Class starts off interesting, but becomes monotonous after the first few weeks. He know a ton about environmentalism and writing, but there isn't enough variety in the course work to keep students interested. Nice guy though, open to suggestions and ideas.

great professor -- he assigns a lot of work, but he know what he's talking about and cares about environmentalism. He gave the best in-depth critiques of my papers i've ever seen at GW.

You have to write a lot!! The lectures get pretty boring, but overall hes not a hard grader and is very helpful.

Professor Svoboda is a really nice guy who cares a lot about environmentalism and his students doing well. This class is a lot of work compared to other UWs, but he gives really in-depth critiques on work. He works really hard and expects you to also. I didn't love this class towards the end but was pleasantly surprised when I got my grade.

The first day of class, he will tell you that his UW is the most time-intensive, and he isn't joking. The class is very boring and there is more writing than almost any other UW, you have the entire semester to correct your paper for a better grade. He knows what he is talking about, but unfortunately, no one wants to know what he has to say.

Prof Svoboda is a great teacher. He is extremely knowledgeable about the subject. If you are interested in this topic, it is a good class to take and you will learn how to write; however, it requires waaaay more work than most other UW 20s. He expects a lot out of his students, but he also does everything he can to help them succeed.

Prof S is the nicest man in the world; he is extraordinarily dedicated to his students and is always willing to meet with them. Yes, he is a hard grader but I really loved his class. He lets you rewrite a couple of the assignments you did poorly on, and he really does everything he can to help you succeed. Excellent professor.

I took this class when I was a freshman a few years ago, and still believe this guy was one of the best Professors at GWU. You have to work, do the reading and attend class, but you learn a lot and he is incredibly reasonable when grading. You can literally keep redoing papers until you get the desired grade. Really approachable Professor.

He is a great professor. He really understands his stuff and really helps you to develop as a writer. However, he's an old, quirky man teaching young people how to write. He is very vague and makes assignments seem much more complicated than they actually are. Look at the topic he's teaching because unless you like it you probably won't like him.

Extremely knowledgable, helpful professor. He is so genuinely passionate about his subject. If you take the class seriously, you will get a lot out of the class. A really special class and professor.

loveee

Passionate about teaching his students. Relaxed teaching manner makes for fun lectures. Not the easiest grader but allows you to re-submit all your papers for a higher grade. Recommended.

He's very passionate and helpful, but the assignments are extremely challenging and scientific. So i'd recommend only taking it if you are fairly interested in science, specifically climate change.

Prof. Svoboda is a great professor, hands down. Yes, his assignments are difficult, but if you pay attention and write according to the guidelines that he tells you too, you will do well. He provides a lot of outside information, which is useful, and is very knowledgable. Take his class seriously and you will receive an A. GO TO HIS OFFICE HOUR

ProfS is a great professor. He does a great job providing the information you need to do well in his class. This class, however, is harder than most other UWs because of the difficult analysis involved. But this class is very interesting to those passionate about the environment. definitely take this class

Svoboda is an excellent professor who is passionate about teaching. While his papers can be challenging, he gives you the opportunity to re-submit them for a higher grade. He was willing to work with me outside of office hours and often went out of his way to contribute ideas and sources to a paper I was writing. Highly recommended.

Excellent writing professor. He's very organized and every class is an exercise that works towards making your writing stronger and your work easier. He is very approachable, flexible, and accommodating. That being said, he is a hard grader, and I would only take him if you are interested in the UW and you're prepared to work for your grade.

He is an awesome teacher, really passionate about the subject he teaches and the class is pretty interesting. The papers you write are also pretty interesting too but he is really vague on what he expects from each paper which makes it a little harder to receive a good grade on papers. Also very helpful and willing to work with you on anything.

Svoboda is a passionate man that genuinely wants to help students. The course was slightly disorganized and his grading of assignments is tedious, often focusing on very minor technical details. However, class discussions are engaging and you learn a great deal about how to write academic reports. Recommend if willing to work hard.

Svoboda will make you a better writer. However, you will have to work very hard. The readings are intriguing but lengthy and challenging. He grades rather tough and spends quite a bit of time reading your work. ALWAYS makes himself available. If you're lazy, do not take this class. Really makes you work for a good grade.

I took UW1020 as a transfer student and I've had a lot of professors so far, but ProfS blows them all away. Without a doubt the most devoted prof I've ever had. Reads papers very thoroughly, you get the sense his first priority is to teach you.

Svoboda is a great professor. He puts an enormous amount of time and effort into grading papers (there's always tons of notes). He is also very understanding-you get the opportunity to rewrite certain papers, can turn one assignment in late and he frequently adjusts the syllabus to best fit everyone's needs. Put in effort and you'll get a lot out.

Absolutely PHENOMENAL professor. Very challenging, but really knows how to push students beyond their academic comfort zones and truly grow into better, more sophisticated writers. Best professor I had at GW.

ProfS is an amazing professor that many freshmen disregard because they hate English class. He is a fair grader--that being said you must do stuff, on time, and put effort into his class. If you got a 5 or 4 on AP Lang or Lit you'll do fine. Truly cares about his class, and students. Very passionate and wants to engage and foster your strengths.

Svoboda is a good dude, and nice person. The lecture are all totally irrelevant to the class, save one or two, as you're graded on the writing. He expects participation, and provides clear guidelines for grading although, in my personal experience, his advice at office hours is either hit-or-miss.

ProfS really wants to get to know his students on a personal level, so be sure to go to office hours and talk in class. The research paper can be challenging, but keep an open mind and ProfS will always help you if you need guidance. Ended with a 97 on my research paper, because I chose a topic I liked, used library resources, and consulted ProfS.

Professor Svoboda is awesome. He's a tough grader but if you email him for advice he'll get back to you almost instantly. The class itself is really interesting and he enjoys the topic. He gives you the choice of topic for your final research paper which is nice.

Hardest I worked for a grade. Took this during the 2016 election and it fascinated me. You can skip a lot of the readings (they are interesting though!) and still get by in discussion. Lots of work needed for each assignment, but I can say I am a much stronger writer due to his workshops, critiques, and level of engagement with students. Great guy.

Amazing professor. Even after the course has ended, I am continuing to meet with him to see if I can get my freshman research paper published in peer-reviewed journals. Be prepared to have at least skimmed every reading, because it is very difficult to hide in this course! Difficult grader on assignment, but will give you a higher course grade.

Professor Svoboda is an awesome professor. This class only met four times a semester, but he is very reasonable if you have to miss one. The class meetings are discussion based and relaxed, the assignments are concise and relevant to the course material, and the most important component of the class itself was the internship hours requirement.

Svoboda's lectures can often be slow, but his course will drastically improve your writing. He's very thorough when reading papers and offers most of his feedback through workshops and office hours. If you want to head into college really prepared for academic writing, his classes are worth it. Not for those looking to just get by.

Svoboda is a super caring teacher. He spends an ungodly amount of hours holding office hours for his assignments. He is a tough grader and expects a lot out of you but he is always avaliable to help. Sometimes the lectures can be slow, othertimes there can be great discussions. You learn how to write so much better and he prepares you for college.

Professor Svoboda is a fantastic professor and his class was one that I thoroughly enjoyed. I recommend that those folks looking to get something out of UW1020 take Svoboda's class.

Professor Svoboda holds a good portion of office hours and you should definitely go to a few for every assignment because he will help you a lot and tell you exactly what he wants from your essay. Overall, he is a good enough lecturer, but towards the end of the semester the class centers more on group discussions.

He is a really good professor and he truly cares about his students and their well being. It was a really hard class, and probably one of the harder UW courses but my writing improved 100%.

Great professor but really hard content and works

It's possible to do well in this class, but you have to work for it and have some interest in politics. Five total papers, all of them are graded hard but fairly and you get lots of feedback. He's accessible outside of class, I've never seen a professor put in more hours. The class was a lot of work, but I loved it and am I better writer for it.

Michael is a great prof, though he makes you work for your grade. The discussions are super interesting, and the final paper is done in sections with feedback at every step! I would definitely recommend him!

LOVED this class, it was super interesting. Svoboda was super accessible and put in tons of hours, especially for the big research paper. I have never been prouder of myself for the amount of work I put into this class. It takes a lot of effort but it was definitely worth it. He makes you work hard but grading is fair.

great professor, very kind, patient and caring person. sometimes hard to hear him because he's soft-spoken and the AC is loud but other than that the class was a really nice experience with interesting subject matter. would recommend climate change UW

Professor Svoboda is the most dedicated instructor I've ever had, he holds so many office hours and help sessions!! The five major writing assignments including a research paper are outlined super clearly and the in-class discussions are super interesting. You have to put in effort, but he helps you every step of the way, couldn't recommend more

Professor Svoboda is definitely one of the best professors I've had at GW so far. I took his climate change UW, which I definitely recommend if you're interested in the environment. He makes his requirements clear and schedules a ton of workshop time out of class to get feedback on your work. Very fair grader and clearly wants you to do well.

Svoboda was one of my favorite professors not only because the class's political focus was so intriguing, but also because of how ProfS incorporated academic articles, psychological theories, and class discussions in his lessons. He really helped me develop as a writer. I highly recommend him and UW1020 for any IA or PoliSci majors.

ProfS is an OK professor but you should really only take his course if you're genuinely interested in the subject matter, or you'll lose interest after the first month. Class size is small so always do the readings and be ready to contribute/be called on.

The Political Brain. Svoboda was my favorite prof so far. His classes were interesting and prepared us for the research paper. Through review workshops and extensive office hour sessions, he was always ready to help! If you go to his office hours hell help you eliminate any hurdles you encounter. My writing has for sure improved!

Prof. Svoboda is very kind and a good teacher. He struggled a little with virtual learning, but he was always optimistic. His grades can be harsh, but he gives you opportunities to revise your papers. Going to his office hours can be beneficial just to bond; he is looking for connections with passionate students. Svoboda will help you succeed.

I took the Political Brain and I am not super into politics but the class was great. Most of the class was focused around discussion, so do the readings! This class is definitely one of the more difficult UWs so don't take if you don't want to work for it. My writing and speaking skills 100% has improved and I owe it to this class :)

This is one of the more challenging UWs that you have to work A LOT for. My writing improved a lot in this class though, so it is worth the work. Svoboda is also one of the best professors I have ever had. He puts a lot of effort into this class and cares about his students. He provides a lot of office hours, extensions, and makeup opportunities.

Professor Svoboda really cares about the students in the class and wants to help you do well. He gives a lot of opportunities for make-ups, redos, and what he calls get out of jail free cards. This is a really hard UW topic but super interesting so, if you're not willing to work for your grade don't take this topic.

University Writing, for my peers at least, has been an easy A subject. It is for this reason that I would not take Prof. S. He affirms his students that the majority would finish with a B. Regardless of all this, I have never felt in my life that I had learned so much about writing over such a short period of time. Amazing class, take with risk.

If you're looking for an easy A, this is not the class. However, I learned a lot and feel as if my writing skills have significantly improved. Svoboda was very accessible, be sure to take advantage of his office hours, IT HELPS. At times he could be a little harsh but overall he was a good prof. You really have to put in the effort though.

There are 5 papers in total for this class and the workload is intense. However, the professor has really clear criteria for an A and is always available in office hours for help. I learned a lot about writing and my writing has definitely improved. I would recommend this professor for anyone who wants to improve their writing.

Prof. Svoboda is decent, but there is nothing special. Classes are boring, but you don't have to read the assigned readings to do well. The papers are difficult with lots of writing. The research paper is especially hard, and it is more akin to graduate-level research. He is good about offering lots of office hours time and chances for feedback.

This is one of the more difficult UWs and has a pretty big workload for a freshman class but I learned a lot and my writing improved significantly. The big assignment of the semester is a 10+ pg research paper but Svoboda walks you through each step, provides detailed feedback along the way, holds review workshops, and has extensive office hours.

Definitely don't take this as an easy-A UW. However, this class taught me a lot about academic writing and Svoboda is a very caring professor who makes the class way more enjoyable and easy to get through. Workload is intense and there is a reading assigned almost every class, actually do it and participate in class discussions.

Amazing professor, definitely recommend Svoboda!! Class is not easy, long research paper and multiple other writing assignments but he gives very clear grading criteria. Super accessible outside of class and gives great feedback on written work. Be prepared to work but it's totally worth it.

Professor Svoboda was a great UW professor. He is extremely knowledgeable about the topics we covered and is good at giving feedback that is actually helpful. He is also a generally kind person which you can tell through his teaching and how much effort he puts in to help students improve. Course is reading heavy at times, but overall good.

The professor is super caring and is willing to help you succeed. Gives you lots of feedback with one-on-one consultations. Have opportunities to get an extension or opt out of one. Get ready to read and participate in class discussions. He preps you for the research paper by breaking it down making it very clear on expectations and easier to tack

This class was reasonable for a freshman course. As someone who is shy and doesn't go to office hours, I can still do fairly well on the writing assignments, having attended the mandatory 1-on-1 feedback sessions with professor Svoboda. If you are interested in politics (but does not have much prior knowledge on it), this course is perfect.

He is an amazing writing professor, super kind, understanding, funny, and makes class interesting for the most part. The research paper is tough but it feels great to get it done, and he helps you SO much in the process. There is a ton of reading you can get away with skimming a few but make sure to participate!! Go to office hours & ask for help!

Definitely one of the hardest UWs, Svoboda means business. He's an incredible prof with an amazing mind, but sometimes he grades like he's analyzing his own work rather than a college freshman's. Everything is graded on completion aside from the last two assignments, so unless you do insanely well on the papers, good luck getting an A.

Svoboda is an extremely effective and insightful professor and knows what he's doing. I found my intellect challenged and my writing improved in Political Brain. You need to work for an A. Svoboda has multiple opportunities in OH and is genuinely interested in your writing/intellect growth. People should not look past this and be driven to succeed.

Svoboda is a great professor who deeply cares for students and their writing. He consistently communicates, is flexible on his deadlines, allows for extensions, and often grades on completion. However, he is incredibly analytical, and this is reflected in the extent and difficulty of his graded assignments. You definitely have to work for an A.

He is so understanding when you are struggling with the class. He's super nice and the discussions are interesting.

I absolutely loved this class. Prof S is an amazing professor who truly cares about his students. Yes, he's a tougher grader, but he also provides several opportunities for feedback and is extremely accessible outside of class. The workload is more than the other UW's, but nothing over the top, don't procrastinate. Very interesting class!

He's pretty good. He gives good individual feedback that really helped me become a better writer. He also gives you a lot of leeway to write about what you want to write about.

Prof. Svoboda is by far the best professor I had this semester. Main points are that participation matters (readings and talking in class), papers aren't too hard(research paper was the main one), and overall was an interesting class to take. Additionally, his "get out of jail free" cards were helpful in postponing work if needed. Highly recommend.

Prof S is a great professor, and is very accessible outside of class with weekly Zoom office hours. When you're struggling, just send him a quick email and he will respond immediately at any time of day. This UW is a bit more work than other UWs, but don't let that deter you from taking this class. Highly recommend if you want to grow as a writer.

Prof. S was literally my favorite professor from this semester. He is extremely caring and knowledgeable and really just wants you to succeed. HOWEVER, he is an insane grader, and it is really tough to get an A (almost impossible), especially with the limited number of graded assignments. Great class if you want to challenge yourself but not die.

ProfS is a really sweet and understanding guy, but I would only recommend taking this class if you're really interested in politics and willing to work hard for a good grade. The class is listed as political psychology with a huge emphasis on "political." It's definitely more work than the other UWs, plus it's graded on maybe 4 assignments total.

"Imagining a Sustainable Future" is amazing. Homework was often to watch movies and read short articles to then discuss it in class. You definitely have to work hard to get A's on papers, but there are draft submissions where he gives feedback first. "Get out of jail free cards" allow you to either resubmit a graded paper or submit after due date.

Clear writing guidelines, but sometimes confusing feedback, so you should go to office hours. Also "get out of jail free" cards which you can earn and WILL save you. Amazing class discussions.