Professor
Jason Sexton
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2023 - I took this class as a graduating senior, and it ended up being one of my favorite classes at UCLA, though it did not seem like that during the course. The workload is A LOT (if you are trying to actually do it all). Each week, there are hefty readings to which you then do a one-page single-spaced response to. Discussions and lectures are mandatory, but a "word of the day" is used in lectures and recordings are posted, so you can get around this if you have a friend in the class. Throughout the quarter, there are deadlines for the final research paper, which examines an entity's (organization or city in the LA region) relationship to the sustainability - social and environmental. There's also a 1-min presentation on your paper findings to the class. You have to buy a couple books for the readings. There is a written essay final (choose from a couple pre-revealed prompts). I was frequently complaining about the class to my friends, and the majority of my effort for the quarter went to the course (definitely would not recommend taking with other heavy classes). Yet I realized at the end, this was one of the most interesting and engaging courses I have ever taken. If you do not like mundane classwork and not-applicable-to-real-life content, I would recommend this course. It actually challenged me to think about "real life" concepts relating to the environment, social issues, and politics, and I learned a lot and enhanced my critical analysis skills. The first book was one of my favorite reads ever, because it discussed the things that I stay up at night thinking about - that type of interesting and challenging. As far as Dr.Sexton, he is definitely a cool person. His lecturing, however, is a challenge. The way he speaks can be really difficult to 1) hear and 2) comprehend; a lot of "big", uncommon words are used, and he often speaks in broken sentences and phrases, that mumble off. I found myself getting lost in lecture a lot. While I kept up and comprehended the readings, I felt that I got nothing from the lectures, until I actually went back over the recordings before the final. Going over the lecture recordings, I suddenly understood and had even a deep comprehension of everything said, was able to connect all the class concepts, and was able to do really well on the final. I actually feel like I'm walking away with something from the course - which I only felt from one other class at UCLA. All this being said, I think it's a great class and would encourage everyone to take it to engage in important social and environmental topics and "learn beyond the classroom", but be warned, it is A LOT of work.
Winter 2023 - I took this class as a graduating senior, and it ended up being one of my favorite classes at UCLA, though it did not seem like that during the course. The workload is A LOT (if you are trying to actually do it all). Each week, there are hefty readings to which you then do a one-page single-spaced response to. Discussions and lectures are mandatory, but a "word of the day" is used in lectures and recordings are posted, so you can get around this if you have a friend in the class. Throughout the quarter, there are deadlines for the final research paper, which examines an entity's (organization or city in the LA region) relationship to the sustainability - social and environmental. There's also a 1-min presentation on your paper findings to the class. You have to buy a couple books for the readings. There is a written essay final (choose from a couple pre-revealed prompts). I was frequently complaining about the class to my friends, and the majority of my effort for the quarter went to the course (definitely would not recommend taking with other heavy classes). Yet I realized at the end, this was one of the most interesting and engaging courses I have ever taken. If you do not like mundane classwork and not-applicable-to-real-life content, I would recommend this course. It actually challenged me to think about "real life" concepts relating to the environment, social issues, and politics, and I learned a lot and enhanced my critical analysis skills. The first book was one of my favorite reads ever, because it discussed the things that I stay up at night thinking about - that type of interesting and challenging. As far as Dr.Sexton, he is definitely a cool person. His lecturing, however, is a challenge. The way he speaks can be really difficult to 1) hear and 2) comprehend; a lot of "big", uncommon words are used, and he often speaks in broken sentences and phrases, that mumble off. I found myself getting lost in lecture a lot. While I kept up and comprehended the readings, I felt that I got nothing from the lectures, until I actually went back over the recordings before the final. Going over the lecture recordings, I suddenly understood and had even a deep comprehension of everything said, was able to connect all the class concepts, and was able to do really well on the final. I actually feel like I'm walking away with something from the course - which I only felt from one other class at UCLA. All this being said, I think it's a great class and would encourage everyone to take it to engage in important social and environmental topics and "learn beyond the classroom", but be warned, it is A LOT of work.
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2021 - Professor Sexton's class is one that is fundamentally fascinating and is one that is appealing for not only sociology majors or adherents, but of anyone one whom desires the history and realities that surround religion and its impacts throughout time. I was very satisfied with the course and my favourite part was the research paper of which was an ethnographic paper of a religion of our choice in relation to sustainability. That in itself was an interesting correlation of topics and made one choose something they may have already had knowledge of or allowed one to gain knowledge of. In overall class structure, it was a very broad and this was shown with the differing topics of every week, differing three books throughout the quarter, and with the numerous guest speakers that came to class on significant bases. Nevertheless, this course was one that is fascinating and should be good for a person that indeed enjoys theology in its many vast forms. But, it is a course that does require individual motive towards reading and its topics, however with the professor and the TA's; such should be of no problem as they were all very accommodating and involved in my personal experience throughout the whole quarter and that in itself makes the professor a rare as well as exceptional character whom really is striving for his students academic, professional , and even personal successes.
Fall 2021 - Professor Sexton's class is one that is fundamentally fascinating and is one that is appealing for not only sociology majors or adherents, but of anyone one whom desires the history and realities that surround religion and its impacts throughout time. I was very satisfied with the course and my favourite part was the research paper of which was an ethnographic paper of a religion of our choice in relation to sustainability. That in itself was an interesting correlation of topics and made one choose something they may have already had knowledge of or allowed one to gain knowledge of. In overall class structure, it was a very broad and this was shown with the differing topics of every week, differing three books throughout the quarter, and with the numerous guest speakers that came to class on significant bases. Nevertheless, this course was one that is fascinating and should be good for a person that indeed enjoys theology in its many vast forms. But, it is a course that does require individual motive towards reading and its topics, however with the professor and the TA's; such should be of no problem as they were all very accommodating and involved in my personal experience throughout the whole quarter and that in itself makes the professor a rare as well as exceptional character whom really is striving for his students academic, professional , and even personal successes.
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2020 - This is a really awesome professor who offers a unique insight to the Sociology department. Some of his assigned readings were a bit lengthy and dense, but the professor and T.A. helped me in understanding the material. The class consisted of two written exams (mid-term and final), weekly question and answer homework, and one research paper. The pandemic did begin at the end of this class which disrupted everything. However, the professor was very considerate and lenient. Definitely would take a class with this professor again!!
Winter 2020 - This is a really awesome professor who offers a unique insight to the Sociology department. Some of his assigned readings were a bit lengthy and dense, but the professor and T.A. helped me in understanding the material. The class consisted of two written exams (mid-term and final), weekly question and answer homework, and one research paper. The pandemic did begin at the end of this class which disrupted everything. However, the professor was very considerate and lenient. Definitely would take a class with this professor again!!
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2024 - Professor Sexton is undeniably one of the best teachers I've had at UCLA. He takes time to remember your name and make you feel like he is there to learn something from you as well. You can see his passion for the topics he teaches while being entertaining and interactive. Something you do not see often is a professor having first-hand experience in what they are teaching, but Professor Sexton does, which gives a unique teaching perspective that helped me learn deeper. Although each class is mandatory to attend, time flies with his content that makes you think deeper about what you know about how our society views certain aspects such as the prison system and religion. I would not miss out on class because there are guest lecturers who add to the value of the class. There is a research paper due at the end of the quarter but you have more than enough time to finish it. Alongside that, we read 3 books that are fast-paced and easy to digest. His directions are straightforward and if followed you will have no problem leaving the class with a fantastic grade. Professor Sexton makes much time for his students through his office hours and quickly responds via email. There are extra credit assignments if you want an extra grade bump.
Winter 2024 - Professor Sexton is undeniably one of the best teachers I've had at UCLA. He takes time to remember your name and make you feel like he is there to learn something from you as well. You can see his passion for the topics he teaches while being entertaining and interactive. Something you do not see often is a professor having first-hand experience in what they are teaching, but Professor Sexton does, which gives a unique teaching perspective that helped me learn deeper. Although each class is mandatory to attend, time flies with his content that makes you think deeper about what you know about how our society views certain aspects such as the prison system and religion. I would not miss out on class because there are guest lecturers who add to the value of the class. There is a research paper due at the end of the quarter but you have more than enough time to finish it. Alongside that, we read 3 books that are fast-paced and easy to digest. His directions are straightforward and if followed you will have no problem leaving the class with a fantastic grade. Professor Sexton makes much time for his students through his office hours and quickly responds via email. There are extra credit assignments if you want an extra grade bump.
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