AI Rate Professor

Political Science

Joel Powell

PSCI130 · PSCIG150 · PSCI180 · PSCIG181 · POLYSCI180 · PSCI181 · G180 · PSC180 · 72 lifetime ratings

AI rating
91/100
RMP rating
4.4/5
Take again
82.19%
Difficulty
2.9

The decision

if you want an engaging political science class and and some communication delays.

Best fit · Effort For RewardEngaging political discussionsStrong lecture presenceLots of extra creditSlow grading and repliesTests can be tricky
  • Students repeatedly praise Powell for engaging, balanced, and lively political science teaching.
  • and manageable assignments often make strong .
  • The main recurring complaints , and occasional unclear instructions.

Key questions

Four answers before you build your schedule.

Is this an easy A?

FairEffort

74/100

Good grades are common because of and manageable work, but , and writing can require real effort.

Online reviews emphasize and reasonable workload with some hard tests, while and difficult exam complaints.

Is the course easy?

Standard

58/100

The material is accessible through engaging lectures, but , and writing keep it from being truly easy.

Online courses rely more on videos, readings, and discussions, while and lecture energy.

Is attendance flexible?

Varies

65/100

Attendance and participation seem valuable, but reviews do not show a .

, while online evidence centers on asynchronous work and Zoom office hours.

Is this professor recommended?

MustTake

88/100

Most students recommend him for engaging, balanced teaching, despite repeated frustration with and communication.

, but online students mention communication and .

Course guide

See how this professor fits your week.

Grading

Lenient

72/100

, and , but some students still call him tough or harsh.

Format shift

Online reviews show can offset hard tests, while harsh grader complaints.

Workload

Moderate

60/100

Work is usually manageable, but , and accelerated sessions can feel heavy.

Format shift

Online reviews mention weekly written assignments and reasonable hours, while , and discussion work.

Teaching experience

Excellent

88/100

Students describe him as engaging, funny, balanced, knowledgeable, and able to make politics interesting.

Format shift

, while online teaching is strengthened by videos and supplemental content.

Assessment method

Balanced

60/100

Assessment , and rather than relying on one method.

Format shift

Online sections emphasize discussions, videos, written assignments, and quizzes, while and .

Luni fit check

Weigh these signals against your actual schedule.

Get help balancing workload, grading, and timing when no option is an obvious fit.

Course format

Compare the in-person and online experience.

Classroom format

In person

28 reviews

High confidence · Best fit for Hardcore Learner

In-person students strongly value his lectures, open discussions, neutrality, humor, and , though .

Main concern

Tests, readings, and delayed communication can frustrate students who need tight structure.

What students said

“The lectures were amazing, I sometimes didn't even care about the work, I just wanted to come to lecture”
PSCI181
“the as someone who got an A grade.”
POLYSCI180
“ ”
PSCI181

Remote format

Online

22 reviews

High confidence · Best fit for Effort For Reward

Online reviews are mostly positive about videos, discussions, and , but several students complain , and weak communication.

Main concern

Slow grading and .

What students said

“Professor Powell has wonderful EC videos that he films that really supplement the material!”
PSCI181
“Assignments from 8 weeks ago are not graded yet.”
PSCIG150
“Only nitpick is the use of the lockdown browser which feels like an invasion of privacy in my opinion.”
PSCI181

Exam style

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

Exam friendliness varies because some reviews mention open-note online exams, while .

Open Note TestsOnline ExamsLockdown Browser MentionedDifficult TestsExtra Credit Offsets Exams

Assessment risk

Varies

68/100

Low score means less forgiving assessment conditions.

In person

some sections, but other students still call exams hard or tricky.

Open Note TestsOnline ExamsNon-Cumulative FinalDifficult Exams
“ and quizzes, and the .”
PSCIG181
“The ”
PSCI181
“the as someone who got an A grade.”
POLYSCI180

Online

, and one explicit Lockdown Browser complaint, but do not clearly prove webcam or .

Lockdown Browser MentionedDifficult TestsFair Quizzes
“Only nitpick is the use of the lockdown browser which feels like an invasion of privacy in my opinion.”
PSCI181
“The tests were extremely difficult however the even if you fail you can still get a good grade if you do all the homework.”
PSCI181
“Tests and ”
PSCI181

Student evidence

See what students actually said.

Top student voice

“One of the . Regardless of your political preference, he genuinely just wants his students to LEARN!”

Voice snapshots generated from 50 reviews, highlighting key themes in , and communication. Credibility rating: High.

🎯 Teaching Quality

88/100

“He made learning enjoyable and had a great sense of humor.”

👍 Recommendation Rate

88/100

“If you have the .”

⚠️ Communication Risk

45/100

“He grades slow and you won't ”

Theme 1

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

  • Doesn't force any political beliefs, but gives you space to make up your own mind.
  • He challenges you to think outside your own bubble.
  • He stays central when talking politically, and ask the students on their thoughts as well.

Theme 2

📈 About Difficulty & Grades

  • Lots of easy . Fairly easy A
  • and ask him questions.
  • You need to read and listen to his heavy lectures to do well in the exams.

Theme 3

⚠️ About Communication

  • while to grade stuff, so that's real.
  • Emails were a STRUGGLE!

Data context

See exactly what the AI read.

Analysis sample

50

Recent reviews read by the AI

72

Lifetime ratings

94/100

Evidence confidence

The 50 analyzed reviews are recent, detailed, format-balanced, and consistently identify both strengths and recurring weaknesses.

Inside 50 stored ratings

Quality ratings

5 out of 552
4 out of 510
3 out of 53
2 out of 54
1 out of 54

Course coverage

PSCI18131 reviews
PSCIG1505 reviews
PSC1804 reviews
POLYSCI1803 reviews
PSCI1302 reviews
Show 3 more courses
PSCI1802 reviews
PSCIG1812 reviews
G1801 review

Reported outcomes

A range results lead the reported letter grades.

47 reported outcomes

A range

31

A+ 2 · A 27 · A- 2

B range

7

B+ 4 · B 3

C range

0

No reported values

D range

0

No reported values

F

0

No reported values

No letter grade reported

9

Drop/Withdrawal 2 · Not sure yet 5 · Rather not say 2