QUESTION: I'm considering political science as my major. How hard are the 3rd and 4th year classes compared to 1st and 2nd? What is the trick to doing well in polisci?
You guys are dead wrong. Try reading Foucault, then get back to me.
OP: If your goal is to just barely pass then it's easy. There are a lot of frustratingly stupid people in upper year polisci courses. If you actually want to do well it's going to take a lot of hard work and some natural ability to write articulately, research effectively, understand abstract concepts, and think critically. I've never taken more than 2 polisci courses in a term because of the sheer volume of readings.
There's almost no regurgitation. A lot of upper-year courses don't even have midterms or exams.
Thanks for the reply. I have noticed there are a lot of readings in the courses I have taken so far. I would like to graduate with honours, so knowing what I am getting into is appreciated. I have a large number of transfer credits which means I am taking 4 polisci courses a term in order to graduate without wasting extra money on unnecessary credits. So hearing your opinions regarding the 2 polisci per term is interesting. I hope I don't get in over my head. Thanks!
Best of luck! It's an excellent discipline and you'll learn tons of interesting, practical stuff. I'm a very inefficient worker and I have crazy high expectations on myself, so you might fare better than me while taking more than 2 psci courses in a term.
Foucault isn't really that hard to understand compared to other "modern" theorists (and given that you're reading a translation)- I doubt any of his writing would be required reading for a 4th year PoliSci course at UW anyway.
Yeah, I struggle with the modern / post-modern theorists. Don't even get me started on those who combine IR and gender theory. I'm more of a policy person.
As long as you have a brain, you'll be fine.
ReplyDeleteIts an arts major... the upper year classes will be the exact same as first year. read this book then regurgitate it on the test.
ReplyDeleteI believe it will largely just get more specialized. So... 2 isn't that wrong
ReplyDeleteYou guys are dead wrong. Try reading Foucault, then get back to me.
ReplyDeleteOP: If your goal is to just barely pass then it's easy. There are a lot of frustratingly stupid people in upper year polisci courses. If you actually want to do well it's going to take a lot of hard work and some natural ability to write articulately, research effectively, understand abstract concepts, and think critically. I've never taken more than 2 polisci courses in a term because of the sheer volume of readings.
There's almost no regurgitation. A lot of upper-year courses don't even have midterms or exams.
Thanks for the reply.
DeleteI have noticed there are a lot of readings in the courses I have taken so far. I would like to graduate with honours, so knowing what I am getting into is appreciated.
I have a large number of transfer credits which means I am taking 4 polisci courses a term in order to graduate without wasting extra money on unnecessary credits. So hearing your opinions regarding the 2 polisci per term is interesting. I hope I don't get in over my head.
Thanks!
Best of luck! It's an excellent discipline and you'll learn tons of interesting, practical stuff. I'm a very inefficient worker and I have crazy high expectations on myself, so you might fare better than me while taking more than 2 psci courses in a term.
DeleteFoucault isn't really that hard to understand compared to other "modern" theorists (and given that you're reading a translation)- I doubt any of his writing would be required reading for a 4th year PoliSci course at UW anyway.
ReplyDeleteI've had to read him for 3rd and 4th year courses.
DeleteOh fair, I wasn't a polisci major it just seemed like something they would have stayed away from (based on taking a few 200 level PSCI courses).
DeleteYeah, I struggle with the modern / post-modern theorists. Don't even get me started on those who combine IR and gender theory. I'm more of a policy person.
Delete