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cute and funny!!! very hard marker but great teacher....very cute

Great enthusiastic lectures, tough on the GPA!

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Organized lectures but a brutal marker.

excellent prof but a really tough marker

Organised, gets the info out. Tough on the GPA, so study hard..

shoulda stayed at ubc!

funny, smart, very clear, new spin on cdn poli. hard but fair marker. nice guy 2

Super engaging!

One of the best profs I've ever had.

very interesting and good lecturer. markinings a pain in the A@$, to hard for a 100 level course.

had him at ubc. thought i'd just add my two sense. best prof i've had yet. hard marker, but at least its worth the time to go to class.

He is mesmerizing and engaging lecturer as his ability to convey different political perspectives on the topics he lecture on is a rare quality. Regarless of the clarity of his lectures it is near impossible to get anything above an A-. VERY hard on GPA!

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a great, great man. his lectures draw you in and he allowed for some discussion. He had tough markers however, and his tests can be demanding.

Very friendly and has a strong sense of humour. His lectures were always engaging and insightful, a plesure to attend. A definite leftist tho.

verynice, good lectures, a bit repetitive, midterms are easy but marked severly hard

so organised that you know ahead of time which classes you can skip. courses are mapped out to a T. very clear and concise, often repetitive. not all that hard, because points are driven in so much.

He's great!

He is an excellent lecturer. BUT, he brings down your gpa, so auditing his class to learn the material recommended. Although, questions are not encouraged as they interupt his lectures. One is expected to listen, listen, and stop messing around and study!

he's the best prof i've had at a post secondary level, and the people who complain about him being hard are whiny little ****es

one of the best profs I've ever had. he seems scary at the beginning but be really just wants to motivate the students to try hard - he's a very fair marker (ie if you try hard you'll get a good grade - not BSing him).

Great teacher! Very interesting lectures, and very fun! he makes the subject really interesting. Seems to be a fair marker as well.

phenomenally helpful outside of class and clear within. Dynamic. Probably one of the nicest profs at Uvic

so interesting! I looked forward to his lectures, and was entertained the whole way through. Fair marker, but dont bother BSing. he knows.

if you don't give high marks and only believe in assigning students mediocre marks even for those who deserve it, then marks should be bell-curved to ensure that students' work and knowledge of material are clearly reflected. (marking is completely bogus)

Good prof, knows his stuff, makes lectures interesting, sets them out with an outline ahead of time. Fair marker (makes sure the TA's are not marking too easy or hard). His class was a great experience!

Looking forward to taking more courses w/ Matt. This is Poli Sci, so remember, if you are not interested in the material you will hate the class. He is a very fair marker and very approachable. He is a little anal about rules, etc. but very knowledgable.

He is possibly the most engaging professor I have ever had, and he is always willing to help you in you make the effort to go and see him.

awesome awesome prof. great enthusiasm and clarity. would love to take another course of his anytime.

This prof is possibly the best prof ever. Ina department where personal opinions and views often seep into the classroom, it was well into the third month before i was able to guess which party he supported. He was presented every side of the argument and made class fun. Take his classes!

matt james for chair!

The way he waves his arms around when he's talking reminds me of George Costanza. Went through two months thinking his name was Dr. Rick James. As good a teacher as you'll find in social sciences, but TAs' marking is questionable.

Excellent prof. His lectures are engaging, you definately won't be bored no matter how much you hate politics. Very unbiased and fair to all sides of the story. Yet, his TA marking was inconsistent and not much feedback was provided so you entered the final with no clue as to how you were doing.

An excellent storyteller.

Very good, makes things intersting! Funny 2

SUCH an awesome prof!! He's hilarious, and absolutely made that class. It could have been death without him, even though a lot of the second term stuff is super interesting. it was my favourite class, totally because of him.

Very good prof. Great lectures and very helpful outside of class. A note of caution though, his marking style is one in which you must actually learn the class material as opposed to just memorizing some key terms and concepts the night before an exam. MJ for chair!

Best lecturer ever. Does A LOT with the course material. Just be warned, he's a hard marker. Really need to know your stuff and he'll tear apart term papers. You'll learn a lot and enjoy his class, but may not get the greatest mark.

This is a prof who clearly knows a lot about what he teaches. It's clear he loves to teach poli sci, and knows what he's talking about. He's humourous and has lots of great stories that help students understand the material better.

good teacher

This guy is incredible. He is very charismatic and really connects with his students. One of the best professors I have ever had!

Awesome! Even with the really, really uncomfortable chairs in the lecture hall, this guy keeps me tuned in. This is the best class I have!

James' Lectures are incredible. The tone of his voice makes you want to listen, he can make a boring subject seem awesome, and he's funny to boot. Amazing professor!

One of the best. It's a rare treat to have a Poli Sci prof who is so unbias in his teachings. It took at least 2.5 months before he let his own opinions slip in class. I love a prof who can teach the facts as seen from both sides. Very helpful in his office hours, and a truly interesting man. If you get the chance, take one of his classes.

WHAT A DREAM BOAT! but aside from the silly things, james is a tight proff who makes learning about CANADIAN POLITICS (yawwwwn) actually engaging and prooves that our country has tons of interesting things to learn about and discuss!

Excellent prof, one of a few profs that i actually very much enjoy listening to. He makes politics, not easy but immersive. Great prof.

He's Matt Jaaaaaaaames ****! He is by far the best Poli sci teacher around! This guy is amazingly interesting and hilariously funny. I went into the class knowing nothing about politics and I've come out knowing so much and best of all it was unbiased. This guy is the best every , i highly recommend this prof.

Matt James' class was my favourite this semester. He knows and loves his subject and gives challenging but fair exams. He'll say the funniest things, I have no idea where he comes up with them. I think he'd be a lot of fun to talk to outside of class. good stuff!

incredible prof - great sense of humor, engages students, good lecture style, makes the subject interesting (even at 6 pm). knows his stuff, and teaches without bias. one of my favorites for sure.

This man has been by far my favourite prof in my University career so far. He made me so interested in politics...Canadian politics for that matter. Definitally try and take classes with him. He's an amazing prof.

Amazing prof! He made the class so clear and easy to understand, and made it fun. I definately recommend taking classes with him if you can.

Awesome. His constitutional conference was fun and engaging. He is entertaining and articulate. Highly recommended.

in the midst of babbling uncomprehendable profs provides some clarity, thank god! his lectures have structure, he has a point, he makes it, and then he recaps it. easy to follow, which allows you to develop an interest in the topic. his marking gets harder in higher level courses but you always know what is expected. a relief to take his classes

This is professor is absolutely amazing. How is it that one person can keep you so entertained and interested when you're talking about Canadian Politics? He is by far the best teacher I've ever had at any post-secondary institution or highschool. If all profs were like him I'd never skip class. :P

Matt is the nicest guy ever, and Canadian politics would be a BRUTAL course if not taught by him. He pretty much frames the textbooks key points by adding in up to date debates etc of his own which add depth to the course. He gets upset if people talk or cell phones go off, but c'mon guys you're not in high school anymore!

Funny and clever man. I didn't miss a single class all semester because his lectures were actually entertaining. Tests are pretty straightforward and they're all from the lectures. He makes you want to talk about Canadian politics!

He is an amazing prof! He not only keeps the class's interest while lecturing, but somehow manages to make you eager for more. Watching him lecture is like watching a really interesting show or movie. He also organized the course well and made it easy to follow.

This is the best teacher I've had in quite some time. His lectures are interesting and he's a funny, personable individual. His exams are fair, know your stuff. He makes you ACTUALLY want to learn/talk about Canadian politics with everyone. I found my knowledge from this class led me to understand a great deal more about political issues. SOGREAT=)

Best prof I've had. Hands down. Actually makes Canadian politics interesting, lectures very well organised and clear and entertaining! Super helpful outside of class (as long as it's not the day before the paper's due...) Exams and grading very fair. I thought this class would suck but I ended up enjoying it a lot! MATT JAMES RULES

This man is excellent. I went into Uni knowing I had a passion for Poli Sci but admittedly without much solid info, and James remedied my situation. Although only an intro course, 101 was SO interesting and relevant. I was always pumped to go to lectures, and as lame as it may sound, I would leave even MORE pumped. He goes over everythng clearly an

Matt James is a really great lecturer, quite entertaining, presents the material in clear and interesting ways. However, once or twice he got driven off track, and sometimes he covers the same stuff as the Poli 102 teacher - AT the same time! (Take 1) That, coupled with those brutal chairs, sometimes makes the class less enjoyable than it should be

Matt james is the reason i'm in poli sci... he's a hard marker, doesn't give 10/10 on his article reports but the class is interesting and worth the work.

Great prof. Enthusiastic and hilarious. Great lectures. Most intelligent and informed prof I've had yet! Midterm, essay, and final are all fair and fairly marked. If you arn't interested in Poli now, take this class and you will be!

Great prof. Tends to recap a little too much but makes up for it with very enjoyable, informative, and sometimes funny lectures. Midterm and final was fair, as well as essay.

He makes everything interesting, great lectures!

I took his Poli Sci 101 class in first year (4 years ago) as an elective. He still is my all-time favourite prof. I'm not even a Poli Sci major. Absolutely superb.

One of the best professors at UVic! His lectures are great and he has a lot of interesting and sometimes funny information about the subject material. Definitely taking more classes with him.

I took POLI 101 with professor James in my first year and he made me fall in love with Canadian politics in a way I never would have thought possible. I recommend him if you're unsure of where you're looking to go in Political Science, because he can help you make some of the hard choices.

Intelligent, kind, funny. Tough marker though.

Matt James is absolutely inspiring. This is my second class with him, and he continues to be amazing. He's obviously got a lot of passion for the subject and it really comes through in his lectures. He has lots of cool little anecdotes about Canadian politics that make it all more interesting. Take a class with James, seriously. He's terrific.

great prof. engaging lectures. taught me more about Canadian politics than i thought possible. great knowledge to have. if you want to be well taught, take this course.

Very tough marker - even unfairly so. Great lecturer - interesting, personable, humorous, and enthusiastic about the subject. TONS of information given during lectures and you are expected to know it all. No study guides given, made the cumulative final exam in particular very difficult to study for. Would not take a 400 level course with him.

Prof went over material so that it was easy to understand and take detailed notes which were needed. Gives opportunities for students to ask questions. Make friends with your Teachers Assistant though because they do much of the grading that counts for much of your mark. Made dry material fun and interesting!

This is the type of professor I came to university for. Knows his stuff, very intelligent, great lecturer, and will not give personal opinions until you are done his course. Good sense of humour, won't take guff from students who are not there to learn. Worth every penny for the course! Leave your electronics at home (Laptop included!)

Intelligent and knowledgeable professor overall. Not very approachable as he can be sarcastic and stern at times. Will often call out students who are texting/talking and forbids the use of laptops. However his lectures are interesting and well presented. Discussions in the tutorials were very topical and engaging as well. Marks by TAs are fair.

Professor wasnt too good at lecturing. Would recap previous days lectures for 30 minutes or so and lose everyone's attention. Felt like the pace was very slow. Wouldnt recommend

Interesting prof, good lecturer. However, his grading ruins it all. I felt great about the final exam but not so great about the mark I got for it. Bottom line: if you're concerned about GPA, you might want to stay away from this prof.

One of the best profs I've had yet! :) He's super approachable and made dry material much more interesting! He always had the class laughing and is really easy to go talk to during office hours. All in all, a great guy!

Such a hilarious prof! Great guy and made Canadian politics extremely interesting. Tests are marked really hard, but also depends on your TA. Overall, I'd definitely recommend him.

Very engaging prof ! I really appreciated how he displayed a situation with different outlooks. My final grade was a lot lower than anticipated, and what i think i deserved.

Made a potentially dry topic so interesting! He would turn each lecture into a story that grabbed your attention and made it feel important. Definitely a good class.

Matt James is actually a great professor, his lectures are both amusing and insightful and he comes across as being fairly objective. The mark you receive definitely depends on whether your TA likes you or not, which is unfortunate because they were not nearly as objective as he was. Still, I really enjoyed his class and would gladly take another.

Made a potentially dry topic very interesting and was able to punctuate the lectures with amusing jokes etc (which really helps in a longer class). Appreciated how he would review the previous classes notes every class, as it really helped me prepare for the midterms and the finals.

The topics covered were explained clearly enough. The short reviews at the beginning of class was convenient. The only downfall was the midterms, which were harshly marked. However, that might have just been the TAs fault.

Fantastic prof, I highly recommend his classes! While many people feel he is a tough marker, I didn't find him unfair. Be sure to do the readings for his exams, they are not strictly lecture based (though lectures are useful too!) Lectures were the highlight of my day, extremely witty and entertaining. Approachable and helpful in office hours.

Matt James is by far my favourite proff at uvic. I've had him for 3 courses. His lectures are super interesting and engaging. It's not a class you can do well in if you don't do the work though. Go to class, do the readings and you'll leave with a good mark. Great guy! Highly recommend!

funny prof with interesting lectures. However, I don't think I have ever had a political science prof who was so inherently biased in everything he lectured. He made it very clear what his political preferences were, and spent majority of the class preaching about it. I've taken two of his classes and because of it will probably never take another

Very good professor. You will learn a lot. He's not an easy marker but he really wants all of his students to do well. Very fair guy.

Professor James is an amazing lecturer, however he is a ridiculous marker. Still debating taking another one of his classes, but made course content very interesting and drew theories and concepts together very nicely.

superb lecturer. hard marker, but better than TAs. terrible at handing assignments back quickly. funny guy, lectures are his forte. impressed when you show knowledge of the readings

I've taken several classes with Matt James, and his is a fantastic lecturer. Super engaging professor with a ton of knowledge on Canadian politics. He is not an easy marker, and takes some time to return assignments. Nonetheless, his lecture style makes it worth it. James knows how to integrate humour into his lecture. Everyone get out and vote!

Dr. James was by far my favourite prof in all 5 courses I took this semester. People say he is hard. He isn't hard... he just requires you to know a lot and display that. It's not enough to simply jot down the notes he puts on the overhead. Bring a lap top and type of what he says verbatim. Don't complain when you don't put in the work. Amazing guy

absolutely loved matt james! favorite prof I've ever had, explains concepts in language that makes it easy to understand, uses relevant examples to students lives, keeps the class engaged and as a bonus has a super sexy personality which makes him all in all, super sexy!!

Good lecturer. He made evening lectures entertaining, and tried to inject humor when dealing with dry material (which Canadian Poli can be at times). However, he relies on his TAs for marking, which can affect your grade depending on the TA is.

Dr. James is a fantastic lecturer. He made Canadian politics interesting through his use of examples. There is a lot of history involved in his explanations as well. Polite and understanding during office hours and willing to help as much as he can. Exams were fair as long as you attended class and took notes. Highly recommend.

My favourite class I've taken in my three years at UVic, and I've had great profs before. The lectures are absolutely phenomenal. He's a great speaker, really drives home the main points, makes boring topics interesting, is funny, clear and concise. He has a vendetta against laptops though, so if you type your notes you'll have to sit in the back.

Favourite professor I've ever had! His lectures always keep me interested, and go by very quick. He is absolutely hilarious, and extremely passionate about his job. He makes topics that are usually boring very interesting, and also likes really good music! Definitely my favourite course at the moment all because of his incredible teaching.

Matt James has got to be one of the best profs at UVIC. His makes Canadian politics interesting and uses concrete examples to explain complicated concepts. He is absolutely hilarious and I enjoyed every single lecture I had with him. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Watch out for the crazy exam. 4 short answers at least a page an a half each and 2 essay questions!! Doesn't post slides after class so I highly suggest not skipping.

If the TAs are grading your papers then you are in luck however he would scrutinize your paper down to the letter if he marks it. Amazing professor though, really inspiring.

Dr. James is a really great professor and he really knows his stuffs. His lectures are very interesting and he can engage you into the course material. Prior to his class, I expected Canadian Politics to be dry and boring but after his class, I really like Canadian Politics. He is a tough marker, you got to be prepare for both mid-term and final!

Amazing prof! Loved how he lectured, and did a really good job of clearly explaining, I learned so much in his class! Very tough marker (not a good GPA booster), as he is very specific about what you must do in order to get the marks. Exam felt very rushed, but I would definitely take a class of his again!!

Dr James is one of the best profs I have had the pleasure of working with throughout my university career. His passion for his subjects shines through in his lectures. He managed to make a class I was dreading taking and avoiding until my last smelter into the best class I have ever taken

He has a very nice voice

Matt James is one of the most engaging, and just overall great, profs I've had so far. For starters, he's hilarious but even if he wasn't, his genuine respect for students and their opinions is so present in his lectures and it makes even the driest of topics interesting to discuss. Don't skip class and you'll do fine.

Matt is the best prof I have had at UVic so far, he engages students in his lectures, has a great sense of humour and is very organized and clear on what he expects from his students, would highly recommend him.

Really funny guy. I came in not expecting a whole lot as I'm not much of Canadian history/politics fan, but Matt James made the lectures really engaging

Not sure if he is trying to instil his political opinions in students, or if he's actually trying to encourage critical thinking. If you aren't far left on the political spectrum I'd be genuinely concerned with being marked down.

really outlines midterm and final, which made a first year course relatively easy if you put in the time to study. his lectures were funny and engaging would recommend him more then the class...

One of my favourite professors of all time. Amazing lecturer, caring, really interesting to listen to, and speaks at the perfect pace. Tough grader though!

Dr. James has been my favourite prof so far! His lectures were interesting he made the dry parts of the course enjoyable and he always made the class laugh every lecture. Would highly recommend!

Way too much hate for this guy on here. 1. No, his lectures are not boring. The material is boring, he's actually decent. 2. Yes, he hates cellphones. Get over it. You're paying to be in the class, suck it up and pay attention 3. Yes, he is an SJW. It's a fair criticism, but hardly limited to this prof. 4. Grading is tough, but not unreasonable

there is some truth to him being old-fashioned and being a bit whiny about phones, but the guy's got a point when he says that phones and laptop screens are distracting not only to yourself but to other students next to you as well. if you want to use a laptop, just sit at the back. and be discrete with phones. great, but somethings boring lecures.

I quite liked his lectures. And the course is really easy. BUT when he says no phones he means no phones.

Dr. James is an amazing, yet tough teacher. This class did involve a heavy amount of readings. Attendance is not mandatory, but since Dr. James does not make use of power point and does not upload any course notes online, attendance is required. 1 midterm, 1 essay, 1 final and 1 group activity. Definitely a tough class, avg was below 70.

Great prof, easy class. He manages to make boring material interesting and has a clear passion for the subject.

Matt James is a phenomenal professor but has INSANELY high expectations with grading tests. To do well on tests, I recomend you: -take the course material one step further by providing an analysis (rather than a regurgitation) of what you learned -integrate the readings into your responses (and analyses) -communicate the significance to the reader

Was very good with his office hours and assistance. He also provided key feedback on tests and papers. He makes you work for your grade but will definitely help you get there. There was nothing surprising on the exams either. If you were in class and did the quick readings, you were set.

Best prof and best class yet. Learned SO much. Lectures are funny and interesting, readings are applicable, and Matt is very respectful and approachable. Gives great feedback, just do the work to get it. Give some effort, go to office hours, and actually attend lectures and you'll be golden. Seriously, lectures are so necessary but so, so amazing!

Matt James knows his subject matter. To encourage you to take notes by hand, he will relegate laptops to the back rows of the class and will call you out if he sees a phone. You can't just regurgitate the definitions in midterm/final, you need to analyse and engage course material to do well. Engages class in discussion of current political events.

Absolutely great. Super concise notes and is a fantastic lecturer. 100% recommend he really makes the subject matter interesting and easily digestible.

Dr. James was a pretty good professor. His lectures were by-far the best lectures I've listened to to date. Although the material covered in this class is very dull, Dr. James was able to make it engaging and often funny. You are graded by 4 pieces of work (paper, midterm, final, participation) so there isn't much room for error. Good experience!

I am only at the start of my semester with Dr. James but it is very clear how accomodating and understanding he is as a professor. The work expectations are high but as long as you are willing to do it and respectful, you'll be set for this class. Makes Canadian politics (something I find boring) really interesting and I look forward to learning.

He is an amazing Prof. He is very funny and engaging, I truly enjoyed his class and would highly recommend.

amazing Prof

Honestly I really enjoyed his lecture. It was a difficult school term because of covid-19 and all schooling being online, but he did everything in his power to accommodate in the difficult situation and give quality lectures.

Considering school was online this semester, this class felt relatively normal. I really enjoyed Professor James's lectures though sometimes they can be a bit slow. Regardless, he is a very caring and supportive Professor and we would often get to see his cat, Rudy which was a plus. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this class!

I completed this course during covid. His lectures can seem long, however he does his best to be engaging with the difficult material. What stands out is his consideration of mental health. He was outstanding, fair and beyond helpful. He allowed me to survive this semester alongside the wonderful TAs. Im so thankful

Dr. James was a fantastic Professor. His lectures are super engaging and his presentation of course material is great. He is very understanding and respectful of the different situations that students might be and will always work with you to find a way to make things work.

Out of every class I took this year, Dr. James by far was the most interesting professor I had. The way he lectures is really great - he talks at a very easy pace to take notes at as well as being very clear about where he is in the lecture. I was genuinely engaged in his lectures and felt like I learned a lot in POLI 101.

Dr. James did a great job at taking a very information dense course and translating it to his audience in a very digestible and engaging way. If you come to every class, take your own notes and really listen, you will be just fine. Dr. James is an awesome prof and genuinely respects his students. I loved his class.

Great lecturer, brings in relevant examples and occasional humor. He takes topics that some may find boring and makes it engaging. However, I felt like his grading criteria was vague and seemed to be a pretty tough marker.

Matt James' lectures were engaging and easy to follow. He utilized simple one-page outlines rather than slideshows, which I actually found to be more streamlined and easy to follow along with. He would sometimes get distracted by questions and this caused us to fall a bit behind.

Great prof, clear lectures. Makes boring information extremely interesting. If you do the readings, take good lecture notes, and put effort into it, you can easily get an A!

Matt James is a supportive and knowledgeable prof. Yes, he does give out A's. No, getting an A is not difficult in this course. Show that you're trying to understand and integrate the readings into your assignments. Take advantage of office hours, you'll do fine. I stayed in touch with him throughout the course and had no trouble with my marks.

Matt makes boring material very interesting and engaging, and if you attend his lectures you will have a fine grasp on the material. Tough marker. He's a stickler for structure and perfect language use, but overall if you just put in a little extra effort and go to his office hours, he will tell you exactly what he is looking for. 100/100 prof!

Poli 101 is a difficult class that requires a lot of critical thinking. Matt James is able to make seemingly dry subjects interesting and engaging. His lectures are very clear and he emphasizes what is important. I will say this class is definitely not a GPA booster but It is very interesting and has changed the ways I think of Canada

Dr. James is a great guy and makes boring content more interesting with his humour. Class average this semester was 61 but over half the class never attended lecture. Doesn't use slides. Is generous in responding to questions. Show up to class, pay attention -> the midterm and final are quite easy. I would gladly take another class with Dr. James.

Professor James makes a usually dry subject engaging. Lectures are clear, and he emphasizes key points. Attendance is mandatory but worthwhile. unstuck AI proved helpful for study prep alongside the textbook.

Matt James' courses are the type that you need to put most of your focus on throughout the semester. If you are adding one more course to have in the background, this isn't the one. 320 requires all your attention. He is a fantastic lecturer. Super percise. The dude knows Canadian politics like the back of his hand. Take this course...

Dr James is able to make a very dry topic into an interesting course. Lectures can sometimes be repetitive, but very engaging. Grading is pretty tough, but he will tell you what he is looking for. Would recommend.

Very engaging lectures. Difficult exam and midterm format. TAs grading seemed random and slightly harsh but it was OK. Grade is based on a midterm, essay and final. Midterm and final were similar short answer and essay questions that were kind of difficult to study for since he did not give a totally clear study guide but fine if you pay attention.