3.0
Quality3.1
Difficulty53%
Would Retake192
Reviews53%
Would Retake
192
Reviews
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5
55
4
29
3
23
2
29
1
56
What Students Say
“There comes a point where professors must realize that their time teaching should come to an end”
POLI213 - 2.0 rating“Very hard to tell what was important or even what Dr”
POLI213 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
48%
Textbook Required
0%
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310
4.3
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4.0
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Reviews (192)
This guy is good. He is tough, but fair and you learn lots in his classes
Very helpful to students, you'll learn all the classics of theory!
Very open, hard to know where he's going at times
hot, very hot
a true right-wing Nietzschean--yikes!
The laziest prof I've ever had. A total bore. Lectures are irrevelant to exams
If you make yourself teacheable, this guy will teach you great stuff
Easy to fall asleep because he drags on, but good if you actually listen
Clearly doesn't give a damn about teaching undergraduates.
Scary, right wing man. Not particulary interested in students either.
You'll love this man if you think crime would be solved if everyone carried a gun with them all the time.
ULTRA right wing. Apparently there would be no crime in society if everybody carried a gun around...that way we could shoot anybody we see breaking a law. Not interested in teaching undergraduates...got the TA to do just about all the work for him.
Frighteningly smart - Keep an open mind going into his class, you'll be better for it.
This prof a neo-conservative bigot and quite unprofessional. He is disrespectful towards students, his expectations are vague at best and is a terrible lecturer. Less profs like him would make university a more thoughtful and critical space.
Interesting course and lecture but very unhelpful in person bordering on hostile! I guess its clear he doesnt wanna be bothered by lowly students. If I had one word to describe him I'd have to say prick.
terrible lecturer and im not even sure if hes intelligent...perhaps too old to teach ;)
Rambler this one is. He never really seems to get to a point. Takes too many words to get a point out. Hard to stay awake. And he teaches his own opinions. Though you might learn something at one point. I haven't yet, but it's possible.
This man is the epitimy of terrible teaching. It's impossible to stay awake. He never reaches a point, never tells you what to read or when to read it, doesn't mark anything and insults students. The only thing you learn from his class is his own opinions.
So hard to follow and he jumps all over the place when teaching
This guy takes entire lectures to get to a point that he can't even comprehend. He says nothing useful and every problem seems to solvable with guns. His TA did everything and the only time I learned in the class was when she taught it. If incoherent right-wing rambling is your thing he is your man.
Goofy ****... Is he still rockin the fat belt buckle?
This guy is a waste of time. DO NOT, EVER, TAKE A CLASS WITH THIS LUNATIC. I swear if you take a class with this bigot you will regret you did.
What a disgusting human being. A bigot, an ****, disrespectful and owner of a massive ego. Avoid this class, avoid this major. This guy should be the shame of the poli sci department. Completely unintellectual.
I dont get the other comments. This guy is simply brilliant.
GARBAGE
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terrible class, withdrew from it after the first lecture, this guy is really confusing, sounds like he doesn't know what he is talking about. makes you fall asleep.
what can i say? i'm in my third year, am currently taking his class and everyday i regret not having withdrawn from it before the deadline. Horrible teacher for an introductory class.
Dr. Cooper is extremely intelligent, yet he doesn't convey it to students in a way that keeps you awake... However, if you go to all of his lectures, and have the luxury of a laptop, copy down everything that seems important. His tests were all open book and it is an easy A- or B+.
At some points in the course he angered me, and at other points he confused me. But, in the end it all came together and I really came to enjoy both the class and his style of teaching. I would definetly take another class with Cooper.
Dr. Cooper is very smart, he knows his stuff and does not take fools lightly. At times understanding what is going on takes everything you got, and sometimes that is even not enough. however take this class with Dr. Cooper if you can you will learn more than you would in any normal semester, but be prepared to read and think philosophically.
He isn't really clear in lectures, but for a seminar class he offers a lot of great insights and challenges students to really think about political philosophy. If you want an easy class you can relax in, take something with Dube, if you want serious political philosophy, Cooper's the best choice in the UofC Poli Sci dept, bar none.
Just because a prof has conservative political leanings does not mean they are a bigot. I found Dr. Cooper very interesting and really smart. Sometimes in his lectures, it's hard to figure out what to write down, though, so just try to scribble down as much as you can.
You love him or hate him. You need to understand that he does political philosophy so don't expect anything else. Really great for seminar classes. He is super funny too in a smaller setting. Probably wouldn't recommend taking lower level classes from him, but if you like poli phil take his seminars.
Overall, a poor professor. Lectures were disorganized and the marking scheme for exams and papers was unfair and random. Showing up to office hours is useless since he often just refers you to the TA. Dr. Cooper is one of the reasons why I am no longer a Poli Sci major.
An excellent professor.
One of my favorite profs at the U of C. I'll admit he has a certain "style" that not everyone can work well with, but he knows his stuff and got me to think about the material more than any other prof I've had.
An awesome professor. He knows his stuff and is approachable. He loves what he's teaching however has a unique teaching style that some may have trouble getting used too. He is a pretty easy marker if you put in some effort. Over all an awesome prof and I will take many more classes with him.
I am extremely upset that I had to spend an entire semester reading a book that my professor can't comprehend. I wish I had taken the other POLI 310 section. Never went to class. Pointless to go because he makes zero sense and talks about everything but what we are supposed to be learning.
DR. COOPER IS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE. I REALLY ENJOYED HIS CLASS.
Dr. Cooper is one of the most knowledgeable professors at the U of C. You might now always agree with what he says but as you learn more you will quickly realize that YOU ARE WRONG. He is a master of applying the old political (sometimes dry) philosophy in the modern context. An amazing professor.
While he spent a tremendous amount of time on the Republic and little on Machiavelli, his teaching style was dry but very easy to understand and follow. All tests were open book, so if you actually take notes there's no reason not to get A's on them all. A little more challenging for the papers, but still easy enough to get a good grade. Recommend!
Pretty decent guy. The class is not that exciting and the texts are a bit hard to get through but just use sparknotes or any other variation, very helpful! All tests are open book and he's a fairly easy marker too. He usually gives away test questions in class as well. This class is full year however, but I'd still recommend it with this guy.
The best thing about University of Calgary.
tests are open book but they aren't super easy. take good notes. he's somewhat vague when explaining directions. put in your best effort even when he says "there's no tricks, just answer the question and you get 100%". so, write until you have nothing more to write. no powerpoints. there is a small attendance mark as well. loved the class.
Fantastic prof with an expansive knowledge of political theory. Not great at replying to emails, but still a solid guy.
Be careful he is a rambler...I have no idea what he is saying half the time. We fly through plato so fast that if you don't read your lost. Random marker. Answer test questions the same as the same as the words that come out of his mouth
Such a rambler I'm not sure what I was supposed to learn or take away. I received a 60 on a test and upon arguing it I raised it to an 80. The answers were RIGHT, just not in HIS words. Didn't reply to any emails I sent. Eventually dropped the course to be safe. Fantastic material, not communicated well AT ALL.
Not very clear, easy, or helpful really... but I love the guy. His lectures are pretty boring most of the time, but he often does some fantastic analysis of the text, and overall I really enjoy his style of teaching. Marks on tests are very arbitrary, and it is always hard to to very well with an A cutoff at 90.
He is the most amazing Prof, I took over 5 courses with Dr. Cooper and is by far the most knowledgable prof I have had. He has always inspired me to do more and to broaden my horizons, he makes you think! He is very outspoken and doesn't care what people think! He is also very fair and accommodating when it comes to assignments and grading.
He seems like a nice guy, but his class was NOT a good experience for me. He gives vague, rambling lectures in which you learn practically nothing. The grading was very harsh, and I had no idea how to succeed. The grading was done by his TA, who loves talking down to students and giving low grades. He even made fun of a woman for her weight!
This professor gave me one of the worst experiences I've had. His lectures are incredibly boring to listen to as he rambles on about useless material. There is a lack of criteria for the grading used and the TA marks the papers without proper justification. Take the class with another professor if possible.
He is definitely a rambler which makes his lectures difficult to follow, but Dr. Cooper was not the worst part of this class. The TA did all of the marking for the course and was a ridiculously difficult grader. Would take marks off for the most pointless reasons and wouldn't give feedback that could actually help you do better in the future.
Dr. Cooper seems to be very knowledgeable in the material he is teaching. However, he struggles at actually communicating it. He rambles and does not provide lecture notes. The class I took was an intro class and the material covered was definitely not intro level stuff. When asking questions, I felt I didn't receive clear or helpful answers.
Dr. Cooper by far is the best Professor I had during my years as an undergraduate student at University of Calgary. I took over 6 courses with him as he taught me how to think more than any other Professor. I learned how to articulate myself mush more efficiently and write better. I strongly recommend Dr. Cooper's courses in Political Thought.
At the beginning of the semester I was not a fan, but I now really enjoy this class. Dr. Cooper is kinda funny in his own way and his lectures are very interesting to listen to. A lot of people get butt-hurt from them, so stay away if you're easily offended. The TA does most of the marking, but he marks pretty fairly.
Very heavy lectures, I found it was difficult to know when he was genuinely talking about course content and when he was just ranting. Lectures were unorganized as he jumped back and forth from topic to topic. He had his moments of humour and his office hours were usually somewhat helpful. Another perk was that the midterm and final open book.
Lectures are very confusing and disorganized. As a first year course, it was a disappointment, as the majority of material was very ambiguous. It's hard to pick out what is important what isn't as he constantly rambles. I could see the benefit of taking a higher level course (400/500/600 level) with him, but there are better options for first year
This class was easy, midterm and final are open book and a 10% participation bonus The lectures may be confusing but common themes relate the material and make it relevant to the course I find his lectures interesting as he adds his own comments and they're funny and the events are pretty interesting. His TA takes a long time to mark though.
Best prof ever, everything was open book. You dont need to show up because his tests are incredibly easy. Had to read only one book, the times I went he was pretty funny. Marks pretty good!
Midterm&Final are open book but you need to pay attention/show up to the lectures or else your notes won't help you bc everything is very specific. 10% bonus for attendance is nice. Wouldn't have gotten a good mark w/o a study group, make friends to share notes with. If it's in the morning, bring coffee because his voice will put you to sleep.
His lectures are very confusing and hard to follow and his powerpoints didn't help. Powerpoints had very basic information and It was hard to tell whether what was was talking about was relevant or not.
He's awesome and the new TA is so funny and awesome. If you show up, you're guaranteed to pass because everything is open book so you just use your notes from class. Even if you don't show up, just google everything during the open book exam and you're golden.
There comes a point where professors must realize that their time teaching should come to an end. There was little direction in this class when it came to lectures. Often times he would go off on tangents and rant on about stuff that was seemingly pointless. There is no enthusiasm to his teaching and it was more than often impossible to focus.
Retirement is imminent for this man. His antiquated and often offensive views would be fine if he did not cite his own personal belief as fact that contradicts real peer reviewed research. His lack of belief in global warming and climate change is dismissive and destructive to real conclusive research being made by the WHO and governments globally.
BORING. Paper at the end is pointless and useless. Not the easiest class.
Good professor. People that don't like him shouldn't be taken political thought classes because that's just the way these classes are no matter what prof you get
Very hard to tell what was important or even what Dr. Cooper was talking about. I found there was no structure to lectures, each powerpoint slide consisted of 7-12 words (we stayed on the same slide the whole class), very hard to understand the point of what he was saying. The 12 pages essay was brutal, along with the essay final. Very hard marker
Considerable amount of reading, but his summaries help you understand some of the philosophical complexities you may have missed. Fairly clear on how you will be evaluated (except for some ambiguity in participation marks). Overall, I wasn't sure what to expect (as political philosophy is not really my area) but he made the material interesting.
I took this class in the fall and while I often found it hard to follow along and the assignment's expectations were not always clear, I actually surprisingly enjoyed this class and got to take a liking to Cooper. I initially found some of the things he was saying to be obscure and pretty crazy, I slowly began to understand what he was getting at
I'm often skeptical when reading these reviews, but he just isn't worth it. Vague, disorganized, and often apathetic teaching style. The course itself was easy but it was a pain to get through. He needs to retire or at least stop teaching 200 level courses and if people stop taking his classes this might happen sooner.
The TA marking the paper is really the only area that drops your grade. She nitpicks the paper and will remove marks for every small thing. Cooper's midterm and final are easy As. However, Cooper does not give feedback, so it's hard to know what could be improved on.
Perhaps one of the worst professors at the University of Calgary. Really ruined my experience in a Political Science class.
To do well in Dr. Cooper's classes, you must attend lecture, as he does not tend to use textbooks. In fact, the texts for this specific class were never used for examination. He does mark relatively hard (this was my only class below an A or A+), but just expects new and unique ideas to appear on his midterm and final essay, to achieve higher marks
Dr. Cooper has some strong opinions that may come off as controversial however it's sure to spark conversation in class
His teaching style is hard to follow; he just reads off the textbook with no enthusiasm.
His teaching style is flawed; he just reads off the textbook with no enthusiasm, which makes it very hard to follow along.
Such a gem. This was one of my roughest semesters ever, I was constantly behind, he made sure I didn't have to drop the class by being accommodating with deadlines. The lectures were honestly great, he's got very interesting and original opinions but presents things fairly objectively. He really makes you think outside the box.
Barry was actually a really good Professor. You need to come to his class with an open mind though. Show up to his class and take good notes and youll likely do really well in the class. I missed a good portion of the first part of semester and still got an A on the midterm.
Be open minded and think for yourself. Required readings aren't really required. It's mostly to expand your perspective. Everything is written, with a take-home final essay. Only graded by three things, and I managed to easily get A's on everything by providing specific examples from class lectures. His lectures are dry, so share notes w/ friends.
In Uni you have a lot of the same perspectives. Take Cooper if you are willing to listen to other perspectives. Show up and write everything he says. Midterms are open book (yet my lowest grade). Put passion and effort into the papers because its not that difficult. You have to think about what he says on a deeper level.
Work hard and youll be fine
I was extremely confused by the grading in this class. Very unclear instructions for the assignments, and the TA graded most papers despite not showing up to the classes. Extremely biased perspectives on the part of the Professor, including omitting certain information in order to convince us his opinions were fact.
Cooper is a decent guy and even though his perspective is a bit out of touch with the average uni kid, you can't deny that he does know what he's talking about (most of the time). I thought lectures were a bit boring, but Cooper is genuinely hilarious at times so I think it makes up for it. Overall, would only recommend if you like poli sci.
I like Barry as a person, but as an educator not too much. His lectures are very cryptic sometimes, and I can see how his opinions are a little shocking to some. His lectures are informative if you know how to read between the lines, however he sometimes gets pretty off track, and can be a little preachy.
Barry doesn't upload the lecture slides so you have to go to class. Most of your notes will come from listening to Barry rather than the powerpoint. Open book midterm, 10 page term paper, 10 page final exam paper. Everything was graded fairly and was straightforward. Barry doesn't like trick questions so his essay questions are fairly easy.
Dr. Cooper is one of the best profs in this uni. As a mature student, I appreciate how he is getting younger students to think for themselves and not just go along with the current popular narratives. The people who call his views "dangerous" or "out of touch" have completely missed the opportunity to be a free thinker. Take his classes!
Barry Cooper is a twisted individual masquerading as a professor. The man has clearly never listened to a single lecture concerning the connection of greenhouse gasses and climate change. He should have been booted out of the University a long time ago if they have any respect for scientific practice.
Barry Cooper is an excellent teacher despite what the rating says. The type of content Barry presents is very content-heavy, and especially delivered online it was hard. However, I am glad that a professor of intellect and knowledgeability was able to teach me. As he says in his first lecture, his class is "not job training" so don't complain.
It is obvious that Dr Cooper cares about what he is talking about, that being said I wished I had dropped this course . He does not provide feedback. His views can be brutal and hard to listen to- they are very different from the typical uni student. You don't actually have to read the books, the Mansfield one was particularly bad to get through
DR. COOPER IS AWFUL STAY AWAY!!! This man rambles incoherently constantly and it is impossible to figure out what the hell is going on. In the online format he was impossible to get ahold of for clarification, and his email responses were short and gave no information. The only way to get a good mark in this class is to pander to his exact views.
Those who say they have a grade for the fall term are a joke as he hasnt released them yet. Secondly, if dont have an open mind, dont take the course. Barry has differing views from the general uni leftists. That being said he welcomes other views but doesnt agree with them. These other reviews are just close minded which Barry tries to combat.
Barry Cooper is the least considerate person I know. He cares very little about his students and abuses the fact he has tenure. What a terrible prof, and an inconsiderate human.
Not even bad grading rubric/criteria, there was NONE. This course was all writing with no direction. Was going through this course blind and the final grades were extremely late. Don't take a course with him.
Cooper does nothing but use his status to push objectively false world ideas like how climate change isn't real. I got an A- on all the tests but come midterm and final ended with an F because I dared use historical examples to discredit a paper called "on being conservative". He says "as long as you have good ideas you'll pass", which isn't true
Dr. Cooper, despite his claims to the contrary, is quite the "dogmatic" professor; he ranted at length about his own beliefs while claiming to crusade against more left-leaning professors who did the same. Pushes dangerous ideas like claiming climate change to be false, gives better marks to those who share his views. Final grades were very late.
I took this course online with Professor Cooper. He tends to ramble on about personal experiences, however, I found his teachings very interesting. I had a great experience in his class, unlike other reviewers. His quizzes are very simple and his grading is fair. I would definitely take another class with him!
Cooper is a breath of fresh air for Political Science students who are sick and tired of the same old agenda being pushed on us. He is one of the few professors in this department who respects the field enough to not force an opinion on you. He is beyond knowledgeable and professional. That being said, his classes are kind of hard LOL.
Barry Cooper is a truth teller, and a truth lover as well. he is a true conservative and a critic of government actions as he knows that media/politicians are corrupted and topics such as climate change and Covid are there to control people's behaviour. Barry wants to teach the truth but unfortunately students are already manipulated by media.
This was one of the first political science courses I have taken, and I wasnt sure what to expect. He was very very knowledgeable and used many personal examples explaining topics. The amount of experience in the field makes him very respectable, and though he might not know how to fully work YouTube, he is a very smart prof. Would recommend!!
POLI 213 was honestly a great introductory course for university in general. I did not agree with professor Cooper's views on various things and I made that clear through the graded assignments, BUT he did not let his views influence the grading. It did take a while for assignments to be released, but I found him to be a very fair marker.
Barry Cooper is an absolute G. Lectures were interesting and he gives great examples for everything he talks about. Quizzes were easy and the two papers were doable! Barrys outfit choices were top notch which just added to the whole experience. Sit to the front of the class though because if you dont you wont be able to hear him.
POLI 213 is designed to prepare students for higher-level courses, hence the cryptic lectures and grading criteria. Otherwise, many of the reviews below are by students who expect their political opinions to be pandered to. POLI 213 is specifically designed to challenge conventions. If you are tolerant, you will enjoy Dr. Cooper's class.
Good class but TA expected his mental illness to be pandered to
Great class, stellar TA John Gabriel Cabayao (JG), was really accommodating with extensions
Dr. Cooper is okay. He just wants to talk about the books he assigns, so if you do that, it'll be okay. He also has some difficult politics that may be challenging for some students, but if you can get over it, you will learn some things.
Barry Cooper is cool, it was interesting when he revealed to the class that him and Mike Duffy shared the same father, that was coo
He doesn't believe in climate change, openly admitted to having been offered sex by students in order for them to receive good grades, and is overtly sexist. Not sure why the university has given him a platform to spread his harmful views and conduct dialect which is counteractive societal progress. None-the-less, his course material is interesting
Dr. Cooper's class is designed to challenge specific political conventions, and convey the message that politics are inherently controversial. Past reviews are most likely left by those who do not agree with Cooper's ideology, and are resenting him for not pandering to their politics. TA JG Cabayo made the class better and deserves recognition.
Barry Cooper is an acquired taste. Personally, I loved hearing how common conventions looked from the other point of view. He rambles a lot in lecture, but if you take notes youll be fine. If your paper shows that you understand what he was saying, youll get a good grade. If you try and reject his ideas completely, youll get a bad one.
A legend.
people say that Dr. Cooper is a bad prof but he really isn’t that bad. As someone who disagreed with almost everything he said, it wasn’t that bad.He doesn’t try to push his opinion but he explains why people have those opinions. the worst thing about his class was our final paper. it was worth 50% but he gave for 1 word feedback notes
A really weird class, lectures are hard to take notes for but usually pretty interesting if you're able to follow them. He definitely has some controversial views but it's good for starting conversation in class and keeping you engaged. Probably wouldn't take a class with him again but it was a fun one
such a king. Cooper I love you. Based AF, easy marker, listens to students, will cut you slack if you talk to him, best prof ever. Conservative? Take any class with him. Liberal idiot? Dont i guess.
Professor Cooper is knowledgable around certain political ideologies. His point of view is certainly skewed towards a moderate conservative mindset, however. Origins of Conservative/Liberal ideologies was good, Feminism/Environmentalism were horrible. Sexist/no science in req. textbook. Marked easy, due to T.A marking 50%. FINAL WORTH 50% 10pg :')
He is very wise and cares about students marks
I rated him low because I felt that at the end of the class, I learned absolutely nothing. His quizzes were just a few prompts answered with a paragraph or two about topics that most people nowadays don't need to pay $600 for a white dude to explain for 2 hours. The final was a 10-pager asking what you learned. I was inclined to write "nothing."
For 213 write down what he says in the lectures and you should be set for his quizzes, there open book. The papers you write are long for first year standards but not too difficult. Some of his view points are a little problematic but overall a decent GPA booster for Poli students and the readings are not mandatory I got by just fine without them.
Good prof, relatively easy and interesting course.
Course felt a little all over the place. However, exams were simple and straightforward and not to difficult. Very interesting lectures.
The bar to be a good prof is so low it's a tripping hazard in hell, and yet, Cooper is limbo-dancing with the Devil. From what little I saw, Cooper is arrogant, egotistical, and focuses on indoctrination over teaching. His classes are GPA boosters if you stroke his ego enough, but I dropped the class before that, and you should too.
Cooper's lectures were just him saying random things with little to no evidence backing them up, mostly denying climate change. He made some good points but ruined them with the examples he gave. The entire course was graded on two papers each worth 50%, and we didn't get any feedback until the last day of class. Avoid taking him if you can.
Learned absolutely nothing. Going on d2l for resources was a pain due to the resources he provided being all over the place, you just didn't know where to even begin. Course was made up of two papers, both worth 50% of your grade. The final exam asked you to write a 10 page essay on what you learned in the course. On the other hand the TA was cool.
Lectures were dry but he gives clear interpretations of the book, History of the Peloponnesian War. Lets you choose your own topic for the paper. The final was a take-home paper that lets you choose from 5 possible questions, open book, open to any sources, etc. His opinions might be controversial, but boy is he an easy marker.
STAY AWAY IF POSSIBLE !!! Barry Cooper is a dry lectuer with no enthausim. Class is graded on two papers which are not even given back to you until after the deadline. Grading criteria is unclear because there is NO criteria given. Would not recomend
No structured lectures, the topic of discussion seems to be decided on a whim. Assignments makes or breaks your grades as there are only two, and both are worth 50% of your marks. Moreover, there's no criteria for marking the papers and the grades seem to be decided arbitrarily. You don't get your marks back up until after the deadline for dropping
As much as people dislike Dr. Cooper, I believe that he is a good prof. Although this class was graded on only two papers, as long as you put time and effort into your paper, it is hard not to get a good mark on them. The TA on the other hand was not the best as he didn't get the marking in on time, which caused a lot of frustration for students.
Till this day I do not have any feedback for the final I wrote in this class. I did not even realize that it was graded until I saw my final mark, upon seeing I immediately took the time to ask about it he said that he does not have a reason to change it. How do you not have a reason to change it if can't provide a reason for how I earned it.
He's definitely off of his rocker but my friend and I have both grown fond of him? My final paper was pretty much me saying I didn't agree with any of his opinions and he still gave me B lol. Lectures are interesting solely cuz he's just rambling about the most unhinged topics he can find. Taking him again next semester for funzies tho
Its Barry Cooper, what do you expect? He did not communicate with his TA's as to how they were supposed to grade our assignments which led to some contradictions. The final exam is basically a full essay but you have five days to write it. The best part of POLI 326 was when he said that Elon Musk is the digital Socrates.
Based
Barry Cooper is truly a professor of all time. If you've never taken a class with Cooper, it is very hard to adjust to it as there are no rubrics and no criteria on how to do well. Besides that, his ability to relate Ancient Greek dialogues to modern-day politics is truly a talent like no other. His dry humor is also always appreciated.
Took this course as a freshman. The content wasn't hard, just reading books. However, the professor's unclear criteria, self-contradictions, and resulting confusion were challenging. It's an essay-heavy course, but without clear writing guidelines. Additionally, a major essay is graded by a TA who seems to not read or evaluate fairly.
Cooper is an excellent prof and not a difficult grader. The poor reviews come from people who lack common sense. If you are someone who needs very defined criteria you will not do well in his classes as he offers no Powerpoints. I wouldn't recommend his courses if you are straight out of high school since he won't spoon-feed you like other profs.
He's old school. No PowerPoint, no rubrics, and no additional feedback for assignments. Tbh he's not my preferred prof, but the assignments weren't that bad. Lectures are boring tho which is why I barely went
Barry Cooper isnt a prof for everybody, he will not hold your hand like other profs His lectures can be a be a bit all forward the place but if you read the texts you will be okay Really nice guy to talk to to and will help you if you approach him Some of his opinions can be a but bit odd but he is still a good prof who is caring and there to help.
Dr. Cooper is an awful professor. His lectures are very dull, not engaging, boring and often not even aligned with the course material. Doesn't give any grading criteria or rubrics since he doesn't believe in one. Doesn't provide TA's with clear instructions either so they're very different in terms of assessment. Overall wouldn't recommend!
There are a lot of bad reviews on here and Dr. Cooper does not deserve them. If you're open in your political viewpoint and actually listen to what he has to say he is a very intelligent and interesting professor. He grades on 2 exams and a paper, both the exams are take-home and he gives 2 weeks to do them. 10/10 professor.
Barry Cooper is a amazing professor, he does not deserve these negative reviews. If you read the texts and listen to his explanations on them you are golden.Sure his political views are a bit different but that is uni you have to be open to new ideas and views.His grading is very fair and consistent, overall Cooper grew on me throughout the term.
Dr. Cooper is okay I guess. His lectures are super boring and he doesn't really give too much clarity on the texts, and will make you write papers like no one's business. He also didn't release the grades for the final and essentially told students via email that if they try and challenge their grades they could be lowered. Not my kinda prof :/
Really nice guy, always willing to help, is a fair grader, sure his political views are a bit unique but thats uni youre not here to have your views to be catered to.Course is 3 papers, all graded fair, in fact Cooper was a more reasonable grader then his TAs. Read the text and come with a open mind youre set, he can also be funny with jokes.
COOPER IS A KING plain and simple.
My biggest regret is not withdrawing from this course.
This prof is kinda a joke. Just rambles on about about his own beliefs. No course syllabus, no lecture plan, no textbook, only listening to his rambling and doing your own reading/research.
Other reviews are over blown, give this guy a chance. Prof Cooper is a really nice man allways willing to help and guide students, sure his views are different but thats uni. He is also a really easy grader, ultimately he doesnt your hold your hand its uni your expected to be independent, take him with no hestation, really nice guy and funny !!
The prof has a unique style, but if you engage with it, the class works well. The textbook and lectures cover the material, and Unstuck AI was super helpful for study prep. Stay focused, and you'll learn a lot.
Awful lecturer, talked very quiet and was hard to hear. Fostered an extremely disrespectful learning environment. Only provided right-wing political material to review and frequently read from the Christian Bible. He did not handle criticism well in class discussion or professor evaluation.
Overall,, unique style of lectures that have no google slides / textbooks, strictly him discussing the concepts... you know...lecturing. Write names, places, dates, concepts and do your own research to fully understand it He will mention everything you need, but only glaze it.
Honestly, it is the most enjoyable & fun class I have taken. At first, I was skeptical due to his Wikipedia page and rates. He does not have "right-wing" views, he talks about the bible once, many people do not like his class due to its "controversy," but that's what poli sci is all about. He talks about other philosophers' perspectives, not his!
Many students complain about Dr. Cooper saying that he does not post rubrics or notes. Welcome to the real world first year students. Taking Dr. Coopers class will make you think and question your ideas. Go into this class with an open mind.
Great prof
Love this man, super chill and funny lectures !
You are my sunshine My only sunshine You make me happy When skies are gray You'll never know, dear How much I love you Please don't take My sunshine away greatest of all time, 10/10 professor, second to none.
Love this man plain and simple, he is a king
Professor Cooper is quite the polarizing individual. Some say his opinions and teachings styles are outdated, and I can agree with that as all he brings to lectures are his notes. Though, once you get to know the guy and his political takes, I'm sure you'll enjoy the guy. Wouldn't mind taking again.
Endless yap fest
Professor Cooper is not for everybody. Nevertheless, choice of topics are great and he fosters debates. I personally like him. Come to his class with an open mind
Beware of some of these reviews, there are students who worship him and claim they got an A when the final grades weren't even out and now they are in the discord complaining about their grades. Basically it's all about how you argue your essays, none of the content you learn will be put to use and it is very unorganized. Risky course overall.
Literally the stereotypical professor that high school teachers warn you about.
Barry Cooper is amazing, a icon, and a legend. I am Barrys biggest fan, he is a ray of sunshine at U of C, Barry cooper is a king, he is the boss who opens new perspectives upon life. He is humurous, he is kind, he is Barry Cooper, the Poli sci king. Barry is what every prof ought to be.
One prof I will be avoiding for the rest of my academic career.
Somehow every red flag in one professor.
If a sessional acted the way he does, they would not be asked to return, let's just say that.
Love him, come with an open mind and go to class and you'll be fine.
Total Chad. Greatest UCalgary teacher of all time. Barry's deep political analysis will only resonate with a select few high iq individuals. Libtards beware. Attend his lectures, pay close attention, and you will gain a deep understanding of Cooperian gnosticism, Donkey Hote, windmills, and the 2nd reality. Prepare to have the time of your life
Biased and not open to debate
Call me crazy but I just don't like profs who grade arbitrarily and pretend there's nothing to talk about.
Took this course during block week. He's a funny and engaging professor, but writing 25 pages as a 2nd-year student was intense. His feedback isn't always clear, but he marks easily if you follow his instructions closely. Overall, I'd probably take another class with him again.
Yeah the definition of tenured professor privileges.
Barry Cooper is by far my favourite prof in the department. He gets a lot of hate for his lecture style but he's brilliant if you just give it a chance and listen. No powerpoints or videos he just knows his stuff. Will give extra credit if you attend lecture consistently.
Easy class - google can teach you more than whatever he talks about. Poor communication between him and his TAs on grading criteria. He'll say stuff that gives you whiplash, ignore constructive criticism, and honestly, only here because he's tenured. Even if you pay attention to his lectures, you'll learn nothing. He's paid to do nothing.
Barry is the U of C poli sci Chad .
The people on here who are hating just do not understand the way Cooper teaches. I have taken as many classes with him as I can and every time I am truly amazed by how knowledgeable and funny he truly is. He appreciates and rewards hard work and students who show up to class every day. As long as you show up to class, take notes, you'll do great
I am jealous of those in other departments that don't have to put up with this stereotype of a professor.
It take a very "special" kind of person to like this guy, if you know what I mean. Emphasis on special.
I'd rather be graded by AI than this prof any day.
Very old school lecturer. Not inspiring.
A prof for the Far-Right.
The people who leave bad reviews on Dr. Cooper are the people who don't show up to class and don't put in any effort. Dr. Cooper is one of the most fascinating and intelligent professors I have ever met. He knows what he is talking about, grades fairly, rewards showing up to class, and he's easy to talk to and he knows so so much! 10/10
A typical Prof from maybe the 1960's.
The only thing positive I can say about this man is he is one of a kind... in all the worst ways. Get ready to write a 12 page essay for 50% of you grade as a final in a first year class after spending 3 months with a man who genuinely does not believe in climate change and cannot lecture to save his life. Drop immediately if he's your prof.
His classes are a safe space for the Far-Right.
First day of class and dude has already asserted himself to be an absolute chad. If ur liberal drop this course
Profs like this are the reason they should consider bringing back mandatory retirement.
Man! Where do I even begin? Such a CHAD!!! Barry Cooper, I have dreams of only wanting professors like yourself. Barry Cooper, absolute Chad. In halls of thought where big brains gather, One name shines bright, no mind is badder. Barry Cooper, bold and rad, Let's be honest—he's an absolute chad!
This is a class where you need to attend class; the professor doesn't update the D2L so it can be difficult to catch up if you've missed a considerable amount of lectures. I enjoyed his lectures and teaching style but its def not for everyone. Go in with an open mind!
You can't hear him, but at least he fosters a fun environment. Realistically, this guy is a solid 3/5, but I have to go against the communists rating him a 1. His "right-wing" points are so subtle it's tough to notice. Considering most professors are left-wing, its refreshing in political science to hear different opinions on relevant topics.
I don't get why he sticks around, he's like 90. I don't get why he doesn't just retire, he could do so much outside of the university. I bet there are many younger conservative professors that would happily take his spot, but be fair with grading.
He's just so great. I mean, what a CHAD! I honestly loved his class because he was very engaging and the whole class loved him. Lots of discussions within classes, they are very funny and everyone loved him. I very much recommend him, classes are pretty easy. Wish all you guys the same amount of fun I had in this class!
ts js pmo so bad
vague about assignments (only 2, both worth 50% of your grade) quiet and won't turn the mic up, half of the 'facts' he presents are just wrong and argues with students that correct him, genuinely conspiracy-level stuff. recommended so many super right-wing readings/perspectives and no left wing anything. biased and just not a great class.
The definition of someone becoming a professor for the wrong reasons.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
48%
Textbook Required
0%
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A-
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5.0
(1)POLI413
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(3)POLI328
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310
4.3
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