Current instructor

Michelle Schwarze

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.15/5 from 39 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.

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

What students say

Original student reviews · all captured dates

POLISCI 461
Quality 2/5Difficulty 4/5
She was very knowledgeable on each of the course topics but we're required to buy all of our books for class and she was not very accommodating to busy schedules
Rate My Professors ↗
POLISCI 160
Quality 4/5Difficulty 2/5
She's knowledgeable about the content and explains it well. The readings are dense, but the exams are easy. Grades are based on two in-class essays and two exams. You can revise the essays, making them easy. And the exams are mostly multiple choice with extra credit. Easy, but be prepared for dense readings.
Rate My Professors ↗
PS160 · course not matched
Quality 4/5Difficulty 2/5
Professor Schwarze is knowledgeable and makes the lectures fairly engaging, even if the material is dense and can be boring. She allows students to pick which questions they answer on the exams, and the in-class essays are easy if you pay attention and read the material.
Rate My Professors ↗
POLISCI 160
Quality 4/5Difficulty 4/5
shes amazing and very knowledgeable but the course is difficult. having a good ta is very important for the class. lots of studying required to do well.
Rate My Professors ↗
POLISCI 160
Quality 3/5Difficulty 4/5
Not many chances to bring up grade because it is all based off of 2 in class essays, 1 midterm, and the final. No homework, no extra credit.
Rate My Professors ↗
POLISCI 160
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
Professor Schwarze was a phenomenal lecturer! She was knowledgeable and engaging and she utilized in class discussion, along with TopHat for attendance. Despite the mandatory attendance, I looked forward to lecture every week. In-Class Essays were easy and fairly graded, re-writes were offered, and the midterm was also super easy. LOVE SCHWARZE!
Rate My Professors ↗

Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with Michelle Schwarze

Explores core problems of political life, including obligation, justice, and the relationship between equality and liberty, using ancient and modern sources.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Past student reviews · Michelle Schwarze

Michelle Schwarze taught a reading-heavy course where students found the material dense but manageable because she clarified key concepts in lectures. Assessments included two in-class essays, which allowed revisions, and two exams that students generally described as easy or short. She encouraged group discussions and maintained a caring demeanor, remembering student names in large sections.

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

Interdisciplinary seminar on current policy debates integrating concepts from philosophy, political science, and economics.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Past student reviews · Michelle Schwarze

Michelle Schwarze led a discussion-based seminar with biweekly readings over 60 pages and two challenging papers. Students found the course difficult but appreciated the engaging format and her effective teaching.

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

Recorded teaching history

Distinct courses recorded per term

Explore courses taught by this instructor →
Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Spring 2027POLISCI 160Introduction to Political Theory
Spring 2027POLISCI 461Interdisciplinary Seminar in Political Economy, Philosophy, & Politics
Spring 2027POLISCI 990Research and Thesis
Fall 2026POLISCI 400Topics in Political Science
Fall 2026POLISCI 691Senior Thesis
Fall 2026POLISCI 990Research and Thesis
Fall 2026POLISCI 999Independent Work

Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.

Instructor identity & provenance
{
  "instructor_uid": "instructor_b7051e9ada94cbc6bd97484e",
  "source": "enrollment",
  "source_instructor_id": "mschwarze",
  "identity_basis": "netid",
  "identity_status": "source_identified",
  "name": "Michelle Schwarze",
  "email": "MSCHWARZE@WISC.EDU",
  "first_observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
  "last_observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
  "ratings": {
    "review_count": 39,
    "quality": 3.15,
    "difficulty": 3.33,
    "quality_count": 39,
    "difficulty_count": 39,
    "profile_id": "rmp:1853160",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1853160",
    "match_basis": "exact_name",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 18:51:43.631077+00:00",
    "courses": {
      "course_cdb76f98405661d42020c591": {
        "review_count": 3,
        "quality": 2.67,
        "difficulty": 4.33,
        "quality_count": 3,
        "difficulty_count": 3
      },
      "course_f316b1c0bcfe1eba601b7ab6": {
        "review_count": 25,
        "quality": 3.48,
        "difficulty": 2.96,
        "quality_count": 25,
        "difficulty_count": 25
      },
      "course_393f780a276ddf2f521561c0": {
        "review_count": 1,
        "quality": 2,
        "difficulty": 5,
        "quality_count": 1,
        "difficulty_count": 1
      },
      "course_59020fdafae4af854a2a4b59": {
        "review_count": 1,
        "quality": 1,
        "difficulty": 4,
        "quality_count": 1,
        "difficulty_count": 1
      },
      "course_f2ce5575104f8bc511fc70a8": {
        "review_count": 4,
        "quality": 1.75,
        "difficulty": 4.5,
        "quality_count": 4,
        "difficulty_count": 4
      }
    },
    "bayesian_quality": 3.322607993388634,
    "prior_mean": 3.65919358049647,
    "prior_weight": 20
  },
  "current": true,
  "courses": [
    {
      "course_uid": "course_0ad086f79f3d4866d9b151ff",
      "course_id": "POLISCI 990",
      "title": "RESEARCH AND THESIS",
      "credits_min": 1,
      "credits_max": 3,
      "gpa": null
    },
    {
      "course_uid": "course_cdb76f98405661d42020c591",
      "course_id": "POLISCI 461",
      "title": "INTERDISCIPLINARY SEMINAR IN POLITICAL ECONOMY, PHILOSOPHY, & POLITICS",
      "credits_min": 3,
      "credits_max": 3,
      "gpa": 3.475
    },
    {
      "course_uid": "course_f316b1c0bcfe1eba601b7ab6",
      "course_id": "POLISCI 160",
      "title": "INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL THEORY",
      "credits_min": 3,
      "credits_max": 4,
      "gpa": 3.508
    }
  ],
  "revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "instructor_url": "/instructors/MICHELLE_SCHWARZE"
}