although he seems to be going through a mid-life crisis, he's very intelligent and articulate. his classes always make you think. probably one of the best professors in the department. highly underrated.

Quirky guy. Good teacher, very intelligent. Lets you know exactly what you need to do to succeed in his class. Just be prepared to listen to him **** about how underpaid he is every once in a while. Highly recommended.

Great teacher! Works hard to be sure you know what the idea is.

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VERY INTELLIGENT TEACHER, Can be difficult when grading papers though (which was the majority of my class). Recommend if you are good at writing papers, if not taking someone else would be a good idea.

Very intelligent, lots of writing but he gives you the outlines in the lectures if you know when to listen. Very clear and very structured, loosens up after a few weeks and becomes very enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Amazing instructor, but often times he gives boring lectures. He thoroughly explains the material and is willing to give hints on what he is looking for in his assignments. Tolerable only if you can comprehend material.

Great teacher. He's incredibly intelligent, yet he knows how to explain the concepts to students. Sometimes he's hard to write papers for, just ask if you need help. He is definitely underrated.

A great teacher. Has an incredibly creative way of teaching the class. I can't forget how he played an NWA record in class one day to illustrate the type of music Plato would want banned...prepare for quizzes/exams, be detailed in papers.

His method of teaching is extremely boring! He lectures most of the time, and really only throws out one or two thought provoking questions per class, and in a three hour class that sucks!

Probably one of my favorite professors even though his grading is not easy. You will learn a lot yet have a lot of fun in class. One of the only night classes that seemd to go fast!

Decent class, the guys know his material and it relatively interesting to listen to. Voice starts off high and then drops low at the end of every sentance, plus hand gestures are expected throughout.

Great teacher. He really knows his stuff. Lectures are very clear and and right to the point. Notes very helpful for exams and papers. You will learn a lot from Prof Mayer.

Even though he is definitely tough in regards to grading papers, he is incredibly clear in his lectures. He's a real stickler in regards to grammar. Proof read your papers several times and make them as precise as possible.

Great teacher. If you're diligent an A on all papers is possible.

This teacher is awesome!!! I LOVE MAYER!!! He is definately one of my favorites and I have come to love his little mannerisms such as changing his voice pitch and doing the same funky hand motion over and over. You will learn soo much cool stuff!

Very good prof and extremely smart man. I wonder what he's doing teaching at Loyola, should be somewhere better. He is one of my favorite profs and by far the one who has taught me the most. His class takes a lot of work, but are very interesting.

i hate this class with all my being.

mayer is very smart and very interesting. you can tell he knows his subject. grades papers slightly harsh, but not too hard to do decently or even well. even though no attendance, it helps to go to class because his lectures are great. highly recomm.

Mayer is the man. He knows the material, and has published on most of what he is teaching. Very well thought out arguments and analyzation of texts. Obsessed with Marx, and uses 'comrades' a lot

I LOVE Mayer!! Loyola's best and smartest teacher!! Class discussions are engaging and interesting. He is very hellpful and CUTE to BOOT!

He is the best prof on campus. Be prepared to work, but his classes are worth it. He has high standards but will help those who show an interest in the class. Take any course you can with him. A pleasure to listen to and to look at too.

Best teacher you will ever have- he will make you break out of your comfort level intellectually and expand your thinking. Mayer is so clear and helpful!

Mayer gives the best and most thought provoking lectures. He will show you new ways to approach and think about old qts. Warning: only take is you really want to learn something!

Dr. Mayer knows everything inside and out. This class is thought-provoking and challenging. Every professor should try to be as professional as Dr. Mayer

very interesting.Definitely worth going to class.Grades hard for papers and exams.No need to read as he goes over the reading entirely in his lecture.Aside from his grading harshly,this is definitely my favorite class.Id take Dr.Mayer again.

Mayer is one of the best professors at Loyola. I took 2 courses with him and will be taking another one in spring 2005.

Mayer's really smart- lectures are really informative, and you really don't need to read cause he goes over it all in detail repeatedly. Stringent grading, but nothing impossible, and you really learn alot in class. Very friendly, approachable. I'd take him again.

Getting an A on a paper from this guy is like pulling teeth. He knows his stuff, but he is very pretentious and almost has an "I went to Princeton so I am always right" air about him. And he is so not hot -- he wears his pants up far too high. If you don't lie to be called comrade, don't take him

Tough grader, but a really good teacher. Attend his lectures and you should do pretty well in his class

I've had Mayer before. I constantly strive for A's and never get them. I constantly take his classes because the A's don't matter because I learn so much about things I would've hated learning about from other profs. He is a great teacher and makes classes fun to go to. Highly Recommended.

Mayer's the man. His lectures are clear and you learn more than you learn from anyone else in the dep't. Tough grading system; kinda works like a bell curve. Tough to get an A. But definitely worth it nonetheless.

Yes, Mayer does make you think and expand your horizons...BUT he likes only Americans....very American guy. If your writing style is a but different from his, then you shouldn't take him. Very picky.

Dr. Mayer, I love you.

Great person to take this class with. You learn a lot being around someone as smart as Mayer.

Mayer is biased- towards good students. Perhaps if you care about your GPA, you should learn to work hard and write well. I've taken a lot of his classes, and the person who complains is the same one who asks me if they can copy my notes because "they were on vacation last week".

Mayer's lectures are among the most fascinating, intellectually stimulating of any professor I've had at Loyola. Yes, his papers are hard. Get over it. Your brain will thank you.

In Dr. Mayer's assignments, there is little room to vent your feelings. He seems more concerned about information in the books. So, he may be the worst marriage counselor, but surely not the worst professor. After recoverying [sic], you should give him another chance.

It was an interesting class and he always kept me attention with his lecture style and integration of the material.

Very challenging. Not my best grade, but still my favorite class.

Mayer is an extremely informative instructor. Presents difficult material in a clear and engaging way. The losers here who say they were bored must be brain-dead.

Mind made up for your grade on the first paper? Mayer insisted in terrorism not to put your name on every sheet in your papers because HE GRADES THEM BLINDLY. Oh wait, he mentioned that in class, so you would not know if you did not go. Excellent course, excellent professor.

Very smart. I've used the info I learned in his class on several other papers in other disciplines and it made me look really smart. He was very open to other points of view when I took him, maybe you guys are just morons? My paper incorporated philosop

He is hard grader on writing but he will make you a better writer in the l0ong run, trust me and he is great teacher.

I had Professor Mayer in I belive his first and second years teaching at Loyola (1990 or so). He was an incredible intellect and teacher even back then. I have used much of what I learned from him in my career as a lawyer and now as a law professor. He is truly one of the best professors I ever had and certainly the best I had in undergrad.

4 5-page papers are your whole grade.Clear lectures that are mostly interesting.Very text-centric guy so be sure to highlite and take note of the passages he reads in class.He will expect you to use them for support in your papers.Hard grader on papers but class is easy otherwise.

Seems very knowledgeable about the subject matter and his lectures are informative and fairly interesting, though his very straightforwad assignments did get a bit dull. Our grade was 2 essay tests and 3 papers. A relatively hard grader, definately have to put forth an effort. Very organized and is very clear in his expectations. Pretty good class.

Mayer is a great lecturer - he will make you think and does not put up with b.s. BUT he can be a bit intimidating to approach outside of class. Would definitely recommend him to anyone not looking just to be spoon-fed a grade.

Mayer's class was undoubtedly one of the most fascinated and thoughtful that I have taken here...He is very intimidating at first and pushes your ability to argue and reason to the limit; but any student who is finally willing to be challenged should definately take him. Hard grader...Impossible to get an A, but I still highly recommend him!

Terrorism is the nutz. Great class, super relevant, and Mayer put a lot of work into the class. 5 papers that he grades fairly hard. If you want an A you have to be willing to work for it. Again, Mayer is great, this class is great, and you will learn a lot. PS Go to class, it's worth it.

Mayer is the BEST professor in PLSC department by far. He is prepared, knowledgable, interesting, and intriguing. He does grade hard, but you will learn to write better and he inspired me to put more time into my work. Great educator!

great prof, hard though, but he makes u a better writer in the 5 pg. papers he assigns. Lectures are intresting and teach you alot.

tough professor..very stern in his demeanor.i thought id hate the class in the beginning but it was actualy the class i did the best in because his assignments and style of teaching is kinda law schoolish so i always tried to stay on top of of my work.dont let his coldness scare you away hes really damn smart and helpful towards your other classes.

his lectures are pretty dry, but full of an assload of info. extremely knowledgable, his princeton background really shows. five papers and four quizzes, the quizzes are tricky, so make sure you know the philosophers inside and out. the papers require flawless grammar and no originality-just regurgitation. follow his guidelines by the letter!

Very excellent professor. He is the one who taught me how to analyze information. He is the one who taught me how to write clearly. The best professor I ever had.

Although Dr. Mayer is a little...well routine oriented he is far and away the best professor I've had at Loyola. 5 papers, 4 pages each, and he sends out emails telling you what he wants with hints in the paper. He's always pretty busy, so make appts to see him. Also, one of the funniest guys ever "family unit" holy jeeze.

He is without a doubt the best professor I had at Loyola (I graduated in 2004). In the age of spoon feeding and professors rewarding the intellectually bland, the integrity of academia lives within classrooms such as Profesor Mayer's. Audit one of his classes if you're afraid of hurting your GPA. His class was the only class I enjoyed at Loyola.

Very helpful. Always willing to answer questions.

Ohh Mayer. He's hilariously regimented and quirky, but nice and rather brilliant. He's very clear on what he wants, people complain but honestly good notes are all you need to get an A. Class is very interesting and there isn't another professor like him.

He does grade hard. He mentioned this on the first day. However, his lectures are very clear. He can drive points home. He makes you think. He inspires you to do better. He's enthusiastic about whatever he is teaching. He is brilliant. What more can you ask for? If you tend to coast through classes, don't take him. Want to learn a lot? Take him.

Brilliant. To do well you have to really grasp the material. It not an easy class but he explains the material so well in class so when you do the readings you'll understand what is being argued. He sends out great advice for all of the papers. If you want to learn the material and are willing be challenged then he is by far the best prof to take.

What is there to say about Mayer? Great teacher, holds the interest of the class, good lecturer. If you don't go to class, though, do not be suprised if you do poorly on the tests. Not too harsh of a grader, but if you follow along you won't need any help with your grades!

Was my favorite professor of my freshman year. I was overwhelmingly happy whenever I got a B+ on a paper in his class. His lectures are very interesting, and you actually learn the material.

I hated philosophy before I took him, but he explained things so well that I actually like it now. Handing in papers to him is SCARY, but he is just great. I would take him again becuase you actually LEARN in his class!

Love this class. It's my hardest class, but I never have regretted enrolling in it. Mayer is brilliant. Take him for theory!!!

Mayer is a nice professor, and is very intelligent and provides clear information on the topic at hand. That being said, if you value your GPA do not take this guy. Try all you might you will mostly likely get a B+. He doesn't look over your papers before hand and is incredibly harsh in grading them.

First and foremost, this class was way too hard for a PLSC 100 class. I am senior and political science major, and I got a B+ in the class. He grades too harshly for an introductory course. If you are worried about losing your good GPA, don't take him. If you aren't...just be prepared for an average experience.

I've taken him twice and will hopefully enroll in a third class of his sometime. This guy's brilliant, seriously. I'm like in awe during his lectures half the time. If you want someone to spoon-feed you material so you can just fill in bubbles to get an A, don't bother. But if you want to be challenged and learn something--he's a must!

I'm not a theory person but Dr. Mayer not only chooses very interesting thinkers to read but makes them understandable. As a graduate class I'd really recommend Social Justice to anyone who wants to become more versed in theory that has a great deal of relevance as well. Very nice man and really bright.

He is a very knowledgeable professor. He is probably the smartest professor that Loyola's poli sci department has. That said, when you are used to getting high grades, don't expect the same from him. He tends not to give low grades, but I struggled all semester to get an A. You will learn new things, but he killed my writing self-esteem.

Taken him 4 times. He is brilliant and is by far the smartest and most interesting prof in the PLSC dept. Those who don't like him are lazy thinkers and bad writers who have no interest in excelling in those areas. You may not get an A in his class, but ,when you leave, reading and writing papers in all other classes will be a breeze.

He's very clear and knows what he's talking about.

Mayer is a great prof. He definitely knows what he is talking about and gives solid lectures on the materials. The exams are 18 MC questions and are really easy. But the essays are really tough. Very hard grader on papers. Is a pretty nice guy and the class was rather entertaining at times. I recommend him if you actually want to learn.

he is tough. seriously. but he is also extremely fair and will be helpful to anyone who seeks his help. he seems intimidating at first but he's actually a nice guy. you do need to read and his quizzes and papers are difficult.

Mayer is very knowledgeable! His notes are extremely useful for tests and papers. You can tell he was educated at Princeton by the way he formats his tests and speaks. Yes, he is very tough so this is not the class to take if you are looking for an easy A. You will have to work hard and be prepared for tests every Friday. Overall, great teacher!

4, 18-question MC tests; 2, 5-page papers, 1, 100-question T/F final. His lectures are VERY CLEAR. You don't even have to read the books, just pay attention to lectures and skim over the pages surrounding what he reads in class and you WILL do well. His grading scale was nice too: A 14/18 was still and A. Take good notes and this is an EASY class.

I wish I could take more classes with him. He is absolutely brilliant, and makes hard material seem crystal clear. Take if you can!

Brilliant man. Not the easiest class, but definitely worth the work. Difficult grader, but assigns reasonable amounts of work and always makes it interesting. Incredibly clear even when the author of the book is not. I didn't see him outside of class, because I didn't need to. He covers everything, but still makes reading necessary. Excellent class

Very nice professor. Lectures are concise and thought-provoking despite the intricacies of the material. He's also very organized and gives a reasonable amount of work. 2 Papers and he grades hard but once you get a feel for how he grades, it isn't that bad. He gives the potential ?s for the exams and it is imperative that you answer them fully.

Great Professor! I Loved his class and plan on taking more. Thought provoking and challenges you though not too difficult. I didn't think his essays are too difficult either though he's looking for a very concise answer with little room for deviation. I would recommend him to anyone! He's also really funny! Take him and you'll learn a lot.

He is the greatest professor I have ever had. His class is fair and objective. You get the grade you deserve. Incorporates discussion into his lectures, but not enough for it to get distracting. Also uses audiovisual aid to keep students engaged, and has a great sense of humor. If you have an interest in political theory and good classes, take him.

One of the best & most fair professors I have ever had. Extremely clear and kept me engaged. Sure political theory isnt the most interesting however he keeps it as interesting as possible. Very clear and quick grading. Quiz every week, 2 papers with revision opportunities, midterm and non cumulative final. Really great prof.

Professor Mayer is very straightforward. The books we read are quite interesting and there are worksheets online to guide you what to focus on. There are weekly 10 question quizzes. There's also 2 paper , 1 revision, a midterm and a final. I absolutely recommend him!

Mayer is incredibly intelligent, but hates you diverging from his exact views, and he will say this in essays. I learned too late that you can't write your own opinions - don't do this. Lots of philosophy, but it is an interesting course.

He is extremely clear, straightforward, and will randomly call on students for participation during lecture, which is funny because people always seemed shocked. He's quirky and I can see him being neurotic, but I digress. Anyway, the course was great, and so were his lectures. The papers gauge your understanding of the text. NOT OPINION FYI

Prof. Mayer is a clear, organized teacher. Currently, he is doing a flipped format, which means you read the lecture before class & are tested on it. If you do the readings & put in work, you almost can't fail. He is willing to help on group quizzes & has open-booknote quizzes & tests. No midterm, just papers. Take his class if you can!

Mayer is a great teacher. His voice takes some getting used to, though. He is teaching a flipped class, so every day we have a short lecture to read and we take an individual & group quiz on it. 2 3-pg essays & 6 short exams. He gives 5 built in sick days, but if you come to class those 5 times, those points are EC (boosted my grade to over 100%).

Great Professor, super clear and very helpful. A 200+ page book is read every week, and you NEED the content of the reading to even pass the quiz. Super great guy

I'm a big fan Dr. Mayer. Political theory isn't my best subject but he made the material interesting. He's super approachable and willing to help his students however he can. Really great readings, his expectations regarding tests, quizzes, and papers are crystal clear. Also, I am a better writer because of this class - GREAT feedback on papers.

Happy I had the chance to take his class. He's a very understanding professor. He wants you to succeed. He challenges you. Super organized and straight forward, other professors should take notes! Great feedback on essays. He is very available outside of class too.

There are a lot of tests. One per book I think like six. But you get to use your book and homework and notes on all of them even if it's on a laptop . 2 papers and a final is essay format in class. Homework but it's not collected for points just to help you understand the material and use on tests . Easy A if you read the books honestly . Good prof

Professor Mayer is a great professor, he makes sometimes difficult material crystal clear and he is really accessible outside class. he can also be really funny and quirky at times. His classes are really engaging and his test are open book and open note. I would highly recommend him to anyone taking political theory.

He is a fantastic professor! He gives 1 quiz at the beginning of every class on what you read (no notes), then there's another "quiz" at the end of class that you can use notes to complete. 2 essays, 2 exams, 1 final (noncumulative). For the 2 exams he lets you use the books and for the final he let us use books AND notes.

This is my third class with him. I have nothing but praise for this man. He is a pretty tough grader but once you get the hang of what he's looking for, you'll do well. that being said, I'm definitely a better writer because of him. he's also really understanding and he does care about his students, though at times he has a bit of an attitude.

I liked Professor Mayer a lot! He helps with papers, and isn't too difficult of a grader. He gives lots of quizzes over the assigned readings, but they are easy and designed to bolster your grade. 1,000 points total, over 20 quizzes, two papers, and three tests with no cumulative final. Tests were multiple choice and short essay. Interesting class!

This class was writing intensive, but did not feel like it! You have to do the readings since there is a quiz every class, but very passable as long as you read! Once your quiz points add up to 300, the rest is extra credit. No exams, just 6 essays all between 4-6 pages long required. Very interesting topics! Take the class you won't regret it!

This was writing intensive so there was a lot of writing, but so worth it. No tests and he is kinda funny sometimes. Sort of a tough grader, but he eases up on you as the semester progresses.

Mayer is an amazing lecturer. The only reason I rated a 4 on difficulty is because the tests were somewhat difficult and I did not know how to study something like philosophy other than doing the readings. If you read the content, this class is super easy, especially because his lectures are so clear and well thought out.

I am usually very picky on how a professor teaches but this guy was great. He makes his powerpoints so you understand them and his lectures are very easy to understand if you pay attention. There is homework due everyday but as long as you do 20 out of like 40 homeworks, you will get full homework credit for the semester. Great teacher. Love him

Professor Mayer is a great professor, but this was way too hard for a 100-level class. We read six books and were tested on each of them individually (including the non-cumulative final). Homework was a very short analysis of a quote from each reading, but you only have to do 20/40ish. 5-page paper on an assigned prompt. Tests were the hard part.

A solid choice for political theory. 5-6 books and short essays on each. Gives a lot of good feedback on papers and the midterm, midterm and a final was solely based on the books.

I have yuge respect for this man. I would say 4.5 in difficulty, but it's worth it. He notices your hard work and makes you think critically about relevant political systems.

Professor Mayer is willing to help if you are struggling, checks in with students, provides extra credit opportunities, and cares about students well being. Makes philosophical political theories understandable. Highly recommend.

He was honestly my favorite professor at Loyola. He truly knows what he is talking about and gives students every opportunity to succeed in the class. You do have to read the books in order to know what is going on, but the class is really straightforward. Multiple extra credit opportunities throughout the semester.

Love this dude. He knows what he's talking about. His lectures can be boring, but as long as you listen and take notes you should be fine. He gives great feedback on assignments. I only took him for online courses, but he makes himself very available to support students. If you don't get through all the readings you'll probably be ok. 1 of the best

I am a transfer student who is a Junior so it was a bit nervewracking going into this semester back in person, especially with an upper level course. Enter Prof Mayer who is bar none, not only one of the smartest professors at LUC but also super interesting and insightful. Take notes during his engaging lecture's and you should cruise to an A.

Quiz every class, 600 word essay every week. BUT tests are cumulative and once you reach the max 250 points you get extra credit for quizzes. Weekly essays are out of 25 points and as long as you take notes on what he says and just rephrase it in your essay w/ good evidence you'll be set. Cool dude, pretty funny, def would take again!!

Professor Mayer has been hands down one of my favorite professors in the PLSC department. The class workload is manageable, daily quizzes on the reading material, weekly 600 word homework briefs, 6- page midterm and final. Seems like a lot, he makes it a breeze and acknowledges hard work and thoughtful discussion. Funny guy, super intelligent!

AMAZING PROFESSOR! Class is reading heavy, but you'll get away with not reading as he explains the material very well during class. Lots of opportunities for extra credit and overall an easy A. He is always willing to help out if you email him or stay after class. This is the one class I have felt like I learned the most. 9/10 would recommend.

Prof Mayer is one of my favorite faculty members. He is so knowledgeable and makes the information easy to digest. He genuinely wants to make sure you take a lot away from the class. Definitely take.

Professor Mayer is honestly a gem at Loyola. He is one of the most caring and funny professors in poli sci. The course itself is more on the lecture heavy side, but his powerpoints are engaging and creative. Textbooks are a must, but the reading isn't too bad. Overall he was a wonderful teacher, and provided great feedback outside of class!

Dr. Mayer provides extra credit opportunity every day, amazing powerpoints, and accessible resources in class. The topics in class are very interesting and he incorporates a lot of participation (optional). You are graded on tests and a few papers, which are short and easy. Definitely recommend!

He is so nice! He gives extra credit opportunities every day that are very easy. He is very understanding, and all tests are online. A lot of reading, but his lectures help. Go to office hours if you need help: he is very clear on his explanations

Literally my favorite professor at Loyola. His lectures are very fun and upbeat. While there is a lot of reading, he does a really good job explaining the context and offers extra credit opportunities everyday in class. All tests are online and there are two 5 page papers: one during midterms and one during finals.

Super smart man. Communicates well. Interesting topics and would take him again for sure.