A very good class to take in the winter...he is a good teacher, loves his work which makes the class interesting. I personally don't know anything about politics but this class has help me understand it better...take his class....and really you don't need the parenti book total waste!

he is AMAZING. his lectures are always captivating and intriguing. he is super funny and i wish would have taken him during a 16 week semester as opposed to the winter semester, which went by super fast. he's also hot. TAKE HIM, you won't regret it.

This teacher is one of the best teachers I've had so far at SMC. He makes his lectures fun and enjoyable and explains everything until you understand the lecture. He knows how to get your attention and keep it. The only thing I regret is taking him for winter session. He is well worth the long 16 weeks of classes!!

He makes polisci fun! He's very liberal, passionate and has a great sense of humor. Test are all mult.choice. A lot of intl students so it's not too hard, but it's going to be a easier for students who are more familiar with American gov't. You cannot miss more than 4 classes.

Excelent professor. His lectures are fun and very interesting. Four exams, all multiple choice. About half the questions come striaght from the textbook studyguide. Highly recommended. Warning: if you fall asleep in class easily and/or talk to your friends during lectures, do not take his class.

Take his class if you want to learn about politics, government and society in America. You will learn a lot. If you do your work, you will get a good grade. I took his online class and he is very passionate about student involvement and tries to make sure everyone learns and participates. I Learned a lot, did my homework and got a good grade.

Not an easy A but not impossible. I learnt a lot more than I thought I would. He is simply The BEST teacher at SMC =) Take his class and you'll know what I mean. /a former smc student

He asks everything directly from the book. International students(myself), you don't have to understand what he's saying as long as you learn everything in the book. 25 out of 50 questions directly come from study guide(which has approx. 25 qstns for every chapter). No homework! He is so funny and so hot! Always dynamic! Amazing class. A must take!

500 pt. class, automatic 100 pts for showing up, 10 pts ec, 4 tests 50q mc... 25-30 quetsions come straight from the study guide...the other questions r pretty easy, if you've had any american gov or history class in hs or the past you dont need to buy the book just buy the study guide and memorize the q's EASYYY AAAA

The BEST jerry. The comment before me doesn't know what he's talking about. You do need to buy the book and read all the chapters at least once before the test to get an A. To get a B, you don't need the book, only the study guide. I would wake up and memorize all the study guide questions real quick, then go and take the test and get a B. Great Pr

I LOVED this professor. I dreaded taking Poli Sci and ended up enjoying the class. Dr. Tahlvildaran is passionate about politics and it shows. His enthusiasm is contagious. He is very respectful toward students but doesn't appreciate when he finds them sleeping, texting or not paying attention, which is understandable. I highly recommend him!!

As int'l student I was ignorant & not interested in USA politics. He inspired me. Take him. Buy the Chapter Guide and practice the tests (a must for easy A). Winter semester went IN A FLASH!

Took this class during winter! man... this man blew me away! his lectures are filled with love, enthusiam, exciting facts, tons of new info, current debates.. this guy rocked my world! i learned a strong fundamental in politics. from not knowing anytime. thanks to him i no longer doubt my major in poly science!! his great~!

A very candid guy who keeps lectures interesting and rife with good examples. I wish he was teaching a different class this semester, I'd take it out of interest.

Amazing professor, i only used the study guide & my notes. You Learn a lot & he keeps it interesting. I ended up with an A. I took the winter session but i would recommend taking it in a full 18 week course, i wish i did, because hes just amazing & you learn a lot.

the class is fun. the only problem is that i spend the whole class period trying to figure out if this guy is gay and the next thing i know, the class is over and i have no idea what the lecture had been about. anyway, the class is fun and my political awareness has grown.

Professor Tahvildaran really cares. I enjoyed all of his lectures and although I do so bad on the tests, I made up for it by doing some extra credit volunteering. I got worried that I was going to fail the test as I suck at multiple choice scantron tests, but somehow I think I'm going to come out with a B. I went from hating poli sci, to lovig it.

This guy was really cool. He has some jokes, and is really into what he teaches. He curses but it's all good. Reccommended, great choice!

Now This guy can teach for real cuz. he is very clear on his lecutes and when he makes comment about political issues, he does not offend anybody. i'm taking his pol. sc. 21 on fall semister. i had F in his class untill i Buy the study guide and ended up with a B if you put a little work in it you can easily get and A

I took this class over the summer and it was about as fair as you can get. There were 4 discussions and 4 exams and he offered up a few extra credit points per exam. If you pay attention to the class and you read the assigned chapters, you will get a good grade. He is prompt with responses and he is fair when grading as well. Loved this class

He is very helpful and fun. His lectures are extremely exciting, if you are not interested in Political Science you will be after taking his class. Thumbs Up!!

Took his online class winter of '08 and passed with an A. Class was pretty easy; 4 exams and 4 discussions. He gives you a study guide and multiple choice q's come straight out of the book. How much better can that get? Highly Recommend!

Passioinate about what he teaches, he is a cool teacher who really cares aabout the issues and diffrent groups of people. some stuff he teaches really meaks you think. i would recommoend him

Such a good teacher! Even though I stand on a more conservative base, I still valued all the things that he said! He's extremely passionate and I was really excited to go to class every Tues and Thurs. Just make sure to do the notes and study for the tests and you'll be fine for sure!

This teacher is amazing. He is funny and passionate. You will learn alot from this class. He takes very seriously what he does. You don't have to worry about homework or essays, it's all about attendance and the tests (which are straight out of the study guide). His class is easy, but you WILL learn alot. It will make YOU passionate about politics.

first time i bothered to post something on this site... Richard is an interesting teacher and all-around great guy. He gives you everything you need to get an A, and with a little work, it's a pretty easy one. Only things to note: You should probably be a little open minded to take this class, and much class time is spent on current events.

more than half the test come straight from the study guide! passionate about what he teaches and sparks an interest.

more than half the test come straight from the study guide! passionate about what he teaches and sparks an interest.

absolute BEST teacher you can have! I was never interested in politics previous to his class. He is very passionate about his teaching and this subject. 1/2 of the questions come STRAIGHT (word for word) from the study guide. HIGHLY RECOMMENT HIM! my all time favorite teacher here on SMC campus. *strict on attendanance tho so dont skip/come late*

Had no idea what I was getting myself into, but SOOO happy I went for it. Great professor. He is super knowledgable and passionate about politics and will make you want to know more. Tests are easy if you do what he says... study!! (study guide is a must) ALSO speak up if you arnt shy he really likes it!!

Richard is so funny, and cool. Very down to earth and connects socially with his students. The tests are very easy. The test questions come straight from the study guide and they are multiply choice. I came in knowing NOTHING about poli sci and wasnt interested, but i ended up getting a B in the class in the winter semester. He is a MUST TAKE.

he is a really cool guy. do the reading attend class and its almost a guaranteed A. its also a really interesting class

he is the best. gives great examples in class during his lectures, explaining the textbook material. I got an A. Take notes he writes on the board and go over study guide that he'll tell you. You should know vocab and read summary on textbook. Very good professor.

Beast Teacha Eva. He taught me red and writ. Longer than thai name. Tkin tet now. Easy. Fun. Smart. Third yr now. xD "Its Gonna rain today" -Tahvildaran

If you are just looking to fulfill the requirement you are in luck. This professor lectures on current events and 75% of his test comes from the study guide. Study the study guide and read the chapters (you don't even have to read thoroughly) and you are guaranteed an "A".

He`s such a character. A great professor who is always willing to help the students. He usually have extra credit opportunities. Getting an A won`t be so hard if you carefully read the text book and take some notes in class. The exams are all online.

the greatest guy ever. if you want an easy A with online tests that you can take with your friends at home, then take this class. theres no homework and he gives extra credit. you cant find a a more relaxed class than this.

Tahvildaran is a legend at SMC. He is amazing. You will seriously look forward to taking his class. Highly recommended. You'll learn a lot and you will have a great time during the class discussions. Do yourself a favor and take this amazing professor. One of the absolute best instructors I've had.

He was an amazing teacher. I say was, because he left our class less then half way through with a TERRIBLE substitute that I want to slap. He's not that bad, just compared with Tahvilderan, he's crap. Tests are based soley on the textbook, discussion based class, so sometimes we dont even talk about the textbook.

pretty funny guy. super enthusiastic, always making jokes. classes are discussions, not lectures. tests entirely book based. tests online and open book. very easy.

What a fantastic experience! He has a burning passion of that which he speaks, and his animated personality creates a fun and productive atmosphere. One of the best professors from whom I have ever learned. Take him!!!

I LOVED THIS CLASS <3 Prof. Richard is an awesome very down to earth guy (and attractive ;]).He's more of a preacher than a lecturer, he just talks and explains in a very colloquial way how our political arena works. I must say he is quite a lefty, will not recommend his class to people who do not share liberal viewpoints.

Professor Tahvildaran is VERY nice, helpful, and is surprisingly open to others and their political views. His class was not nearly as easy as I was expecting. There was a TON of reading and the reading wasn't easy. There are four tests and TONS of extra credit. Though an "A" isn't guaranteed, failing is practically impossible.

Very nice guy. Took the online class. You need 2 books for the class, one of which he wrote which is an incredible book. He's very smart and writes like a poet. Class is simple, to the point. Tests are not easy. Study, read the material, watch some films, write reviews and take some quizes. Its a good class, and hes a great professor. :))

Great as a teacher and lecturer. I recommend this class because he really gets his students excited about the subject. However, I must say that I came to this site to write specifically about his book. The man is clearly in love with his own prose, but this book desperately needs an editor.

Took the 8 wk online class. Always answered student's questions. 4 exams based on the Challenge of Democracy textbook (but don't get the brief edition, get the 11th edition complete version). 4 critical reviews from movies. Required textbook is no cheaper than $100, he's the author and must buy access code if you get a used one.

He is clear, his lectures are funny. He truly knows his stuff. I never really liked or had no interest in Political Science but he makes it interesting. Open book quizzes and tests and crititcal reviews based on movies.

The assignments are very simple and everything is due online except for one in class midterm to which he gives you the questions you'll be asked a week prior. He's a fantastic speaker and discussions are interesting if you care but you can pass the class either way. Very easy overall, but attendance is essential for credit. Final is a take home :)

I love this man. He is funny and his lectures are based on current events. His tests and quizzes are online. People complain he curses..get over it. I enjoyed this class.

The professor is very squared away. This class is very interesting especially if you are interested in history. The professor is very helpful with the subject matter.

I loved his class. Not too stressful, super interesting lectures, and everything is online: homework, tests, quizzes, and final! Don't understand all the negative comments about him. He was great. Only downside was his super overpriced book!

I am taking his class now, and i am enjoying it. The lectures are very interesting, and he gives you motivation to study. Yes, it looks like he is an easy grader, but I think he uses a right method. he doesn't want the students study just for grade, he wants them study in order to learn something. Thank you professor Tahvildaran :)

Teacher is intelligent, funny, witty, and attractive. The class is entertaining and one will have left each class having learned something. Assignments are mainly submitted online. Open book quizzes and tests.. Get to watch some rad movies. The class & teacher are just awesome.

Amazingggg professor! Very, funny, interesting, witty, and attractive. :) His class is like no other. Very intriguing and fun. Quizzes are online, open book, and fairly easy if you've done the reading. He exposes his students to the critical aspect of films, which i've found to be quite remarkable..

GREAT CLASS. Very interesting. This class will open your mind up, I guarantee you! It is also an easy class so I guess that's good. Honestly, you will look at society, race, and politics much differently after this class. Highly recommend. Come to class ready to talk in front of a 100 students. The class is much better when students participate.

On one hand, he is enthusiastic & encourages class involvement, on the other hand he goes on tangents. I don't like the online tests - harder and you don't learn anything. He requires you buy HIS looseleaf book that has a unique code in it for each person therefore you are stuck with a $100 book you can't sell back & another online book for ~$80.

Buy the book you will need it for the test and quiz :) He is otherwise a great professor He is real and open TAKE HIM! Easiest A in my life!!

Dr. T. Jesswein is an absolutely wonderful man and professor. He is very liberal, but his exams and quizzes do not reflect his biases. If you are willing to think critically and read all of the required reading material, you will succeed in this class. He is charismatic and fun and will open your eyes to the world we live in. Highly recommend!

Great class. Great Professor. Took online. Easy A if you turn in the assignments on time.

funny man, which helps when it comes to politics, but if you want to learn and understand politics? Take His Class. There is a lot of lecturing and open discussion, so be brave, watch some cool films and go to this class

Very easy class. Interesting.

Best teacher ever. Everyone gets add code. Class is awesome. All homework , quiz and exams are online even the final , you can work on it with out stress. You'll enjoy his class. Don't take him online or you'll miss the fun :D

By far my favorite professor at SMC! He is so engaging and interesting. He actually teaches you something without making it this grueling process. All of his assignments are online and are all open note! My major is not Poli Sci but I am seriously considering taking his other course just to take him again. I highly recommend!!!

I love this man. He is so amazing and the class is so interesting. All work is done online, must do reading to receive a good grade., and make sure you submit everything on time. He wants everyone to pass, but won't let you slack off. Definitely one of my favorite teachers.

The class is straight forward. He tells you what he expects and as long as you fulfill that you get an A. He's much more interested in professing and talking about the subject than points and grades. Sit in the front two rows. Really interesting class and he's a cool guy.

Great Professor, Great Lectures! Do your homework and you'll get an A.

Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein is the greatest political science professor to have ever lived. No, that is not an exaggeration. Take his class.

He is a great professor! Get involved and he can teach you a lot. Its easy to get an A but also very easy to fail. Straightforward class. He's really awesome. Knows his stuff.

Loved this class. Wish every professor had that much passion and charisma as Mr. Tahvildaran. Easy A, work can be done on your own time. Every thing is strictly from the books, and the film text that he assigns. The lectures are just brilliant. If you want to get a jump start to your morning take this class. Extra is giving so take advantage of it.

Took this course during winter and it was stressful. We were expected to read and know three chapters each week. Test were every friday, so kiss thursdays goodbye. Overall I enjoyed this class, he makes you think critically regarding how the media can change our political sensibilities. Just turn everything in on time and read the e-book! Easy A.

His POLSCI class is really about the political culture and ideologies in America. Its not really about the technicalities of government. His class is really interesting and educational. But I felt like it was more of a very political media studies class.

I took his online class. At first, the class was intimidating because we had to do the same amount of work of a regular 16 week semester in 8 weeks. His class was pretty easy. the only thing that I didn't like was that I had to pay A LOT to buy new books with access codes and you definitely need them. No way to escape! Otherwise, pretty easy class.

This professor is one of the most inspiring professors I have taken from. He teaches all concepts through current issues and debates them openly. He completely changed my perspective of politics.

His lectures are incredibly engaging and thought-provoking! I was never bored during class. He will start deducting points from you if you miss more than 4 lectures. All of the tests, quizzes, and homework are done online. You'll definitely need to buy both books.

This class is as hard as you make it. I took him over winter and it very fast paced your expected to read his 4 chapter textbook and another poli sci book. All test and quizzes are online and open book. We watched 4 film and did 4 critical reviews. He's really funny but don't fall asleep/come in late, will embarrass u in front of whole class lol :)

One of the best teachers i ever had at SMC. He cares about his students and gives a lot of extra credit. The class is very interesting, especially the events we had.

I LEARNED ALOT from this class, it was mainly political sensibilities in film. 4 exams and 4 quizzes,4 critical reviews and attend class. He is full of energy I enjoyed the class,surely everyone's opinion is different. I am content that I took this professor :)

I took his class because he's well known on campus and his lectures i spied on were interesting. Lecture in class was often irrelevant, i didn't learn as much as i wanted, textbooks were astronomical in price. online quizzes were impossible even in groups and he knows it, essays are easy. He's easy enough but not really worth the headache.

Nice and helpful most of the time however he wants papers written his way. Easy A if you do the papers his way. Not much creativity in the papers and he has you spend money on his book, which is expensive. Attendance is also mandatory which I didn't enjoy. He can be funny and entertaining although. Its a give and take course

Easy A. ALL of the work is done online. 4 quizzes, 4 exams, and 4 homework assignments. He WILL help you if you ask for help. Bad things though: 1. Very annoying and extensive lectures that do not help AT ALL for any exams or quizzes. 2. Very strict about being in class on time. 3. Voice is very irritating after a while.

Professor RTJ is the best! Took his 8am class for fall and I learned so much. His test and exams are straight from the book, open notes and open book. Very strict about tardiness and absent. He is pretty hilarious and very easy to talk to. Big time extra credit. Got D on first exam yet got an A at the end due to all extra credit.

Richard is a great guy very funny and offers loads of extra credit. throughout the course you will be expected to take 4 quizzes, 1 midterm, 1 final and write 4 movie reviews followed by a paragraph introduction of yourself and a conclusion at the end of the semester illustrating all that you have learned. and a mini easy on 3 movies you recommend.

Took his online class and its all laid out there for you. If you can follow directions, he guides you to an A. The books are expensive but necessary in order to pass his tests. Never thought I'd be reviewing movies in a poli sci class either! Overall its a fun and easy class. If you have any questions he's more than willing to help!

Professor Tahvildaran is my favorite professor. His teaching style is very captivating and he knows what he is talking about. His assignments are easy and you turn them in online. He also uses films as the basis of his poli sci courses. I have taken all 3 of his courses at SMC, he's just that great. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

I took Political Science 1 online during summer 2015. It was a very easy class.

I took the class for summer. It was fairly easy with 4 discussions, 4 critical reviews about movies, 4 exams, and 4 quizzes for the 6 week course. The work was in a separate website where we needed the access code so not getting the book is not an option. I really enjoyed the class and discussing movies.

I am super interested in the subject matter, however, I have not received any meaningful insight. It appears that this class serves as a personal platform to communicate RTJ's personal views of current events. Why attend college if only to listen to left equivalent of FOX News? The professor is clearly distinguished as a scholar.

My favorite prof! He's passionate about the subject he teaches, is invested in the class learning, funny and helpful. No final, easy tests and assignments. Office hours are helpful.

This course was actually pretty easy. All u really have to do is sit there and listen to his lectures. Most of the work is done online. All test are opended online for about a week or so. So that defitnetly helps. Most of the questions from the test are online. So yes take this class it's super easy and not to mention the 225 extra credit points!!!

easy online class, no discussion just some movies to watch and easy quizzes and exams

This class is straightforward, read the syllabus and all the dates are available. He writes his own textbook meaning you can't rent since each one has access code. Involves media into politics. Watch a movie every week and write a critical film review. His quizzes come exactly from his textbook and Unit Exams come from another textbook he assigns.

I would highly suggest taking his 8-week online class. Most of the class is just writing reviews on politically-charged films and taking quizzes. The quizzes and exams can be hard if you didn't read the super long chapters, but you can find other students online to help you if you get stuck. Really clear and organized. Two thumbs up!

You dont have to study at all for the quiz or the exams. You can google all his quiz and exam questions. It will show the question and the same alternatives as the question you got, and the corrects answer is marked. Easy A.

Want GPA Booster? This is your class, answers can be found on websites, mid terms and finals are quite easy. This is shui ke for SBs

Excellent professor!

Just go to his class. Buy his textbook and be prepared to get an A.

Took this class online. Although his textbook is expensive, the subject was quite interesting and opened my mind to new concepts. Lots of film analysis, which I liked, and the films he chose were all amazing. Exams were a bit hard.

He is a great and fair professor. I recommend him to anybody who needs this course. I took him in the summer and got an A. You must buy the books.

Listen closely: this class is SO easy. You can miss 4 classes with no punishment. You can show up late. Only assignments in the entire class:4 quizzes(ALL ANSWERS ARE ONLINE, DO NOT BUY BOOK) 4 tests (hard but the other stuff is so easy it's fine if you fail the tests), 5 writing assignments, SO much extra credit. Go to class and you get 200 points

I took his 8 week online class. It was a good class, very well structured so you really know whats expected. A lot of the assignments are graded pass/fail so thats a plus! Quizzes are easy, exams are very manageable also. The movies you will have to watch are super old and weren't my favorite but it was a quick class. Easy A. Got a 97%.

Literally show up to class and enjoy his lecture. He brings the real world to class. This is college, just like every university, you will need to skim the book. Show up to class and listen to what he has to say. If you are dazing off or on your phone, youll still be able to pass this class.

As long as you show up to class and do the online assignments in time, you should be guaranteed a B or even an A. Exams are open book, open note, etc. but can be sometimes a little tricky. As far as textbooks are concerned: There are two textbooks that are required. One must be purchased at the bookstore, the other is provided for free online.

He cares about participation and active listening during his lectures. The lectures are laid back but informational. The assignments are all online and include quizzes, outlines (instead of essays), discussions, and exams. Assignments are based on the reading and on a selection of films. He offers a lot of extra credit opportunities too

This class was a pretty smooth to pass with flying colors. You just do the work how he wants it. He does teach the content in class, which relates to the 4 online discussions, 4 quizzes, and 4 unit exams he gives. You have to do 4 critical reviews (essay which is only an outline) on the film he assigns. You do have to buy his expensive book.

Richard is a great professor. His lectures are really good. You have the opportunity to get a lot of extra credit so his class is an easy A. Almost too easy as all his tests have the answers online. Overall great class and I would take it again if I could.

Prof Tahvildaran - Jesswein has been my FAVORITE professor thus far in my education. He is so passionate about what he teaches and makes the class SO easy. Everything is online, easiest A. He encourages discussion and actually thanked me when i called him out on a mistake in his logic. Hes fantastic and i love him - wish he taught more classes!

I enjoyed his class, super easy! Watched a lot of films. The textbook used was written by himself. I received a B in the class because accidentally missed a few assignments due to a busy schedule but I could of received an A. He also offers extra credit to those who need it.

Great Professor, its taught online using his own textbook program. Offers extra credit, easy assignments. Highly recommend

Fairly simple for a 6 weeks summer class. 4 quizzes (easy) 4 threaded discussions (easy) 4 critical reviews (kinda easy). You just have to make sure you watch the movie and everything else comes easy. Passed with a B cause I missed some assignments. but he offers 50pts extra credit

Everything is online! Quizzes (4) and Tests (4) are all online. Quizlet has all the answers. Easy A and you don't have to learn a thing. I'm taking this class for units cause I have other classes to focus on. EASY CLASS !

very easy class, just show up to the lectures. He explains what he expects you in terms of assignments and all exams and quizzes are online. plenty of extra credit opportunities. EASY A

Great course if youre not into politics, but taking it for units. Show up to lectures, watch the movies for critical reviews and youll be good. Every assignment is online so you dont have to come to class prepared.

He's a really great professor and gave great lectures. His assignments and tests were all online and were fairly easy as long as you did the reading and saw the films. Really enjoyed his class

If you complete and follow all his directions you will pass all his assignments which are not hard. There were 4 exams, 4 film reviews, 4 quizzes, and participation which you are graded by . Have a plan for the tests and you will pass. He offers around 200 points extra credit . not a hard class but takes some effort. It is easy to maintain A.

Was supposed to a public policy externship class but was changed due to remote learning but the Prof handled it very well. I am sure past polsc95 students and future polsc95 won't have the same experience but I would take another class with him.

A solid choice if you want an easy A, but not the best if you want to learn. Workload isn't heavy (4 Quiz, 4 Long Tests, 4 Discussions, 4 Crit Reviews), so manageable if you're on top of deadlines. However, the textbook is his own views of certain films, and must pay $110 for his site. Also, films are inappropriate. Offers lots of extra credit!

An overall easy class. If you wish to truly learn about poly sci, then I suggest that you choose a different professor. If you just want the easy A, then this is the right class for you.

I agree with the reviews. Easy A, answers for quizzes are online. However, if you want to actually learn about politics I recommend you look elsewhere. Luckily I just took this class for easy A.

Professor Tahvildaran was honestly an easy going professor. His lectures were mandatory (lets you miss 4 times) but for the most part they were entertaining. We would talk about the material but mainly real life events which is why class wasn't so bad. Quizzes and exams were straight forward and easy if you briefly studied.

Super fun and charismatic professor. His stiff isn't too hard. Its basically one assignment a week. You can miss up to four classes in-person. He teaches the course in an interesting way. All assignments are completely open book/note/everything. Chill guy.

If polisci is not your major, this is the class for you! Very organized, everything graded pass/fail. Straightforward professor and all textual concepts supplemented with films to help reinforce diffuclt concepts. Easy A, highly recommend. 4 quizzes(questions word for word found in text), 4 exams, 4 300-500 word threads, 4 essay OUTLINES only.

I agree with the rest of the previous reviews. If you want to take a Political Science course to fulfill a GE or major requirement and you know this subject isn't really your area of expertise, take this Professor. He offers 200 EXTRA CREDIT POINTS. Easy A as long as you submit the assignments on time. Cool guy too.

Super professional, respectful and good teacher.

Class is EXTREMELY easy. If you dont want to learn and youre just fulfilling your GEs this is for you.

Easy class. More annoying than anything. You have to watch a few movies and analyze them. Follow the criteria he has then you will be fine. The major con I have is the purchase of his $120+ book, that must be purchased new for the access code. The tests are really easy and if you need this for GE requirements and nothing more, take him.

I was scared to take this class, but it was the greatest experience. the professor is so extremely friendly, welcoming, accepting. you have to watch movies and make reviews. easy homework. just study very well for his exams. his lectures are not mandatory, but you will enjoy them. pretty open minded. all the movies are so interesting. fun class!!!

This class was an excellent twist on a typical political science class; its more or less a film class in disguise, and we discuss the political messages within films. Assignment difficulty varies wildly, some are a 10-minute A, and some will take a week. Note: aside from exams, he will only grade things as 0, 50%, or 100%, so be careful!

The only reason I can assume people would judge this man is because they're incapable of putting effort into their assignments lol, leading to their poor grade. Also its so easy to find the movies he assigns to watch for FREE. LOL. EASY A, JUST LITERALLY DONT BS YOUR ASSIGNMENTS. tests are incredibly easy. He is a happy person who enjoys teaching

He's very kind and a great professor. You do have to work for an A but nothing too crazy. If you're lazy this isn't for you but if you actually want to learn and pass with an A you'll enjoy this class. He gives lots of EC opportunities. I volunteered at a play and there's online EC too. He wrote the textbook and the content is very enjoyable.

Beginning of the quarter is a bit all over the place because you have to read his textbook. The second half of the quarter is much more informative and useful. He's a very nice and understanding professor, but be prepared for a good bit of reading.

He is the best and very kind. His class was simple and the assignments were straightforward. Almost impossible to fail this class as long as you do the homework assigned per week. The tests were open note and the class is very organized on a different website he uses.

One of the easiest classes you will ever take. Tests are open note and Professor Tahvildaran-Jesswein is nice and caring. The assignments are very straightforward, just follow the rubric and you'll be fine. The textbook is mandatory since you need a code from it and it is his own textbook. Lots of EC too.

Easy class, do all the work on time and youll do fine.

Very caring professor, very respectful to his students and wants us all to learn a lot. Would definitely take a class of his again given the chance. Ended with a very high A and on top of that, he offers a ton of extra credit which boosted me up a lot.

This class is an easy pass if you complete all the work. Would recommend it even if you are not a poli sci major.

Highly recommend. The first half of his course was reading and being tested on his book he wrote. I thought his book's perspective was really cool, and I even lent it to a family member to read. The second half was learning about American government. He gives a lot of extra credit opportunities. No reason not to get an A+ in his class. Honestly.

Easy A if you follow his directions. Literally. Get ready to spend your money on renting movies though. I had to buy 4 movies (20$ total) but he expects you to buy more. No one did. 4 quizzes, 4 tests, 4 critical reviews, 4 discussions. Easy class and fun because the movies were actually really good. open book for everything too. take this class.

Dr. Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein is one of my best professors since I met in college, and he tries his best to help students to learn and build up their confidence. After I am done with his course, I feel so much accomplishment and satisfaction. If you really want to learn the Political Science, please enroll in his course.

This class is an easy A. There are 4 discussions, assignments, quizzes, and exams each. The assignments are based on movies we watch and he encouraged us to create a discord to help each other with the answers for everything. You do have to buy his textbook which was $150, but Id still recommend the class if you just need it to graduate.

He has so much knowledge and is by far the best professor I met at smc. He stays after class for help and is a wonderful and helpful genuine person. It is an easy a but you learn a lot from him and I would take this class again.

As a film studies major, I loved this class since it revolves around film. I am also an international student so his political views did not bother me. There were a lot of reading but summaries can be found on Internet. Basically it's 4 quizzes on his book, 4 exams unit accross the semester, 4 essay outline and 4 "discussion posts".

He is a outstanding professor at smc. Prof TJ is very pasionate while also being knowledgeable and supporting his points. He gives a lot of easy extra credit during the end of the course and his Test and Exams were all online, His test weren't hard it comes straight out of the textbook and you can use quizlet as well to help you prepare

Took his Summer 2022 online course and I loved it! Very organized! Assignments/quizzes are easy! He encourages helping each other out on the quizzes. USE QUIZLET. You do need to buy his textbook but I didn't read any of it and I got an A! Mainly consists of dissecting the movies he assigns. The movies are pretty interesting! Great summer course!

This professor made Political Science a class I would take again. He welcomed every single voice, and was open to hearing different perspectives. He set up an environment full of empathy and wanted all of his students to succeed. TAKE HIS CLASS, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!

I took this professor online in Spring 2023, great class very easy and clear as far as the direction of assignments. Lots of reading as there are no real lectures just lecture notes to read from. Uses a free textbook provided in Canvas. 4 half-paper outlines, 4 discussions, 4 quizzes, and 4 tests. Not accessible by email in a timely manner.

This Professor assigned 4 exams from the online textbook that he gives a free PDF of, 4 essay prompts based on films he assigns, 4 quizzes based on his own book, and other quick assignments. He also gives extra credit. Take his class to anyone that needs to take PolSci 1 as a general education course and not as a major. Overall, great professor!

The assignments are very easy and attendance is completely optional. Easy A if you're just taking for credits and the lectures are fun. Most of the assignments are pass/fail so there isn't much incentive to improve or feedback from him.

This professors class is very easy, all you have to do is read the book, quizzes will be based on the book. Attendance isn't mandatory.

Prof. Tahvildaran-Jesswein is a good professor who has clear assignments. He showed tremendous kindness to me when I missed one of my exams (worth 100 points) and opened it to me for another 24 hours. I would recommend his class to improve your critical thinking and writing skills.

I am very surprised by the 1 (awful ratings) he is very chill and funny! Always loved going to his classes! He was lenient with attendance that if you were busy you could attend another class time as long as it landed on the same day! The critical reviews were tough, but you get used to it after the first two!

You don't even have to pay attention, read the textbooks, and I didn't learn ANYTHING in this class. So if you just want that easy A, take Professor TJ. He gave a lot of extra credit that was worth more than 2 whole letter grades. All of his assignments are take home, open everything, including Chegg, other students, and Artificial Intelligence.

Easy A class! Took it Spring 2024, full 18-week online course. Each week there was like 1 assignment due or sometimes none. You do have to pay for his website to submit work and access code to his book. There's 4 quizzes, exams, critical reviews based on films, and discussions. Make sure to carefully read the rubric bc he marks for tiny mistakes.

Very Helpful Great Communication

Great professor, but the class is more focused on discussions and the material is in the books/ homework readings. Super smart professor though, and he has a lot to say. Very interesting course.

I just returned to school after many years of not being in school. I am in my 60's and this class was easy to understand. I am glad I took his class. I really enjoyed his lectures.

For this class, getting a P is not impossible. All you have to do is find a nonprofit for instance that will help you do the 30 hours you need and that's it. But do write a minimum 300 word journal each day that you are doing hours as that's part of the work he gives. That's pretty much it do the journal and turn it in. He usually post grades fast.

Easiest class ever!

Professor Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, is an amazing professor who cares deeply about his student's and their learnings. I was fortunate enough to get a spot in his Pol Sci 1 class and it was a class I learned a lot in. Tests are taken at home, with open notes and open book. Extra credit is easy, just have to do some volunteer work!

Really great Professor, do the reading and stay on task and you will pass.

I took his online political science class, taught through film, and it was relatively easy. I had an 8 week class so of course there was going to be like 3 things due in a week but the assignments we had were never difficult. Expensive textbook, does NOT play about his deadlines, and doesn't give feedback, but personally I enjoyed the class.

this professor is absolutely amazing. Being someone who is interested in politics, his lectures were super interesting, and he is a very engaging and funny lecturer. I felt very inspired by him. Probably one of the best professors at SMC. Homework wasnt anything crazy, textbook reading for online exams, and then written responses on movies.

loved him!!! assignments are so easy and he understands that we have a life outside of school. best teacher i've had so far, I wish it wasn't an online class so I could've given him some flowers as a thanks because I was going through a lot when I took his class and he was so understanding and sweet!!

Great professor for Polisci1 as class was pretty easy if you complete your assignments. Also a very smart businessman making all of his students buy his 160 dollar textbook "required" for his class.

Really easy class; i got a 99%. I'm not going into anything political science related, but I needed the GE, and definitely chose the right professor to do it with. You have to watch a lot of films and purchase a $160 textbook made by him, which is the only downside. It is literally required to do the assignments. However, it's an easy A.

He's a funny professor. Easy A, but I did learn a lot. The website he uses does suck and is outdated so make sure not to wait to the last minute to do your critical reviews or you will not be able to submit it because it's so slow. Very easy class and attendance was not really “mandatory”.

Wow, when you read all these negative reviews, you realize that there's 1 bitter student who's trolling dozens and dozens of SMC professors on RMP, writing almost identical negative reviews, attacking the professor personally. Don't listen to these posts, bc if you take Dr. T's course, you realize how talented and caring he is!!

Pretty easy class ,the only downside is that you have to buy his expensive ebook and have to register it in such difficult steps. You basically just watch movies and provide a political aspect to it and how it can compare to todays political issues. Just watchout for deadlines since he does not accept late work, but pretty straight forward class.

Such a passionate professor and gives amazing lectures, very engaging and shows he cares about his work. The assignments are all written assignments/analysis on films but not hard to manage at all. His exams are open book/notes and easy to pass.