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Smith is one of the best profs I've had. He has great enthusiasm for what he teaches and genuinely wants students to do well. He ALWAYS makes class interesting. Take a class from him, you won't regret it!

Professor Smith cares more about his students than any other professor I have had the pleasure of taking a class with at WM. He will make you learn, or he will die trying. His classes are not easy but his passion is infectious, and you will grow to love him and his lectures. He is hilarious and off the wall. A MUST for int. relations affecionados.

Also had for GOVT 204. Very helpful prof.; his door is always open to students. Attendance policy is strict. Lots of required reading with (lightly) graded journal entries regularly collected. Exams were difficult take-homes, which required cramming as much pertinent info as possible into limited space. Fun, rewarding class - highly recommend.

Great professor and great class. Recommended for anyone.

Smith is really a great professor, he really knows his stuff and will make it interesting for you. His classes are lively and engaging and extremely informative. You really learn quite a lot. He assigns a lot of reading and weekly journal entries. However its all worth it, I highly recommend taking this class!

Awesome class!

My favorite class this semester. He really cares about his students.

I came out of this class everyday with my head bursting with knowledge. I now feel prepared to intelligently discuss a whole host of topics related to IR. Don't take if you want an easy A, but if you bust your ass, it will be totally worth it.

Definitely take Professor Smith! He is extremely smart and very engaging in class. You will never be bored. He is also extraordinarily helpful outside of class. Do the readings for each class so you don't fall behind. BE SURE to follow his method for the papers! I did and I got an A. Be prepared for a lot of reading (50pp a night) but a great class

Is smart, perceptive, and has some insightful perspectives on IR and Economics. He is an intellectual to the core, and will indeed spark interest among everyone who takes this class. Good class, would certainly recomend it. But be prepared for work, and lots of it. Hard take home exams, but if you follow his guidelines, you will be rewarded.

I'm not particularly interested in International Politics, but Professor Smith is an incredible teacher. Class consists of 50 pages of reading a night and a journal entry to go with it plus a nine page paper for the midterm and final. Do not be afraid to ask Smith for help outside of class, he is very friendly and helpful, especially on essays!

Professor Smith is awesome. No other way to put it. Amazing teacher, makes IR fascinating and easy to understand. Very clear and structured class. Incredibly hard, so be ready for that. TONS of reading to do, especially for an intro class. Every minute spent on the class is totally worth it though. Definitely will take every class he offers!

The reading it insane...just read the intro and conclusion. It is all you need. He makes his classes brilliant and interesting. See him outside of class, he is great (especially if you are struggling - don't give up on him and he won't give up on you.)

Totally worth it!

Will kick your ass but have you thanking him for it!

Brilliant man who makes class interesting every day. True passion for the subject will keep you engaged and learning. MUST TAKE if interested in IR, or just learning in general.

Even his opening powerpoint makes reference to how it's his job to whip you into shape. Lots of reading, lots of journal entries, and lots of participation required. But, guess what? He's helpful in office hours, gives boatloads of feedback, and actually weights in your favor. The only people who don't like Smith haven't taken a class with him.

Hands down the best prof Ive ever had and my favorite by far. Always willing to talk about everything from nukes to frat parties and truly cares about the wellbeing & success of his students. I cant do enough to sing his praises. Most challenging and worthwhile class Ive had at wm. Teaches you reallife skills like policy brief writing. MUST TAKE!

Best lecturer I've ever had. He cares about his students, and will work with you if you are struggling. Also, he is a very fair grader. You will have to work for an A, but if you do all the readings and invest time into actually understanding the material, you will be rewarded.

Dude scares the bejeezles out of me. Totally intimidating: fast-paced; won't take less than perfect, his sense of humor makes me want to hide behind a chair in the back of the room in case he goes Roman. But to be fair, the B I got in his class is one of my proudest. He knows his **** and knows what works (in DC & the "real world"). Bring a helmet.

My favorite professor! REALLY cares about his students, VERY knowledgeable about his subject, EXTREMELY willing to work with you, SINCERELY cares about the education, well-being, future of his students. Definitely not an easy A or a breeze of a class but you will work hard and really earn your grade and be prouder of it than any grade before it

Best professor! Fabulous teacher, I know I learned so much in his class. He really made me think for myself. Encourages his students SO MUCH - really cares about his students. Definitely not an easy class but I was more proud of that B+ than almost any other grade in college. He taught me how to be a better writer and a better student

He is a great professor and a great lecturer. He is so helpful outside of class. However, this class is very difficult. I do not recommend taking this class unless you are interested in government. There is also a lot of required reading.

What's not to like about a professor who makes everything interesting?

He is one of the best professors on campus. If you have a passion for international relations/government, I insist you take his class. He makes lectures engaging, thought provoking, and interesting. He is always willing to work with you and his average for Fall 2012 is in the B+ range. There is a substantial amount of readings you MUST do.

Such a great professor I'll never be able to say enough. Extremely knowledgeable on what he teachers. Cares so so much about his students and WILL help you, but you HAVE to be willing to put in the work -- and it is a lot of work. Can give you advice on everything from school to real life. Going to class isn't a chore at all, it's actually fun

Great professor, but hard.

He is the man. Teaches you relevant stuff in an interesting way and is a living encyclopedia. Take him if you want to enhance your skills as a student at WM.

Had him for 204 and just had to have another class with him! He's tough but fair, he'll push you, and ultimately you'll learn a lot about IR and a handful of other miscellaneous things. Take his class if you want to be well prepared for the professional world. Oh, and go to his office hours, he's pretty cool to talk to.

He is tough but he is the BEST. Study really hard and you will feel so proud of yourself for accomplishing something good.

Professor Smith is known to be difficult- and that he is! But more importantly, he is reputed to be incredibly knowledgeable, intelligent, witty, resourceful, and helpful. If you are willing to ask, he will make time to help you. Very high expectations, but he pushes you to be better. Got my lowest grade ever- but I learned an incredible amount.

His lectures are SO clear and engaging. The workload isn't horrible, but you do have to write tedious journal entries for every class reading. I regret not taking advantage of his office hours, as he seems extremely approachable. The midterm paper is a bit daunting, but he grades it generously, and the final is easy as long as you know the readings

Professor Smith was my favorite! He is extremely knowledgeable; however, he is difficult. You must be willing to do the readings( sometimes its overwhelming), and for his midterm paper go see him in his office! He gives a lot of guidance usually and is pretty clear about what he expects. The class average is usually a B.

Assigns a truly titanic amount of reading, but once you learn to skim it's not so bad. Not a class for the weak, but a phenomenal education in international security.

One of the most down to earth, honest, helpful, and enthusiastic professors. I had to work extremely hard, did countless readings, faced harsh grading, but I never felt like he was not on my side, supporting me the whole way through. I may have done poorly, but I know he never judged me on my grade percentage/ number.

Taking Smith for your senior seminar is a fantastic finish to an excellent IR education at W&M. He challenged me, interested me in new topics, and changed the way I think about the world. Lots of work, but absolutely worth it.

Expects you to do a great deal of reading- 50 pages a night is standard. Fairly tough grader and expects you to do some real self teaching. Memorizing international politicians is basically what the class revolves around, but he is genuinely helpful if you meet him in office hours and it's evident that he knows what he's talking about.

my goal is to take a Smith class every semester

His lectures are really clear and interesting. If you want to challenge yourself and see your potentials, take his class! He's super popular and super busy, but wait in line for his office hours and you'll get so much help. Be sure to do the readings and make the experience worth it!

You are only graded on a midterm paper and a final essay. There's a ton a reading but I didn't do much of it after the first week, instead I just went to all the lectures and went over his powerpoint notes. He is super helpful and genuinely seems to care about you as a student. Go to his office hours to talk through the papers and you'll do fine.

Not only great at giving lectures during class. Will spend as long as you need in office hours answering questions. Even helped me build me schedule.

Throughout the semester I get bombed by 204 readings every single day. However, such intense training does lay us a solid foundation for upper-level courses. Classes are mainly lectures, very interesting and informational. The semester is well-organized. Go to his office hour, he is very willing to help. Work hard, and you will learn a lot!

Absolutely the best professor I've ever had. Professor Smith is great at giving feedback, is very passionate about the subject, super clear, funny, smart, etc etc etc. He's a very hard professor, but he works just as hard as you do, and you will leave his class a better person. Literally everything I wanted and didn't know I wanted in a professor.

This guy is crazy. But if you graduate WM with an IR major and have never taken his class, you have wasted your four years here.

Great professor!!! I had him for international politics and he really influenced my choice to major in International Relations. The class is a lot of information, but he makes it interesting. The lectures are never boring and he is very knowledgeable on the subjects of the class. TAKE A CLASS UNDER HIM

I'm only a freshman here, but Dennis Smith is so far one of my favorite professors here. He's a tough grader, but he truly believes that pushing his students will lead to success. Attendance isn't mandatory, but skipping his class isn't a good idea. As long as you do the readings, go to class, and (maybe) go to office hours, you should be fine.

Professor Smith is honestly one of the most amazing professors. Don't be afraid to go to his office hours, they're packed but it is more than worth the wait. Not only is he extremely helpful, he's also just fun to talk to. He is definitely the man to go to if you're in need of a pep talk, I've never ever felt that a professor believed in me more.

Smith is one of the best professors I've had at William & Mary. His lectures are phenomenal and he knows an insane amount about security topics. Lots of reading but it pays off. Great professor, great class.

Professor Smith has been one of the hardest, and yet most incredible professors I've had thus far. Yeah, I really worked for my A- in his class, but I learned so much about IR in just one semester. He clearly cares about the success of his students and is always open to questions and will even give you a pep talk if you need one. Take his class!!!

This class is tough. You're graded by the midterm paper and the final test only. He's a very harsh grader, but he wants you to do well. If you go to office hours he'll work with you. He's extremely knowledgeable and most lectures are informative and entertaining. Readings after the midterm aren't really necessary.

Smith wants every student to succeed. Because 204 is an intro class, the first part of the year went a little slow. He wants to teach you how to analyze a reading effectively and write well first. The material was interesting and Smith gets really into it. If you put effort into the class, you will do well.

Professor Smith is my favorite professor I've had at the college. He has extremely high expectations, but gives you the tools to succeed and is clear about what he wants. While this class could get redundant, that was more a function of the material than of Smith's teaching style, which is engaging. Take it with him if you can!

I learned SO MUCH from Professor Smith, he wants you to succeed. But, if you are looking for an Easy A, pick another professor!!! There are two grades in the class (midterm essay and final in-class essays). Both assignments were a) summative not analytical and b) required strong mastery on each author read in the class (aka intense memorization).

Professor Smith was fantastic. His lectures are so interesting and engaging. He is definitely the toughest professor to take this class with, so take it with someone else if you aren't willing to work. There are about three readings due per class, a midterm paper, and a final which is all memorization. He is very inspiring and approachable though.

Pro. Smith is phenomenal. He wants you to succeed. Heavy readings, but he expects you to skim. Lectures are clear, funny, memorable, and easy to understand; attendance recommended for understanding the material. Accessible outside of class and loves working with students. Grades based on midterm paper and final, but grading criteria is clear.

Professor Smith is brilliant; the best professor I have had at W&M. Truly cares about students and is more than flexible with students' needs. I had him for GOVT 204 as well as INRL 300, which are challenging, but he provided all slides and more than enough help outside of class was offered. Any IR major MUST take a course w/ him.

The hardest, but w/o a doubt best GOVT204 prof. Your grade is a midterm essay (10pgs) and a final (3hrs blue book writing, cumulative). Do the readings to do well on them, and ask questions. He's very understanding and truly cares about his students. Learning experience/lectures were SO worth it--I'm taking Intl Security with him next semester.

Prof. Smith is an amazing professor who gives great, engaging lectures. The only grades are a midterm paper (not graded too harshly) and a final but he helps guide students through the process of studying and learning useful skills that can be applied to any college class. He is passionate about IR and clearly cares about his students.

This was an awesome class, and Professor Smith was a super interesting and engaging lecturer. The most important thing is definitely to keep up with all of the readings. You will need them for the midterm and final, so don't fall behind. The midterm and final are purely a reflection of how much effort you put in, so work hard and you'll do well.

I loved that every choice Professor Smith made about assignments was informed by real world security work. I always new why it was important we were doing something and the class taught me a ton about writing! Great lectures! He is very invested in his students although he can be intimidating! Must take for any IR student!

Smith is transparent about the purpose of readings and test questions/essays. Genuinely *loves* students and wants you to succeed. He's willing to work with you if you fall behind. Reading heavy, but expects you to skim. Up-to date articles instead of textbook. Knows his stuff. Well organized. Don't miss lecture. Memorization and analysis needed.

Classes are essentially all lectures and the overall grade is half the midterm and half the final. Focus on taking really good notes and the most important things you'll learn from this class are skills. Super recommend Smith as a professor, although sometimes the constant lecturing (and few opportunities for participation) can be wearisome.

The dude is awesome. You would have a lot to read for homework (50 pages), but the lectures are engaging. He always leaves room for questions. By the end of the class, you will understand what politicians really believe in and what challenges we face internationally. As long as you are well prepared for the midterm/final, an A or A- is not hard.

Professor Smith really tries to get to know his students, and covers a lot of interesting topics in International Relations. He's a good lecturer and is fairly accessible. However, readings can be time-taking. If you are good at managing your time and following a schedule, you'll be sure to succeed in his class though.

I thoroughly enjoyed Professor Smith's class. The course is lecture heavy and reading-intensive, however, he provides comprehensive and engaging slideshow presentations on the content that is directly related to tests. I also really liked his evaluation method, where he grades based on essays and discussion board posts. Also, lectures are recorded.

Professor Smith was an outstanding professor. He turned a rather challenging course with difficult content into something interesting, intriguing, and captivating. The readings were a lot, but he gives you the necessary tools to deal with them. This class genuinely made me super interested in IR. Probably the best professor I had this semester.

By far my favorite professor ever! He gives a lot of work and it is no doubt a hard class, but he teaches in a way that makes you want to learn and helps you. Getting an A is not done without the work, but he helps guide through the process of getting a good grade and wants you to do well. I would highly suggest taking any of his classes.

Professor Smith was truly an amazing professor. He cares about his students, and it is clear that he is passionate about teaching the class. The class does have a lot of readings, but besides those it was only a midterm paper and a final exam. If given the chance, please take 204 with Smith.

One of the best professors I've had this past semester. You do need to put a lot of effort into this class, but you'll come out of it with a well-rounded understanding of international relations.

Prepare to be intimidated when he uploads the syllabus to Blackboard. 49% of your grade is the midterm, 49% is the final, and 2% is participation. But rest assured, if you do the readings, take good notes, and put in the time time to plan out your essays, you will get a good grade. Meeting with him outside of class for the midterm and final helps.

Professor Smith is one of the best professors in the department who really cares about teaching. His lectures are enjoyable, but move quickly so make sure you do the readings. The midterm and the final count for roughly 49% of your grade, but he's available to talk to and will help you prepare. If you put in the effort, Smith's class is worth it.

Professor Smith is simply amazing! His lectures incorporate a plethora of perspectives along with humour. There are a lot of readings and authors to memorize, but if you stay on top from the start, then you're good to go. The class is graded based purely off the midterm and final exam. I would recommend everyone take this! I adored going to class.

Professor Smith is one of the best professors at the school. He cares a lot about his students and makes his expectations clear. There is a lot of readings, but it is manageable and enjoyable. Take his class.

Smith is a busy guy but tries to make as much time for his students as they need. He doesn't purposely complicate the class and tries to keep it engaging. He is easygoing, tells stories, and is still a great instructor. A favorite in the IR dept for a reason! But you'll have to earn your grade: show up, do the readings, and put time into your work.

Class is entirely lecture and reading-based, but he is by far the most entertaining and engaging lecturer I have had yet here. Tests are challenging but not at all impossible; doing the readings will ensure you do well. Overall amazing teacher 10/10 recommend.

Professor Smith is very caring about his students. For example, on our first exam, he admitted to not fully preparing us for application-based questions and therefore applied a large curve to the exam. He also helped me to identify where I struggled on exams during office hours.

This is the third class I have taken with Smith. He is an incredible professor, with a genuine passion for teaching. He cares about development, and will always support students in their progress. Reading can be heavy but he is a very fair grader. I would recommend any of his classes. He is a true credit to William and Mary.

I loved this class and Prof Smith. He really is one of the best professors at the school. He isn't stuck up like others and he actually cares about the students. Great guy and great class.

Prof. Smith is by far my favorite professor at WAM. He cares about his students and wants them to succeed. His lectures were interesting and informative. He's willing to work with anyone who wants to improve their grade. The tests can seem daunting at first, but attending class and taking notes during lecture will get you to where you need to be.

Great anecdotes for every class, 2/3 exams were online. Clear expectations, but i lost a lot of points from forgetting to turn in a weekly assignment a couple times. His lecture notes are a little barren though, you will need to pay attention in class or get ready to teach yourself.

3 exams and ~10 300 word paper summaries. Questions can be slightly deceitful, and I would recommend showing up to lecture and taking notes carefully with attention to his specific wording on everything- I found that the class is very influenced by his ideological bend ("radical moderate") . Regardless, great guy and would recommend for 204.

He is very helpful and explains most things from assigned readings. Highly recommend showing up to class and taking notes.

Professor Smith has very engaging lectures. Take good notes and attend class as his tests are taken from things he says in class. Be ready to study. His tests are not hard but they require you to have paid attention and review readings/lectures/slides. He gives helpful study guidance but with only 2 exams you have to be sure to not slack.

Class has 1 midterm, 1 final, and 10 weekly article summaries (only 10% of grade total)- definitely not a lot of room for mistakes. Prof Smith is super understanding though- he's more than willing to work with students to help boost their grades. His lectures are great and he's a very respected and caring professor. Take from him if you can!

I loved taking GOVT 204 with Professor Smith! This class was difficult, but if you attend the lectures and take thorough notes it's easy to get a good grade. The class is graded by the midterm, final, and 10 policy summaries. Although doing the readings is important, the midterm/final is mostly based on in-class lectures.

DAVS is an incredible but tough professor that genuinely cares about the success of his students. The class is definitely lecture and reading heavy, but attending lectures helps iron out questions from what you read previously. Graded on the midterm and the final. Definitely need to study before both, but possible to gets As if you work hard.

Professor Smith is an understanding and caring professor. The class was well structured and manageable, and he is a great lecturer. All the information sticks pretty well if you come to class regularly.

Smith is a really passionate professor who truly cares about his students' knowledge and general well-being. He was very accessible and understanding about personal and academic issues. Plus, he rounded my high B+ to an A- without me having to ask, which rocked.

He is a really great lecturer and makes international relations very interesting. Super passionate about what he teaches, and very specific about how he wants you to learn and memorize content. I hated the grading in this class though - the midterm and final were each 45% of your grade, which creates high stress.

Smith is an amazing professor. I loved the lectures; informative, but fun. There's a lot of reading, but he goes through it all, and he has a very specific way of thinking about topics and teaching them. There's several exams that build on each other, but they weren't too bad. He makes international security interesting

Professor Smith is enthusiastic and cares about what he teaches and wants you to be well-versed in the subject of political science/international relations, however, he is extremely strict and if you fail, you also cumulatively fail the class. Each of his exams is 45% of the grade. (There are 2).

Prof Smith is a super engaging lecturer, I have never been bored. His tests are very hard, but he is SUPER accesible outside of class to go over exams and questions, and is so accommodating with anything. He is so kind and really passionate about making sure his students succeed, which is super nice in an intro class.

this is a HARD intro class (wouldn't recommend for a non gov/IR person looking for CSI credit) but smith is a great lecturer and makes things so interesting. can be cryptic at times but i think its all his IR knowledge getting to him. very engaging course but can be hard to do well. his B is an A, but your transcript will have a B

DAVS is an incredibly interesting lecturer and the readings are dense but fun if you like the topic. The class structure is honestly pretty rough. Two tests make up 90% of your grade. He intends for students to focus on analysis so the tests are made up of LONG written MCQs. Feels like this could be better done through papers. Study. Read.

Undoubtedly the best lecturer I have ever heard speak in my life. This is the second class I have taken under him and in both classes, he focuses heavily on analysis, not memorization. It is very important to continually look over notes and apply them to real-life scenarios. If you want to deeply understand the content, he's the best option.

Smith was passionate, organized, and easy to understand. The class was graded 5% on brief policy summaries, but the rest was three multiple-choice exams and the final. In lectures, Smith stressed exactly what you needed to know and he frequently sent out "critical facts" to study. Smith was very responsive to emails and available in office hours

As not the most "IR" person out there, I was scared for this class, but it ended up being my easiest of the semester. He lays out what you need to know so well and I never felt lost. Prof. Smith is so kind and willing to help you if you need it. Definitely recommend!

Prof Smith is engaging and passionate - his lectures really bring the material to life. While the exams are challenging, he's super helpful outside of class. unstuck ai and the free textbook were great study aids too.

WONDERFUL professor. Truly cares about what he teaches. He emphasizes stickign to the plan,' but if you pay attention and go to the lectures it is not imperative to read. Had him for 24 and 329-- equally great. Definitely need to put in the work for both, but it pays off and you'll leave the courses feeling confident in what you learned.

Class is less hard than it's reputation/Smith suggests. He is very passionate and knowledgeable, which reflects in his lectures. Smith will tell you he is anxious, but he is also very funny. 95% of your grade comes from 4 multiple-choice exams.

Intro to International Politics was an exceedingly difficult class. However, I learned more from this course than any other I have taken. Dr. Smith is a deeply caring and passionate professor. He will help you get out of a jam and genuinely want the best for you. If you are okay to struggle but truly learn something useful, take him.

Smith is a great guy, but this class is difficult. The only grades we have are the midterm and final, which is a little extreme for an intro-level class that needs to be taken for multiple majors. However, Smith will prepare you and give you all the tips to succeed. The class is hard, but it will prepare you, especially for Gov/IR.

Smith is an amazing lecturer and really wants his students to succeed. Even though there is a lot of reading, Smith is able to summarize the information in class, which makes knowing what to study easier. If you know the information on his slides, you will do well on the midterm and final, which make up almost your entire grade.

Hands down best professor I've had. This class will challenge you and take you outside your comfort zone/ He is willing to work with you and is a great lecturer. Beware! You need to know your stuff for his tests. Like, all of your stuff. He gives you all the resources to ace the class, even including a great study method. Stick to the plan!

Professor Smith holds really great lectures (so go to class) and tries to set you up for success by explaining a study plan. Getting a good grade is doable, you just really have to study and be confident in the material because your grade is mostly made up of your midterm and your final. Work hard, talk to the TA, and stick to the plan!

Class is much easier than its reputation. Given eight free points for completing brief weekly recaps of foreign policy news. The rest of the points come in the form of a midterm and a final. Questions are all multiple choice and are very manageable with studying.

Smith makes his class seem more intimidating than it is. He goes over everything you need to know for exams in class, so don't worry about the readings. The exams can be tough (tricky multiple choice), but just study well (know authors) and use his practice questions and you'll be fine. Smith is very passionate, knowledgeable, and experienced.

Overall, a great professor. Grade is based on 4 multiple-choice exams and 4 short papers. If you study how he tells you to study and are okay with memorizing critical facts to apply in examples, you will generally do well. Only issue is the way grades are distributed-- if you do badly on one exam, it may tank your grade.

Very organized. Provides all the help you need (and more) to succeed in exams. Many of his study suggestions can be applied to other classes, too, and they work extremely well. So, even if you're not an IR person, there's something for you, too. He's also passionate about the material, and it shows, making lectures more engaging for everyone.

This was my second time taking a class with Smith and he is honestly one of my favorite professors. This class is weighed by 4 exams, so if you do back on one then it will be hard to bring your grade up. But Smith cares so much and is willing to help you. His lectures are SOOO interesting and I love his lecture style. I never followed the plan btw