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very smart...eccentric behavior (comes to class 1/2 hour early)...but has organized lectures

A walking corpse, but he has the best lecture by far of any classes I've taken. Write the outline at the begin of class and sticks to it. Very straight forward. And no tests, just 2 essays. So easy!

He's the man

Hands down, the single best instructor at UCSD.

I highly recoment this professor. He really knows how to bring history back to life. Speaks very clearly and loud without having to stop to think about what he needs to say. There are only two exams a midterm and final (papers). You will not have a proble

definitely the best instructor in matter of being organized in kecturs, writes outline on black board before lecture, everything pen & paper, no website, one of the best lecturer

Amazing professor. One midterm and one final and both are take home papers. If you go to class and take notes, you will be fine. His lectures are outlined and he speaks clearly. He's very nice and cares about his students.

Professor Magagna is definitely the best teacher in the Poli Sci department. His lectures are completely straight forward. If you go to class, you're probably guarannteed an "A" because the midterm and final papers come straight from the notes!

Magagana is an above level professor at ucsd. He doesnt front as an intellectual like most other professors. He is an inspiring lecturer that commands attention. Deep knowledge of history without excessive rhetoric and ideological slant.

He is very nice and helpful, I have yet to get my papers graded however he seems like he would be very fair.

Best Poli Sci prof at UCSD. He genuinly cares about the students, is not prtentious and a little shy. Lectures from memory. Easy class but also very informative. Definitely does NOT teach BS classes. You must take at least him at least once if not more.

Quite possibly the best professor at UCSD. His lectures are very clear (although the subject matter can get quite dry), but he lectures entirely from memory. Almost a guaranteed A, but that's because the lecture material is so clear.

He is a GREAT professor. Definitely take the classes he teaches in the Poli Sci department. You will learn a great deal, and the essays are very doable!

Magagna is fantastic! He's incredibly funny, but it's dry humor so you have to stay awake to catch it. I just wish he taught tues/thurs classes so I didn't have to come on campus so much.

Outstanding lecturer. Very succinct and intelligent.

Easily the best professor I've ever had in any subject. Fascinating lecturer. Superb. Fair grader. Attending class a must. It would be a pity to attend UCSD and never have the honor of taking one of his courses.

Easily the best prof at UCSD! Lectures are clear (outlines help w/ exams), gripping, and show that he has a firm command of the material. Exams are cake because they come straight from lectures. If you go to class and take great notes, it's an easy A. You don't even need to do readings. A must take!

By far the best, most intelligent, and easiest professor at UCSD

The 25 people who did this rating before me couldn't have been anymore right about Magagna. His lectures are captivating, by far the best professor I've had at UCSD.

He is incredible, amazing, hilarious, awesome, best professor ever. Ask anyone.

THIS GUY ROCKS, he knows what hes teaching, knows how to deliver it, and keeps u wanting to come back for more. I haven't had so much fun and enjoyment a listening to a lecture before in my life. I took his Politics and warfare class and plan to take his other classes as well. You just can't pass this professor up.

really really easy professor. i swear, everyone got As on the midterm. explains ideas well and outlines everything on the board. i would recommend this professor, especially if you want an easy A and are interested in international relations.

best ucsd prof ever. i am taking every class he offers! class is easy, he is smart, and i still learned from him! only thing is when you talk to him, he wont look you in the eyes.

best teacher at ucsd. period. no doubt about it. ima do my best to try to take all the classes that he is teaching.

He's the best lecturer I've ever had. He respects his students, never delivers political cheap-shots, and is truly humble. What other professor receives a standing ovation at the end of the term? I don't think he ever stutters. Sign up for his classes, and learn how to be a non-elitist, virtuous human thinker. The world needs more people like him.

very good

Easily the best in the Poli Sci department. Crystal clear outlines and lectures. Welcomes questions and comments. Very humble, and very good at giving visual illustrations to depict the theories. Highly recommended!

best prof ever!!

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also, 113b... so easy ... take it now

Yeah, really the best prof I've ever had. Not only is the subjest matter made more interesting, he really lectures what he wants you to learn. The reading is heavy, but interesting and allows for easy referencing on the papers. Do yourself a favor and take

I love you Professor Magagna!! OMG, UCSD seriously needs more professors like him!!!

This class was informative, invigorating, and eye opening. Magagna is one of the best professor at UCSD. He is passionate and dedicated towards his subject and his students. He has a lot of confidence and belief in his students as well. Essays are representative of his organized and interesting lectures and you can skim the reading. Got an A!

magagna is a golden god.

Excellent professor, good with IR

One of the best professors I have ever had. Extremely challenging and bright and insigtful. A brilliant, down-to-earth individual!

the best lecturer of all time

muy caliente!!!

The best prof I've ever had. Totally made my whole college experience. His lectures were always full, all quarter long, and for good reason. I wish there were more classes I could take with Prof. Magagna.

Took a few of VVM's classes in the late 90's. Of all the prof's I had at UCSD, I remember him as the most brilliant. So brilliant that you really had to have your**** together to know where he was going sometimes...He seemed uncomfortable in 1-on-1 situations, but his lectures were really amazing. I learned more from him in one class than 5 others combined. Sounds like his lectures have become more user-friendly over the years. He's not for everyone, but he really is a genius. I'd take a class now.

come and join the politics... ~~~~ this guy is high warlock!

class is awesome. i never missed any of the classes that he taught. teaches in a way that you would appreciate.

Best classes ever! Best poly sci professor at UCSD. Lectures are captivating and the content is interesting. He lays all the information out clearly and well and makes it seem easy.

Run to this class don't walk. Best Professor on the planet. He is one of the brightest people at UCSD who is not only an incredible researcher but better professor. Don't miss Prof Magagna he is worth every penny of your UCSD education! I can't speak highly enough of this guy.

What more can be said about the best prof. at UCSD. Don't miss his lectures they are worth the hour which is very rare to say. Work wise he doesn't make you read too much and simply has 2 take home papers that act as exams. TAKE HIS CLASS ASAP!

Really good lecturer. I took the class not really knowing or caring about japanese and chinese politics. However I am leaving the class with knowledge that I'm glade I have. Only a midterm and final with about 12 different questions to choose from. Overall the grading is easy and his lectures are entertaining. GREAT PROFESSOR

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I loved his class. THE BEST professor ever. students actually gave him a standing ovation after the last lecture. what more can i say?

Best Professor at UCSD. You will learn a great deal from this man.

I LOVE THIS PROFESSOR!! He is brilliant. I've never learned more from a class. I wasn't particularly interested in the topic, but by the end, I was FASCINATED!! The reading isn't bad at all, there's just a lot of it; but I didn't do most of it and still got an A. He is THE best professor at UCSD. I hope everyone gets to see him in action once!

Best Professor EVER by far. Regardless of whether the topic sounds interesting, he himself makes it interesting. Doesn't help that the class is easy - he compensates for any reading, so don't bother buying books.

greatest teacher ever. can't wait till spring so i can take his europe class.

Magana rocks, best teacher on campus by far he has 400 student classes and fills them every quarter with a wait list of probably another 200 hes that good.

i took poli 113B in fall 05, and it was easy. But this qurater I got a really bad grade on the first midterm. I guess the TA's a concern.

Best Prof at UCSD period, end of discussion, no questions, thank you.

Organized & elaborate outlines that are based completely off of his memory. He can recite songs, speeches, & other random quotes right from his head. Grading is lenient, but the class is also made easy because of his superior lectures and interesting readings that are relevant to the course. Why do you think class size is 400+?

This class is very interesting and pretty easy as long as you attend lecture.

I LOVE HIM! I mean seriously, he is the worlds most awesomest professor!

this guy is the best. Kooky, but brilliant

a little overrated...he's a good professor with clear and easy to understand lectures, but honestly, i think so many people love him because he gives out a lot of A's. i'm not saying he's not a good professor, because he is, but this class was by far not the most interesting or life changing class i've taken at ucsd.

UNBELIEVABLE. I just can't stay away from his classes! One after another. They're all pure brilliance. Since we all know he's amazing, I'll talk more about 120A: Yup, it's fascinating... probably because of him. But this is what he researches, so it's doubly brilliant!

His grading is probably TOO easy, however, he is probably THE best lecturer UCSD has to offer. I wish he taught more classes....and I wish there were not always 100+ on the waiting list.

I agree with the last post--his grading is too lenient and that's partly what makes him so popular. Nonetheless I do appreciate the good grade and I'm not complaining-- his lectures command your attention and are always interesting. One of the best profs I have taken so far.

A great professor. He is incredibly intelligent and knowledgable in all topics that he teaches. Unfortunately, he doesnt teach more than one class a quarter. He has very clear and comprehensive lectures and hardly ever fails to miss a point. Midterms and finals arent too difficult either with lecture notes and text to cite. Best professor ive had.

I'm a 1st year grad student now and NONE, absolutely NONE of my professors compare to him. He is just one of a kind, brilliant in every aspect and kind, humble, and helpful at the same time. You're missing out if you don't take him.

the last post is a lie. he has 2 pairs of clothes.

As previously mentioned, Prof. Magana is a rare mix of brilliance and humility. Easily fits the Platonic description of a philosopher king! Thought provoking, inspiring, erudite, eloquent, and down to earth! Sets the standard by which all other professors are judged. Should be CLONED!!!!!!

A 'must take' for any Pol Sci major. Simply amazing style of teaching and edge of your seat lecture action. Although only equipped with one set of clothes, Magagna is like a summer blockbuster of dry humor, stabbing references and dried saliva. The TAs are kind graders to boot. There is a reason why he has the largest classes, two facebook fanclubs and the longest waitlist

SIMPLY AMAZING. The best professor I've ever had. I will take his classes regardless of my interest in the subject matter.

I have taken all of his classes (PS142K, PS113, PS120A). He is amazing and probably one of the best political science prof. He usually only offer one course per quarter, so try to take all of them. I recommand going to all lectures. For all his classes, there is going to be 2 take home essay. Reading the books is not required.

Awesome class, my second time taking him, he makes things very clear and his logic is extremely organized, if you are a polisci major you must take him.

Though a little overrated, he does have clear lectures and you will get an A if you go to all the classes and listen to his key points(which he'll reiterate throughout the course). Lectures are an outline for the papers. Don't buy all 7 or 8 books, you'll only use two. Wait until you get the assignments, then go buy buy the books listed for use.

I agree 100% with the overrated comment. I am science major and I took him for the grade and interest. He does a great job teaching and is very clear, but hes not amazing. I would recommend him as a class for non -polysci majors. Fairly easy A. Hes a little weird in office hours. He is kind of in his own world but hes a pretty cool guy. take!

I can see why some say he's overrated considering the overwhelming praise, but he is truly amazing. The way he can memorize every detail to a variety topics is difficult to find. He's got a wealth of knowledge, lectures are brilliant! He also cares & believes in his students. A must take for poli sci/history majors.

I call him Count Magagna. He has strange charisma thats mesmorizing during lectures. Highly amusing, espec when he gets all melodramatic. Easy A, even for non major because you get to chose which prompt to follow (they are very straightforward Q's) and he tells you which books to use. This means don't buy books until you get the prompts!

If you are a poli sci major/minor or in any field that will let you use this class and have not take Magagna then you are the type of person who is afraid of success. I've had him 3 times and have gotten all A's. Papers are pretty easy if you go to class, and when you go to write them you'll be suprised at how much you've learned.

Probably the best professor I've taken. People think he's overrated since he's easy, but I disagree. Assigns highly relevant readings and knows every detail from memory of everything he teaches. Great (but a little wierd) to talk to in OH.

If you're going to take the class, take it for pure learning's sake. Not much work is required so just attend lecture and enjoy the genius that is Magagna.

Took 142K and 120A and both got straight A's. Really easy TA's. Then I took 113A and was shocked to see that my paper was actually read by a TA, and got a B+ on the paper, which was shocking for a Magagna paper. I appealed to Magagna in OH's and he immediately raised it to an A. Love him! Really smart and recites stuff like a book!

I am so glad I took this class. It is amazing to listen to the professor. The guy is a bit weird, but definitely very ell organized and prepared for his lectures. If you do not get an A in this class, a university might not be the place for you..Ridiculously easy, but you will learn a lot!!!

I learned A LOT OF THINGS and got an A! His lectures are very interesting.Love the guy.

EZ A but papers can be time-consuming.

professor is awesome..must take him

I LOVE HIM! I WANT TO HAVE HIS CHILDREN!

Easy, class isn't as groundbreaking as some hype it up to be, but it definitely makes you think, which is good. Papers are only time-consuming if you don't go to class, if you go to class (which is fun because he's baller) they shouldn't take more than 3-4 hours

Magagna is not overrated, although his grading is more lenient than others. However, I've noticed that TAs are grading more papers for this poli class, so you should at least attempt to write a good paper. A TA gave me an A on my midterm. There is no excuse for anyone to get a B+ from a TA. The midterm was 6-8 pages and the final was 7-9 pages.

easy but interesting

TAs are punks. You should be graded on substance in papers, not on how well you write. Interesting lecture and class though

Possibly the most badass teacher I've ever had. It was a seminar, which means it wasn't work intensive, but the 8 hours I've spent with him have been awesome. The only requirement was that we speak at at least one point, and I learned more in that seminar than I have in many classes. He's a g, take him.

I call him Count Magagna. Everything about taking classes with this guy is awesome. His presentations are clear, concise and captures your attention. Attendance is not mandatory, though you'll want to come on your own choice. Magagna is genius; you will learn a lot not from the reading, but from his genius lectures. Easy A, learned a lot AWESOME.

Really concise, one of the better political science teachers in UCSD so if you can take him do it, and good grades.

I've taken 3 classes with Professor Magagna and I have found each of them to be very interesting. He is one of the best lecturers that I have come across at UCSD. I highly recommend all of his classes. Take good class notes and you will do well.

I have never been more interested in lectures than in those with Professor Magagna. He explains the material well and makes it understandable. The midterm and final are easy as long as you take good notes in class or on the podcasts. Super chill prof and an amazingly smart guy. TAKE HIS CLASSES

Very interesting lecturer. He drills points well, makes clear illustrations and examples. At times he could drawn things out but overall great. Midterm and Final are easy as long as you pay attention, read, and take notes and it that alone isn't too bad since most of the stuff is actually very interesting.

Love Magagna. I've taken a couple of his courses and liked all of them. If you take good notes from lecture (which is on podcast) you can pretty much avoid doing the reading and still pull off an A. The material is interesting and he presents it in a manner that holds your attention. Definitely recommend taking a class with Magagna.

Great professor, great classes, take them all =D. Be nice to the TAs they help grade the final

Great teacher!

Best class ever. Don't even have to attend lectures. Just listen to the podcasts, take notes, and bam, you have your midterm essay and final done. MIDTERM AND FINAL ARE JUST ESSAYS 7-9 PAGES DOUBLE SPACED! REALLY EASY! THIS IS THE BEST CLASS AT UCSD! MAGAGNA IS A GENIUS! GPA BOOSTER! EASY A! TAKE MAGAGNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best of two worlds. GREAT lecturer, you want to listen to him talk for hours, AND it's an easy A. Don't take the class cuz then I'll be on the wait-list! :P

I agree with most everyone's posts. His lectures are organized SO well. He draws things out and repeats them a million times, but I think that's what makes him a great professor. When the time comes to write your paper, you'll realize that you know the material because he's inculcated it in your mind.

I once doubted what this website said about how he was the easiest prof on campus. Well you were right he is. The hardest question to answer is why he wears the same clothes everyday. Dont need to buy the books or read. note taker and podcast. Sucks how so many non PS majors are in it taking up spots for people who like the topic.

This man is a genius. He's the best UCSD has in the PS dept. His lectures are amazing. I read the books, never missed lectures and worked as hard as possible. Took all 3 of his courses and all were very interesting. Midterm=45, Final=55. Take him and you won't regret it for one day. He changed my life and I'll never forget him for it.

This man is a genius. He's the best UCSD has in the PS dept. His lectures are amazing. I read the books, never missed lectures and worked as hard as possible because he's so inspiring. Took all 3 of his courses and all were very interesting. Midterm=45, Final=55. Take him. He changed my life and I'll never forget him for it.

Best orator you will ever have. Comparable to Obama and Hitler. Great Class! Magagna is a beast.

What can I say? Class is podcasted, but go to class for the notes he writes on the board (from memory!), handwriting is hard to decipher at times. Was doubtful of easiness rating --then I turned the 10 page midterm paper I managed in 1 hour & got an A. Seems like a cool guy to get to know, but doesn't seem very interested in students in general.

He's a great lecturer and great professor. He's sort of rude though, you cannot strike up a conversation with him at all. I'll continue taking his classes though.

I went to class for his notes but didn't pay too much attention since lectures were on podcast. Read the books after the essay prompts were given out. Not hard at all. Got an A :D!

Magagna is simply the best, if you have the esteemed privileged of being able to take a class by him, do so and you will not regret it.

I actually enjoyed coming to class and looked forward to his lectures. Got me interested in the subject. What more can I say?

Magagna is the best! He really knows what he is talking about. If you have any interest in political science, definitely take a class with him. I learned a lot AND enjoyed the class.

He is a professor who commands a great deal of respect. UCSD has a lot of "super star" political scientists, but NONE of them teach as well as Magagna. Unless you have early registration or senior standing, you probably won't get into his class. But he is definitely worth the wait!

There is no ENGLISH LANGUAGE word in the dictionary that can describe this PROF. SPEECHLESS

WONDERFUL Professor! I loved ALL of his lectures. Straight forward, interesting, and intellectually stimulating!

I've taken several POLI SCI courses, but none as good as him. Lectures are very straightforward. He is very clear. I like the outlines he puts on the board because they can be used to guide you in writing the essay. One six page midterm and one six page final. You get 6-8 essay questions and you pick one to answer. Trust me, take his class.

He is the best professor. He's lecture is very clear and essays are exactly from the lecture. If you go to class and take note, you will be fine. :)

Great lectures and easy-going class. Here's a fun game for those taking his class: Throughout the ENTIRE QUARTER, count the number of times he stutters or says "uh" or "um" while talking. I don't think I've ever heard it. Excellent speaker who knows the material so well, he writes down class notes directly from memory. Only complaint: No email.

Easy A and a great professor. What more could you ask for?

Excellent professor who teaches his own derived theories and analytical approaches to the subject. Unlike the abstract lectures of most polisci professors, his narrative lecture and original material is much more interesting than straight textbook lectures. Notes aren't necessary because of the clarity of the concepts. Satisfy page limit for an A.

Oh my god this professor rocks my world. best professor ever!!

Extremely talented speaker, passionate about his field...engaging interesting...

It's true that everyone takes this professor because it's a near guaranteed A, but he's actually a fantastic professor anyway. He's very gunshy around students on a personal level but you can't beat his lectures which are stimulating, extremely clear, and are never drawn out just to fill class times. You can't go wrong taking a class with Magagna.

Yup, easy easy A. Let alone, he's a great professor! He's kind, smart and makes jokes from time to time. Only reason I attend class is to write out the outline that's written and he puts on the overhead but everything else is verbal lecture which you can listen through podcast outside of class. Just take him, easy peasy! :)

Excellent Lecturer. Great for people who work and have to take classes.

He is the best. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this professor. Attendance is not mandatory, and his grading is anything but harsh but just an overall AMAZING teacher. Everything he says seems to come straight out of a well-written piece of literature. I will forever adore this professor.

It really is your loss if you don’t take Magagna. He is the best professor you can encounter in college, Its like a free gpa booster!Plus, He is a great lecturer. I wish I can take him every quarter!

Great Professor! Really cares for students.You can learn A LOT from this class if you pay attention and attend class or listen to podcast! Either way as long as you do 6-7pg midterm and final, it's an easy A

Great professor, extremely easy to get an A as long as you meet the page requirement (e.g. if he asks for 7-9 pages, make sure to at least get to the very bottom of page 7 and include a works cited) but he's also very interesting. And sometimes, he's actually funny. Don't need to read or attend lectures, just use podcasts to write take home papers.

You don't need to read the books assigned or go to lecture (watch podcast though). Write two papers that are 7 pages long and you will get an A.

Have taken two of Professor Magagna's courses - easiest As of my academic career. His lectures are interesting and they're all podcasted so I've never actually seen the professor. Two essays - one midterm, one final - very clearly outlined and if done correctly, you'll get an A. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE and enjoy the subject matter!

You kinda feel bad for the guy cause he is a GREAT lecturer but only 10% of his students show up to class. Really easy A coming from a someone that is not a PoliSci major . There is a midterm essay of 7 pages long and a final essay of same length. Bought us pizza one day because he needed to catch up in lecture. You dont need to buy the books

This man is knowledgable and he reads more books than you read your text messages. I have a lot of respect for him. He knows his stuff. Listening to his lectures I have learned a lot of things and I am not a political science major--it's my second class with him. He is respected by students for the knowledge he has. Sweet looking man

I LOVE MAGAGNA. Its so nice to have a class and not worry about nitpick grading and stressing so much you can't even enjoy the material. merging is not like that at all and you have the luxury of enjoying lectures without the grade stress along with it. Amazing lectures. He is so knowledgeable and competent-I was very impressed. Love him-bio major

The best professor at UCSD!!! Very knowledgable about life, religion, politics, war, and everything in general! One midterm paper and one final paper. Don't plagarize, and definitely try to attend his class!

Don't need to go to lecture or read the books. You can honestly just write the essay without podcasting everything. Answer the prompt with 2 sources, meet the page count, and write it yourself (an issue we had in SS)! And BAM, you have an A. I feel bad, he is an awesome lecturer but you all know why your here (looking at you non-polisci majors).

Very coherent lectures, everything ties back together at the end, which makes writing your papers a lot easier. Awesome professor but only 10% of the class shows up to lectures. He does speak very fast during lectures so podcasting is an option if you want to take notes at your own pace. 10/10 overall.

Professor Victor Magagna is arguably the smartest person I know when it comes Political Theory. The man is a genius and has extensive knowledge in regards to what he teaches. I went to every lecture because he is just that engaging. Sign up for his class if you ever can.---

2 papers, one 6 pg and one 8pg. Be prepared to actually write two half-way decent but long essays to get an easy A. if u don't get an A, u either didn't meet pg count (B) or plagiarized (F). tip: buy course notes if you don't plan on going to lecture (potential A- if ur essay completely sucks)

Took him for POLI 120&136. 120 needs no book. 136 you can get away with no book, but you won't have enough to write. Thus, pick one book to read. I read American Grace. Too long and boring. 2 papers in each class. I podcasted everything. Better to wait until he releases the prompts and podcast so you know what to focus on for the essays.

He really knows a lot about the subject and is a good professor, and a valuable resource to have. His notes are very messy and hard to read, and barely anybody comes to class. Honestly. Out of 450 students, literally 30 max show up. The essays are very easy. Just meet the page count and meet the prompt. Depending on yourself, buy/don't buy the book

Seriously, it's a real shame that most students don't show up to this class. He's literally brilliant, an incredible talent for lecturing and illustrative ways of explaining theory. I truly treasure each lecture and I mean I just wish more people would appreciate this guys brilliance I'd recommend just going even if ur not in this class. Genius.

2 exams - take home papers, we're given plenty of time and clear instruction. Funny, dry, straightforward, well-versed. There wasn't much variety in the way classes were run, so if recording notes from a lecture with the barest of an outline is challenging for anyone based on ability, capacity to concentrate for long periods, etc. it'd be tough

this man is amazong. his lectures are lowkey boring but i never attend them anyways so im not really talking in a clear manner lol. but my homie never had this professor and attended more lectures than me and i still got an A in both classes i attended. great man/solid person. he has a lot of insight and go to lecture if you tryna get learnt

amaze

Professor Magagna is funny and thoughtful. For example, on days with poor or alarming weather, he cancels class for our safety to not travel. He always encourages students to ask questions.

Magagna has a reputation for being an easy A. That is true. As long as you put in genuine effort into his papers (which are fairly easy), you should get an A. His lectures are always interesting, and he is a very nice guy.

Okay so I know people just look up the related podcasts to write the essay but you know what Professor Magagna's lectures are content rich. like I'm writing my midterm essay right now and I'm actually learning so much LOL he's also super kind! feel like he's under-appreciated. we love you prof.

I'm a STEM major taking Magagna to make my last quarter a chill one. My OG plan of action was to not go to class, whip out a quick couple essays, and be done with it. Instead, I ended up attending almost every lecture just to listen to what he has to say, he has an incredible eloquent way of speaking. He's a bit stand-offish when approached.

I took two classes with Professor Magagna during my undergrad in 2016 - yes, I'm back two years later to rave about him. Magagna is one of the best lecturers I have ever had. While attendance wasn't mandatory, I attended every class because I found it so interesting. He very knowledgeable and our reading materials were great. Awesome professor!

Dr. Magagna is an amazing professor. His Poli 142K class is very interesting and he gives his students an eloquent elaboration and understanding into the topic at hand. He really is a little stand-offish and difficult to talk to once you approach him, though. Despite that, Magagna still gives you an answer for the questions you ask.

Presents a variety of theories and explanations, so there's plenty to explore. 2 papers. Plenty of time to write and straightforward prompts. Professor Magagna is funny and easy going. He often ends class early and podcasts each lecture. He always gives ample opportunity to ask questions and is concerned for students' general well-being

Best professor at UCSD!

We all know why we take Magagna

A really smart guy, he's basically a walking library. Very unimposing, you might run into him around campus or see him reading a book in a public lounge. You can talk to him after class, email him - he really tries to be student-first.

He is an amazing professor and should be respected at all time! He makes notes with hand-writing every time no matter how many students show up, and tries his best on the lecture to be as specific as possible.

Prof Magagna teaches very interesting courses while keeping the assignments simple and easy yet thought provoking. He's a great source of information, like a walking library.

GPA booster - any class with this prof, is legit ur ace at ucsd, tbh. There's a midterm & final essay, done at home. Listen to lecture via podcast, just don't turn it in late. Content isn't graded harshly; however, BE ON TOPIC.

God bless Magagna

Take his class, you can get A easily.

All of his classes are in a similar format, no homework, take home midterm and final. Both are easy. Course is entirely podcasted. Take him as much as you can while he's still around. Listening to the podcasted lectures at 1.5x+ speed is a good lifehack.

I graduated UCSD in 2014 and I still listen to the recorded lectures of professor magagna. Easy classes. Podcasted lectures and clear essay instructions. Not the easiest to have a conversation with, but that's our loss not his as he is so knowledgeable. He gives you everything you need to pass in his lectures.

Professor Magagna was incredibly knowledgeable on his subject. I truly wish I wasn't taking so many units this Winter quarter otherwise I would have signed up for another of his courses. His class is straightforward and criteria is clear. Wish I could have taken the class in person it was so good!

Do yourself a favor and take him! He gives a midterm and a final which are both essays. He's very knowledgeable, explains the material well and podcasts all of his lectures. Informative class and an easy A. What more could you ask for?

did nothing throughout the quarter and would binge his (very short) lectures the day before the midterm and the final were due and got a high A in the class. I love Magagna!!

Awesome professor and inspirational lectures, I will definitely take again, highly recommended.

Class can be treated in two ways. Either you seriously care about the content and treat it like any other class, or you do the bare minimum. No matter what you do, you'll probably get the same grade, as the requirements are pretty lax, yet clear. Just make sure to write about the content of the lectures, and grab relevant quotes from the readings.

Fantastic professor, really enjoyable lectures. Look forward to taking him again.

So easy. I went to 0 lectures. Just two papers, and prompts are provided at the start of the quarter. Just ctrl+F the textbooks and skim lecture notes and the papers will take you an hour MAX to write.

He is really intelligent and he knows a lot about the subject matter--I found the information I was learning to be incredibly fascinating, and I wish I could take more of his classes.

Rest in peace, Professor Magagna! He undoubtedly made my undergraduate experience during the COVID-19 memorable with his softly-graded papers and charm during his lectures. The Political Science Department at UC San Diego and its respective alumni will miss you dearly.

Really great professor. Lectures are short but informative. Took several Magagna classes and learnt a lot! RIP