4.3

Gerard Boychuk

Political Science - University of Waterloo

4.3
Quality
2.9
Difficulty
71%
Would Retake
98
Reviews
4.3
Quality
2.9
Difficulty
4.2
Helpful
4.3
Clarity

71%

Would Retake

98

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

68

4

12

3

9

2

4

1

5

What Students Say

Not a good professor in my opinion

PSCI264 - 2.0 rating

I didnt really like him

PSCI101 - 3.0 rating
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

67%

Textbook Required

67%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

77% confidence
Based on 9 grades
Most common grades:
A (3)
B+ (2)
A+ (2)
Grade Distribution
A(5)B(0)C(1)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(3)
Based on 10 reported grades
A: 3
B+: 2
A+: 2
C+: 1
Common Tags
Amazing lectures (2)
Participation matters (2)
Clear grading criteria (1)
GROUP PROJECTS (1)
Tough Grader (1)
Skip class? You won't pass. (1)
Tests are tough (1)
Gives good feedback (1)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.37 avg change
Sep
Dec
Dec
Jan
Dec
Jul
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

331332

5.0

(1)

PSCI332

5.0

(5)

PSCI431

5.0

(1)

PSCI331A

5.0

(1)

PSCI102

5.0

(1)
+27 more courses
Difficulty by Course

331

5.0

PSCI264USGOV

4.5

POLISCI110

4.0

PSCIMANY

4.0

CANADIANPOL

4.0

Reviews (98)
5.0
2.0
PSCI332
Jul 4, 2001

Has a funny way of saying "yah"; cool guy; good prof

5.0
2.0
PSCI102M
Jul 18, 2001

Great prof! - very nice, laid-back, extremely helpful!!

5.0
3.0
PSCI431
Jan 24, 2002

Really laidback and smart. He actually wants students to do well

5.0
3.0
PSCI331A
Jan 30, 2002

Biggest crush on this guy... smart, caring, nice sexy eyes!!

5.0
4.0
332
Feb 4, 2002

total hottie, shouldn't wear t-shirts though

4.0
2.0
PSCI102M
Feb 4, 2002

if he just dyed his hair he'd look so much younger

5.0
1.0
PSCI102
Grade: A
Feb 9, 2002

All that and a bag of chips.

5.0
3.0
POL
Feb 12, 2002

Totally cool

5.0
1.0
PSCI102M
Feb 28, 2002

A very reasonable prof. And the online tutorials are great!

5.0
2.0
PSI260A
Mar 11, 2002

No Comments

4.0
3.0
PSCI331
Mar 18, 2002

No Comments

5.0
4.0
PSCI332
Mar 19, 2002

My favourite proff, this is my third time having him in two years, really smart

5.0
4.0
PSCI260A
Mar 22, 2002

I agree with the hairdye...sexiest prof I've met!

5.0
3.0
331332
Grade: C+
Mar 22, 2002

Accomodates all comments. Dye job: no way, keep it grey - looks dignified!

5.0
2.0
PSCI260A
Mar 30, 2002

The sexiest man alive.. He is my idol..

5.0
3.0
PSCI260A
Apr 1, 2002

Boychuk RULES! GQ's man of the year!!

5.0
3.0
PSCI108M
Apr 1, 2002

BOYCHUK RULES!!! You should see him in his golf shirts .. BREATHTAKING

5.0
1.0
260A
Apr 1, 2002

You should see him dressed up as a cowboy

5.0
3.0
PSCI332
Apr 3, 2002

Man...he's married..but damn..cute! nice! smart!! but he's taken :(

5.0
2.0
PSCI102M
Apr 3, 2002

I now what to take all his classes in the future!

5.0
4.0
PSCI102M
Apr 3, 2002

No Comments

5.0
1.0
PSCI102M
Apr 9, 2002

By Far, The Best Prof I've Had At University So Far. Couldn't Be Better Sir !!!!

5.0
4.0
PSCI102M
Apr 10, 2002

Lots of chances to do well in the course. What a cutie.

5.0
3.0
PSCI332
May 10, 2002

One of the best profs at UW! (And very sexy, too!)

5.0
3.0
PSCI331
May 10, 2002

He's friendly, courteous, and shows genuine concern for his students. A++

5.0
2.0
PSCI332
Jul 10, 2002

No Comments

5.0
3.0
PSCI264
Oct 17, 2002

So HOT!.....love the way he talk, very clear, very sexy, interesting class.

5.0
2.0
PSCI102M
Grade: B+
Oct 22, 2002

Pure Genius - Would take his classes again

5.0
3.0
PSCI331
Oct 29, 2002

He's the Messiah of Public Admin.. Yeah, that's Right!

5.0
4.0
PSCI331
Nov 5, 2002

WOW WHAT A HOTTIE..nice blue eyes you melt! so smart...cute and caring!!!!!!

5.0
3.0
PSCI264
Dec 3, 2002

So cute and clear...I love his powerpoint!

5.0
2.0
PSCI264
Dec 9, 2002

An amazing prof! I can't wait to do another course with him!

5.0
5.0
PSCI
Feb 13, 2003

Great prof.. his exams are VERY hard though

5.0
2.0
PS110
Mar 7, 2003

Great teacher. Amazing

3.0
5.0
PSCI110
Mar 24, 2003

No Comments

3.0
5.0
PSCI110
Apr 5, 2003

I'd rather watch paint dry then sit through another class of his...

5.0
3.0
PSCI110
Jun 17, 2003

Very well organized, very clear, interesting use of videos, guest lectures, etc. Take this class!

5.0
3.0
PSCI
Jun 25, 2003

The BEST poli sci prof at UW! He is brilliant, charismatic, and very thoughtful of others. He is receptive to the needs of students and goes out of his way to help people. A+++++++

5.0
3.0
PSCI110
Jul 10, 2003

Interesting lectures. Excellent use of PowerPoint & videos. However grading practices leave much to be desired.

4.0
3.0
PSCI365
Jul 16, 2003

Follow his class notes to a tee and follow the template for the essays to a tee, and you're guaranteed a 75%!

5.0
3.0
PSCI365
Jul 25, 2003

Great class! I highly recommend it.

4.0
2.0
PSCI260A
Aug 20, 2003

HOT HOT HOT HOT. Best looking prof at UW.

5.0
3.0
PSCI491
Sep 18, 2003

One of my favorite PSCI profs at Waterloo. Fair, balanced, is not interested in Ideology, not in class anyway; will consider all student views. He makes Political Science,particularily public policy, a SCIENCE, and is amazingly charismatic and helpful.

5.0
2.0
PSCI365
Oct 9, 2003

Awesome prof! Well thought out lecture material, excellent notes, very well organized, excellent textbook and suplimentary material. Essay topics were interesting and challenging but not hard. Very helpful and easily accessible.

3.0
3.0
PSCI600
Oct 18, 2003

He's a bit dry, definately a hard marker and likes to get a lot of work out of his students. BUT he's so genuine that it's worth taking his courses just to know him as a prof.

5.0
2.0
PSCI365
Oct 24, 2003

You will learn alot. Ask questions and follow his templates. Straight forward teacher who is ready to help at any time !

4.0
2.0
POLYSCI
Dec 29, 2003

Good prof. Need more of these people teaching.

5.0
3.0
PSCI110
Mar 1, 2004

Excellent and interesting class. Interesting readings. You will learn a lot of interesting information. Excellent use of powerpoint and guest speakers. Tough exams and essays, very tough marker!

5.0
2.0
PSCI
Mar 25, 2004

Hot, smart, interesting lectures and a flare for technology...a winning combination.

5.0
2.0
PSCI110
Mar 26, 2004

Very good prof. The course will be easy if you do the readings carefully and be study the ppoint slides. The first half of the course is interesting but if youre really not into politics, the second half is boring.

4.0
2.0
PSCI110
Mar 29, 2004

No Comments

5.0
1.0
PSCI110
Apr 20, 2004

OK I know this is weird but Boychuk is Hot. It's hard to concentrate when he's talking... That said, his course is very organized and easy to follow. Guest lecturers are worthwhile and interesting! A very good starter course.

2.0
1.0
PSCI110
Apr 20, 2004

This prof is a nut! Avoid taking this class if U have any interest in intl relations. If U study Am. Politics, you'll surely love him! 17 year old students coming straight from high school will enjoy this prof. More than 18 interested in PSCI, avoid him!

5.0
1.0
PSCI110
Apr 21, 2004

He is one of the best profs I've ever had (in 4 years). He is very clear, exciting, makes you think about psci, energetic, puts things into perspective, etc. The course was relatively easy, but what you get out of the lectures is what really counts.

5.0
3.0
PSCI110
May 6, 2004

WOW! Yes he's one of the older profs, but he has the most amazing eyes and he is very good looking. The midterm was fairly easy but the final was quite difficult. Make sure you do your readings thoroughly, and study the lectures, not just the pp slides.

5.0
3.0
MANY
May 21, 2004

He's easily among TOP 5 profs I've ever taken (in 4B). Helpful to the point where it hurts. Fair exams, very blunt (but in a good way) on what you need to improve on. Almost too patient (I saw him snap only once ever)

1.0
5.0
PSCI110
Jun 13, 2004

Poor testing methods. The exam was more about memorizing his course notes than actual political science thought. If you knew what the last name of the author was that wrote his favourite economist article that gave you more marks than any other facts.

5.0
2.0
PSCI101
Grade: Rather_Not_Say
Sep 15, 2004

Awesome professor. Knows his stuff well, so attendence is a must. Hard to get ahold of however there are more than enough TA's available. Prof makes lectures interesting through different methods, and his exams are fair.

2.0
3.0
PSCI101
Nov 1, 2004

This guy made me decide against majoring in psci singlehandedly. I HATED this course, what he said, how he taught, how he marked and the content of his exams. Be VERY weary of writing anything he hasn't previously explicitly said - doesn't appreciate thought or creativity. Ugg.

5.0
1.0
PSCI110322
Feb 9, 2005

Some of you people are so wussy! He has very fair exams, and frankely you do not have a right to consider yourself creative at the 100 level. He is clear and demands thought in his essays and does not stand for BS in his exams! Brilliant!

1.0
2.0
PSCI110
Oct 25, 2005

No Comments

5.0
2.0
PSCI264
Dec 4, 2005

Boychuk is my favourite psci prof! Lectures were very organized and interesting. He is very clear about what he expects on the midterms/finals. Also very friendly and willing to help. And its a bonus that he's VERY good looking.

3.0
5.0
PSCI264USGOV
Dec 23, 2005

I totally agree that his classes stifle creativity. He's so dependent on TA's that you just have to repeat him word for word. The class is juvenile- 1 MC question per reading, just to make sure you did it? Gimme a break. Worthless multimedia presentations. But he's a very good lecturer, and his arguments are interesting.

3.0
3.0
POL
Jan 11, 2006

"It ain't rocket science", he said. I guess not. But he somehow managed to lose some of our grades the year I was in his class.

1.0
5.0
331
Mar 2, 2006

No Comments

4.0
4.0
POLISCI110
Apr 19, 2006

Pretty good at keeping attention. Lecture Slides very helpful, somewhat of a hard marker though.

5.0
2.0
PSCI331
Apr 21, 2006

He's one of the best psci profs. His classes are very interesting, he's very clear. It's not hard to get a good mark in his class if you put the effort into it. He's also very approachable and willing to help his students. I would take any of his courses in a heartbeat!

2.0
4.0
PSCI
Jun 20, 2006

not the most felxible prof one can have...girls think that he is hot... well he has a better outlook than other old profs,,, but he is not helpful and so not flexible.. classes are ok.. gradings are subjective.. and he is a boring person who tries hard to be funny,,,, full of bullsh*t in his classes n his head

4.0
3.0
PSCI1101
Jan 29, 2007

I really enjoyed his 1st year psci class, he isn't an easy marker but not ridicuolously hard. He did a recap during the first 5 minutes of every class which was really helpful. You do need to go to class, but I didn't buy the textbook and came out with an A-

4.0
3.0
PSCI110
Feb 12, 2007

Reaaaally cute - - gives engaging lectures. His "Exam Tips of the Day" are really helpful...

5.0
2.0
PSCI110
May 2, 2007

He's kind of a hard marker especially on the final exam but if you put in the effort you'll get a decent mark in his class

5.0
4.0
PSCIMANY
Nov 21, 2007

Brilliant. Interesting. Sexy. Take his fourth year policy seminars!

5.0
3.0
PSCI331
Apr 7, 2008

Boychuck is amazing! Don't know what else to say!

5.0
2.0
PSCI110
Jun 8, 2008

I found his classes quite interesting, which is good because it is wise to attend them. His exams were the right difficulty, if you attend class and study you can ace them. He was quite helpful and held online chats the night before the exams.

5.0
3.0
PSCI110
Sep 16, 2008

Absolutely fabulous. If you go to his lectures and use the exam tips as a study guide you will do fine in the exam. Well organized and ready to help too!

3.0
4.0
PSCI264
Dec 22, 2008

An american government class during the election. Doesnt really matter who taught it, it would be interesting. On the exams, start each exam answer with "In the lecture...." He wants what he gave you back, including his bias. He loves Ace gotta log onto it alot.

4.0
3.0
PSCI263
Dec 23, 2008

He is obviously talented regarding American politics. He comes off as a bit boorish at times, and relies far too much on ACE. Just teach the class like it is-an on campus course. Moreover, his marking is dubious i.e. inconsistent and is lower than what you can expect compared to similar work that you have done in other courses. Good luck.

5.0
3.0
PSCI264
Dec 31, 2008

He's an interesting prof. His lectures are basically arguments that he's trying to prove. I find he's somewhat of a difficult marker but he gives an outline of what he specifically wants so as long as you follow that you should be fine! Great and interesting class!

4.0
3.0
PSCI101
Nov 10, 2011

He is amazing. A professor who is interesting and makes the class interesting as well is what makes one want to attend classes. His exams are perfect too. He doesn't ask you anything you haven't discussed in class or are in the readings. He is possibly my most favourite professor in Waterloo. Don't miss the classes! It's a lot of fun!

3.0
5.0
PSCI101
Nov 18, 2011

He is certainly charismatic and makes his lectures interesting, however his midterm and exam questions are cryptic. The correct answers to his questions are never answers that directly answer the question be posed. This was extremely annoying as a student's inability to infer what he was actually asking could make all their studying meaningless.

5.0
3.0
PSCI101
Jan 4, 2012

Strangely difficult class. I attended all classes and tutorials, did most readings and ended up feeling the marking was harder for tests and assignments than it should be.

5.0
2.0
PSCI101
Jan 4, 2012

so good!

5.0
2.0
PSCI101
Jan 10, 2012

Tells you exactley what will be on exams/midterms. If you study it, there is no way you can do bad, and i don't even like political science. Gives multiple oppurtunities to improve your grade with optional iclicker quizzes/participation. The course is him arguing his viewpoints. Although the readings are dry, Take it!

3.0
4.0
PSCI101
Feb 18, 2012

I didnt really like him. He kindof expects you to know the concepts, even though its an introductory course. Didnt explain very well, and favoured class participation a lot. Wouldnt take another course with him.

5.0
3.0
PSCI101
Mar 1, 2012

Great prof! Obviously he loves to teach and is actually interested in what he teaches. Makes classes worthwhile and interesting. Used course reserves to reduce our expenses. Really helpful, always willing to answer questions. Fair exams. Not a PSCI major but I would take his class again :)

5.0
3.0
PSCI101
Dec 12, 2012

Absolutely awesome. Provides informative chats before exams and term papers and is always willing to help out. 10/10 fo shoo :)

5.0
2.0
PSCI101
Feb 19, 2013

Great prof! Really makes it easy to understand the course, even for people who don't know a lot about Political Science. Offers lots of help, and is very knowledgable in Political Science. No question stumps him, he always has an answer. Great class!

5.0
4.0
CANADIANPOL
Grade: A
Jan 10, 2015

Best professor at UW in the Political Science department, definitely blows majority of the other professors away. He is so kind and brilliant! Prepare to work in his class though he is a tough marker! Highly recommend a course with him he is one of the best professors I've encountered.

5.0
4.0
CANADIANPOL
Jan 17, 2015

Professor Boychuk is amazing, he is very intelligent and explains concepts to students well. He also is very polite in telling you that your wrong haha! Fantastic best professor in the Pol Sci department no questions why he is the chair !

4.0
4.0
PSCI100
Dec 21, 2015

For a first year class, overly excessive marking, definitely a hard marker. Although I attended all classes, did all the readings, went to tutorials, still did not manage to do as well as I thought in the class. He is clear and organized, but he expects too much for a first year class.

2.0
5.0
PSCI264
Apr 30, 2016

Not a good professor in my opinion. Classes are long and boring. Tough grader. Hard to talk to. Avoid if you can.

5.0
2.0
PSCI264
Grade: A+
Apr 29, 2017
Would take again

Professor Boychuck is an amazing professor. His lectures were very interesting, and his exams were more than fair. He pretty much explains what will be on the exam. An easy A.

Clear grading criteria
Amazing lectures
GROUP PROJECTS
1.0
5.0
PSCI264
Grade: A
Sep 14, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Not good in my opinion. Hard marker, tough on his students, not very approachable.

Tough Grader
5.0
4.0
PSCI264
Dec 24, 2017
Would take again

Great professor and very enthusiastic during his lectures. Encourages class discussion and also uses relevant and short readings. His tests take a while to get used to, as they oddly focus on asking you to repeat his own arguments in lecture, rather than coming up with your own arguments. Otherwise, his teaching is nothing short of excellent.

Participation matters
Skip class? You won't pass.
Tests are tough
5.0
4.0
PSCI264
Dec 9, 2018
Would take again

He's one of the best professors I've had. Gives great feedback, does his best to understand the students point of view and is a good lecturer. Highly focused on lecture material so attending classes is super necessary to do well

Gives good feedback
Respected
LECTURE HEAVY
5.0
4.0
PSCI264USGOV
Grade: A+
Jan 2, 2019
Would take again

Boychuk is truly a real gem, I would take any class he has to offer. Make sure you go to class and participate in the simulations. At first, his rubrics might seem vague but make sure you ask questions about it and you'll do well on his papers.

Participation matters
Amazing lectures
Caring
3.0
3.0
PSCI264
Grade: A-
Dec 17, 2022
Would take again

I really liked his lectures but his assignments and rubrics are very confusing/vague so make sure you clarify because he is a pretty tough grader. The syllabus was very confusing as well, he was constantly changing due dates and weights of assignments. Very lecture focused, it would be difficult to do well without attending lectures.

Tough grader
Lecture heavy
Graded by few things
1.0
3.0
332
Grade: B+
Jul 11, 2025

Doesn't care about students, or teaching. Full of himself. Even if the class is small, he won't bother to remember your name. Obsessed with publishing and ratings. When we did in the class survey, he walked around us and looked at our sheets and stared. Because of an error on his part, I was marked wrong, and he said he'd fix it but then didn't.

Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

67%

Textbook Required

67%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

A-

77% confidence
Based on 9 grades
Most common grades:
A (3)
B+ (2)
A+ (2)
Grade Distribution
A(5)B(0)C(1)D(0)F(0)A-/B+(3)
Based on 10 reported grades
A: 3
B+: 2
A+: 2
C+: 1
Common Tags
Amazing lectures (2)
Participation matters (2)
Clear grading criteria (1)
GROUP PROJECTS (1)
Tough Grader (1)
Skip class? You won't pass. (1)
Tests are tough (1)
Gives good feedback (1)
Rating Trend

Declining

-0.37 avg change
Sep
Dec
Dec
Jan
Dec
Jul
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

331332

5.0

(1)

PSCI332

5.0

(5)

PSCI431

5.0

(1)

PSCI331A

5.0

(1)

PSCI102

5.0

(1)
+27 more courses
Difficulty by Course

331

5.0

PSCI264USGOV

4.5

POLISCI110

4.0

PSCIMANY

4.0

CANADIANPOL

4.0

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