# Russ Castronovo — Courses & Reviews | UW–Madison

[View on UW Courses](https://uwcourses.com/instructors/RUSS_CASTRONOVO--instructor_e4994f2a5350643815cd2e61)

## Dataset

### revision

e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349

### repository

twangodev/uwcourses

### schema version

6

### importer version

7

### projection id

85abe9ff8837c2c5a134368dcc4cfc85eb723524b21ddeb3d2e953887d2f0c8f

### observed at

2026-09-07T15:55:43.033547+00:00

### built at

2026-09-11T07:45:51.576183+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\_e4994f2a5350643815cd2e61

### source

legacy

### identity basis

name\_only

### identity status

unresolved

### name

Russ Castronovo

### email

RCASTRONOVO\@WISC.EDU

### first observed at

2025-12-03 12:33:41.418072+00:00

### last observed at

2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00

### ratings

#### review count

20

#### quality

4.1

#### difficulty

3.8

#### quality count

20

#### difficulty count

20

#### profile id

rmp:686041

#### source url

<https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/686041>

#### match basis

exact\_name

#### observed at

2026-09-07 16:08:51.539189+00:00

#### courses

##### course 5800327b63e33061ef7ab509

###### review count

1

###### quality

2

###### difficulty

3

###### quality count

1

###### difficulty count

1

##### course 0e79ae3873df84bd88a6a66c

###### review count

1

###### quality

5

###### difficulty

3

###### quality count

1

###### difficulty count

1

#### bayesian quality

3.879842891773298

#### prior mean

3.6596857835465957

#### prior weight

20

### current

false

### courses

None recorded.

### revision

e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349

### instructor url

/instructors/RUSS\_CASTRONOVO--instructor\_e4994f2a5350643815cd2e61

## history

None recorded.

## timeline

None recorded.

## term

1272

## courses

None recorded.

## reviews

### items

```json
[
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:08:51.539189+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQzMjU5MDU2",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:686041",
    "instructor_name": "Russ Castronovo",
    "course_label": "ENG481",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2026-06-18 23:30:46 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "Encouraged me to drop his course instead of meeting me halfway when I had a mental health crisis and could not attend his class. I ended up dropping it and finished my college career with a degree and a 3.89 GPA.",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/686041",
    "quality_rating": 1,
    "difficulty_rating": 5
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:08:51.539189+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyNDc0ODg4",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:686041",
    "instructor_name": "Russ Castronovo",
    "course_label": "ENGL461",
    "course_id": "ENGL 461",
    "course_uid": "course_5800327b63e33061ef7ab509",
    "review_date": "2026-01-11 07:28:27 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "I highly valued taking this course and would recommend you do. However, keep in mind that he spends class trying to get you to say what he is thinking. It is not a difficult class, but one you will go throughout regurgitating what he desires. I could've gotten more from the class had he not made it intimidating to speak. He is also not very kind.",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/686041",
    "quality_rating": 2,
    "difficulty_rating": 3
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:08:51.539189+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM1NTk5NTUy",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:686041",
    "instructor_name": "Russ Castronovo",
    "course_label": "ENGL243",
    "course_id": "ENGL 243",
    "course_uid": "course_0e79ae3873df84bd88a6a66c",
    "review_date": "2021-12-19 21:53:01 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "At first, the class may seem like a lot of work and reading, but Professor Castronovo makes class interesting enough so it does not feel like work. He is extremely kind and is always accessible outside of class. Visit his office hours and he is more than willing to help you through every step of your writing process.",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/686041",
    "quality_rating": 5,
    "difficulty_rating": 3
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:08:51.539189+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM0MTkzMjIx",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:686041",
    "instructor_name": "Russ Castronovo",
    "course_label": "ENG175",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2020-12-24 16:48:45 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "Professor Castronovo led one of the most interesting classes I have ever taken. Lots of reading, some writing, but it is very much worth it. Impacts both your writing and thinking skills. Cannot recommend enough but be prepped for a moderate workload.",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/686041",
    "quality_rating": 5,
    "difficulty_rating": 4
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:08:51.539189+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM0MTc2MjE0",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:686041",
    "instructor_name": "Russ Castronovo",
    "course_label": "ENG175",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2020-12-22 17:04:02 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "Professor Castronovo leads insightful class discussions and makes literature interesting by tying it into current events. But, be prepared to write very often (1-2 short essays per week) and participate consistently in class to get a decent grade. Do not take this class if you think it will be side work to satisfy credits.",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/686041",
    "quality_rating": 4,
    "difficulty_rating": 4
  },
  {
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:08:51.539189+00:00",
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM0MDc0MTY0",
    "source_instructor_id": "rmp:686041",
    "instructor_name": "Russ Castronovo",
    "course_label": "ENGLISH175",
    "course_id": null,
    "course_uid": null,
    "review_date": "2020-12-15 00:41:52 +0000 UTC",
    "comment": "Great professor that increased my understanding of course content and helped me become a better writer. The professor was very approachable and helpful when discussing ideas for assignments. Overall, would highly recommend the professor as he makes the class interesting and is very knowledgeable on the course content.",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/686041",
    "quality_rating": 5,
    "difficulty_rating": 4
  }
]
```

### total

20

### page

1

### courses

| course\_uid                      | course\_id |
| -------------------------------- | ---------- |
| course\_0e79ae3873df84bd88a6a66c | ENGL 243   |
| course\_5800327b63e33061ef7ab509 | ENGL 461   |

### matched

true

## social Image

false