Carney Curve

Boston College course evaluations · every published number, ranked class by class

Top of the board1.ECON 9902962.LAWS 8856973.PRTO 3300984.BSLW 2299975.PHIL 4932986.LAWS 8308987.SCWK 9960998.EESC 99011009.MUSP 16609610.UGMG 10109811.UNCP 55119712.SCWK 883197

Positions account for how many records stand behind each number, so one perfect review does not outrank a semester of them. Every score shown is the real average — only the ordering is adjusted.

Instructor record · Political Science · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026

Kathleen Bailey

Professor of the Practice · Political Science · 29 evaluation records across 10 classes

On each class's board
POLI 10411st of 9 instructorsPOLI 10422nd of 5 instructorsPOLI 2405only instructor on recordPOLI 3404only instructor on recordICSP 4942only instructor on recordICSP 4941only instructor on record ProvisionalICSP 4906unrated · 2 instructors on record ProvisionalICSP 4952only instructor on record ProvisionalICSP 7101unrated · 5 instructors on record ProvisionalICSP 8101unrated · 2 instructors on record Provisional
What the overall is made of
91BC evaluations29 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026
86RateMyProfessors18 ratings · weight ×2.0 · 92% would take again
—Student reviewsno reviews — does not contribute

Sources are averaged by how much we trust each one and by how many records sit behind it, so a handful of reviews nudges the number rather than replacing it.

What the challenge rank is made of
86thMore challenging than 86% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
94BC — “Intellectually Challenging”29 records · raw score out of 100

Boston College's own “intellectually challenging” question — students answer it positively about courses that stretched them, so it measures intellectual challenge and NOT grading, workload or quality. Almost every BC class scores high on it, which is why it is shown as a rank rather than a score. RateMyProfessors separately rates this instructor 66 out of 100 for difficulty — that IS a difficulty measure, but it is about the person across everything they teach, not about any one class, so it is shown here rather than folded into the number above.

What the workload rank is made of
83rdMore work than 83% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
63BC — “Workload”29 records · raw score out of 100

Boston College reports workload as one of five bands, not as a number of hours, and it does not publish what the bands mean — so this site will not translate it into hours. Higher means more work, which is not the same as worse.

Ratings from outside BC

Not evaluation data

Collected from RateMyProfessors, not from Boston College: 18 ratings, 92% would take again, difficulty 66 out of 100. Difficulty is not a quality signal in either direction — a harder course is not a worse one.

Anyone can post there — no @bc.edu check and no enrolment check — so it is weighted alongside the evaluation data, never above it.

The line

All 13 items · means across 29 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9569th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9143rd pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9467th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9676th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9155th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9157th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9582nd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9165th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8014th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8732nd pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow much work the course took outside class, on Boston College's five-band scale — the band boundaries are not published, so this is not a number of hours.
6383rd pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9486th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9480th pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. Every bar is one ink colour — nothing here is graded green or red. The hatched bars are not ratings at all: a higher number on either describes a different course, not a better one.

Class by class

10 classes · 29 sections

How each position is worked outPositions account for how many records stand behind each number, so one perfect review does not outrank a semester of them. Every score shown is the real average — only the ordering is adjusted.

POLI 1041 Fundamental Concepts of PoliticsOvr84Chal52ndWork78th
On this class's board1st of 9 instructors

5 sections on record · course itself rated 82 out of 100. See the full board for POLI 1041.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202502858260
Fall 202402878560
Fall 2023027877—
Fall 202202888360
Fall 2021028282—
All 13 items for POLI 1041
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9238th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8714th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9029th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9444th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8727th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8622nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9141st pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8516th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
611st pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
776th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow much work the course took outside class, on Boston College's five-band scale — the band boundaries are not published, so this is not a number of hours.
6078th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9152nd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9463rd pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. Every bar is one ink colour — nothing here is graded green or red. The hatched bars are not ratings at all: a higher number on either describes a different course, not a better one.

POLI 1042 Introduction to Modern PoliticsOvr88Chal49thWork46th
On this class's board2nd of 5 instructors

5 sections on record · course itself rated 84 out of 100. See the full board for POLI 1042.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202602888960
Spring 202502868360
Spring 202402878560
Spring 202302948840
Spring 202202847760
All 13 items for POLI 1042
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9347th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8716th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9135th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9444th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8625th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8727th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9460th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8517th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
735th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
797th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow much work the course took outside class, on Boston College's five-band scale — the band boundaries are not published, so this is not a number of hours.
5646th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9049th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9043rd pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. Every bar is one ink colour — nothing here is graded green or red. The hatched bars are not ratings at all: a higher number on either describes a different course, not a better one.

POLI 2405 Comparative Politics of the Middle EastOvr91Chal70thWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

5 sections on record · course itself rated 90 out of 100. See the full board for POLI 2405.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601889060
Spring 202501939060
Spring 202401959560
Spring 202301878560
Spring 202201928860
All 13 items for POLI 2405
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9451st pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8923rd pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9348th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9659th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8831st pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9043rd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9566th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9259th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
789th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8417th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow much work the course took outside class, on Boston College's five-band scale — the band boundaries are not published, so this is not a number of hours.
6078th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9470th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9144th pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. Every bar is one ink colour — nothing here is graded green or red. The hatched bars are not ratings at all: a higher number on either describes a different course, not a better one.

POLI 3404 Seminar: The Anatomy of DictatorshipOvr94Chal70thWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

5 sections on record · course itself rated 90 out of 100. See the full board for POLI 3404.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 20250110093—
Fall 202401969260
Fall 2023019186—
Fall 202201908560
Fall 202101959360
All 13 items for POLI 3404
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9665th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9558th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9671st pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9773rd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9574th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9466th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9462nd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9367th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9362nd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9571st pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow much work the course took outside class, on Boston College's five-band scale — the band boundaries are not published, so this is not a number of hours.
6078th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9470th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9675th pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. Every bar is one ink colour — nothing here is graded green or red. The hatched bars are not ratings at all: a higher number on either describes a different course, not a better one.

ICSP 4942 ICS Senior Seminar ContinuationOvr100Chal100thWork100th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

3 sections on record · course itself rated 95 out of 100. See the full board for ICSP 4942.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601———
Spring 20230110090100
Spring 202201100100—
All 13 items for ICSP 4942
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
100100th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
100100th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
100100th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
100100th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
100100th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
100100th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
100100th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
100100th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
100100th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
100100th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow much work the course took outside class, on Boston College's five-band scale — the band boundaries are not published, so this is not a number of hours.
100100th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
100100th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
100100th pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. Every bar is one ink colour — nothing here is graded green or red. The hatched bars are not ratings at all: a higher number on either describes a different course, not a better one.

ICSP 4941 ICS Senior SeminarOvr100Chal100thWork93rd
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 100 out of 100. See the full board for ICSP 4941.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202201100100100
Fall 20210110010060
All 13 items for ICSP 4941
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
100100th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
100100th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
100100th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
100100th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
100100th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
100100th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
100100th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
100100th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
100100th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
100100th pctl
Workload, difficulty & attendanceNot ratings
WorkloadHow much work the course took outside class, on Boston College's five-band scale — the band boundaries are not published, so this is not a number of hours.
8093rd pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
100100th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
100100th pctl

Bar length is the rank against every comparable record we hold, not the raw score: BC's questions all have a median around 4.5, so a raw-scale bar would be nearly full on every row and would tell you nothing. Every bar is one ink colour — nothing here is graded green or red. The hatched bars are not ratings at all: a higher number on either describes a different course, not a better one.

ICSP 4906 Advanced Independent Research IIOvr—Chal—Work—
On this class's boardunrated · 2 instructors on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated — out of 100. See the full board for ICSP 4906.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601———
All 13 items for ICSP 4906

Nothing reported

None of the evaluation questions were reported for these records.

ICSP 4952 ICS Senior ThesisOvr—Chal—Work—
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated — out of 100. See the full board for ICSP 4952.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601———
All 13 items for ICSP 4952

Nothing reported

None of the evaluation questions were reported for these records.

ICSP 7101 Readings and Research--GradOvr—Chal—Work—
On this class's boardunrated · 5 instructors on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated — out of 100. See the full board for ICSP 7101.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202602———
All 13 items for ICSP 7101

Nothing reported

None of the evaluation questions were reported for these records.

ICSP 8101 Masters Interim StudyOvr—Chal—Work—
On this class's boardunrated · 2 instructors on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated — out of 100. See the full board for ICSP 8101.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601———
All 13 items for ICSP 8101

Nothing reported

None of the evaluation questions were reported for these records.

How to read this pageScores are out of 100 — Boston College's 1–5 agreement scale, ×20, the way these numbers were printed for years. Almost every class scores high on that scale (the median is about 90), so challenge and workload are shown as a rank against every instructor we hold rather than as a score; the raw figure is in the breakdown above. Neither describes quality, and neither is ever marked better or worse anywhere on this site. A dash means the question was not reported, and is never a zero. The position printed against each class is this instructor's place on that class's own board, computed from the same records the board itself is built from.