POL SCI 166
Comparative Constitutional Design
Description: Lecture, three or four hours; discussion, one hour (when scheduled). Designed for juniors/seniors. Comparison of major institutional structures such as presidentialism versus parliamentarism, unicameralism versus bicameralism, two-party versus multiparty systems, federal versus unitary systems, plurality versus proportional electoral systems, etc. Method of analysis is rational choice (political actors are assumed to optimize their results given institutional constraints and action of other actors). Result is that institutions affect political outcomes in systematic ways. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 4.0
Units: 4.0
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Most Helpful Review
If you're serious about political science, you must take this class. If you're a student who shows up and immediately checks out, browses Facebook, or does some online shopping, then this class isn't for you. This is an objectively difficult course. In fact half way through, Professor Thies revealed that without a curve most students would earn a D or C. Lots of people complain about the difficulty of his courses--and they're certainly right that it can get aggravating--but ultimately, this is UCLA. If you want a bunch of easy A's, if you want professors who haven't done anything, then go to CSUDH. This class requires a continuous group effort, which can be a problem if your group members are lazy. If you do end up compensating for others, simply let the professor know. Choose your group members wisely. Also, there are reading quizzes given sporadically. Do the readings. All of them, from start to finish. The grading breakdown is as follows: 10% reading quizzes 10% midterm #1 20% midterm #2 40% group grade (10, 10, 10, 5, 5) 20% individual grade All in all, the course is intensive, but incredibly interesting.
If you're serious about political science, you must take this class. If you're a student who shows up and immediately checks out, browses Facebook, or does some online shopping, then this class isn't for you. This is an objectively difficult course. In fact half way through, Professor Thies revealed that without a curve most students would earn a D or C. Lots of people complain about the difficulty of his courses--and they're certainly right that it can get aggravating--but ultimately, this is UCLA. If you want a bunch of easy A's, if you want professors who haven't done anything, then go to CSUDH. This class requires a continuous group effort, which can be a problem if your group members are lazy. If you do end up compensating for others, simply let the professor know. Choose your group members wisely. Also, there are reading quizzes given sporadically. Do the readings. All of them, from start to finish. The grading breakdown is as follows: 10% reading quizzes 10% midterm #1 20% midterm #2 40% group grade (10, 10, 10, 5, 5) 20% individual grade All in all, the course is intensive, but incredibly interesting.
AD
Most Helpful Review
Winter 2019 - Have you ever felt like crying yourself to sleep? No well this class will do that to you. I have had a 4.0 until my senior year winter quarter and I really don't know if I'll get the grade of my choice because of this ridiculously hard grader. She's unhelpful. The material is scattered. The slides are minimal. She reads off the slides and shows us graphs but dosen't explain them. This review is for poli sci 169
Winter 2019 - Have you ever felt like crying yourself to sleep? No well this class will do that to you. I have had a 4.0 until my senior year winter quarter and I really don't know if I'll get the grade of my choice because of this ridiculously hard grader. She's unhelpful. The material is scattered. The slides are minimal. She reads off the slides and shows us graphs but dosen't explain them. This review is for poli sci 169
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