Current instructor
Original student reviews · all captured dates
This class fills fills both Ethnic Studies and Comm B, and there are no exams. Besides those positives, this class is not great. The lectures are occasionally interesting, but feel incredibly long and cover a lot of material that doesn't seem necessary or relevant. My TA Benny was fantastic, and discussion was usually pretty interesting as a resultRate My Professors ↗
This class is fine if you're trying to "get woke" but I can't say much for it beyond that. The lectures were terribly boring and were just a reiteration of the readings/videos done outside of class but she takes attendance so you have to go. Not difficult but not a good class.Rate My Professors ↗
Her class is pretty easy. You have no exams, but you do have graded & ungraded quizzes based off readings. Reading is a must. You kind of have a lot of readings to do. Her lectures are boring, intimidating, rude, & passive aggressive. I needed to take this class as a graduation requirement, I would not take it if it were an optionRate My Professors ↗
Prof. Oliver is great. I love her lectures even though they are long and attendance is required. But everything eventually depends on your TA because they grade your written projects. My TA is super confusing, disorganized and tends to go off on a tangent.Rate My Professors ↗
Do NOT be fooled by the people claiming this is just an easy course. Interesting material for sure and no tests, but the assignments are redundant and extremely time-consuming. And don't get me started on the projects. Pretty easy class but only if you have the time for it, but don't take this course if you have a busy schedule.Rate My Professors ↗
I took this course to fulfill my ethinic and com b. The course did contain some interesting material, and I did enjoy going to lectures, even though they get long, because you just have to sit there and write whatever "lecture comments" you want. No test, the communications part is the bare minimum needed to be a com b. I suggest Ta L. Twin if canRate My Professors ↗
Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.
SOC 990 is a thesis course involving mentored research for Master's or doctoral dissertations.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
No recorded grade history
SOC 999 is an independent reading and research course in sociology.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
No recorded grade history
Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.
{
"instructor_uid": "instructor_6e597b61ab6d9e98a54685d0",
"source": "enrollment",
"source_instructor_id": "peoliver",
"identity_basis": "netid",
"identity_status": "source_identified",
"name": "Pamela Oliver",
"email": "PAMELA.OLIVER@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": 19,
"quality": 3.42,
"difficulty": 2.26,
"quality_count": 19,
"difficulty_count": 19,
"profile_id": "rmp:987309",
"source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/987309",
"match_basis": "exact_name",
"observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:12:52.672269+00:00",
"courses": {
"course_54405f70a70bfefd6487b1f6": {
"review_count": 17,
"quality": 3.35,
"difficulty": 2.29,
"quality_count": 17,
"difficulty_count": 17
},
"course_8c0f7542356f64346bde176d": {
"review_count": 1,
"quality": 3,
"difficulty": 2,
"quality_count": 1,
"difficulty_count": 1
}
},
"bayesian_quality": 3.542915786434152,
"prior_mean": 3.6596857835465957,
"prior_weight": 20
},
"current": true,
"courses": [
{
"course_uid": "course_0727e488c64c40e76ed24203",
"course_id": "SOC 990",
"title": "THESIS",
"credits_min": 1,
"credits_max": 12,
"gpa": null
},
{
"course_uid": "course_7a3599b8e5758d00c8f03c44",
"course_id": "SOC 999",
"title": "READING AND RESEARCH IN SOCIOLOGY",
"credits_min": 1,
"credits_max": 12,
"gpa": null
}
],
"revision": "e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349",
"instructor_url": "/instructors/PAMELA_OLIVER"
}