The course features a large group project that reviewers describe as consuming and difficult, though it provides significant professional experience and learning opportunities.
“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.
Raw average: 4.07/5 from 46 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.
For this course: 4.8/5 raw quality · 2.5/5 difficulty · 4
reviews
RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.
Dhavan Shah is described as helpful, engaging, and funny, using professional experience and real-life examples to keep lectures interesting. Reviewers note his background in strategic communications enhances the course, though one reviewer distinguishes his J345 performance from a tougher J614 experience.
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2023: 3.83 GPA, 91.6% A/AB (n=83 letter grades); Fall 2024: 3.90 GPA, 98.0% A/AB (n=100 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.85 GPA, 95.8% A/AB (n=96 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.
Historical reviews of Pete Long: Pete Long is consistently praised for his passion, accessibility, and care for student well-being. Reviewers highlight his helpfulness and enjoyable lectures, though one notes the group project can be intense. Dhavan Shah has no reviews to summarize.
DEBRA PIERCE is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2013. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
DHAVAN SHAH is recorded teaching in Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
PETE LONG is recorded teaching in Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
YOUNG KIM is recorded teaching in Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2017, Spring 2022, Spring 2023. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future
schedule.
Calendar & sections
Fall 2026
Schedule loads here as you scroll.
Section
Mode
Enrolled / capacity
Waitlist
LEC 001
Classroom Instruction
84 / 100
0
DIS 301
Classroom Instruction
25 / 25
0
DIS 302
Classroom Instruction
25 / 25
0
DIS 303
Classroom Instruction
24 / 25
0
DIS 304
Classroom Instruction
10 / 25
0
Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.
Dhavan Shah is a highly rated instructor who delivers engaging, real-world focused lectures. Students consistently praise his helpfulness and ability to make strategic communications material interesting and relevant.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.97 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=79 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.85 GPA, 95.8% A/AB (n=96 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.97 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=88 letter grades).
difficulty & workload
The course features a large group project that reviewers describe as consuming and difficult, though it provides significant professional experience and learning opportunities.
Students appreciate the interactive lectures and modern examples. The curriculum is structured around professional experiences, with Shah sharing real-life anecdotes to keep the material from being dry.
Topics
Advertising, public relations, health communications, and political campaigns
Skills
Strategic communication for advertising, public relations, health, and political campaigns.
Grades
Historical instructor
Fall 2026 · Projected
Before grades are released
3.633.63–4.004.00average GPA
Approximate 80% prediction interval
0.04.0
About this estimate
The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.
The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.
8 earlier forecasts · 0.09 GPA average error.
Grades over time
Through Fall 2026
More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data
Where this course fits relative to
Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels
3.973.97GPA
Higher than 9191% of other courses
in this group.
Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range
8888letter grades
More recorded grades than 6363% of other courses in this group.
Typical course in this group: 66.066.0 letter grades.
About this comparison
1283 courses over the same term, each with at least 30
recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure
of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded
grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.
Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.
Sources & history
UW–Madison
Catalog & offerings
Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.
Catalog observation history
Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.