3.4
Quality2.3
Difficulty59%
Would Retake89
Reviews59%
Would Retake
89
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
25
4
26
3
16
2
16
1
6
What Students Say
“One book a week but they are really easy reads”
BS33 - 4.0 rating“Very nice, fun, approachable, one of the better black studies professors ( ahemm, Ingrid Banks) and overall a great instructor”
126 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
94%
Textbook Required
57%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.67 avg changeRatings by Course
126
5.0
(1)BLKSTD3
5.0
(1)FLMST171
5.0
(1)3RDWORLDCINEM
5.0
(1)BLST
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
JEWISHSTUDIES
5.0
BLST126
4.0
BLSTBLST
4.0
FILM161
4.0
BLACK175
4.0
Reviews (89)
absolutely terrible, can't believe I pay thousands of dollars for professors like this. Totally unclear...class is a total joke, and not in a funny way
really good class, watch movies from Africa, and he gives you a study guide for the midterm and final
No Comments
This class was amazingly easy and interesting!Section and class are valued the same as midterm and final so GO to them. He incorporates film which is a break from just lectures and is very understanding. Plus he's from Nigeria so you can be sure he knows what he's talking about. I loved every second
Class is super fun and easy. He makes sure you are prepared for the final by practicaaly giving it to you. His accent is a little hard to understand at times but he's from Nigeria! He has the best knowledge of Africa based on first hand experience! I'd take another class under him.
the professor is very caring and wants you to do well. he is very passionate, and makes it easy to do well on the tests; however, the TAs can completely eff you over, so talk to them about certain criteria. not much work at all. he has a realllly strong accent that makes him hard to understand.
easy class if you get along with your TA, study guides and lots of hints for the tests make them real easy
What a ****in doosh. His lecture is unstructured and he seems lost most of the time. Also, videos don't tie into the class very much
I love this class. I thought it was fun. It IS a little difficult to understand sometimes, but it was honestly my favorite class that quarter.
rusrtusr
I LOVE JUDE!!He is sooo, sooo sweet =) Really talk to the people around you in the class and try to get the best TAs, they will help you a lot; READ THE ASSIGNED CHAPs B4 CLASS! He IS unstructured and hard to understand, so put in a little effort, sit close, read on time, and you'll EASILY get AN A!
he's a nice guy. But dont ask for a letter of rec. He may not get back to you. Class is interesting though. Try a little harder and you'll get an A.
Very easy class. He is probably the coolest professor here. He likes to make fun of people occassionally, but in a nice way. He always says "Gauchos, you are scholars".. or "Any questions Gauchos?".
He is an excellent teacher. Student focused. Very knowledgeable about his stuff. Very helful to students, finds and recommends good resources. Very patient and cool. He is a perfect gentleman.Wants other to succeed. God bless you, Sir!
A committed student will have a lot to gain from this class. He knows his stuff very well. He is a blessing opening us to other cultures of the world. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge with those of us that care to learn.
he is so annoying because he constantly calls the class Gauchos and says,"hello, Gauchos" everytime no one answers his questions. He must say that phrase like 50 times during one class session. But i must admit, his class isnt very hard
No Comments
i got a pretty good grade with out lots of work. He is good with help out side of class, its hard to focus in class, he talks a lot. Movies start late often, and once stayed an hour over. But they are good movies
No Comments
No Comments
Akudinobi was very interesting and is very personable. I enjoyed our thoughtful and sometimes extremely lengthy class discussions. Plus, I found his calling us "Guachos" pretty funny.
amazing, amazing professor.
A nice guy, but the class I took was poorly constructed and he was very unclear. I also never received my research paper back, so I'll never know if he even read it.
If you don't sit in the back of the class and take up space and air, you could learn a lot from this teacher. He is a great resource and very helpful in office hours. I absolutely loved this class!
Awesome Guy!!! Very friendly and easy going. He'll help you out if you just ask. I got an A just by attending every lecture and discussion and taking excellent notes. The reading isnt too bad either. He has a Nigerian accent and calls everyone Gauchos...
This class is really boring! you can't understand the professor at all. i usually doodle in this class when he's talking. the movies are good, but some dont make sense. just go to section every week and do the midterm/final study guide and you'll get an A.
Jude is a really cool, funny guy, but lecture is just really boring. I fall asleep most of the time through both his lectures and movies. Easy class though, and my TA (Christi) was really good.
He was incredibly nice and really wanted to help students, but he couldn't structure a lecture to save his life. Most students were lost; we could have learned so much more if he could keep a train of thought. Reading was easy, but he was very unclear and too academic. I do not recommend him unless you have a background in history or polisci.
No Comments
Very unclear and unorganized. Cool guy though. Helpful in office hourse.
He's such a nice guy, but I could never grasp the main idea of one sentence that came out of his mouth.
lectures are unstructured but the reading itself is interesting. be sure you're able to write strong opinions demoting white society. office hours are equally confusing and unstructured but if there for a chat, he is so knowledgeable. definitely one of the most interesting professors here. would recommend only for strong writers.
He is very funny in class. He is very easy and you cant literally talk your way out of most anything. Midterms and Finals were take home for 7 days a piece. Take him as a GPA booster
Great professor, OK class. Attendance was mandatory and counted for about 20% of the overall grade. He gave us a take home midterm and a take home final along with one term paper. It seems like he will give you at least a B+ if you tried. Great professor, sometimes hard to understand. He has an amazing vocabulary and is pretty interesting.
genuinely nice person, but I have no idea what was going on in the class, his lectures have no structure and doesn't use power point or anything, he just talks. All the tests were essays. Not hard, but hard to sit through is lectures!
This professor has poor teaching skills and his class is a joke. He is incredibly unorganized and rambles too much. He truly wastes class time and doesn't even give you a real syllabus.
Disorganized, shows films in class, no lecture. Book requires a thesaurus and dictionary to decipher-he contributed to the book. Take home essay/tests that were HARD because they were straight out of the incomprehensible book. Great TA though. Could have been a great class if it was actually taught.
This class is a joke. He is very disorganized and is never on time to class. The book is hard to understand and makes no sense. You watch movies that have nothing to do with the class. If you do take this class, which I don't recommend, get Leonard McMahon as a TA. He is awesome. Easy grader and lets you out early.
Wow students can be so ungrateful. He is such a nice guy and doesn't hold students back by unfair, tough grading. I learned from this class and I'm sorry for those who didn't. Grading is very easy though. Maybe too easy?
I loved this class. Listen carefully to the lectures--just about everything he says has meaning that is not always easy to get. The media collection (in the library) has some of the films if you need to see them again. A hard subject, no doubt, but worth it, and Akudinobi is a very cool guy.
Rambles for lecture. Doesn't give out As, but doesn't grade hard. So if you don't care to get an A take the class. But if you need an A this class isn't for you.
Jude is the man. Easy class, heart-warming accent, passionate about the material covered. I love that he calls his students "gauchos"
Jude is really passionate about the subject and his upbeat character always put a smile on my face. Pretty easy to get a good grade too as long as you spend the time to develop your essays. However, it was often difficult to follow his lectures (no powerpoints/rambles on) so be sure to read the textbook before going to class.
This instructor has very poor teaching skills and is highly unorganized. Take this course if you like being confused and watching someone try to figure out how to use a projector for the first thirty minutes of every lecture.
His classes are NOT as easy as some of the reviews here make them out to be. Attendance is mandatory, with role taken in section and lecture. Some pretty big writing assignments, but doesn't fulfill a writing GE. It really doesn't fulfill any GEs that cant be found in a better class. Please, take another class. You'll regret taking this one.
Professor Akudinobi is really great! The material is somewhat difficult/kind of a stretch considering it is a class based on movies, but so far he has tried his best to make it easier to understand. He's very kind and lenient when it comes to being late. Great guy, hard class, but with enough attendance you should be fine.
Passes a sign in sheet around lecture every day so attendance is mandatory. Your grade was 33% attendance, 33% midterm, and 33% final. The midterm and final were just a bunch of writing (3 papers each) but the grading was fair and I got an easy A in the class. Lectures are hard to follow as he jumps all over the place but I loved the textbook.
he was awesome. fun and upbeat. keeps it as interesting as it can. not a hard class. get a good TA
Great class, introduced me to African cinema and the cultural/political context that influenced film makers message and style. A friendly guy who values interest in the subject matter and participation over prior knowledge.
Easiest class. Never took notes in lecture, only went to sign in. The midterm and final are take home essays and the grading is fair, got an easy A+ in the class.
I loved this class! Take home essays for the midterm and final and he will usually hint/give those questions during lecture. Lecture might seem scattered and unorganized but pay attention, I used most of what he said in class to write my essays. One book a week but they are really easy reads. Can't find the required texts on spark notes or online.
If what you want is a blow off easy class then he isn't what you want because he has mandatory attendance and the essays are pretty tough. If you want a thorough informative class this isn't what you want because he has no slides, no notes to go off of and he barely sticks to the syllabus. The essays will challenge you but you set your own pace.
The professor is a friendly guy who wants everyone to succeed. He is well-meaning, but he can be unorganized. Lecture is mandatory. Take home midterm and final that are straightforward if you pay attention in lecture/section. My TA was awesome so section was fun. I learned a lot in the class and would recommend it
A fun guy with a real passion for his subject matter. Was also very helpful when talking to him after class. Only slight complaints I would have is that his lectures could do with a Powerpoint, and some lectures mat be canceled at very short notice.
Very nice, fun, approachable, one of the better black studies professors ( ahemm, Ingrid Banks) and overall a great instructor
He's the chillest teacher ever; he made the class interesting and is a very fair grader! He does take-home testspaper which is really nice.
Akudinobi is the man! You will have a great time taking this class and he grades easy. If you show up you'll know everything you need to pass the exams. You might only have to read a whole book for your paper.
Attendance is sometimes taken. I was asleep for a lot of class since this was an 8 AM.
I may never see films and our representations of other cultures with naivety, again. Truly inspirational and unassuming scholar!
I really enjoyed his course! Learned a lot about colonialism through the perspectives of the authors covered in class. The readings were a lot. You would have to complete a book every week and in total there were 4 essays with a research paper. Overall, I really enjoyed the class!
10 Books for 10 weeks of class. No other homework besides books and 4 papers. Grades easily on papers. Teacher is willing to help students succeed. Personally read only 5/10 books and got an A in the class, but you will need to listen to what professor and TAs say to write your essays.
Akudinobi is an amazing professor and gives you everything that is necessary to get an A+ in the class. Attend one lecture, sometimes two a week, and you'll get an A in the class. Straightforward 25% Section, 25% paper, 25% midterm, 25% final.
Genuine Professor. He cares about his students. He gives you the grade you deserve. Easy going and funny. He knows what he is talking about and can answer literally any question you may have. I would recommend him and I would definitely take one of his courses again.
He is a very caring, intelligent person but the lectures are extremely unnecessary and he usually discusses irrelevant topics. It is a good class to take if you like reading and do not mind sitting through a confusing class period twice a week.
Great professor that really cares about students, he definitely round up to the highest grade and wants "his gauchos" to get As. Interesting and fun lectures, he tells good stories and makes jokes along the way! Take him, reading isn't necessary except for citing in your essays and movies are interesting enough.
Just showing up is an easy 25% of your grade (kind of sucks for an 8 am class but be thankful for the easy points!). The class was four essays, 4 pages each. 2 for your midterm, you got your prompt 5 days before it was due and you got to pick your prompt, so long story short- you don't need to read all 10 books, just write about the ones you know.
One of my favorite professors in UCSB. His subject matter is interesting and his analysis is eyeopening. He is also funny and makes class enjoyable even though it can be early in the morning. Highly recommend taking one of his classes before graduating
Dr. Akudinobi is wonderful! Lectures can be a bit hard to follow, but useful and full of knowledge. Attendance 25% so show up. He gives hints about essay topics for midterm&final (take-home); each with 2 essays. Term paper prompt is completely open. Grading is straightforward. If you can write well and go to class, it's a simple A.
Prof. A is an awesome guy. Easy going and cares for his students. He's a bit of a character but really does want everyone to succeed. The main issue he doesn't use gauchospace, powerpoint, or visuals. He simply lectures out of the course reader and it isn't very helpful. Did not get out of the class what I wanted. 3 papers, one research of 8 pages.
I was honestly scared to take this class because of all of the bad reviews here but after taking the course myself I can say that professor Akudinobi is such an amazing guy and teacher. Theres a good amount of reading but its manageable. Professor Akudinobi really cares about his students, dont be afraid to talk to him!
Pointless lectures. Everything he said was obvious if you read; I learned the most from section. He always shows up late too. However, attendance is 25% of your grade so try to go as often as possible. Try to read at least 5 out of 10 books to write the essays. He's a nice guy but I didn't enjoy the class. Easy A, just put in some some effort.
Lots of essays for this class. Total of three 8-page essays. Write down what he says in lecture and basically repeat and elaborate on essays. He's pretty old school and doesn't use gaucho space. Hard to understand him sometimes w/ his accent. He's a lenient grader though which is nice. If looking for an easy 'A', then don't take this class.
Dr. Akudinobi is a caring and hilarious dude. Everyone loves him, if not the class. The class is hard to sit through since it's an 8 AM but you don't really need to retain anything from lecture (mandatory). Two 4-page papers for the midterm, one 8-page term paper, and two 4-page papers for the final. Class consists of 10 books, just read a few.
Attendance was mandatory. Three 8pg essays, easy grader. However, no gauchospace, powerpoints etc. He talks the whole lecture. Mostly let us leave early or cancelled class but if you read the book the essays are easy
Although we was a really great guy- totally hilarious, cared deeply, wanted everyone to pass- his lectures lacked content. It seemed as if he were rambling off the top of his head for the entire lecture. There were five papers in ten weeks (including the final and midterm), which was a lot, but he was very clear about grading and what was expected.
Professor AKUDINOBI genuinely cares about his students. The reading takes 20 mins tops, there is no other weekly homework. There are 3 8 page papers. However they are actually 2 4 page papers on 2 different topics. He gives you all the answers in class. all you have to do is read 7 to 10 pages an week and show up.
Professor is a kind instructor. He is always willing to help students during office hours. The discussion lectures always help with understanding the material and encourage participation. Textbook was important to supplement the lectures. Pay good attention and enjoy the class :)
Professor Akudinbi is well versed in the subjects he teaches. He might sidetrack a bit, but he does cover all the topics he wants to see in the tests/papers. Three assignments beside the attendance worth your entire grade. Very fun and personable, willing to aid those who participate but its largely your own work for the papers.
Great and funny dude class isn't that hard just watch the movies and do the readings essay and final questions are formated so you can succeed
He's a great professor, but I wouldn't recommend him for anyone who isn't a decent writer.
Very random lectures. Spends about 50% of lecture off topic. The TA's are really tough graders too (for no reason). For a GE, its definitely not worth it. It isn't hard material to learn, but it feels super random and disorganized. I do not recommend. I would steer clear unless you are ready to suck up to the TAs!
Professor Akudinobi is a sweet professor, however a lot of the time in lectures it is a bit hard to follow what's going on since there's no lecture slides and he sometimes sidetracks. Apart from that the readings aren't difficult and as long as you do them and go to section you'll be fine.
Don't bother taking if just for GE. Just rambles on for an hour for lecture, section is utterly useless and unless you get the good TA (Charlene) you're going to spend many hours on this class a week. Professor and TAs have no clue what they're talking about, this is just an abstract class with no rubrics or guidelines.
I wish this class wasn't online this quarter (due to the fires and other reasons), but Dr. Akudinobi is an amazing professor. He does ramble in lecture, sometimes useful or just a story. He's hilarious and likes to joke. If you pay attention, skim readings, & do supplemental videos you'll do fine in this class. Only graded on final & midterm.
Can seem pretty daunting at first, but is a nice charismatic professor. Honestly didn't attend many lectures but the sections led by Miriam Burnett were great and super insightful, she's amazing. Be ready to do lots of reading and writing in this course but it's doable if you don't get behind.
Akudinobi is a great instructor and you can get a lot out of his classes as long as you actually read!! He's super funny & caring. Grade is mainly based on a take-home midterm and final plus 1 paper. Make sure you participate
Prof Akudinobi is a very enthusiastic and knowledgable lecturer. He is very willing to give students feedback and advice on writing.
He is very sweet and caring, often dismisses our class early and sometimes has it on Zoom. He does ramble a lot but seriously does care about his students and what he teaches. He says go gauchos a lot. I would highly recommend this class to anyone he just wants to talk to people
Professor is very kind and welcoming to students. Lectures are difficult to be engaged in because it is one single document with paragraphs. TA Miriam was horrible for this course, switching section structures and participation heavy in section. Easy grader however, and great GE course. Midterm paper and final paper (take home). Would take again.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
94%
Textbook Required
57%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.67 avg changeRatings by Course
126
5.0
(1)BLKSTD3
5.0
(1)FLMST171
5.0
(1)3RDWORLDCINEM
5.0
(1)BLST
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
JEWISHSTUDIES
5.0
BLST126
4.0
BLSTBLST
4.0
FILM161
4.0
BLACK175
4.0