If you take 152A submit the form to take 152B!!! Genuinely the best experience I've had at UCSB. Tests are hard but very curved. Essentially you read a chapter/articles before each class and then have a discussion with your peers. Exams are MC and there's one paper as well. In my experience, everyone in 152B is simply wonderful, highly recommend!!

Had John and Janice for SOC152B, and loved the class. Felt that I learned a lot from reading the textbook and conversing with other students, and got helpful tips for my final paper. Sometimes John didn't know answers to specific questions, but he is still very knowledgeable and kind. Excited to be in SOC152C!

Amazing course and amazing teachers!! Originally just wanted to take it for fun, but now I'm motivated to strive for the honors course. Highly entertaining, and the professors have great control of attention and amazing public speaking skills. Very valuable course

This was a great class! There is a lot of reading but its very interesting, enjoyable! There are two exams, one paper, and you have to lead one class discussion....it is a student lead class where we just talk about what we think on issues! Very fun and interesting!

Took them for 152A and 152B. Great teachers. Always fun and informative.

great class - try hard to get in.

So the thing about 152A is that you do actually need to read the book, or at least i did, and got an A. They are super nice once you're in 152B but before that generally it's hard to get into the in crowd. Very understanding, kind and helpful people.

The professors are excellent and engaging people. Subjects such as anatomy, contraception, sexual therapy, and relationships. It isn't easy, and there is lots of reading. I found the material to be VERY worthwhile, but the TA's who lead reviews sucked.

Oh yeah!

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I took this class as an elective, BIG MISTAKE. Get ready to learn a lot of useful information. But you NEED to go to lecture or else you will fail. They grade based on 3 midterms and a final all in person and questions are from lecture. Don't recommend taking this as a GE.

Worst professor paired with the worst class I've taken at UCSB. Lecture is so scatterbrained, expressed on the whiteboard by his chicken scratch scribbles that are literally unreadable. Outdated material, outdated classroom culture, outdated professor. Do yourself a gigantic favor and avoid both Baldwins

Not as hard as some of the reviews say, just go over the charts and vocab before each test and you will be fine. Fairly interesting material

avoid!! this class is outdated and the amount of materiel is absurd. they don't give sources for the information provided and half of it is simply not true. the lectures were pointless it was just half naked pictures and memes half the time. freaky professors with outdated views lol. I learned absolutely nothing and just stressed about my grade:/

John's teaching is experienced but disorganized, with lectures hard to follow due to rambling, stock photo slides, and illegible notes. Grading relies solely on two tests (25% each) and a final, emphasizing rote memorization over comprehension. Interesting material, but overall hard to stay engaged with due to the way the class is taught.

This was the worst class I have taken at UCSB. They require you to buy their (expensive) textbook and ramble in lecture and read off random "funny" cartoons and expect you to cover the bulk of material yourself by reading their book. They use offensive and outdated terms and are not inclusive. Had to study for this class more than any other.

I really enjoyed the content of this class and learned a lot. There is a lot of reading and the tests are hard, it really is helpful to go to review sessions and form study groups with friends. There is a pretty decent sized curve, so don't stress too much about your grade.

For 152A: Incredibly hard class if your taking for upper division credits. Grade only based on 3 midterms and cumulative final that are written response. Tons of reading, and studying for each midterm will be a grind. Class was really interesting, and he is pretty funny at times, but I would avoid this class specifically at all costs.

Great class for anyone to take at UCSB. Lots of material to absorb, but the subject material is important to know and provides a lot of really good information. Graded based on three large exams throughout the quarter. Study guides are provided, but there's just a really large amount of information to cover in order to be prepared for them.

One of my favorite courses I've taken in the Sociology department so far. Very interesting lecture material and engaging reading content as well. Graded based on three big exams throughout the quarter, but Professor Baldwin is clear about what to know for the exams and provides study guides as well. Highly recommend this course.

Professor Baldwin is enthusiastic, but his lectures were kind of chaotic and dated. Some of his commentaries additionally felt odd. There was no homework outside of reading, but your grade relies on three midterms and a final. Fortunately, they all seemed to be graded lightly. It wasn't the worst class that I've taken but I wouldn't do it again.

Janice and John are good professor but it seemed like the graders for this course were very tough. There is a lot of information you need to absorb from the lecture notes and textbook. I didn't read the textbook which my grade reflects but I attended the study session which helped tremendously. Get together and do your own study group.

This class is incredibly interesting and fun if you're looking for an "easier" upper division course to take. Its made up of four midterms and a final with no homework and each midterm is pretty straightforward. If you listen to the lectures and read the textbook chapters (which are honestly fun to read) you can get an A pretty easily.

152A was a fun class and I learned a lot, however, the exams in this class are brutal. So much information is crammed into these tests, and we were given no clear indication as to what we would be tested on. The grading curve is very generous. My biggest advice: study groups, go to TA review sessions, and pay attention to readings.