Spring 2027

Population Problems

Examines social, economic, and political problems affected by birth/death rates, population size, distribution, and migration. Covers world ecology, limits to growth, development, conflict, and policies on reproduction and mortality.

offering recorded3–4 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Monica Grant2.8/5

Summary

1 / 6

Past student reviews · Monica Grant

Exams included specific questions from readings, and students found the tests difficult. Two writing assignments were graded intently, with one student noting their TA was a harsh grader.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Identify principal sources of population data.

  • Define the fundamental concepts and indicators of demography.

  • Articulate key theories of population change.

  • Apply existing research findings to evaluate theories about populations.

  • Analyze relationships among demographic trends and the contextual factors that influence them, particularly as they relate to marginalized communities.

Source: UW Guide

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
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F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

None

  • None
SOC 170

This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • None

Professors

Spring 2027
Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 2.56/5 from 70 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: 2.2/5 raw quality · 2.9/5 difficulty · 54 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Monica Grant

Monica Grant taught SOC 170 with lectures that often read directly from slides, which some students found dull or difficult to hear. Exams frequently tested specific details from readings or lectures, leading to reports of difficult questions on random facts. Students noted that writing assignments were graded intently, while others struggled with the specific nature of the tests.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2021: 3.37 GPA, 69.3% A/AB (n=460 letter grades); Spring 2022: 3.48 GPA, 72.6% A/AB (n=496 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.53 GPA, 75.3% A/AB (n=182 letter grades).

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Past student reviews · Jenna Nobles, Michal Engelman, Michael Topping

Jenna Nobles’ tests required preparation despite average difficulty, while Michal Engelman’s class was described as boring but easy, featuring multiple-choice exams and leniently graded essays. Michael Topping taught a fun course with open-note exams, weekly online quizzes, and two writing assignments, where he granted extensions upon request.

JENNA NOBLES is recorded teaching in Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Spring 2017, Fall 2019, Fall 2020. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MICHAEL TOPPING is recorded teaching in Fall 2023. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MICHAL ENGELMAN is recorded teaching in Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2020. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MONICA GRANT is recorded teaching in Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2025. 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

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 2000
DIS 301Classroom Instruction0 / 250
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 250
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 250
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 250
DIS 305Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 306Classroom Instruction0 / 250
DIS 307Classroom Instruction0 / 250
DIS 308Classroom Instruction0 / 250

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Past student reviews · Monica Grant

A student described the course as interesting but more difficult than necessary, noting that Professor Grant talked fast and did not engage with the audience.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.90 GPA, 95.3% A/AB (n=191 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.53 GPA, 75.3% A/AB (n=182 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.54 GPA, 78.6% A/AB (n=187 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Monica Grant

Exams included specific questions from readings, and students found the tests difficult. Two writing assignments were graded intently, with one student noting their TA was a harsh grader.

Past student reviews · Monica Grant

One student found Professor Grant fair and considerate, noting she provided extra credit opportunities and quiz drops, though participation in discussions was heavily weighted.

Topics

  • Birth and death rates, population size and distribution, and voluntary/forced migration
  • World ecology, limits to growth, economic development, international conflict, environmental quality, metropolitan expansion, and segregation
  • Policies affecting reproduction, nuptiality, morbidity, mortality, and migration

Skills

  • Identifying principal sources of population data
  • Defining fundamental demographic concepts and indicators
  • Articulating key theories of population change
  • Applying research findings to evaluate population theories
  • Analyzing demographic trends and contextual factors affecting marginalized communities

Grades

Historical instructor

Spring 2027 · Projected

Before grades are released

– average GPA

Approximate 80% prediction interval

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 · 0.21 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Spring 2027

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1280 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.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
SOC 170 · Spring 2027

Population Problems

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
[
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:900:017536",
    "course_id": "SOC 170",
    "course_uid": "course_eb97963ac46895311ec0acd6",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "017536",
    "source_subject_id": "900",
    "title": "Population Problems",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1Download part 2
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "2814f6052c18396d4aa473ff8171fca210ce02812fab7bb03709c42b363f851e",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}