This guy is great IMHO. He's a smartass, but that's what I like about him. He's very no-nonsense but as far as my experience goes, he's been pretty accomodating and very approachable. I'm taking him for public policy and will take him again next semester for political methods. If you're a baby, don't take him!

Whatever you do, do not "pick" around with the TA, as harmless as you thought it might be, it will come back to haunt you!

He is definitly not the average UNCC teacher. His one test at the end of semester is impossible (even though he gave all the questions) because nobody is a mind reader and can tell te ridculus answers that he wanted. I don't know how I got an A... but I didn't like the uncertainty in knowing what I would get...not worth it...there are eaiser LBST'S

not the easiest class you will ever take, but he presents the material in a very organized and well thought out manner. Challanging course work but more than willing to help you with it. Not your average pasty academic, he actually likes to have fun in class. But take it from me, if you want to learn about the topic... John Szmer is your man.

The class isn't easy, but I enjoyed it a lot. He DID only give three tests, but alongside his notes now are Powerpoint presentations which help a lot. He's straightforward about the way the class is going to go, it's all true, and you know right away if it's a good fit for you. I personally love the class and am glad I took it.

Dr. Szmer is an awesome teacher. He tells great stories and explains all of the topics very well. Very interesting class that requires quite a bit of studying but it is well worth it.

Professor Szmer was one of the best professors I had this semester! I easily got an A by just listening, taking notes, and skimming the definitions in the book. His teaching style is laid back and very humorous. I would recommend him to anyone interested in this class.

He's really great and although his tests are tricky he has a massive curve and really tries to understand that you arent a poly-sci geek like he is. I would definitely recommend his class, it wasn't terrible to sit through either. He tells stories and tries to make things more interesting. One of the best professors in the deptartment.

Funnny guy, he keeps the class interesting. He explains things well, I hardly opened the book for more than fifteen minutes a week and got an A. The classes are interesting and going to them helps you avoid reading a whole lot on your time. He posts the slides on blackboard and is willing to answer any questions.

I highly recommend this course. If you're not into politics, it's going to be a drag. Szmer puts NO bias into it and keeps you entertained. He's relatable, making the information easier to understand. He's always open to questions and comments. You HAVE to read the book, though. He puts massive curves on his exams, which is a plus.

AWESOME TEACHER! I would really recommend taking this class. I had some prior interest in POLS before taking this class but afterwards i really enjoy learning about things like that. His tests have a huge curve... the only downside is that reading the book is essential. Only 3 tests all semester though. Dr. Szmer is really one of UNCC's best.

Prof Szmer is definitely a thought-provoking guy. He is really quite a genius, and his sense of humor really helps during the dry part of the curriculum. If you have even the slightest interest in politics, you'll find his class a delight. I learn useful information every session. Also, READ YOUR TEXTBOOK.

really entertaining and can explain things so that you understand them. Don't be afraid to ask questions or seek him out for help

Amazing professor. Really funny and makes the class interesting. Attendance is not mandatory, but I would recommend being present because test questions come a lot from lectures. Uses power points so you don't have to take notes. Also, be sure to read the book for tests. Tests are tough, but still an enjoyable class.

I definitely recommend this class. Dr. Szmer makes the class very enjoyable. He incorporates humor into the topics covered no matter how dull they may be. He's always happy to answer questions even after class. Print the slide shows and take notes in class. Attendance is not mandatory - gives hints in class.Only 4 exams. Curves. READ THE TEXTBOOK.

Great professor. Go to class, take notes, read the book, and make an A. It's as simple as that. One of the best, if not the best, professors at UNCC. The people who left bad ratings did so only because they didn't come to class, didn't read the book, and, consequently, made poor grades. HUGE curve on every test. My semester average was around 105.

He is a great teacher, funny and very smart. His tests are a little hard, but he does curve the test's a lot. He has his notes on moodle, just print them off and add to them because he adds some minor stuff into them. Also he gives free test questions and answers in class, they help you get a letter grade higher on tests. He is good and fair.

Great teacher. Super huge curves. He doesn't require you to go to class but if you do he rewards you with answers to the test so you can get it right but words them so people who don't attend get them wrong.

This guy is awesome. Can make boring material somewhat interesting. Entire grade came from 4 tests with a HUGE curve. I went to class somewhat regularly (paying attention when I did), NEVER opened the textbook, and made an A. e gives powerpoints. Study those before the tests, go to class some and you'll be fine. Would def take him again.

One of the most brilliant proffs at UNCC. My very first class in college was with him and it has only set me on my goal to law school semesters after. You wont regret taking his class. Slideshows are only have the notes. Need to go to class because most of the tests come from lectures. Skim book once in awhile. One of the best at UNCC!

Awesome teacher!!! I really enjoyed this professor. Must go to class and take good notes in order to get a good grade. He explains material clearly and keeps it current :)

One of the best professors at UNCC. He is so smart and really knows his stuff, so you will definitely learn something. If you attend class and take a few notes, a B is more than attainable; put in a little effort and an A will be yours. The tests are graded on a huge curve but this is because they are really hard. Final is optional. sexy

He is a pretty good teacher but he makes the exams WAY too hard. I attended class and studied for hours and still only made 70's ( with a curve!) and I'm a good student. He admits that he tries to make the questions tricky. Exams are the only grades so if you don't do well you wont get a good grade.

Exams are way to hard, he reads directly off the slides with a few of his own notes. Attendance is not mandatory I received a 46 on my 1st test, then stopped going to class and took my own notes read the chapter alone and just went and got the study guide, I received a 85 on that test.Only 3 test & a Cum. final no hw or quizzes!!

3 hard exams and a cumulative final. Attendance is not mandatory but please go to class. He will give answers to the test for those who go, and one day he did give extra credit to those who attended his class when the attendance was at its lowest. He talks a lot so listen and keep that pencil moving and you will be fine. You actually have to work.

BEST PROF AT UNCC. Seriously the best class I have ever taken. In my life. Seriously. No words about what an impactful, intelligent, inspiring man he is. Take him. It will change your life.

You will do well if you have an interest and actually work. He is one of the best professors here and will do whatever he can, as long as you try. Take his class if you want to actually learn, and not just sit in a room. He is very smart, but goes on tangents easily. I would take every class he teaches if I could.

I did not find this out until the day I took my final exam, he makes his powerpoints and talks his heart out, but his TA's, who do not attend the class, write his exams according to the syllabus and book. BUY THE BOOK AND READ IT then you might have a chance at landing something higher than a C. Good guy, and is always available to talk.

Great instructor. One of the best I've ever had. Tough, but fair. Was always available to talk, to help, and offer suggestions. Don't take Dr. Szmer if you are looking for an easy A-take him if you are looking for a well earned grade.

Dr. Szmer loves to lecture but hates to grade papers...great professor as long as you don't mind your grade being a mystery until the end of the semester. Great at teaching the class how to think critically to understand concepts rather than just memorize facts.

He is by far my favorite professor at UNCC. Definitely not easy but it is possible to get an A if you actually do the work. He tries to help you as much as possible so if you have any questions or problems email him or go to his office hours. You must attend class and you must take notes. take notes pass.

Dr. Szmer is by far one of the best professors here at UNCC. I have taken all of his classes and I wish there were more. He passionate about the subjects and extremely helpful if you're confuse. DO NOT SKIP CLASS. He gives 30 points EC if you don't miss a single day. Be prepared to learn, read and write. This is why you're in school right?

this class is very interesting; however very difficult. His case briefs aren't hard however his exams are no cake walk everything is short answer and essay and by shot answer he means essay and by essay he means mini paper. He does give credit if you attend all classes

The pace of class is slow but he keeps discussions on the same topic interesting for several classes. He only has two tests and one 5-page paper, otherwise everything else is close to a free 100. Tests are entirely essay/free answer but can mostly be prepared for by looking at the study guide and taking notes and really reading the materiel

Szmer class is tough but not impossible, if you read and pay attention to lectures you should be okay. Test are all free response but he gave us a study guide for the midterm. If he gives a study guide USE IT ! This is not an easy 'A' you will have to work for it .

His tests are essay/short-answer based so you do have to know your stuff, but he offers so much extra credit that it's easy to compensate for the loss. I ended up with a 101% in the class because he offers 40 points if you never miss a day of class and 25 points for each extra credit speaker (class is out of 1,000 points). Great lecturer

He is very knowledgeable of the material he teaches making the lectures very interesting. He spends time on the topics that matter the most. Be prepared to study hard, read a lot and take good notes and you will get a well deserved A. Don't take this class with him if you want an easy A or if you don't really care about the topic.

Great professor! He knows a crap ton of info. Not impossible to get an A but you will have to work for it. The test are the hardest part but if he offers a study guide USE IT ! Make sure you do your case briefs and it's in your best interest to show up to class. He give 40 point added to your final grade if you show up to the lectures

Sumer definitely knows his stuff! This class is not a cake walk but you will learn so much in this class and think in a way that you didn't know was possible. This is the 2nd class I have taken under him because I learn so much. Get ready to read and study.

Great Professor and really makes fairly dry subject matter (Supreme Court cases) interesting with how easily he makes the facts and legal reasoning to understand. You will be expected to keep up with the cases being discussed, in class but he will give you help if you know the basics. Tests and papers aren't graded too harshly either.

Dr. Szmer is a really good lecturer and gives away test answers during the lectures. He and his TA were very accommodating and open to meeting outside of class. His American Politics class is law-heavy, so if you are interested in law he would be good to take. Highly recommend.

Dr. Szmer is very intelligent in teaching American politics. His lectures are engaging however sometimes hard to follow. Only grades are tests, so study hard and diligently. Gets TQs from lectures and book. The TA was super helpful, be sure to go to study sessions before the test; vital for a good grade. Would recommend if youre willing to work.

I studied hard and did not do too good first test. However as the semester progressed my grades got better and ended up with a 79 average. I attended an extra credit lecture and did 3 surveys for extra credit and my grade ended up being a 104!! He really does care, he extended extra credit for those who did not do it the first time.

Took this class online , during the 2nd Summer Session. Lots of reading, interactive discussion questions, quizzes after each chapter, 3 tests, 1 final, and a paper. It's a lot of work but read everything and you'll get a good grade. FOLLOW the dates on the syllabus and you can make an A. I missed something and it caused me to get a B instead of A

Absolutely great teacher. Most lectures were enjoyable and if since we can't check what we got wrong on our test grades in the lecture hall, he gave you one on one time in which he gave great feedback. It didn't really matter anyways because I generally made 93's (around) on each test. The extra credit he gives put my grade well over a 100.

Great professor. He makes class fun and gives test answers during the lectures!

Professor gives very long lectures, only tests are graded but does give a few extra credit opportunities. The test can be seen as difficult if you don't read the textbook. TA's help with before test review sessions. All in all not a very hard class if you can put some effort into it.

Professor is a cool guy and makes the class easy to sit through. There are only 5 grades for the course; Syllabus Quiz, Test 1,2&3, and the Final Exam. The final exam is has a lot of the questions from the 3 tests. Attendance isnt mandatory but some test questions are derived straight from lectures. Overall pretty good course to take.

Just get the book, takes notes during lecture, and take the three tests, that is all the work in the class. I ended up having a 79 in the class but did three surveys for the Political science department and ended up with 104 in the class after extra credit. Amazing and hilarious professor.

I took this class because I needed some more credit hours and he's a great professor and provides a bunch of opportunities to bring up your grades! I took the whole class online asynchronously and it was fairly easy to figure out on my own. There are quizzes due every week and like one test per month so it's super manageable to do on your own time

Dr. Szmer is a great professor. He's understanding that there could be technical/computer issues and gives A LOT of extra credit to make up for it which boosted my grade 10 points. Extra credit is offered weekly through Vantage and besides that there's a reading quiz due every Sun and he only counts the highest 10 quiz grades. TAKE HIS CLASS.

This was probably one of the easiest classes Ive taken. We take quizzes every weekend but they are so easy. The extra credit in the class is super easy and its worth like 10 points.

This was probably one of the easiest classes I have taken. We take quizzes every weekend but they are so easy. The extra credit in the class is super easy and its worth like 10 points. This was a half semester course so at first I thought if regular so it was faster pass class.

We take quizzes every weekend but they are so easy. The extra credit in the class is super easy and its worth like 10 points. This was a half semester course so at first I thought if regular so it was faster pass class.

Great professor helps students outside of class. Took this as a freshman and truly made me feel welcome for my first semester.

Super easy class, just mostly quizzes

If you show up and take notes youll pass. Hes really funny and has a great quiz policy. He posts the power points before hand so make sure you write those down before, but mainly take notes on what hes talking about.

This professor is a great guy, really funny. His lectures are engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed attending each one. Attendance isn't mandatory, but he does reward attendance with extra credit. I would definitely recommend this course and professor!!

This professor is one of the best I have ever had. You can clearly tell how much he cares and knows about the subject. He is very interesting to listen to and gives clear instructions and information about what will be on the test. Attendance is not mandatory but if you do not go to the lectures it will be very hard to pass.

Great professor just read the book and go to class. Extremely smart but can be rude at times.

Dr.Szmer 100% loves his job and truly enjoys everything that he teaches. Attendance is mandatory and I recommend it. His lectures are very important and they are also interesting so its not like a normal lecture. TAKE NOTES and PARTICIPATE. There are only a few grades though so beware of that. There are 2 exams, a paper, and 2 legal briefs.

Best lectures at UNCC. Hilarious.

Although his classes are extremely lecture-heavy, Prof Szmer is definitely a great professor that knows what he is doing, homework consists of weekly tests that reference an online textbook given for free which takes around 15 minutes, so not much. He gives lots of extra credit for things like showing up to class when attendance is low.

Love love love Szmer's lectures. He is so funny and made this class fun. That being said, this class is one of the hardest I have taken and is full of writing and debriefing. If you want to go to law school and want to see what a class would be like, take this. If not, stay away!

He was a great professor, lectures are not required but he gives extra credit to everyone who comes in person. All homework and exams are online and are open note, not a single paper. He is very knowledgeable and knows his stuff. Highly recommend.

Great professor, one of the best professors I had in my life! Very humorous, and lectures are always engaging. He is very engaging and does give out extra credit on random days people are in attendance.

Dr. Szmer is an amazing professor. He is passionate about American Politics and also adds fun things into his lectures to keep the class engaged such as a hilarious way to say a political thing or something about sports or his family. All of the quizzes and exams are online, open book, open note and are easy if you show up, take notes, and read.

Show up, listen, read the textbook, and study. The course is based on two exams, a final, two case briefs, and one research essay. Work hard and you should do well. If you don't go to class, you will fail. Overall, if you read the textbook and pay attention in class, you should at least get a C. Dr. Szmer is knowledgeable.

I'm going to go against the grain and say I really liked Szmer. He's knowledgeable and gives engaging lectures that will help you think critically about the material. He also cares for his students. My only gripe is that the final grade is basically 3 tests and they're all hard, prepare to read. He's also not a timely grader.

If you are planning on going to law school take this class with this professor. The class is test heavy but the professor prepares you well for the exams if you go to class. Lectures are very interesting

I found Professor Szmer to be extremely interesting and more than reasonable. I do not want to go to law school, just wanted to learn more about law and the legal system and I found this course very helpful!

He values us actually learning the content over grades, he makes sure we get good grades so that we focus on learning, his lectures are fun and interactive without forcing us to talk and he makes it very interesting and he is very passionate. He is very understanding and fun and uses different ways for us to learn for those who learn differently.

Definitely not Napoleon. Just show up to class and read the textbook. The lectures can be entertaining if you interact with them. If you do your part in the work, you will get an A or B with no issue. Don't wear Alabama merch to his class though as he is a Georgia fan.

Szmer is hilarious first of all, but he's also a great professor. He cares about you learning the material, especially if you're aspiring to go to law school. His lectures are always engaging too. Attendance isn't required, but he does do pop quizzes and there aren't many other grades in the course so keep that in mind. Definitely a great professor

Mostly graded on textbook quizzes and exams. Attendance is not mandatory but his lectures are funny and have a lot of the info for tests! He also often gave test answers in class to encourage attendance. Honestly, the only reason I got a B was because I got lazy lol, this is not a difficult class

He is very straight forward, sarcastic, and funny. all tests are online, final is in person. one reading quiz every week is the only work other than tests. tests and quizzes are open book. you get one full printer paper page for the final, front/back and typed. he is a very smart man and really knows what hes teaching.

Prof. Szmer is a great professor that teaches American Politics really well. He engages with the class and always welcomes questions. All the tests and quizzes are online, besides the final. You get a cheat sheet however, so use that with information you dont know. Attendance is optional but I recommend to show up to potentially get extra credit.

Literally my favorite professor

His class is extremely lecture-heavy, but he makes them interactive, and he knows what he is talking about. Attendance is not mandatory, but you can get extra credit if you come to class. He also gives out test questions and the answers during the lecture. All of the tests and quizzes are online, but the final is in person.

Loved having this diva as a professor this semester.

Pretty good class! If you actually like American history and learning about the gist of how our government works, you will like this class. GO TO CLASS!! From what I can tell, more participation = more attendance credit. He is funny and thorough during his lectures. Easy A because he gives out test questions during his lectures.