for non-majors and people who think they know a lot already. Bert knows and is very passionate about what he is doing. His slides are rich in content and clear in presentation, with graphs, images, and even photos of him visiting every presidential candidate back in 2016 …Read more

This course was interesting and certainly teaches you a lot about American gov which seems more important to understand now more than ever. Papers are graded pretty tough but fair and your final exam is hard

If you've taken any course with Prof Dickinson, you know it's bound to be a lot of reading. This one was no different and while the amount of reading was immense, he provides discussion questions to help guide your reading and the weekly discussion section. PSCI 0104 discussion was my least favorite hour of my week this semester, as Dickinson is not afraid to cold call, but if you do the reading and take your notes according to the discussion questions you should be fine. He assigns 12 weekly "response papers," all 2-3 pages each, and you choose 4 to submit. Additionally, there's a midterm exam, a final exam, and a 1 "long" (5-7 page) paper. Overall, I enjoyed the class, and Dickinson is a fairer grader than he initially portrays himself to be. However, it is not for you if a) you hate writing, b) you hate court cases, or c) you aren't good with doing upwards of 100 pages of reading for each class. He's an engaging lecturer, and overall a funny guy, it's just a lot of work (especially for an intro class).

If you've taken any course with Prof Dickinson, you know it's bound to be a lot of reading. This one was no different and while the amount of reading was immense, he provides discussion questions to help guide your reading and the weekly discussion section. PSCI 0104 discussion was my least favorite hour of my week this semester, as …Read more

Professor Bert is great. He cares about his student and is a really funny guy. The class is boring at times and challenging at others, but it is a great course overall. You cover everything from political polling to supreme court cases.

I loved this class when I took it and I really liked professor Dickinsons teaching style and went on to take many classes with him. As a professor I think he could be a little divisive, you either like him or not, he will cold call and has a very dry sense of humor. You have to be prepared in discussion and do the readings but he makes it very accessible as he sends out discussion questions. As long as you answer the discussion questions you can do very well in the discussion sections. He grades fairly, honestly on the easier side for this intro course. It is a decent amount of work, lots of readings, response papers, papers and exams. The exams are good but do require a decent amount fo studying and not only remembering content from his lecture but also the readings. Overall I loved this class but its not for everyone.

I loved this class when I took it and I really liked professor Dickinsons teaching style and went on to take many classes with him. As a professor I think he could be a little divisive, you either like him or not, he will cold call and has a very dry sense of humor. You have to be prepared in discussion and do the readings but he mak …Read more

Loved Dickinson. A very steep learning curve in regards to reading. Had an insane amount of paper to read per week. Learn how to skim. He was great at pointing out what he expected up to learn since he would emphasize it during his lectures. Take good notes discussion, they will literally save you. His class is basically identify the different supreme cases and their impact. Just know make sure to know the meaning and significance of every big idea he mentions. great prof, would live to take another class w/him

Loved Dickinson. A very steep learning curve in regards to reading. Had an insane amount of paper to read per week. Learn how to skim. He was great at pointing out what he expected up to learn since he would emphasize it during his lectures. Take good notes discussion, they will literally save you. His class is basically identify the …Read more

Bert is a nice guy but the lectures are extremely boring and uninteresting, almost no one paid attention to them. He also struggles to get through all of the lecture material and will often ramble about subjects without adding any value. The readings aren't bad as long as you break them up over the week and the discussions are easy as long as you read and are willing to participate. The readings and the lectures often had no correlation with each other too which I found odd. Overall it's not a work intensive class and the professor is nice, just extremely boring.

Bert is a nice guy but the lectures are extremely boring and uninteresting, almost no one paid attention to them. He also struggles to get through all of the lecture material and will often ramble about subjects without adding any value. The readings aren't bad as long as you break them up over the week and the discussions are easy a …Read more

bert is awesome. i would take this class just to have him, he has great charisma and really cares about the topic (also knows SO much). it’s overall a very pleasant class environment. for the course itself, definitely a solid baseline for understanding american politics i think this is essential for anyone in polisci or just anyone who wants to know how the govt works.

The course was interesting, and Professor Johnson was clearly very knowledgeable and passionate about the content. The only real homework was the readings and a couple of papers. At times the class could be a little dry.

Bert Johnson is an amazing professor, but the class is inherently dry. It was a great introduction to American politics, but the reading was heavy, and the assignments were frequent. Solid intro class for the Political Science major, but I wouldn't recommend it to those not intending to major.

American politics with Professor Dickinson is extremely difficult but it can be rewarding if you are able to keep up. The class is very fast-paced and it is easy to fall behind. Professor Dickinson relies heavily on readings for the course, with the amount of reading easily reaching a few hundred pages per week, but the readings are always relevant to the current material and bring in a lot of useful information. Professor Dickinson is very knowledgeable on the material and can answer a broad range of questions, his answers tend to be clear and concise. If you ever have questions he is easily accessible either during his designated office hours, or by email (he is not always great about responding, but most of the time he will). Exams tend to be difficult. They cover major topics of the course, but they are entirely essay-based and tend to require an intimate knowledge of the readings, which is why it is important to try to keep up with the readings. If you can, skim the readings, otherwise it will be impossible to keep up.

American politics with Professor Dickinson is extremely difficult but it can be rewarding if you are able to keep up. The class is very fast-paced and it is easy to fall behind. Professor Dickinson relies heavily on readings for the course, with the amount of reading easily reaching a few hundred pages per week, but the readings are …Read more

Bert Johnson is an amazing professor. It's so important to take a class from someone that is passionate about their work and Bert is your guy. Yes, there are a lot of readings, but they are totally doable. Additionally, his lectures are always engaging and his ability to be personable is admired by all of his students!!

Bert is a solid political science professor. He's very well-informed on government in the U.S. and keeps the class updated with current ongoing news. I would recommend this course for anyone interested in taking part in American democracy and I think anybody can learn something from this course. The class is straight forward and he isn't an intense grader and tries to keep the class relaxed.

Bert is a solid political science professor. He's very well-informed on government in the U.S. and keeps the class updated with current ongoing news. I would recommend this course for anyone interested in taking part in American democracy and I think anybody can learn something from this course. The class is straight forward and he i …Read more

I was quite fond of this course and Professor Dickinson. The class does require a lot of reading. However, what you are expected to take from the readings is outlined in discussion questions that are provided at the start of every week. Furthermore, Dickinson is a relatively easy grader.

I took this course because it was required for my major and I wish I picked a different course. There is so much reading for this course it is impacting my other classes. The exam was not as horrible as I expected, but it was still very challenging. You really have to do all the readings to pass this class. The professor will cold call and ask lots of questions on the readings during discussion and the exam had fairly detailed questions aimed at seeing if you completed and understood all of the required reading material. The discussions are helpful to check that you understood what you read, but for me they also made me extremely anxious. Also, the professor does not use Canvas, and instead emails (sometimes grainy/hard to read) PDFs to read in addition to the assigned books. If you love American politics and are willing to read a ton, then take this class, the professor knows a lot and will teach you a lot, but if not, you are much better off choosing a different course.

I took this course because it was required for my major and I wish I picked a different course. There is so much reading for this course it is impacting my other classes. The exam was not as horrible as I expected, but it was still very challenging. You really have to do all the readings to pass this class. The professor will cold ca …Read more

American Politics with Dickinson was a challenging but rewarding course. Prepare to read endlessly if you want to do well on exams, as they are entirely predicated on reading thoroughly and memorizing the arguments of each author. He is also a tough grader but still "fair" if you put in the work.

Professor Bert Johnson is nothing short of a great human, professor, and all around great guy. Although the course itself can be a bit bland, Bert's enthusiasm can be a game changer. He loves what he is teaching and definitely knows he's stuff. He also is very understanding in extensions and can be great source for literally anything politics. His office hours are fun to go to and very informative, you'll get your questions answered and more. In sum, this course by itself is alright but if you're looking for a schedule block to fill or just something relatively enjoyable and light, Intro to American w/ Bert is the way to go.

Professor Bert Johnson is nothing short of a great human, professor, and all around great guy. Although the course itself can be a bit bland, Bert's enthusiasm can be a game changer. He loves what he is teaching and definitely knows he's stuff. He also is very understanding in extensions and can be great source for literally anythin …Read more

Professor Dickinson can seem daunting in the beginning, but he is quite funny (in a weird way) and is very passionate about American politics. He assigns a lot of readings (like minimum 200 pages every week) but they are important to understanding the class. He requires 4 short papers, on top of a long essay paper. I would HIGHLY recommend doing the 4 short papers the first 4 weeks of classes, otherwise you can get overwhelmed by other classes and the copious readings in this class (He will also go easy on you in terms of grading if you get it done earlier). If you are ever confused about something, he is fairly helpful in in office hours, although you really need to put effort in to do well. Discussion sections can be awkward if you don't do the readings/discussion questions for that week so always be prepared to answer anything from any of the readings (which is hard). Also some of the readings are old PDF's from like the 90's that are scanned terribly so you can't ctrl+f and search for terms of highlight which is frustrating. Lectures can be boring, so try and stay awake! I would probably preferred to take this course with Bert Johnson!

Professor Dickinson can seem daunting in the beginning, but he is quite funny (in a weird way) and is very passionate about American politics. He assigns a lot of readings (like minimum 200 pages every week) but they are important to understanding the class. He requires 4 short papers, on top of a long essay paper. I would HIGHLY rec …Read more

Professor Dickinson is highly charismatic, enthusiastic and loves teaching the Intro course for American politics. His weekly luncheons are also very interesting, and his exams are way easier than the discussion papers and long essay.

It is a lot of reading but you need the reading for the discussion papers and exams. Both exams and discussion papers are not incredibly hard definitly do able. I enjoyed Dickinson's dry humor. Don't be intimidated. The class is hard, but doable.

I absolutely loved this class. I always heard my peers talk about classes that really spoke to them and I had never experienced that until I took Intro to American Politics. I looked forward to the reading because, while it was often long, it was also relevant. Writing is not my strong suit so I found the essays to be somewhat challenging but despite that I never did poorly. It was important to participate in the discussions, sometimes he would cold call on people. Also if you study and pay attention the exam are not hard. High recommend if you are interested in politics, history, and law.

I absolutely loved this class. I always heard my peers talk about classes that really spoke to them and I had never experienced that until I took Intro to American Politics. I looked forward to the reading because, while it was often long, it was also relevant. Writing is not my strong suit so I found the essays to be somewhat challe …Read more

Bert is enthusiastic and his passion comes through in lecture. If you have any interest in American politics then you will find the class interesting. Often times the reading can be overwhelming, especially if you don't time manage well.

I really liked the professor, if you have questions go to office hours and he clears them up. However, the course was pretty boring and not a lot of time was spent in-depth on the topics. A lot of reading.

The classes are always very interesting and Professor Johnson is extremely knowledgable in the topic. The readings can be a lot at times, but if you manage your time well that will not be a problem. The papers can be difficult.

Dickinson is a total character — he’s passionate about American politics, the presidency, and, above all, free speech. Lively class discussion, but make sure to do the readings in preparation for his seminars, as he has no problem with cold-calling.

Bert is a nice professor who is evidently passionate about the field of Political Science. There are only 2 major papers and grading is pretty okay. B is the standard for a 'good' paper but he leaves extensive feedback for improvement on the next paper. Readings are essentially only needed for discussion (Fridays) and as long as you space them out throughout the week you'll be fine.

Bert is a nice professor who is evidently passionate about the field of Political Science. There are only 2 major papers and grading is pretty okay. B is the standard for a 'good' paper but he leaves extensive feedback for improvement on the next paper. Readings are essentially only needed for discussion (Fridays) and as long as you …Read more

As my first poly sci course I was excited to take Berts class. While he was super enthusiastic and clear during his lectures, I found the material very broad and sometimes boring. You cover a lot of information but Bert organizes the class so it is easy to understand what part of American politics you are talking about. The two long papers and graded fairly and his comments are very helpful. Overall a good beginner level poly sci class.

As my first poly sci course I was excited to take Berts class. While he was super enthusiastic and clear during his lectures, I found the material very broad and sometimes boring. You cover a lot of information but Bert organizes the class so it is easy to understand what part of American politics you are talking about. The two long …Read more

Professor Dickinson's lectures are very interesting but fast paced. He goes very quickly but will also stop for questions. If you want to do well in the course, be sure to do the readings. There are a lot of them but are essential for understanding lectures and for being able to participate in discussion sections. Really good class to take if interested in American politics but only if you don't have a large background in it already.

Professor Dickinson's lectures are very interesting but fast paced. He goes very quickly but will also stop for questions. If you want to do well in the course, be sure to do the readings. There are a lot of them but are essential for understanding lectures and for being able to participate in discussion sections. Really good class t …Read more