Fantastic teacher, one of the best I've had.

greatest asset to GVSU

Outstanding professor yet grading is very strict.

Prof. Diven is very knowledgable, and presents material everyone can understand.

Great Prof! Keeps class interesting. Funny. Exam questions are sometimes tricky.

Great prof. interested in the subject and very clear. tests are difficult.

Great teaching. Learned a lot, and was taught well.Well worth tuition!

Straight forward teacher, kinda cynnical, nice class. quizes are a little rough

Awesome Prof. Funny and very straightforward lectures. Take good Notes!

One of the best profs I've ever had! Smart, funny, & helpful

Great Professor! Makes the class challenging, but I learned a lot.

Very good prof, knows her stuff. Don't just study the review sheets, study all.

GREAT TEACHER! I enjoyed learning in her class.

Very knowledgable, funny, knows her stuff, huge asset to PLS department

Good prof, exams are difficult, but you learn a lot

Outstanding teacher, if you have to take a PLS class, make sure it's hers

Great professor. Very intelligent and entertaining!

great class, lots of reading, very interesting

Great prof., class...knows how to teach!

Interesting class, nice prof., essay tests can be tricky, study everything!!

be very very specific on essays!

Great prof, highly recommened. IR is now my favorite class by far:) Do the readings and you'll do great!

Very funny! Nice lady. Doesn't have the best classroom management skills however.

she is a very nice teacher and the class is very interesting. the exams are pretty hard, cuz the study guides do not really cover what is on the exams.

her essays are easier than her multiple-choice!! excellent teacher all round!

Great Professor! She's on top of subjects within her field. Easy to work with, and an all-around nice person.

i have never learned as much in my entire life. She is great. A fun person and a great teacer.

she is a great teacher, is fair grader, and all around good prof. plus she is a keg of knowledge

Her lectures are kind of boring but if you can make it through them it is worth it for the tests. She is fairly sarcastic and funny though, doesn't take her students opinions too seriously however. The class was ok overall

Polly's lectures were very enjoyable. Tests were simple and straight forward. She's very passionate and knowledgable about int'l relations. Only bad part was her attendance policy, but she made final essay paper optional.

A great lady and her lectures are interesting. If you come to class and do the readings you'll do good in her class.

did pretty good in her class for only reading about 7 pages out of the book but I allready knew quite a bit about international relations so I did not have to study as hard

She rocks!

brings up many different aspects of int'l situations, and is very open to students ideas. very enjoyable lectures.

Ive taken two classes from prof. diven. she's a great teacher. She isnt easy, but if you read and study the study guides you can go well. she really uses current events and makes the topics relative to real life. Take her!

She has a real interest in what she's teaching so it's easy to pay attention. To do well you must pay attention in class and do the readings(no surprise there). Tests are fair; although the multiple choice part seems to get everyone

Very liberal! But she keeps it under wraps and is a good prof.

you gotta love P.Divvy(just never call her that), I've had her twice and she has been awesome both times, i wish she taught more classes that i could take! But, yeah she just rules the world!

I love her. She is really smart, a nice dresser, and extremely attractive.

She's a good prof. She has her own political views, but FINALLY a prof who doesn't shove them on you. She's very open minded and lets everyone speak their mind. She has a great grasp of the course she's teaching, and makes class interesting.

Polly Diven is an amazing woman. I've had her four times now, and I can't believe that I've learned so much from someone. She's gorgeous (for an older woman), and absolutely brilliant, a really good communicator, and she actually listens to her students.

I really enjoyed Professor Diven's class. She is funny and smart and the lectures are always interesting because she's passionate about her subject. Class discussions are interesting, and she allows everyone a voice while still maintaining control. Tests are hard, so make sure to do the reading.

Awesome prof! She has her opinions but doesn't force them on you. Very funny, tells great stories, passionate about her subject. Class is laidback, discussion encouraged. Tests are fine as long as you read and take good lecture notes. I would definitely take her again any day.

Polly Diven rocks my world! Best professor at GV. It's not an easy A, because she expects you to put in some good work. It doesn't take long to do the readings and assignments, and you will learn A LOT. She is a genius, very helpful and easy to talk to outside of class, you'll WANT her advice.

Lectures can be dry and muti choice questions on exams are killer. But she is enthused about her job.

What can is say..class discussions and lectures are not bad. Only thing is that the tests are a lil bit tough! So Study up 2 get a good grade on those and 1 more thing: DON'T WAIT TILL LAST MIN 2 DO THE READINGS! as most test questions come from them and they're too much to read 1 or 2 nights before

She is very nice, however if your not exited about material or very knowledgable, it's not good. Very hard tests. She must not understand how students pay for classes, b/c she tells us we should not have jobs and that her class needs to be our 1st priority. Class must be more important than food.

Very enthusiastic, the tests are hard but there are study guides. Unforunately, the multiple choice are based on the readings. Good prof. but stay on your toes. I'm not a very good student but I passed.

This class IS very hard if you hate to learn about the world and think outside of the box. However, I strongly believe that every student who passes through GVSU should have to take this class with this professor. The world would just be a better place.

she is very fun, and very nice. Tests can get bad because she gives you a study guide over more than what you thought you would need to know, and then doesnt ask anything about most of the material. Reading is essential! Classes were fun to go to but there were random pop quizes which forced to go

Finest teacher in the IR department... throws killer parties, loves her students, and makes class enjoyable and educational. She'll give you the kick in the ass you deserve if you give her half-assed work though. Take her... now. You won't regret it.

Didn't think I would like this class, but the prof made it very topical and interesting. Covered many current events. Readings were a little dry, but relevant. Very helpful outside of class and study guide to exams was a big help!

Very knowledgeable prof, though at times she tries to force her opinion on you. I heard this class was considerably more difficult than 211, but I didn't find it to be much more difficult, and it was very interesting. Also, there was only one paper.

She makes difficult material interesting. I enjoyed class and I learned ALOT!

She's a fine prof, but I've hated every book we've read so far this semester. And the semester is almost over. Hopefully the reading list will be updated.

the class was straight forward and quite easy. the readings were a drag and she had the students teach the class, which made it painfully boring. anyways, this is my last prof. rating @ gvsu. i wish u the best of luck and make sure u don't take yourself 2 seriously.

Prof Diven is a really funny and personable lady. She liked to mix class time up and get people to express thier opinions. My only complaint is that she grades papers really harshly, but the exams werent bad. Don't put off the readings! The great decisons lectures can be insanely boring sometimes..but thats not her fault.

Very interesting class and she was an interesting prof. But beware for all conservatives or people who lean to the right. Flaming liberal. I kid you not she tried to convince us that Kerry was a Moderate

Very good professor! Interesting, good teaching methods. Study, read, and pay attention and you'll do fine. Ignore the "flaming liberal" comment! She is objective and educated....Isn't that what a professor should be? Regardless, take her and learn a lot!

Great prof, very energetic, helpful if you ask for it. Good discussions. Do the supplemental readings to do well on the tests, do the assignments, go to class. Put in the effort, it's worth it!

She holds very interesting lectures which will challenge you to analyze issues in different ways. I really enjoyed her class, and I highly recommend that you take her class.

Great prof! She is very knowledgeable and funny. Class is interesting and also engaging. It will not be the easiest class ever but do the work and it will be fine.

Really clear prof, she has an itinerary for every day and goes through it clearly point by point. Must do reading, but overall interesting class. Attendance is graded, though, which is a bummer.

Dr. Diven is excellent. She is funny and delivers interesting lectures, but you still learn a great deal especially if you put time into the reading. She's also not a super hard grader.

Diven most definitely deserves the pepper.

You should be at class to take the notes, I did not read at all and still walked away with a B. the tests are not particularly hard but you will have to put some time in studying to do well if you are not familiar with the material

Really Great Prof. Made class interesting. Fair grader, she balanced exams: Easy writing portion, moderatly difficult mult. choice. She grades papers leniantly.

Diven was awesome! She is kinda crazy...but that makes class interesting! She doesn't have a problem in saying her opinions in class, but she doesn't push them on you and is always up for some good class discussion. The class itself was medium on the difficult scale, and you should be prepared for interesting classes but semi tough exams.

Professor Diven is far and away one of the best poli-sci professors at GV, and one of the best professors I've ever had. She's hilarious, intelligent, clear during lectures, a fair grader, and very personal with students. More of a drinking buddy than an actual professor, haha. Just take good notes and study hard for the exams, you'll do great.

Great professor, knows her stuff. there are 3 papers (group project, debate and final) she is more than happy to look them over and help you, with enough time. read the book, she tests heavily upon the readings. great class, great professor

Professor Diven is not biased, she begs the question, "why do you have the opinion you have and justify your rationale." Tests are tough, but she is fair. Utilize office hours and communicate with her, she is very helpful. I found her to be hysterically funny. My grade of C+ was because I am a poor test-taker. She is wonderful and I recommend her!

She is by far one of the most interesting and funny Professors on campus. I highly reccomend her for any Political Science course, I have just signed up for a second semster with her.

Tough Grader but clear and helpful and is a great teacher, not just someone who knows the material herself, but can actually pass it along. Tests are tough and somewhat tricky but do the reading and study hard and you will do fine. You will learn a lot!

Diven is witty and entertaining. She works hard to get to know everyone and stimulate class discussion. Reading is essential for the midterm and final. Raters who said questions were out of nowhere didn't read. Papers were easy. She holds a review session for the final. Very helpful! An A is possible if you work for it. Favorite prof this semester.

Likable teacher, especially in this small class format. Lots of reading with stimulating conversation during class. Randomly a harsh grader for papers... couldn't figure out what she wanted for a good grade. Good instruction for the class

Prof Diven does a very good job of staying unbiased on hot topics. She challenges students to think twice about their reasoning before adopting a position. She's a tough grader but always willing to help outside of class. When you do well it feels like you accomplished something. Definitely do the readings because she'll test you on them.

Professor Diven is really awesome. She really allows for open class debate and has a lot of fun in class. She doesn't mind getting off topic but she really does know her stuff and explains it quite well. A lot of reading and its pretty necessary to do really well but its nothing unreasonable.

GREAT TEACHER! you will learn so much from her. The test and papers were changeling and she grades hard. study and meet with her in office hours and you will do fine.

Professor Diven is brilliant, and passionate about her work. I have had her multiple times, and have never been disappointed by a course. She is the epitome of a good professor -- but be prepared to read a lot, come to class, and actively participate. She is a tough grader, but if you work hard you'll do just fine. Doesn't give out A's often...

Professor Diven is by far one of my favorite professors yet. She is very intelligent, interesting, and a captivating speaker. This was not an easy course, as no 300-level course should be easy. The material was presented in an unbiased fashion, students of all political backgrounds enjoyed her lectures.

Prof Diven is awesome. It's a tough class, as would be expected, but her lectures are always interesting, fun, and full of the information that will be on the test. Reading is absolutely necessary for quizzes and for essay questions on exams, but it isn't too bad. She's funny, and encourages good discussion!

Diven is incredibly knowledgeable, witty, humorous, and blunt. She provides unbiased information, encourages class discussion, and contributes to her field of study as a published political scientist. She is not an easy grader and expects high quality work, but she is incredibly helpful and inspiring. Excelling in her class feels great.

Prof Diven is an amazing professor. One of the best GV has to offer. She pushes you to understand the world in new ways & is respectful to all opinions. If you need extra accommodations and you're a hard worker she is more than willing to help. Her lectures are always interesting and keeps you on your toes. Also cares deeply for students.

Dr. Diven is an excellent professor. She genuinely cares about her students. Class discussions were always interesting. I do wish that the material would have been more abstract, though. Sometimes it felt as though the class should really be a 200-level instead of 300-level one.

I really enjoyed the class and I like how she tries to memorize all the students names. She really does care about your grade and is willing to give you feedback on things. The study guide for the exam only helps for the written part so beware of that. Its not a super hard class but you will have to try for your grade.

Very smart professor and very dedicated. Super interesting and engaging classes.

Diven is a great profesor, she gives interesting lectures and really gets to know her students. However, she is a tough grader a makes you work for it, if you are not a poli-sci or IR major and are only taking her class for an elective then be ready for a rough ride, if you are one of those majors you will quickly love her!

Prof Diven is so funny. She actually interacts with her class and you can see how passionate she is about what she teaches. Lecture/slideshow heavy but she makes it interesting. She made me really enjoy international relations. I highly recommend and would take it again without a doubt.

Polly Diven knows her stuff, and wants her students to be successful . Lectures are informative and she posts the powerpoints after class. Even the papers, films, and projects were interesting and I felt I gained a lot, academically and personally.. However, she has a big personality and will call you out or talk over you in class.

Diven is great! reminds me alot of a stern mom. She lectures a lot but makes it very interactive. She also has an interesting sense of humor. Loves her positive procrastination.

Professor Diven is one of the nicest professors I have ever come across. She is very knowledgeable in her field of International Relations, and she wants to have a relationship with her students. I highly recommend her for an international relations course.

Super easy assignments and really interesting lectures! She is one of the best profs I have had at GV. Very clear guidelines and she provides study guides for the tests. Great class discussions. She has extensive knowledge of IR and will teach you a lot if you are active in discussions and enjoy current events.

If you take this class, make sure you read the things she asks you to. Lots of pop tests, but she usually gives you a warning if you pay attention. Awesome person and very interesting experience in the field. Funny and well-spoken, miss her class all the time.

Prof Diven is great! She really cares about her students and is passionate about the subject matter. The assignments are relatively easy. Personally, I didn't purchase the textbook but still did well on the exams (3 exams total). She is very lecture heavy and gives you all the information you need to know in class.

Professor Diven is very clear and organized with her course material. Her method of teaching is efficient because rather than standing up in front of the class and lecturing for an hour straight, she makes the class participate and think about the subject at hand. I signed up for a class next year because I saw she is teaching it.

The class content was very interesting, and I appreciated the information that the professor added to it. However, as many others mentioned, the textbook is unnecessary, as I rarely used it. I'd also like to point out that her exam questions, particularly those in the multiple-choice section, are incredibly confusing, as they are very subjective.

Professor Diven was one of my favorite teachers at GVSU so far. I started a little worried about the class, being that international relations wasn't my thing at all but I loved her as a teacher and I gained so much respect for her by the end. Her tests are easy if you understand the material and her classes are fun if you participate!!

Professor Diven is a very blunt person, she's going to tell you how things are. That's good and it even interjects humor into the subject. Tough grader, she expects a lot so you many need to apply yourself a little more than you would for other classes.

Prof Diven is very quirky, blunt, and sometimes controversial. I did like the use of documentaries and articles for assignments. She encourages discussion in class but lectures can be a tad boring. Homework requires time with several 50min videos but the content is very interesting. Overall, not too stressful but not easy either. A solid professor.

Prof. Diven is an old school/tough love type of professor and I absolutely loved it. She made lectures controversial and intellectually stimulating which made class discussion more effective and enjoyable. Tests were hard but other than that I felt as though I learned more from her than any other professor I've had at Grand Valley.

This class was very challenging, but in a good way. I would not recommend if you are looking for an easy A, (instructions can be vague, tough grader, must be an active participant in class) but I felt like I learned a ton and she is so funny!

Really enjoyed this class and prof Diven. She is a tough grader and is sometimes not super clear about her expectations, but this wouldn't make me dislike the class or her. She is a queen. Would recommend if you're trying to put in the grind and have a slay prof. plus foreign policy is super interesting.

Favorite prof at GV. She is a very blunt person who clearly knows her stuff. She will challenge people's thinking and some students might not be able to handle how she does discussions. I loved her and I learned more in this class than any other PLS class.

She is a great professor and is passionate about her work, but she is very blunt, straight forward and does not take excuses.

Professor Diven is an intimidating but wonderful professor. Stay on track with readings (this is super important), stay up to date on current events, and put effort into all of the writing assignments (you can't procrastinate them!) and you will do well.

Prof Diven is tough but worth it. She is very blunt and a little strict, but funny and knows her stuff. You will be challenged but will learn a lot. You read a lot, do debates which are fun, write papers, etc. The exams are the toughest but if you pay attention and grasp the material well you will be fine. Take her if you want to learn!

Professor Diven is a no-nonsense instructor who pushes students to think critically. While her blunt style may not suit everyone, I found her engaging lectures and thought-provoking discussions extremely valuable. The coursework can be challenging, but using resources like unstuck AI helped me stay on top of the material.

Professor Diven is very intelligent also very funny. she has spunk, and makes classes interesting. she makes you question things and think about the world around you. She can effectively teach and also can connect with her students on a personal level, unlike a lot of professors we encounter. I reccommend!!

Overall great professor who cares about her student success in and outside of the classroom. She's funny and holds her students to a realistic standard for college. As long as you attend courses and take clear notes, you can get a good grade. She is clear in her expectations.

She is extremely smart and is a good teacher, however her expectations for assignments is insane. She grades very tough and is a hard teacher to please. If you ask for help she is very caring and will put effort into making sure you understand. Participation and attendance is mandatory- I wouldn't skip any class.

Genuinely one of the best professors I've ever had so far. She's intimidating at first, and is a very tough grader, but she's so funny and I genuinely loved her spunk. The exams are pretty difficult but the midterm and final have been posted on quizlett!!! I would 100% take her again.