Reviews of professor Maria Giraudy

Rating: 5.0/5, difficulty: 2.0/5
I took her for the olsons section of 306 and she was amazing! I loved hearing her stories about field research and she really helped me clarify my project. There was only 4 grades the whole semester and she never input them into canvas, but she seems like the type of professor to value hard working and learning over grades. Highly recommend!

Rating: 1.0/5, difficulty: 5.0/5
Grades very harshly despite very vague grading criteria. The feedback on my paper literally contradicted the requirements of the assignment. Required cameras to be on & counted it torwards participation even tho that's not allowed at AU. Left office hours mid-meeting (she was there for 10 min) & was always rude. Stifled class discussion. Horrible.

Rating: 5.0/5, difficulty: 4.0/5
The best prof I've had at AU. If you really want to learn about Latin American you have to take Giraudy. She presents everything very clearly and is super open to questions. Most students knew nothing going in and now feel very confident in what we've learned. The assignments are tough but challenge you to do your best and you really learn a lot.

Rating: 4.0/5, difficulty: 3.0/5
Heavy reading about 30-40 pages (you can skim them honestly) which are discussed at every class. Pop quizzes during first half of semester. Exams (there are 3 including final) are manageable. She provides a good study guide but take notes to get a good grade and you'll be fine. Really interesting lectures. 2 in-class movies. Participation points.

Rating: 4.0/5, difficulty: 5.0/5
Doing the readings is a must! She is very knowledgeable on the subject and her experiences help understand the lecture. Participation counts for a good percentage of final grade; the final exam is worth 40% of grade! Tests are pretty straightforward but she grades harshly and you need to provide extreme detail on every answer to get a good grade.