***Took two different classes with her across two quarters but the point will stand for anyone looking her up for other classes that they may not see connected to her.***

If you take any class with her just pay attention to the syllabus for that class and really decide if you want to take it. Some classes taught by her have over 75% of your grade determined by her subjective grading rather than objective performance on exams and that huge percentage is a bigger deal as she often assigns *a lot* of work and writing. I'll repeat that too, *OVER 75%* of your grade for some classes taught by her are determined by her subjective opinion and not your own objective, correct vs incorrect, performance in class.

I kept up with all the abundant work but still received a grade less than what I felt I earned both times I had her, as often times she disagreed with my writing or things were unclear in her opinion. So, tread carefully if you take her as I personally think that much subjective control over your grade and something that can affect your future, is too much.

This was by far the best course I've ever taken at UCLA. Dr. Smurda is obviously very passionate about what she teaches and really likes her students. This class covers topics on the self that are fascinating. Students do presentations on the readings and discuss the material which made me learn it really well. Dr. Smurda did a great job of clarifying the concepts and leading the discussion. There were weekly thought papers and quizzes as well as discussion posts so it was a lot to keep up with, but it didn't really bother me because it was all really interesting. We also wrote a final paper which applies the concepts that we learned in class to our own lives.
Overall, I would highly recommend the professor and the class.

I really enjoyed this class and Dr. Smurda is great. It was different than what I expected it to be (which is actually a good thing) and there was a lot of work involved -- weekly papers and quizzes as well as discussion posts. You also lead a presentation/discussion and there's a final paper. However, I would definitely recommend taking it because the topic is super interesting which makes up for the extra work involved. We had great discussions and Dr. Smurda is very knowledgeable and approachable. You really can't go wrong taking this class.

I would recommend taking this class with Dr. Smurda. There is no text, just a few interesting books which are discussed in sections. I really like the way that it was organized and her lectures were very clear and pretty funny at times too. However, don't let the fact that she's nice fool you. Her tests are pretty tough so be prepared. This is one of my favorite classes at UCLA though.

I really liked Prof. Smurda. She was engaging and the material was interesting. Tests can be difficult, but I studied and did very well. I would definitely recommend taking it with her if possible.

Straightforward class. 2 tests (35% each), clicker questions, and a very doable paper. There was only one textbook for this class and it was a GREAT read. I really recommend reading the book because it definitely helps you process the concepts for the test. Lectures are also bruincasted which is super helpful for studying (or for whenever you don’t feel like getting out of bed). A few topics are repeats from 135. Professor Smurda is caring and super helpful. If you’re looking for an easy (but also interesting) upper div elective, take this class.

This class was very interesting and I am amazed at how much I learned about myself and others. This was my first psych upperdiv, so all of the concepts were new to me unlike others who were familiar with some of them from Psych 135. Professor Smurda is engaging and does her best to make the lectures fun and informative. I never missed any lectures even though they're bruincasted, which helps for reviewing for the exams. The midterm and final are both multiple choice exams and are heavily based on the lectures, but also include a few questions from the readings which often coincided with the content from the lectures. The tests are tricky though; I didn't do as well as I would've liked despite feeling confident both times so they must be taken seriously. The application paper was relatively simple and involved applying social influence concepts to a situation in our lives. As far as participation, only 70% is required to receive the full 10% for your grade. Overall, this class is fascinating and I would recommend Professor Smurda, but be prepared to put in the effort to do well as it isn't as easy as it may seem.

I had such an amazing experience in this class. Dr. Smurda is a wonderful professor and one of the best I’ve had at UCLA. She is super approachable and helpful. The class itself is extremely doable and if you study well for the midterm and final you are guaranteed a good grade in the class.
Breakdown:
Midterm: 35%
Final: 35%
Paper: 20% (super easy, applying concepts to your personal life)
Tophat participation: 10% (only need a 70% on this to get 100%)
Extra credit: 1% added to your final grade if you complete 3 hours of SONA.
Lectures are bruincasted, but I honestly never skipped because she is such a great lecturer. The material is super interesting and very applicable to every day life. Also, if you’ve taken 135 some of the concepts are review. Dr. Smurda generally cares about her students and will even remember your name if you go to her office hours or participate in class. Take her! You won’t regret it.

Honestly a pretty easy class as long as you put in some effort. Tests are pretty much based off the slides so just study those well and you should be fine. Class requires some studying but literally if you just spend a day or two reviewing the slides you will do fine

Professor Smurda is a great teacher and is engaging and passionate about the subject. She is very helpful and approachable. Some of the material is a bit dry and repetitive which can lead to a wandering mind when in class or reading. Most of the stuff isn't difficult to understand, but reading is absolutely necessary for this class and there can be quite a bit of it.

The exam questions are application based so memorizing terms isn't very helpful. The paper is not difficult at all and participation requirement is through Tophat which is quite easy to fulfill.