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I really enjoyed his class! He made a boring class like English fun!

he is the best......but a very tough marker

Nice. Interesting. Helpful.

Oral Comm. was supposed to be a bird course. He marks WAY TOO HARD (probably by U of T standards, I think he's a PhD student there.) He's nice though, and he'll give you an extension if you ask for it.

Nice guy... a tough marker though.

I really enjoyed his class. I went in with the impression of getting easy marks for little work but he really makes you work hard. A tough marker but you learn a lot. Take the class, you can still get an A but you have to slog like there's no tomorrow.

Not an easy marker. but he smiles a lot and likes to give new ideas and help out students. he memorizes all his students' names.

nice guy, learns everybody's names, fair marker. doesnt take everyone's particular level of communication into consideration

very nice guy. not afraid to tell someone they are wrong and likes to argue a viewpoint (for a while). tough marker but gives printed out comments with your essays that really help. this was one class i actually look forward to. do the reading.

Responds quickly to emails. Very helpful. Not an easy marker though.

he's a tough marker but he really responds clearly. fast hands on emails by the way.

McMaster is an eloquent public speaker, who is helpful, personable and knows how to keep his class under focused.

Lovably pompous, thetoughest marker at Ryerson, an unapologetic ****, and a really nice guy. I like him. You get used to him.

oh yeah!! and he loves to put u on the spot. be ready with an answer. really cool prof tho.

Great prof. attentive,clever,entertaining. clearly smart. very helpful and great at teaching the material.

Gotta respect a prof who has passion for the material. So rare at Rye.

Not a bad prof, if you can tolerate him

Guy is a tough marker. He'll make an effort to remember your name though, but he scarred my transcript with a C+. Worked my ass off for the course and that's the grade I got. If you wanna learn, go to this guy. If you want a better grade, switch to a different prof.

What is everyone talking about? He is a really nice guy. Very sweet. However, he does stick to his point. When people have a different opinion, he doesn't really give others' opinion a chance. But still a friendly, decent guy. Marked kind of hard on the essays.

I'll tell you a secret about Richard. He's a sweetheart. A sweetheart who's at pains to articulate ideas that are often beyond his students' reach - sometimes beyond his even - but his are probably the most critically vigorous courses in the whole of the English department. Relish him before a better university snaps him up.

I had him for several classes and I have never got below a B+. He is very smart and understanding. Be careful about arguing with him because it's his way or no way at all!

McMaster is a hard evaluator. But you definitely learn a lot in his class; his critiques on assignments are very humiliating at first, but later you learn that all his criticism will help you improve your technical communication skills in the future. You won't get an A+ in this course, but you'll definitely leave the course with useful knowledge.

Hes very helpful and you can learn alot from him, however hes a very hard marker.

hard marker, but an effective teacher overall

Good teacher hard marker. Found his class frustrating and difficult.

Fair marker. Work hard and you'll do well. Read and know the works. Back up your arguments with proof from the texts. This was my first university level English and I got an A-. Work hard and you'll do well. Pay attention in class. He's very intelligent and some of his points will go over your head. Do not take if looking for an easy grade.

He is very approachable and offers a lot of help, especially for the essay. His lectures are interesting. His marking is fair, if you work hard and see him if you need help you will do well.

I found him to be a hard marker. Take a lot of notes when he is analyzing the novels. Attendance is beneficial. His powerpoints will not get you to pass the tests. You will need to take additional notes.

He has high standards, but is always willing to help out students. His exams are fair, and he will look over your essay if you send him a rough draft. He gave me an A on my essay. I definitely recommend Richard!

Excellent teacher...will do everything he can to help you, you won't get an A in his class but he's Very fair

Hard but fair marker, which he has to be in a course like this one.. many people take it as a "bird course" so you need someone to challenge you in a course like this. He really will try his best to help you-if you ask for it and show that you've tried. Overall, you will learn a lot in his class, but will likely not get the mark you hoped for.

had more fun in his tutorial class... way better than the prof

Great prof - super engaged and passionate. He really puts a lot of effort into his classes (i.e. researching relevant examples and theoretical concepts) and is always available to help students outside of class hours. He's tough but fair - beware, he's an English academic, so there'll be a lot of red pen correcting grammar/spelling on your work :-)

Awesome prof - one of the best in the communications dept. He's legit, and doesn't treat the course - or his students - as bird material. Take it seriously and you'll do well!

Too hard of a marker, take CMN100 with the other professor.

One of those courses that if you have a good prof, you're set. And this was the case here. He's pretty helpful when it comes to explaining and helping students but a fact is a fact when it comes to marking... He's a hard marker! Textbook readings were required but I didn't read any (pretty useless). Lecture slides are posted online as well.

Great Prof! Really straight forward in his explanations and material he teaches. No textbook for this class so instead he assigned weekly articles which were always interesting and engaging. He's a tough marker, but not unreasonable. Knew basically everyone in our class by name and always offered assistance through email & after class.

Great Prof, if you follow what he says, there is no reason to do bad in this course. Work and you will succeed

Such a great prof! He really wants everyone to get a good grade! Very interesting course and even though it was online there was no confusion with any assignment, and if there was he was sure to reply as soon as possible. If you have the chance to have him as a prof I really recommend it!!

He is so knowledgeable! Assignments are very clear, he truly wants everyone to succeed. Communications was an informative course that will prove beneficial in the future.

Richard does a great job creating an interesting and engaging classroom with his students. He's a nice guy, and lectures very fun and entertaining. Assignments were difficult, but fair, and he does not hand out easy marks, but gives helpful and detailed feedback. Really seems to care about students. Great class for any future professional.

McMaster is a great prof! He explains everything really well and is a very fair marker. He's really into the material and uses great examples that make everything really easy to understand. Highly recommend.

Lots of content. Interesting examples and assignments.

Challenging. Fair.

Solid prof. If you prepare for in class assignments, and follow his guidelines for his assignments, you should be fine.

Very interesting class. However I found it quite challenging. He can be a tough marker. The readings are usually mandatory as we got quizzed on them every so often. Lectures are fun and include modern, fresh examples. He knows his stuff and is a really cool guy! Went to see him in office hours once and he helped lots.

The course is really interesting but get ready to read. The workload isn't too bad, only three papers and McMaster provides super good feedback on the assignments.

A really good prof and his classes are great! You wouldn't want to miss one. However if you don't put in effort you will not enjoy the class.

Good.

McMaster is great. He's caring, super accessible outside of class and helps you when you need it. Makes lectures interesting as by getting the class involved. The class does seem a little daunting at first but it gets better.

He was a good prof easy 90 just come to class do the work and make sure you respect him

His readings are super long (15-30 pages) and you have quizzes every class based on those readings. He takes a pretty long time to mark but gives good feedback if you go to see him outside of class. Other than that, he's a pretty good prof just DO THE READINGS

Richard is a great professor who cares about his students. A portion of the course was based on responses to guest speakers in-class so attendance is important for most of the course. Richard can be a hard grader at times, however, is always open to providing feedback to ensure you are on track. Read the case studies each week to prep for the test!

Professor McMaster is the best prof in all of Procomm, he is extremely genuine and very engaging. He treats all his students with the upmost respect and acknowledges new/different opinions he hasn't heard before. He marks based on effort put in assignments, he will help you succeed if you just ask him for help

Professor McMaster is always there if you need help, and his simple ways of theaching makes the course very memorable. Make sure you attend the classes as there are many inclass assignment as he makes you work for your grade, but he always gives very good feedback and helps you through many assignments. Make sure you read the textbook!!

I initially took a first year communications course with Richard and was not crazy about him. This year, I took the mandatory third year Professional Communications course, Introduction to Professional Practice. It ended up being my favorite course that Semester, and I gained a new-found respect for Richard.

Lots of people hate on Richard for being a hard marker, but if you put in the effort you'll do well. He gives really good feedback on assignments and actually checks if you read it because he's concerned with your education. Sometimes he can come off like he's trying too hard to be cool but it's the dad quality lots of people like about their profs

he is the BEST Straight forward, show up, skim your readings and listen/ participate in class discussion. TBH one of my fav procom profs <3333333

The guy doesnt believe in 80+ marks. Your grades will drop by a minimum of 10%. The class is not hard tho. Great guy!

Good class! CMN269 focuses on communication subjects most don't. He really likes discussions in class, and it's a fun course for that. He loves the course which shows and grades fairly. No exam - it's a final project, midterm, and 4 short quizzes.

DO NOT EXPECT AN A+. Even though you think you did good, and his comments on your assignments say you did good, don't expect a good mark. Very nice as a person and very accommodating, but he is a hard marker.

Not a HARD prof. EASY COURSE. No textbook. Just readings online which I just skimmed. He is a hard marker though. Highest mark I got was 89% on a presentation. But if you follow his criteria for the outline you can boost your mark. NOT EASY A/A+. But you can definitely get a B+ or A- with just showing up. Not much course work either

Richard McMaster one of the most knowledgable and caring Professors I've had at Ryerson. He genuinely wants all of his students to succeed and does so by offering unlimited help and real life examples to better connect lecture understanding to everyday life. He is a true Ryerson gem. I would highly recommend taking his classes.

Great prof, he was super helpful all semester and gave me good feedback on assignments. He is very clear with what he wants from assignments and if you follow what he wants you'll get a good mark.

He is very knowledgeable about the course material and is available for extra help. The best part of this class were the assignments as they were open ended, which allowed for a lot of creative freedom. He uses in-class activities (sometimes for marks) to encourage participation and help you understand the material.

Richard is a caring professor who worked hard to accommodate and help students succeed as best they can. Lecture style is a bit dry, but he made tough communication concepts easily digestible. Assignments gave freedom to explore your own interests. Heavy on readings, but they are all relevant. Would definitely take a class with him in the future.

Amazing, detailed, thought-provoking lectures with relevant examples. Take him if you ever have the chance -- you'll learn so much. One downfall is his high expectations. Compared to other profs I've taken, he tends to mark harder. But with hard work, you can easily get an A-!

Professor McMaster is very knowledgeable about different types of communication and I learned a lot in his lectures. He is a very eloquent man and will give you many new words to add your vocabulary as a consequence of taking his classes. He is a tough grader and feedback can sometimes be vague, but reach out to him and he'll be happy to help.

This is by far one of my favourite courses that I've taken at Ryerson. Dr. McMaster is very knowledgeable and constantly updates the material to keep it relevant and fun. You can tell how much he loves this particular course and he gives great feedback if you ask him or go to his office hours. I can't recommend this class enough!

Not sure why he would have a low rating? Although the class was work heavy all the content was really interesting. The classes were VERY engaging and you could tell he really cared about what he was teaching. Feedback and marks were fair and always detailed towards your assignment. Would definitely take a course by him again!

By far my favourite prof this semester!!! Even with the online format, his lectures were fun and engaging, and you can really tell that he cares about what he's teaching, as well as the success of his students. He does assign lots of reading, but the topics are interesting and he's willing to explain anything you don't understand.

This course was well executed for online learning, the assignments are interesting, the class is engaging and you get the chance to work with so many other students. The pre-recorded lectures and readings can be heavy at times and while the workshops and discussion posts can boost your grade the assignments are marked harder.

Great guy. McMaster is an excellent prof. Teaches with absolute clarity and gives direct instructions. Recorded lectures can be a bit dry but he manages to teach the content so well that the interesting bits makes up for it. Makes you work for an 80 but it is not impossible. He also offers many opportunities to meet with students.

Considerate of students' needs, no textbook, and no tests. Lectures were a little boring sometimes but included interesting material that was transferable to the projects. The course is assignment heavy but they are well distributed throughout the semester so it doesn't feel like a lot and I'd rather this than tests/exams. The assignments are fun!!

McMaster was my favourite prof this semester. He's really kind and you'll definitely learn a lot. You have to work to get a good mark on the assignments but his instructions are super clear. Guarantee anyone who left a bad review is just salty bc they got a bad grade.

Richard is a great guy, course was easy to understand but hard to do well in. He went out of his way to make the class memorable for us, even finding a time to do a couple in person lectures despite being an online course. Great guy.

I had this class fully asynchronous but this prof always made sure we knew he was available for help. Also posted many vid tutorials or instruction vids that were super helpful! Really nice guy and this course is def an easy A. Make sure to do your ELM's on time and the mini assignments for them and you're set. 10/10 would recommend him for cmn279

Richard is a good guy. As an international student, I still understand what he says, and do a great job. The lectures are recorded, and he tried to let us have in-person class as much as possible. Watch the pre-record lectures carefully so you can do the assignment without any trouble.

I really like this prof, I have had him twice now. He tries hard to keep with the times and makes some humorous relations to pop culture. His lectures are organized and engaging. He has also been very understanding of student concerns throughout the pandemic. You can tell he wants his students to do well and learn. Would recommend!

Even with minimal effort, I still got over a 70 in his class, He gives very good feedback and is an easy grader.

I thoroughly enjoyed Richard's class. He gives a 2 day grace period for assignments so that people don't feel the need to send "begging emails". There are no tests or exams. The assignments were fun. You can earn 10% by simply showing up and participating in the discussion forum. He has the procom tech staff come and assist students who need it.

McMaster hands down does the best lectures I have ever seen. So engaging, and really makes you want to learn. Tough grader, but you can tell he cares about his students. 100% would take again!!

He is a very tough grader- even in the feedback he gave back there was little to no corrections and yet I would still get a 70.

He's a really funny prof and teaches with care, but his marking is a bit tough and he can be unclear in his instructions.

Engaging lectures, but tough grading. Take advantage of unstuck AI for better study prep. Attendance matters, and be sure to follow instructions closely. Overall a rewarding class, just expect to put in the work.

It's strange how the other ratings said, "You can't get past a 70." My lowest grade on an assignment was an 85. The prof was chill, use office hours and he'll give you advice on ur assignments to enhance your grade. Very reasonable professor the hate is unjust. I came in thinking I was doomed with a bad prof but the reviews were wrong.

A lot of people are complaining lol. The same people never did office hours with him or actually did the readings either. The professor is good, and his rating should at least be a 4/5. He gives advice on how to increase your grade on an assignment if you go for help. His D2L discussions tab was helpful, too.

This course focuses heavily on assignments. Paying close attention to the criteria for each one will help you achieve a good grade. Take advantage of the professor's office hours for valuable guidance and advice.

Good human but a strict prof. He told me that he won't give me an A+ because no one can ever get perfect on a Communications course which is such bs. Be careful when taking him because him and his TAs are very strict on the rubric Evaluations: • Weekly quizzes - 10% • Assignment 1 - 10% • Assignment 2 - 15% • Assignment 3 - 30% • Assignment 4 - 35%

Dr McMaster is a really nice guy. His grading is certainly tough, but the other workshop TAs are not easier. Following the rubric helps, but he will pull random things(that are valid) to dock marks from you. His workshops are cute and talk about a variety of communication topics but aren't mandatory. If you ask for help, he will certainly give it.

Just do good on the assignments, easy marker

He is an excellent prof, be aware that his TA's mark kind of difficult though. However, he is very willing to answer any questions and genuinely helps. If you follow guidelines and go a little above and extra im sure the marks will be good.

This is the second time I've had Richard as a prof and honestly, it was far better than the last time. Ryan (his GA for this term) is nice, enthusiastic and gives fair feedback on assignments.There are in class participation activities but you only have to do 7 out of 10 which is reasonable. The assignments were also fun. Would recommend!