I took this class one of my upper division courses for my environmental systems and society minor. I was expecting this course to discuss how economics and different aspects of geography are intertwined. After taking this course, I realize that it should have no way counted for my minor. This class should not have been called Economic Geography, but instead “Rigby talks about technology and the economy for the 8th week in a row.”

If you want to learn how to use patent data to ask questions about how people, cities and technology interact spatially to affect the economy, this class if for you. If you want to get a better picture of how the geographic distribution of resources and land use affect the economy, that will not even be mentioned by Rigby and its best you find a different class. The kicker, is that I decided (after discussing it with both Rigby and my TA) to respond to one of the essay prompts (a short 1400 word response to whether technology was slowing down or speeding up) to focus my essay on how land use change and technology intersect are over time to shape our food system. I answered the prompt but in a much more thorough way that allowed me to actually relate the question to economic geography. I got a B- on that paper for focusing my paper a little differently and for trying to think independently. This course was the only course I will ever take with “economic” in the title.

Prof. Rigby is one of the best professors I had at UCLA. He makes boring subjects so interesting. His lecture is well organized and very easy to follow. He is easy to approach, and has high concerns for students' learning.
THe only (-) about this class is that starting from this quarter, the prof. requires students to do three short assignments and take a final exam, instead of requiring students to write 4 short assignments (as he has done in the past).
But, overall, Prof. Rigby is great! Go take his class!

Prof. Rigby is awesome. He knows his stuff, is incredibly approachable outside of class, and genuinely seems interested in what he teaches. His teaching style is very relaxed, and for a non-econ minded student taking economic geography, he made all concepts very clear. He is definitely one of my favoirte professors at UCLA. The materials he assigns are always pertinent, and he makes sure to relate this material to class, rather than just telling you to read it and forgetting about it. Take this class if he teaches it again, or any class he teaches for that matter.

Rigby is a great professor. In his economic geography class, he explained things very well so that even those of us less mathmatically inclined understood. Although sometimes his lectures moved a little too slow. He was very available during office hours. I really liked how he based grading on four homework assignments instead of midterms and a final. Overall, an excellent professor.