Prof. Rossman is an excellent lecturer who really understands the concepts of this course... it is obvious that he is one of the leading researchers in his field. He lays forth these concepts very clearly in lecture and the structure of the class is fairly simple, having to complete 5 1k word memos by the end of the quarter. The exams are somewhat tricky because it is almost completely dependent on how well you understand the lectures, but as long as you pay attention to what he emphasizes for each lecture, it should be easy to study for exams. My only issue was that the multiple choice questions for the readings were somewhat random and shouldn't be included.

very rude professor. his demeanor sucks and he is SO sassy. he's more concerned about students cheating than being fair and considerate. I would never take this professor again and I do not recommend. also, there is like no correlation to his lectures. he just sits and connects everything to religion. very weird and rude guy.

More than anything, this class takes time. You need time to read the memo material for understanding and possibly again to write about them. You need time to take notes on the lecture in order to take in all the material. You need time to review the notes before the exams so you're not scrambling to find a certain concept. You need time to read the fairly lengthy book for the partner book report, then time to write about it.

But if you do have the time to do these things, it is very possible to do well in the class. I didn't even go to the TA discussion since it wasn't mandatory for the quarter. The key is to basically show comprehension and analysis in all of the assignments. I think many of the last few negative reviews are because people didn't have time, which I can understand (people have jobs, kids, are taking 3-4 other classes, etc). But don't let that dissuade you from thinking you can't do well assuming you have that time.

He is not accomodating of students. His lecture and classwork are decent but the workload is hectic. Only 3 free response for midterm and book report which is 5k words, and 5 memos (1200 words). His Ta's are nice and helpful but Rossman is not. You can survive but be prepared to work a lot.

What a horrible professor. He called us entitled in Week 1 of Fall 2020. He was very sarcastic when people asked for accommodations. Worst professor I've met and I didn't even email him once. Screenshots were shared of his sarcastic emails and half the class dropped. He expected a 1200 word essay every other week with a 6000-word essay at the end. Don't let him gaslight you. He has no patience for students. His attitude has clearly proven this when we collectively (as a class) asked for accommodations or flexibility. I am unable to do a research program because I had to drop this class. I'm disappointed.

SAME REVIEW FOR SOC 176. (I took 173 and 176 together--173 is better!) I loved this class! The workload is manageable as long as you make sure to stay on top of the assignments. There are six weeks of the ten that you must type a memo which consists of a summary and analysis of a week's readings. This comes out to around 4-5 pages and can be a large load if you wait until week five to start them. This is because you can only turn in one per week and therefore starting week five means completing a memo for each week until finals. These memos are very helpful. I suggest writing a memo for every week only because it helps you thoroughly read each week's readings and understand concepts explained in class. The midterm and final are easy as long as you attend class every day and take notes. Study those notes! You can succeed and you will have a great time listening to this man. Rossman is awesome. (Also don't come in late and don't leave early. Be respectful because this is all Rossman asks. Also no computers are allowed for notetaking, and if he sees you on your phone he WILL tell you to put it away.)