3.3
Quality4.2
Difficulty47%
Would Retake103
Reviews47%
Would Retake
103
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
39
4
18
3
10
2
13
1
23
What Students Say
“Excellent at presenting many diverse opinions and theories”
PS121 - 5.0 rating“He is a very passionate, friendly, approachable, and optimistic professor”
127 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
48%
Textbook Required
12%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.71 avg changeRatings by Course
106CR
5.0
(1)PS142
4.6
(5)57885
4.0
(1)127
3.9
(9)PS126
3.7
(14)Difficulty by Course
PS121126127
5.0
PS121
4.4
PS127
4.4
POLS121
4.1
127
4.0
Reviews (103)
Brent is my favorite polisci professor! He is very prepared, gives GREAT lectures, and is very friendly and accessible. I've never given a review of a professor before but I enjoyed his class so much that I think every political science student should take one of his classes before graduating
He is super passionate about what he's teaching and he makes lectures fun and interesting. You can clearly see he really wants students to understand the material. His grade breakdown is very straightforward: 20% midterm, 20% section, 30% final, 30% paper- he just assigns a LOT of reading; but I'd highly recommend taking a class with him!
Strathman is by far one of my favorite polisci professors at UCSB thus far. His lectures are engaging and the material provided is very interesting. He understands students and is very approachable. Class is overall very easy if you attend lecture and go over the basics within the the slides. Loved his class!
Extremely difficult class. His lectures are prrtty unorganized. Doesn't give study guides for the midterm or final. On both the midterm and final you have to quote readings and authors so make sure when you're taking notes you memorize who wrote what.
Nice guy, smart guy, very professional. However, his lectures are agonizing. His syntax is not conducive for learning- he overdramatizes his movements and voice fluctuations, speaks too quickly and excitedly, and seems more concerned with his dramatic delivery than effectively reaching students. Not a bad person, just should alter his lecturing.
A lot of reading but his lectures are straightforward, passionate, and engaging.
He is a very passionate, friendly, approachable, and optimistic professor. He puts all the slides online and the lectures are organized and easy to understand.
Strathman has been one of my favorite Political Science professors at UCSB. It takes a couple of classes to get used to his style of lecturing, but once you are, lectures fly by. He assigns a lot of reading, but if you're remotely interested in the class then it won't be bad. Also go to office hours - he'll sit there and help you for a while.
Take this professor when you can, I have taken both 126 and 127 with him. He might assign a ton of reading, but its definitely doable and meeting with him clarifies so much. He doesn't mind if you take notes in office hours, and is quite happy to just talk about political events or what you want to do following college.
He is a very enthusiastic lecturer and one of the best PS professors I've had. He post slides online and they are easy to understand. He doesn't make you buy a textbook so all the readings are online. Half of your section grade is playing a fun simulation and his papers are short op-eds. You do have to do the readings to do well though.
Strathman's class is really reading intensive and challenging. It's definitely not the hardest class in the world, but if you don't read the readings he posts online (I wouldn't get the lafeber and cohen books) you'll probably get a C or maybe a B. Midterm and final are all on really fair topics, but you have to be thorough in your explanations.
Strathman is my favorite professor in the department. I genuinely enjoy his lecturing style and the slides/concepts are straightforward. There is a lot of reading but knowing the gist of it is enough for exams. Not super easy, but I learned a lot and he made it fun. Excellent at presenting many diverse opinions and theories. Highly recommended
Amazing professor. Gives great lectures and is so approachable outside of class.
YOU ***MUST DO THE READINGS*** Tests require you tie the readings directly into the answers. Prof is helpful and tries to make the lecture as interesting as possible for everyone.
Best professor I've had at UCSB! His lectures are fast-paced but are extremely interesting and will give you lots to think about afterwards. This class is amazing because he has you making your own foreign policy strategies for a grade rather than just regurgitating information on tests. You'll learn a lot, but it's difficult to get an A!
Amazing lecturer! Speaks somewhat fast at times, but you can ask him to slow down. His lectures are never dull despite the subject. He's a very outgoing professor and extremely knowledgeable. However, there is a ton of reading involved which is the worst.
Strathman is easily the best professor in the department. Do the readings and go to lecture. His classes can be difficult, even the brightest don't get As. But that's fine - enter lectures with an open mind and think for yourself. Usually a couple small essays and mid term plus final. Go to his office hours and just talk, best advice I can give.
Literal love of my life. Lectures are so interesting & he's so passionate about the material. I am genuinely excited to go to class bc I know I'm gonna learn a lot from the lecture. Lots of reading & it sometimes gets boring or confusing, but then you go to lecture & it all makes sense. Exams aren't too bad as long as you do the readings. Love him.
Strathman is the old-school breed of professor, you didn't read, you didn't take notes, then here is your well-deserved F. But he isn't a stick in the mud, the material and lectures are interesting and engaging, and if you put in your dues, you'll do good. Also, he curves now, so don't get discouraged if you get a grade lower than you expected.
super well respected, very reading heavy but you'll learn more in a 10 week Strathman class that you'll learn in a year with anyone else. do not take if you're wanting a light quarter. also everyone falls in love with him by finals week
Best professor Ive had at UCSB. Classes are very challenging but he is so knowledgable and effectively educates students. After each class I leave genuinely thinking about the lecture material because its so interesting. The classes effectively incorporate history and opposing views too, making it unbiased and enjoyable to learn. Highly recommend!
Strathman is by far the best professor I have ever had at UCSB. Take any and every class with him that you can. The political science department is lucky to have him!
He's such a nice guy. He's really passionate about the subject and always willing to talk to students. The biggest complaint is the amount of reading he assigns which is required to pass his test (especially the 2nd half). Its inhumane for someone taking only 1 class let alone 3 or 4. But at the end, you will feel like a foreign policy expert.
Professor Strathman is one of those teachers that makes you want to do well in his class. His lectures are engaging and he is extremely passionate about IR. His grading is fair and if you do the readings and attend lecture this class is very passable. Though it is not an easy A, I found his lecture actually insightful and useful towards my major.
Professor Strathman is a really great lecturer, but he talks REALLY fast y'all. He assigns a ton of reading, so be prepared. Although, he does cover some of the main points in lecture. Attendance is VERY important. Grading really depends on your TA, as usual, so be prepared. Participation, Midterm, Final, and 2 Op Eds make up the grade.
Strathman is my guy! One of the best Political Science professors I have taken at UCSB. He is passionate about the material and is very knowledgeable. He does assign a crazy amount of reading though. Make sure to stay on top of it and to study well in advance for the midterm and final. Not an easy course by any means but you will learn a lot!
Strathman is an incredible professor! His course was structured so that there were just readings until week 8 then a simulation and essay for the final. Always do the reading - exams are author focused. Pay attention in lecture. At first his structure seems confusing but once you get it down it flows really well! Always avaliable to help!
Strathman is a really nice guy both friendly and approachable. But the amount of reading given is ridiculous. I took two of his classes in one semester and I almost died lol. You MUST read to pass. You have to memorize the authors and article titles for exams except for PS 126 no test only strategy briefs which are short but very difficult.
Very passionate professor and has amazing engaging lectures. He assigns more readings than any professor I've had before which he really cares about for the tests. He incorporates all the readings into the tests and really cares if you know the authors name, article name, subject. His tests are hard and if you do not study a lot you will not pass.
A great lecturer, but each lecture is stuffed with info. Randomly checks attendance. He is approachable and encourages questions. His tests are notoriously difficult, but if you do the readings and study extensively beforehand you should be fine. Sometimes curves grades based on your ability to improve throughout the course. Take him if you love IR
Theres a midterm, paper, and final test. I went to every single lecture, took notes, and read and still managed to fail the midterm, the class average was a 67% (says more about him than me). Test preparation is extremely unclear, what he said to study was not on the test (no study guide either), TA's didn't know what was on the test either.
Prof Strathman is very knowledgeable on Foreign Policy but makes his classes impossible to pass. You'll have about 100-200 pages of dense reading per week, lectures that are hard to follow, and no study guide for any of the tests. He looks for specific answers to his tests that he doesn't explicitly voice, and the TA's never know what's going on
Strathman is very passionate in IR, and it shows. His lectures are very interesting. But he falls short in the grading department. For the midterm and final he expected you to know all the readings and be able to readily cite them in order to get credit, but he did not make that known to us before the midterm.
HOLY COW! He assigns the most reading than any prof ever at UCSB! There was around 300 pages a week of dense academic journals. I guess if you want to spend countless hours every week reading this would be the class for you. Very cool guy and interesting lectures but if you don't read you won't pass.
They are other POLS professors at UCSB, and I would not recommend taking classes taught by professor Strathman.
I've had classes with most professors in the poli sci department and Strathman is by far the worst. He uploaded VERY short lectures that weren't much help so I basically had to teach myself the course material. We also had to complete many quizzes every week which kinda sucked. He's also a very tough grader who didn't give any helpful feedback.
He needs to stop having so many quizzes it is so annoying theres like 10 quizzes every single week based on every single reading and lecture. It is really hard to get a good grade in this class because he grades really harshly on essays, and the only way to boost up your grade is quizzes.. which are also impossible.
Strathman assigns wayyy too many readings and quizzes. Expect to sit through 100-200 pages and 6-8 quizzes per week. The readings are dense, dry, and difficult to get trudge through and remember. He then expects you to perfectly cite them on essay questions in exams. He also grades quizzes unfairly and grades op-ed assignments too harshly.
Strathman gives 100+ pgs to read, but only 30 min worth of lecture, (both per/wk), that don't fully address readings. We were graded harshly, expected to cite most scholars/authors on tests (not open note), and quizzes ( 6 per/wk) had trick/vague questions. Class structure doesn't represent work put in nor one's mastering of material.
This professor grades super super harshly. Take this class if you are willing to actively do every reading and watch every lecture.
TONS of reading that are not covered by lecture or section, so you're on your own. sections consist of "games" to teach you concepts like prisoners dilemma/IR concepts, so u don't rly go over readings/material at all. grade is made up of 3 strategy brief papers, participation in section, and a final exam. lot of work for not much reward
I recommend avoiding taking his class if possible. There is a lot of reading and midterm and final are based on the reading with no study guide on what exactly from the reading should be focused on. Also there is a strict answer key to the short answer and essay questions and you are timed while doing it.
If you like IR and are actually willing to put in the work, then Strathman's classes are the best PS classes you could take at UCSB. His tests are very difficult and heavily focused on lectures, so make sure to know them like the back of your hand. Would definitely recommend going to office hours as well, he's a really cool guy
Kind of wants you to read his mind. Lectures are interesting but only a quarter of the actual work is required to do well. He grades based on whether he thinks you have improved, and tests are insanely difficult.
Will spend a whole lecture defining/ talking about how to use a concept to fix a problem, only to say in the last minute that this strategy is stupid and doesnt work. Then give you a final asking the right way to fix the problem when the only way you have learned about how to approach it is wrong. Never replied to my emails a/b mental health :))
Despite the number of readings assigned by Professor Strathman, hes an awesome professor. I have taken 4 classes with him, and he never fails to make me feel passionate about my field of study. He is TOUGH but in a good challenging way. If you do poorly on an exam hes usually willing to help you out if you have improved over the quarter. Great guy!
Best IR prof at UCSB. Took 121 126 & 127 in person. His lectures are dense but v thorough and give you a comprehensive undergrad level understanding of IR. For exams+papers, be prepared to cite authors & reference key concepts that he mentions in lecture without notes. Grades based on critical thinking+applying concepts, not just effort. Great guy
Not good! Not good at all! Good luck if you enroll in any of his classes like I did.
He really is an amazing professor. I actually learned so much from his class. The work is hard but doable, go see him or your TA's they help so much! It also helps to work with a group on the readings so that you are able to get the most through notes.
Quite possibly the worst prof in the Polisci department at UCSB, the average on the midterm was 67. Also very arrogant towards students. He expects memorization of least25 authors on each test and more than that for the final, he also is looking for very specific authors and doesn't give a study guide,final grade not reflective of what you learned.
The class is set up so that students fail, he expects over 120 pages of reading a week and expects you to be able to remember most of it for the midterm which comes 6 weeks in, he also will have you memorize every author and expects you to connect them to your answers while taking his tests which are already daunting, AVOID AT ALL COSTS.
Good luck with the vague questions and onslaught of reading unlike any professor in the UCSB polisci department that you've taken before. There are other professors in the Polisci department, do yourself a favor and avoid this guy.
One of the worst polisci professors that I have ever taken, avoid this guy at all costs. On his tests he expects very specific writers to be introduced, and even if you get the concept on the test correct and introduce a reading that relates to that concept you will still loose point because you didn't introduce the reading he arbitrarily chose.
Reading is everything in this class--if you don't do the readings you will not pass. He expects a lot from the midterm and final on top of 2 papers. Although he is tough, he is very clear about what he is looking for on the exams. He recommended splitting readings with a group. You can succeed if you just read and take good notes.
The professor gives you no guidance in terms of preparing you for the final as well as the midterm, the questions are incredibly vague and they focus one topics that are barely covered in lecture or reading. Only one or two students got an A on the midterm and final, the class average for both was around a 58, one of the worst teachers at ucsb!!
We started with 180 people in a class in an impacted department, we have ended with maybe 150, probably everybody who's a non major has gone with the pass no pass option. The quality of this class is horrendous, and Strathman simply doesn't know how to teach. Assigns the most reading of any prof ive ever taken, and expects you to cite it verbatim.
The hardest that I have ever worked to get a c in a class. The tests he gives question you about things that he barely went over in lecture and that werent really even mentioned in the readings. He is also extremely arrogant and views his students as inferior, constantly insulting their intelligence. Avoid the wrath of strath!!
Legitimately the worst professor I have ever taken in my entire academic career, lectures are super dense, 100-200 pages of readings a week, expected to memorize every single author and concept they suggest, docked on exams for unknown reasons... Stay away
Awful class NEVER TAKE IT AGAIN. I took it in person for fall 2021 and I regret every moment. Completely unrealistic expectations and a stupid amount of work for a Political Science class.
He has enthusiasm for the material he teaches, I'll give him that, but he never responded to any of my emails and didn't curve the midterm, the average for which was like 50%, which resulted in me getting a C since I did ok on all the others.
This was definitely the hardest class I've taken BUT I found it pretty interesting. Strathman was a really good lecturer and I enjoyed going to his class but there were 4-8 hours of readings every weak and he graded the 2 Op-Eds, midterm, and final so hard like he wanted you to fail. If you do all readings and go to class you'll be fine
The worst poli-sci professor that UCSB has to offer, doesn't offer any real insight about international relations, and focuses heavily on mundane regurgitation of author names and articles as opposed to actual analysis of the material were supposed to learning, it seems like he revels in having his class average for tests be below passing. AVOID.
Strathman gets flack bcuz people aren’t ready to dig in and rly learn the material. His lectures are really engaging and focuses hard on authors bcuz it forces you to learn the theories, you won’t get away with surface level effort. 142 is the best class I’ve taken so far, it was a difficult but worked hard and earned my grade & you can too
Strathman isn’t as bad as everyone says. I took 126 in person and got an A- without drowning in work. As long as you get the main point from each reading you’re good. You have to do three strategy briefs which are short but challenging. No midterm, take home final (but it was two ten page essays) but straight forward prompts.
If you go to lectures and sections you can get a B in this class without having to do much outside work. A lot of people say the reading is too much but as long as you get the main point you’ll be fine. Midterm was in person short answer and you did have to memorize author’s names and arguments but it wasn’t that bad. Final was online
Very funny guy, good lecturer but get ready to read, he is also a tough grader but his class was so interesting. If you want an easy A don't take the class. Overall I think he was a good teacher, good sense of humor and willing to help but doesn't really reply to emails.
EXTREMELY unrealistic grading expectations. For exams, rather than test on core concepts, hyper focuses on the most minuscule details briefly mentioned in class, either terms or exact quotes, and asks that you cite sources practically verbatim in in-person written exams. Average grades on exams are failing. Setting students up for failure!!!
Challenging, but memorable. If you decide to put in the work and memorize the concepts and authors from the readings, your grade will reflect that. He's got loads of charisma and his lectures are awesome, but fast-paced. Also definitely hit TA and prof. office hours for essay tips, it will help a lot.
Most stressful class I've ever taken. RUN AWAY FOR REAL.
Probably the hardest class I have ever taken at UCSB, but I'm glad I took it. The class/professor were super fascinating. You will 100% become an expert in foreign policy after this class. Honestly, if you're up for the challenge, take your time on the readings, attend lecture and office hours, I don't see how you could get less than a B overall.
The good things I can say about this professor/course is that the quizzes are very straight forward. However the quizzes draw from an unreasonable amount of readings and the readings are often pictures of text which is annoying because you can't CNTL-F the text. Also had a difficult time receiving help when the class site was not functioning.
Took the class online and in person they are equally as hard but would recommend online. A lot of reading be prepared.
Strathman provides great lectures, however there is a lot of provided readings that are connected to the quizzes, midterm, and final (all closed notes/book). Memorization of the authors and their theories is helpful for the final. There are also 2 op-eds that are harshly graded. C's get degrees so just do your best. Take quizzes seriously!
Very engaging lecturer and I learned a lot but was also one of the most miserable classes ever. Unrealistic grading expectations (I lost many points on tests not because I answered wrong but bc he was looking for a specific, different answer). Never responded to emails. Seemed to pride himself on the fact that a good portion of his students fail.
Took online in summer, every week we had about 6 lectures and quizzes. It was a lot of work. Prerecorded lectures were good honestly, thanks to online, if I took it in person, I will fail it. It was very hard. The quizzes were tricky, and the exams were timely and very difficult. I had many diff understanding than the prof based on his lectures.
I took 121,126, and 127 last year and got a B+, A-, and A. You gotta go to most lectures if u want to do well. They are fast paced and interesting. He assigns a lot of readings, but read the conclusion and pay attention in section. I never read an entire reading and survived just fine. Memorize the main points of each author for in person exams.
Strathman offers dynamic lectures that make it easy to pay attention. Yes, it is a difficult, intense class. If you do all the readings and take good lecture notes, you will be fine. Grading is tough, but he is very clear on what he wants from his students.
Strathman...where do I even begin? I have taken 3 courses with this guy and have come to these conclusions: 1) He is a great lecturer, 2) He grades very harshly and 3) He is not lenient towards people who need special accommodations, so don't get sick and expect any help from him. Funny, engaging, intelligent guy. But not caring or lax at all.
Engaging lectures and readings. The readings might be a bit long, but if you like the subject, then the readings are interesting. Also, If you are even a bit confused, go to office hours!
Professor Strathman is FANTASTIC! His lectures are super engaging and you'll leave his class having learned a lot. BUT, make sure you're ready to put in some effort, show up to class, and do the readings to get a good grade.
Great lecturer! He is very fast-paced and does assign a lot of reading but if you put effort you'll be fine.
I love Brent Strathman. His class was so hard but it was hard for good reason. All of his readings and assignments have meaning. He is an amazing lecturer and is extremely engaging. His tests are hard but if you do the readings you'll be okay. As long as you do all the readings in this class you'll get at least a B. Take a class with Strathman!!!!
Strathman is my favorite pols professor I've had so far. You need to go to class to take notes because he wants you to regurgitate what he says, which isn't really on the slides. Definitely split the readings with a friend. I'm in another class with him now and it's 100% possible to get an A if you put a ton of time and effort in.
Although his lecture style is engaging, I found that his material lacked nuance. For example, he taught the idea of "American Exceptionalism" (that the US has always fought for fair power balancing internationally), with no mention of settler colonial history. Political science needs more perspectives "from below", which he did not present.
I don't even know where to begin. Strathman should be teaching grad school or be a teacher in movies. He is a phenomenal lecturer, and I have learned more in his class than in any class at this school combined, but the number of readings and how quickly he covers topics make his classes sadistic.
Beware of the wrath of Strath before taking this class. Professor Stratham excels at delivering engaging and informative lectures, providing a wealth of knowledge in. However, be prepared for strict grading, extensive reading, and a fast-paced course covering numerous concepts. It's a challenging but rewarding class that demands a lot from you.
tbh I wish he had more things within the class to be graded on cause I got messed up by the 2 exams... TBF I didn't do any of the readings lol (I learned my lesson) and thought I could get away with my skim and organize method. but also didn't really try. his lectures are good tho. the tests are pretty hard lots of connecting and things and whatnot
I have taken 4 classes with Dr. Strathman. His classes don't offer much room for error due to their balance. Exams are graded on knowledge of minute details taken from any reading or section of the notes. In order to do well on a final you must bring in every reading applicable, and the omission of one results in a poor grade. Take at your own risk
Prof. Strathman was the highlight of my UCSB PoliSci career. He's not the easiest professor, but he is a fantastic teacher. I've taken a number of his classes and would recommend anyone taking PoliSci who is looking to learn the subject to take Prof. Strathman for their IR focus. It won't be an easy road, but the lessons taught will stay with you.
Strathman's penchant for condescension and rote memorization ruined what would've been a fascinating class. In office hours, said my criticism of the idea that colonized people 'benefitted' from colonization was bc my race was colonized and I "probably have a lot of friends in soc".His class teaches us to memorize his views, not think for ourselves
Worst professor I've experienced at UCSB and the only bad grade I've received. His 60 slide lectures lack significant detail, often using a single word for an obscure event, a good prof will create 20 detailed slides. All exams are handwritten blue book. The worst part is he genuinely seems like he wants students to fail. Did not earn my respect.
Wow. get ready to read, get ready to memorize every reading for the final. No study guides/reviews are given, simply memorization. He is a great guy and everyone seems to like him, I just tend to not love his grading and teaching style. Having a good TA will help you a lot. Ahh lots of work but rewarding for sure.
Good prof, but his lectures are way too theoretical and “academia” focused. Wish there was more real world application and discussion of current events. Cares too much about memorizing names of academia researchers. Ton of reading and most of it isn't well written or engaging, coming from a guy who loves IR. TAs were terrible this quarter.
I love love LOVE Prof Strathman. He is honestly is one of the best professors. He is super engaging + definitely loves what he teaches (you will too)! I would recommend him 11/10 times + I cannot wait to take another course with him. I def recommend always going to lectures, he gives great insights for the strategy briefs.
Easily one of the best professors I've had at UCSB, if not the best. His lectures are engaging and his material is genuinely interesting. These criticisms of him seem misplaced, likely coming from these soft students who expect an A+ just for showing up. Grow up. Put in the effort and you'll do well - not rocket science.
Strathman is a great teacher with great lectures. The midterm/final is primarily based on the lectures but needs reading references. While there is a lot of readings, you can just get a general summary and a connection to a key concept. The paper topics offered are very vague but allow a lot of freedom in choosing your topic. YOU NEED THE LECTURES
for the love of god do not get behind on your readings. they are the key to being able to follow the extremely fast paced and packed lectures, and you will need them in order to complete the exams. clearly intelligent and amazing teacher, but you need to be on top of it!!
actually so confusing
Very hard professor, but he is my favorite at UCSB. I generally learned so much from him and this class, but this class is incredibly hard. I would expect around 8 hours of reading per week, and you literally need to study every single thing he's ever said in his lecture and every author and its content for the midterm and final.
As of writing this I am looking at 724 pages of readings for the 2nd half of the quarter. The final is cumulative. I have 100 on the midterm but that's not stopping me from failing lol About half (17… ish readings) are “recommended”, but our TA told us that these r NOT recommended but necessary for a good grade on the exam. This is inhumane
The amount of reading assigned is comparable to what you'd normally see across multiple classes in an entire year. Most POLS majors I've talked to intentionally avoid this professor, and now I understand why, but with UCSB's limited course options some of us end up stuck. If you care about your GPA or your sanity, take literally anyone else.
The criticisms are fair. There is an absurd amount of readings to do in the class, and the grading structure is disheartening. However, let's not act like the class isn't interesting. Study for exams, get the overall gist of the weekly readings, and take lengthly, but quality notes. He's very lenient with the exams. Just give complete answers.
I prayed to get struck by 50 bikes omw to his class.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
48%
Textbook Required
12%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.71 avg changeRatings by Course
106CR
5.0
(1)PS142
4.6
(5)57885
4.0
(1)127
3.9
(9)PS126
3.7
(14)Difficulty by Course
PS121126127
5.0
PS121
4.4
PS127
4.4
POLS121
4.1
127
4.0