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

Paul Christensen

Professor of the Practice · Political Science · 19 evaluation records across 5 classes

On each class's board
POLI 3510only instructor on recordPOLI 2422only instructor on recordPOLI 2402only instructor on record ProvisionalPOLI 2431only instructor on record ProvisionalPOLI 2432only instructor on record Provisional
What the overall is made of
92BC evaluations19 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026
90RateMyProfessors15 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
80thMore challenging than 80% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
93BC — “Intellectually Challenging”19 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
57thMore work than 57% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
55BC — “Workload”19 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: 15 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 19 records
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9575th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9464th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9469th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9676th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9371st pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9265th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9474th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9054th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8942nd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9156th 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.
5557th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9380th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8845th 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

5 classes · 19 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 3510 GlobalizationOvr91Chal63rdWork39th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

10 sections on record · course itself rated 87 out of 100. See the full board for POLI 3510.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601928740
Fall 202501888760
Spring 202501918740
Fall 2024019087—
Fall 2023019188—
Fall 2023029288—
Spring 202301948860
Fall 202201898560
Spring 202201929140
Fall 202101918660
All 13 items for POLI 3510
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9561st pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9450th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9351st pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9556th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9464th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9357th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9463rd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8937th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9040th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9250th 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.
5139th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9363rd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8831st 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 2422 Comparative Social MovementsOvr93Chal56thWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record

3 sections on record · course itself rated 85 out of 100. See the full board for POLI 2422.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601928660
Fall 202301907860
Fall 202101959160
All 13 items for POLI 2422
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9558th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9242nd pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9347th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9556th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9254th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9144th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9353rd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8936th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8938th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9254th 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.
9156th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9038th 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 2402 Comparative RevolutionsOvr93Chal64thWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 92 out of 100. See the full board for POLI 2402.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202401939360
Fall 2022019390—
All 13 items for POLI 2402
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9776th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9457th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9456th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9556th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9468th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9465th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9242nd pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9041st pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8936th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9254th 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.
9364th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8728th 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 2431 Radical Political Economy: From Marx to Anti-GlobalizationOvr93Chal72ndWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 88 out of 100. See the full board for POLI 2431.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202501948760
Spring 202301939060
All 13 items for POLI 2431
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9558th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9450th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9456th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9664th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9149th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9252nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9675th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9153rd pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8216th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8726th 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.
9472nd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9358th 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 2432 Postcommunist TransitionsOvr96Chal64thWork39th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 92 out of 100. See the full board for POLI 2432.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202501938840
Spring 202201999560
All 13 items for POLI 2432
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9775th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9670th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9777th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9983rd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9469th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9468th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9457th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9254th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8832nd pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8937th 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.
5039th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9364th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8417th 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.

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.