3.3
Quality2.4
Difficulty53%
Would Retake89
Reviews53%
Would Retake
89
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
34
4
14
3
13
2
6
1
22
What Students Say
“He's really nice, has a thing for foreign girls I alway see him around campus trying to talk to exotic chicks, overall ok class”
AFAM101 - 4.0 rating“I took Balkaran my first semester at CCSU && his class was the best of all my classes”
AFAM110 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
82%
Textbook Required
57%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.38 avg changeRatings by Course
POLS101
5.0
(1)HS101
5.0
(1)POS4070
5.0
(1)AFAM101
4.0
(7)AFAM110
3.8
(39)Difficulty by Course
AFAM111
4.0
POS2041
3.7
PHIL100
3.5
AFAM0100
3.0
HS101
3.0
Reviews (89)
he is the coolest, best professor i ever had.(African American Studies class) he treats everyone fairly and the lectures are so much fun.i actually looked forward to his classes and i learned so much in every class.there's only a paper and some other small stuff. book was inexpensive. EXCELLENT professor, i'd definitely take him again if i possible
easy as class just 3 papers on some wide ass topic butthe only down side is that he talks too much about his self and ****s about the accompliments he has gotten and you HAVE TO GO TO CLASS that the only real big problem cause he deff gets borning. Overall need a A No work no stress take the course.
No Comments
He is the coolest professor, so smart, sexy and best dressed. Please take his class
I want make out with him. Smart and sexy
This class was my best so far at CCSU..i recommended for eveybody..teacher easy he mad laid back...all you got to do is take some notes...never gives homework..all u have is 3 papers..grades real easy..he a mad cool teacher..take him
Great Instuctor, funny at times, made me understand the struggle of African Americans went througg. Best dressed Professor. Please take his class
Excellent Instructor, Please take him, 3 take home exams is always good.
Please take his class, he brings a different perpectives on alot of issues in our country that I was unaware off. Great Professor
Please take his classes, he is funny, exciting and very passioniate about the subject.
Finally a young, hot and SEXY Professor. Good Job CCSU. I enjoyed listen him Lecture. The fact he is Good Looking is always a PLUS.
excellent professor. keeps everything real.
Great Instructor, prepare to work, he is not a push over,but great at the issues of African American experience.
exams are all take home papers, he's a very cool dude with a lot of knowledge. he's very fair, and pretty funny. i enjoyed my class experience. and the book is really cheap.
LOVE LOVE LOVE balkaran. great professor keeps the class interesting and fun. Hes very knowledgeable all tests and midterms are take home papers. His grading procedure is easy. Does take attendence so i would go plus youd always want to go never gave u a resaon not to. cocky bu enjoyable cocky lol. fact that hes attractive is DEF a plus.
Balkaran is just way to into himself. Make sure u write papers the way he wants u to because if not u will get a bad grade. he loves to brag about himself.
DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS UNLESS YOU WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY. JUST TALKS ABOUT HIMSELF AND A BAD COMMUNICATOR. CLASS IS VERY HIGH SCHOOL.
This class is soooo high school. It's a waste of time becasue all he does is talk about himself. You won't learn anything so expect your money to go down the drain. All the info is just stats from the internet, does he know anything? Everyone gets a B+ whether you did poorly or good. Not fair he thinks its a popularity contest.
good teacher but would be better if he stopped hitting on every girl in class
Great Instructor. Top 5 class I ever had
Oh please, this guy is a JOKE. He would be great as a high school teacher. Not college. DON'T take this course unless you want to hear him talk about himself. He's a front trying to be something he's not. He even thinks he's black but he's Indian. CCSU should be ashamed hiring this guy because his material is right off the internet.
This was the best college class I have ever taken, the instructor is excited about the subject and well prepared. I look forward to kaing more classes with him.
Disappointment, bc I am interested in the material. I learned more outside the class than within it. Lectures are a bore, they stray away from the reading assignments, which aren't even that mandatory. Only three actual assignments, you'll get a good grade if you say what he wants to hear. Good class to take only if you want an easy grade.
Nice guy but all he does is read to you like you are in the 1st grade. Write what he wants to hear in very long papers and you will get an easy A. Don't take the class if you want to be challened or actually learn something. He should not be a college professor- he should stick to middle school, his classes are extremely dumbed-down for college.
Great Summer Course 09, Thanks for introducing me to the Philosophy of Malcolm X. Great Class.
This man is a MESS! He spends more time hitting on female students then doing his job. He teaches his students at a high school level. This is stuff that you should have learned before college. If u are looking for an easy A this is the prof for u. But he is clearly vain and useless. You're not getting your monies worth!
Excellent Instructor. Great asisstance with your research papers.
Balkaran is hilarious and will put you on blast in a heart beat. NO CELLPHONES! Hes a very intellectual professor who really knows his stuff about Philosophy and AFAM. If you put in the effort you should get no less than a "B". Two (6pg.) papers and a (6pg) Final. How easy is that. Awesome professor. Take him if you can!
Joke. running the face of CCSU. Where did they find this guy? Must have been a shortage becuase he is completely not wise. Took his class and was a waste of my time. He just tried to get my phone number. Completly unethical. We need to come together and tell the dean or the chair.
classes are ok if you like history but if not it may be hard to stay awake. he hates cell phones and will put you on blast if you have it. 3 exams only which are essays, no hw. does he actually read the papers? hmmm. probably not!
He can be rude at times. I agree this class is a joke. He talks about black history and then starts talking about dating outside of your race. He can be a little too much with the my sister/brother thing. But no homework 3 papers the entire semester 6pages minimum.Waste of time buying the book.Ccsu needs to actually get a black American born and raised in U.S to teach AFAM. There is a difference in US history and Trindad history. Waste of $$ for this class. I recommend only if u like stupidity.
People are buggin!!..I took Balkaran my first semester at CCSU && his class was the best of all my classes. He's funny, laid back, gets you more into the topic of African American Studies && is fairly easy. Only gives 3 papers && is always available to help. I plan on taking more classes of his DEFINETLY!!
He's really nice, has a thing for foreign girls I alway see him around campus trying to talk to exotic chicks, overall ok class
Great Instructor, had an awesome time in Alabama, really open my eyes with his innovations.
He taught me at Bay Path and he sucked, nothing made sense and he was not clear about the paper we had to write He did not seem to care about what we woukd like to learn, over all I give him a D-
Take afam 110 if you want an easy A! dont buy the text never ever even mentions it.no tests ever the whole semester! only 4 papers which he calls "exams". Tip: go to him for every paper so he can read it and he tells u straight up what he wants, youll def get an A then!
Balkaran is the most arrogant and self centered man i have ever met he spends more time hitting girls and making **** comments and has a disgusting attitude and "humor".CCSU's biggest mistake def a class a middle schooler could pass but no intellectual level needed the man can barely read! Waste of time and money for sure.
Hes funny and likes to interact with the class. There is no textbook, so jus take note and you'll be good. He likes to go on youtube during his lectures. Theres 2 test and a final, ALL ARE 6page PAPERS. He doesn't like lazy work. Uses powerpoints in lectures. He has a little bit of an accent. Count how many times he says "class" in class lol
This class was a joke. Balkaran thinks hes so cool, flirts with all the girls, hates on CCSU religiously, and yet he still has a job! Don't waste your money on this class if you want a real education... and Im not even sure that this was an easy A because lack of a detailed syllabus or textbook or anything made learning and studying VERY hard.
Class is a joke. It's pointless to even attend. anyone can write a few 6pg papers. No book needed so don't waste your money. Don't even waste your time. Everything is a joke to him. Afam is not my major. So I didn't care. i earned my A, but I won't do it again.
Very Relaxed teacher as long as you do his work. He does not give HW often besides three 6pg. papers throughout the course. Very Easy Class
Hes a very relaxed teacher, whom apparently is married to a Vietnamese women and is dating Alica keys. He also apparently, met Eminem,Tupac,and Obama.He is a fun teacher and don't mind going to his class. He only gives three 6 page papers.DO NOT BUY THE BOOK,YOU WILL NEVER USE IT. Hes very opinionated,But he does want you to pass his class.
He is extremely Liberal and seems completely anti-America. The class isn't difficult but he tends to push his opinion on you every day. If your opinion is different than his, he thinks you are wrong. On a positive note, he wants everyone to do well!
Honestly such a rude person, and will not care what you have to say. If you can avoid taking a class with him I suggest you don't.
Excellent Professor.
Easy A, Prof Balkaran is hilarious in lecture at times.. No exams, just like 4 papers. Gives an outline for the essays, but only gives it to you if you meet him in his office hours... if you follow the outline it's an easy "A-" requires text books, but rarely use them. Class participation is a major aspect in the class. Would take again...
He's passionate about what he's teaching. 3 six-seven page papers. Easy grader! I would definitely recommend taking him!
Very funny and involved lectures. Talk and have nice discussions most classes. Notes from power points. No real homework and only three 6-7 page papers. He gives you the essay stating exactly what he wants in each one. Go to him and he'll help you with your papers. Watch a lot of films and documentaries. "Easy A" as long as you give it the effort.
Professor Balkaran first came off to me as a funny and down to earth teacher. But I later realized that he is one of the most opinionated people I have ever met in my life. He is a very easy grader. Work outside the class consists of 3 exams (essays) that are around 7-12 pages in length. Also there is reading but it isn't usually necessary to read.
Professor Balkaran is an Amazing Instructor who teaches the class so that even the most ignorant student can leave with a good and truthful sense of the history of African Americans in the United States. Oh yeah and it doesn't matter your race. Come ye all.
He's really funny and engaging. If I could take him for every elective I probably would. Class was barley ever boring, and he brings food on the last day of class! :P Only 3 papers, no homework or quizzes. Don't need any books either. Easy A.
Awesome Professor very smart and delivers the lectures perfectly. If you hate history he is the guy for you. If you love history he is also the guy for you.
TERRIBLE! Balkaran is a joke. He can't even speak English let alone read. Very rude and will embarrass you in front of people. Worst teacher I ever had. Favorites people. If he doesn't like you you'll know. Didn't learn anything in this class. Was a waste of time and money. Don't take it. Don't know why CCSU hired him.
Easiest A i have ever recieved and it was a joy taking his class. He is hilarious and holds your hand the whole time. Getting As on his exams (which are take home 6 page papers) is super easy. He tells you everything hes looking for in each paper. Lots of movies and YouTube videos but also an enlightening class. Stay woke
Awesome, straightforward guy. If you did bad in this class you were probably on your phone or didn't go to his office hours (where he tells you exactly how to write the take home papers). He cares about his students and wants to see them become successful. He is an inspiration to the black community and a role model to many. He also has lame jokes.
Best professor I've had while at central, Definitely would recommend him for anyone taking this law course
A great guy and professor overall. I do not have one negative thing to say about his teaching style. Just pay attention to the powerpoints and videos. Easy pass!
Canceled class all the time and rescheduled them for other time periods where majority of the students had other priorities like other classes, work; etc. which is not allowed. 3 exam papers he graded moderately. Not a bad guy just very disorganized course.
Professor Balkaran's LAW250 class was extremely easy, as your grade consists of only three essays. While the course was a breeze, Balkaran tends to be egotistical and abrasive and can be difficult to work with. Take this course for the lack of homework and exams, but be prepared for the attitude of the professor.
He is OK when it comes to work, his class is very easy and it's only papers he assigns but as for his personality, it stinks! He will call you out in front of people and try to embarrass you, just show up and don't let him see you text! He also loves to talk about himself nonstop.
He is not a good professor. He thinks that putting his powerpoints up on blackboard is not a good teaching method. He only has 3 papers as the 3 grades. You can ONLY GET AN A on the papers if you meet outside of class. He thinks it is "spoonfeeding" if you tell your students the guidelines of the paper. Everyone in my class was as confused as I was
This class has no homework and at least 2/3 of the exams will be take home, so in that aspect the class isn't too bad. He doesn't know what he is talking about, seeing his lectures aren't anywhere near what is in the book. He won't provide his powerpoints and wont be able to tell you what you got wrong on the exam. He is not a nice guy either.
Very understanding professor. I was missing 3 points to get an A and he let me make up assignments I haven't done. Easy class easy A. 10/10 re commended.
He talks to you like you're a child. Not sure if its his first time teaching online but based on these previous ratings he seemed better at some point. He is awful, requires a load of work as if you dont have any other class but his!!!! I had to drop.
STAY AWAY FROM THIS PROFESSOR Extremely RUDE and hard to deal with, he grades you according to what he thinks , so you are NEVER right on anything that you do. His assignments are just way too much. 10 discussion boards every 4 days and his tests are super long and impossible to finish. STAY AWAY. GO WITH ANOTHER PROFESSOR
Stephen Balkaran is an absolute jerk. He is abrasive, opinionated, and rude. Yes, the class consisted of only 3 papers and was incredibly easy. But when I asked for feedback on a paper during office hours he went on a rampage and then proceeded to ridicule me in front of the class the next day. Don't miss class or he'll single you out for that too.
The classwork in this course rarely reflected the material on the test. Professor Balkaran would be very lenient when grading weekly assignments, but on the 3 essay exams that make up 75% of your grade, not so much. Since this was an online class, I ended up teaching myself for the entire course. Avoid! His course only gave me unnecessary stress.
He refers to his three essays as "exams" and it through me off at first. He is very helpful in person. He is kind, but it is a bit obvious when he does not like you (people who interrupt class or never show up), so you get what you put in.
Just listen to the other ratings. This guy does not know how to communicate effectively through an online format. I dont even want to know what he is like in person. Grades consist of 3 exams all essay based with 10-12 questions per exam each weighted 25% each. Hw consists of 10 discussion posts a week and he is usually fine with most responses.
I was iffy to take this professor because of the reviews but he honestly is a great guy. You can tell from his weekly discussion posts he wants everyone to succeed and understand the material. There's weekly discussion posts, midterm exam, and final exam. The midterm and final is a timed essay which is graded very toughly. Overall, its an easy A.
I learned alot about this class. This is someone who loves teaching and shares the knowledge. Be prepared to have informative debates and able to elaborate on your opinions. Book was useful but lectures are very detailed. Responds to every disc post by classmates and responds to emails within 24 hrs. High quality elite style professor. took x2 @FIU
Best teacher ever, I got this grade because I didnt finished one of my papers. He gave many chances and he is always available to help.
Easily the rudest, most disrespectful professor I've ever had. He constantly belittles students and talks poorly about students and faculty in class. Always talks about himself and his money. Is completely unhelpful and unreachable. STEER CLEAR.
Avoid if you have an earnest interest in learning or grades. You will largely self-teach if you wish to learn the material. The course format online consists of approximately ten discussion posts a week and three essay exams. Previous unit information is removed so download copies. Exams are harshly graded, lack clarity, and arguably proofreading.
I would not recommend anyone to take this course. Although there is not a lot of work, exams are worth about 75% of the grade and he grades toughly on them. Nearly all of his posts and powerpoints need to be proofread and he is not very good about emailing back in time. I took this as an elective and highly regret it.
Law 250 with him wasn't necessarily an easy breezy class. You definitely have to put in the work to receive a good grade from him. But it's not difficult. Like the content itself isn't hard to understand. So if you just dedicated 1 hour a week to the homework you'll be allset. Tests were fine, just a lot of writing. Would take again. He's great.
The course itself is a great course but the professor can do better. There is a lot of typographical error in his "copy and paste" class materials. He is also a tough grader, he will give you his phone number but he is never available. Do not text him, it's a waste of time. Does not provide feedback after grading. Overall HE DOES NOT CARE, PERIOD!
Balkaran is too egotistical to ever be an effective professor. Constantly relates lectures to his luxury life, skips class to get paid for giving speeches. Embarrasses students for walking in even 1-3 minutes late. Openly talks badly about CCSU. He is very bad for students' mental health but "Central would never get rid of me" as he likes to stay.
Terrible. Unclear announcements with typos all over them, typos on the exams. Graded by 3 things and you will get no makeups. Often cancels class or just plays a documentary in class. Berates students behind their back when they are not in class. Often rude to students, locks his door immediately after class begins. Can do no wrong. Brags about $.
Great guy you really just need to show up on time if you want him to like you. If your lazy and skip he is not gonna like you. So basically all the 1 stars are people that skip and show up late or go on their phone in class.
Professor Balkaran is hands down the best professor at CCSU. His lectures fly by because he manages to make them entertaining with his hilarious jokes and relatable to real life. As long as you put effort into your work and come to class you will succeed.
Such a funny guy class was always a ball.
Dresses to impress. Has the most fashion and can tell he loves what he does. Soooo funny. Easy class as long as you show up
Graded on 2 tests only. If you don't show up on time, you wont be let in class. Better law professors out there.
His lectures are both entertaining and helpful, he does not make class dreadful and boring. Also, there is no homework and all the exams are online and he shows you the questions beforehand. He also makes it very clear on what is expected on the exams. He is a funny guy and knows how to keep your attention during class.
Great Prof! He kept the class engaged with his jokes and stories during lectures. His exams were only on things he went over. Had a review class before each test. Grade consists of attendance and three exams. Posted all needed notes on blackboard. He wanted his students to do well. I would take his class again if I could!
Prof. Balkaran is such a good teacher. But this class is a little difficult for me. And it's very hard to get an A+ in his class. But I really want to get an A+.
Class is graded on 2 written exams and attendance- you'll do great if you write the things he said in class and incorporate his viewpoints. He's a funny guy and covers the material extensively. Show up on time and don't ask odd questions or sleep in class, he will call you out. Exams are taken remotely and you have five days to complete them.
The worst! The final was 2 question, one of which he set up to be a trick question. Discussing employment law we talked only about Harvey Weinstein & Bill Cosby being SA-ers. When talking about the overweight 14yr old that died on a roller coaster ride, said and I quote "maybe if fat boy wasn't so fat he wouldn't have died" RUN, he's discussing!!!!
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
82%
Textbook Required
57%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.38 avg changeRatings by Course
POLS101
5.0
(1)HS101
5.0
(1)POS4070
5.0
(1)AFAM101
4.0
(7)AFAM110
3.8
(39)Difficulty by Course
AFAM111
4.0
POS2041
3.7
PHIL100
3.5
AFAM0100
3.0
HS101
3.0