The highlight of my undergraduate sociology experience! Dr. Sexton is an outstandingly knowledgeable and supportive professor who masterfully guides his students through the course material. His instruction enthuses curiosity and insight as he supports his students in their discovery of what religion is, what it means to be religious, and how complex societal issues can be evaluated through a religious lens. The course provides opportunities for students to engage interactively with course content. Throughout the quarter, students conduct an ethnography project on a religious organization in the Los Angeles area. The project provides hands on sociological research experience beyond the classroom, as well as meaningful community engagement. Along with the ethnographic project there is a final exam and a handful of quizzes on the readings. I found the workload to be comparable to other upper division sociology classes and I used audiobooks to stay on top of the heavier readings. Manageable and rewarding!

Professor Sexton's class was honestly a large disappointment because he treated the class as if he were a celebrity during a talkshow. He often referenced his colleagues and used a lot of their own work as source material which gets annoying because it sounds like propaganda. He also had a very messy train of thought and lectures were extremely hard to follow despite the material being super easy.

Overall this class was a decent class but the workload is pretty heavy. There is an ethnographic project where you need to go to churches and interview people, take fieldnotes and stuff. Then, there is a final paper on your project due at the end of the quarter. There are also some books you need to buy and read throughout the quarter with a quiz for each one. Also there is a survey due for every lecture and discussion due by the end of the day. In saying all of this, Sexton is a great professor and lecturer. There is a lot of work but as long as you keep up with it, you should be fine.

Sexton is a wonderful professor but this course has a pretty heavy workload. We had a quarter long research paper and we also had long readings every week in addition to a minimum page of notes on the readings. Participation and attendance was required for discussion sections. Overall, although the class was interesting I personally wouldn't take it again because of the heavy workload. Despite this, I did learn a lot and it really challenged my perspective on the carceral system and crime itself.

Professor Sexton is an absolute gem!! He truly cares for our well-being. The class is NOT difficult at all. I've taken two courses with Professor Sexton, and as long as you try your best on the assignments, you will pass. Last quarter, we did a 1-minute oral exam for the final. He gave us a list of 6 questions prior to the exam and chose one of the six during the final. Very easy going and friendly and gives extra credit.

Prison Religion was one of the most meaningful classes I've taken at UCLA. Professor Sexton’s lectures are always grounded, honest, and deeply connected to real-world issues. He teaches with genuine care and respect for the people and communities we studied, which made the course feel like much more than just an academic class. It’s one of the reasons I’ve come to love sociology --- his classes gave me the opportunity to explore my own religion more deeply in a thoughtful way. I also appreciate how interactive his classes are, especially in encouraging us to seek knowledge beyond the classroom. I’m truly grateful to have been taught by someone so passionate and dedicated.