Unbelievably excellent professor; great info, great presentation; friendly

superb professor, who expects a lot of out his students, but gives an amazing amount in return. Knowledgeable, available to students, and had experience on Capitol Hill. In the top three professors I've had in college.

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Good Instructor

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One of the best teachers I've had at Santa Cruz. I decided my major on account of the class I took with him, and look forward to studying with him in the future.

It's hard to find a better lecturer in American politics, especially since he's done it all.

Dan Wirls is a credit to the politics department at UCSC. His classes are consistently engaging and insightful. Though he doesn't hide his personal views, he doesn't let them affect his teaching. Definitely one of the top tenured politics profs at UCSC.

Wirls is a pleasure. Wonderful lectures and a genuine professor. Honestly one of the last few great UCSC Politics professors. If you havn't taken him.... DO IT! NOW!

Professor Wirls Is an amazing politics teacher. He inspired me to take the political direction in my education and life and its because he's such a vibrant and awesome lecturer, mentor

Dan is a great professor and super intelligent. I thought about staying in the Politics department b/c of him but the rest of the dept. mostly sucks. P.S. He's cute :)

one of the smartest people i've ever encountered in my life. amazingly sexy, too.

Dan's a great professor and extremely knowledgebale in his field. he's also in charge of the UCDC program. do it!

"Power and Principle" + 8am + crazy hippie liberal teacher= not a happy student. asshold grader and attendance freak but when i went to his office hours he was way chill. so i would only reccomend him outside class. PS if u have a TA pablo i feel so bad for you he sucks

Speaking as a Biology major, I think he is one of the best professors I have ever had. Awesome lecturer and very knowledgeable. A's are not handed out readily, but if you attend lectures (and stay awake) you can easily pass. SUPER AWESOME GUY!

Good guy. His lectures are good and he can explain things really well. The test (mid-term) can be a bit challenging and so can the papers. GO to lecture it helps so much!

Wirls is an awesome professor. He is extremely knowledgeable in his field. This is one of the best classes that I have taken in my three years at UCSC. But his class is challenging. His exams and papers are pretty hard. I learned so much in this class.

Engaging lecturer & extremely knowledgable. Class never felt like a burden, and as long as you attended, there was little room for confusion. Even the not-so-interesting topics sparked interest. Great guy, Great professor.

This dude is way overrated. Please, he's not all that. He told students not to show up if they're going to be late, very intimidating. So I didn't go to class for a very long time. By the way, Pablo is a great TA. A lot of macho, military technical stuff, like how many warheads on a missle...

Great guy, I got the opportunity not only to have him in lecture but also as an independent study sponsor. He has his political opinions but doensn't let them get in the way of teaching a great class.

He's fantastic! One of the best teachers at UCSC.

Ahh Wirls, the Dept's fav. We all love him and it's for a reason. He's always there for us the students, whether struggling or exelling. Doesn't tend to play favorites and doesn't put you to sleep which is always good.

Wirls is a GOD in the politics department! I actually look forward to going to his lectures and although he seems a little arrogant, he is very friendly and helpful in person. However, his tests are very hard and there is not enough time to successfully finish them. But don't let this deter you, it is definitely worth the academic experience!

Great class

This class is challenging if you don't go to lectures. The midterm is tough, but plan ahead and study. Keeps the lectures interesting.

No one has ever made the mistake of calling this class easy, but it is definitely worth it. What Wirls lacks in modesty he makes up for in a very deep understanding of what drives our political institution - something which he's happy to explain to those who attend lecture and do the reading.

Wirls was a very entertaining lecturer. The subject matter is relevant and thought provoking. He's a really tough grader, so try to get a T.A. section. Also, i certainly don't apreciate being told not to show up at all if i'm going to be late. I'm an adult and i pay for my own tuition so i can show up whenever the hell i want.

BEST professor at UCSC! In POLI 1, he was a little distant with the students, but the upper divisions are amazing! Very stimulating lecturer- I didn't miss a single one of his classes (and I had him three times!).He makes you WANT to learn and doesn't impose his political views on his students. He teaches hard courses, but it's definitely worth it!

one of the most interesting intro courses ive taken. i went to class just to hear wirls lecture. he knows what he is talking about, and he does a good job of presenting theory objectively. fair amount of reading, two essays, a short midterm and final. no sweat.

I feel like I could not say enough good things about this professor. He really is one of the best. Any one who does not like him is just not ready for college level courses.

very interesting class. as long as you take detailed notes during the lectures as well as do ALL of the readings you will be fine. two 5 page papers on readings, midterm, and final. all of which were very easy and straight forward. great teacher, very approachable.

Dan Wirls is a perfectly delightful man. I would consider him to be a strong ally and effective advisor of the frustrated and obsessed politico.

Hard teacher but you will learn a lot. His lectures are pretty crystal clear and he is good at explaining the ideas. You will READ like no other! There is so much reading in this class! The essay is also fairly difficult and my problem when I took it was I had anemia. I still admire and respect him.

Wirls is hands down the best professor I've had so far at UCSC. The material is crystal clear but if you somehow didn't get it he's very approachable and takes questions during lecture. The lectures are great - he knows how to make it interesting and entertaining - TONS of reading but its not all that bad if you actually like politics.

Wirls is certainly one of the best professors at UCSC. Readings are interesting, lectures well-structured and engaging, and he is extremely helpful inside and outside of class. There is a LOT of reading to do, some of it difficult, but well worth the effort.

Dan was my academic advisor. I took 1 class with him and he was my advisor/testing prof for comprehensive exams. He was fair, energetic, knowledgable, engaging and challenging. He embraced your point of view and he helped you evolve it.

boring class.

The classes were always interesting, well organized. Sometimes boring, usually not too bad. Takes sporadic attendance and will give you a hard time if you come in late. I thought the exams were pretty thorough, you HAVE to keep up with the reading. This class is NOT easy, but was worth the while.

He's a good professor, engaging in lecture - you can add a comment in lecture. There's loads of reading.

Good teacher. He is clear, comprehensive, and does a good job relating concepts to interesting topics and their usefulness. Make's good use of time, great lectures, and overall friendly man. I definitely recommend this class for an intro course.

Good prof., semi-difficult class; loads of reading.

Awesome professor. Loved his class, made me want to be a politics minor. He knows what he's talking about. Midterms were fairly easy as long as you read and papers weren't that demanding. Very good intro course.

BEST TEACHER EVER... KNOWS HIW SHIT FUCKEN AWESOME TAKE HIM

Very informative and passionate. However very left wing, to the point of making anyone with a hint of conservative thought uncomfortable. Spent a good ten minutes of a lecture to expound the "fact" that right wingers are dangerous, armed and ready to blow up a building. A gross overstatement as well as completely inappropriate.

I was in the same course as the guy below me, and I remember that lecture. Wirls' point was that violent political rhetoric enables and encourages violent political acts, and it was a very cogent point regardless of one's political leanings. Anyway, Wirls is a great lecturer, if not a little fast. I looked fwd to his course. Tons of reading though

He's amazing! The class will challenge your political ideology; he criticizes libs/cons alike (a lot). He uses rhetoric to demonstrate that people put politics before constitutionalism and that they need to not be so prone to political winds. Very interesting to analyze this material over power relations; best lecturer so far. Cares about students.

Wirls is awesome. He is passionate about what he teaches and it shows in his great, very interesting lectures. Usually I fall asleep in my classes but never in his. Expect lots of reading, but come on, its college. I am taking him again ASAP.

Wirls is a great professor, definitely knows his stuff. Backs up most reading assignments during lecture with intriguing and relevant examples. However, he's a little dry in lecture. Very easy class: didn't show up to class most of the time and aced the midterms. Good introductory course to politics. Put effort into this class and you'll do well.

Wirls is a good teacher, and this class is an interesting though challenging intro. The midterms were tough, but the final was just a paper. Lectures showed effort, but often were difficult to take notes on. NOT an easy A, but also not impossible. It is much better if you actually have an interest in Politics, overall not bad.

Professor Wirls is one of best professors at UCSC. He's very articulate in lectures and is extremely passionate about teaching. 120A is definitely challenging. You have to stay on top of the readings, and you have to attend lecture in order to do well. However, the effort will be well worth it.

Professor Wirls is an amazing presence in the classroom and his lectures provide an entirely different perspective on material that seems mundane on the surface. This class is difficult, make sure to consult your TA on the first paper because mastering the concept of the class is difficult and crucial to making a good grade. GO TO LECTURE,

Prof. Wirls is perhaps my favorite teacher at UCSC. He is kind, approachable, and extremely knowledgable. He can even bring humor into the classroom, which is saying something considering the subject (politics). If you show an interest, do the readings (which are extensive), you will do well. I have the upmost respect and appreciation for Dr Wirls.

I think it was the content of this intro class that made it boring. I have a feeling that he could be a very interesting lecturer for a upper div class. He is very organized and has nice slides that make it so you don't really have to come to class if you do the reading. My TA made it worthwhile. Don't take for a GE.

A challenge, but if you put your effort into the class you will be rewarded.

Knows his stuff and it shows in lecture. Have to do all readings but his classes are amazing. Probably the best Prof at UCSC. Tests are straightforward and based on the readings. Learn a LOT about how congress operates & that corruption is a two way st bw Washington and corporationshollywood. Awesome class.

Wirls is a great professor. He is intriguing and tries to keep his lectures interesting. The class is only tough if you barely attend lectures and don't do the readings. He is a tough grader when it comes to papers but that's why you have writing labs and a TA. Take advantage of your resources and you'll do just fine.

He is an amazing professor! He's super passionate and really easy to talk to! He has by far been my favorite teacher here and I'm looking forward to taking a class with him again.

Amazing. I am a politics major so I was into the material but if you took AP Gov in high school this class shouldn't be to hard at all for you as long as you show up. Here's the thing; you either go to class and section all the time and dont have to read, or never show up and keep up with the reading; either way you can get an A in the class.

Wirls is great! Obviously very informed about the material he presents and makes very theoretical concepts easy to understand and extremely relevant. I felt really invigorated about politics as a result of this class!

Awesome class to start off my politics major. it is also a great GE. Wirls is an engaging lecturer and really makes sure everyone understands concepts. He notices/appreciates if you speak up in class often. Midterm mc test was a breeze if you did the reading, and give the final paper your all - the topic of drone warfare was super interesting.

By far my favorite professor at UCSC. He is so approachable and has a vibrant teaching technique that makes you WANT to listen to him. Must take a class with him!

Top notch professor; really knows the material, has experience with the reality

Wirls is in my opinion the best professor in the Politics department as UCSC. Poli 1 is a great class whether you are a politics major or not. Very interesting lectures, however lots of reading. A few essays throughout the quarter which are a big portion of your grade. Going to lecture made the class, he received a standing ovation on the last day.

He really cares about the students because he does not only talk about the content of the course, but also gives out tips that benefits the students beyond the classrooms. This class is life-changing and meaningful. I think everyone should take it to broaden their views. He is very welcoming to the students during his office hours as well.

A very enthusiastic professor. Very clear and concise lectures. He informs you what is going to be on the midterm so you can skip some of the reading if you wanted to. A final essay for which he gives you several topics to choose from. Overall, a very informative class.

Wirls is by far the star of the UCSC Politics department. Sometimes lecture is boring, but it often has much more to do with the nature of the content and not him. If anything, he turns otherwise mundane material into inspiring lectures. You work for it, but learn a lot. Take all of his classes. I'm in another now and plan on taking them all.

Amazing professor. Military class is his specialty. You don't have to know a lot going into the class-- just do the readings (you have to bc there are short weekly response papers). The cornerstone of this class is a research paper due at the end-- stressful but worth it when it's over. Great experience, sad he will be on leave next year, 2017-2018

He is an amazing professor that cares deeply about his students. The lectures are information packed and though provoking. He keeps focused on the lecture at hand and does not ramble or go on random tangents. You however, have to EARN good grades.

I took this class with the thought of majoring in Politics. After taking this class I knew that I wanted to learn about international politics. Overall a great professor, but be sure to attend lecture. It may see kind of dull, but be sure to pay attention even if you do not plan to take notes.

Fantastic professor, fantastic class. What more to say. Highly recommended!

I was intimidated by this class just by looking at the syllabus, but Wirls is such an amazing lecturer I found myself always looking forward to class! I never even skipped class because I never wanted to miss out. He is so nice in office hours and really clarifies any misconceptions you might have. Wirls is my favorite Politics professor!

Wirls is extremely knowledgable on this topic and is very helpful during his office hours. There is a 1pg response paper about the readings due every week which he provides feedback on and there is one 15pg research paper due as the final (you start this week 3/4). You have to put in work but you got a lot out of this class. Highly recommend.

Amazing professor who really cares about his students. Since he posted the lectures online you really had to be held accountable for yourself, but they were straight forward and easy to listen to. The assignments are straightforward and basically his syllabus was really detailed down to the readings. Would definitely want to take his classes again.

Easy to pass if you do all lectures (1 hr) + some readings. He was a pretty basic teacher, kind of boring, but if you put your attention into it you'll be able to pass. He gives the prompts for midterms + finals so that was good and try to do the final essay as soon as he gives the prompt. The TA's are amazing and really help a lot.

Excellent Professor and shows that he truly cares about his students. Lectures were always interesting as well. Make sure to attend class though because skipping won't cut it for the courses as attendance is important to get a fuller understanding of the content.

Prof Wirls is funny and extremely knowledgable on American politics. His lectures were straightforward, as were his homework and essays. Would 10/10 recommend, is so so so much more tolerable than some other poli professors at UCSC.

Wirls the GOAT, had him for intro to Poli too, if I could take him for all my classes I would. Really cool guy all the way around, even if you do not care for Politics he makes stuff interesting. Favorite UCSC teacher and best PoliSci one by far.

Professor Wirls is absolutely wonderful! He makes this class easy and understandable. It is very clear that he cares about his students. As a third year politics major, I don't think this class is super reading heavy but if this is your first upper division course then it might seem that way.

Prof. Wirls is my favorite prof. I've had at UCSC. Anyone who asks me what classes to take for Politics, I recommend they take one of his. Lectures are clear and to the point, and classes as a whole are well-structured and organized. He is quick to respond to emails and is always available to help and support his students. You will learn a lot! :)

Professor Wirls is super knowledgeable & his classes are always interesting. He clearly cares about his students and goes out of his way. Excellent prof!

Professor Wirls always knows what he's talking about. There is quite a lot of reading for the class (every lecture) that connects to the lecture contents. He makes every lecture slideshow/content available afterwards, but I attendance helped me grasp the content better. Grade is based on short quizzes and 3 short papers throughout the quarter.

Very nice guy. Assignments aren't too hard as long as you go to class.

A genuine and caring professor. He is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what he teaches, so the lectures are fun, but also helpful. There is a good amount of reading per week, but Wirls goes over it in the lecture, so attendance does help. Overall an amazing professor.

He is a very kind and funny professor with very knowledgeable insights. Always willing to help. However, his class is pretty intense with the amount of reading we do. Graded by few things. The quizzes were pretty hard if you do not understand the material since they are VERY specific with limited time. My TA was extremely helpful and kind.

He is awesome. You can tell that he is super smart and cares about what he teaches. Also understanding and will answer your emails. Often left class feeling smarter.

Loved Wirls and his class. He is clearly very intelligent and passionate about what he teaches, and has a good sense of humor. I looked forward to attending his lectures; not only were they entertaining, they helped breakdown the readings that would have otherwise been daunting.

Super passionate professor/lecturer, the readings are average for a political science class in my opinion. Midterm was given a lot to study for (told to remember all the authors of every article assigned, etc) but the actual midterm was easier than that. Weird essay instructions, was nitpicked ("demonstrates" corrected to "illustrates")

good professor, he made each lecture interesting and you can tell he really cares about what he is teaching.

Dan Wirls was the best professor in the Politics department when I was there. He always gave great feedback and engaged students in rigorous discussion. I would absolutely take his class again.

Wirls is an amazing lecturer, truly one of the Professors whose class you can attend and always feel engaged with the content. The classwork isn't too much, except do study for the in person midterm. Besides that, two papers and online quizzes. He's a great guy and genuinely wants to know the students / takes time to know all of their names.

Fantastic lecturer who truly wants his students to succeed. I would highly recommend going to office hours if you need support, he does his best to make himself available for students. Hates phone usage in class (fair). Also the midterm (at least this past year) was so easy, just be prepared to memorize.

The professor is knowledgeable and engaging, but the course workload is heavy. Attend lectures, use unstuck AI for exam prep, and you'll do well.

He will make you buy his own textbook, but I think it is an acceptable tradeoff because he is a good instructor. He is good at facilitating during discussions and office hours. POLI 1 seems a little too easy though, I think Wirls could go more into depth on the class material.

I have taken three classes with Prof. Wirls, so trust me when I say that Prof Wirls is the best professor at UCSC. You will learn so much from his class. His passion for American Politics seeps through his lectures, ingraining your mentality to want to go above and beyond the class. Go into his class with an open mind and you will actually LEARN

caring and incredibly smart professor. this seminar can definitely be a little intense but his feedback on your papers and the amount you will learn from him makes it worth it. my writing has 100% gotten better after taking this course.