James Busumtwi-Sam - Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC

Professor: James Busumtwi-Sam

Department: Political Science

College: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: POL344
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

He is friendly with marking and knows how to teach. The best!!!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: POL342
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I appreciated how James was understanding and reasonable when it came to completing assignments, ie. if you explain you are having difficulty he will help you. The lectures, however, were one-sided, and if you did not take the 'left-wing' position, your views were not seen as valid. This class was mostly about racism. Assignment load was fair.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: POL342
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

James won't give out easy As but if you do the work critically and participate in lecture you'll do great.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: DEVS401
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

He was very passionate on the topics he chose to discuss with us in class. The lectures were organised. However, everything else was very chaotic (e.g. he forgot to show up, asked the wrong group to present, and did not follow the syllabus). Useless advice, not accessible for extra help. The final group project was disastrous as well.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: POL344
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Not as bad as what others say. The course content is very direct and as long as you can read and comprehend the course notes, you'll do fine.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: POL342
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

a dynamic lecturer who will challenge to get beyond your comfort zone in comprehending the subject

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: POL344
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

haunted by regret for not sending in a course eval about this Prof. the course material was easy, assignments were mostly clear. my beef is that he returned no grades after the 1st assignment of the semester, did not return any emails about getting grades/feedback on the final paper or final exam. so u got ur final mark with 0 justification

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: POL344
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

When I took this class the professor was on leave so had no office hours, but was also incredibly hard to reach with questions by email. The first assignment was supposed to be objective, but blatantly said my argument is wrong.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: POL344
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I have no issue with James, but if you are going to take a class of his online beware of his TA's. TA feedback was not helpful and was a bit unrealistic. I disputed my paper grade to James (successfully) because the TA didn't like the definition it was based off of. The definition I used was explicitly stated in the course material...

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: POL344
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Took online Pol 344 - Int'l Law with James. Course shouldnt be taught online, such a poor way to learn such material. He takes a while to get back to you, like 2 days minimum. Not too many assignments but ongoing online participation, cant just bs your way through the course. Asks the big questions. A fair bit of writing . Okay. No textbooks!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: POL344
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Wow, terrible online class. Very little direction, takes a week to get back to your email, if at all. Instructions not clear and doesn't answer students questions in a timely manner. Poor feedback, no help in providing suggestions for doing better. Project turn around time is too long. This Instructor just doesn't have the time for his students.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: POL344
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I found his grammar and vocabulary to be needlessly complicated. The questions on the final were a paragraph long, but easily could have been rephrased much shorter and simpler. Very little feedback on assignments. It took weeks to get a grade on the first assignment. Two weeks after class now, and still no marks for research paper or final.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: DEVS201
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Most passionate prof I've ever had. He lives much of the year in Ghana so he has a first hand approach to much of the issues discussed in the course. He gives a clear cut definition of many things, and really forces you to think critically in his lectures rather than just write down definition. Highly recommend his classes!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: POL344
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I took this course online but he put a lot more work into it than other profs. He filmed his lectures & posted them online which helped enormously. He did expect us to do readings and post weekly answers to his discussion questions but almost all my online courses require that. I would have gotten a higher mark but I didn' finish the weekly posts

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: POL448
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

One of the best professors in the department, in my opinion. Really knows his stuff, and is very helpful (if you can sum up the courage to approach him). Don't expect an A+ though, unless you are flawless in all components of the class. Finally, don't think of sucking up to him because it is pointless. He expects you to work hard for your grade!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PL448
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Dr. James is a very knowledgeable rof who makes you think critically and outside the box

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: POL345
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

James is an incredible lecturer. It's like watching Morgan Freeman and Forest Whitaker. I was hoping for an A mark, but received a B mark. Pol Sci is not my major, but I did try my best.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: POL344
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

The lectures were barely audible from anywhere but the front row. It was tough to tie any of the lectures into the final paper topic because nothing lined up. So I had no clue what he wanted to see as far as the paper went. VERY easy to get off topic, some lectures became glorified office hours for the in class suck ups...

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: DEVS201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Incredibly inspiring. His lectures really challenged me to think critically. He does run off topic sometimes though. Exams and papers are hard to write, because you can't regurgitate what he talked about in class. Great course, amazing prof. Made me excited to get to class at 8:30AM, hahaha.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: IOIR1111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He was the most inspiring professor I had though out university - brilliant professor