GPA: very hard, looks easy but exams are hard............... LEARNER: best prof to learn from

Teaches microeconomics as a style of thinking instead of straight-up easy memorization like Akbar. I personally enjoyed the class. 2h lecture was a little hard to sit through, but material got more interesting at the end of the course.

Doug Allen is a really helpful person - he is more than willing to help you in his office hours - but he won't give the answer away - but if you persist he will teach you. His midterm was fair and final was tricky. If you do the bare minimum - you will get B- easily. He scales his exams! A highly recommended Prof. if you are willing to visit him :D

The majority of his lectures were entertaining and interesting. He's a good prof, but only makes his exams hard so it helps prepare those that are majoring in this area. He wants people to understand the material rather then pure memorization. So, if you're looking for an easy midterm/finals, you would not like this class at all.

If you don't read the material then you WILL fail his class, but if you do read everything and try to understand then you'll do just fine. I like how he teaches, he teaches you how to think like an economist rather than to just memorize all the facts. Take econ103 with him if you really want to understand.

hes a really fun and interesting prof...BUT he marks HARSH! his lectures has lots of examples and jokes but wont help too much during the exams. great person to listen to. wei sun is the best t.a. EVER!! omg.. the things he said were hilarious. whatever doug suggest you do to in order to do well in the class...do them!

Hey people, the prof said it would be hard class on the first day, and that to pass you have to do the work. I did it, and passed no problem.

Good proffessor. He tells you right up front on the first day what to expect. Class is about learning the material not just memorizing. It is not easy but not unreasonable. If you put in the time outside of class and do the questions in the textbook you should do fine.

He is a great professor and he makes me very interested on Economics. His lecrures are very impressive and helpful cuz he made you to think as an economist. He is really concentrated on applying the principles, though the exams are hard, but just attende lectures and do assignments really carefully, you will be fine!

I took the distance education class, with him being the sectional instructor and it was veryyyyy smooth sailing. His TEXTBOOK is greatly written and very helpful with lots of examples. The weekly assignments keep you up to date with the course and get u really interested to econ.

Great at lectures. Definitely keeps you interested (at least in the first half of the course). The textbook which he wrote himself is -extremely- clear and helps you learn. Marking and exams are fair (not too easy, not too hard). Just pay attention and read the textbook and you'll be fine.

wrote his own textbook and thinks it's frickin AWESOME...NOOOTTTTTT. DOUG ALLEN I HATE YOUR TEXTBOOK

One of the only tenured professors that teach first year courses, Doug Allen is a great professor. There's not much to study for in his class. The key to success is to understand the few concepts that he has and be able to apply them to real life scenarios.

this guy makes econ 103 a total BLAST. He's reallyy cute and soo funny. I wish all my profs were like him!

Didn't do too well in his class. A fun and sarcastic proff. The exam was really tough. I always looked forward to his lectures though. In the end, the mark I got was pretty decent, probably because everyone else did poorly on the exam too.

Allen is the best. Funny, passionate, caring and clear -no one is ever asleep in his lectures. The work isn't easy, but he tells you exactly how to get a good grade. As long as you put in the work you will get a good grade.

hilarious guy, i don't care what anyone here says but Doug Allen is one of the best profs i've ever had and i would strongly advise taking micro econ with him

A great class. Don't take it if you need to be spoon fed and can't b bothered to do the questions in the book.

He pushes his religious beliefs on us...i feel a bit converted lol... If i didnt get an A- i would hate this guy tho not going to lie. Prob best and hardest teacher you will ever have. When u read Candide, make sure u remember the first page on Chp 1 for the final :P

It was hard but not that hard; later econ courses get much worse than his class. The only real problem I had was some of his exam questions don't make sense, and his TA don't know how to mark. And if you get A+ and still complain, Doug will just say that's the perfect example of insatiable greediness. :)

totally different prof. Not into sucking up to students or givning easy grades. Made me think of life differently. probably best class ever.

One of the best profs I've had. I agree with the one who said he changed how we think about world. After taking this class with him I've been using some of the ideas from that class in every day life. But yes it's not an easy A, it not hard either though. I give you a piece of advice: Don't take this class if you're stupid! (don't like thinking)

Unapproachable? condescending? dishonest? Did this guy take the same course? I saw prof allen almost every week. I'm a guy too. he was very helpful and encouraging. loved the course, the book, and the exams. finally a course that's not about memorizing and mc questions. Prof. Allen rocks!

Prof Allen can be intimidating. His exams, book and lectures require thinking. If you can't think on your own, don't take this class. you just wont' get it.

His class makes you think a lot. Don't take it if you can't think on your own and apply basic theories to everyday life. Yes there were a lot of mistakes in his book but only spelling...so calm down people. Hes a very helpful prof if you go to his office hours. He makes lectures interesting, so go to them! and make sure to go to your TAs!!!

Very engaging in lectures! The textbook is lengthy - did all the ques still did not get an A. Gotta think outta the box (but still based on economics). You gotta interpret lyrics on his exams (sounds easy right - NOT). His questions aren't simple at all! Midterm = FAIR, Final = BRUTAL.

I like how the guy who can't spell thinks there are lots of mistakes in Prof. Allen's book! An idiot? Really?

Took econ103 (microeconomics) 2yrs ago, and I to this day still apply his class in my daily life.

his exams are completely related to every day things. don't study the text book only, but try to apply it to every thing else. lectures aren't that bad, but you have to sit up front

I found Professor Allen to be upfront and honest about what was expected of us. He was always available to answer questions and replied to emails at an astounding rate considering the number of students he has. The assignments and exam questions were challenging, but if you attended lectures and did the problem sets (all of them you should do fine.

This guy is such a maximizer..everything he teaches is very practical but he is quite egoistic..the way he talks is kinda like "You will not take econ 103 with another prof why because I will teach you to maximize"..if u do take it with him make sure you do ALL the questions in the txtbook and attend all his lectures..have fun

good professor

Teaches the way professors SHOULD teach. Super knowledgeable, challenging, engaging, sometimes even funny. You can tell he knows what he's talking about, and LOVES it. It won't be easy marks but by the end of it you'll know you've earned every single one of 'em. His Textbook was the only one I bothered to read this semester- unconventional.

Prof Allen wrote his own textbook, and a damn good one for micro-econ. The book is full of his interpretations of many boring econ textbooks and principles with tons real life scenarios. In short, he did most of the study for the students, and literally put all the conclusions on a plate and hand it to you. Exams are straight forward, if you study!

Very interesting class. Midterm was fair. Final was killer and i mean it. Don't take this class unless you really plan on working hard.

I took his Intro to Econ course a few years ago as it is mandatory for Businesss students and Doug Allen is the reason I ended up minoring in Econ. He's great at applying theory to real world situations (something most university profs are seriously lacking) and genuinely interesting. Fair marker and an easy intro course!

He really does make econ seem a lot more approachable and interesting than any other prof I would say. He does use real world situations, which can be troublesome- it wouldn't hurt to learn 105 first to gain a more mechanical understanding. Midterm is easy, final will eat you alive. Regardless, you can't hate the guy, he's a good prof.

did the midterm recently and it's very fair! You get 1.5/5 for just leaving the whole question blank. The TA'S also give you an instant 5/5 for the short answer questions if you have the right idea( for me atleast) Though I expect the final to be much harder

NICEST PROF EVER!!!!!! People fail the course because they fall asleep in class or do not listen or skip the course. If you go to his class and read the textbook you will understand the course easily!!! He is also REALLY nice and helpful... even though he does not tell you the answer to everything but is a good way to learn

interesting textbook, fun lecture,but it's not an easy course to take.

Best prof I've had thus far. He's very engaging and makes lectures fun-- the best prof in microecon.-- but it's hard to get a good grade in his class. The grades are curved though so it isn't too bad. The midterm was surprisingly easier than I expected (with all the horror stories and all) as long as you read and do your homework :)

Great prof! His lectures are really interesting and he really explains his material well. There's a lot of work involved in this class but overall well worth it.

His finale exam is a killer!!!

easy midterm, but you gonnna get ooooownned on the final

Extremely difficult course. He explains things well but his exams are absolutely killer. I studied like crazy but this is a course where you either get it or you don't. He's a very nice guy and willing to help but his course forces you to THINK like him. You can know all the theory but its extremely difficult to apply. Only take if mandatory.

OK, first of all. Doug is an outgoing guy, his lectures are clear and engaging. Material can be boring at times and 2 hour morning lectures tend to put people right to sleep. BUT, if you read the textbook and attempt problems you WILL ACE the midterm. Final is a complete b*tch noone does well except the keeners. easy midterm, insane final.

took his class for 2011spring term and got C...which totally upset me..... I will never take his class; his teaching style is soooo different.... (I put the same effort on econ105 by another prof and got A- in the end!)

Brilliant!

He's a great prof. I managed to pull a B+ in this class. To succeed in this class, make sure you go to every lecture, read the textbook before the class. His lectures are also very fun because he has many interesting stories to tell =]

The best thing about him is that he explains everything giving real life examples and of course his availability;he is available even outside the office hours and never refuses to help.A perfect prof!!!!!!!

Allen is a economist. if you have to think like him then you think like economist. i thought he was great. very helpful and gives different point of view.

BE AWARE! We conclude that men are better workers than women, that guns should be in planes, that unions are bad. This man is simply insane? and has converted me into his ways. I am brain washed, and I don?t even recognize myself anymore. When I look at a situation I wonder what would a maximizer do? And I hate myself for it? Econ 103, never again!

Lectures are very interesting but you must keep up with the material to do well in the class. It's a lot of work but if you do what he recommends you're guaranteed a great mark. Best part is that everything is applied to real life so you actually feel like you've learned something useful at the end.

Don't expect an easy A for this course. However, study the text book, listen to his lectures and study the basics hard. He is also an easy prof who is willing to help any student ONLY during his office hours.

Note to prof: If making textbook, please make questions similar to those on final exam. Me and countless others could successfully and easily complete the problems at the end of every chapter, yet all struggled with the final.

his lecture is considerably interesting and of high quality. he applies boring principle to the real life . however he is indeed GPA killer . the midterm is difficult enough but still related to problem sets. the final has nothing to do with the textbook or homework just common sense

An economist is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn't happen today.. Just poking fun at this prof..please clarify this for me based on your economic reasoning..thank you :) I got an A btw in this course..

Good speaker, interesting lecture, HARD class. at the start it was all common sense/easy but when it gets to the graphs D: at tht point he expects everyone to be at the same pace as him. we're just out of HS, and he thinks everyone can visualize everything the way he does. u can do all the questions but exams still mess u up. expects too much tbh.

best teacher!

Great lecture, but hard exams and midterms. Try to do all the questions from textbook.Counting on final is not going to work. claimed he had 40% failing rate. Memorizing definiton would not help through question answering. He is good at explaining questions, so just ask. Don't skip TUT

Really nice guy. Interesting class but one of the hardest classes I've ever taken. No matter how hard you study, the final will EAT YOU ALIVE. Cannot "memorize" to get a good mark. Have to thoroughly understand his applications and be able to apply them to a variety of applications. Mid term is a cake walk.

Super hard class but I gotta hand it to him, he's a great lecturer and the material's interesting. He does a great job keeping peoples attention but teaches at 3000 mph. I came out of the class feeling like I learned something and as ashamed as I am to admit it, I'll probably be reading parts of his book again 'cause some of it applies to real life

You'll think about econ all the time after his class. He uses a lot of examples that you wouldn't normally think about. Great prof! There is not enough mathematical examples/questions which you will need to know for the exam although his txt/lecture are great for theory. Get Ali as a TA. He taught me all the math/graphing aspects!

He gives some of the best lectures I have seen at SFU! He's also very skilled at answering questions in class. However, he is a busy guy, and sends lazy responses to questions in email. In addition, his exams are difficult. No amount of preparing will ensure that you get a good grade. NOT recommended to people not familiar with graphing or Calc1

In this course, you will learn seven principles. Thoroughly understand these seven principles, and you will do incredibly well in the final. Midterm will require a bit of graphical/mathematical knowledge, but not a lot. Protip: If you want 3.5 more marks on the final, you have to actually read Candide to the very end.

Great course. Great professor. Very hard exams. I will only complain about the text book not explaining mechanical parts of the course very well.

Economics is definitely one of the hardest, if not, the hardest, entry level class that you can take so do not expect to breeze through. Lectures are always interesting, and Allen loves to apply economic principles to explain situations in real life. Assignment questions are harder than what will be on the midterm and final. Grading scheme is fair.

Great prof!!!very interesting!!He clarifies concepts in an ordinary life context.Pick him!

Lectures are straight from textbook. Textbook will be entertaining for the first couple chapters and then becomes difficult. That being said, lectures are enjoyable to attend. Didn't read candide but it was only worth 3.5 marks on a 90 pt final.

Just finished my final. Damn it's as hard as everyone expected. Overall he is a good prof, if u want to learn something take econ 103 from him, else if u want a GPA broster, then DONT!! He is a good teacher but not a good examinator.'In life your affect doesn't count, what's count is the result you have.'Said by Allen. What an ' encouraging' word!

The big 'DA' is an amazing prof. I found he explained concepts very well and made material both funny and interesting. I would say the course content is difficult and can be hard to understand, but the big 'DA' is great at making it understandable!!!

Doug Allen is an amazing prof. He explains the chapters during each lecture so do not skip them but this is definitly not an easy course... after the midterm, everything is extremely confusing. His midterm and final are also hard. Overall if you do the textbook questions and read the textbook to understand the content you should do fine.

Doug Allen has to be one of the best profs at SFU. His lectures are amazing and you will always learn things that you never though about prior to taking the class. The key to doing well in his class is not to memorize all the details but to apply the concepts in everyday life. "This will either be the best course you ever take or the worst"

Awesome prof! His lectures are always amusing and enjoyable; especially with his jokes and videos he shows us. But you definitely have to work hard in this course. A lot from what i learnt in this course is a life lesson. He taught us to be maximizers & that's what we've become. Now, I can't do anything without thinking about its opportunity cost!

super cool guy. emails are not a good way to contact him, face to face after lectures is best. he is the best at what he does, even though econ 103 is hard AF. textbook is REALLY helpful (the last couple of chapters are kinda confusing though). oh and read Candide, it was on the final. Btw don't slack, this course gets hard QUICKLY. Good luck

I took graduate level microeconomics with Doug at Carleton University when he first became a professor. I thought he did an excellent job and was a thoroughly decent bloke. His SFU webpage is full of interesting stuff. SFU's gain was Cartoon U's loss. And when he says, "Don't go there", he means it. thnx D

Usually profs make claims about how the course will change the students outlook but Allen MEANS IT! I can't not think about economics in real world situations now. Lots of ppl had issues. My Facebook is covered with complaints about Econ 103 by many people who say they can't think like him. The class is time consuming and demanding but SO WORTH IT.

Honestly, this course is difficult I'm not gong to lie. Doug makes it interesting, and makes the course worthwhile. However, be prepared to study hard for this course, it's not something you can memorize and regurgitate on the exam. You have to be able to apply the material. If you have to take Econ 103, I recommend it with this prof.

This is a hard class honestly, but Allen is a really amazing professor! He made this class very interesting and fun! Even though it was hard but I did enjoy it very much, and I loved to listen his lecture also the God and reason lecture as well!

Although he's a really tough prof, the way he teaches economics makes it so you can relate it to real-world applications which makes it quite interesting. He's also a funny guy, just make sure you keep up with the work, and right when you start to get lost get help ASAP!

Hands down one of the most amazing profs, his lectures are always entertaining but the are also absolutely necessary, don't skip or you will get lost. The course content is challenging but you feel amazing once it clicks and you get it. If you have to or are considering taking econ 103 do so with Doug Allen, you won't regret it!

the course is difficult, but Doug makes it interesting! I just love this professor!

He is very good at teaching. The only reason he has bad reviews is because his exams are quite difficult. If you want an easy A, dont take this course. If you actually want to learn something from a prof who actually teaches you properly, take this course.

Very interesting lectures, but the textbook was completely unecessary because: 1) He read the whole thing during lecture 2)You only need to know the BASICS (7 principles) and think the way he thinks to get good grade.

Lecture are interesting and fun. Exams are pretty difficult lol.

Favorite prof yet. He teaches the material in such a fascinating way and he makes the course very interesting. His exams aren't easy but the marks are curved. Loved him all around.

I really liked this prof I thought he was interesting and I seem to read that alot of people struggle with his midterms and finals, for all those planning on taking this course I recommend buying or somehow acquiring the econmylab that is optional because it comes with the odd answers for the textbook. This was a tremendous help while studying 4 me

A lot of people has been saying that Doug Allen is an extremely hard prof and for once, people are right. If you're looking for an easy A, you better off looking elsewhere because it's either you get his way of thinking or not. I studied a lot and ended up with a A-.

Great at delivering concepts and lectures were always interesting, however, his exams are very hard. If econ is not something you care for and you only want the marks...LOOK ELSEWHERE. You really need to appreciate the course to do well. But, if econ is something you plan to purse, then this prof is strongly recommended.

Best prof I've ever had. Exams are hard, but marked on curve. Lectures very interesting & entertaining. He actually teaches you economics, and how to think like an economist, not just the bare-bones principles. Read the textbook, do as many questions as you can in every chapter, do all of the homework, and you'll do fine.

Doug's exams are super super tough. I'm usually an A student and I ended up with a C+ in his course. However, the way he teaches the material gives you a totally different outlook on life and economics. I actually really enjoyed the material and the way he taught it, but wouldn't recommend his course if you want a good grade.

Funny, and makes class very interesting. if you understand his concept, you wil definitely do well in his class. Unfortunately, you gotta pay attention aka no skipping! LOL Love doug allen though :)

His lectures are really good and the textbook is enjoyable to read and incredibly helpful. You need to go to class to pass and even though the midterm is a low omit STUDY for it (unlike the majority of my class) because it will give you some breathing room for the final (Which is very difficult).

Going into ECON 103 there were a lot of myths about Doug Allen, however I found that I learned a lot from his lectures. Attending his lectures are a must. He's kind of intimidating when you ask him questions, but overall, he's a nice guy. Midterm was okay, but the Finals was harder. Be prepared and you'll have lots of fun!

Great prof who's passionate about the material. He can be pretty funny, and his examples are great (seinfeld, Austin Powers, etc.). Exams are hard but fair. Going to class is helpful even though he wrote his own textbook. So do yourself a favor and go.

Lectures are clear but mid-term and final are deadly

He starts off really nice and great but once the graphs start rolling in you're in a whole new world. Make sure you do all the questions and go to his morning "tutorials" as he'll go over questions that might be on the exam. ALSO: for the exams, if you don't know don't answer, don't guess or you'll jest get zero rather than 30%.

You need to go to his morning tutorials before class, attend his lectures, take good notes and pay attention. If you do that, great, now you have a chance at passing haha. He explains everything very clearly, but his mid term and final are brutal. He's not joking when he said you need to do everything plus more for a good grade.

Awesome lectures. The course material was made interesting and the lectures were entertaining. Midterm and final were pretty tough but if you go to his morning tutorials and do all the practice questions you can get a decent mark. Don't take the course for an easy mark but if you're into econ it can be a fun course

his lectures are very entertaining and interesting to listen to, but course material was pretty tough. DO all his problem set questions before exams because the tests are tough. Do well on the midterm because the final is way harder. i would take this course again for fun if i could

Doug Allen was an amazing lecturer. I really wasn't into Economics until I took this course. He makes the lectures interesting by bringing in real life examples that make the theory clearer. Midterm was tough, but Final was tougher. Don't fall for the "I'll replace your Midterm with your Final if you do better" because chances are you won't.

Yes, his exams are tough. But his lectures are fantastic. He's the best lecturer I've ever experienced, period. He's engaging, interesting, and passionate about economics. And he teaches you to think like an economist. If you get the chance to take a class with him, DO IT!!!

Yes, his exams are tough. But his lectures are fantastic. He's the best lecturer I've ever experienced, period. He's engaging, interesting, and passionate about economics. And he teaches you to think like an economist. If you get the chance to take a class with him, DO IT!!!

his lectures were one of my faves this semester, the only thing was that it was at 830 in the morning.. the midterm wasn't bad, but I just took his final and it was brutal!! then again the class is curved so hope that the class has some low quality students. not a bad prof overall if you can develop your intuition in 3 months

He is the type of professor that is truly passionate about his work and field, making his lectures interesting and worth paying attention to. Also friendly and very approachable. Extra help is there if you need it, which you probably will. The exams are extremely difficult and are weighted pretty heavily, however the curve will save you.

Loved Doug Allen! Amazing lectures, and it isn't very hard to do well if you do all the practice problems. Don't buy the book with out My Econ Lab because doing the odd questions are very important. You have to put the work in, but it will pay off.

I had no interest in ECON before this class, but he made it interesting. The lectures were fun and interactive. However, you will notice some overlap if you read the text, since he wrote it. Fair grader, gives second chances for a good grade (I failed the midterm, but it didn't effect my final grade). Overall good prof.

This is a difficult class but man is it fun. Doug Allen's class was difficult but I learnt a great amount. The material is applicable, entertaining, and, for the most part, commonsensical. It's stuff that implicitly makes sense but that isn't directly obvious. You have to work for your grade and the material is difficult but I would take it again!

Douglas Allen is one of those professors that you can't miss a single lecture of! He is so funny and he makes all the material very VERY easy to understand! Personally I didn't do very well in his class, but I always woke up at 6, just to seat in his class and learn life lessons! He's exams are a bit tricky but interesting.

Truly an amazing prof. He really makes you think "inside the box". He makes econ look like a piece of cake, like it explains all issues in life. Exams are a bit tough, know your concepts and do ALL problem sets to achieve a good grade. Definitely recommend this course with him. You won't regret it!

Doug Allen is an excellent lecturer. Rather than completely focusing on the theories of economics, he teaches in a way that will have you apply economics in your own lives. His exams are somewhat difficult but a good portion of it is common knowledge as microeconomics is generally about human behavior. Definitely a great prof.

Douglas Allen is a great prof inside and outside the lecture hall. For one, his lectures are engaging and make you enjoy the early morning class. Also his office hours are right after class and he usually stays longer than an hour to help you with any of your problems. As long as you do the problem sets, go to tutorial and lecture you will do fine!

He is not a insanely difficult prof like he is made out to be. Almost all classes at SFU especially require hard work to get a good grade. It is not impossible to do you just have to work THROUGHOUT the semester.

Doug was great in lectures, but there was SO much material to cover. Would not recommend as an elective as it is a LOT of work to try to master it all. You have to think the same way he does on some fairly arbitrary questions on the exam. But the curve will probably save you.

Doug Allen is a Legend.

He is passionate about what he teaches but he is such a hard grader

The guy is a legend! He taught the course so smoothly. The semester went by so quickly and I didn't even realize that I had learned so much in just 4 months! Even if you don't score well, you will learn tons of relevant stuff! He made me love Economics.

His lectures are super engaging, he's hilarious, and you learn things that are applicable in real life that you won't forget easily, however the final exam today was brutal. Highly recommend if your in university to learn and maximize yourself to your full potential as there aren't many substitutes to this experience.

One of the best profs I've had so far! Exams were fair and the final was generous with bonus questions. That being said... to do well in this class you really have to work for it and embrace the economic model. Definitely a good class to have under your belt. Beware fellow aspiring accountants, he tends to make a few jabs ;)

Doug Allen is an amazing professor. His lectures are always engaging and interesting that I found this course to be my favorite class this semester. His way of teaching gets you truly interested in the material that you're learning and it's real life applications. If you keep up with the material and attend lectures, his exams aren't too bad either

He is a great Prof all you need to do is show up to his lectures, and do all the assignments. His exams are not hard if you understand the concepts. He is really supportive and will help you understand if you ask him.

Start doing the questions in the textbook after the first class, since questions on midterm and final are exactly the same style, in fact some of the textbook questions are from previous exams. You need to practice the thinking, not just memorizing the model. Learned a lot in his class since he is always applying the model in a real world context

Doug Allen is so far my favorite professor at Simon Fraser. I haven't had a better prof who knows so much about the course he's teaching and he's so passionate about it. He talks without any notes and can easily explain economic concepts with examples that are easy to understand. I look forward to meeting him again in the future. Greatest prof ever

Honestly the best professor I have ever had! He is very knowledgable about the material he teaches and his lectures are so engaging !! You actually learn so much in this class and I would definitely recommend taking Econ 103 with him!

Doug Allen is a great lecturer, and if you attend class and do the assigned questions, you should definitely at least pass. He explains all of the economic concepts very clearly with useful real-world examples that help contextualize your learning. Do ALL the questions for every chapter, get a good group together to discuss answers, and you're set.

Only professor during my first year of university that I absolutely adored. He's the smartest man and really knows the course content, and the way he so clearly explains everything is the reason his so-called 'hardest tests' are relatively straight forward. As long as you come to lectures and genuinely listen, you will do great! Doug Allen is a G

Doug Allen is one of the most inspirational people you will ever listen to. The way he explains concepts help them stay with, and I even found myself applying the principles to my everyday life. You must attend and pay attention to his lectures in order to get a good grade, but I strongly encourage everyone to take Econ 103 with Doug.

ECON103 is a course where analytical students will thrive and the "memorizers" will usually struggle. Exam questions will require you to think logically and provide an answer that makes the most economic sense. Doug is a great lecturer and probably one of the most intelligent economic professors in the world. Loved the course, thanks Doug.

D. Allen was my favourite professor for my first semester and I am sure that he will be hard to top. 103 is a great course and can really be applied to real-life situations. The tests are tough but definitely fair. You MUST do the end of chapter problem set questions. Only doing the assigned questions for homework will not be enough. Thanks, Doug!

A very good profthe test is super easy, the class is also straightforward, highly recommended.

Although his voice made me sleepy, his lecture was inspirational and practical. He changed my perspective about econ because he connected everything in daily lives to econ and expected us to treat it the same way so that we would not see econ as a big challenge. He got a lot of criticism about hardness, but if you're attentive, you'll be fine.

I hated economics going into this class. Doug is so passionate and influential that he will make you question the whole world around you until the day you die.

Excellent class on the neoclassical model of thinking. Don't take this class if you're easily offended or come from a Marxist or Feminist point of view - it will deeply offend you. Be prepared to work for your grade and spend a LOT of time outside of class. He's also a beast. Last thing he said to me was "See you on RateMyProf!" Hello Allen!

I thoroughly enjoyed all of my lectures thanks to Doug's unique style of teaching. You can really tell that he is both passionate and knowledgeable. But if you are easily offended or can't have your views criticized you should avoid this class. Like other people say be prepared to study A LOT outside class, but the reward is amazing!

he teaches economics like a theory class if you're interested in learning how an economist thinks of the world - he's your guy not sure how good he is for prepping students for higher level econ no math on the midterm or final - all application midterm is forgivable - blessing don't regret taking his course but won't take him again for other econ

Incredible prof, with a great course and a very unique and effective textbook/teaching method. Fun and casual when you want it, and straight to the point when you need it. If you understand the concepts (some may be difficult to grasp -- take your time reading and understanding each concept carefully), the course is a breeze. This prof is a gem.

Professor D is awesome. I took his ECON427 Law and Economics. It was one of the best course I have ever taken at SFU. Professor D is very knowledgeable and inspirational. Not only does he talk about theories, he also took time to help us write concisely and efficiently! If you were here to learn, take his course. Cuz you are going to learn a lot!

I remember him saying something about changing your view on economics after you take his class and I believe it really worked! His textbook was the best I've ever read. If you read his textbook and understand the main concepts it won't be hard getting a good grade in his class. He really knows his stuff and can explain every concept so well!

nothing has made me cry as much as this class has. good prof, but hardest class ever. makes me want to drop out of school

nothing has made me cry as much as this class has. good prof, but hardest class ever. makes me want to drop out of school. midterm is really hard

everyone should take one class with doug allen at some point in your education for the experience. it's very clear that hes good at what he does and he shows it. however, his exams are made as if you know as much as he does. extremely high quality prof with a pretty high difficulty. avg for midterm was around 53%

I always found the field of economics distasteful and boring, but after taking Doug's 103 class I've come to really appreciate the study. His passion for the subject was really motivating and I'm definitely gonna remember the topics he taught us for years to come. Haven't had the final yet so don't quote me on everything.

Doug is really passionate about Economics, but I personally found his lectures hit or miss; either I listened to the whole thing and learned a lot, or I tuned out about halfway through. If you take Doug, I definitely recommend doing lots of the textbook questions since he lets you replace your midterm with your final if you do better (saved me).

Doug is clearly passionate about econ. Hardest class I've taken so far in Uni but I am a first year in my second sem. I got an A+ in 105, but finished 103 with a B+. He teaches the concept really subjectively but overall lectures were helpful and the class is curved. It is a rewarding class and interesting, but to get an A you have to work hard

Doug presents economic ideas/principles in an unique way, applying concepts to everyday life. After taking ECON103 with him, I felt like I truly learned economics beyond the textbook (plus, his lectures are engaging!). Be warned, this class requires lots of work to get a good grade. Exams are heavily theory based. You either love him or hate him.

Professor Allen is probably the best lecturer I have had throughout my two years at SFU. Class is at 8:30 but still manages to keep you engaged. He has a unique way of teaching Economics and applies to ongoing real-life events, unlike most professors. This class requires a lot of time and work, however, you can obtain a good grade if you work hard.

A legend. Best lecturer/prof I've had. -Read the chapter before lectures. -Actually go to lectures. (and pay attention) -Do every homework question. I definitely complained a lot during this class, but it was well worth it. Doug is very passionate and knowledgeable.

Funny and natural lectures, he wrote the textbook so he knows what he's talking about. Professional, engaging, honest, he wants you to get it. Lots of students said he was a tough marker. The exams are difficult, with questions not from the textbook.

Prof. Allen could make inspirational presentation.

Doug Allen is a great professor. The course is overall hard but his explanations are very good. Read the chapters before the lecture and never skip class

Honestly, this was one of the most inspirational classes I've ever taken. Econ 103 with Douglas Allen was probably the best choice I could have made and I'm glad I got to experience his lectures. However, don't get deluded into thinking this course is easy, you still need to put in work if you are looking for a good grade. It'll all be worthwhile.

I suck at numbers, but He made this course so easy to understand with the concepts he brings to the class (he uses a bunch of personal & pop culture references), so this helps a lot especially if you're a visual learner. You have to buy his textbook for everything, but it coincides perfectly with his lessons. Just talk to him & you'll be fine!

Douglas Allen is a really good prof. He made learning the fundamentals to Microeconomics easy and enjoyable to learn. With that said it is still a harder class but, provided you buy into the system he teaches, or as he refers to as "the bubble of economic thinking" you'll do fine. There is very little homework and little math required.

He is great

If you are looking for a fun class to finish over your economics degree I recommend Doug. The topics regarding family, prostitution, marriage, etc.. are a chance to apply boring fundamentals to real life situations. Every class was interesting, and straight foreword. There are a lot of readings but manageable. Highly recommend!!!

He takes abstract concepts from economics, and shows examples of how they work in the real world. Parts of it were like a class on "the philosophy of economics", which was interesting as well. If you only take one economics course, I would recommend this one.

I really liked taking ECON 103 with professor Allen, hes a really nice guy and is really understanding

i had him with remote learning and never attended his office hours. lecture videos give examples to support economic concepts. give hard exams. curved course so be ready to work hard. take his econ103 if u would like to learn. for students with prereq of econ 103 and 105, take both at the same time cuz some topics r the same

If you are not interested in economics, and you just need to get your prerequisites over with, you may want to avoid Doug. However, if you enjoy econ and want to understand it thoroughly, Doug is your guy. Everything he teaches is rooted in the fundamentals so that you never forget. The downside is that you won't get away with rote learning.

I was expecting the worse but it ended up being fine. It is not an easy class, you definitely have to understand the topics in his textbook. He writes his own textbook and makes the class really relevant and interesting! Skipped some lectures but as long as you're on top of the textbook the test questions are similar to practice questions.

I learned a lot in Dr. Allen's econ class. The material was pretty interesting and was delivered with a good amount of wit. Tests are pretty tough but if you read the material you will do fine. Allen is also a pretty fair and honest guy.

Dr. Allen is an awesome professor with clear passion in economics. Going into the course with zero economic knowledge (like me)? No problem! Dr. Allen makes the ideas very comprehensive in his lectures, as well as the textbook being directly connected in every concept for further understanding. The material can be quite difficult, so ask!!

Great guy! Interesting topics too. Reading the textbook and watching the lectures (AT LEAST one of the two) will help A LOT for the exams. Also, completing the weekly problem sets is a lot of work but makes studying much easier and kind of forces you to keep up with the content.

Doug is a great lecturer who truly is passionate about economics. He'll literally make you see microeconomic concepts all around you. Listen to his prerecorded lectures on canvas and make sure to read the book in advance before every class.

Honestly, I like his take on economics and how he taught us how to THINK like an economist. However, tough questions for homework and exams because they're philosophical with a sprinkle of mechanical. Textbook is good but lectures are also good if you need more. Recommend trying to do as many textbook questions as possible, they really help

Dr. Allen is an awesome professor! His lectures are engaging and his textbook is helpful (first time I've read a textbook cover to cover because he wrote it with the purpose of only including relevant information). He welcomes any questions you have in his office hours and in doing so creates a "safe space" for discussion on controversial topics.

Genuine guy

Pros: Not only passionate about his subject but also teaching as well. The class focused on real-world applications instead of pure memorization. He was accessible outside of class & did a great job answering questions. Most lectures were engaging. The textbook was easy to read. Cons: Class is curved to a C Average & Textbook costs $100 CAD

Doug is a very passionate prof that uses real-life examples in his lectures. He gets a little too much hate than he deserves, but I still enjoyed his class. His tests are very heavily weighted and will make or break you. Luckily I had a really good TA which helped. You need to work your butt off if you want to do well - definitely not a GPA booster

I used to take AP Econ before but douglas lecture makes me understand more detailed and the foundations of the things I learned before. The only bad thing is now I'm thinking economically all the times, but I gained a lot from the class. He uses a different approach to econ, hard class bc of realistic test questions, but an inspirational prof

Awesome professor and his textbook are very engaging and easy to understand with many real life questions. I highly suggest doing the bonus questions although it is a bit tedious.

Literally, his way of teaching is phenomenal. very charismatic and relates the material to the students with personal real-life examples. He's controversial for sure, but all in the right way.

Doug has done the unthinkable, he has made me fall in love with economics. The way he relates the concepts to real life makes it easier to understand and use.

Prof. Allen has great lectures and gives homework relevant to them, so if you attend class and do the weekly assignments, you should be fine. He uses humour and real-life examples to explain the material, and although his exams are somewhat difficult, they are fair. Overall, a great professor.

He's a really good teacher in the sense that he knows what he's doing and can teach it very well. The textbook is very important but lectures are way more important than just reading the text. Always do your practice questions. They are notoriously hard, but if you focus and pay attention, you'll eventually understand everything

The class wasn't as bad as I heard it was going to be, but definitely not the easiest. Doug is an amazing professor and his lectures are always fun to attend as he has lots of passion for economics. If you stay consistent with the readings and practice problems you will have success in the course.

Teaches economics with his own style of teaching, and rather than simply following a typical textbook, many real life examples are applied into lectures and problem sets as well making it stand out. Not an easy course, but the work you put in is the grade you'll receive.

This prof is really great and engaging. He uses real-world scenarios to make learning the content way easier. My only grudge is that he thrashes on a lot of activities, which is funny, but sometimes there is collateral. For example, he hates curling. All of his reasons to hate curling are dumb, bad, and invalid. Unlike my reasons to like curling.

Great lectures, but puts a lot of personal bias in a lot of concepts that you just have to accept as fact even if you personally disagree with. Lectures really help you understand the base concepts, textbook is easy to understand, can take getting used to wrapping your head around how the professor thinks and what he wants as an answer.

Genuine review from a rational person: Doug's lectures tend to cover the theoretical and hypothetical applications of economics instead of dreary quantitative questions...so you will actually remember things. Sure, the homework wasn't painless, but exams were completely fair if you have any bit of common sense. You will learn a lot about people.

Loved him. He explained one of the midterm questions in easy English (since it's not my first language) and gave us prayer accommodation during the final. He has incredible lectures, and this class is doable if you stay on top of things. People who dislike him probably don't study and don't try to show up in class.

A lot of people complained about the workload during this course but I personally just took it as getting my money's worth. Although quite stringent, Doug did an excellent job relating principles to real world examples. This not only helped me understand the content more but made me realize that you do really get more out of more difficult courses.

427 with Doug was by far the best course I have taken in my undergrad. His discussions are thought provoking, and his approach to economics is pragmatic. While he is a tough grader (even good writers are likely to get a low mark on his first writing assignment), he looks for improvement. Go to his office hours, do the readings, and participate.

Difficult course. Lots to cover, and it moves along at a quick pace. I wish it slowed down, and topics could be covered more extensively. The size of the class makes it hard to ask questions. Genuine person.

Awesome Professor. The definition of one. Killer lectures and to the point. Dr. Allen gives wonderful perspectives against modernity and the BS going on in modern secular society. Calls out and breaks down the gender wage gap, exposes the garbage in the economy provoking change and encouraging his students to incite it. Awesome gentleman ;)

Although he may appear intimidating at first, Douglas Allen is a caring professor who is passionate about teaching economics. Weekly homework is tough but fair and prepares you well for the midterm and final. Lectures are fun and encourage critical thinking. Overall, I highly recommend this professor.

One of the few teachers who is actually interested in what they teach. Decent amount of work but not too bad. Make sure you keep up to date with the topics or you will fall off on the later chapters. interesting course material covering alot of the basics of economics. Mainly on theory and alot of word problems. Course was enjoyable overall.

Gives great lectures but I dislike his textbook. Course is fairly easy to do well in if you put in effort. I did not study for the final and managed a C.

Wrote nothing on Exams and still passed with the 30% participation. Average is usually low so expect to get a boost with the insane curve. Expect to read his own written textbook in which you must reread it 3 times to actually understand. Whatever you learned about economics, forget it. He teaches you a different type of economics.

Hes not as scary as they make you think he is. First day of classes, he does tend to scare you but hes a very good lecturer and makes economics super interesting. Like going to his lectures. His exams are killer tho.

Doug makes this class a wakeup call for many people. During exams think how Doug would answer a question (pick up on his political views this will help answer his Qs). You MUST buy his textbook where you can practice his Qs as they are written in the same style as his exam Qs. He has a passion for econ so ask for help and he would love to discuss.

Doug Allen is a very interesting professor to just listen talk about economics, you can tell he has a vast knowledge of concepts. His lectures are pretty important to attend although he does record them. Class is marked on a curve so shouldn't be that hard to get a good mark if you study properly. The final and midterm are rough though.

Doug is a passionate prof, and it shows. To get the most from lectures, do the readings in-advance. In general, I found his textbook to be very helpful for learning and practice. I highly recommend doing all the practice problems from the book to prepare for exams since these are very similar to problems asked on exams. Hard work required.

Douglas Allen is evidently very knowledgable and passionate about economics. He always made time to answer questions and was easy to reach. To do well you need to attend every lecture and read the textbook. The course is content heavy and I did have to do outside research to complete the problem sets. Be prepared to work hard...but it's rewarding.

I had the pleasure of taking ECON 103 with Doug during the fall term. Exams were fair, and Doug's classes are really engaging. Would recommend taking it with Doug if you'd like to learn. Doug's class has been the most interesting elective I have ever taken at SFU.

As a 1st year (beedie) student I heard a lot of mixed reviews about Doug. But I enjoyed his class, the only downside was having to buy his textbook. The material itself can get confusing but it's always easy to ask Doug or the TAs (Richmond is goated) for help. There is a good amount of reading but I relied more on rewatching the recorded lectures.

Doug's lectures are engaging, but the class is quite challenging. The textbook he wrote can be tricky, so rewatching recorded lectures and using tools like unstuckstudy ai alongside the material are really helpful. Attend all classes, do the practice problems, and you'll learn a lot despite the difficulty.

Doug is incredibly entertaining to listen to. I very much so enjoyed his lectures and thought that the information he provided makes sense and is very useful. I will be continuing in the field of economics, and am very glad I got introduced to it through him. Be ready for a challenge, the material is quite heavy and requires critical analysis.

Best introduction to economics I could possibly imagine, Doug was a passionate and engaging professor. I am able to apply the principles we learned to everything in my life after taking the course with him. Unfortunately, many people taking this course are in their first semester and are not at the level required to deeply understand the topics.

I took Econ 103 with Doug in Fall 2023 last year. He's undeniably a very good lecturer and definitely goes out of his way to make the course engaging. TA's are also helpful in tutorials. Exams are difficult but curved generously. Work hard and grind the textbook, and you'll do well.

The best prof I've ever had. His tests are quite hard, but he will genuinely change the way you think, and you will be better off for it. I have ADHD and this is the only time I've ever been able to listen to lectures non-stop. Doug's course is phenomenal - don't listen to those who tell you it's too hard - it's hard, but worth it.

He's a really good prof, but oh boy, are the tests challenging. Take it if you genuinely want to learn econ concepts, but don't expect an easy ride. Worth it overall. His lectures are great

If you focus solely on what he teaches he's a good teacher, as soon as you delve into his worldview, you start running into problems. Just like in economics, he justifies his worldview but his worldview is wildly out of the norms and his justifications involve faulty research. So just focus on the topics, don't ever question his perspective.

Its a really good course, questions teach you to think critically and analyze scenarios which can be helpful for your other classes. Lectures are pretty solid too, and he's quiet funny

He's a good professor but intimidating. His midterm and final exams are difficult, although he does curve his marks. I've seen classmates abuse leaving questions blank on the exam as it grants you 30% and still passing. It's a hard course but doable if you put in the effort.

Doug Allen is the GOAT econ 103 prof

Douglas Allen is the best professor I have ever met in my life, with his insightful and engaging lectures that helped me develop the ability to think rationally. Follow this plan: read each chapter, do review questions, and solve tutorial problem sets. As a non‑native speaker, this approach earned me an A+. So impressive lecture, I'll never forget.

Honestly, if you as a business student find this class extremely challenging, you might not be cut out for theprogram. Doug Allen prepares you for university-level difficulty. People are mad that he tests you on what he says in lecture? That's the whole point of university. Go to the lectures, take notes, do practice problems, and you will be okay.

Doug is very passionate about economics and explains the concepts very well so lectures are never boring. However, when it comes to his exams, the questions are quite hard (similar to his textbook questions) but you will be saved by the insane curve. Gives you the opportunity to leave exam questions blank to get 1/3 of the mark

Some of the most amazing and engaging lectures I have ever been to. The way he connects economics principles to modern events is great. Some setbacks I would mention, a) he has his own textbook that he re-releases every couple sems forcing you to buy it (albeit, it's a decent textbook) b) his textbook doesn't have an index c) doesn't share slides

He's a very passionate prof that genuinely cares. I found his lectures very interesting and very fun to attend. Make sure to consistently practice and review as it's a course that you can easily fall behind. If you have any questions go to his office hours as he explains questions very well

Its a rewarding course if you put in the effort. I found his lectures the most engaging and fun to attend. would recommend this course.

Very good professor. Content is difficult but go to lectures and keep up with your readings and practice and you should be fine. I will say, it is definitely a tough course but the interesting lectures are worth it in my opinion.

This class honestly changed my life. Doug's a great dude and all his haters are the people who put no effort. He tells you at the start of the course that if you attend his lectures you'll pass the class, which is what I did and got a better grade than I expected. Grading is sorta tough but he curves the final marks decently. He's funny asf too

Douglas's class feels very different from any other ECON profs' classes. If you are thinking about grad school or taking economics seriously, you should take his class at least once before graduation. I am truly grateful for the experience. He always keeps his door open to help students. Fair warning: your GPA might suffer, but it is worth it.