PLIR 3650

Professor Quandt lectures as though telling a story - a fairly boring story. Lectures are not interesting and expectations for exams are unclear.

As long as you stay up to speed with the reading then the midterm and final should be no problem. Most people skip the reading and try to cram, that's not an option in this class.

Great class. Gotta either do the reading or go to class.

Serious emphasis on reading--if you fall behind, there is almost no way to catch up because it just piles up. Quandt isn't an awful lecturer, but can be a little dry. The material is very relevant, but it's not always presented in an interesting way. Don't take this as your first political science course...it will kick your butt.

This class has tons of material. If you don't want to deal with 12 books (each is more than 300pages) then you shouldn't take it. It's a tough class but you learn a lot about the Middle East.

Suprisingly hard mid-term. Not a hard class to get a B in but a hard class to get an A- or A in. The time limit on the midterm is what really kills people - most don't finish.

worst class i have taken at UVa

The grader you have can have a significant impact on how your exam is evaluated. Quandt has immense personal knowledge of the Middle East, though he is long winded.

This class is filled with way too many repetitive readings. Some weeks we read 400-500 pages. Quandt is also one of the worst lecturers I have had at UVA. He merely leans on his podium and talks the entire class period without moving. Midterm was not difficult and graded fairly. Readings were not all necessary.

This class isn't as hard as people make it out to be. On the exams, IDs are worth 60% of your grade. If you memorize the definitions, you're fine. The lectures can be boring, but I enjoyed not having a discussion section.