Not sure why the first two reviews are so bad. While the entire grade is based off of two tests and a paper, he gives you the paper at the very beginning of the semester and the instructions are very clear. He also tells you exactly how to study for the tests to succeed so if you spend like 2 hours a week max on this class you will do great.

Your entire grade is based off of 2 midterms, one in the middle and one in the end just based on half a semester. and then a research paper. I never found out my grades for the second midterm and the paper but just had my grade finalized in Athena. I feel like you can def find an easier POLS class but it wasn't bad. I never went to class

I don't know why his rating is so low. He is such a kind professor that genuinely cares for all of his students. He gives weekly reading quizzes, two exams, and a research paper. He is one of my favorite professors that I have had at UGA. I highly, highly recommend taking his course.

Professor Nicholson was hands down my favorite professor this semester. If you study even a little, the tests are a guaranteed A and there are weekly reading quizzes that really help boost your grade. You can tell he cares about his students and I would take this class again if I could.

I don't know why some of these reviews are so bad. This class is so easy. If you do the readings and pay attention to the lectures you will get an easy A. There is not a lot of work and the two exams are straightforward. Nicholson is an awesome professor and really cares about his students.

Literally my favorite teacher. Weekly quizzes but all of them are online/open note. Other than that the class is based off a midterm and final, but everything is straightforward w/ extra credit points & a study sheet. Attendance not mandatory but if you go & listen you're almost guaranteed an A. He is so nice and understanding. HIGHLY recommend.

One of my favorite professors! Final grade is based on a midterm, final, paper, and weekly open-note online quizzes. He gave extra credit for every assignment. He is understanding and genuinely wants students to do well and leave with a better understanding of American government. Lectures are not mandatory, but going is super helpful for tests.

his tests are straightforward so just memorize the notes and hes a super nice guy i recommend taking the class

I really enjoyed this class. The midterm and final are basically memorization but kinda difficult but he gives extra credit for all assignments. There is paper and weekly online quizzes that are pretty easy and can help boost your grade if you are not the best test taker. Overall, I really liked this class and it wasn't too hard.

Professor Nicholson is awesome! He is adorable and cares about his students. His midterm was easy as long as you reviewed all the power points and notes. You have weekly textbook quizzes but they are so easy and one paper which he gives clear instructions for. I highly recommend this professor

Amazing professor! We had a paper, midterm and final that were weighted pretty heavy, but as long as you go to the discussion quizzes and do the weekly homework quizzes (you get five attempts and they are multiple choice), you should get an A in the class.

This was my favorite professor. He added weekly quizzes which were multiple choice and 5 attempts. Easy 100 on quizzes. I skipped class many times, but if you study the definitions, the exams are very easy. It is a large lecture, but he visibly cares about his students and gives many extra credit opportunities when needed. Take this class!

I really enjoyed this class he made the content fun and relatable but the midterm was very hard for some reason. you don't have to necessarily attend lectures but you'll have a discussion group with a TA so not bad depending on ur TA. the paper wasn't bad either just don't wait till the last minute to start it!

easy to forget ab weekly quizzes, but he/my TA weren't too strict thankfully only have like 3 tests, easy paper u have all semester to do (just don't procrastinate too late), + weekly quizzes that u can retake 5 times- grading criteria is super clear learned a lot, was actually pretty interesting

Professor Nicolson made taking political science, something I had no interest in whatsoever, bearable! His lectures are very helpful and informative, but if you can't make it to class he posts the lecture slides as well which was very helpful. However, going to the lectures proved to be the most effective for me as he is great at what he does.

The class is essentially solely a lecture with 2 tests and a paper. The tests require studying but overall there is little to no work week-to-week. Professor Nicholson is very nice and always willing to help, but the class experience also depends on your TA.

I never went to class one time and made a 100 on the midterm. It's very basic material and the paper assignment only took me like three hours, which I made a 95 on. The breakout groups are worth 5% but I feel like everything else is so easy you don't even have to go that much. He is actually awesome. Please take him.

I recommend going to the lectures and reading the textbook, but the tests are mainly knowing definitions for the MC, but the writing portion is 50% of test grade. Weekly online quizzes, 5 page paper, one midterm and one final.

I didn't like how majority of the grades were from the midterm and final. If you are a bad test taker don't take him. Weekly discussion class does take attendance.

One of my favorite professors so far at UGA. Very interesting and easy to understand lectures. Grade is based on midterm, final, research paper, and weekly quizzes that are a breeze. He offers two extra credits that gives you +2 grade points on midterm and final. Easy credit if you need. Midterm and final can be rough if you don't study.

The class wasn't even a hard class, but I ended up with an A- because the grade is pretty much only based off of a midterm, final, and a paper. There is also that comes from weekly quizzes that were an easy 100 each week, but worth less of the overall grade. If you aren't good at tests, don't take him, because that's what killed me.

This was a relatively easy class. You don't necessarily have to go to lecture, but it is helpful in preparation for the midterm and final, which I did well on, but had to study a lot for. You can get a 100 on weekly quizzes at home. My TA was great for my breakout session and gave us full participation credit.

This class is so fun. There are only 5 grades in this class: attendance at discussion groups, online weekly quizzes, a midterm, a final, and a paper. Exams are in person but you get a master a vocab list to study. Nicholson is the genuinely the nicest guy ever, he makes the lectures interactive and exciting!

sollid professor but the essay portion of the exams was mildly difficult. exams were also very based in the readings and the discussion section was not as helpful as intended

Never went to class and did fine. Just read the lecture slides and study the vocab lists and you'll do fine on the exams. Exams are in-person on paper, and they have a written portion, but it's usually just based on the vocab. There is also a paper (not bad), participation (show up for the break-out sessions), and quizzes that you can look up

There's an online quiz every week with multiple attempts, as well as a midterm, final, and paper. Make sure you prepare well for the midterm and final or you're screwed - the quizzes don't count for a huge portion of your grade. Attendance isn't mandatory.

his lectures are pretty bland and straightforward but he does try his best to explain everything in a good way for the class to understand. attendance isn't mandatory but it helps to go and listen to how he explains. there is a weekly online quiz and only a few other assignments (one paper, midterm, and final)

Dr. Nicholson was great. He made the class pretty relevant and interesting to the best of his abilities. We had a mid term and a final that were super easy (gives you options on test to pick what terms/short answer/essay prompts you would like to answer). He was super nice and also gave 2 super easy extra credit assignments.

Very good lecturer and teacher, attendance is only required once a week for the breakout session which is very easy. Bad part is your grade comes down to a midterm, a final and a paper (other POLS classes have more exams or quizzes). Only positive is that quiz solutions are online. Good teacher overall, new grading scale needed though.

I never read the textbook and only read the slides and did fine. This doesn't mean that the content or exams are easy, which I did study heavily for them. One paper that was not that bad. To succeed in this class, do the assignents and study the vocab sheet he provides and you will do well even if you do not go to class.

Nicholson is super sweet and the class is pretty straightforward. You need to put in some effort and it's definitely not as easy as some other pols professors. He gives you vocab to memorize and provides the slides after class. If you study those you'll be completely fine.

All work is graded by TA's. I think that it's too difficult for this to be an intro class. Lectures aren't required and the slides are given after class. Lots of studying to do really well in his class. Lots of vocab and straight memorization to do well. Only 3 exams and the rest is easy homework and easy 100s so grade truly is dependent on exams.

I loved Professor Nicholson! He was so kind and made his class clear and easy to follow. He uses TopHat for his lectures and gives extra credit questions. Attendance isn't mandatory for his lectures BUT it is for the discussion sections once a week. His exams were simple and managable. Vocab is key! Learn the definitions and you'll get an A.

Participation is not mandatory. He also post slides online. Tests are easy if you took gov in high school and know your basic history. The small groups are mandatory weekly meetings. Easy class and chill professor

He has mandatory discussions on Mondays, but Tuesday/Thursday lectures are optional. He assigns a quiz every week that's super easy and due Sunday night. There are two exams and a final as well as Tophat extra credit questions during the lectures.

Professor Nicholson is an amazing teacher and super nice! He's passionate about what he does and makes lectures entertaining. The class is not difficult if you study the power points and vocab terms given. Would 100% take this course.

I had Nicholson for POLS 1101 as a freshman. It is a very test heavy class but just study the POWERPOINTS and VOCAB from the BOOK and you'll be fine. I studied from the book at first and mad a 79 then I studied the powerpoints and made a 97! I would not take him again because there are easier options out there but it is not impossible to do well.

quizzes and test make up the grade. The quizes go with the readings which are really easy you get 5 attempts per quiz. Then their are 3 test all easy if you learn the terms on the review sheet and go over the slides. He post the slides on ELC so you don't need to go to class. Give 2 points if you go to class i just never went.

I loved Dr. Nicholson! Lectures are entertaining and he is so nice! The class was graded off of weekly quizzes, tests, and TopHat questions. Tests weren't too difficult and he posted study guides weeks in advance. I wouldn't say attendance is mandatory but it WILL help your grade. He also gives a few extra credit opportunities (like attendance).

Professor Nicholson is very sweet, and it is obvious he cares about what his class. Attendance is on tophat and not mandatory, but going to class definitely improves your grade. The tests are manageable, the multiple choice is all vocabulary based, and you can pick 4/7 free response questions which are also easy to get at least partial credit.

Dr. Nicholson's lectures are very good and engaging. He uses tophat questions for attendance credit but it doesn't really matter if you get the correct answer or not. The tests are very straightforward and he provides a vocab list so memorize it. There are weekly textbook quizzes but those are free 100s. Take him!

awesome class

Great and knowledgeable professor!!

Professor Nicholson was so sweet! Great professor, he is very passionate in what he teaches. You will have the main lecture part that he covers and then a discussion/breakout class with a TA. Attendance isn't mandatory, but if you go he will do TopHat questions and that will count as extra credit. Tests are not hard at all!

He posts all the slides on elc so attendance isn't mandatory except for Monday's discussion with the TA. One or two quizzes a week with 3 tests, and then a final exam. Super easy class, would recommend taking him!

Nicholson is a very interesting man. He is a nice guy and cares to teach, but his lectures can put a Veteran with severe PTSD to sleep. Lectures are not mandatory, but the once-a-week breakout sessions with TA's are. Tests and quizzes make up the entire class + participation in breakout sessions. Extra Credit for doing lecture Q's and surveys.

Tests have some really detailed questions, but that was the only hard part about this class. If you have basic knowledge of history, you should be fine and his lectures are boring but what lectures aren't. However, the breakout sessions with the TA might be the most unnecessary thing ive done at this school and no one wants to participate in class.

Truly one of the best lecturers I have had at UGA. This was my third class of the day and I was always excited to go. Very forgiving with the grading system. Go over the study guides he provides and you shouldn't have any issue making a A in the class. I cannot recommend him enough, seriously. I would give this man a standing ovation if I could.

He is the goat

I love this man. His lectures were entertaining and he is clearly so passionate about what he teaches. The tests were really easy if you just study the vocab words posted on elc. TAs also give great feedback on tests and are easily accessible. I genuinely considered adding a poly-sci minor so I could take more courses with Nicholson. He's the BEST!

Nicholson was a great professor, had no problems with his class at all and a generally super easy class. However, I feel as if the exam "review" content we were given was not useful at all, and just was a list of vocabulary. Practice questions would be much better, and if this was a harder class I wouldn't have done well through the review content.

He's a great lecturer, and super passionate and engaging. Lecture isn't mandatory, but I recommend going because he adds a lot of helpful info to the slides he posts on eLC. TA breakout sessions were mandatory and kind of boring. Textbook quizzes have 5 retakes which was nice. There were 3 tests which were doable with studying but not super easy.

An incredibly kind and passionate teacher! It's clear that he genuinely cares about what he teaches. I usually don't enjoy history, but his lectures can be very interesting. His tests are manageable as long as you understand the vocabulary and study a little. I would definitely recommend taking his class!

I enjoyed Prof Nicholson's class. His lectures were interesting and not mandatory. Like most POLS classes, you will have a mandatory "breakout" session once a week with a TA. There are only 3 tests and they were pretty straight forward but they are on paper and in person so keep that in mind. An A constitutes as a 94 or above in this course.

AMAZING PROF & GUY! His lectures are interesting, and he's actually an unbiased gov teacher, making learning so much easier since you aren't being taught one-sided content. You will have a mandatory "breakout" session once a week with a TA. There are 3 exams, but it's not that hard if you pay attention in class and do the homework. 100/10 recommend

Professor Nicholson is a cool guy. Lecture attendance isn't mandatory but tests are taken in person and on paper. I studied with quizizz the whole semester and did fine. His lectures are pretty interesting and he's very pleasant to interact with. Would definitely take him again

Nicholson is a great professor. He allows you to take his online quizzes, that act as homework, 5 times. There are three tests which each count as 25% of your grade, and as long as you study his slides you will be fine. You don't have to attend his lectures, however, you receive extra credit if you do the top hat questions during his lecture.

Professor Nicholson is great!! Lectures and breaks down info well. TopHat questions done for attendance and participation points. Extra credit opportunities. Weekly chapter readings and 25 questions quizzes to go with the reading all done online. Gives 5 chances to get a 100 on them. 3 exams all easy. Quizlet and breaking down concepts helps.

super nice and passionate guy, graded on weekly quizzes online with 5 attempts each and unit tests, but extra credit can be earned with attendance attendance only mandatory at breakout group with TA. tests arent bad as long as you read the book and study. thorough notes on a chapter takes abt a hour, so only a hour homework every week

Very politically unbiased professor. Lecture heavy class with TA breakout classes once a week. Tests are materially heavy but not too bad if you go to class. Super smart guy and a seemingly nice dude overall. Definitely recommend

Very engaging during lectures, made the content interesting, and seems like a great guy. Go to class and review for the tests, and you'll be good

He is very non-biased and makes sure to emphasize that in his lectures. You have three tests, no final, weekly quizzes, but you have five chances to get the question right on 4-question questions. He is very easy and tries to work with the students the best he can. He makes the most out of a class that most people don't want to be in.

Very chill professor with an easy class. Good bits of extra credit from showing up to lectures and Breakouts are required attendance but do great to prepare you. Quizzes are easy and you get multiple attempts to ensure a 100. Exams are easy but there are a lot of terms not talked about in the lecture so use the review sheets to know these.

Dr. Nicholson cares about the class and tries to make it as engaging as possible. He would constantly change his slides to be UTD with the current events in the world. He gives extra credit for participation on TopHat. Each test is 25% of the grade and is multiple choice then free response. The tests aren't the hardest but do require some studying.

Very easy class, attendance is not mandatory but it is helpful to go since tophats count for extra credit. Tries to keep the information we go over in class related to current politics but isn't the most engaging. Intro to gov was definitely breeze for me compared to my friends with other professors, take him!!

Nicholson is great! Very passionate about what he does and great lectures. 3 closed book, in person exams but they are very easy. Weekly textbook quizzes but you get 5 attempts per question (free 100s). Would take again!

He was great! Grade was made up of weekly chapter quizzes based off the readings. Textbook was a platform called Cengage. We had 3 exams and then one final (cumulative) exam at the end of the semester. Weekly chapter quizzes are easy and add extra 100s in the gradebook to boost your grade. Attendance was facilitated through participation questions.

Great professor! Very passionate and knowledgeable, and tests aren't bad at all if you study. Would recommend going to class because there's extra credit questions there, and he isn't a boring lecturer. Overall a pretty easy class to do well in.

Take him, he is amazing and has great lectures, tests are very straightforward. He's such a sweet and caring guy who is truly passionate about what he teaches

Professor Nicholson is one of the best instructors I have had at UGA so far. You will succeed in his class if you go to class regularly and just pay attention. His lectures are great and he puts an emphasis on relating the class material to current world events. Definitely recommend for POLS 1101.

Tests are super straightforward; just study off the study guide. Lecture attendance is optional and unnecessary (slides are all posted online). The breakout sessions were mandatory and close to useless imo. Great professor though, definitely take him.

Easy class which you can just study off the study guides and slides for. You don't have to go to class, but Professor Nicholson is decently charismatic and enjoyable so I still did. The tests are weighed very unfavorably unfortunately.

Easy A! Optional attendance at lectures, mandatory at TA sessions... TA sessions can be useless or super helpful depending on who you get. Tests are easy to study for and he (and TAs) are very clear as to what you can expect. He also keeps lectures pretty interesting; fun guy to listen to

Homeworks are worth 20% of your overall grade and you get 5 attempts per question. Tests are easy if you study, and coming to class is extra credit.

He was friendly and funny. Attendance isn't mandatory & you don't need to go to class to succeed. Posts all slides (but they can be hard to follow). It all comes down to the TAs. Tests were straightforward and always had MC and short answers. Overall, a great option for POLS 1101.

He was awesome, easy to follow lectures, posts all of the slides, and tests are straightforward and easy. He gives a study guide before each test and the TAs tend to grade pretty easily. Attendance is extra credit and he gives other extra credit opportunities. 10/10 would take again.

Professor Nicholson is a caring professor and his class isn't hard but the lectures play a huge part on the test. The mandatory discussion class was annoying but my TA was fine.

He was extremely nice and easy to understand during lectures. He completes lectures at a reasonable speed. Clicker questions are extra credit, so attendance is not mandatory. Online quizzes have plenty of attempts, ensuring you make a 100 on every one. I couldn't recommend him more!

super good intro class! attendance not mandatory and very little homework and readings. simple yet engaging.

Attendance is not mandatory, but extra credit is awarded for those who attend. easy online quizzes due every week. Two midterms and one final, plenty of study materials provided. Nice professor who lectures well. On Fridays, there are small groups with TA; these are mandatory

Super nice guy. Uploads the slides to eLC and does extra credit attendance. Class overall is rly easy bc it's an intro class, but if you put a little bit of effort into studying for the exams, then you'll do great. The discussion is the worst part but just do the presentation and attend the discussion and it's fine

Great professor who is passionate about what he teaches. Lectures aren't mandatory, but he does give extra credit during class. Exams are MC and short answer, as long as you study a few days before you should be fine. Friday breakout sessions are okay depending on your TA, it's just lecture heavy.

I LOVE the way Professor Nicholson approaches political science in a non-partisan way. It is clear he is here to educate you rather than to push an agenda. His lectures are engaging, and he is clearly passionate about the subject. The tests require a bit of studying, but an overall easy class.

Liked listening to lectures, he's very passionate and respectful. Tests were easy if you read the notes and did the homework, two exams and one final. Homework is super easy with unlimited tries, all due at end of year. Great organization and notes!

Was a little boring but that's more because of the material than the teacher.

Lectures were easy to follow along and work outside the class consists of just readings and a short quiz each chapter. Quizzes are easy and you get 5 attempts per questions. Tests are fair based on lectures and readings. 2 tests and 1 final (not cumulative) with breakout sessions every Friday with TA attendance here is mandatory and part of grade.

Very nice guy. I enjoyed his lectures when I did go to class. The quizzes are all online. He uses top hat during class and participation there is your "extra credit". The tests were not hard, just study the presentations he posts and the key terms he gives you and you'll do great.

Lecture heavy but Nicholson is a funny guy. 75% of your grade comes from 3 tests (25% each). Tests are easy if you study. Attendance is only mandatory for TA sessions not the regular class. However, if you go to the regular lectures, you can earn a good amount of extra credit. Also note you need a 94 for an A not a 93 but it is obtainable.