One of my favorite professors on campus. His classes can change your life. Everyone knows the environment is important, but the texts he chooses are really interesting cases. His style is to offer the text, and youtube links that are relevant in case you do better soaking in the information that way. He is a super nice guy and very knowledgable!

Great guy! Makes the information fun and interesting. All around extremely nice guy who makes kind comments on your tests and papers. Upper division, so not the easiest class, but the professor makes it your best class. It's ok to miss some classes, but there are random quizzes so it MAY cost you points. It's a class you will want to go to!

Amazing teacher! All classes are one big discussion, doesn't force you to participate. There are 3 sets of 2 "questions to consider", one 8 page paper, and four 5 paragraph essay questions for the midterm and final, 4th question he allows bullet points to answer. 4 pop quizzes , drops the lowest. Easy grader as long as you sound competent.

This class wasn't what I expected,but turned out to be one of my favorite classes. He let's you pretty much be a free spirit when doing assignments, just be sure to know what you are speaking in regards to. 1Midterm,1 Final, pop quizzes (about 6), reading also require 3 sets of questions to consider. excessive amount of reading but doable.

Murren is an all around great guy. Class consists of lectures, random guest speakers, power points, random pop quizzes, and a 5 minute power point presentation towards the end of the semester. I have high anxiety when speaking in large crowds so he was willing to let me write a 10 page paper. And he lets you engage him while he's lecturing. GREAT!

IN HIS CLASSES, NO MATTER THE SUBJECT, YOU WILL LEARN A LOT. A LOT OF READING BUT ITS VERY INTERESTING AND MAKES YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT THE TOPICS. ATTENDANCE IS IMPORTANT! I GOT AN A+ ON BOTH MIDTERM AND FINAL BUT DUE TO MY ABSENCES I MISSED LIKE TWO QUIZZES AND IT COST ME AND A! A IS VERY ACHIEVABLE. AS LONG AS YOU ATTEND CLASS AND READ

Loved this class! Attendance doesn't matter, but best to go bc he has random pop quizzes based on readings! He drops the lowest one. Study guides for midfinal exact topics that you will tested on- he doesn't waste your time by making you study everything! Classes are mostly discussions so they aren't boring. Def learned a lot in this class!

The class was very interesting. All you need to do is read every assigned book and attend class. There are random quiz Exams were little but harder than I had expected

FunEngaging course. Must read assigned chapters for random Pop Quizzes. Gives study guide for midtermfinal. Says essay format exams but I never followed the whole "5 paragraph essay format" for exams per say, I just made sure I answered all parts of the Qsexamples & key points in exams & he'll give you full points. Overall laid back professor

Professor Murren leads very interactive classes but participationattendance is not mandatory though there were a few pop quizzes and he hints at what to focus on in the study guides if you attend before tests. Lots of interesting multi-media and he will sometimes show a movie. Prepares really well for exams and grades fairly with good feed-back.

Laid-Back Professor who really knows about the topic, but also knows how to teach it! If you keep up with the readings he assigns, you will get an A, no problem. He doesn't take attendance, but he does give pop quizzes on the assigned readings that are a very important part of your grade. At the LEAST, you should skim the chapters for each.

The assigned readings Prof. Murren gives are great! Yes, they are lengthy but great practice for what is to come at the university level. You definitely learn a lot about sustainability. He is a great professor. If you do the readings and get involved in the discussion you are likely to get an A on all graded portions of the class.

5 pop quizzes, must read chapters assigned so get the book to get general idea of topics- it will really help with midterm and final!Attendance not important. One research paper. Really nice, chill professor and easy grader.

Professor Murren is a great guy. He take care his students but you have to work hard on your grade, i'm going to take his pol s 440 class this semester as well. I will recommend to everyone. i like him a lot it doesn't mean i got an A. you will got what you have earned, but he is very helpful person really.

LOVED this class! Grading criteria was 25% for midterm, 25% for final, 25% for policy brief, and 25% for quizzes and reading questions. Doesn't take attendance but you need to go to class to understand what is happening. He makes class interactive and interesting. He's fun and super chill. And it's an easy A!

Amazing professor! Super inspiring and all the material is great.

There is a TON of reading from the Layzer textbook, the other book is not necessary. In class is more of a discussion opposed to lecture, but it is usually pretty interesting. He goes over some personal experiences that are interesting too. Tests are essay questions and not too hard, just do the reading and go to class. Also a research paper 8pgs

Professor Murren was one of the best teachers I have had at San Diego State. He listens to his students and gives you plenty of time to work on assignments. Highly recommend.

Super nice professor! Every week have a reading thats usually 30 - 60 pages from the text book. Have one easy research paper on environmental topic of your choice, 2 tests which are easy if you do the study guide and come to class. Also random quizzes (also easy). Basically show up, listen to the discussions and at least skim readings.

Straightforward class. Show up, be prepared for a pop quiz, do study guides, take tests (no final), and get out.

Easy class, just make sure to attend regularly because there will be pop quizzes and extra credit opportunities. The only thing I really didn't like about this class is that the grades on blackboard were hardly updated, so I did not know how I was doing in the class until the finalized grade was released.

He gives you a study guide for 3 exams. All exams are pretty easy if you just do the study guide. Lectures are a little boring at times and he sometimes gives random pop quizzes. However, he does offer a few extra credit opportunities. Just read the powerpoints and you should pass the class easily.

I honestly dont know why the other reviews are bad; this teacher is one of the best at San Diego State. Just do the assigned readings, pay attention in class, and youll get an easy A. There was a couple pop quizzes, a midterm and final, and an essay. Mr. Murren is kind and gives you so much time to prepare for the assignments. Definitely take!

Mr. Murren is a really fantastic professor. Hes great at responding to emails and wants everybody to do their best. Grades very fairly.

Only need to buy one book. Do the readings and youll pass no problem. Graded by a midterm, a final, pop quizzes and one paper. Great professor.

Great professor. Two books youll have to read, two exams, and a paper. Definitely would take again and easy A.

He is a pretty easy-going guy who cares more about you understanding the material rather than overloaded you with work/hard tests. His exams are very straightforward, the materials is right off the study guide. Homework is few and easy. Pop quizzes at times, but they're also pretty easy if you just skim the text

Professor Murren is such a great professor! As long as you read and listen in class, you'll be fine. He gives two exams (written in a blue book), one research paper, and a few easy pop quizzes. He uses a discussion based approach rather than reading from a powerpoint. He does give study guides too. He's so nice and truly cares about these topics.

I took him for ENVS 100 and he's a really nice guy and loves what he's teaching. The class was very discussion based and it opened my eyes.

lots of random pop quizzes based on reading but they're given the week after discussing the readings in class so you should be fine if you pay attention, genuinely passionate and knows his stuff, class is important and follows a discussion/debate structure. weekly quizzes (usually open-ended short answer) question, 2 midterms, 1 paper,

Murren is the most kind-hearted professor I've ever had. I've had him for 2 different classes now but during the COVID crisis, he was incredibly uplifting, inspiring, & kind. He recognized the difficulties we all faced & was ALWAYS available to help us through it. He's also so knowledgeable & I owe all my sustainability/policy insight to him.

If you're a sustainability major or someone who truly cares about learning, take any class with Murren. He makes you see any policy or problem from all perspectives and I learned more from the 2 classes of his that I took (Sustn334 and Pols440) than all of my other sustainability classes combined. By far the best sustn or polisci prof at SDSU.

I took Professor Murren for Poli 334 & Poli 440. I received A+'s in both classes and exams are not difficult, if you read the book. The paper was not difficult and make sure you send him a rough draft. Both classes consist of 4 or 5 quizzes that are not difficult, if you keep up with the readings.

If you're interested in environmental politics you should do well in this class. Prof Murren is super knowledgeable about env policy and the Peace Corps (if that's something you're interested in). Biggest thing to watch out for is pop quizzes, if you don't show up/don't pay attention it will cost you. Weekly policy readings can also be a bit dense

Prof Murren loves discussions and hes super knowledgeable and passionate about his subject. Very nice and appreciates participation

He is pretty good at giving lectures, but I would still read the textbook for pop quiz info. He doesn't take attendance, but once every few weeks there was a pop quiz so you have to attend lectures. He is a pretty easy grader, the tests aren't too hard, but I would still study.

Murren is the coolest kid around! I took 2 classes with him, GEOG440 and POLS334. Both classes were set up the same way. Lectures twice a week, a few pop quizzes based on the readings, a research paper, a mid-term and final. Oh, and some homework too. All were pretty easy. He does test review before exams and is super assessable after class!

Im pretty amazed at all I learned in a 1-unit course. Professor Murren personalized the topic so it was relatable, sharing his Peace Corps experience and using real-life examples. 1-quiz (easy if you take notes) and a 3-page Essay (you pick the topic). I did mine on building a school in Honduras. He's laid back, friendly & kind of cute. Recommend.

I liked Murren because he's very open to discussion and his classes revolves around discussions. I learned a lot from the class, and his grading style is very reasonable.

Professor Murren is a great professor. He's super nice and helpful. His classes were super easy and he provides you with everything you're gonna need to know for the midterm and final exams. He practically hands you an A on a silver platter. Just don't be lazy about it. He has a strict timeline that must be adhered to.

Don't be lazy and you will pass this class. Don't procrastinate. Do the readings, do the 5 weekly assignments before things get busy with mandatory assignments. This guy is amazing.

Prof. Murren is helpful and nice, but the classes feel like they last forever.

Murren was my GENS100 professor, which is hardly even considered a class its so easy. He is a really nice Professor though, and I'll definitely take his upper division courses because he is genuinely interesting and cares about students.

I took him for Residential Success, and I loved class because he is so caring about college students. Since its a mandatory class for freshman the course work was boring but he gives a lot of leeway to students if they're struggling. He really is interested in the students lives and what they think about college which is nice to have in college.

This class was honestly useless but the real gem here is Professor Murren, hes incredibly knowledgable and even makes lectures about meditation fun and interesting. With Gen S, just do the weekly canvas assignments and youll pass but try to make it to Murrens lectures because of how of an amazing speaker this man is.

Literal dilf like he does everything right. He communicates with students and canceled class a couple of times which was nice. He was super understanding if you needed to miss class for mental health. Grades are based off a couple writing assignments that weigh heavily on your grade. Make sure to stay on top of the couple assignments

Professor Murren is strict on his deadlines because his class is easily do-able and very gives students plenty of leeway. However, he is a fair grader and his class is largely discussion based. The more engaged students become, the more fun the class is.

SUSTN334 is a very discussion-based class which made it interesting. Proff Murren is a very chill guy and cares about his students. Class was not mandatory but I always got something out of it- lectures are pretty interesting. 2 easy tests that are take home, 5 homework assignments, and 1 research paper that we got to pick the topic for.

I highly recommend Murren for POLS/SUST 334. Grading is based on 2 take-home exams (100 pts each), an 8-page research paper (100 pts), & 5 homework assignments (10 pts each). You can get away with not reading all chapters if you show up to class & take notes on the discussions. Attend the review sessions before exams. Overall, an interesting class.

The content is interesting and the the professor is passionate & chill at the same time. He shares his experiences from the past when they relate to the the class, and they are quite inspiring. I took him my first semester freshman year and last sem as a senior. Grading was straight forward. There are 2 exams, a paper, and questions from chapters.

Very casual and understandable lecture style with very little note taking/slides. He presents the material well and in a discussion-based fashion. I was happy with this class and this professor.

Really knowledgable on environmental policy. Class is discussion based, one chapter a week. Fairly easy and very interesting class. He cares a lot about his students and respects their opinions. Only two take-home written exams and one eight page paper. Highly recommend this class!

Easy class, 5 articles review, 1 essay, 2 exams

This class is great, it is interesting and doesn't have too many assignments. You read a chapter for a select five weeks, and talk about it in class. The class is really discussion based and the main essay you have is basically a free for all about what you are concerned about environmentally. Murren is chill and loves to hear everyone's opinion.

I would defiantly take this professor again. the class is made up of reading a minimus of 5 chapters and answering 2 questions from the book each week. tests were online when I took the class. and an Essay which you get to choose the topic about environmental issue. very chill class. attendance not mandatory.

Total 5 assignments from the textbook, 2 written exams, and a final paper. He is very quick to respond to emails and any questions you may have. Attendance isn't mandatory, but I would recommend going because the discussions get pretty interesting. Take Prof Murren if you can

Murren was my favorite professor at SDSU! I loved how he made his lectures discussion based so we could learn from each other, & how he brought his real word experience into the classroom to make the learning experience diverse and impactful.

Professor Murren has been one of my favorite professors yet. You can tell he's passionate about his students learning and discussing amongst one another. The class is fairly simple and easy if you attend the lectures. You will miss information if you skip. Definitely my favorite class this semester and would 100% recommend.

Prof Murren encourages open discussions about the readings during his lecture and shows he values everyone's opinions. He shared some stories from when he was in Peace Corps and other international environmental management which was really enlightening. 5 easy "questions to consider" assignments, 2 exams, 1 paper, do the reading and attend lectures

Super easy class, esp if you know how to google. Graded on 5 one pg response sheets, 1 midterm, and 1 final. Murren is a super chill guy and is always willing to help and accessible outside of class. He understands what its like being a student and makes his class very easy to pass if you know your stuff and on top of your work.

Professor Murren is clearly an expert in his field, having participated directly in some capacity in environmental outreach efforts over the past few decades. I personally love showing up to his class, but also feel that should you do the readings and homework, you may not need to. He's also a genuinely nice person who wants to see you succeed.

Best professor ever, class was fun and he is so caring and engaging. Assignments were clear and you can get an A if you try.

Murren is awesome. A really kind guy and his classes are straight forward. Just do the work and it should not be hard to do well in his class

He is very passionate about what he's teaching, and discusses a lot of information each class period. However, it is basically just talking the entire time and it sometimes feels that the class takes literally 8 hours. Great professor!

I would definitely take another class with him if I could. I have already taken two of his classes, and the format was the same: five article responses due over the course of the semester, one issue paper, and two exams.

Murren is such an awesome guy. The content of this course is super interesting and he does a good job of tailoring the course to what the students want and want to talk about. I wish I took more classes with him. He also tries his absolute hardest to be unbiased and not give his own opinion as fact, which I really appreciated. Take this class!

James is the best. You can either never show up, read the book, take the 3 easy tests and two easy papers and be fine or you can never read the book but always show up to class and you'll be fine. There are 3 tests in class on paper, but they are short answer very easy no final. 2 papers just watch the film and answer the prompt and you'll be fine

For a class this short, Professor Murren is great in teaching a unit class in only two lectures. I joined and stayed for the entire day of the lecture(6-8 hours) and. I learned a lot during those two days. We had a quiz and a paper that I wrote about building a hospital in Uganda for the poor. I'd take him again if I could.

Said attendance was required but he doesn't give any attendance grades. Grade was only 3 tests and 2 papers which both were very hardly graded. Tests are 10 questions and responses are with bullet points so very easy. Chill professor, kind of boring but would take again for the easier grade even if grading is harsh.

Murren was very lecture heavy and the textbook chapters are very long. He provides slideshows for each chapter. You are only graded on three in person exams and two short essays. He's a good lecturer and taught in many ways (videos, whiteboard, slideshows). He is actually a very easy grader and very helpful.

Murren is a topnotch professor, he used an awesome set of great case studies for our class and I felt it gave me better awareness of the environmental policy has been shaped in the U.S. We had reading reflections, 2 exams and an issue paper. He was always available when it came to getting feedback for the paper and it was an enjoyable class.

Midterm/ Final 4 questions in person blue book. 8-10 page essay gives you the whole semester. Reading the chapters are not mandatory but he does make you do 5/10 challenge questions worth 25% during semester. He did inform us that he might make quizzes mandatory for Spring term but has not decided yet. Great teacher and easy would take him again.

Very simple class format that's easy to keep up with, exams can be tough if you don't brush up on all the readings beforehand. Issue paper is totally doable but very time consuming, especially if you're a perfectionist so don't procrastinate too much. Get the challenge questions out of the way as they come up if possible.

Really easy class just go to the review sessions and he'll explain everything on the test. Other assignments like essay and article responses are really easy and he gives you a lot of time to do everything. Really good class for an A

Great professor! Class was very lecture/discussion based. He was great at explaining things in lecture and always encouraged tough questions. There is one big essay, and two written tests. There are weekly readings which can be heavy but are very interesting (to me anyways). I'll be taking him again for another class, can't wait!

Highly encourage to take this class. 2 papers and 3 exams for the entire semester, really easy workload, especially since the papers are two pages double-spaced and exams were 10 questions. Content was easy to understand and enjoyed talks about current events about the environment. Genuinely learned a lot in this class, definitely recommend.

This is my third semester taking a class with Murren. He is so nice and caring, extremely laid back, his classes have structure, attendance is not mandatory, and workload is so doable. I could not recommend taking him enough. He is amazing. I have taken pols 334 and pols 440 so far and had great experiences.

Very interesting class and you can tell he is very knowledgeable and interested in his work. He is also super flexible with most of his assignments. Would take again!

This was my 3rd class with Murren and he is a good professor with not too hard of a workload. 440 had one paper, 2 tests (one on each book), and 5 article discussions. Super chill and would definitely take again.