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 · Sociology · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026

Stephen Pfohl

Sociology · 19 evaluation records across 7 classes

On each class's board
SOCY 10302nd of 2 instructorsSOCY 77162nd of 2 instructorsSOCY 5530only instructor on record ProvisionalSOCY 5535only instructor on record ProvisionalSOCY 1710only instructor on record ProvisionalSOCY 5533only instructor on record ProvisionalSOCY 5583only instructor on record Provisional
What the overall is made of
86BC evaluations19 records · weight ×1.0 · Fall 2021 – Spring 2026
68RateMyProfessors10 ratings · weight ×2.0 · 33% 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
74thMore challenging than 74% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
92BC — “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 72 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
48thMore work than 48% of BC instructorsranked against every one we hold
50BC — “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: 10 ratings, 33% would take again, difficulty 72 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.
8933rd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9142nd pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9038th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9247th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8630th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8732nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9046th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8738th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
8631st pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9050th 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.
5048th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9274th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8530th 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

7 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.

SOCY 1030 Deviance and Social ControlOvr76Chal24thWork26th
On this class's board2nd of 2 instructors

9 sections on record · course itself rated 69 out of 100. See the full board for SOCY 1030.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601787040
Fall 202501827940
Spring 202501696740
Fall 202401787240
Fall 2023017268—
Spring 202301767440
Fall 202201726540
Spring 202201857260
Fall 202101676040
All 13 items for SOCY 1030
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
828th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8613th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
8310th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
8714th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
787th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
796th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
838th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
818th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
778th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
8212th 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.
4326th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
8624th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
765th 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.

SOCY 7716 Contemporary Social TheoryOvr94Chal91stWork85th
On this class's board2nd of 2 instructors

3 sections on record · course itself rated 86 out of 100. See the full board for SOCY 7716.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202501938060
Spring 2024019895—
Spring 202201928480
All 13 items for SOCY 7716
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.
9881st pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9667th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9985th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9363rd pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9469th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9886th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9474th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9254th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9784th 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.
7085th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9891st pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9674th 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.

SOCY 5530 Studies in Crime, Deviance, and Social ControlOvr91Chal82ndWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 90 out of 100. See the full board for SOCY 5530.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202601909060
Spring 2023019190—
All 13 items for SOCY 5530
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9133rd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
8818th 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.
9555th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9145th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9042nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9565th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9255th pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9781st pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9780th 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.
9682nd pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
9042nd 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.

SOCY 5535 Sociology of Visual Culture: Images and Power, Resistance and ChangeOvr96Chal89thWork78th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

2 sections on record · course itself rated 96 out of 100. See the full board for SOCY 5535.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202501959560
Fall 202201979760
All 13 items for SOCY 5535
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9450th pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9564th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9452nd pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9444th pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
9679th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
9680th pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9676th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
9152nd pctl
Gives Feedback PromptlyI received feedback on my work in a timely manner.
9678th pctl
Meaningful FeedbackThe feedback I received on my work was meaningful.
9885th 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.
9789th 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.

SOCY 1710 Constructing Deviance: Power, Control, and ResistanceOvr88Chal69thWork25th
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 85 out of 100. See the full board for SOCY 1710.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Spring 202401888540
All 13 items for SOCY 1710
The Professor4 items
Clearly Explains MaterialThe instructor was effective at creating an understanding of difficult subject matter.
9773rd pctl
Available Outside of ClassThe instructor was available for help outside of class.
9774th pctl
Brings Out Your Best WorkThe instructor motivated me to do my best work.
9774th pctl
Sparked My InterestThe course stimulated my interest in the subject matter.
9343rd pctl
The Course3 items
Well-Organized CourseThe course was well organized.
8727th pctl
Clear Learning GoalsThe learning objectives for the course were clear.
8832nd pctl
Useful Beyond the CourseWhat I learned is applicable beyond this course.
9138th pctl
Assignments & Feedback3 items
Assignments Help You LearnAssignments and exams contributed to my learning.
8519th 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.
9780th 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.
4025th pctl
Intellectually ChallengingThe course was intellectually challenging.
9369th pctl
Attendance MattersAttending class was necessary to do well in this course.
8936th 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.

SOCY 5533 Social Psychoanalysis and the Unconscious of PowerOvr100Chal100thWork—
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 100 out of 100. See the full board for SOCY 5533.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 202401100100—
All 13 items for SOCY 5533
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
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. 1 of 13 questions were not reported and are left out rather than shown as zero.

SOCY 5583 Postmodernity and Social TheoryOvr100Chal—Work—
On this class's boardonly instructor on record Provisional

1 section on record · course itself rated 97 out of 100. See the full board for SOCY 5583.

TermSecInstrCourseWork
Fall 20230110097—
All 13 items for SOCY 5583

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.