James Old - Valparaiso University

Professor: James Old
Department: Political Science
College: Valparaiso University
Rating # 1
Overview:
  • Course: POLS240
  • Grade Received: B-
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
This dude sucks. Like, seriously. He is the worst. Once he has bad taste for you, it's over, and your chances of passing are very slim. He is by far the rudest professor I have ever had. Offers no help, no anything. I would never, ever, take his class again. in fact, you couldn't even pay me.
Rating # 2
Overview:
  • Course: POLS240
  • Grade Received: B+
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
His lectures are pretty engaging and he covers the material so well that it honestly didn't matter that much if you didn't do the reading before class. Be prepared to take a lot of notes during lecture though!! He explains stuff really well so if you take good notes then it will be alot easier to write the essays. Always grades within a week!
Rating # 3
Overview:
  • Course: POLS240
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
There are a lot of dense readings, but the lectures and content are very engaging, and he knows so much about the subject matter. He is open to answering questions and always available to meet. There are four short essays, but he makes expectations clear. Each class period there is a chance for a quiz based on a coin flip, so always be prepared!
Rating # 4
Overview:
  • Course: CORE110
  • Grade Received: A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
I wish I could take 115 with Prof. Old but he is not teaching CORE in Spring 2020. A kind, respectable, man who gives great feedback on papers. The readings he gives you are interesting. As long as you work for it, you will get a good grade.
Rating # 5
Overview:
  • Course: POLS120
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: Yes
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Prof. Old's class was enjoyable and interesting. He is a very down-to-Earth guy, and is very accessible to meet with. He is a tough grader, but he gives good study guides and if you prepare for exams using the study guides, you will do well. He is not politically-bias, which is really refreshing for a political science class.
Rating # 6
Overview:
  • Course: POLS221
  • Grade Received: B
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
Old is intelligent but lecture heavy. Grades with papers and take home exams, but miss guidelines for assignments and don't expect an A. Learn something because he makes you work, but not worth it as a gen ed or for non-political science majors
Rating # 7
Overview:
  • Course: POLS120C
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 3.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: Yes
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: No
  • Attendance: Mandatory
Comment:
Professor Old was great to talk to outside of class, especially when he would explain assignments in different ways for me, but the lectures were quite heavy and hard to follow when it was late in the afternoon.
Rating # 8
Overview:
  • Course: POLS240
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Great lecturer and a snappy dresser. Really knows his stuff.
Rating # 9
Overview:
  • Course: POLS240
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
The only reason Old seems hard is cause other poly sci classes can be such a joke. You have to do the reading and go to class, take notes. The class was interesting and you can tell he gets into what he's teaching.
Rating # 10
Overview:
  • Course: CORECORE
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
This guy thought he was really something after a stint at Notre Dame before coming to Valpo. After his first day, and 45 minutes of sweat dripping off his nose on to his notes, he started walking around campus wearing sweater vest like he was jim tressel. I made him look stupid in core, he never forgot and screwed me senior year with a "C".
Rating # 11
Overview:
  • Course: POLS270
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 5.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: Yes
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
No Comments
Rating # 12
Overview:
  • Course: POLS240
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: No
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
He needs to be fired. He has no interest in interacting with students. In order to be a good professor you must like engaging with others, he did not show any clear interest toward respecting the student's views, trying to understand viewpoints, nor helping us better understand the material. He makes the class harder than what it has to be. And t
Rating # 13
Overview:
  • Course: POLS240
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
he knows his stuff and he is smart as hell. but, i think he overanalyzes a lot of the things that we read in books such as machiavelli and locke, where what both political theorists proposed were just meant to be understood, agreed with and followed and prof. old and other political analysists or teahcers, overanalyze what has already been analyzed
Rating # 14
Overview:
  • Course: POLS240
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
This guy is really really bad. The class sucks.
Rating # 15
Overview:
  • Course: INTROSRSEM
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Old is great. He is extremely clear and organized. Works very hard to give you feedback and always availible to help. You need to stay on top of things in his classes and attendance helps too. Ask him to join you and friends from class at Passtimes (if you are legal).
Rating # 16
Overview:
  • Course: POLS130
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 1.0
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Can't stand him. Can't teach.
Rating # 17
Overview:
  • Course: USGOVERNMENT
  • Grade Received: A+
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 2.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: Not Mandatory
Comment:
No Comments
Rating # 18
Overview:
  • Course: POLS240
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 5.0
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
He is only difficult because we have been conditioned to thinking that trying equals difficulty.
Rating # 19
Overview:
  • Course: POLITICALTHEORY
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 4.5
  • Course Difficulty: 3.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
Old is the man. In a class where few seem to care, he did a great job of engaging students with the text and bringing in relevant information. Will help with anything - so ask! Be prepared for his midterm/final and revise your papers (Writing Center) - he expects what every prof should expect of their students: an honest effort. Don't pass him up!
Rating # 20
Overview:
  • Course: POLS120
  • Grade Received: N/A
  • Overall Rating: 2.5
  • Course Difficulty: 4.0
  • For Credit: N/A
  • Textbook Used: N/A
  • Would Take Again: N/A
  • Attendance: N/A
Comment:
He is very understanding and flexible. However, he teaches his own views as facts and if you dont agree, you wont do as well on exams and therefore get bad grades. You definitely must read the texts in order to do well, but doing so doesnt guarantee that you will do well in the class.
Add Your Review Below:
Search Professors:
Welcome:

Before signing up for classes every students should gather as much information as possible to make a decision on which professors as well as which courses to take. This website will help you make this decision easier.

Here, the students can rate, research and cross-reference the overall performances of the professors to select the best ones, and always be informed and up-to-date with what’s important.

Join the fun! Visit all pages and get all the information you need to choose the best class and best professor that you’ll enjoy listening to and learning from.

Our Friendly Sponsor:
Schools:
Our Friendly Sponsor:


Celebrity Net Worth Visa Bulletin