Karaguesian is the best lecturer in the entire Economics program at McGill. It was so refreshing to have a prof with real work experience in the finance industry who could actually relate models and topics discussed in class to the global financial system. A laid back guy who really just wants you to learn. A real gem. Thanks for a great semester!

The prof is inspiring in so many ways, he redefined what a true economist is really like. Unlike the majority of McGill econ profs who only know to regurgitate theories and concepts, he really made this course dynamic and fun.

One of the only Econ professors who are self-aware of the subject's weaknesses, and who keeps up with the latest news about tech & society. His lectures are interesting and tie concepts you learn to the real world. He's more concerned about you learning mental models than being able to memorize long formulas. He uses plain English, avoids jargon.

He leaves the technical stuff up to you so you spend a lot of time studying trade models on your own, which means the lectures are not dry. He injects the course with real examples and insight that go well beyond anything in a textbook, and the parts on globalisation and capitalism are fantastic. Midterm was insanely hard but final OK. Recommend.

Econ 423 wasn't an easy class but definitely manageable. Karaguesian is respected by students because he cares about what real economics is and cares about students. Himself as government advisor commutes between Montreal and Ottawa, so maybe not always possible to meet him or go to office hours.

One of the best prof in economics department. He is not only a theorist, but also a practioner. During his lectures, you really can open your mind to the world. He is very open to discuss if you have unbiased and real thoughts. If you wanna connect economics with the real crucial world, he is the best. Definitely Recommended!

Prof Karaguesian is a one of a kind prof and he's so inspiring and passionate that it changes your whole perspective on things. The exams were fair and nothing on them was out of left field. This prof changed economics for me forever and my entire outlook of the system we live in. I highly recommend everyone take him at least once while at McGill!

Professor Karaguesian is amazing! He is really helpful in and outside of class!

I took Econ 424 with Professor Karaguesian. Your grade was based on 2 quizzes, 2 assignments and a final exam. He really cares about his students and tries to always make real world connections with everything he teaches. You are lucky if you can get a spot in his class!

Professor Karaguesian would go the extra mile to help his students. He is knowledgeable in the field and often brings real world experience into the classroom. I wish I had gone to his office hours more! The textbook is great - easy to read and the content is current and relevant. Exams are not tricky but you have to do some work to do well.

Prof Karaguesian is not a lifer. Teaches because he cares deeply about the state of the dismal science. His lectures are a mix of theory, attack on mainstream econ and heavy political economy. Effort in this course is necessary, but well worth it. He cares about students, is supportive and totally approachable. Universities need more of this type.

A really great professor who takes the time to really get to know his students and will go above and beyond to help them succeed. He's always open to discuss real life topics beyond just textbook material and I think that really enriches the learning experience. The McGill Economics department could really use more profs like him!

Prof. Karaguesian is very knowledgeable about the subjects he teaches and this is conveyed through the energy and relatable stories he brings to the classroom. Beyond this, he is always open to meeting during office hours and is the most approachable and helpful professor Ive had in this department!

Great Professor great lectures. Professor Karaguesian really brings his own unique perspective and helps students see the world of Economics from an insider's view. The final exam can be rather challenging but if you attended all his lectures it is totally doable.

He is one of the best profs I've met for my econ class. Professor Karaguesian always connects economic theories with real-world situations. He talks a lot to China and US. He replies to emails fast and he is patient to his students. I highly recommend his class for a 400 level econ class. You will find econ is interesting and learn a lot from him.

Karaguesian's classes are essentially composed of 2 components: 1) the testable material, which is straight from the textbook stuff. 2) the lectures themselves, where he essentially goes on about everything and anything related to the topics at hand. Never on the test though. He is an interesting lecturer, and a very fair prof. Recommend!

Professor Karaguesian is a laid back guy, but you have to work for a good grade. Thing is, hes not tough for the sake of it; he really wants you to learn, to think - and think critically. You just gave to go to class, read and open your mind - the rest follows. The lectures, the substance, were mind-blowing. Definitely recommend.

Professor Karaguesian was engaging and approachable, taking time to address any questions you had about the course. Discussions were encouraged and contributed to learning experience . Great course if you wish to gain a greater appreciation of the role of economists in the real world, with anecdotes used to solidify grasp on more complex content .

Professor Karaguesian is definitely the most erudite and approachable one at McGill. In his class, you will not learn banal economic theories. You will meet lots of real world challenges related to economics and trade. You will definitely gain abundant knowledge and find everything worthwhile the efforts!

By no means easy classes. But Prof Karaguesian is an inspirational teacher, he will not give you an A easily but his lectures will give you a newly found appreciation for Economics. His approach is one of critical thinking, he changed my perspective and helped me figure out what I wanted to do in life. Great Lectures ! Great Prof! Textbook may help

I have taken 12 econ courses at McGill so far. Fav profs: Barczyk, Galbraith, Karaguesian, Naylor. But 334 is probably my fav course. Wish McGill made it a prerequisite in first year 'cause it puts all regular economics in historical perspective, and so gives life to dry charts and equations. And he teaches new econ ideas too. Awesome class & prof.

The most woke prof in the econ department, helped really introduce me to marxist theory and encouraged me to research marxist thought in my own free time

Amazing prof, amazing lectures. He moves around a lot of issues, but that seems part of his point about complex world we live in. Talks a lot about capitalism, politics, history, etc. Taught traditional trade stuff and new economic thinking, including global supply chains and impact of Covid-19 and future of globalization. Wicked-good course.

Basically prof karaguesian's history of doctrines is a course about the history of thinking about capitalism. Content and lectures were fantastic. Presents in unbiased way, which was great for a pro-capitalist like me. This course was a real gem taught by a guy who sincerely wants you to learn and think critically. Thanks for a great semester!!

I loved this class and am so glad I took it. It's not easy (midterm average was a 63 without curve), but I think it should be mandatory for every economics student to take as part of their degree. We learned about classical and neoclassical thinkers, as well as a long module on Marx. Karaguesian is a great professor, and wants you to learn to think

I took Prof. Karaguesian for ECON 334 (basically survey course in economic thought from Smith to the present) and it remains one of the best courses I've taken at McGill. He's super woke and incredibly passionate about the material, and no matter your prior leanings you'll take a TON away from this course. He was extremely chill too.

Alors, really fascinating course. Karaguesian shows a lot of whats wrong with regular Econ. Wish this was first year as so much would have made sense after. Best Econ course I have had in 3 years, by far. Au meme temps, its not an easy A. You have to work for grade. Karaguesian est super chill et passione et son class super fascinant. Cest ca.

Some advice before add/drop. Took all of Karaguesian's 4 courses. All amazing. One of the keys to evaluations are the slides. Go through them very carefully. For 423 last fall, there was a text too but the course is lecture heavy. Midterm or final (not both) are tough. In my case it was the final. NB: slides., slides, slides are path to an A.

Positives: Prof K is very laid back, a greater lecturer (almost an orator), presents different material than regular schlock, passionate about econ, cares about students. Look forward to his class every week. Negatives: long lectures, oration starts to slip after the second hour, and some of the exam questions can be disconnected from lectures.

This prof is super woke. In sync with this gen. Lectures are awesome, but long. He brings in a lot from different disciplines and real world and ties politics and economics seamlessly. He can also be all over the place so sometimes hard to follow. Course would benefit from more organization to link material with what is expected on exams.

This was a super dope course. So different than most other econ. Take anything he teaches. Intellect and passion w/a touch of anger @ why regular econ still so dominant. TA awesome too. The assignment was the best one I had at McGill, but should have been worth much more. There was too much weight on the final @ 60. Pressure from final was heavy.

This prof is everything you can ask for and more while attending a prestigious university. His eccentricity and passion shows in every single lecture he gives. He should give more time for evaluation and be more organized. Overall amazing prof!

I would highly recommend taking a course with Professor Karaguesian. He is a fun and interesting lecturer with great insights and his course is challenging, but rewarding. It's refreshing to have a prof that doesn't just lecture directly from textbooks but actually connects topics to the bigger picture and uses real events as examples.

Taking 434 this semester. Barring any major disappointments, this is the best Econ course I've had at McGill. It's basically a critique of "mainstream economic thinking". Prok K is super woke. Lectures are super cool, but can be difficult to follow. Key drawback is only 3 evaluations. TA Shaun Sellers is awesome.

This is one of only 2 classes I look forward to every week. Prof K is intense about fixing economics and yet laid back. He's super helpful, if you can catch him - wrote me a recommendation. My only criticism: graded by too few things (3). Midterm was tough, but curved up.Thanks for a great course - so unlike the typical fast-food textbook schlock.

Worst course, worse Prof ever! April Fools!! One of the best courses in my 4 years. Great Professor. Amazing Lectures. As student from PRC, I appreciate that Prof Karaguesian is balanced in his comments about China-US. I like a lot the linking of theory to reality, using his experience in Treasury to light up difficult subject. Thank you!

I was just accepted to grad school in Europe. Professor Karaguesian wrote me a letter of recommendation, which I know helped a lot. So did his ECON-424 course, and the all the real world examples he used to make international finance interesting. I love the course but wish there was one or two more evaluations. Assignment was easy, midterm tough.

Just rated Prof K on mercury. Will rate him here too. Love K's course, but he gets Great not Awesome cause there's some repitition and sometimes hard to follow. Assignment was super interesting. K is dedicated, passionate, caring, fair. Could be more organized in terms of linking material to exams. Classes fascinating. Encourages participation.

I have taken the "Professor Karaguesian quartet": Econ-334, 423, 424 and 434. These have been among my favourites at McGill. Of these, 434 is my fave. While not always totally organized and always in a rush, he's on the mark, not afraid to be controversial, and cares about students - and listens to us. Thank you for a fantastic semester!!!!

One of my favourite Economics professors. Julian is a great professor and doesn't follow the typical theory based approach of economics that I feel saturates the applicability of economics. Very lecture heavy and tends to divert from course content, but his interest in the course motivates you to be engaged in lectures.

This is the best economics course I had at McGill. Professor Karaguesian's presentation of international macro is clear, linked toe-to-toe with reality, and seems based partially on his own experiences working for the Canadian Ministry of Finance. This class was platinum in every way. If you read these, Thank You Julian!!!

Great prof, awesome lectures, and a really nice, laid back guy. Wrote me a letter for grad school in Spain and summer internship in Paris. Highly recommended. He could tie slides a little more closely to text and allow one more evaluation.

I'm giving the good, the bad, and the ugly here. Good: this prof is great as are content and lectures. There is no trickery on exams. Bad: while few required readings beyond the slides, the lectures can be hard to follow. You must go through class recordings carefully. This is time-consuming, but I got an A. Ugly: hard to find a spot in his class.

The best econ prof at McGill. Julian presents a course which challenges the status quo of econ education in a meaningful and constructive way, and what theory he teaches he grounds in realty. Has excellent real world experience and conveys his passion. Lectures are incredibly engaging, but disorganised. Thank you Julian for your teaching at McGill!

I took 3 of Professor Karaguesian's courses. They were my best 3 Econ courses at McGill. He may not be for everyone, but his classes were awesome for me. Econ-424 is about as close as you can get to real-world economic analysis in university - as he draws on his experience in government policy. Take anything he teaches.

Julian eschews orthodox (or official) economics, using a mixture of common sense, logic and a new economic thinking literature to breathe much-needed life into the discipline. As for the concepts and policy analysis I learned in ECON423, I using in my current job in supply chain logistics. I thank you for a useful course, Julian!!!

ECON334 should be a prereq course for micro, macro, etc. it provides the historical, philosophical background for all the core courses - getting to the stories and ideas behind all the charts, graphs, functions and equations. And Julian does it in a way that is captivating. He cares about students. Lectures are great. Two books, but not textbooks.

Out of all the Econ profs Julian has inspired me the most. His course has the characteristics that my classmates and I look for. His well spoken lectures have helped me have a place in the finance industry. I recommend to others looking for real world economic.

Take this prof

He is super patient and very nice to students.

This has been my best academic experience at McGill to date. Prof Karaguesian speaks in plain language, teaches the history behind economic thinking from Adam Smith onwards, encourages students to speak their mind, and is laid-back. The non-text book book is awesome. He can be hard to catch so schedule office hours in advance.

The final was definitely more challenging than the other assessments, which caught me off guard. It was also online, which can make it kind of overwhelming. The other reviewer is right that the slides are key, but maybe do some practice problems from the text. Julian is a pretty cool guy. I usually get an A at McGill, but I learned more with him.

Take this prof. Not always easy to follow. Weaves current events into the course, which is refreshing. It's very different to your standard econ class. You won't taking this course. Lectures can be long but they're good. I would take anything he teaches.

Most inspirational and intellectually rich professor I have ever had. His lectures are not always easy to follow because, from basic to complex, he always has so much information to share and so many amazing questions to raise. It is great that he asks students to question everything he presents, encouraging critical thinking.

Best prof in the econ department. If you're tired of McGill being too theoretical, take all of Julian's classes

I really like this professor he was an inspiration. Econ is the best dude!!!!!!!

He was most def the best teacher i have ever had, he has taught me things that i will use in the real world.

My best, most interesting econ class. Lectures are fact-driven verbal blasts about how the underground and official economies are totally intertwined. Prof is easy-going, respectful of students, and sharp - though sometimes he seems all over the place. Strongly recommended.

Prof. Karaguesian is probably one of if not the best econ professor at McGill. He is attentive and cares about his students, his exams are fair, and as long as you study his sides and the practice problems from the textbook you'll be golden. His goal isn't to flunk you, put in an honest effort and you'll pass this course.

I see Prof K will be back at McGill this coming semester teaching ECON-219. I took the 400-level version of this course with him two years ago, and it was the most interesting and useful course I have taken in ECON. I would take anything this prof teaches. He's chill, cares about students, gives useful career advice.

Prof. Karaguesian is the best economics teacher I've had at McGill so far. His readings are lively, interesting and offer a fresh, unbiased view of the subjects discussed in class. If you have the opportunity to attend one of his classes, definitely go for it.

Take this prof.

Underground Economy was my favourite course. Prof Karaguesian is unconventional. You can see that he puts time into preparing for class. He cares. He gives job interview and career advice. He hung around after almost every class to talk with us about our term papers. Very chill.

Prof. K's lectures are informative and fascinating, but he strays from the slides a lot. Talks about China, the US, inflation, western deindustrialization, and way more, weaving it all together in a narrative that is contrary to what we're told in the official news. Course is easy for 2nd, 3rd and 4th years, but more challenging for intro students.

Professor Karaguesian, if you read these, thank you so much for a great semester last year! Thank you for being balanced in your commentaries about US-China economic tensions! And thank you for the letters for Duke and Dartmouth!!! I got in!!!!

This professor really know the history of economic thought, end policy and reality because he worked in the finance ministry of Bank of Canada most of his career. The result is that classes are fascinating, because he connects the useful parts of theory to reality. He's a big critic or what he calls "orthodox theory". This was my favourite class.

Professor Karaguesian, if you read these, please accept my thanks for the letters of recommendation for my MA apps. And thank you for a great semester !!

Graduating this semester. Thought I'd share my exp w / Prof K. If ur looking for an engaging course where a high grade is possible w / some effort, take anything he teaches. He's laid back, helps with advice for uni and job apps, takes time to chat after class or in office hrs, totally unpretentious. Worked in real world most of his career.

Great course in every way. Strongly recommended to go to class as this course is lecture heavy. Readings moderate. Lecture slides are critical. Super chill dude.

I would take any course this prof teaches.

It's a real treat to have a course with Prof K this semester. Had heard a lot abot him, and he lived up to expectations. Speaks his mind. He's really easy to talk to. Totally chill overall. This course isn't a pushover, though. For that reason it might have been good to have a textbook - cause 219's an intro course. Other than that, zero complaints

With my time at McGill almost at end, I want to thank some of the profs I have had. Prof Karaguesian is one of them. As a student from PRC, I appreciated most that he talked a lot to US-China tensions in ECON 423 and 424. There was no China bashing. In fact his views on this and other issues were refreshing. He is caring, supportive, nice.

Loved this prof. Loved this course. Guest speakers was a nice touch, especially Prof. Ragan. But ditto on the last review about needing a textbook. That would make it easier grade-wise.

highly recommended.Just take whatever course he teach and you will have a brand new experience in learning economics. His style and lecture are different from other economic courses at McGill, very related to the real world. Exams can be tricky sometimes, but if you work hard you will get an A. (Remember to look over the slides before exams!!!)

Take this man

So happy I had chance to take this prof. His lectures were great. He never said no to after class talks about the world. He weaved his work experience into the lectures in a way that was relevant rather than just talking about himself. A real practitioner of the discipline, and critic of orthodox theories.

Lectures can be hard to understand without any prior econ knowledge, and JK can be prone to rambling while not getting through all the material. Definitely take this course if you have an interest in econ as a non-econ major though; it's super interesting to hear about his professional experience and he has increased my appreciation for econ a ton.

Best course I've taken at McGill until now. Prof is super knowledgeable and has most of his experience in the real world of economic policy. Lectures are informative, attention-keeping and entertaining. He mixes things up with a guest speaker here and there. I would totally take him again. Hard to follow sometimes. A group project would be good.

Prof JK has a very different style of teaching. He begins with reality, then goes to the theory - drawing on the parts that help explain reality while criticizing other aspects - and comes back to reality. I so looked forward to every class. He can go on tangents. But overall, he's an amazing and chill. I wish McGill offered Part II of this course.

Cool prof. He talks a bit slow so i fell asleep at times (respectfully). I watched the recordings at 2x speed to make up for it when studying. What he teaches is interesting, the grading/difficulty is fair and he explains everything clearly and in-depth, showing how knowledgeable and passionate he is ab his stuff. His slides are detailed as well.

Giving a shout out to Prof Karaguesian. Course was fascinating, informative, entertaining. JK is a different type of prof because of his experience outside of academia. Laid back, respectful, caring. Attendance not mandatory but critical for your grade. Just go over the class recordings carefully and few readings and submit a good term paper.

This class was a real gem. Prof covered 8-9 subjects, which he set out clearly at the beginning. No text but slides were detailed. A few good readings on capitalism and technology. Also, the prof introduced us to the Palgrave Dictionary of Economics, which is a great source. Attendance not mandatory but necessary to get a good grade.

Ditto on the last few reviews. Definitely make lecture recordings focus of exam prep. There's questions on exams from the readings, so do those. Midterm tricky. Final easier. I liked this class a lot, but an extra eval or 2 needed. Prof K comes off an absent-minded prof, but he's super knowledgeable and talks about careers, which was apprec'd.

Mr. Professor Karaguesian, if you should ever happen to read these, please accept my sincere appreciation gratitude for the letters you wrote or me to support my applications to graduates schools. I'm in at UCL, Sorbonne and Seoul!!! and thank you for saying balance things about the PRC. Have a wonderful summer!!!!

Awesome

Ditto on the last review

I had heard a lot of positive things about Professor Karaguesian and after having 2/5 of a summer's course with him, it was all accurate and then some. This is a great course - the subject matter is fascinating (why some countries are rich and others not) and the delivery is superb.

This was one of my favourite courses at McGill. Super chill and humble prof with tons of knowledge who gives brilliant lectures. Loved it.!

Just wanted to drop a line to say that this course is a real treat - an Econ course infused with history, politics, geopolitics and reality. Thank you for the pleasant surprise Prof Karaguesian!

Really enjoying this course with a chill prof who takes a lot of time after class to chat about the material, politics and geopolitics.

I'm an interdisciplinary student. Didn't know what to expect before taking this. Heard a lot of positives re Prof K but a lot of negatives about econ generally speaking (too abstract, technical, theoretical). This course is not like that at all. It's truly about econ dev as it has happened, mixed in with the theory of econ dev. A real diamond.

My favorite class so far this year. Prof K's approach is refreshing. His knowledge of the economic world, history and politics shines through in every lecture. He's easygoing and the material super interesting. The group project provides an opportunity to express ourselves. Participation is encouraged. One critique: graded by too few things.

I highly recommend this prof and any course he teaches

Prof Karaguesian is one of the best I have had so far at McGill. His style of teaching is refreshing. He's not aloof, but "down to earth", approachable, chill. Lectures are great. The subject material is not easy or overly difficult - you have to work thru the slides and recordings, which are key, plus readings. Do that and you should be fine.

Professor Karaguesian, the f you read this ever, I want to thank you for a great summer semester. Your course was was not too heavy and not too light, refreshing in terms of its approach, and - above all - interesting and relevant for our world today. Thank you!!!

If I'm being honest, I thought final would be easier. Classes, subject material great. Group project good buffer for the final grade, fun. Karaguesian chill, nice, etc. But I just think it could've been clearer re how to study for final. I scraped through to an A-. Recommended but you need to go through lecture recordings carefully (key to exam).

Just graduated and wanted to rate Professor Karaguesian for newcomers. He synthesizes theory and policy seamlessly, eschewing all theory with no practical use and focusing only on those parts of the theory that explain the economic world of today. I don't think he teaches this course anymore, but I strongly recommend anything he teaches.

Prof Karaguesian salvaged my faith in economics, which until his course was mostly a jumble of 2-dimensional charts and equations. His passion for the subject breathed life into the "dismal science". Take any course he teaches. He's unconventional, approachable, and easy-going. He's also a little all over the place, but lectures are captivating.

Thank you for a great semester Professor Karaguesian!!

Just graduated this Spring and wanted to thank Prof Karaguesian for the three courses I took with him (424, 423 and 334). They were among the best courses - and he was one of the best profs - I had at McGill. He's kind, he agreed to act as a reference for my graduate school applications, and his knowledge and passion were evident in every class.

Just started a course with this prof and so far he's living up to his good reputation. Definitely not dropping this at add / drop.

Great class with a great prof.

Even if you're not in this course or in econ, I would recommend dropping by Karaguesian's class at least once this semester. It's intellectually entertaining, rich in history and politics, and gives an alternative narrative to what we hear every day from the “powers that be”. I cannot yet gauge the difficulty of this course as its early days still

I had heard a lot about prof Karaguesian doing online research, but didn't know what to expect. He's definitely a different kind of prof - and in a good way - as he infuses what would be very dry theory with a lot of politics, history and ecological economics. Enjoying this course very much.

I learned a lot in this course. The subject matter was economic development (ie why some countries are rich and other countries poor). Professor karaguesian was easy-going, helpful, available, though not an easy grader - but not really hard either (kind of medium). His was one of the best courses - hands down - I've had at McGill so far.

This is a group review from three students: wicked good course and prof; take anything he teaches.

This is my favourite class and prof this semester. Very different than regular Econ class.

Professor Karaguesian avoids econ-speak, and for that (and more) he is respected. He's not shy of being controversial. He teaches econ theory but also goes far into history and geopolitics. He doesn't come off as arrogant or aloof. He can be disorganized and sometimes his narrative is hard to follow. But he's approachable and easy-going.

Great course w / a great prof. I was dreading results of midterm but I did way better than thought; he didn't make big adjustment to grades and avg was over 75. He speaks a lot to content of course (policy towards biz), but also much about Canada in economic decline, as well as US and China. Apprec'd by many bcs course connects Econ with politics.

This is a prof definitely worth taking. He weaves theory and policy together seamlessly. I can't say I follow everything he says in class, but at least I can catch up with recordings. It would be good to have more evaluations (only 3) and to have a study guide for exams. But lectures are fascinating. Prof K is defintely a type of maverick thinker

By far the best prof I've had at this school. 316 is the first class I enjoy attending and working for. You should attend class purely to hear his lectures as he doesn't make it boring and ties in history/cool facts about the past that make you want to know more. This professor keeps you curious, and that is priceless.

I second that last review. I really look fwd to this class. The prof is refreshingly genuine and down to earth and a serious critic of the status quo. He keeps students entertained in an intellectually rich, dynamic way. He's also totally chill about the deadlines for our term project with all the extensions; told that quality outranks timeliness.

My favourite prof and course at McGill so far. My only complaint is that it's not totally evident how to study for the final. He's schooled and funny too.

I can't say enough good things about Prof. Karaguesian. He doesn't sweat small stuff, he's incredibly passionate about teaching and fixing the world, he posts jobs in econ for students to consider, he offers tutorials in economic data management, and - while not an easy A - strikes a fine balance between fair and tough. Highly recommended.

This class was a real diamond in the rough. Prof is way cool. He and TA are laid back. I looked forward to the lectures. One thing though: not 100 per cent sure how to study for final.

Dear Professor Karaguesian, if you ever see these, I want to sincerely thank you for a great semester. As a student from the PRC, I (and others) appreciate your balanced approach when you talk about Canada-U.S.-China trade, and your different perspectives on the economy and role of government policy. To future students: attendance recommended.

the prof and TA are nice, class are chill and interesting. I would definitely take his class again. just one thing that also dont know how to study for the final

This class was a real treat. If you take it, attendance is not mandatory but definitely highly advised. Final exam (half the total grade) wasn't as bad as I had feared. And the other half is a term paper in two parts.

prof karaguesian is such a great lecturer and prof. he's not afraid to say things that might be controversial, but he always makes his lectures funny and easy to digest. all the testable material is on his slides, but i would highly recommend attending his lectures. also such an interesting guy to talk to in office hours given the chance 10/10

Loved this course and prof. Lectures were like peeling back the layers of fiction and semi-fiction (the half truths and half lies) that separate the underlying reality of our political-economic system from what we are presented by (what he called) “incumbent interests”.

Professor Karaguesian brings economics to life with his captivating lectures and approachable style. The material is engaging, and the group project is a fun way to apply what we've learned. For exam prep, lecture recordings and Unstuck ai were lifesavers. Recommended for a refreshing take on the "dismal science".

prof k is my favorite at mcgill so far. it's like he's on your side. wants you to think critically, do well in his course. he posts job openings. gives career advice. he connects a lot of dots. lectures can be all over the place attention-grabbing. has a soothing and clear voice. he's also nice, which is in short supply in this world these days.

Memorize readings+memorize the slides and it is a not stressful class. Excellent lecturer. He is truly amazing. Wonderful.They call him the charismatic karaguesian. The joyful jules. The compassionate conservative. The proselytizing professor. He is a gentleman and a scholar. A true class act. An inspirational figure. I already miss his lectures

Prof K changed the way I think about econ. I was considering moving to MGT. His courses led me to stay. Criticizes regular econ but builds up econ as a whole - telling us that it's the "ultimate social science" because it concerns everyone. Told how economists can change the world bcs politicians listen to them. Refreshing too as he speaks his mind

The class is mostly a historical economics class; very few graphs involved but rather memorization of lecture slides. Be careful because some MCS might question you on stuff that doesn't necessarily appear on slides ( maybe a total of 5 questions on a 50 question MC). Grading is fair; getting an A is hard but so is failing the class.

I've taken 3 courses with Prof Karaguesian, which explains my rating. His actual lectures are based on his slides but not 100%. Lectures are salted and peppered w / political economy and geopolitics. The path to studying to get an A is to go thru the lecture slides in detail, and whatever required readings, which sometimes aren't covered in class.

This prof, who comes from a government policy background, and any of his econ courses, are platinum. I learned a lot about economics, traditional and new. He also takes time to give advice on graduate school and career, job interviews, etc. He's cool, kind and generous.

Great guy. Class was refreshing and actually interesting/not dry. Grading was fair, he was super accessible and replied to emails quick. Some typos in final but trick questions were removed I came out with an A so I really can't complain considering it was the class I did least for that sem. Love the grading set up of paper and final w/ no midterm

This prof is gold

Student from Korea here, graduating after 4 years. I want to extend my most sincere appreciation to Professor Karaguesian for his course on international payments (my best Econ course), for his time he take in office hours and to talk politics and career, and for supporting my applications to INSEAD, Sloan, and Wharton. I wish more like you.

This prof was a breath of fresh air. Not an easy A, but totally easy-going. His passion for teaching, dialogue, and learning, evident in every lecture. I really looked forward to his class as it stood out among some pretty dull ones. I would suggest taking anything he teaches. I don't give him an "awesome" because not the most organized I've seen.

Best Econ prof at McGill, not even debatable. Has a genuine passion for the study and relies on his professional experience to complement the courses. Third class I take with him and wouldn't hesitate to take another. He makes you change the way you think about the study, and challenges you to critique the state of the world. ECON 219,308,447.

Ditto on the last few reviews. Great lectures and prof, with a confident, soothing voice. Open-minded, funny. He's out to help you get a start with your career; not out to get you with tricky exams. He's truly inspiring and should go into politics. Comes off as a bit spaced out but he's actually brilliant.I'll miss his courses: 316, 424, 447, 460.

This was my best class this semester and well worth the 830am effort. There's no bs. He's critical of a lot of textbook Econ. The book he used wasn't a textbook at all but a readable one on new approaches to thinking about information. Prof K is super chill and gives time during office hours to chat about current events. His lectures are awesome.

I'm a Europe-based exchange student. McGill is my fourth and final stop before returning. I wanted to thank Professor Karaguesian for his insightful, attention-grabbing and entertaining lectures. He's available, approachable, helpful and down-to-earth. He's one of the best profs I've had. I'll miss his lectures, agreeable voice and demeanor.

The key to high grades w / Prof K is lecture slides + recordings. You need to go t / at least 2 times, which isn't bad given that finals aren't cumulative. Some short readings too. I aced the MCQs part of the 447 midterm and final by slogging t / lecture recordings 3 times. Aces. Text is like a book on philosophy of info. Very cool class and prof.

I loved the book for this course (Nexus by Harari) because it was not just another text on crusty old econ theory from another century. Also liked how the prof fused Harari's ideas with the econ of info and uncertainty. The final was a lot tougher than I thought it would be, but the group project and midterm provided buffers in terms of grading.

Students from China. I'm graduating this semester and want to thank you, Professor Karaguesian, for always being available to talk course materials, graduate schools and careers both after class and during office hours. My classmates and I appreciated your thoughtful approaches and insights, and even narratives about China and West. Thank you!!

great course with chill + insightful prof who looks like a crazy scientist. content v different in good way. prof sometimes all over place. approach to info / uncertainty not textbook one. more phil-historical-econ. talked a lot about exp growth of info and diff btw info, truth and reality in economic "narratives". some math but not crazy amt.

Dear Professor Karaguesian, thank you for your inspiration over my 4 years at McGill. I have 4 courses with you (423, 424, 434, 447). You gave me a big passion for ECON with your teaching style and book recommendations and background in Finance Ministry. I also thank you for the letters for graduation school (I chose Seoul!). I extend my gratitude.

Things that Prof Karaguesian does well are connect dots in economic theory & policy, weave a great narrative (explains in clear language), and explain shortcomings of std theory. The things that he doesn't do so well are organization and staying focussed. But lectures are awesome. Press him for sample questions for exams. He'll oblige.

Great prof, easy to approach to chat re course content, and with a pleasant voice and demeanour (and face) for teaching and learning.

He's super nice and his final was very fair; as long as you attend his lectures, do the readings and review the slides before the final, it's an easy A. Very passionate professor and goes into meticulous details during his lectures, but his slides include everything that's on the final so you don't need to remember everything he talks about.

Professor Karaguesian has restored my faith in economics by making it comprehensible. He explains everything clearly, and with multiple examples from the real world and not ivory tower examples (i.e., widgets). He's easy-going, caring and takes time in class and during office hours to explain things. He's the best econ prof I've had at McGill.

One of my top 3 courses at McGill. Highly recommended. Prof K actually goes out on a limb and talks about some of the most controversial points in Econ, Dev Econ, and geoeconomics. And he does it in a way that is captivating. There's no going through dry textbooks in his course.

Not too difficult to follow. Not difficult to listen to. Not difficult to look at. Highly recommended.

His perspectives are so refreshing in a field that too often minimizes society to equations and models. Can't think of anyone else who will get up there and tell a 90 minute story about the decline of American industrial society without putting kids to sleep lol. Brings Econ to life… wish there were more profs like him in the department!

I love Professor Karaguesian and his class! Highly recommend taking as an elective, pretty easy class but lectures are heavy so definitely go to class. We were graded on only two things, a paper and the final, so not a lot of room for error. Super cool prof, makes a lot of jokes and really chill guy. fun content 10 out of 10 recommend.

Prof Karaguesian has some of the most interesting lectures I've attended at McGill, he seems to genuinely care about his course and its students. However, it kind of sucks to not have any grade back before finals.

Nice guy, exams reflect lecture material

Great professor. My only criticism is that logistics-wise, he tends to be a bit disorganized. Also, he goes into a lot of details (yaps a lot) when teaching stuff and it can be overwhelming taking in-class notes + reviewing lectures to prepare for exams; my tip is to just focus on what's on the slides as everything that's being tested are there.