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Prof. Armbruster was pretty cool, the only thing that i could say that i didnt like about this class was that there was a lot of reading but other than that i really enjoyed it. I love how passionate he is about his teaching. I know it sounds dumb but he actually made me want to learn. :]

Great professor. He was very passionate about his teaching which makes you engage in the reading as well as in the class. The reading is a lot but its very interesting, make sure you always attend lecture. Lecture is pretty fun.

Omg he was the best professor Ive had so far. He is definately passionate and inspiring. Plus the issues addresed in the class are really interesting. You learn a lot...BUT lots of reading.

He is an AMAZING professor!!! He's engaging in a class of about 500 people! There is a lot of reading but he goes over it in class and has review sessions to help in anyway possible! i LOVE the class because he made it interesting!

Amazingly great professor, he is really concerned with you as a person. Does not throw in your face that he has a Ph.D. which makes him feel more approachable to share personal problems. Fantastic teacher!

This professor is simply amazing! He sincerely cares about his students and his teaching style is great! I love how he gets his students engaged in the material he teaches! I highly recommend this professor!

He may be the most dramatic teacher ever, but truly the easiest. Couple papers which are more about you than the readings. A couple novels that are all explained online. If you 'open' up about yourself in your papers your getting an A!!! So easy.

Professor Armbruster changed my life, he truly is passionate about the class and his students. If you're considering this class just stop and take it. Pay attention in lecture and you'll be inspired to change.

BEST PROFESSOR EVER! He is so passionate about what he teaches. Go to his office hours, get to know him. He is by far, the most dedicated professor I've met/had. Course material was a lot, but it was interesting. If you have any questions, he is more than happy to help. Hope to take more classes with him in the future.

Where to start? Prof. Ralph is definitely one of my favorite professors, and he is much more than that, he is a mentor. The readings weren't too bad, I actually didn't read 2.5 of the books and did fairly well. We watched inspiring movies and just had to discuss them. Not much work, he just wants to engage students to think beyond themselves!

there was not one lecture where he didn't cry. He's an emotional guy. Regardless, you can truly see the passion he has towards the chicano movement and the class. It's an easy class but requires a lot of reading.

Wow! So dedicated to his students, answers every email or question. Super passionate and really cares about the subject. 3 papers and group discussions. The class is not hard if you can balance writing both academically and with your heart. It's not easy to reveal so much of yourself, but it's kind of necessary with this class. Love the guy!

A class I'd recommend for everyone, no matter what background you're from. Gives out very inspirational lectures as he speaks from the heart and not from a book. Passing the class means being caught up in all the readings and watching the films for they decide how well you do in the tests and the research paper.

He is passionate about the subject. There are many extra credit opportunities and the reading is pretty easy to go along with. You write two essays for the mid-term and final, but they're fairly because he gives a study guide. This is probably the easiest class I've taken.

He is good teacher and a nice person, very passionate about CHST. If you are not passionate about the subject, you won't really enjoy the class. He brought politics into the class often, and I felt that my moderate political views weren't welcome. It has A LOT of reading, and it may be hard to get by without reading. Essays on tests, hard.

He is a very passionate person and it shows through his lectures which makes it much more interesting. He genuinely cares for his students. I spoke to him twice and he recognized me and remembered my name. He truly does his best to reach out to you. If you do the study guide and put in effort, it should be an easy A.

Hands down one of the kindest, most down to earth professors I have ever had. He is a fantastic lecturer and is so passionate about immigration reform and equality in general. The midterm and final are both all-writing, but the subject matter is pretty easy. Pay attention in class, do the readings, and participate in section and you'll get an A.

He is very passionate about ch st. He also cares a lot about his students. You have a midterm, final (he gives study guides for both) , and an essay (they grade easy so easy A) about your life and how it relates to some of the characters in the readings he assigns. I looked forward to going to this class every day. There is a lot of reading.

He likes to be called Ralph, and he is such a wonderful human being - so smart and caring. He gets really passionate during his lectures, but it's a good thing. Sometimes you may be puzzled throughout the quarter, just talk to you TA. Thought I was going to bomb the midterm and final, ended up getting Bs on them.

I really enjoyed this class. Yes, he does cry occasionally, but it's because he's so passionate about what he's teaching. He assigned us four books and articles to read during the quarter. I highly recommend studying with groups for this class. Someone might have caught something you didn't, and it helps discussing the topics.

Ralph is the cutest professor ever, an emotional teddy bear. However, if you don't agree with his views your opinion might be different. The class had me on the verge of tears frequently. Super easy A.

Ralph is by far one of the best professors at UCSB! His lectures are very inspiring! Chicano Studies 1A is a very easy A! The class is based on Midterm, Final, Section & Essay. The essay is an autobiography & all the material for the midtermfinal are given at lecture. He cares about all his students & really wants all to pass! Great class!

Ralph is an amazing professor! He shows his passion for his career and his passion for wanting his students to learn. He inspires some to become involved in social activism. His classes are always so interesting and the books that he had us read as well. This class was based on essay reflections, midterm take home essay and a final take home essay.

At first I was really excited to be in this class, but became less so throughout the course. There is a r i d i c u l o u s amount of reading; four novels, a course reader, and extra articles thrown in for fun (even his emails tend to be multiple pages in length). He shows required movies outside of class, which is a pain.

Professor Ralph is extremely helpful and truly inspiring. He creates an environment that is so welcoming to all the students. Take his class!

Love, love , love Prof. Ralph. Hands down the best Professor on campus. Really helps place a lot of issues into perspective. Be prepared to be amazed by is lectures and warm embrace. He radiates love and compassion.

I had him for CHIC 1A. It was a easy class. Definitely would recommend it. We had some very inspirational speakers.

Ralph is super passionate! The topics covered are very heart breaking but aren't usually taught other places. One reader, 3 books, a few films and great speakers. Midterm was 5 IDs one essay. Final was 5 IDs two essays. One long paper assigned plus TA section work. Not an easy A but I recommend the class.

Armbruster is a very passionate professor. Im a freshman and this class was my last priority. I went to lecture and just listened to Armbruster and i was able to get a good grade. I didnt really have time for reading but if you go and listen to everything Armbruster has to say, you should be fine. Its a very interesting class!!

I learned so much! Just do all the readings and you'll pass the midterm and final. The research paper was fairly easy. He is very passionate about the class and made me cry a couple of times. Depending on your TA, you'll enjoy the class. The TAs do all the grading!!

The most amazing professor I've had thus far, he is an amazing human being and really cares about what he is teaching. Great professor!

It is really refreshing to see a professor that actually cares about his students and social issues. His lectures are very passionate and he uses media in order to make class more interesting. Would definitely take another class with him. You can get a good grade with just knowing the basic gist of the readings but must be able to connect them.

He's really passionate about this subject and would be there for any of his students if they needed him. Goes way beyond normal professors. Really cares about the students. Doesn't mind if you disagree with him, always wants to make sure the students understand the material.

Really great professor in and outside of lecture. Perfect fit for an intro to chicano studies class, covered in depth historical and cultural events while making you care about it.

Ralph was an amazing Professor! He is passionate, and we did talk about things aside from Chicano Studies. Final was straightforward, know the terms and definitions!

Out of all of the professors I have had during my time at UCSB, he has got to be one of the most compassionate one. There was a take home midterm, pretty straight forward. The required readings are a bit heavy, but very interesting. One thing I don't really like is how often times, he makes us hug/hold hands with our neighbor which is really awk

He is a passionate professor and his teaching style shows it. Would 100% take another class with him.

Amazing professor! Has very efficient and passionate teaching methods.

Professor Armbruster genuinely cares about his students. I went to his office hours several times and he is very willing to help you. He inspired me to change my major and I am very grateful!

Prof Armbruster is an emotional guy, but you come to see that as just another piece of evidence that he genuinely cares about his students and the subjects he teaches. He is super accessible to talk about the class and grades, and he also stays accessible when the class is over to talk about anything. I haven't had many profs who were as impactful.

One of the most passionate professors out there. Attendance isn't mandatory, but it can be helpful at times. Class was graded on one midterm, essay, and final (there is an easy extra credit option, too!). I skipped about 60% of the lectures, and still got a 100% on the essay and finished the class with an A. There is some reading, but pretty easy.

Extremely compassionate and passionate professor. So were the TAs. Lots of papers (three 3-pagers) and had a weekly discussion post. But an interesting and great class about social issues. But warning: if youre conservative-learning, you might roll your eyes at this class. Or leave with a new POV. Who knows. Fairly easy A if you put in the effort.

BEST professor at UCSB. Truly cares about YOU and the material presented. Oftentimes cries during lecture, making you cry. Not only a good professor, but an even better person.

Summer B. I loved prof as person and class. 3 short essays +1 EC. Really made me think. Biased against opinions that are not his. However TA Nava was a nightmare. He yelled and ranted about unrelated topics. Made class afraid to talk or interact. Dreaded attending section. Took away from class greatly. Would take prof again but with another TA.

Professor Ralph is the most understanding and compassionate professor I've ever had. I'll miss him!!

Best professor at UCSB thus far (granted I have been there for 3 quarters). He is beyond amazing and educated in the topics. He makes lecture so interesting you want to go and is extremely considerate of any situation. His workload is not bad at all, he provides a few films to watch and has you write paper for the final TA grades.course summer 2021

An inspiring professor who really cares about you and warms your heart! Different from boring lectures, Ralph's classes are mostly chatting and telling stories which are so engaging and give you a good contexualization to Chicanx history. Definitely try his class!

Best teacher at UCSB. Truly inspiring. If I could take every class with Ralph I would.

One of the best professors I've known at UCSB. I enjoyed the small class setting, easy to engage with one another and talk about our personal experiences as Chicanx students, readings were inspiring and resonating to understand. He puts a lot of thought into the material, talking about the importance and development of Chicano activism at UCSB. :)

He really cares about his students and the material. This class talks about all Chicanx history, and some of it might be hard to believe/understand if you have never been exposed to history being explained in this way. It is very different from history classes taught from a pro-US imperialism viewpoint. You can learn a lot if you are open to it.

Best professor ever! Really interesting lecture and generous grade. Two tests and a 6page essay plus section attendance. I missed the final but he immediately let me make up. Caring and nice person. Recommend to take.

Although attendance wasnt mandatory, I would go to his lectures because of how inspiring and passionate he is. By far my favorite professor and he cares about his students and what he teaches. HIGHLY RECOMMEND IF YOU WANT TO TAKE HIM! Reviews are STRAIGHTFORWARD exactly what will be on midterm/final. There is also a creative paper which was fun!!

Shoutout to Ralph for being one of the best professors I had in my first year, very passionate teaching the material. Lectures were being resonating and emotional at times. Easy GE or major course to take as long as you pay attention to his lecture and readings. Exams and creative essay were easy to understand as long as you follow the prompt.

One of the most, if not most caring professors at UCSB. I took this class as a GE but found myself thoroughly invested in the topics and discussions. Grading scale was 15% Section Attendance, 25% Midterm, 30% Final, 30% Paper when I took it and it was easy to score high on these as long as you followed along with the main topics of discussion.

Ralph is such a passionate professor who wants to interact with students. I can see why you might find this class boring if you don't have a genuine interest in chicano studies but I think a lot of people on here exaggerate it. You study a lot more than what's on the test. If you're able to make connections between different concepts you're set.

I found this course to be highly enjoyable and enlightening, allowing me to connect with my past in ways I had not thought about. Despite encountering some narrow-minded reviews, I would highly recommend this class as a GE or for a Soc major.

Professor Ralph is my favorite professor that I have had at UCSB so far, he is a very inspiring person and deeply cares for the students and the future. I would recommend 100% he changed the way I have looked at life

Most wholesome person on the planet, love this king so much.

The most wholesome person on the planet, love this king so much. 100% recommend!

Professor Armbruster is very well spoken and educated on what he teaches; it proves in his manner to lecture. Lots of reading to do if you want to do well on the assignments. Subjects he teaches are tough topics—bring a tissue.

very down to earth

He is just the most kind, caring, inspirational professor I have ever had. We as a class, including him, cried atleast once each week because of the beauitful, sad, and inspriring stories we delved into. It's hard for me to open up about my feelings but with him it's so easy because he's so caring and I recommend everyone visit his office hours.

Professor Armbruster's Chicano Studies 1A is one of the best classes I've ever taken. He is so passionate about what he teaches and his lectures as well as guest speakers have been so powerful. I am an engineering student so this class was so eye opening--I even spoke to my family about his lecture.

Vastly knowledgable on CHST, making Ralph a great prof- speaks from his huge heart. Covers harsh realities, goes above & beyond by including the similar experiences of other marginalized groups & how they are all intertwined + why u should care. Life changing. If u can shrug off the mistreatment of other humans and want easy A: THIS IS NOT FOR YOU.

Definitely one of my most favorite professors. He's very passionate about what he teaches (gets emotional pretty often) and works diligently to engage with all his students. Heavy topics so don't take if you're not interested in actually learning and doing work outside of class. There's no graded homework but said material can be put on the exams.

Very passionate about what he does, great lectures except the class is VERY centered around his perspectives/opinions even if he does acknowledge others at times. Inspirational at times but loves to talk about himself...Lots of reading, suggest you do all of it. Just go to lectures and you'll be mostly prepared for the two exams and the one paper.

Great topics and lectures. Readings weren't difficult but could be long, definitely do them if you want to pass they'll likely be on the midterm or final. Professor was very genuine and cared for this topic which made lectures super interesting. He'd get emotional which was slightly awkward, but showed his passion and would definitely retake.

This class was so interesting and included awareness of important topics such as immigration, politics, the wars in Gaza, Lgbtq+, and women. I felt inspired and left this class feeling more educated. The professor is amazing and really tries to connect with his students on a deeper level.

Professor Ralph is a very honest, down-to-earth professor who takes the time out of his day to connect with each one of his students. I took Chicano Studies 1A over the summer and it while it was a bit reading-heavy, the assignments and "exams" had clear expectations. He also provides amazing feedback.

Took him fall quarter for CHST1A and I loved the class so much. He is very passionate about what he teaches and sometimes gets emotional during class about certain topics which makes the class feel special and inspirational. There are readings and some are long but they are very interesting.

I took this class two quarters ago and I miss it. He was a great professor overall & very inspiring & easy to talk to. Go to his office hours, he is very passionate about his job and helping his students! Class was very interesting, loved it! He brings special guests sometimes, we got to talk to Dolores Huerta!

One of the most passionate professors I've ever had!

Professor Armbruster-Sandoval made it clear how to succeed, and his passion for his students, what he teaches, and creating a positive learning environment was evident. Attendance wasn't required but I WANTED to come to lecture each week. Truly one of the best professors I've ever had at UCSB.

I love him so much. He cares about his students to the point where he'll come up to you to say hello. has such a big heart and provides countless opportunities for u to get involved with the content that ur learning about. as long as u ACTUALLY do all the required readings and make flashcards for the key terms, you'll ace the midterm and final.

i love him. he is so passionate and knowledgeable, and his class is genuinely worth your while. pretty reading-heavy, there are books to read on your own time. pay attention and take good notes! grading depends heavily on your ta, make sure you know what your specific ta is looking for. make use of office hours and outside of lecture sessions.