3.3
Quality2.8
Difficulty59%
Would Retake301
Reviews59%
Would Retake
301
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
301 total ratings5
99
4
52
3
59
2
46
1
45
What Students Say
“If you have him you will not be disappointed”
SOC202 - 5.0 rating“He makes lectures enjoyable and relevant”
SOC202 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
58%
Textbook Required
9%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
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Stable
+0.15 avg changeRatings by Course
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(1)Difficulty by Course
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Reviews (298)
Very nice, Intellectual, has quite of a sense of humor as well. He certainly made the class really interesting!!
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interesting...taking this class helps you realize how much s*** there really is in this world :(...so be prepared for that.
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No way. He is cute and funny and really knows what he is talking about. I could listen to him for hours...and I do.
i love this man.
I am going to be so sad when this class is over
He knows his stuff, but just not how to teach it. And he does play the favourites game.
If you prefer to spit than swallow do not take this class. If you want to sit there and agree with everything an instructor has to say sign yourself up, otherwise skip this one.
Do not take this teacer! he is good funny but cant teach. And his language is hard. He talks about movies ive nver heeard of and was always lost in his calss. i somehow god a C in his calss. i dont know how the ntoes helped me study tough! HIGHNY UNRECOMMENDE. and he he does play facvourties. get on his good side, and you got him!
The material is interesting, however, the professor was much too pompous and made the class harder than it should have been.
got to say that he use too big of words that only limited people actaully understands what hes trying to say. When he marked my essay wrong, he simply go "yea.... seems about right" without actaully reading it over again to see the raised concern
He could be a little all over the place at times, but overall he was really nice and funny. As long as you do the readings and pay attention in class the course is ridiculously easy.
Hot, yes, but a terrible teacher. Plays the favourite game as much as he drinks Starbucks lattes. From his rants and monologues, he's just a bitter hypocritical hipster that likes hot girls that sit in the front row.
The class he teaches is fun and relevant, and despite what people say about his style I think he realizes, especially as someone studying pop culture, the superficiality of it. He laughs at his addiction to lattes and knows that his american apperal style is a trend.
Great prof, keeps the class involved. Attend class and do the readings because most of the midterm/final are based on the texts and the lectures REALLY help supplement that... don't expect much extra help from him cuz he does not seem to like lingering after class to talk to students. Overall great prof though.
Really good professor. Attend class because the textbooks conatin only examples for what he talks about in class, and he will show you clips that help understand the material as well. He will also repeat anything you missed if you ask him to. Nice guy, very light hearted, keeps the class involved, good sense of humour. Great class overall.
Uses big words but overall great prof. Yes he is all over the place at times, but the midterm and final are extremely straight forward if you attend class and take notes on the lecture!
He is an interesting professor and has great lectures, however he jumps all around the place and very disorganized in his teaching style. I got a D+, even though I attended every lecture. Every teacher has a different teaching style & his is different than regular business profs.
pretty easy, and interesting class. I wanted to take it because I figured it would be really easy but I attend just because he is soooo effing foxy and pretty funny too! Can't help but sit front row for this class
Yessss i AGree he is smokin hot! You can't help but listen to him. I just stare at him and his cute hipster style while he sips his lattes lol. Ugh why weren't all my profs like him. wheeww 10/10 for being a sexy ass!
HORRIBLE prof. He thinks he can teach, but he really can't. He substituted for Sal Guzzo, which was the worst substitution ever. He went off on tangents every class about nothing and then proceeded to test us on everything BUT sociology. He ruined SOC for me, completely.
God dammit Graeme is hot.
gorgeous, had him last semester. couldn't help but stare at him all day, explains stuff extremely well. if you make an effort in this calss or show that you will he will pass you. would love to have him again.
Was nice, never responded to emails even when he promised to. Really passionate about the subject but not particularly organized.
I learned a lot in his class. He's great at generating class discussion and getting you to engage. He actually goes through your essay and comments, but he's very unhelpful for exam review (I can't tell if he's lazy, uncaring, or just making the exam more difficult this way). He makes you think critically and not take anything at face-value.
He was a pretty good teacher in the sense of his lectures. Only thing is he posts absolutely nothing online so you MUST go to class. He's generally engaging and funny but isn't helpful with exam review and review of any kind. Otherwise a fair and good teacher
Ugh Metcalf. He may seem like a cute hipster at first, but he's truly a jerk. He singles students out constantly and embarrasses people, as well as plays favourites. He's also really disorganised with course content and material, and your grade will suffer for it.
This guy is the worst! He is so unorganized, shows up late to every class, doesn't reply to emails, doesn't use blackboard, and has such vague instructions for assignments. It seems like he wakes up and decides what he wants to lecture on AND hes soooo arrogant. BUT, if you like classes with discussions then maybe hes the prof for you.
This was a hard class but I also didn't attend many lectures. I think this guy is big on class discussion and less on text content. I don't know why people are complaining about his communication, I emailed him several times and got responses almost immediately via his blackberry!
He was very helpful and always responded to my emails clearly. I can see why some people feel he is unclear but the key is to ask him for help right away and he'll be happy to. No B/S what was on the exams is what he said would be.
Unorganized, confused, messy, starbucks freak. Worst professor ever. Unhelpful in class, can't mark fairly. Favorites students
I don't know why everyone has a problem with him. Yes he does draw directly from class lecture/ tutorial- but isn't that why we have lecture? So what if he doesn't use bb or powerpoint, most proffs don't! and for those who said he's not helpful- try this place called his office or ask a question in class or after lecture. He's super approachable.
Awesome prof!! Is very clear and helpful and doesn't rely too much on the text books. I haven't had an exam with him yet. But I imagine it won't be too challenging. Just go to class and read your assigned readings and everything else should fall in place.
Sit in the front row and everything will be O.K. (If you're a girl)
This proff sucks. He makes up big words and just doesn't make sense. His tests are retarded. He is so damn lazy he could care less about you.
This professor is aweful. He takes forever to respond to your emails or sometimes doesn't respond at all. He makes up big words to sound smart and doesn't really teach that well. Avoid if possible.
I'd avoid him if I were you.
I really looked forward to taking this class, but came out very disappointed. He is way too laid back to the point that he is almost lazy. Lectures are vague and go way off topic, tests have little to do with the lecture material. Nice guy in person, but not as a professor.
really enjoying this class. he had everyone prepared for the exam and has been really helpful in explaining the essay. I've had profs who assign the essay and disappear. I get the feeling he wants us to learn and do well.
really enjoying this class. he had everyone prepared for the exam and has been really helpful in explaining the essay. I've had profs who assign the essay and disappear. I get the feeling he wants us to learn and do well.
This class has really peaked my interest in Soc. I enjoy this class a lot. Graeme's way of teaching isn't for everyone, but I like it. The lectures are basically just discussions for all to join in on. He's really good about asking Q's in such a way that we as the students come to the information on our own and about rephrasing the Q's if needed.
He was really easy to listen to and discussed course material thoroughly, so I really learned a lot.
I didn't understand anything in that class. His powerpoints have nothing to do with what he's discussing and lectures are mostly opinions from students. In tests, he puts questions like: who said this line "..." from page xxx. The essay is pretty much a free for all as long as you can somehow relate it to the concepts in class. He ruined Soc for me
I loved this class. Crips and Bloods and Bully blew my mind. The discussion he led after was even better.
Interesting movies and lectures. What I appreciated as an older student who hadn't written an essay in a few years was his willingness to sit down and go over my essay with me explaining how I could improve.
Does not use blackboard, post lectures online, and plays the favourites game.
his teaching isnt for everyone, but i found him very interesting. all discussion, easy midterm, simply essay & very well prepared for the exam. extremely attractive as well!
CSOC 202: Never posted lectures on Blackboard. Arrogant. When I had questions regarding my essay, he didn't help me at all. Thumbs down!
This is the first elective I've actually been interested in taking, and actually learnt something. If you pay attention, and contribute to class discussion, you will do well. He's been extremely helpful and always made the class engaging. He just doesn't take stupidity. But he wants you to learn. Best prof I've ever had.
He doesn't post notes at all, not that he doesn't have it . He has his PowerPoint but may be doesn't like sharing it. He lectures are good so if u go to class, it's helpful. He does have favorite students. He is good professor and not that helpful . I loved his lecture though ! :-)
Young and pretentious. Likes the sound of his own voice. Go to the lecture if you enjoy a few hours of non-stop rhetorical questions.
Such a cool prof. He uses really good examples and isn't afraid to speak his mind. He wants to hear your opinions and doesn't tell you you're wrong, etc. He's SO ATTRACTIVE so that's a bonus. Super easy exams and the reading are easy as well. Take the class, he's really cool and NOT boring!
Terrible marker, he ultimately doesn't care about hurting your gpa. I don't think I've ever received such a poor mark on an essay before, meanwhile I used more than half of his lecture and his powerpoint slides in my essay. It makes no sense, he pulled the mark out of nowhere. Very unprofessional.
Avoid if you can. Useless lectures, dull material. Even if you find you learn something it can not be expressed through scantron type exams. Previous SOC classes I have found engaging and provoked new thoughts, but not his class. Also worth noting: he is frequently late (but doesn't want you to be) and doesn't give notes to explain essay marks.
AVOID THIS PROF. He could care less about you and your grades will suffer for that
Graeme is an amazing prof for sociology. He is relevant and makes the class extremely interesting. He isn't super left winged like all of the other soc profs at Ryerson and he wants to hear everyone's opinions. If you go to every lecture with an open mind and are eager to learn, you'll definitely enjoy his class!
Make sure you go to every class and take notes because he doesn't post them on blackboard. His midterm and exam are multiple choice and mostly based on his notes. He's a hard marker when it comes to the essays, but overall his class is a ton of fun!
he knows his stuff. his class is interactive and fun....and he is HOT
very hot, funny, and interesting guy.
He is a really cool prof. His assignments and midterm is alright. You get to watch a lot of cool clips, which I went home to watch the rest of a movie or a television series. Downside is that he does not post his power point slides.
His classes are very fun and interesting. He doesn't post lectures online, although he says he will. If you email him right before the exam, he will post some primary slides online but usually that's only a day or two days before the exam. Sometimes doesn't even email you back. Interesting course though. And his looks can be distracting
Class content is interesting, however it felt like Graeme lectured based on his own opinion instead of actual course material. The midterm asked such obscure specific questions that didn't allow students to show they understood the material, rather that they could just memorize irrelevant details. He also compulsively clears his throat constantly
He is very much informed of many things and teaches interestingly, but this class is very theory-based. He rarely posts online, so be prepared to write down everything on his powerpoints b/c you may not be given them. He rambles but stays on topic, midterm was very specific, multiple choice. Essay for class- really wide range so that's great.
Graeme is amazing! the only thing that sucks is that he does not post his notes online so you have to come to every class. midterm and final were quite easy if are good at memorizing and the papers were okay! definetly recommend this class to all sociology students!
His lectures are interesting but his fancy vocabulary can make you clock out at times. The midterms aren't so bad, memorize his notes. There are some random references from the text which you'll have to guess at. He didn't really elaborate on the essay.
Metcalf is the kind of professor you'd wanna meet in uni. He doesn't post up ppt slides (sometimes does) & he rambles, but his lectures are really interesting & get you thinking about numerous different topics. I'd recommend taking his classes. MidtermExam rely on knowing theorists mentioned from time to time. Essay is broad so that's a huge plus
I loved 931, it was interesting and looked at things that are ignored most of the time! Detroit, hip hop, sweatshops. He helped me with my essay quite a bit which I appreciated a lot as I wanted a good mark on it. Fun class, really interesting and I hope he teaches the Soc of Sport next semester!
2nd time taking a class with him and he was great and hot ;)
Far by the most interesting professor I've taken a course with. You can tell he's passionate about sociology and makes his lectures very intriguing. Sometimes he explains things based off his own opinion but I found it refreshing. He's young and pretentious - which allows students to engage with his way of teaching! Also, he's really hot ;)
His teaching style isn't meant for everyone. His lectures are very engaging, and funny at times. The tests are fair, but the assignment is a bit tricky. He doesn't post his notes, so you'll have to attend class. Show up to class and participate, it's an easy 10%
Honestly, the best professor I've had so far.
Very clear on what he presents in class and what is expected of the students to deliver on tests, essays, etc.
Probably one of the most laid-back professors at Ryerson. Lectures might seem boring but the way he explains the content is interesting. Also doesn't post notes online though so you have to attend his classes or else you will not pass plain and simple.
Lectures are very clear and interesting. He doesn't post slides online, although he gives you enough time to write down the info. Only downfall is that the essay seem kinda of vague, if you ask me. Midterm & final were really easy, they were based off of his ppt slides and occasionally the readings. We also watched a lot of interesting movie clips.
I took his Sociology of Fun class, it was not fun at all. Sure, his pop culture examples of leisure caught my interest, but his teaching style could be better. He doesn't post his PPT slides online because he thinks it's unfair for the students who show up. His essay instructions are vague and he is a hard marker. No thx. Also, he looks like Diplo!
Only had him for half the course and another prof substituted. A little intimidating, would point to you and ask you to answer. Very chill hipster dude. Does not posts lectures so attend all classes. The textbook was never used.
his online exams are fairly easy and straight forward based on the modules BUT marks hard af on his papers. he sucks at responding to emails and on what he wants for the papers so gl my friends to a semester full of smh-ing
I took him for the Winter semester, and it was okay. He talks really slow and somewhat quiet so it's hard to understand him. His lectures are adlibs, sometimes it's off topic with the slides. He uses video clips in class, used for tests. Midterm was okay, most of the questions were from the slides. Textbook not required. Exam is okay too. 7/10.
So his lectures are entertaining and funny but I hated the clips he showed. Make sure you write down all the clips and what happens in them as the exam and midterm have lots of question on them. He says he will post stuff but never does so email him although he won't reply. MAKE SURE YOU GO TO CLASS HE DOESNT POST SLIDES! easy midterm hard exam
Amazing and entertaining lectures that engage you and make early classes enjoyable. Cares about his students and makes the material relevant and memorable. Would take another class in a heartbeat. Go to class, it's worth it.
Great class! Definitely the most engaging prof I've had so far at Ryerson.
easy class, but boring and dont get the sense he really cares about the class. assignments take forever to get handed back. he doesnt post the slides like all the other profs. take the class if you want an easy mark. easy marker.
He's funny. Participate in his class it makes it far more enjoyable.
Really enjoyed his lectures! He's an easy marker and super laid back, but cares about his students at the same time. Would take another lecture of his in a heartbeat
He is intimidating at first but a really good prof! He makes the lectures very entertaining and quite funny at times. Also, get ready to participate and called on randomly. I was fortunate enough to get through the whole semester without being called on. Definitely would take a course with him again.
I believe his pop culture material could make for a fun and engaging class, but he honestly does NOT care about it whatsoever, shows no interest to try and engage students.
Graeme is one of Ryersons finest. His lectures are engaging and relevant; I looked forward to them every week. I even tried to take another class of his the following semester. Be sure to sit near the front of the class and participate to receive the full Graeme experience. Only caveat is the potential to be distracted by his spicy-ness��
Really young, funny prof who makes class really interesting. I looked forward to his class every week. Going to try and take one of his classes this semester too. Overall one of my favourite profs ever.
Interesting lectures, favorite prof by far.
The course seems to be easy, HOWEVER! his personally sucks....
This guy is all over the place. Content is interesting, but when he asks questions like "what is 'this' with regards to 'this' regarding 'this' " then jumps to a new topic randomly, its tough to fully be engaged. Makes us copy down his powerpoint slides while trying to have an engaging discussion with us about content not relevant to the slide.
hes very easy going, good lectures, downside: he does not post slides, i guess its to get us to actually come to class. his tests are super easy and hes funny. amazing guy, weird taste in music but hes okay
To him an 80% or above is the same as a perfect grade. Don't expect any 100s in this course, be happy with a 90 (from what I can tell thats basically perfect to him). Tests were harder than expected but not unfair. Participation weekly worth 15%, don't expect to easily get 100... you'll have to work for an 80 or 90.
The midterm and final were literally from the textbook.. He's kind of a hard grader with strange requirements. Be prepared to read every assigned chapter if you take this online. Also be prepared to participate in discussion board posts for marks. I would take it with him again.
Really cool guy who knows his stuff really well. Class was very fun to attend, and absolutely worth it too. He engages with students and explains content in terms of real life. Midterm and Final were fair as long as you attend class, and one essay too. Highly recommend his class, and I look forward to being in his class again!
Never really communicated with the class. Midterm and final were all from the lectures. Weekly participation was great to boost up your average, but you must be sure to be very detailed. The essay wasn't bad and his grading is pretty fair. I would definitely take an online course with him, rather than in class.
Attend class.
No lectures will be posted, all notes taken in class. He embarrasses you in front of the whole class, he may seem nice at first but he will pick favourite ones. Doesn't posts things on time, and doesn't respond to you're email. There are two assignments, midterm, and final exam. Assignments won't be explained in class. Avoid him at all time.
Best prof I've ever had!!!! Informative, engaging and such a good guy. TAKE THIS CLASSSSSSS IF YOU CAN!!!!
Amazing professor and super engaging. Definitely recommend unless youre a type of student who doesnt really attend lecture, definitely go with a different professor. He doesnt post slides so you have to come to class but his exams are so easy if you take notes and come to class. 10/10 recommend!! Loved his class!!
Amazing professor! If you attend class and pay attention, you are guaranteed to do great. Films/clips watched in class will show up on tests. His tests are straight forward and he doesn't try to trick you. He's funny, makes the course enjoyable, and a pleasure to listen to even at 9am. One of the best profs at Ryerson! 10/10 recommend!
BEST POPULAR CULTURE PROF! Summer school was a blast with him, highly recommend him. Super funny and makes the class LITTTTT. Exam is so easy. Left within 40 mins for mid term and final
amazing prof. go to the lectures because he doesnt post slides but honestly class is fun and entertaining. plus hes pretty hot. relates concepts with examples, very knowledgeable and knows literally any reference you mention. class was fun, hes a really cool prof. exam and midterm were super easy, straight from lecture notes
Very intelligent, witty and engaging. I now have an active interest in Sociology thanks to his amazing lectures!
Great class, lectures aren't posted so you should attend. midterm, essay proposal, essay and final exam. No class participation or group work. Outgoing professor, seems to care about his students and the course subject.
Graeme is an outstanding professor. He engages students in his lectures which are extremely helpful in covering the course content. He's a great guy. You go Graeme, and go Raptors!
He's an ok professor, not too boring. However, he made pop culture hard, it was very lecture heavy and nothing is posted online, so you have to take a lot of notes. Some of the content on the midterm was not covered in class and he left all of the notes that would be on the final till the last class.
Metcalf was just ok. His lectures are the same every week... he doesn't post anything online so you have to go to class to get your notes. He is brutal when it comes to exam reviews (he posted both of our reviews the night before both of our exams. I did not like any of the videos in class as I thought they were inappropriate & he marks hard. DROP
Graeme is an amazing professor. Study exactly whats on his slides for exams and youll be fine. See him in office hours about ideas for essays and hell help you if you need it. Graeme is one of the best profs Ive had at Ryerson!
He makes lectures enjoyable and relevant. Hes very fair with grading too! Would take again!
By far one of the best courses and profs I have had at Ryerson. He doesn't post lectures online but his slides are really detailed as long as you go and show up. Midterm and finals have exactly what's on the slides. He even makes up for not posting on D2L by not having any readings in this class. I was never stressed for his exams and essay.
dude. hes so hot. he needs to start teaching more soc electives I would love to have him again. so easy too
He's kinda hot in a dad sort of way. Other than that his lectures are interesting and enjoyable. He doesn't post the slides but makes showing up to class worth it. There's an essay on a movie, that's marked pretty easy, a midterm and a final exam (both of which are multiple choice). To study read the slides and rewatch the clips shown in class.
He is one of my favorite professors so far, I genuinely enjoyed attending his class as he keeps his students engaged with hilarious yet informative lectures. If you have him you will not be disappointed!
such a good prof. so engaging and interesting. didn't want his lectures to end. definitely see the hot dad angle too LOL. please do yourself a favor and take pop culture with him!
I took Metcalf's SOC202 (Pop Culture) and it was one of the easiest classes I have ever taken. A midterm, one essay and a final was all it was and the exams are taken word for word from his slides which makes it so much easier. He's very laid back and is basically a teenager. Overall awesome professor and easy course.
Amazing professor. You need to attend every class because he does not post slides but I never had a problem with that because he makes the lectures so interesting. He engages with the class and asks interesting questions so you are never bored. There is only a midterm, essay, and final and no readings! Amazing class to take!
The reviews give the impression you don't need to pay attention not true! You need to memorize and understand lecture notes word for word and the films overall concept plus the names this will be on the midterm and final. The content is fun to learn and the profs enthusiasm radiates through his discussions.
Such a great prof. I would look forward to his classes all week, didn't even mind that they were at 9 am. Attendance is definitely mandatory as slides are not posted and midterm/exam questions will be taken directly from the slides. His lectures were incredibly engaging and he takes the time to get to know his students. Would 100% recommend
Take a class with him if you can! Makes lectures engaging and fun. His class was definitely the highlight of my semester
Hes the reason this was my fav course ive taken at ryerson, he makes it enjoyable to attend class. Hes hilarious and gives tons of free marks just for attending class. Take the course with him.
Great professor. Very engaging lectures! All that you needed to know was presented in class.
Took pop culture with him. Honestly some of the best lectures, but you HAVE to read the textbook. If you dont, you will fail.
OK... tough grader but great lectures... unfair and confusing marking for participation... needs to be organized and have criterion but interesting content
His lectures were good but my biggest problem was the essay. I believe that I exceeded expectations, but I ended up with a mark lower than I expected. A rubric was only given after the assignment was due. When I asked for personalized feedback, he told me to look at the standard rubric with no info. I felt like he did not read my report at all.
Amazing lectures; he is funny, witty & relates course materials to experiences in life which makes content relate-able. Appealing course materials in my opinion, I do think that the essay was graded a bit tough, midterm and final can be very easy if you pay attention in class and memorize the materials.
He's reallllllllly cute. A lot of the reviews say he's a hard marker but he really isn't - at worst he's fair, but I actually found him to be a really easy marker. He doesn't post the slides but his classes are always entertaining and interesting, while also being very informative. Study the slides and know the clips shown in class .
He's the worst . His lectures are all over the place, lack structure or any readings and solid material to back them up, just lacks ability to clearly convey course concepts. There is never much info given about assignments and exams. You need to go into this class with a solid understanding of film theories, as there are never fully explained
Hes literally amazing, so funny and his lectures are actually interesting!!! TAKE THIS PROF FOR SOC. And midterm... easy A. It also helps that hes such a hot daddi.
Had him twice and can honestly say he's one of the best professors there is. Not only is he very hot but his lectures are interesting and enjoyable (but doesn't post slides) My advice: Participate (no grade for it but he notices who does and will mark you easier), study the slides, rewatch clips shown in class and read the readings if he gives any.
The easiest class I have ever taken. Participate in discussions, write a few competent essays, and google everything on the exam. If you don't ace this class, you should probably drop out. Absolute first choice pick for a bird course - you'll get absolutely nothing useful from it except a good mark.
The worst part of having Graeme for a professor is when the semester ends and you no longer have him. I had him twice and his lectures were always the best part of my week. He's funny, interesting, informative, attractive and also understanding. He notices who comes to class and participates and will reward you for doing so. He also marks fairly.
Professor Metcalf is a great prof and makes the class an easy A for those who show up. He doesn't post the lecture - but it's worth it because his evaluations aren't really heavy at all. I only wish he was better at replying to e-mails, but I'd definitely take him again if I could.
He doesn't post his lectures online so make sure you attend or have a friend write them down for you. He talked a lot and sometimes the language he used was confusing but everything from his midterm/exam were definitions from the slides or about movies watched in class. Easy course to take.
Had him twice and can honestly say Graeme is the best prof at ryerson. He truly cares about his students and values effort (he notices who shows up and participates and will go above and beyond to help you if you do). Lectures are interesting and engaging yet also very informative. He's also pretty hot.
Graeme values effort above all and will reward you for it. For the essay(s) do a lot of research and use a lot of sources. A critical analysis is good but apply sources to everything! For tests just study the slides and know the clips shown in class and how they apply to what was taught. Participate in class (no mark but he will mark you easier)
I don't understand how it's possible Graeme doesn't have a 5 star rating. Hands down one of the best profs at Ryerson. His lectures are interesting, engaging and informative. He encourages participation and makes you actually want to participate. He's a fair marker and is very attractive which makes showing up and seeing him more than worth it.
One of the best professors I have had so far in my university career. He is engaging, funny, relatable, and his lectures are fun to attend. I absolutely don't understand why he is not rated 5.0. I would love to take another class with him.
This class was interesting but the professor provided zero feedback. I didn't get ANY guidance for an essay worth 45% of my grade. I asked for feedback on my thesis and he said that it wasn't his job. Very rarely responds to emails. Talks to students as if he is way above them. Not really polite.
Super lecture heavy, and doesn't post his slides, so attendance is essential. Gives off a bit of a superiority complex, but ultimately he seems like a nice and funny guy. Lectures are really interesting, and explain course concepts well. Final essay is worth a lot, so be sure to get a head start. Would take another course with him in the future.
I had him twice (SOC202 & SOC902) and he is hands down my fav prof. I really enjoyed all his lectures (fun, you learn a lot, he's hot). Fair marker, really helpful and caring (he tries to make it seem like he's not in lectures but if you go to his office hours he is). If you show up to class and participate he will go above and beyond for you.
In Class - Show up and Participate (there's no direct mark but he notices who does and will mark easier and go above and beyond to help those who do) For tests/exams- study the slides, know the theorists names& theory and know the clips shown in class and what theories they apply to. Essay - Do your research and (effectively) use a lot of sources.
I don't understand how Graeme doesn't have a 5 star rating when he is one of (if not the) best prof there is. His lectures are interesting and enjoyable and he actually makes you want to show up and participate. He explains content very well, making difficult concepts easy to understand. He's a fair marker and is very helpful. Bonus - he's very hot
Lack of support (in-person and online). Hard marker even when you've met the criteria in reference to (his) rubric. Finishes 3-hour lectures in 1-1/2 because he'd rather watch a raptors game (literally told us this) or go to a bar (multiple students have seen him there during the day). Probably the worst prof I've ever had. Unfair and bias marker.
Such a cool guy and amazing prof! Tests are all from lectures, in-class discussions and videos. You have to attend class but he makes the lectures enjoyable. As long as you pay attention and take notes you'll do great.
He gives good lectures but he could do better when it comes to being able to keep in contact with him. It's extremely difficult to do so. His lack of online support during a pandemic doesn't make it any easier. He's a nice guy but the lack of support is a shortfall that could've instead been of great use to many students, including myself.
He's a really bad prof. This elective was so unnecessarily hard! I've done better in my mandatory courses. Avoid him.
A lot of the reviews given are really unfair. I had Graeme twice and he is the best prof I have ever had. He notices who shows up to classes and who doesn't and he will go above and beyond to help those who do (regardless of what he says in lectures he's really understanding and helpful), he's a pretty easy marker and tests are straight forward.
In Class - Show up & Participate (no direct mark but he notices who does and will mark easier & go above and beyond to help those who do) For exams- study the slides, know the theorists names& theory, know the clips shown in class and what theories they apply to. Essay - Do your research, apply tons of sources to your arguments, persuasive > style
TAKE HIM FOR SOC202- SUCH A COOL GUY LECTURES R ENTERTAINING. HE GIVES LOTS OF TIPS FOR ESSAYS, HES NOT A HARD ASS JUST EXPECTS STUDENTS TO PAY ATTENTION AND RESPECT HIS TIME. SHOW UP AND PARTICIPATE BECAUSE HE WILL NOTICE THAT!!
One of my favourite profs. Inspires me to be a better student. Totally down to earth. Incredibly engaging. Challenging in a good way. I wish I could take him again. If all profs were like him, the world would be a better place. Keep in mind, to succeed in his class you must stay on top of readings and show up to every single lecture. 100/10.
If you are engaged in this class you will 100% succeed. The lectures are very interesting and engaging as he's always trying to relate everything we learn back to our own lives. He's funny and a really nice guy who is very willing to help his students. You do need to go to the lectures to do well, but this isn't hard as they are always entertaining
If you show up to class and do the work you will do well. His lectures are enjoyable and he has a way of making difficult content easy to understand and is able to effectively relate it to real life. Lectures are amazing but the readings suck and are hard to get through. Exams and essay are straight forward. He is also totally gorgeous.
Best pop culture teacher, period. His lectures are super engaging and he actually makes learning a fun experience. Hes also genuinely funny and not in a im trying to be relatable type of way. Some people say participation is mandatory but honestly if you show up to every lecture and study for his exams, its not hard to get an A without it.
I don't understand why he is so much harder this semester! All the reviews about him were good but in reality, the experience is terrible! I thought SOC202 was a bird course... why am I getting 70s when my work deserves 90s.... He is marking way too hard!
Graeme changed my life significantly for the better. Definetly the best dressed teacher I have ever encountered in the entirety of my life. He crosses my mind almost every time I watch cinema because he has influenced my viewing experience astronomically. Guy also has a spectacular beard.
He is a solid prof just be respectful show up and you will pass with a decent mark. His lectures are good.
Graeme is my all time favorite prof. His lectures are interesting, engaging and very informative. He's a fair marker and really cares about his students. He's very hot and doesn't try to trick you on exams. Had him twice and 10/10 would recommend.
Pop Culture with Graeme was my all time favorite course. If you like movies you'll love his class. I wish I could take it again and strongly recommend it to everyone. Graeme makes hard content easy to understand and effectively relates content to real life. Fair marker and exam is straightforward. Bonus he's very attractive.
He is chill. Midterm, paper and final. Also, weekly discussion posts which are lowkey annoying but it's all good bcuz they help you understand the concepts more. The course itself is really interesting and relevant to the real world. The way he teaches the course is nice - no zoom or prerecorded. He just posts the slides and elaborates in a post.
since it was online he would just post the slides for the week and you had to write something in the discussion board. midterm and exam are straight from his notes. essay he gave little direction
Graeme is smart, loves his work, casual, the best teacher, not to mention a hot dude. Definitely take one of his courses for sure. Every person Ive met thats taken a course with him absolutely adores him
he did the bare minimum for online class. just posted slides and made you do a discussion post. waste of time
I was told that this was a bird course... definitely not!! He gave me so many marks off on my essay even though I worked so hard on it. Moreover, he's so lazy! This man just posts the slides and writes short paragraphs every week. I have no idea what he looks like and he has not bothered to introduce himself to us, let alone ACTUALLY TEACH US.
Was excited for this class but honestly not too impressed with him as a teacher. The content was fun and interesting but he takes so long to give any grades back. Went into the final exam with only knowing 1 of my grades from the whole year which i've never experienced in my 3 years of uni. Absolutely no feedback on my essay... disappointed tbh
great prof and interesting course. gave good feedback on essay, he is pretty straightforward in what he expects - do the work and you'll be fine tbh. the final and midterm are easy if u study. a little loosey goosey/unclear about deadlines and dates tho.
Felt like the prof did bare minimum and I had to teach myself the course. The content itself was interesting but the slides were just posted weekly and we had to go through everything ourselves. Not sure how this class would be in person but online was not it.
I actually miss not having Graeme as a prof anymore. His lectures are amazing, entertaining, and engaging , while still being very informative. Class consists of an essay, a midterm and final. He's a fair marker and exams are straightforward. He's very cute as well, and his looks are an amazing bonus to an amazing class.
Graeme was very insightful and his slides in my opinion were also very interesting to read. Your grade was based on weekly discussion posts, a midterm, essay and final exam. Both midterm and final were all multiple choice and it's easy to get 100% for discussion posts. Make sure you start your essay at least a week before it's due!!!
Simple teacher. Midterm and final are essay. Doesnt like to receive emails. Marks kinda hard on the essay.
My all time favorite prof. His lectures are always amazing and he actually makes you look forward to class each week. He can effectively relate material to everyday life and explains things very well. He is also the hottest prof by far.
i doubt he read my work but thats okay, super average mark. he doesnt assignments too clearly and the class d2l was VERY unorganized. he also answers emails very slowly. nevertheless the class was super easy so who really cares
Very easy course if you do all the discussion posts, and make sure you understand the core concepts. Midterm and final was pretty easy. He's a fair grader, I got a great mark on the paper.
Professor Metcalf was one of the best professors I've had at Ryerson. The course was pretty straightforward but he still did a great job in connecting the concepts to real-world examples. The course was very engaging and I highly recommend taking the course with him if you have the chance.
Marked unrealistically hard on the essay, everything else was great.
I really liked Professor Metcalf. He posted 'Critical Thoughts' each week in addition to the lecture slideshows. I'm not a huge reader, but he did a great job connecting the concepts to actually relevant and interesting examples, and I looked forward to reading them each week. The only thing is he's not great at replying to emails.
Honestly, if you can take another course then do it. He was such a hard marker, very unclear with what he wanted for the essay. He said have fun with it and then marked hard. Did not like the class as all and def not a bird course.
Midterm and Final were easy, the questions were taken straight outta the powerpoints. Essay was kinda hard he wasn't too clear with what he wanted. I ended up doing the essay the day before and got a 70 so if you put in effort I'm sure you could easily do better than that. Would take again for sure.
Easy exam and midterm but this guy marks the essays harder than any engineering prof would mark anything like bro its a bird course for a reason. We just want the credit and gpa smh
Exams are fairly easy, most of it comes directly from his slides. He marks ridiculously hard on the essay, like very unfair in my opinion but does give a lot of feedback. Easy to get 100% on ur discussion board, just make sure you do it on time. Definitely easy but not a bird course, and if u go to lectures he kinda forces people to participate Xx
Midterm and Final was really easy but he marks the essays unrealistically hard. The worst essay mark I have ever gotten. Discussion posts require a lot of writing but they were pretty fun.
A lot of people say he marks hard on the essay, but I've had him twice (in person)and both times I got over an 80% and my essays were awful. Just make sure it's not just your opinions - write a critical analysis, backed up with sociological theories. Class is very interesting, fun and engaging. Best prof and best class (he's also totally gorgeous)
He was great when I had him in person, his lectures were incredibly engaging and entertaining - people wanted to participate. People are saying he marks tough on the essay, but I started that paper the night before it was due and got an 87. If you can articulate your thoughts properly and know how to write an essay, then you're good to go.
Graeme made lectures sound way too overly complex than they actually were. As a non-sociology student, I was so confused. The midterm had questions we did not even learn and they were very specific. In regard to the essay, it was the hardest one I've written (literally took weeks) and he gave little instruction for it. I also found him to be cold.
I enjoyed his class, but he did the bare minimum. He would often go on long tangents that were irrelevant to the course. The essay was straightforward and the exams were taken straight from the slides. Very few readings. His content posting schedule was widely inconsistent. Overall, the class made me look at sports in a new way.
Prof. Metcalf's class was OK. his tests were ripped straight out of the notes and the discussion posts were interesting to work on for the most part. However, he was probably the most condescending prof I ever had to deal with for a liberal course. He gives rude responses to student emails asking for help and gives no assistance for the essay.
Graeme is hands down my favorite and the best professor I ever had. Not only is he totally gorgeous (makes showing up to class more than worth it) but his lectures are interesting, captivating and engaging. You learn a lot, both in facts and in expanding your critical thinking skills. A fair marker, doesn't try to trick you and is willing to help.
Graeme is a phenomenal professor, who I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from. I actually miss him and his class. Lectures are insightful, interesting and engaging. He's a fair marker and his classes genuinely consist of a midterm, an essay and a final exam. He's also super hot - his looks are an amazing bonus to an amazing class.
literally do not take any of his classes. he doesnt reply to emails, doesnt answer any questions, & if he DOES, he makes you feel stupid. he gives no direction on any assignments & doesnt post lecture recordings. doesnt post the content needed to complete the essay. he also talks about his relationship issues which is really uncomfy and strange.
Looking through the all the 5 star reviews and noticing a pattern, think Graeme is spending more time on here then marking our essays... Def agree with all the other posts tho, unorganized, condescending and talks abt his personal life which makes class really uncomfortable
Holds his students to a higher standard than he holds himself. Seems laid back but is condescending. Lectures were discussion heavy which keeps it interesting but prevents students from learning what is required knowledge for assignments. Honestly felt self taught. Pretty unorganized slides and class overall. Bummer because the content seemed cool.
Graeme's definitely condescending and refuses to answer questions in class. His essay instructions were super vague, the essays were handed back less than 12 hours in advance of the final exam, and his feedback was the same thing repeated over and over. He talks a ton about his personal life in class which keeps it interesting I guess.
If classes are in-person- takes his course. It will be amazing and you will not regret it. If it's online maybe avoid? (I only had him in-person but based on the review). The essay is easy - most people just don't know how to write properly but as long as you do a critical analysis and not just your opinion. you'll do fine. Lectures are interesting
Metcalf is articulate throughout the lectures and provides you with all of the information you need for the exams & essay. The discussion posts are interesting and opinion based which makes them fun to write & personalize. Metcalf encourages students to be independent while completing assignments but also is supportive of reasonable questions.
To be honest, the exams are pretty straightforward, and easy. BUT, THE PROF NEVER RESPOND TO MY EMAILS AND THE ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS ARE SO VAGUE. ALSO, THE PROF IS SO LAZY THAT IT TOOK TONS OF YEARS TO FINISH MARKING OUR ESSAY GRADE AND MISSED SOME LECTURES, "NEVER TRUST HIS ANNOUNCEMENT."
On the first day of class, he said that students who didn't turn on their cameras were useless. He also rarely responds to emails and didn't record the lectures either. Not to mention, the instructions for the essay were vague and only gave us the rubric to essays a month after they were due. He also marked them very hard. But the exams were easy.
Didn't record lectures so you had to show up otherwise you'd miss em, also expected cams on every zoom meeting. Content wasn't too bad, take notes during his lectures and you should be fine for midterms/exam. If you participated in class you automatically were on his good side. All in all it wasn't awful though I wouldn't say I personally enjoyed.
Unorganized, not accessible outside of class, forced students to turn their cameras on and participate lol, just a terrible prof. At least it's an easy A.
This professor made the midterm and exam easier than anticipated because the questions were right from the lectures. Lectures were sometimes boring, the professor sometimes went on tangents. Many people complained about his hard making on the final essay and his lack of answering emails. But overall, the course content was interesting.
I highly recommend taking professor Graeme. He is very engaging in his class and I like how he wants his students to participate. However, make sure to read the lecture slides (the content is very heavy)
Abandons you in Chang, unclear marking scheme for essay (gave us the rubric after he marked it LOL?) Midterm was easy but final was weird as some stuff wasn't taught in the Chang modules. Easy-ish class though. BTW if he asks you to submit your essay early to get it marked before exams, its a bait, he won't actually give you your mark back early.
He had to cancel lectures as he wasn't feeling well because of covid which is fine. This made us behind schedule for lectures and he gave us questions on the midterm that he hasn't taught yet. He didn't give us a proper rubric for the term essay until after we handed it in. All in all the course is easy but the prof is disorganized.
Very disorganized. Unclear essay rubric. The content is easy to understand. Disorganized slides as well
Prof is a mess. He is super disorganized. Unnecessarily hard marker for essay and basically doesn't teach jack in class. Don't take SOC 202 from him it is not a bird course it's a bait. I took this class hearing that it is an easy course and probably got the worst mark out of all my classes and it's bringing my GPA down.
Graeme is super unorganized which is frustrating at times. The course is pretty interesting. I enjoyed in-person classes way more than online. The essay is marked kinda hard, so make sure you do well on it. The exams are super easy. Easy A.
terrible class. took it for summer school because i heard it was easy but he makes it so hard. he does not respond to any emails, super disorganized, we have an essay due really soon but he hasnt even given us any guidelines. we have been left alone to work thru the online modules by ourselves, and they're incredibly hard to understand
Professor Metcalf was the best professor/teacher I have ever had. I had him for two classes (in-person). Lectures are engaging and enjoyable. He makes difficult content easy to understand. Fair marker and doesn't overload you with work (a midterm, final exam and essay). Super attractive too (he's drop-dead gorgeous). I actually miss his lectures.
I got the A i wanted, ig, but this class was not enjoyable. he does not respond to emails, essay instructions are extremely vague, and he's condescending. Most 5 star reviews here were def written by him (ur not drop-dead gorgeous, metcalf). Spend your time marking the essays on time rather than writing yourself reviews
Advice (had him 2 times): no direct participation mark, but he tends to find & note names of who does & mark them easier. The exams are based on the slides. Know names, dates, the connected theory - remember clips shown in class and which theory they represent (make note of the show/movie title and a brief summary, as you can easily mix them up).
Essay advice part 1/2 - use lots of sources (even minor details from an abstract). Know the difference between opinion & a critical analysis. Everything has to be based in hard facts or theories. Using (sited) class content can be good, but make most of it outside sources. Use a formal writing style, but argument quality/facts > writing flow.
PARTICIPATE IN CLASS! That is my number one tip. Also, the tests usually have nothing to do with the lecture and are solely what he posts on his power points.
Metcalf did not provide any slides or textbook. We were given modules as long written lectures, we had to do mandatory discussion boards every week, there was a midterm exam with MC questions, an essay major assignment that was broad on purpose and a final exam. Overall, he needs to communicate more and he knows that you knows its a BIRD course.
I would never take his class again. His lectures were kind of interesting but he takes the class way too seriously for an elective. All of the other classes had their final online but he insisted to have it in person. He also marks super hard on the midterm, I would switch out. I thought I would like this course but I hated him as a prof.
Prof Metcalf is OK. Very passionate about the subject but is unclear in terms of course expectations (like, he posted the essay rubric after it was due!?) His in-person lectures have little to do with the slides he posts, but midterm and final had both questions from the slides and what he discusses in class (not on slides).
Great! He was really entertaining and I honestly enjoyed the class, but if you are looking for a zero effort bird course this is not it. The essays key 4 success (so try!!) Make summaries of his slides and study those 4 the exams (his slides are long winded). Make notes on class discussions & screenings. As long as you do the work an A is easy.
He is an ok professor. The course outline was comprised of weekly discussion boards, an essay, midterm and exam. Make sure to go to class because he does test people on the material that was talked about. Very hard to get in contact with after class hours, unclear instructions on what to do for the essay, when you ask for help he is useless.
HONEST REVIEW: - engaging and amazing content (you will walk away from each class contemplating life) - come to class bc exams are based on both lecture and discussions we had in class - paper was only hard thing in course so work hard on it - midterm and final was all lecture slides and barely any readings - takes a while to reply for emails
Honestly, this class is not as bad as I expected it to be through the reviews I read here. I find that his feedback comments for the essay are a bit passive aggressive (not sure if he means them to be). He gives clear instructions and seems like a pretty nice guy in general.
The course was pretty simple. We had to do weekly discussion boards (digital scrapbook) for completion marks, exams and midterms were exactly the same as the modules. The essay was broad and required some effort, but overall this was a bird course. My only complaint is that he can be unorganized at times; however, he eventually gets things done.
I love Graeme. Make sure u attend his lectures every week. He's uses a lot of examples that appear on the exams. For the exams, it's a mix of lecture information plus in class examples and screenings so make detailed notes and get ready to memorize information. But i truly loved attending his class and would definitely take again.
He cannot make points concisely and can be highly confusing at times. Don't skip classes and you should be fine. Exams are based on slides and class participation.
Easy A, short readings to be completed by every week and do a discussion post about, overall the workload is not a lot and the marking is fairly good.
Disorganized. Course outline stated the essay topics would be posted before reading week, it was then posted a week after reading week.. tough essay marker. easy pass and minimal weekly workload
Terrible prof so beware. Unclear and does not even respond to emails at all. Even after a week, no response. He also started the course off very vaguely without much instruction.
Wouldn't recommend! His lectures were very confusing. He marked the essay pretty tough and exams were hard (some stuff that was never in lectures) Attendance isn't mandatory but I don't know if you could even pass the class if you skip. Pros-he posted all PowerPoints after the lecture and gave an extension on the essay due date for the whole class.
If you are planning on taking this course to satisfy an upper liberal credit, save yourself the trouble! I can tell professor Metcalf is very passionate, however, he gives absolutely no context to his lectures, what he says has nothing to do with the slides and he jumps between topics before finishing his last sentence. So confusing!
I took this class as my upper liberal. Would not recommend. He is hard to reach via email, he had super wordy long slides, and just overall I wasn't really a fan. If you are in his class, basically just memorize the slides word for word and go to all the classes and I think you'll be fine. Also marked the essay so hard.
I feel like people complained about the wrong things with Metcalf; his lectures are interesting and engaging but also very on the fly and rambly. It's almost like the syllabus is a suggestion to him because he tends to teach whatever he feels like. He is a really tough grader so I suggest running your thesis/idea/topic by him first beforehand.
His lectures are entertaining, but he tends to ramble... a lot. The lectures are more discussion-based if anything. Also, do show up to class because some exam questions are based off what he says in class. Aside from that, he's not horrible. Still waiting on my essay mark though even though he said he'd hand it back to the class a week ago.
this professor is so disorganized!! essay was submitted over a month ago and the exam is very soon and still no grade. takes forever to answer emails, very vague in class, spends more time teasing students instead of teaching. extremely unprofessional, dont make false promises saying you will mark it before the exam.
UNPROFESSIONAL, EXTREMELY IGNORANT, UNREACHABLE! Do not take a class with Professor Metcalf!! He is not understanding to anyone with religious conflicts, never responds to emails and instead mocks students who email in class. He often uses profanity in lectures and has extremely wordy slides that he doesn't post until 15 min after class starts.
Love him! The lectures are very interesting. Attend lectures if you want to do well and learn. He's difficult to reach over email though. However, if you show him that you care, he'll help you achieve good grades and learn. I ran my essay by him a few times and he gave me useful feedback. I'm glad I took his class and I'll be taking more with him!!
This prof is so disorganized and very confusing. He barely talks about content and just goes on and on about things like drake but doesn't actually connect them to the content. He basically talks to hear his own voice and complains when people dont show up. He started taking attendance when less people came and he never gives any grades back.
Prof. Metcalf is a nice dude, but swears a ton in class for no reason. His lectures are very odd to say the least. His midterm and final exams are all based on the slides. But one thing to make be sure to do is that if you're unsure of anything, always ask in person as opposed to emailing him. I've heard its tough to hear from him outside of class
He's a fun professor. Definitely do show up to class, he rambles but its the kind of rambling that doesn't bore you out of your mind. Also, DO THE DISCUSSION POSTS. Easiest mark of your life, not sure why people missed out on posting on it (worth 15%). Marks the essay well (considering the fact I asked him to review my thesis).
Midterm Exam: 25%, Multiple Choice Discussion Board Participation: 15% Major Essay: 30% Final Exam: 30%, MC.Long lectures but they are interesting. The tests are memorizing the slides and lectures. He will put stuff in the exam and midterm that was talked about in class that is not on the slides. Takes forever to get grades back. Not a bird course
Extremely disorganized. Memorize slides word for word if you want to pass.
Very disorganized, doesn't actually teach you anything and makes the exams very hard despite not actually helping you learn anything. Unfortunate because the content was really interesting. Also is the least understanding as he said we have all problems so ours don't matter
Marks are based on a final, a midterm, and a major essay. He is a good prof if you like being engaged in the class. He does not call on you but be ready to have an opinion. He is very helpful with giving ideas of what to talk about in the essay but if you want a headstart on the essay do not do it. He talks about topics up until the week it is due.
I loved being in his class, very enjoyable! It is important to attend class as most of the content on the midterm and final exam are topics discussed in class. This is definitely not a bird course but it is certainly interesting. Be sure to attend class and make notes of what is discussed in class order to become successful!
Animated professor whose exams are primarily based on in-class discussions. Tough grader when it comes to essays. Beware will take substantial marks off if under the word count
Record the lectures; only take notes on what he says. The midterm/exam will be on whatever was discussed/watched in class. If you miss a single lecture, expect to lose grades on tests. I did the essay within a weekend and got a decent grade: put most of your effort into that. He repeats himself a bit too much and will almost definitely call on you.
Take Graeme for any sociology course at TMU, avoid Michael Thorn! His midterm and exam were veryyy easy, just read over the slides and understand basic concepts. He is a tough marker when it comes to grading the final essay, I was a bit suprised. He answers his emails relatively fast if you're lucky. Amazing prof!
He's funny, very receptive to students, and likes a discussion. If you pay attention in the lectures you're pretty set for the exams (it's mostly class discussions and lecture slides). The essay is intense but I went to office hours and he was helpful which I think helped me get a high 80 on it. He's chill but serious when it comes to the essay.
The lectures are engaging and keep you awake, but attendance is required if you want to pass! He shows movies/videos that will be included in the exam. Super unorganized, It takes a long time for assignments to be graded, and emails are left unanswered. The course material is not difficult, but I wouldn't call this a bird course
He doesn't teach this course you learn the material by yourself. The module lectures were interesting and the only homework is a discussion board post at the end of each module. The exams are taken word for word from the modules so study those. I've heard that he's a hard essay marker but if you do extensive research you'll do fine.
this prof is unorganized, jumps from slides to slides manically without getting into detail in any of the very interesting concepts and theories of media studies. reminds me of a coked out Hollywood movie director explaining an idea for a bad movie. shows videos in class that are on tests. would avoid if you have genuine interest in critical theory
Very disorganized professor and does not go into theory in depth. He tries to tailor the class discussions to each group, but the issue with that is he makes the mistake of testing other sections on content he covered with a different class. The course itself would not be difficult if not for the lack of quality teaching.
If you're planning on taking this course because of "easiest bird courses in TMU" DON'T. This prof loves to ramble about shoes, and random topics, not about the lectures. Attendance is mandatory, and he will not answer your emails nor questions in general. This level of "easy" that reddit students say is not even similar to RTA180 so be warned!!!
If his midterms/exams are all based on memorizing his slides and zero application, we should be given a test aid or be allowed to have a cheat sheet. Having to memorize 6 weeks of slides word for word is like not humanly possible. On top of that he is disorganized and hard to follow so its hard to even gage what we are going to be tested on.
Has always been eccentric but this semester and class he was completely off the rails. No thought process just rambles about a bunch of random stuff. Exam questions made no sense and wanted you to memorize definitions word for word. Uses random examples and films that were not connected to the topic and was very disorganized. Exams,discussion,paper
He's a nice guy and funny but he was like super manic vibes and disorganized. its kinda stressful when he comes to class and has to be reminded of what he taught us the week before. he also changed the outline of what we were being graded on half way through the semester which I feel like you can't do idk.
Unclear of any if not all instructions, does not teach lectures based on slides and does not specify what is expected from students regarding big papers or exams. Exams are extremely hard as everything is taken word for word from the slides which he barely covers. do not take any course with this prof or you will regret it
Super disorganized, and all over the place. Rambles A LOT. some references he makes are random and out of place. lecture slides are not great at all (on top of the lecture being disorganized.) if you could, take this course with another prof.
honestly took a social science course thinking it would be easy to get a good mark however this guy is a very tough grader only had him online so I did not have to go through any lectures. Although content was interesting I was annoyed by how tough he graded my assignments he does discussion posts which can boost up ur mark though
This guy is really smart and is able to go toe-to-toe with whatever students throw at him. He knows his stuff and has great film/book recommendations. If you need help, make sure to do it in-person--he will not respond to email. He is a tough grader so make sure to put in the work on assignments. He also looks like Adam Savage.
I like him as a person not a prof. He was passionate about what he taught but there was a disconnect because he was disorganized. He lectured about the same topic for 3 weeks straight so it was difficult to get back on track. Trying to decipher what was going to be on the midterm was kinda hard. My only advice is to try and attended each lecture!
I personally really disliked his teaching style. I think the general consensus is that you either love him or hate him. Just for reference this class was my lowest grade of all of university. My advice is just memorize the slides word for word and you will get at least an B+ on the midterm/final
Although being criticized as a disorganized professor who posts lectures 10 minutes before class, Professor Metcalf is awesome and approachable. We had no readings this semester and awesome conversations about sociological relevance in society. Much of the final exam is based on the verbal in person lectures rather then just the posted class slides
Updates students with emails throughout the course. Chill guy. Fair marker. Topics in the modules were actually more fun that I thought. SOC202 is interesting because it focuses on popular culture and media and the sociology theories behind it, unlike SOC103 which is liberal propaganda that makes you depressed at reading it.
Professor Metcalf is an eccentric lecturer, but the class is worthwhile if you engage with it. The exams focus heavily on memorizing his disorganized slides, so using resources like unstuckstudy AI for study prep can really help. Overall, it's a challenging but interesting course.
i had this class with him last year and it was such a great experience. i agree with some of the critiques about him, but overall he was a really great prof. He was very passionate and understanding. Just show up to his classes and you'll do good on the exams, most of the questions are word for word what he says.
I would've loved it if this class weren't taken for credit. Bro loves to talk about Drake, fool around, and talk about current events. Unfortunately, that does not help my learning. I participated in class every day, studied the slides, and still managed to do badly. When asked to see my exam, it took him an entire month as he forgot every week :(
the exam questions are word for word what he lectures/what is written on the slides. does he ramble on sometimes, yes, but thats my bestie
Professor Metcalf was honestly such a funny guy and made lectures very entertaining. He cares about the success of his students and always explains things very thoroughly. Definitely take his classes if you can!
He is funny, and his lecture is very interesting. He gives clear guidance for the essay and marks fairly for the essay. Showing up to class and read slides that he provides will get you A on the exam.
I really dislike his teaching style. He's all over the place. He didn't clearly explain the course material or expectations for the paper. He's kind of a hard marker. He changed the format of the exam and emailed us 4 days before the final. Would cancel class and email us 2 hours before class started. Overall very unorganized.
He had interesting lectures but was very unorganized, which made exams and assignments difficult.
He do not give feedbacks and give computer generated marks which are not so great.
it honestly wasn't as bad as most people put it. if I actually tried harder I could have got out of this course with a A. He's not the best prof but it wasn't that horrible, just pay attention and you're fine. Bird course if you ask me
He's extremely disorganized and it affects the way he teaches. His slides are just quotes that he uses as a backdrop while he rambles incessantly and fails to actually explain the material.
he's good. he rambles but its super easy to do well in his class. just show up to the lectures. i know they feel like forever because he goes off topic a lot but the slides are word for word the exam questions. also to do the discussion posts you have to show up to class cause sometimes the prompt is vague and has to do with actual class discussion
despite the fact that he rambles and the lectures can feel long and not always productive, showing up to class is how you'll do well. you're probably thinking "duh" but after a few lectures it might start to feel like a chore since he doesn't always address the material BUT push through it cause what he actually says in lecture is important
Really cool and chill dude, brings his dog to class sometimes. Grades kinda hard but I finished with a B+, cuz the midterm and exam were easy, but essay difficult. Go to class cuz a lot of the his material/examples are very on the spot and not on lecture slides.
If you enjoy taking about celebs, basketball, sneakers, rappers etc., then this course is for you. Lectures/slides are generally unstructured and based off of the flow of class discussions. He is a chill prof and his lectures are generally refreshing. However, if you are looking for a bird course, you are better off taking RTA 180.
Very chill prof. Tests are greatly based off of class discussions. If you're interested in the material, you'll have a great time during his lectures.
He is pretty decent, I recommend taking him on chang. Everything is easy except for the essay which he grades hard on but you can definitely pass with an A.
Easiest prof in the world. I loved his class. Lectures are always flowed with discussions. Its clear that he cares about what he is teaching and wants to involve his students. Assignments and exams werent too hard. Sit near the front, raise your hand, and get him to know your name, and you'll be set. He brought his dog to class a few times too
A very social and funny prof. Genuinely one of the only classes that was fun for me. His lectures were more like conversations with the students. However, this is why attendance and participation is important. Honestly such a fun prof, interesting materials and classes, little work, 100% would recommend!
Amazing Prof! Lectures were interesting and very entertaining and wonderful engaging with him and the class! 10/10 recommend and would definitely take again
He was an easy going guy, after all he was teaching a course about Hollywood movies. If you have a stressful schedule and are looking for an easy course to ease your semester, this is the one. - Easy assignments - Participation not mandatory - Very political (Which I thought was inappropriate in a school environment) - In person midterm/exam
loves to talk for long period of times causing you to regret coming to class.
A great professor overall, the midterm and final were pretty easy. The only downside is that there's a few questions on the midterm/final that you would only know if you showed up to class. Read the lecture slides!!
Hard essay marker. Things he talks about in lectures are not even on the actual slides themselves. I thought SOC202 was a bird course so I took it but clearly not.
Essay is marked super hard and he does not really teach. Not a bird course take Rta 180
Loved coming to class, he based the lecture on class discussion and was very insightful. His style may not be for everyone because it's a bit unorganized. You really have to pay attention to what he says or else you can miss stuff that will be on the exams that aren't on the lecture slides.
chill guy. lectures were pretty funny, he brought his dog! midterm was light but essay marks were a little humbling.
this class was honestly the one i was least looking forward to for this term, but it ended up being my favourite. prof Metcalf is passionate about what he's teaching and makes lectures extremely worth going to. he's a tiny bit disorganized, but it never really effected the quality of the course. 10/10 guy.
I took this class just for the credit but it also was probably the worst class i've taken yet. This teacher is very passive aggressive. If you email this teacher, be prepared to be humiliated because all they would say is “I said it in announcements, go read it” (Not word for word). The workload is not bad and is asynchronous but avoid this class.
Took pop culture in summer school, it was really just an easy credit, literally had 1 essay and the rest was online exams and weekly discussion boards. Those served as easy participation marks that amounted to like 20% of our grade. They were very low effort, just answer the prompts. Take this course in summer school periodt
Essay was harder
Graeme is the epitome of "mid". The class itself isn't that hard, however his lectures are straight yapping. I swear he just talks about useless stuff the entire 3 hours, it's not even worth it to attend. And he goes off topic A LOT. If you want to pay commute money to listen to a one-sided convo be his guest
Good guy but BAD professor. And the course is very boring (imo).
Professor Metcalf was one of my favourite professors I have ever had at TMU. He makes every lecture so entertaining, but if you sit near the back then the lectures won't be as entertaining. Even on days I didn't want to be at Yonge and Dundas I would just go to attend his lectures.
Prof Metcalf is a super chill SOC 202 prof. Attending lectures matters since some concepts show up on exams. Exams are straight from the slides. SOC 202 isn't a total bird course, you still need reasonable effort—but overall it's very manageable. Its also graded by few things , 2 exams and one major essay. Attend 2 hour lecture, skip the one hour.
Graeme is a nice guy who is knowledgable on his topics, but I found a lot of the lectures to be meaningless. I guess it's not entirely his fault since it is a bird course, but you could easily get the same value reading the slides at home. The only nuance is he will include specific topics on exams that you will only know if you attended lectures.
this my goat fr
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
58%
Textbook Required
9%
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