<p>I posted a similar thread before, but I'll be more specific this time. I did a new student orientation and when I suggested taking three political science classes (I'm a poli sci major) my first semester, the staff member said I'd kill myself if I did. She recommended taking only one or two.</p>
<p>Now, I'd get that if I were a chemistry or engineering major, but this is political science--far from a difficult major. And, remember, I chose political science--I like it, I'm good at it, it's my strength.</p>
<p>So I suppose my question is: How many major classes to social science majors usually take each semester?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Usually no more than two. What classes would you take anyways? You could take PS1 and PS5 in the fall, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend PS3 because Wittenberg, a ****** bag professor is teaching it (he has horrible ratings + is infamous for being PS3’s hardest teacher) </p>
<p>I’d recommend taking two PS courses and taking a history class</p>
<p>I took three last semester. Well, really it was two actual PS courses and and legal studies class that covered a PS req. It wasn’t too bad, though I suppose if you’re one of those people who likes to do ALL of the reading, it could be a problem. </p>
<p>The bigger issue is that it’s not always easy to pick up that extra PS course in phase II. I got one last spring in phase II, but for this coming fall Fall it appears as though all might be full.</p>
<p>Sorry for not clarifying–I’m a transfer, so I’m talking upper division courses. I’ve already taken American, Comparative, IR and Theory.</p>
<p>PS3 is the statistics-type class, right? I think that’s the only lower division course I need.</p>
<p>Oh never mind what I said then. I recommend you take PS3 actually because it won’t be offered till spring of 2013 :/</p>
<p>But yeah, go for 2 upper div poli sci classes and PS3 then.</p>
<p>gobears10: Regarding PS3, is Wittenberg that bad/difficult a teacher? I’ve heard that he’s a godawful professor, and I’m definitely more hesitant about signing up for PS3 in Phase II as I orginally planned to. Math is also a weak point for me, and I’ve never taken a stats-type course. I’ll be a sophomore this upcoming semester, so I could just theoretically wait until Spring 2013. But I don’t want to just put off PS3 and bank on the chance that I’ll get an easier prof. I’d honestly rather just get the course out of the way. I also have no idea what my schedule would be like in 2013, or if I’d be studying abroad, etc. But I’d sure as hell rather get a B or an A- with an easier prof than a C with Wittenberg. Also, where did you get the information that it wouldn’t be offered again until then? I thought that it would be offered again in Fall 2012…</p>
<p>When I declared my poli sci major, the advisers said it wouldn’t be offered again until spring 2013. But, they said it could be offered in the summer (summer 2012). They haven’t decided yet.</p>
<p>It’s completely ridiculous and stupid. Why are they cutting a class that every poli sci major HAS to take? ***? Shouldn’t they cut elective poli sci classes instead?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, budget cuts and CA’s fiscal problems have seeped in to Berkeley’s undergrad poli sci department :(</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m pretty upset too at how the poli sci department is cutting courses. I understand that budget cuts, have to be made, but seriously? They’re cutting the one course that every Poli Sci major has to take, and I also heard that they’re making most of the lower division courses one semester only per year. It’s already hard enough to get into upper divs, but now they’re making it impossible to fit required lower division prereqs into our schedule. Bleh, I like Poli Sci, but sometimes I wish I’d chosen a less popular major/bloated department in which I can actually get into courses and don’t have to plan out the schedule for the next three years of my life.</p>
<p>Incoming transfer as well…need input on Wittenberg for PS3 as I’m seriously contemplating on taking him this fall. Other students have advised me against taking PS3 on first semester as transitioning from a CC to CAL is expected to be challenging. However, the fact that it won’t be offered til 2013 weighs heavily on my mind- esp after speaking with the dept advisor who said that students have more options when core reqs are done. But after reading reviews on Wittenberg, I’m getting more worried. Anyone taken PS3 with Wittenberg who can share his/her experience in the class?</p>
<p>PS3 is not that bad, there’s just too many dumb students here, who thought majoring in something relatively easy would require little work, who didn’t think there would be math/stats required in poli sci major. Also, to the OP. I would take your first semester here easy, you are a transfer. Regardless if you think you are strong and it’s something you like, you have not been through the rigors of this school yet, so I advise you not to shoot yourself in the foot with the confidence that you exude. It’s one of the best poli sci departments in the country, and it didn’t become so by being easy</p>
<p>Thanks lonesoul for your insight but what I need to know is if taking PS3 with Wittenberg isn’t as bad as most people make it out to be. Have you taken it with Wittenberg?</p>
<p>I agree with lonesoul. While Pol Sci may be a joke major at most schools, at UC Berkeley, it is definitely a challenging major. UC Berkeley has one of the best Pol Sci departments in the world (5th according to Times Higher Education), and the professors and graduate students are generally VERY qualified. You need to be an excellent writer with a good background in politics if you’re aiming for A’s. It is very easy to get B’s and B-'s (and getting a B+ requires work, but not that much), but you would need mostly A’s if say, you were aiming for a top law school. </p>
<p>Having said that, I too have heard Wittenberg is atrocious. His course on Eastern Europe was universally hated by my friends who took it. I took PS3 with Stoker (who doesn’t emphasize the quantitative aspects as much- you can get an A-/A without previous stats knowledge). I did read a review on ratemyprofessors once that someone got a D with Wittenberg in PS3 but got an A with Stoker.</p>
<p>I would recommend waiting for PS3 for a summer session or spring of 2013. Sure it could be Wittenberg again who’s teaching it, but by then you will be used to Cal’s rigor. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Here is an archived listing of Wittenburg’s Political Science 3 course, with a link to a syllabus:</p>
<p>[Course</a> Descriptions - Political Science Department, UC Berkeley](<a href=“http://polisci.berkeley.edu/research/courses/course_details.php?id=10]Course”>http://polisci.berkeley.edu/research/courses/course_details.php?id=10)</p>
<p>And other semesters where you can look up other instructors’ Political Science 3 courses’ syllabi:</p>
<p>[Research</a> and Teaching - Courses](<a href=“http://polisci.berkeley.edu/research/courses/]Research”>Courses | UC Berkeley Political Science)</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies, guys! I’ve checked the archives and will take info gleaned from them into consideration.</p>
<p>Use RateMyProfessor for Wittenburg. And I sympathize with you if you must take PS3 under him. I don’t suppose Stoker is teaching that class? She would be my first pick.</p>
<p>Sympathy duly noted, BenThere. I have decided to drop PS3 and take it whenever it will be offered next. I’ve taken everyone’s advice regarding PS3 and Wittenberg and it does make more sense to get acclimated first, then tackle PS3 (whether with Wittenberg or not) in the following semester(s). I’m not averse to hard work but am to unreasonably difficult professors. So once again, thanks everyone!</p>