Before getting in class, I'd always heard how hard & generally disliked he was, but I loved the class. He wouldn't just give good grades, but did do everything to help. Has expectations,but, with effort, definitely possible to pass.

Great teacher but very challenging. It is not a class that you can slide by in; you have to work at it. The tests are half from lecture and half from class so take good notes and be sure to know and understand what your government book says.

He is not a good teacher to have for the Introductory class but a decent teacher for the sophmore level political science classes. He doesn't put up with the freshman crap that they through at him.

Every day I felt like I learned enough for an entire semester. Very hard but very good class.

Great Professor. Very personable. A great friend to have outside of class. His office door is open anytime for help. Would take him again and again.

Awesome professor, very charasmatic. You get out what you put in.

I took this in the summer. He is very strick and doesn't put up with late commers, or especially people who like to be immature. But past that first strick impression he is a relly nice guy, and he explains things very clearly. His stories help remember the material too. Great class.

I absolutely loved my class with Decker. He is very professional & won't put up with any BS, but will take all the time needed to explain & answer questions. Decker's stories & tales are too funny, he keeps the class light when he can. I took this class in the summer & now wish that I had taken it during a full semester. There is a lot to learn.

Dr. Decker is a professional. He is not one to give undeserved credit but he appreciates hard work. If you pass his class, YOU do it! He is extremely entertaining and intelligent. Possibly the smartest professor I have ever had.And YES I PASSE

He's too much of a jerk. While I believe in working for my grade, I also think he tests too strict. He's actually proud that his tests are too hard too! Book is too hard to read and comprehend without explanation, but he'll give quizzes w/o going over the material first...hate that!

I have him now, and he is very interesting. It is alot of work, but pretty interesting stuff. Lots of papers. He is extremely knowledgeable and probably one of the best at Macon. Why is he in this hick town?

Hello?! He's Hot AND his class is really good. He's tough but fair. And he's got great sexy salt and pepper hair. Thumbs way up!

Decker was a great teacher, very interesting and he was very clear on what you were to be quizzed over. His test were not that hard as long as you have done your reading (which wasn't a ton), and looked at that notes you take off the board. I would take him again if I could

great teacher, slightly hard class. you EARN your grade.

I think he's fantastic! He knows his stuff and doesn't put up with BS in class.

Good professor. Easy to follow his lectures. Definitely knows his subject material.

I took him when I was a freshman, he's a really good teacher, very clear and helpful. His tests are hard only if you didn't study good enough. It ain't a cakewalk but Overall, he's cool.

Good Professor! Your key to success is... 1) Do all your reading 2) Learn your key terms 3) Attend every class. His tests were 30 multiple choice (2 pts each, answers are from reading), 15 fill in the blank (2 pts each, answers are from key terms), and 2 essay questions (15 pts each, answers all from lecture).

He is very intelligent, but he's a jerk. His mood swings dictated how the class would be on any given day.

He's tough. Don't take him if you want an easy A. But he does make the class really interesting. You earn whatever grade you make... I'd take him again if I had the chance.

Dr. Deck is a great professor; however, if you want an A bring a tape recorder. He gives 10 pop quizzes. 3 test and the final. It is important to be in class everyday. Read your notes and book everyday

Decker is SO great it's scary! If you read the book and come to class you can pull a C easily. I'd take him again and again!!

Dr. Decker is a great teacher!!!

He's a great teacher who is passionate about the material. All those who complain about him just want a grade given to them. Unfortuanently, that's not how it works in the real world. Decker's class is difficult, but when it's over, you know you really earned the great you got.

HE IS A GREAT TEACHER. HE WILL WORK WITH YOU IF YOU ASK. HE KNOWS HIS STUFF AND MAKES SURE YOU KNOW IT TOO. IF YOUCOME TO CLASS, YOU CAN PASS. EASILY!

This guy is HARD. Yes he does make you learn & the class is interesting at times but someone needs to inform him this is a 1styr class not a 4thyr. With that said he is the type of Prof I would/will take again he's that good even if hard. Also don't miss his quiz's those points help A LOT in the end, & NEVER leave right after a quiz, Ticks him off

Decker is a great teacher and knows his stuff. I highly recommend him. If you do what you are supposed to you'll be fine.

Dr. Decker taught me how to study.

Dr. Decker expresses his expectations during the first day of class. Follow them, ie read assignments, take notes, and STUDY. You can pass his class without making excuses. This class will help to develop better study habits.

One of the best teachers I've ever had. Has an incredible sense of humor; will have you rolling laughing. Tells you when your quizes are and what pages to study. Take good notes, and read the book and you will do wonderfully. Willing to help ANY TIME. Knows his stuff! Don't let him fool you...he may act tough, but he's a great person and teacher.

Dr. Decker is a great professor. This class is easy if you study, take notes, read chapter assigements, and study. This is not an easy A class you have to work hard for your A. But he will work with you if you need help. His class taught me how to study more. Besides this is college so you have to study. I would recommend him to everyone.

Dr. Decker is a great professor. I enjoyed his class although he is tough. he is interesting and knows his material. he gives pop quizzes so you need to read. his tests are fair but you HAVE to study! dont use your cells in his class! not an easy A but you will learn alot. I highly recommend him.

Great Professor. Very opinionated. Just agree with him, he is always right. Even if he is not right keep yur mouth shut. He is probably the smartest man you will ever meet. His class is fun, but you do have to study. I made a B and slacked off towards the end.

I loved this class. I learned a lot. You have to study and take excellent lecture notes. His tests have fill-in-the-blank and essay questions. The more detailed you are the better you will do in the class. Not an easy A but it is definately possible!!! I would take him again in a heartbeat. Brillant professor!

Dr. Decker has probably been the most entertaining professor I've had at MSC! He's tough on grading, but the lectures are very thourough and he's obviously very passionate about what he teaches. Study what he tells you to and take as many notes as possible. The essays on his tests are pretty rough.

Could be funny at times, but I still had trouble paying attention.

Dr. Decker's class is fabulous in every sense of the word. He's incredibly passionate about his subject matter and he focuses on what's really important for his students to know. If you want to succeed, you MUST attend class punctually and take thorough notes; study them well before the test and you'll be gravy. He's an amazing professor.

He is so funny without even trying to be. I loved going to his class just so I could be entertained by his lecture. He definitely knows the material and loves teaching it. You do have to read for this class in order to do well on the pop quizzes and tests. He hints at when there will be a pop quiz and the material it will be over.

i failed him last semester but he is an extremele good teacher and i enjoied his class i failed due to the fact that i didnt try not his teaching

There is a reading assignment almost every class for homework, and there are frequent (easy) pop quizzes that help pad your grade. Tests are slightly difficult; most info comes from the book, and there are a few essays to do. He's a nice, funny, clever guy. Obviously liberal, but not preachy. Would take him again.

He is a hardball but great! His grading will throw you off but just read and take his notes. Do not go in there thinking you know because when you leave his class you will know. No papers to write yes small pop quizzes over reading but they will help your grade. dont be offended how he answers questions he just tries to make sure you understand.

Great teacher. You have to study and take good notes, but if you pay attention, then the test are easy. Just make sure to take good notes and read the side notes in the book.

I took American Government over the summer. It was an easy class: show up every day and take good notes. If he writes something on the board, copy it down. Tests were picky, and you need to know your material. An overall good teacher. There was material on tests that were from book and not notes.

Dr. Decker poltical science class keeps you interested in what is happening in the world. He does a great job at giving students the information they need to understand politics. I would recommend anyone to take this class or if students are interested in majoring in politics this teacher would help you get a better understanding.

A lil tough, but you'll learn a lot. If you keep up with his lectures and study the emphasized terms in textbook, you'll do fine on exams. Quizzes often on homework reading. If you ask a question after class, expect to listen to him talk for 5 minutes straight. I'd take him again.

Hilarious. Very dry and sarcastic but once you get to know his sense of humor he will have you laughing out loud in class. Very interested in what he's teaching. Tends to teach more HIS opinion rather than an unbiased POV. I recommend him.

This class was hard and his lectures are boring. He really knows what he is talking about. There was no final, a research paper counted as the final. He gives a midterm and a lot of quizzes. I wouldn't recommend this class unless you are really interested in political science.

LOVED this professor! He lectures and shows films in class which relate to the material. Is very well organized. Internet quizzes are interesting because you see how class concepts apply in real world stories. I think he really knows his subject matter down cold. Good class, good professor!!

Decker is very dry and sarcastic, however he is willing to help. I liked him as a professor, but you really have t o pay attention to his lectures and also read the book for the tests.

Great professor! Let me be the first to WARN you,DECKER IS NO JOKE!..Highly intelligent man works very hard to make sure that students understand the material! Can be rude but it's oddly amusing. STUDY!READ!TAKE NOTES!(oh yea by the way write down everything he says as verbatim as possible..this will come in handy on exams)

He knows the material extremely well, backwards and forwards. His exams are difficult though, so definitely take a LOT of notes and mainly study those notes before an exam.

Very intelligent Professor w/ dry personality. Tests are hard. His tests are 25 multiple choice, 15 fill in blank, and 2 essay. Final is 120 m/c questions. Write down EVERYTHING he says and writes on the board. Use a voice recorder if you can't keep up. Most of the test questions come from his lectures. No curves given, you earn your grade

In Dr. Decker's class, you will earn the grade that you get. You really have to study for his tests. However, he is very fair. His class is one of the few that I was very interested in, and it is obvious that he is very passionate about government. I got a B, but feel like a better person for taking his class.

Dr. Decker is quite the character. Stickler for phones/et al. You can tell he enjoys the class. Pay attention and it's pretty easy (he repeats himself). Can sometimes be intimidating (no excuses for late work/test/quizzes). He also does geography quizzes which are a boon to your grade. Don't take him if you are thin skinned, he say things plainly.

Dr. Decker is a great professor. If you do the homework and take good notes you will do fine.

I really enjoyed Dr. Decker's class. He talks about everything that's going to over the tests and is very helpful outside of class. His tests are really hard though so I would recommend taking notes and studying really hard but other than that I liked his class.

Dr. Decker is a wonderful professor. I'm currently taking POLS 1101. I enjoy his lectures. He knows his stuff and is crystal clear when giving information, plus he's hilarious. He'll have you rolling and understanding politics at the same time. Dr. Decker is very serious and will kick your butt if you slack. My favorite professor at MGSC.

Dr. Decker is a GREAT professor. Very clear and charismatic, always willing to answer questions. Will practically beg you to seek him out for help. Very funny, nice,(and handsome), but doesn't put up with bs so don't try. No extra credit. If you fail his class you didn't try. Hands down my favorite professor. Two thumbs up for Dr. Decker!

Decker is the best. I took him 3 times, and I would take him again if I could. He is hard, he will push you, and he has a very dry sense of humor. If you slack, take stuff too personally, or aren't halfway knowledgeable on the subject prior to taking the class, I don't recommend it. He is highly intelligent and loves teaching people that are, also.

One of the best at MGSC. He's hilarious, but will push you. Slackers need not take him. You will know your stuff by the end of the semester if you put forth the effort. Grades fairly, fun to listen to. I looked forward to his class every day. I would love to take him again. Super friendly and easy on the eyes.

I love a challenge, so I would definitely take Dr. Decker again.

If you're a slacker it's best you don't take this class. On another note- in my opinion he is one of the BEST professors! He is very bold and gets straight to the point and doesn't sugar coat anything. He explains the lectures very well and is very thorough to make sure everyone understands! I would definitely take his class again!

Although we didn't have any major test, we had 4 map quizzes. 4 course quizzes. and 4 internet quizzes. His class isn't hard. You just have to work for the grade you want. Pretty cool teacher though.

Decker is an amazing professor. You have to be willing to put in the work though. He does not tolerate slackers and will make you work for that A. He knows what he expects from the students, spells it out, and is very fair. Do not take his class if you want to slack! His Pop quizzes are very simple if you remember to focus on the vocabulary words.

Great professor! He is very clear about his expectations and grades fairly. Very funny and extremely helpful if you seek his help. Easy pop quizzes, tests are a little hard. Don't take him if you're gonna slack. This is college folks. I got an A in his class. I would take him again and again. In my opinion, he's one of the best professors at MGSC.

At first Decker is horrible. Once you relaize the way he teaches he is awesome. If you pay attention in class and write everything he says down and read all of the reading he assigns then you should do fine. You will have to study for his test. When he says write this down... You write that down becauese what he is saying will be on the test.

Dr. Decker is a wonderful professor and he knows his stuff. Read and study and you should have no problem..

He is super easy, I liked him though he's funny and he's approachable. He is super knowledgable he's one of the main ones to start the program. If you wand a break from your other classes, he'd be a good one to take. He does not structure though!

Has a good sense of humor. Expects you to make note of what is said/written during lectures as nearly all of it will be on tests. The Final had several questions based on obscure facts/statistics that were not in the textbook and were very briefly mentioned in class. Dr. Decker's version of this class should be Advanced Placement. You will learn.

Decker is a great professor, but he is very old school. His tests are a mix between the book and notes, and it helps if you record his class. He's also very sarcastic.

He's a really good teacher, but really lecture heavy. Though He does have some one liners that i thought were pretty funny. His tests are hard if you don't study and read the material Make sure you do well on the first test so you have a cushion for the rest. As long as you read and know the material you should be fine.

Dr. Decker is amazing - I took him 2 semesters ago and his class helped me realize I needed to change my major to polysci. He's very passionate and very smart on comparative politics. You have 3 tests, 3 current events papers and 4 map quizzes. The textbook wasn't mandatory but it helped to read it. Just study, pay attention and participate!!!

Dr. Decker is an amazing professor but is very challenging. He writes on a white board and doesn't use power points. The only reference for information in the class is lecture notes or the book. PAY ATTENTION

I absolutely loved being in Professor Deckers class! At first he can be kind of intimidating, but throughout the semester you learn hes not actually as scary as you thought! In depth lectures and memorable quotes he uses help you to pass the test with an A! Puts on a performance you wont forget!

I loved his lectures. I did decent on his exams with little studying but id this subject is not your strong suit then you need to study heavy... I would take him again, but he is not for everyone, he for sure makes you work for it!

Hilarious yet intimidating professor. Read your homework every night. There will be pop quizzes! Those are easy A's if you memorize the terms you read about. Tests are long/tough. Easy to listen to lectures, but still struggled on the tests bc I didn't study enough. You get out just what you put in. Quizlet helped me a lot with memorization here.

From day one, Decker may seem like a strict professor; he isn't. He's a really funny guy but, make sure to take him seriously when it comes to homework. He gives daily quizzes over the homework reading. Tests need to be taken seriously!! If you do not study and pay attention in class, expect to fail. Overall, he is a great professor.

Test driven with occasional quizzes. Don't miss class because the tests are taken directly from his lectures and what he writes on the board. Oh, and if you happen to be the only person who can stay awake during his lectures you'll realize he's actually kind of hilarious in a Ben Stein meets Alex Trebek kind of way.

I love his cockiness, thats what makes him hilarious. But he is a tough grader and pretty hard to impress. He can be pretty arrogant, but thats what makes James Decker, James Decker! He makes you... stronger and wiser and you definitely leave his class learning something new. Now you walk around talking like a mini James Decker! Take him

I loved Professor Decker's class this past semester. There's 3 exams (25 multiple choice, 15 FIB, 2 essay) followed by a 120q comprehensive multiple choice final. Do NOT miss a lecture. Reading is important, but the lectures more so. Take notes on everything he says and make a study guide based predominantly on lecture notes before each exam!

I may have barely passed his class but I have to admit he was an amazing professor when it came to his lectures. Those test were extremely hard so make sure to study and read, read, read!

The only assignments are the tests and quizzes, and they're super easy. I took the online class and we had to use Respondus Lockdown Browser, but we didn't have to use a webcam so all I had to do was take notes on his lectures. The textbook isn't necessarily required to purchase since he explains the chapter in his lecture. It was an easy A.

Professor Decker is an extremely knowledgable person. He knows everything that he is talking about perfectly. His lectures are very informative and help you understand the material much better. The class is just reading nightly homework, taking notes, pop quizzes and a few tests. Not bad at all if you just stay on top of your work and study.

Dr. Decker is a great professor and if you really care about the subject you will do fine in this class. Taking notes during his lectures is very important as most of the information he discusses will be on the test, but he will let you know if something he goes over is not on a test. There are a total of 10 pop quizzes that are always over reading

I loved taking Dr. Decker's online American Government course. For those on here wondering, a lockdown browser is required, however, he does not require the camera to be on. This class is also only composed of quizzes and tests, so it isn't too much work. The material before each quiz was also very very helpful and made the class easy.

Dr. Decker is great. He will give random pop quizzes that are ALWAYS over the reading homework. Tests are always over lecture & reading material. If you think you're going to come to college and give minimal effort yet expect good grades, don't bother taking his class (unless you want a rude awakening of reality). I would absolutely take him again.

This professor has been teaching for almost 4 decades and his dedication shows in his lectures. He is not an impossible teacher, take good notes on the reading and whatever he writes on the board, and you will pass at least. With the help of tutors that have already taken his class, an A is very possible in this intro level course.

Dr. Decker is a phenomenal professor who truly cares about learning. His lectures are engaging, and his tests come straight from the homework and readings. If you don't want to read, he's not for you—but if you do, want to grow as a person and learn, take his POLS class before he retires. No need to buy a textbook, it's free in the library.

Really easy online class. Textbook reading not required but for some stuff he did want you to know current names of people in office. 3 exams and 1 final and multiple quizzes all on Lockdown browser, no facecam required. Tests and quizzes are mostly multiple choice with a few fill in the blanks.

I took this class online for dual enrollment. The class itself has a solid structure since all you have to do is just read and analyze the textbook then you take the quiz/exam over the chapter. Ended the class with a 98/100.