A challenging class, but it's a graduate school course, so it is suppose to be hard. Learned a lot of information and improved on my writing skills.

Solid professor. Tough but is what should be expected in a graduate program. Good selection of class readings. Learned a great deal.

I learned a great deal, but he does NOT give a grade higher than B+ (A- if you're a genius). I'm not kidding, no A grades ever. If you don't care about your GPA and just want an interesting class, this is for you.

He's tough, definitely. But I learned so much! It's not impossible to get an A-. But don't take him if you're overly concerned about getting straight As. I must say, I truly enjoyed his class.

His review sheets are intimidating, yet all u have to do is study for the midterm. After studying and taking the test u realize that all th etime u thought u couldnt do it but in th e end it was worth it. he is a respectable to his students and very nice.

Sullivan can be cranky, cantankerous, indimidating and sarcastic, but also a sharp and engaging lecturer. A tough grader, so go elsewhere if you only want an easy A--but if you want to learn, question, and push your thinking,his class is the place.

Gave daily quizzes from second class on, from NY Times at that. Obscure term assignment. Does not like to give "A"s. But interesting lecturer. You'll learn alot, but get a less than spectacular grade.

I learned a TON in Sullivan's class, and will take _anything_ he teaches. I got a B--but grades go away, and learning is for ever. I'm in grad school to learn, not to get good grades.

He does quizzez at the beginning of each class and we had to read the NY times everyday as a requirement. The good thing bout his class is that u really have to study just for the midterm and final!!

I took this professor my first semester at baruch I LOVE THIS GUY. Daily Quizzes from NY Times, he gave us a list of definitions on exams and we had to fill in the blanks. AWESOME GUY I LEARNED SO MUCH.

If your looking for an easy A, this is not the class. You will learn a lot, and you will have a great time. He gives a ton of work, so be prepared. If you get an A, you truly earned it. He is a great professor, and he's really funny too.

the fact that i got a C+ in that class was totally not his fault lol.awesome guy. to this day, best professor i ever had. i could have gotten at least a B if i still didn't have senioritis from HS that semester lol.

take this guy if your a freshman, not cuz its easy nut becuase you'll learn a lot from him and be able to user it in other classes, funny guy, tests are mostly definitions and memorization

This professor is really intelligent.If you sit in the front of the class you will definitely learn from him. A lot of reading, but totally worth it all.Really funny guy.

The classes are interesting and interactive and he really wants his students to learn.If you already know a lot about public and foreign affairs,it will make it much easier.Still,in order to get an A you have to work hard.There is A LOT of reading and memorizing.Take this class when you don't have other demanding classes.

Aww Prof. Sullivan. One of a kind. He is so knowledged when it comes to governmental issues. The class itself is hard, but if you pay attention and do what he asks of you, you'll be fine. This is one of the classes that you have to earn your grade. A tough tough Prof but you will learn a lot in this class.

I learned a ton is sullivan's class. Everything I learned I am using in all of my classes. Not an easy grader.

Def. one of a kind! He's the type of professor that makes you want to impress him. Brilliant guy. If you're planning to slack off and want to just "get by", this is NOT the prof. for you! You really have to earn this grade, trust me. But this class was definitely worth taking. I've learned a lot and i'll never forget him.

LOVED this class. It covers alot of information and there is alot of reading involved but definatly worth it. Not a easy grade if that's what you are looking for. But covers information that we all should know and helps in understanding what's going on in the world and how it has gotten to this point. Overall great professor and great guy!

simply put...he is da man...if you do what your suppose to do in college...such as studying...then you will ace this class...taught me so much

Sullivan is really smart and funny. He's very helpful.

Today had a last class with hih, feel sad that it is over. I just loved this class. If you not pretending to be dumb, take it. it is very hard, but so interesting. And u will learn so much that you wouldn't believe it in the end. I still have to do the finals, but i want to study for this exam. Love him. would go through this again. good luck

Tough class. Alot of reading and terms/presidents to memorize. You really have to have time on your hands to do well. Beware he has a sarcastic attitude, but its just a front, he's cool. Overall, DONT DO IT TO YOURSELF IT YOU DONT HAVE THE TIME

Tough but interesting -- expanded my way of thinking.

He's tough but extremely funny and he teaches very useful stuff. If you have a busy schedule, I wouldn't recommend him because he assigns a lot of readings and memorization of names. But I have to say I'm gonna miss his class.

Tough class. Alot of reading and terms/presidents to memorize. AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER YOU WILL KNOW ALL THE PRESIDENT FROM WASHINGTON TO THE PRESENT. You really have to have time on your hands to do well. Beware he has a sarcastic attitude, but its just a front, he's cool. HE MAKES HIS CLASS VERY INTERESTING AND KEEP YOU AWAKE AS WELL .

He was indeed a good professor.But I will warn you like everyone else has, he gives a lot of reading! But if you study your presidents, look over all the terms he gives you for your midterms (between 100-300!!)and write a good essay, you should be able to get an A in the class. But you have to work REAL HARD!I recommend him if you're a serious!!

If you work full-time, or a straight A student - don't take him. He really gives a lot of work for less grades - memorize all terms of all presidents, 6 books to read during the semester, about 300 terms for the final (which are not hard but just too many of them), a 3 page paper... But the class was so interesting and useful, I'm going to miss it!

No Comments

He is the best!!!Take class with him and you will learn a lot!!!

The greatest professor. He might be hard, but he was fun, helpful and probably the only class where you learn anything useful for the future.

honestly ive never learned more history in my whole life than with Sullivan. encourage to take him you will learn a lot. Hes very funny and down to earth. if you plan on missing his class or being late just give him a phone call leave a msg if he doesnt pick up trust me saves you the trouble. Overall like i said i learned a lot so TAKE HIM!!!!!

Sarcastic, condescending fool with an overbearing, suffocating presence that'll make you want to jump out of your skin. Had him one day as a sub and he opened by attempting to intimidate us with a half-joke at a supposed quiz. Do you really want to deal with this kind of person for an entire semester? If not, take Mitchell instead.

He knows his stuff, dont expect an easy A. Is very approachable and has a good sense of humor.

Honestly speaking, I had a great time in his class. Although the material might be a little overwhelming, its very useful, he does a midterm review as well as final. He constantly had our class laughing and yes very sarcastic. Nice, intelligent, funny, and does care about his students!... HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

He is a great teacher. He assigns a lot of reading, but is understanding if you didn't read as long as you call him before class. Takes a lot of work to do well in this class but it was worth it. He such a great guy and cute for an older man. :)

It is a difficult class. Some of the requirements are useless but there is also good material. I would not recommend him unless this is your only class and you plan on focusing on nothing else but this

he does give A's-you have to work for them though. you have to go to class, do the reading, and participate. take good notes. you'll get a lot out of it.

Sullivan is hysterical!!! I think he is incredibly smart and I learned a lot from just the lectures.

Professor Sullivan has to be one of THE BEST professors that I have encountered at Baruch. He offers students much more that delineated in the course description (in a positive way). There is ALOT of reading to do... But it is all worth it, especially if you're going into government related work... You WILL LEARN how to speak and write eloquently!!

greatest professor ever. this is the first time in my college career i feel like im learning something. i know so much about american government now. you will learn a lot from him.at least you will know all the presidents. his classes are never boring.this class is not for lazy students. you need to work hard.quizzes every class, midterm and final

I notice the people who have a hard time in class are always the slackers who just want to sit through a class. Ask questions and review the material before each class and you'll be fine. Professor Sullivan is very funny. If u just finish h.s and you don't know 90% of the stuff he's wants you to know (the presidents etc) what good was ur education?

people overrate this class. it aint that hard i got an A. By far the best professor at Baruch

Several years after graduation, I remember what Prof. Sullivan's lectures more than any other.

This professor is the best! This course is only difficult if you're lazy. You need to memorize many terms and the readings are pretty much just to illustrate what he's taught in class. If you miss one class you will be miss ALOT and there is a daily quiz. PS- Do not say the word "like" or "basically" or you will be made an example out of LOL

Got a D on midterm, might get a D on final if i dont bust my ass but i can truly say i loved this class. Professor very smart and works to make us understand the material.

He is incredible funny, smart and at the end was an amazing professor. I enjoyed his class so much, and look forward to going there. Yes, he is strick but eh was the only professor so far that makes you feel like an adult. I sat in the front, I participated and enjoyed him. I actually wish he taught more classes. I would take him.

great guy...

Wonderful person. Incredibly tough course, but by design. I have never worked this hard.. Be prepared to work and yes, you will need to learn the presidents.

He's a great professor, but only take him if you want to learn something. He hasn't given out an A in a while, but he does give out A minuses. I took his class for honors along with many other honors students. We thought we were going to fail in the beginning , but most of us ended up getting A minuses. Split up the work with others to do well.

He is the most AMAZING person in the world!If you came to college to learn something,you should take him.You have to read a lot,but at the end of the semester you will be a brighter person!It's a tough class,but you will feel so proud of yourself that you won't care about the grade.He is my idol.Thank God he exists and go register for his class.

First of all Sully tells you that the course will be challenging AND IT IS. You have to memorize all the presidents, read/analyze the Federalist papers and read 2-3 other books, 5 essays, midterm and final. But he is a genius. Honestly, I feel like I learned about government unlike ever before. Worked harder than i did in law school sadly.

All the posts about a ton of work, memorization, and the Presidents are true but I really enjoyed his class. He pushed us with bringing him quality writing which is something I will need for the rest of the program. It is hard work, especially the tests but I did like him.

I don't think it was as difficult as a lot of people on here make it seem. Yes, there is a fair amount of work and this isn't one those classes in the SPA that you can just breeze through (of which there are many). But as long as you keep up with the reading and do the assignments, you'll be fine.

A lot of work, but grad school is not supposed to be easy. He forces you to think outside of the box about the implications of policy in modern government, and his forcing you to learn history allows you to understand the evolution of public policy and government. MOST IMPORTANTLY he teaches you how to write a strong paper. Worth the work.

Very smart and interesting professor. Be ready to work hard for your grade. You will learn all the presidents of the US and all the main events in American history. Also you will be required to read and discuss about 4-5 books. He gives all the necessary info about the exams, so you will know what to expect. Good luck!

A fantastic professor, and one of the most brilliant people I've had the opportunity to take a class with. The memorization for the tests is mundane, but they're important historical facts. The essay topics on the exams and for the papers are incredibly thought provoking. You will come out of this class a better writer.

Professor Sullivan is absolutely brilliant. I didn't know what to expect at first between the negative posts and him talking about his pets. But this class is really amazing. I will admit that there is far more work in this Intro course than the other ones but if you're ready to work, I HIGHLY recommend him. The essays and exams are not bad at all.

He is a good professor, he doesn't really teach anything but he lets you think and do research. The only part I did not like about him was that he forced us to memorize the 44 presidents, their names and periods which I think it was not necessary. He recommends a torn of books but really nice books that I intend to finish after the semester.

Professor Sullivan is the MAN. A lot of these reviews are from students who cant handle the work. While it is A LOT, its all worth it. I will not get an A for the class, but I learned immensely and that's what truly matters. Yes, he makes you memorize the presidents but, learning something you did not know before is in no way useless. THUMBS UP!

An incredible person, and the best professor I had there. He respects individualism and original thought, and requires serious thinking, but has a great sense of humor and optimism about life. He makes you think and work hard, which, as grad students, we should be able to do. No exaggeration: knowing him has changed my life. He's the best.

The class was interesting and engaging. He does require that you memorize the presidents and a bunch of terms for the midterm and final. The coursework couldn't be more straightforward. He emails the list of terms and the course readings a week or two before the class even starts. Make some flashcards, manage your time well and you will be ok.

Yes, the memorization of the presidents is tedious. That said, the class is not very demanding - the memorization of terms and presidents is the hardest part. Grab a $2 dinner placemat with a timeline of the presidents and memorize them over a plate of spaghetti. Professor Sullivan's lectures are interesting and promote engaging class discussion.

Undergraduate class is amazing, the professor is fair and at times generous, of course this is not to say that this class is not easy as the professor actually attempts to educate his class. I just listened in class, didn't study. Those of you who want a class experience that is genuinely exciting and fun and have some work ethic, take this class.

Neil is straight forward. 100 terms, 2 essay questions for the midterm and final. Know your Presidents and the year they were elected. Be prepared to read the Federalist Papers... the worst book for me but you learn some good insights. He is difficult if you are lazy. Otherwise he is a great professor.

He spends a lot of time picking on students, which is annoying. Otherwise he obviously knows his stuff, and has been teaching forever. Good feedback on papers. Lots to study for the tests, including books and terms not discussed in class. Memorization of basic history including all presidents! Expect to read and study a lot, with several papers.

He is wonderful just study what he tells you to study. I think he is tough but you will learn in his class

great class

This was the hardest & most worthwhile course I've ever taken. Prof. Sullivan gives you the foundation (and tons of books to read)and then forces you to think critically and continually to tie everything together to and make sense of it for yourself. It's heavy on writing, great lectures and he's very entertaining. So grateful I took this class!

He makes you think about things seriously. Have a real opinion and be able to back it up with evidence. 5 essays and 2 exams for this class, and all good. I learned more about the topics he made us write about in this course than I had ever learned in my life. If you are not willing to do some work, then please don't take his class.

He knows a lot (as he should of course) and has a very fine sense of humor. Please have an opinion and be willing to back it up with facts and you will be good with him. I took two classes with him and enjoyed both immensely.

I have never worked so hard. That said I got out of it what I put in, learned A LOT from the readings, from class discussions, and from my own research for the papers. Yeah, he's quirky, but he is a good teacher and invests deeply in student success (if you want it). If you don't have the time or energy to really haul for this class, don't take it.

Cant believe grad students are carrying on about how much work this class is. If you took a US History class in high school then you should already know 95% of the terms on the exam. My chief complaint was that I didnt really learn anything new. Very rudimentary. If you can write concisely and clearly then youll be fine on the papers.

Best professor I have ever had, I highly recommend taking this course. While it may not be easy, you will truly learn about real, relevant, and interesting topics from the past and present. Put in the work, and you will leave that class a better, smarter person than when you came in. Don't let his jokes fool you, he really cares about his students!

Neil is a person with experience in life and in teaching. He describes his talks sometimes as jazz, I couldn't agree more. If you are just looking for an easy A, this is not the class. If you are interested in learning and willing to put in the time to read, study and think about current, public issues and learn from it. Take him.

Expectations are very clear from the start. Learn the terms and write the essays and you won't have a problem. This prof wants you to succeed and does what he can to make that happen. He rambles during his lectures, but he'll make you look at things in a new way. Worth taking.

Great professor . If you seem to not be doing well hell always be there to help or explain something. However , the class is a memory class instead of actually really learning.

Just follow instructions, pay attention, take notes, do your best work and you will get the grade you deserve. The reading is a serious workload, but if you're determined to do well and LEARN, then you will. It's all about YOU, your opinions about the assigned material, and what you want to get out of the class.

Professor Sullivan made the class understand the nitty gritties of the US history. I enjoyed the class as I learnt a lot. After taking this class, when I am out I analyze people's behaviors, attitudes and the US society in terms of the knowledge gained and the history.

He was excellent. I am aware that I am a poor writer and I managed to scrape by with a B. Prof. Sullivan for PAF1250 was excellent. Expect lots of reading, interesting subject, and just make sure you take a stand when you write your papers and find the support to back it all up. I would retake him again, if necessary. Good writers can Ace this!

The best professor I ever had. He uses humor to engage with the students and makes sure he knows everyone. Yes, there may be a lot of reading but it is worth it to learn and understand the materials. If you could care less about history prob don't take the class. The professor himself means well and wants his students to do well and be educated.

Although my grade wasn't the best I gotta give credit where credit is due. I had a blast in his class. He's very knowledgeable on what he teaches, although may get off track which I attribute to his love towards the topic. For our essays we were given ample time to complete them. The midterm and final were challenging however it is what it is.

Prof. Sullivan was honestly a great lecturer, but not the best teacher. His classes were very enjoyable and it's clear that he knows his stuff; however, had little to no structure in actually teaching. Be prepared for final overload: one 20 page paper, one presentation, and one final.