# B. Venkat Mani — Courses & Reviews | UW–Madison [View on UW Courses](https://uwcourses.com/instructors/B_VENKAT_MANI) ## Dataset ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### repository twangodev/uwcourses ### schema version 6 ### importer version 7 ### projection id 52a78527ff09011d88cb04c7d43867d9fbfec2930bf1dd2ec359ebd2844e0b07 ### observed at 2026-09-07T15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### built at 2026-09-10T19:50:42.743001+00:00 ### courses 8951 ### current instructors 5754 ### limited false ### terms * 1272 * 1264 * 1262 * 1254 * 1252 * 1244 * 1242 * 1234 * 1232 * 1224 * 1222 * 1212 * 1204 * 1202 * 1194 * 1192 * 1184 * 1182 * 1174 * 1172 * 1164 * 1162 * 1154 * 1152 * 1144 * 1142 * 1134 * 1132 * 1124 * 1122 * 1114 * 1112 * 1104 * 1102 * 1094 * 1092 * 1084 * 1082 * 1074 * 1072 ### term 1272 ### departments | subject | count | | --------- | ----- | | AAE | 90 | | ABT | 20 | | ACCTIS | 36 | | ACTSCI | 14 | | AFAERO | 10 | | AFRICAN | 87 | | AFROAMER | 71 | | AGROECOL | 21 | | AMERIND | 53 | | ANAT\&PHY | 7 | | ANATOMY | 2 | | ANESTHES | 8 | | ANSCI | 57 | | ANTHRO | 95 | | ART | 125 | | ARTED | 10 | | ARTHIST | 121 | | ASIALANG | 129 | | ASIAN | 109 | | ASIANAM | 28 | | ASTRON | 38 | | ATMOCN | 69 | | BIOCHEM | 51 | | BIOCORE | 10 | | BIOLOGY | 14 | | BIOMDSCI | 18 | | BME | 66 | | BMI | 41 | | BMOLCHEM | 10 | | BOTANY | 69 | | BSE | 44 | | C\&ESOC | 73 | | CBE | 48 | | CHEM | 101 | | CHICLA | 52 | | CIVENGR | 133 | | CLASSICS | 47 | | CNP | 10 | | CNSRSCI | 50 | | COMARTS | 137 | | COMPBIO | 15 | | COMPLIT | 11 | | COMPSCI | 138 | | COUNPSY | 78 | | CRB | 19 | | CS\&D | 71 | | CSCS | 40 | | CURRIC | 193 | | DANCE | 93 | | DERM | 8 | | DS | 88 | | DYSCI | 35 | | ECE | 155 | | ECON | 145 | | EDPOL | 114 | | EDPSYCH | 97 | | ELPA | 70 | | EMA | 53 | | EMERMED | 17 | | ENGL | 206 | | ENTOM | 40 | | ENVIRST | 148 | | EP | 15 | | EPD | 67 | | ESL | 16 | | F\&WECOL | 60 | | FAMMED | 22 | | FINANCE | 50 | | FOLKLORE | 40 | | FOODSCI | 43 | | FRENCH | 63 | | GEN\&WS | 145 | | GENBUS | 72 | | GENECSLR | 17 | | GENETICS | 60 | | GEOG | 113 | | GEOSCI | 83 | | GERMAN | 82 | | GLE | 48 | | GNS | 38 | | GREEK | 27 | | HDFS | 41 | | HEBR-BIB | 13 | | HEBR-MOD | 10 | | HISTORY | 233 | | HISTSCI | 56 | | HONCOL | 13 | | ILS | 43 | | INFOSYS | 9 | | INTEGART | 7 | | INTEGSCI | 22 | | INTER-AG | 18 | | INTER-HE | 11 | | INTER-LS | 22 | | INTEREGR | 16 | | INTLBUS | 21 | | INTLST | 50 | | ISYE | 83 | | ITALIAN | 53 | | JEWISH | 56 | | JOURN | 88 | | KINES | 128 | | LACIS | 26 | | LANDARC | 61 | | LATIN | 24 | | LAW | 120 | | LEGALST | 48 | | LINGUIS | 35 | | LIS | 89 | | LITTRANS | 78 | | LSC | 52 | | M\&ENVTOX | 7 | | MARKETNG | 62 | | MATH | 153 | | MDGENET | 8 | | ME | 130 | | MEDHIST | 43 | | MEDICINE | 60 | | MEDIEVAL | 32 | | MEDPHYS | 39 | | MEDSC-M | 29 | | MEDSC-V | 41 | | MHR | 68 | | MICROBIO | 45 | | MILSCI | 16 | | MM\&I | 22 | | MOLBIOL | 6 | | MS\&E | 59 | | MUSIC | 165 | | MUSPERF | 126 | | NAVSCI | 20 | | NE | 44 | | NEURODPT | 11 | | NEUROL | 7 | | NEURSURG | 4 | | NTP | 11 | | NURSING | 111 | | NUTRSCI | 65 | | OBS\&GYN | 18 | | OCCTHER | 39 | | ONCOLOGY | 14 | | OPHTHALM | 5 | | OTM | 43 | | PATH | 34 | | PATH-BIO | 29 | | PEDIAT | 26 | | PHARMACY | 31 | | PHILOS | 77 | | PHMCOL-M | 11 | | PHMPRAC | 45 | | PHMSCI | 60 | | PHYASST | 37 | | PHYSICS | 88 | | PHYSIOL | 3 | | PHYTHER | 37 | | PLANTSCI | 52 | | PLPATH | 35 | | POLISCI | 192 | | POPHLTH | 58 | | PORTUG | 33 | | PSYCH | 101 | | PSYCHIAT | 22 | | PUBAFFR | 54 | | PUBLHLTH | 23 | | RADIOL | 11 | | REALEST | 41 | | RELIGST | 90 | | RHABMED | 9 | | RMI | 24 | | RP\&SE | 102 | | S\&APHM | 17 | | SCANDST | 73 | | SLAVIC | 89 | | SOC | 149 | | SOCWORK | 87 | | SOILSCI | 46 | | SPANISH | 83 | | SRMED | 21 | | STAT | 94 | | STDYABRD | 52 | | STS | 8 | | SURGERY | 25 | | SURGSCI | 33 | | THEATRE | 91 | | URBRPL | 60 | | UROLOGY | 5 | | ZOOLOGY | 89 | ## instructor ### instructor uid instructor\_1072131b04bb6290ffa2a7b6 ### source enrollment ### source instructor id bvmani ### identity basis netid ### identity status source\_identified ### name B. Venkat Mani ### email BVMANI\@WISC.EDU ### first observed at 2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### last observed at 2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### ratings #### review count 22 #### quality 4.73 #### difficulty 2.36 #### quality count 22 #### difficulty count 22 #### profile id rmp:304379 #### source url #### match basis exact\_name #### observed at 2026-09-07 16:52:30.145311+00:00 #### courses ##### course 3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070 ###### review count 8 ###### quality 4.62 ###### difficulty 2.25 ###### quality count 8 ###### difficulty count 8 ##### course ed00cb65fc389402984f5ed1 ###### review count 1 ###### quality 5 ###### difficulty 3 ###### quality count 1 ###### difficulty count 1 ##### course 1ba58201f1546d8d78a0c3bd ###### review count 2 ###### quality 5 ###### difficulty 1.5 ###### quality count 2 ###### difficulty count 2 #### bayesian quality 4.220326563593617 #### prior mean 3.6596857835465957 #### prior weight 20 ### current true ### courses | course\_uid | course\_id | title | credits\_min | credits\_max | gpa | | -------------------------------- | ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | ------------ | ------------ | ----- | | course\_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070 | GERMAN/LITTRANS 276 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN GERMAN AND WORLD LITERATURE/S | 3 | 3 | 3.753 | ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### instructor url /instructors/B\_VENKAT\_MANI ## history | term | course\_uid | course\_id | title | | ---- | -------------------------------- | ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | | 1272 | course\_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070 | GERMAN/LITTRANS 276 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN GERMAN AND WORLD LITERATURE/S | ## timeline | term | courses | | ---- | ------- | | 1272 | 1 | ## term 1272 ## courses ```json [ { "course_uid": "course_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070", "course_id": "GERMAN/LITTRANS 276", "title": "SPECIAL TOPICS IN GERMAN AND WORLD LITERATURE/S", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 3, "gpa": 3.753, "badges": [ { "id": "rated-teacher", "label": "Highly rated instructor", "tone": "positive", "evidence": "Fall 2026: B. Venkat Mani (4.22/5 adjusted; 22 ratings). At least one assigned instructor qualifies. This describes instructor reviews across courses, not a course rating.", "sources": [ { "label": "B. Venkat Mani", "href": "/instructors/B_VENKAT_MANI" } ] }, { "id": "grade-outcomes", "label": "Higher grades", "tone": "positive", "evidence": "Spring 2026 · latest released grades before Fall 2026: 3.95 GPA across 76 letter grades, versus 3.62 for UW–Madison (1283 courses). Requires a difference of at least 0.20 and 30 letter grades. Historical outcomes, not predicted difficulty.", "sources": [ { "label": "Grade history and sources", "href": "/courses/GERMAN_LITTRANS_276#grades" } ] }, { "id": "lecture-size", "label": "Small lectures", "tone": "neutral", "evidence": "Fall 2026: median 13 enrolled students across 10 recorded lecture sections. Small means 30 or fewer; large means 100 or more. Enrollment at scan time, not capacity or typical historical attendance.", "sources": [ { "label": "Sections and enrollment", "href": "/courses/GERMAN_LITTRANS_276#schedule" } ] } ], "description": "GERMAN/LITTRANS 276 explores diverse world literary traditions with an emphasis on German and German speaking cultures.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 736, 148, 49, 19, 18, 8, 5 ], "count": 983, "gpa": 3.764496439471007, "topShare": 89.92878942014242, "firstTerm": "1224", "lastTerm": "1264" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070", "uid": "instructor_1072131b04bb6290ffa2a7b6", "name": "B. Venkat Mani", "quality": 4.220326563593617, "quality_count": 22, "instructor_url": "/instructors/B_VENKAT_MANI" }, { "course_uid": "course_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070", "uid": "instructor_57035a861bdc9641aec174fe", "name": "Sunny Yudkoff", "quality": 3.8788513402231004, "quality_count": 29, "instructor_url": "/instructors/SUNNY_YUDKOFF" }, { "course_uid": "course_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070", "uid": "instructor_9a15d40d87ca05f19edfc1b9", "name": "Matthew Johnson", "quality": 3.7235102700443767, "quality_count": 1, "instructor_url": "/instructors/MATTHEW_JOHNSON" }, { "course_uid": "course_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070", "uid": "instructor_77fa58069830fab924213eee", "name": "Sabine Moedersheim", "quality": 3.6854898453904252, "quality_count": 8, "instructor_url": "/instructors/SABINE_MOEDERSHEIM" }, { "course_uid": "course_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070", "uid": "instructor_18c3778ee4773340e3889711", "name": "Nalan Erbil Erkan", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/NALAN_ERBIL_ERKAN" } ], "instructorHistory": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "courseComparison": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "claim": { "citations": [ { "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "review_date": "2015-04-16 11:14:19 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "7d17f07cb9e451e455419c25", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI0NjA3OTc5", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "review_date": "2020-05-05 16:06:36 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "7abc71ca46c0c0026a4cedbb", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTMzMjA2OTk0", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "review_date": "2021-04-25 17:02:38 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "c4ceba7f65af7d4d2c654b16", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM0NjE4OTg3", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "review_date": "2022-04-15 22:26:47 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "21b10e5f3a58c18092549a09", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM2MDg2MTcw", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "review_date": "2025-05-01 19:51:59 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "e1ff07718284a4e772890e27", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQxMTIyOTM4", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "review_date": "2025-05-01 20:40:56 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "1259e516f337cd3b9fb9b2b7", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQxMTIzOTg0", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "review_date": "2025-05-01 20:43:43 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "30c81fb1e89301208088a0b0", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQxMTI0MDQy", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "review_date": "2025-05-03 01:15:29 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "d92acdba60d2de128c1f845f", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQxMTQwODI5", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "type": "review" } ], "text": "B. Venkat Mani is praised for his passion, kindness, and care for students, with reviewers noting that his lectures and discussions prepare them well for exams. Students appreciate the engaging topics and open-note assessments. Conversely, an earlier review criticizes his teaching style as condescending and limiting in reading comprehension expectations." }, "reviewFiles": [ "/data/e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349/reviews/course_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070-0.json" ] } } ] ``` ## reviews ### items ```json [ { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:52:30.145311+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQxMTQwODI5", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "course_label": "GERMAN276", "course_id": "GERMAN/LITTRANS 276", "course_uid": "course_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070", "review_date": "2025-05-03 01:15:29 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Professor Mani genuinely cares SO much about his students and I have never yet witnessed a professor teach so passionately. If you have the opportunity to take a class with him, go for it!!", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 2 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:52:30.145311+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQxMTI0MDQy", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "course_label": "GERMAN276", "course_id": "GERMAN/LITTRANS 276", "course_uid": "course_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070", "review_date": "2025-05-01 20:43:43 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Best Prof at UW take him at all costs", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 2 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:52:30.145311+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQxMTIzOTg0", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "course_label": "LITTRANS276", "course_id": "GERMAN/LITTRANS 276", "course_uid": "course_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070", "review_date": "2025-05-01 20:40:56 +0000 UTC", "comment": "TAKE HIS CLASSES. Professor Mani is the kindest most respectful and encouraging professor at UW Madison. He truly cares for everyone one of his students. ", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 2 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:52:30.145311+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQxMTIyOTM4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "course_label": "GERMAN276", "course_id": "GERMAN/LITTRANS 276", "course_uid": "course_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070", "review_date": "2025-05-01 19:51:59 +0000 UTC", "comment": "This class was already amazing because of the topics discussed- refugees, migration, displacement, memories, trauma, history. However, Professor Venkat Mani is super kind, understanding, and wants everyone to truly engage with the materials. Ive had a great experience in this class, you do need to read but the discussions are valuable. ", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 4 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:52:30.145311+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM2MDg2MTcw", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "course_label": "GERMAN276", "course_id": "GERMAN/LITTRANS 276", "course_uid": "course_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070", "review_date": "2022-04-15 22:26:47 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Spring (2021-2022) He is an amazing professor and incredibly caring. The class consists mostly of readings/ movies/ and some music. The midterm/ final we wrote mini essay response to questions but its open note. Lecture is pretty important if you want to get key ideas. Fun part of his class is he uses twitter to allow us to give our reactions.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 2 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:52:30.145311+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM0NjE4OTg3", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:304379", "instructor_name": "B. Venkat Mani", "course_label": "LITTRANS276", "course_id": "GERMAN/LITTRANS 276", "course_uid": "course_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070", "review_date": "2021-04-25 17:02:38 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Professor Mani is the best professor I have ever taken. It is a literature class so expect some readings but movies are also assigned sometimes. If you participate frequently, he will love you and class will be a breeze. If you need a non-elementary literature credit, this IS the class to take.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/304379", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 2 } ] ``` ### total 22 ### page 1 ### courses | course\_uid | course\_id | | -------------------------------- | ------------------- | | course\_1ba58201f1546d8d78a0c3bd | GERMAN 236 | | course\_3fde17c982ca5b41401a7070 | GERMAN/LITTRANS 276 | | course\_ed00cb65fc389402984f5ed1 | LITTRANS 236 | ### matched true ## social Image true